The Counterfeit Scoundrel (The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction, #1) by Lorraine Heath Series: The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction #1
Published by Avon on February 21, 2023
Genres: Historical
Pages: 377
Goodreads
FINAL DECISION: Because Daisy is a private investigator, there is a mystery here to solve. Ultimately, there are some unexpected twists in the story that I enjoyed. The plot here somewhat outweighs the romance, but I thought the relationship between Daisy and Bishop was fun.
THE STORY: One of the Chessmen, Bishop, aka David Blackwood, is a notorious womanizer, having been named in various divorces as committing adultery with wives. Daisy Townsend is a private investigator who has taken a position in Bishop’s house to confirm whether or not he is having an affair with her client’s wife. Bishop can’t stop thinking about his new maid when he sees her. The two seem to be playing a game, outsmarting and flirting simultaneously. When Bishop becomes a suspect in a murder, Daisy has to help find the real murderer.
OPINION: This book is more mystery heavy than I expected from a Lorraine Heath book. (I think I could read a mystery series with Daisy and Bishop and be happy!) I thought the mystery was intriguing, and the twist in the story was unexpected but worked well in the context of this story.
I also really liked the interactions between Daisy and Bishop. There is clearly a real intellectual connection between the two, along with hot chemistry. The scenes where the two are together are the best in the book. The negative in this book is that the two need to be together more in the book. Instead, there is much setup of the plot that the romance suffers somewhat. There is a bit of instant-love in this book because the two don’t have enough time together.
But the moments the two are together are wonderful as they challenge one another as to what is happening in the plot and their individual hang-ups about relationships and marriage. This book ends up being about making the decision to trust despite the evidence that things can go very wrong.
Ultimately, this is a solid book that I liked because of the connection between Daisy and Bishop. It wasn’t as angst-filled as other Heath romances, and I missed that aspect, but it was enjoyable.
WORTH MENTIONING: I loved the Easter eggs of characters that appear from prior Lorraine Heath books.
CONNECTED BOOKS: THE COUNTERFEIT SCOUNDREL is the first book in The Chessmen: Masters of Seduction series. However, the first Chessman is King, the hero of THE DUCHESS HUNT. It is unnecessary to read that book first, but I recommend it because it introduces the group of men about which this series is about.
STAR RATING: I give this book four stars.