An English war hero must unlock the secrets of an Irish beauty’s heart . . . Named for the heather in her native Ireland, botanist Erica Burke dreams of travel—somewhere she won’t be scorned for her scientific interests. Instead, a storm strands her with cool and commanding Major Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Raynham. An unexpected heir, Tristan is torn between his duties as an intelligence … as an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke. A brief return to England to set his affairs in order is extended by bad weather and worse news—someone is after the military secrets he keeps. Could the culprit be his unconventional Irish guest? He needs to see her journal to be sure, and he’ll do what he must to get his hands on it . . . even indulge in a dangerous intimacy with a woman he has no business wanting.
Erica guards her journal as fiercely as she guards her heart, fearing to reveal a side of herself a man like Tristan could never understand. But though she makes Tristan’s task infernally difficult, falling in love may be all too easy . . .
Praise for Susanna Craig
“A stunning, sensual storyteller . . . evocative prose and richly drawn characters.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jennifer McQuiston
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After reading the first book in the series – A Companion’s Secret and absolutely loving it, I couldn’t wait to read this installment of the Rogues and Rebels series. This book features Cami’s younger sister Erica Burke, an aspiring botanist and Major Tristin Laurens, the new Duke of Raynham.
Erica is traveling with Cami and her new husband on their wedding trip, Erica left Ireland after the failed rebellion that killed her betrothed and came to England to start anew. She is studying the flora she has seen and tracking her findings in her journal. Her most prized possession. But when she enters the carriage after a quick stop at an inn, she realizes she left the book in the dining room. Without a word to anyone, she races back into the inn and gets her journal – when she returns to the yard, she learns that they left without her. She sets out on foot and is caught in a storm, she manages to make her way to an abandoned cottage – but it isn’t really abandoned, Tristian is there waiting out the storm.
Tristian never imagined he would be the duke, his life is in the military and he works covertly collecting information (AKA a spy). He has delayed returning home as long as he can and now he is mere miles from his home, he could have pushed on but he needed a little more time before facing his new life – one he doesn’t plan on keeping, he wants to return to his work in France as soon as possible. When Erica bursts in the cottage, he is surprised and a little suspicious, but he offers to help her reunite with her sister. The next morning, they walk to his home, she is shocked to learn he is a duke. His stepmother, is gracious and kind to Erica, especially when she learns that she will have to stay for awhile, the bridge has been washed out. But Erica is not the only guest, several local gentry have been visiting to welcome Tristian home, including his late brother’s assumed bride (they were never formally betrothed).
Tristian gets several shocks, first he learns that the Pilkington’s expect him to marry Caroline in his brother’s place and then he learns from his friend Capt. David Whitby that there might be a spy in their midst, as several rumors concerning Tristian have been circulating.
Whitby plants a seed in Tristian’s mind that Erica might actually be a spy and he becomes obsessed with finding out what is in her journal. When he is caught trying to take it in the middle of the night, he proposes. She of course declines, but wants to know why he wanted it. When Whitby confronts her, she decides it is time to set things straight with Tristian and catch the real spy.
I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as I did the first book. Erica was flighty, immature and impetuous, the author did try and explain her actions and personality to the reader, but for me, it wasn’t enough and I really never warmed up to her. I also never really “felt” a connection between Erica and Tristian, when Erica reveals to herself that she loved him, I was surprised and when he thinks the same, I couldn’t believe it – I have no idea when or more importantly why they fell in love, it seemed completely random and out of the blue. The writing was good, the mystery of the spy was interesting and surprising and the love scenes were steamy, but the romance fell completely flat for me. This book is the second in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
The Duke’s Suspicion did not disappoint! Erica is a refreshingly different heroine, and Tristan was strong and confident, and loving and accepting of Erica when he comes to know and understand her. Susanna’s writing is lovely, and it’s impossible not to be swept-up in her storytelling.
The Duke’s Suspicion by Susanna Craig is the second book in the Rogues and Rebels series. I have not read the first one but this book can definitely be read as a stand-alone. The characters didn’t seem consistent with who they were. It was interesting trying to guess what they would say or do next. I couldn’t connect with them completely because of that but with that said I did like them very much. They had strong personalities, they stood out, they were intriguing and they were very likeable. The storyline… again it was interesting but it bounced around a lot. For the most part, it was fun and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the writing, the author certainly has a way with words. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I’ll read more for sure!
I really enjoyed this one! We get romance, some intrigue, decent conversations. Our heroine, Erica, is always struggling to keep up with her racing thoughts and as such, can be rather spacey and forgetful. This forgetfulness leads to her being left behind by her sister and brother-in-law and sees her riding out a week-long rainstorm, stranded by flooding, in the home of a duke. Said duke, Tristan, because of something his friend said, is suspicious that Erica, who is Irish, could be a spy working against Britain, and military man Tristan cannot allow that. In the process of his attempting to determine whether or not she is in fact a spy, Tristan spends a good deal of time with Erica and the two really get to know each other, quickly, but not so quickly that I would deem it to be instalove, and work together to determine the identity of the real spy.
This was a quick read and I really enjoyed it and would recommend it!
I received an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publisher’s Description
An English war hero must unlock the secrets of an Irish beauty’s heart . . .
Named for the heather in her native Ireland, botanist Erica Burke dreams of travel—somewhere she won’t be scorned for her scientific interests. Instead, a storm strands her with cool and commanding Major Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Raynham.
An unexpected heir, Tristan is torn between his duties as an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke. A brief return to England to set his affairs in order is extended by bad weather and worse news—someone is after the military secrets he keeps. Could the culprit be his unconventional Irish guest? He needs to see her journal to be sure, and he’ll do what he must to get his hands on it . . . even indulge in a dangerous intimacy with a woman he has no business wanting.
Erica guards her journal as fiercely as she guards her heart, fearing to reveal a side of herself a man like Tristan could never understand. But though she makes Tristan’s task infernally difficult, falling in love may be all too easy . . .
My Thoughts:
I was very impressed by the writing style of this relatively new to me author. Historical romance is my favorite genre but I must say that the Irish slant is not my usual read.
Erica is an interesting heroine. Her journal leads Tristan to believe that she must be a spy although this is far from the truth.
Her secretive nature and protective nature also hints at something to be hidden.
Can put hero and heroine get past their misconceptions and follow their hearts rather than their heads.
I have this title 4.75 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization a mild sensual rating.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
I read the first book in this series quite some time ago, so I needed a moment to remember it, and why I preordered this book.
I was because I had loved it, and this one is even better that the previous one.
It is not often I read about hyperactive persons and their impaired concentration, and how it must be terribly challenging for a young woman during this time when she must behaves perfectly or be labeled a failure or improper.
In her, I see a bit of my daughter, she is not diagnosed a hyperactive kid but she can’t stand to stay in one place, school is challenging for her and she is able to lost herself when she draws or dances, so I do comprehend how Erica must have felt to never fit anywhere with her era standards.
But she has also her own talents, she has a different way of thinking, approaching problems with an alternative view.
Tristan is her opposite, he always lived within his own very rigid rules trying to make up for his mother’s supposed sin.
Because she is so different from any person or woman he might have known, he is at first willing to believe the worst from her but soon he will be able to understand that if she unsettles him, it is because she rises new feelings from him.
« All along, she had been thinking of him as a rule-maker. And she was the consummate rule-breaker. »
At every turn, she surprises him, even when cornered she does not back down. She is kind to his sister and seems to be able to help her, when he betrayed her trust, once she understood why, she decided to show him his wrong in baring her soul to him. She was ready to face his distrust and see pity or disgust but never expected this rigorous man feels angry for her.
« How much was he willing to risk? Everything. Because he knew that all Erica had ever really wanted was someone who believed in her. Someone who loved her just as she was. »
I do loved this story with a very unusual heroine, a hero who is no rake nor cad but still an commanding one and a mystery to solve.
Tristan Laurens is an intelligence officer with a love of order and precision and a reputation for cool detachment. He is the spare who becomes the Duke of Raynham after the deaths of his father and elder brother. Erica Burke is an Irish botanist traveling with her family who inadvertently gets left at an inn – a “Home Alone” situation fraught with danger for an unprotected woman. When they both seek shelter in an abandoned cottage during a thunderstorm, it’s the beginning of an attraction that changes the trajectory of their lives.
Tristan has always been the straight arrow, and Erica blows into his life and tugs him off balance. Everything she says or does is unexpected and unpredictable, and he is drawn to that element of surprise.
The Duke’s Suspicion is the second book in Susanna Craig’s Rogues and Rebels series, but reads well as a stand-alone. It was well-written and enjoyable with engaging characters, including Tristan’s sister Vivi, who is as unconventional as Erica.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
They say opposites attract and that was certainly the case with Tristan and Erica. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these two fascinating characters and watching them discover the real versions of each other. The Duke’s Suspicion was a captivating read and I couldn’t put it down.
The Duke’s Suspicion by Susanna Craig is book Two in the Rogues and Rebels series. This is the story of Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Rayhnam and Erica Burke. I have read the previous books, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Erica dream is to be a botanist and travel to far off locations for her research. But she hasn’t made it to far yet. Tristan is a war hero who has inherited a title that he didn’t want but trying to settle things he up her learns that some information has been leaked about a mission he is on. Tristan is out to find that person and he thinks Erica is a good place to start.
This was a joy to read.
This was a highly charged story with fantastic, compelling characters that held me spellbound until the last page. Erica, a lovely Irish botanist, was traveling with her sister and brother law to their estate in England. in her absent mindedness, she realized she left her beloved journal containing her botany studies, inside the Inn. Turning from the coach and going back to get it, she wound up being left. So she set off on foot for the long walk to her sister’s estate.
But as often happens, it started pouring rain and she took shelter in a deserted cabin on her way. Major Tristan Laurens, an intelligence officer, was on the way to his estate to straighten out his affairs, haven recently inherited a dukedom. He had taken shelter as well and was surprised when beautiful Erica barged in!
This is when everything starts to get interesting! Tristan is has been given instructions to find a spy who has been stealing military secrets and that carries around a journal! Could it be that easy? She carries a journal that she is guarding with her life!
These two were really a pair! A brooding Duke and an almost scatterbrain lady ( really due to her intelligence!) bring humor to the story as well as a almost palatable spark alighting between them!
This tale had a little of all that a romance should. A mystery, intrigue, humor and of course a budding romance. This is the first book I have read by this author and I truly cannot wait to read more. Her prose is delightful and the plot and detail shows her imagination is amazing. I have not read the first book in this series so this can be read as a standalone, but I hope to remedy that post haste!
I always get very excited whenever there is a new Susanna Craig book, and this beauty doesn’t not disappoint. Yet, again Ms Craig has created another stunning, compelling, engaging and beautifully written book. This is book two in the Rogues and Rebels series, the first was brilliant and this even more so. Craig again brings together two completely different individuals; this time it is a beautiful Irish botanist and a brooding military intelligence officer, which I can tell you make for a captivating love story.
While on her way with her sister and brother-in-law to their estate they stop at a coaching inn only for Erica to be accidentally left standing by the side of the road with nothing but her journal in hand. The only reason she went back into the inn in the first place was to retrieve her precious journal, which is full of pictures and notes for her work as a botanist. Once she realise that she has been left and as she can’t go back inside the inn due to her thumping one of it’s customers, she begins the long walk to her sisters estate. Can you see where this is going? Yep, the rain starts lashing down and when she comes across what she thinks is a deserted little cottage she rakes shelter, only to come face to face with another who is taking shelter in the cottage.
Major Tristan Laurens is on his way home to take on his responsibilities as he has just inherited the Dukedom of Raynham after the death of his father and brother in an accident, when he is caught in the sudden down pour he takes shelter in a cottage, only for an immensely beautiful woman to barge in. Tristan has been given the mission to seek out and bring to justice a spy who wanting to steal Military secrets. He has been informed that this spy will be carrying a journal, so obviously when he learns of Erica’s journal which she protects with her life he is instantly suspicious.
Because of his suspicions Tristen insists that he get to know the real Erica, which turns into some brilliant scenes between the two. What I particularly love about these two is that they have proper conversations, which is a little harder for Erica as she has a wild imagination, constant flurry of thoughts and ideas which move from one subject to another at the speed of light and that makes for some genuinely funny moments for her as she confuses herself and forgets her own train of thought – which is very easily done, believe me.
They are two wonderful individuals, at first I would never have put the two of them together as they are so different but they do find a common ground and the atmosphere crackles and sizzles around them, not just in sexual tension but in suspicion, in distrust and in confusion.
Tristan is a decent man, he is smart, loyal, deeply patriotic, brooding – who doesn’t love a brooding military man? he is a soldier first and foremost, he never wanted or expected to be the Duke, his life was set out for him but on the death of his father and brother he has no choice but to take on the responsibility and that is one thing that Tristan never does, he will always do his duty.
Intriguing, compelling, romantic, intelligent and fun, it has the best twisty story line that will keep you hooked and rapidly turning the pages. The writing is as ever brilliant, I love Ms Craig’s style she takes what is essentially a very tried and tested plot and takes it to a whole new level with her beautiful way with words and imagination. The story is an edge of your seat, romantic suspense at it’s best, it’s rich in detail with fabulous characters.
A brilliant second book in what is a fantastic series, and one that is highly recommended. Even though this is apart of a series you can very easily read it as a stand-a-lone. I would definitely read the first one though as there is a continuing story that is apart of the back ground of the Burke family.
Botanist Erica Burke dreams of travel somewhere she won’t be scorned for her scientific interests. Instead, a storm strands her with cool and commanding Major Tristan Laurens who’s now the Duke of Raynham after his father & brother Percy died in an accident.
Tristan is torn between his duties as an intelligence officer and his responsibilities as a duke. A brief return to England to set his affairs in order is extended by bad weather and worse news someone is after the military secrets he keeps. He needs to see Erica’s journal, which she closely guards. Erica guards her journal as fiercely as she guards her heart, fearing to reveal a side of herself a man like Tristan could never understand.
This is the second book in the series but it could be read on its own. I’m always excited when the author has a new book because they are well written with lovely characters & with a story that’s well paced & riveting, I’ve read all of her books & I’ve not been disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Tristan & Erica are delightful, they are attracted to each other from their first meeting in the cottage but secrets, misunderstandings & complications threaten to derail their budding romance. I look forward to more in the series by this relatively new but an author who is on my must read list.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
An unconventional young lady becomes the number one suspect as a spy, when she stumbles into the arms of Major Tristan Laurens, the Duke of Raynham.
Very entertaining with a hot new Duke trying to catch a spy and a distracting young lady named Erica, who becomes his obsession. An author to keep on your TBR list.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Major Tristan Laurens, The Duke of Raynham has just returned from duty when an Irish beauty named Erica Burke quite literally stumbles across his path during a storm. Laurens is an intelligence officer and he has been told that someone close to him is leaking secrets. When he takes the Irish beauty to his home for her protection, he wonders if she is the breach. Could she be a spy?
I enjoyed this book but wished for a few things. Because of his distrust, Tristan doesn’t really seem all that attracted to Erica. There are a few sex scenes. The first one felt a bit off sense I just didn’t get the feeling that Tristan really wanted Erica. He has spent so much time suspicious of her that the sex seemed unlikely.
I did like Erica’s character. She is a botanist and has a raw passion for learning.
This is book 2 in a series and it can be read as a stand alone; however, reading book 1 will only help deepen the story.
An English war hero coming home to settle estate affairs rescues a stranded Irish woman studying the local plants – or is she a spy? What exactly is in the journal she keeps by her side? Good read.