Spies, secrets, and steaminess abound in Fenichel's historical romance sequel

     If action-packed historical fiction is your cup of tea, then might I direct your attention to Misleading the Duke by A.S. Fenichel? The second installment of The Wallflowers of West Lane Series, set to be released on September 29th, deals with spies, secrets, and revenge all while trying to develop a proper relationship.
     Betrothed to a man she has barely met, Lady Faith Landon calls upon her three best friends—the self-proclaimed Wallflowers of West Lane—to help uncover the secrets of her mysterious fiancé. Her suspicions are aroused when she learns that he has recently returned from France. Is he a traitor to his country? The truth is quite the opposite. Nicholas Ellsworth, Duke of Breckenridge, is a secret agent for the English Crown who has just completed a risky mission to infiltrate Napoleon’s spy network. After his adventures, Nicholas craves the peace and quiet of the country and settling into domestic bliss with his bride. Until he discovers Faith’s deceptive investigation. How can he wed a woman who doesn’t trust him? But a powerful spark has ignited between Nicholas and Faith that could bring about a change of heart. Faith seizes her second chance to prove to Nicholas that they are a true love match but his past catches up with them when three French spies come to exact revenge. Surviving rather than wooing has become the order of the day.
     I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I was going to!! I read the first book in Fenichel’s series and enjoyed it, but was hoping for a bit more. So going into this story, I didn’t have high hopes; however, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I fell in love with Faith and Nick’s story! I loved that there was communication between Nick and Faith, despite their marriage arrangement, and how they resolved early on to remain honest with one another. Their romance is sweet and saccharine, but there is also enough steaminess to satisfy your romance craving.
      I also surprisingly enjoyed the dramatic action scenes. I wasn’t expecting so much adventure and peril, but it was phenomenally done! There was enough to keep the plot moving along without it seeming like it was only for the sake of filling pages. Additionally, even though there is some mention of torture and violence, Fenichel does a good job of keeping the gore to a minimum and using such scenes to emphasize the romance between Faith and Nick.
     While this is the second book in a series, it could definitely be read as a stand-alone story. If you’re looking for a historical romance with drama, action, sexiness, and hilarity, then this book is a must read!! I cannot wait for the next book in the series to see what the Wallflowers will get up to next!

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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