Better Off Wed

Better Off Wed is a spectacular historical romance by Susanna Craig. Ms. Craig has provided readers with a well-written book populated with a stellar cast of characters. Lord Sterling, Captain Jeremy Addison, is a code breaker but his newest assignment is to find Lady Sterling. Laura Hopkins lived with her aunt. She's also sly enough to make gentlemen pay for their abuse of women and leaves her card as the Lady Sterling, thief-taker. After almost being caught on her last escapade, she finds herself meeting Lord Sterling, the man that aided her escape. Laura and Jeremy's story is loaded with drama, humor, spice, action and suspense. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to reading more from Susanna Craig in the future. Better Off Wed is book 3 of the Love and Let Spy Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliffhanger. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Laura Hopkins is a beautiful heiress. She is also a vigilante known as Lady Sterling. Captain Jeremy Addison is a spy for the Crown; actually, a code breaker. He is also a viscount, Lord Sterling. Using the common name (as an excuse), Jeremy’s commanding officer throws them together, so that he can determine if she might be an effective, and willing, spy for the Crown. The resulting “assignment” is a light-hearted rollercoaster of action and romance. There is a fake marriage, a room with only one room, suspicious cookbooks and chess guides, and a treacherous earl. There is a bright, sassy heroine and a wonderful, intelligent, shy hero. This is an interesting, intriguing spy story and a lovely, somewhat sexy love story. It is a great addition to the series. I enjoyed Better Off Wed and can’t wait to see what’s next. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Using the sobriquet Lady Sterling, Laura steals from predatory noblemen to provide for the women they've abused. Codebreaker Jeremy, who's recently come into the title Lord Sterling, is assigned to track her down and see if she'll take on a role spying for the crown. When her next mark turns out to be a suspected traitor, Laura and Jeremy work together to take him down, posing as newlyweds. As the attraction between them heats up, it looks like their fake romance might turn real—if they can stay alive long enough to fall in love. This book has a lot of the things I love: a feminist heroine, a bookish hero, witty banter, strong characterization, and low-key suspense. This isn't the kind of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat—it's the kind you curl up with along with your favorite beverage for a pleasurable read. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.