I have...feelings about this book that I'm not sure I can put into words. But one word I definitely know to used and will use is disappointment. UGH, I am just SO frustrated with this series overall! It could've been a really good one and utterly enjoyable if it weren't for little (or not so little) things that ruined my enjoyment to smaller or bigger degree.

When it comes to this one...I knew, almost right from the start and definitely from book 2, that Castleford would be my favourite male character in this series. And he was, with his unapologetic hedonism and sharp wit. I also liked that there wasn't really any tragic backstory as an attempt to explain his behaviour. I mean, there were some troubled things in his past but it was not used as a reason for the way he was. He just was...so good at being bad. And exasperating. Aristocratic and bored and trying to fill his days with as much mind-numbing pleasure as he could to fight this boredom.

I found his exchanges with Daphne compelling and - mostly - entertaining. There wasn't any bug mystery here but the overall plot of Castleford slowly discovering Daphne's secrets and Daphne working to take down Latham proved engaging enough (and that scene of final takedown was definitely satisfying).

Now, onto the things I didn't like:

1. While I mostly enjoyed Castleford and Daphne's blooming relationship, I didn't really feel like they connected as much as they should, perhaps? While Tristan got to know quite a lot about Daphne - be that by his own prying *rolls eyes* or by talking to her - he didn't really share that much personal things with her? Not until the very end, at least. It just felt flat, tbh.

2. Adding to the first point, Daphne didn't even once call Castleford by his name??? I know, etiquette and all, but he had her tied to a bed naked, ffs, I think that warrants a first-name basis even in 19th century England. To add insult to injury, even his worst enemy used his name AND a lover from the past as we learn in a sort of flashback. So it just really rubbed me the wrong way that Daphne wouldn't, even during sex (although that was the issue with all the other books as well, hell, I didn't know Hawskewell's name through 2/3 of his book).

3. While Castleford made a point to let it be known that a gentleman doesn't take advantage of women dependent on him (in his employ etc.), I think it was a dangerously close call with Daphne. Sure, he told her that there would be no negative consequences if she were to refuse him but still...not really knowing him but only knowing his reputation, she couldn't have known that for sure. And her livelihood and home situation WAS dependent on him - more than that, he took advantage of that fact to create a situation where it would be easier for him to seduce her.

4. Duke of Castleford, an infamous rake who tapped more women that could probably fit in a huge ballroom and he still behaved like a possessive ass overcome with jealousy when Daphne confessed she had been with Latham:

"It appalled him that the thought she might have been willing made him more furious than if she had been forced. There it was, however, disgusting though he found it, even as black rage filled him."

I'm --- *throws book across the room*

I can understand - or well, I can TRY to understand that such ugly intrusive thoughts are something we cannot help ourselves sometimes. Still, I cannot help but be irritated but the general conclusion here that if Daphne had been in fact willing, he would dare to act jealous while having enough expertise on the subject himself that he attempted writing a guide to London's brothels.

5. More than that, Castleford KNEW that Latham was a rapist - he witnessed and prevented one assault himself - and yet, being the powerful duke that he was, he did nothing. Nada, null. Sure, it wasn't at all his obligation to do so but it grates me greatly that he (an all powerful influential duke) did nothing while victims of Latham, women (mostly servants and none of them a member of aristocracy) with no real influence, power or means to take down a peer, apart from depending on a few connections that could maybe give them more reliability among the ton ventured to do something about it. Still, I am glad it WAS THEM. It was one of the more gratifying scenes in the whole book.

6. I didn't understand Castleford's and Daphne's back-and-forth, tbh. He sleeps with her, he *pretends to be shocked* suddenly becomes overcome with the idea to marry her because THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE (although nothing up until that point suggested he would care), she declines, he is baffled that someone would refuse him, doesn't acknowledge it, and then when she still makes comments suggesting she sees their romance as temporary, he's suddenly all "sure be my mistress, let's get you a house so that we can frolic anytime you're in London". He lets her go and after a few weeks w/o her apparently realizes WHY she declined him in the first place and decides to actually proposed this time, not announce that they will marry. Only, heavens help me, 15 pages till the end of the book, it turns out...

7. SHE HAS A FREAKING KID

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I'm - I can't. I just can't. Of course, he still wants to marry her and is ready to be a father to a child he has seen for all of 5 seconds and whose existence has been kept top secret. And kept secret from everyone, including the poor unsuspecting reader; it was so last-minute and SO OUT OF THE BLUE -and yet, so irritatingly predictable that I couldn't help but be mad at myself for not at least entertaining the idea that the author would try to pull off sth like this.

In conclusion, I am sorry for rambling like this but I had high hopes for this book and went through 3 books of historical romance that could be called mediocre at best and NOW THIS. It's 2.5 stars from me and I'm being generous with going for 3, not 2.

P.S. Using "phallus" in sex scenes is NEVER ok, not even in historical romance.