Born into an aristocratic family, yearning for a life beyond Society’s strictures, Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is an enterprising sleuth. Hired to obtain proof of a wife’s infidelity, she secures a position in the household of the woman’s lover, never expecting to be lured into the seductive blackguard’s arms herself.
Devilishly handsome, David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop, quickly realizes the enticing maid is interested in far more than dusting. She aims to uncover his sins. Although tempted by the dangerous beauty, he can’t risk her learning the truth: his affairs are chaste. As a boy who witnessed his mother’s abusive relationship, Bishop now helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages.
Yet when he is accused of murdering the husband of a “paramour,” he is forced to seek Daisy’s assistance in proving his innocence. As their perilous search draws them into a web of deceits, they can no longer deny their simmering desire. Once secrets are revealed, will Daisy’s counterfeit scoundrel give up the scandalous games he plays and surrender his heart into her keeping?
Release Date: Feb 21, 2023
Series: The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction
Book: 1
Heat Level: Scorching
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon Books
Price: $6.99
Tropes: Working Heroine, Disguised Character/Mistaken Identity, Forced Proximity, Hero Falls First
Marguerite “Daisy” Townsend is an inquiry agent, and her current job has her masquerading as a maid in the home of David Blackwood, known widely as Bishop. She’s been tasked with catching Bishop in a dalliance with her client’s wife, but perhaps Bishop is not quite the callous rake he appears to be. Bishop secretly helps desperate wives escape unhappy marriages by staging an affair, but when he is accused of murdering the husband of a “paramour,” Daisy’s assistance is vital in proving his innocence.
This is the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series. The book stands alone, although the group of friends known as The Chessmen (King, Bishop, Rook, and Knight) were introduced in The Duchess Hunt, the second book in the Once Upon a Dukedom series.
This story gets off to a quick start with characters that have a lot of baggage and heaps of instant attraction. Despite a somewhat deceitful start, the characters really bond with their mutual rocky upbringing. Based on his parents’ relationship, Bishop stands strong for women and, in particular, has issues with men who do not treat their spouses well. Daisy was born into an aristocratic family but wants to make her own way. Her parents were also an awful example of how relationships can sour and devolve.
Lorraine Heath is an absolute master at chemistry building. The characters are like two magnets held an inch apart, trying desperately to pull together. And when she lets them go…? Chef’s kiss, it’s delicious! Marguerite and Bishop create an employment contract to try to resist each other and keep things professional, but of course they fail miserably.
I think anyone who likes the show Miss Scarlet and the Duke (PBS) will love this book! It’s another solid addition to Heath’s catalogue, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the next Chessman.
~ Leslie
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