Unlike proper debutantes, Miss Dahlia Grenville is secretly Robin Hood in a bonnet. Her home for wayward girls has too many dependents and not enough donations. But just as she’s about to pull off the heist of the Season, she tumbles straight into the arms of the handsome detective who has sworn to deliver Mayfair’s mysterious thief straight to the gallows.Highly principled Bow Street runner … runner Simon Spaulding’s world is black and white. There’s no mastermind too clever, no criminal alive who can escape the hangman. Until he realizes the delightful young lady he’s been courting is a liar and a thief. Suddenly, his career—and his heart—are in peril. How can he bring her to justice when it means losing her forever?
In the Rogues to Riches historical romance series, sigh-worthy Regency rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind romance with rollicking adventure.
- Lord of Chance
- Lord of Pleasure
- Lord of Night
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Not your typical Regency with entitled lords and ladies, this is a wonderful and witty jewel of a story. A light-fingered heroine desperate to keep a home for abandoned girls afloat with the heroic detective who’s hot on her trail. A fun and refreshing read!
Love all of Erica’s books!
Erica Ridley has become one of my favorite romance writers. I love her series books and the interweaving of the characters lives.
waiting for lord of vice
Another fun Erica Ridley book to enjoy.
I enjoyed Lord of the Night so much, I immediately bought the sequel.
A great read. Action, romance, and a little larceny go hand in hand to create a real page turner.
Lord of Night was part of the box set I purchased of Rogues to Riches by Erica Ridley. Though I have written a comprehensive review of Rogues to Riches, I am providing this separate review of Lord of Night for potential readers of the standalone book.
The two lead characters in Lord of Night are Simon and Dahlia. He is a bow street runner/inspector and she, unknown to him, is a female Robin Hood trying hard to keep her school open for low to no income girls. Read this highly enjoyable book to find out how Dahlia is the one that becomes a “rake” before she and Simon find their HEA. Worthy of 4 to 4 1/2 Stars!
I’m giving the book 4 stars, because it was well written and entertaining, but if you are a stickler for “by the book” true Regency protocol, this book is not for you.
This is the story of Dahlia Grenville (sister of Camilla from Lord of Pleasure) and Simon Spaudling.
Dahlia has runs a boarding school for girls in St. Giles, she has a huge heart and can’t bring herself to turn away any girl in need. Problem is, she has used all her own funds and she can’t afford to keep the school running without more donations, which are basically non-existent since Lord Wainwright inadvertently scorned her school. Unwilling to close the school, Dahlia does what she thinks she must to keep the school going. She becomes a thief, does she know that it is wrong? Yes! But to her mind, closing the school and returning the girls to the streets is far worse.
Simon is an inspector for Bow Street, he is dedicated to his job and is a stickler for the law – there is no gray in Simon’s world. He is the bastard son of a marquess and has strong feelings about the “upper class”. He is still angry and bitter about the relationship that he had (or more aptly, didn’t have) with his father and is incredibly jealous of his half-brother, Lord Hawkridge. He has put all his passion for injustice into his career and has been very successful. So successful that the Justice of the Peace has been tasked him with finding the “Thief of Mayfair” and Simon will stop at nothing to find this criminal and bring them to justice.
He meets Dahlia by chance, he was on his way home when he came upon two women running from an attacker, he chases the thug and takes him into custody. He returns to St. Giles to let Dahlia know that the attacker was caught and thinks that will be the end of their association. But Simon is intrigued with Dahlia and returns to the school a few days later.
Dahlia is also taken with the handsome young inspector, but she has no room in her life for a romantic relationship nor can she risk what little social standing she still has by engaging in an affair. She vows to keep Simon at arms length. But she can’t seem to stop herself from drawing Simon into her life and for his part, Simon can’t seem to stay away.
As these two spend more time together and fall in love, it seems like they will have an easy path to a HEA. But what fun would that be??
When the truth is revealed about Dahlia’s “fund raising” efforts, will his love for her be enough for him to change his black and white view? I honestly wasn’t sure and didn’t see how this book could possibly have a positive ending! Of course it does, but it is touch and go until the very end 🙂
The book is well written, flows nicely, has a couple of warm love scenes and very likable characters (I will be honest, I didn’t like Dahlia in the previous book and didn’t expect to like her in this one, but she won me over). On the downside, their is little to no adherence to Regency proprieties and the idea that a young unmarried woman from a good family could do the things that Dahlia did and not be a complete outcast is unbelievable. However, if you can bear in mind that this is a work of fiction and can overlook this, you will not be disappointed with the story!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
I was so bored I didn’t finish it. I’ve read other stories in this series and been entertained, but not this time. Drawn out, lots of angst, and it’s about to get worst now that she’s discovered what’s written in the bio (meaning, not a spoiler) that he’s looking for her because of her thieving.
Rogues to Riches Volume 1 book 3
One of the best Regency romances I’ve ever read!
Simon is my favorite Regency hero! (Not just because he seems like a member of my family!) Despite his disadvantaged upbringing, he’s become a man of honor, a true gentleman, and a hero to two dozen young girls and their headmistresses – especially Dahlia. She’s trying to make more of her life than the ivory tower her upbringing would restrict her to, which has led her to make some tough decisions and take more than a few desperate risks.
Their romance is so perfect, except for the secrets that Dahlia must keep. This story resonates on so many levels, reaching deep into the hearts and motivations of these two characters. The heartbreak starts long before the truth comes out, and for a while it truly seems like a HEA is beyond reach. The author brilliantly works it all out without compromising either her characters or historical authenticity. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Loved the characters
I loved this heartfelt story Dahlia who comes from a wealthy family but chooses to use her money ro.run a girls school for orphans in order to keep them off the streets. She even goes far as stealing to feed them. Then she falls in love with the detective on the case of the thief. This wonderful story shows you the bounds to be surpassed for the ones you love. The narrator was great. I received a complimentary audio and I am voluntarily reviewing.
The very first sentence – “Unlike proper debutantes, Miss Dahlia Grenville is secretly Robin Hood in a bonnet.” – sets the tone for the whole book. What a wonderful way to spend time reading about this selfless woman. She meets Bow Street runner, Simon Spaulding when he comes to her rescue as she is saving a young girl from a very unsavory man. You see, although the daughter of a well to do baron, she has established a boarding school for improvised young girls. Otherwise, the girls would be living on the streets or worse working in a brothel. At the St. Gi!we School for Girls, they are taught marketable skills, maids, housekeeping, etc. Dahlia and Simon are attracted to each other from the get go. What will Simon who sees everything in black and white, right or wrong do when he finds Dahlia is the Thief of Mayfair he has been assigned to catch? Will he see her need to provide for her flock in the only way she can? What will happen to their budding love when he learns the truth about her? I absolutely loved this book, reading it in one day. Ms. Ridley gives us a glance into the next book in the series featuring Dahlia’s best friend, Faith Digby and Simon’s half brother, Lord Hawkridge. Hint: they have history. I have read a lot of Erica Ridley’s offerings and have throughly enjoyed each and everyone.
Best book of the series so far. Loved the hero/heroine.
This book had an interesting premise in that the hero was not “nobility”. That the heroine was still accepted in the Ton despite her unconventional living arrangement is hard to believe.
I try to avoid books with explicit sex. There should be a warning for readers who do not appreciate these descriptions. I won’t read this author again. The story was acceptable but I quit reading when i no longer needed an imagination.
Miss Dahlia Grenvile was running a school for less fortunate girls in St Giles. Unfortunately the resources to keep the school running were not high. The donations were not enough to keep food on the girls’ table, as well as to buy clothes for them.
With that, Dahlia had a different way of keeping things going: she was a kind of Robin Hood.
Everything could have continued to work well, had she not met Bow Street Runner, Simon Spaulding.
Simon was the typical good guy. He worked hard at his job, and was known as Lone Wolf.
On a night when there was an attack on St Giles, Simon ended up helping Dahlia and the girl she would protect. Simon arrested the ruffian, and was deeply impressed by that lady who laid a broom as if it were a deadly weapon.
However, they came from different worlds even though both had life purpose to help people.
Simon acted by the law; Dahlia would do anything to protect the girls.
He was not a nobleman, he did not have vast wealth.
Dahlia was not dazzlingly beautiful and her dowry was not loud enough for her to attract a husband rich enough to help her maintain school.
Interest between both grows, but being on opposite sides of the law, how could this relationship have a future?
The interesting thing about this story is that they are absolutely ordinary people. No nobiliary title or very large inheritance.
Simon was a worker and Dahlia had a normal beauty.
But both were fearless in their tasks.
Despite this change in plot, I did not feel connected to the characters.
3 stars
This is the third book in the delightful Rogues to Riches series. This book is about the middle Grenville daughter, Dahlia, who despite her mother’s pushing, has no interest in landing a husband. Her only concerns are the orphan girls in her school and keeping the school financially afloat. When Lord Wainwright, former rake, now her brother-in-law, made a careless remark, it cost her school many benefactors. While he has made it up to her with a generous donation, it is still a daily struggle to pay the bills, so while out with her mother on social calls she starts “borrowing” small items she finds at wealthy homes, sells them to pawn brokers and then sends a message to the owner, telling them where the item can be found. She thinks of herself as a Robin hood, but becomes known as Thief of Mayfair. Eventually, the thefts come across the desk of Bow Street runner, Simon Spaulding. He is not a titled lord, but the bastard son of a marquee, not extremely wealthy and not a roque, but none the less the hero of the story. He comes across Dahlia as she is attempting to rescue a young girl about to be assaulted on the street. Slowly they begin a relationship, but what will happen when he finds out that Dahlia is not only the daughter of a Baron, but is the thief he has been looking for? Simon also finally comes face to face with his half brother, the new marquess. Will they be able to forge a relationship of their own? Read and find out.
I read an ARC from netgally.com