Georgiana is a dowager duchess with a 6 year old son. She has been a widow for a few years and she's very lonely.

Rhys has been trying to claw his way into the aristocracy so that his sisters can have the life that he thinks they deserve. He gathers secrets in order to get favors from powerful people.

I didn't care for this book. It's not that the book is BAD, the story just didn't hold my interest and the romance didn't click for me.

I tried to read it three separate times over the past few months. I finally finished it as an audiobook, even though I didn't like the narrator very much. ( )

This is my first book by this author, and it was great. I generally like this sort of setup, a dangerous hero who has clawed his way up to great power from nothing, and a heroine born into privilege. These two also had a nice courtship (of a sort, lol) where they really got to know each other and enjoyed a friendship as well as relationship, and that was nice to see. I didn't doubt their attraction though, and there was good steam. We meet some supporting characters of course, but the story solidly focused on their relationship, no huge mystery to be solved or anything. I liked both leads and give this 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from this author.
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This book is a MUST read!
Full review to come. ( )

Duchess by Day, Mistress by Night by Stacy Reid
Rebellious Desires #1

Rebellious indeed – I would be, too, if I were Georgiana Elizabeth Rutherford, Dower Duchess of Hardcastle! I mean, being groomed from childhood to be married to a person with position and pedigree to further family prestige whether or not love is involved and then knowing so early who your ancient husband will be and studying hard to be a good duchess could not have been easy. That said - Georgiana was impeccable in person with purpose aplenty. Widowed young with a son who will one day be Duke she is focused on her duty as mother and more BUT she is missing something…and…that something just may be a lover – or so say her family and friends.

When a woman working in Georgiana’s employ goes missing she is advised to bring in The Broker, Rhys Tremayne, to find the woman. Little does she realize that meeting this man will change her life forever. Rhys deals in secrets, brokers deals, barters one secret for another and does most of this to help elevate his mother and three sisters from a past that none of them deserved. His service to Georgiana might provide a toehold toward his goals for his family’s elevation in status, or perhaps not, whatever happens in the future his life will be changed forever, too.

I really liked Rhys and his love of family. He is an honorable man with tentacles throughout all levels of society. He is a mongrel and considered common but he is also oh so caring, he is able to mingle with the ton or hold his own with louts, he is a man women eye, he is a man that men admire and also sometimes fear. He is a man well worth knowing and Georgiana ends up knowing him very well indeed.

When another situation arises that requires The Broker’s assistance Georgiana finds herself feeling indebted but also afire with desires she decides to quench and thus ensues a torrid time for the two of them. Yes, she has to deal with the matter of station and he does, too, but ultimately can they overcome the levels in society they are positioned in to become more than just passing souls enjoying an affair for a time…or not…

This is my first book by this author and I am intrigued. I am eager to find out who will star next in this series. Will it by Rhys’s sister Lydia? Will it be Rhys’s friend Riordan O’Malley? Will it be Simon – the brother of Georgiana? Just who will it be? I am eager to find out – that is for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars ( )

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This is the first book in the series Rebellious Desires by Stacy Reid. Sizzle Factor very hot. Georgiana Rutherford, Duchess of Hardcastle was married off to the Duke of Hardcastle at the age of 16, now at the age of 26 she has been a widow for 5 years and her family would like her to marry again. She meets Rhys Tremayne a broker of secrets when her sons beloved nursemaid goes mysteriously missing. Rhys is able to locate the missing woman for her when other resources fail to. Despite herself Georgiana finds herself attracted to the dangerous Mr Tremayne. When Georgiana’s beloved 6 year old son is kidnaped she immediately turns to Rhys to rescue him and afterwards they begin a passionate affair. Their journey to HEA Is not an easy one because of the great gap in their social standings for a Duchess cannot marry a mere Mister. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it. ( )