Wicked Rivals by Lauren Smith – a Review

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Description:
A LORD WITH LEGENDARY CONTROL… 

Merciless and powerful, Ashton Lennox is a wealthy man because he puts business before everything else, especially love. As a member of the infamous League of Rogues, he’s no stranger to scandal. His bedroom conquests are as legendary as his fortune. As he searches for a way to bring down an old enemy bent on destroying the lives of his friends, the last thing he needs is a Scottish widow getting in his way. 

A FIERY WOMAN WHO WON’T BACK DOWN… 

The daughter of a Scottish lord with a dark and treacherous past, Rosalind Melbourne has spent years distancing from her past. After escaping her tyrannical father and marrying an aging English lord, she has become a powerful widow with a business empire at her command. Her business dealings are everything to her, leaving her no time for love. Especially not with her business rival Ashton, a man with a scandalous reputation as striking as his blue eyes. 

A GAME OF WITS TURNS TO A GAME OF SEDUCTION… 

Ashton is fascinated by the strong-willed, intelligent and sensual lady who, up until now, had outsmarted him at every turn. Rosalind wishes she could deny she is falling for the brooding, handsome baron. How can she possibly trust him when doing so could cost her what she values most—her freedom? When Ashton discovers Rosalind might hold the key to saving the League of Rogues, he knows he will do anything to woo his wicked lass. As their pasts return to haunt them and dark forces rise to keep them from exposing a deadly spymaster, their game of love turns to a game of survival… 

Warning: This book includes a brooding baron who’s wild in bed, a crafty Scottish lass who never knows when to quit, a wicked game of strip chess, and a merry band of rogues whose first instinct is to run they hear wedding bells ring. 

Review:

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

DANG, this is a great book.  This series just keeps getting better and better! 🙂

Wicked Rivals is a historical romance by one of my fave authors Lauren Smith.  It is the 4th book in her “League of Rogues” series and it follows the story of Ashton and Rosalind.  I suppose you could read this as a stand alone, but you will miss much in the back story, which is important to deliver the true impact of this story.  There is a continuation of a larger story with romance matching weaved in.  So by all means enjoy this story, but I dare say you will enjoy it more if you have read the previous three.

Ashton Lennox is one hot rogue.  He is first and foremost loyal to his fellow rogues, a serious businessman, not to be messed with and holding a serious grudge towards a certain lovely Scottish lass.

Rosalind Melbourne happens to be the lovely Scottish lass that is driving Ashton nuts.  She is widowed, running her late husbands business like a pro (and really causing havoc for Ashton’s business), staying away from Scotland due to a terrible past, and determined to make things happen her way no matter what it takes.

When Ashton has decided enough is enough, he decides to purchase all of Rosalind debts in order to control her.  Rosalind however, is not to be contolled and she decides to confront Ashton in his own home and set him straight.  However, Ashton has a sweet side, and Rosalind has a vulnerable side, and once these sides are exposed to the other, we have a game of cat and mouse.  This game gets quite serious though, and before we know it hearts and bodies cannot resist the other.  Our villain Waverly (from the previous books), is still a serious danger, and suddenly he is way to close for comfort.  When marriage is placed on the table as a means to control and to protect, Ashton and Rosalind need to get out of their own ways, and find their way to a trusting relationship together.  That will be the only way these two can fight Waverly.

SO MUCH MORE to this book than this brief synopsis.  The pacing of this book was bang on.  I felt the anxiety of the danger lurking, the softness of a romance blooming and the heat .. well oh my .. Lauren can write the heat!  LOL  So well matched Ashton and Rosalind were, and once again, we are set up for the next book.  I also love that the wives from our previous books are banded together to keep our “League of Rogues” on their toes.  I adore these woman as much as I do their men!  LOL

Fantastic book, fantastic series and most definitely a “go to” author in the historical romance genre.  

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided for review