This historical romance that had me hooked from the first chapter. It’s sexy, it’s sweet, and it’s just the right amount of dramatic intrigue. If you’re into upstairs/downstairs romances or Bridgerton-style passion, this one’s going to make your heart race.

At its core, the story is about Penny, a smart and resourceful housemaid working as a spy for the prime minister. Her mission? To gather intel on her employer, Lord William “Liam” Renquist, a marquess suspected of being tied to a shady criminal organization called the Devil’s Sons. But as Penny digs deeper, she starts to see a man who’s more complicated—and a lot more appealing—than she expected. Oh, and Liam? He’s also a spy working against the same enemy, which just adds to the delicious chaos.

Penny and Liam have a spark that practically jumps off the page. Their banter is sharp, their stolen moments are sizzling, and their connection feels both tender and electric. I loved how their romance unfolded amidst danger and secrets. I also liked how Penny is such a strong character. She’s determined, clever, and never lets her position as a maid define her. She’s not afraid to call Liam out on his privilege.

The book is part of McGuire’s Queen’s Deadly Damsels series, but you don’t have to have read the first two books to enjoy this one (though I’ll definitely be going back to check them out).

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have found my way into the ‘feral romance’ portion of the literary world and I’m not complaining. The tension and lusty madness that takes place in this book kept me up until 2:30am and I finished it in 2 sittings. I am in love with Penny and Liam, both super tough, both wanting better for the world even at their own expense, and both ready to fight figuratively and literally to make it happen. The touch her and die is strong with this one.

The plot is also dark and deep and related to stopping sex trafficking, which is one thing I really love about this series. It’s something I make an effort to learn about in my personal life and rooting for characters in a fictional story gives me hope that good will prevail in reality, too.

I have a feeling I know whose storyline next and I am highly anticipating it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review Posting Jan 31, 2025

This book was an enjoyable read. There were a few instances that were a little morbid for my tastes but over all I liked it and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. The following is my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I quite liked the characters and I loved the plot. I am usually not a fan of historical romance, but this book was enjoyable right to the end. And if it hooked me, I am sure it can hook many others :)
Minor negative, I felt like the book blurb uncovers more than it should, as I kept wondering when that ball will happen, so that’s why I give it 4 stars. That part made the start very slow for me.
However, I enjoyed the plot in general, and especially the part after the ball. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author in the future, as well as the first two books I haven’t had a chance to read.

The world building/begging plot felt so dense for a historical romance that I lost all interest in the main characters and felt myself trying to skip parts of the book to see if any of it interested me. Ended up DNFing at 20%

Penny is a housemaid with a mission. She works as a maid in the house of Lord William Renquist and although she spends her day as a servant, her ultimate goal is to find out who is harming the local serving girls and selling them into servitude. Penny soon realizes that although she sees the Lord as a potential suspect, the Marquis’s reputation and how he treats his staff don’t add up. Romantic and spicy entanglements ensue.
A suspenseful and steamy story about an upstairs/downstairs dynamic set in England, this story gives Little Dorrit vibes - her parents live in the workhouse and she is working to set them free - and the romance between the main characters is complicated and delicious. I like both personalities too, she has a take-no-prisoners attitude that she employs with everyone, and the Lord is secretive but solid, and a grumpy-charming main male character. I loved the combination of mystery and romance, and although I have not read the first two novels in this series, I enjoyed this book so much that I am immediately placing them on my TBR list. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to read and review this story after reading the previous one last fall. I'm generally a sucker for an upstairs/downstairs romance, and this didn't disappoint. Penny does an excellent job of reminding Liam over and over again that even if he has the best of intentions, his life and experience as a titled man is vastly different than his female domestic staff. The romance between the two felt realistic, though I'm glad that I knew about the trials suffered by the heroes in the previous books as this one does not outline the reasons that Liam is so tortured beyond hinting at battle and torture.
That this does not wring out miscommunication, and instead has the two main characters working together against the primary conflict of the book was a great narrative choice. I always love when there is no final act breakup and the conflict and tension comes from outside the couple.

The hard working maid just started her job.
The Lord who recently lost family members.
She can`t seem to speak her truth when adresssing her imployer.
He can`t seem to stop thinking about her.
With both persons, everything is not as they seem.

This is my first review here on netgalley. My first book read through the webpage. And I am sad for the stories I will read after this one.
Why? You ask. Well because I devoured this book in three short setting. Everytime I read the book I had a huge smile on my face. This book is honestly pretty darn perfect. Other books I read after will have a big shoes to fill.

I got a tip that in netgalley reviews, you should start with something you enjoyed. Then write something you did not enjoy about the book. Honestly? With this book the faults are just nit picky, because it is that great of a story in my opnion. But I can nit pick a bit, I prefer books with chapter names, and illustrations at the start of chapters. This book as far as I know dont have any ND(neuro diverse) characters, which is a small minus. But in all honesty, these points are insignificant. The story is still a marvel of storytelling. A love story that is sweet, a underdog story that satisfies, unpredictable twist.

I feel like this book, did not have one redundant word. Every word, every sentence had a point and purpose.
I loved the charcters in the book, the setting, the storylines, the dialouge.
Darcy Macguire has a new devoted fan in me.

Trigger warning:
mentions of past violence.

Thanks to netgalley for this review copy and than you Boldwood books for publishing this amazing book.

This is the third installment in the "Queen's Deadly Damsels" series and it might be my favourite so far.
I adored the chemistry between maid-turned-spy Penny and Liam, a marquess with a hidden agenda. Enemies to lovers, great banter, a masquerade ball, and another piece of the puzzle in the hunt for the Devil's Sons - what's not to love?! Cannot wait for the next book in the series!

The book successfully weaves together historical fiction and espionage, featuring an engaging plot about taking down a criminal organization called the Devil's Sons. The story presents complex characters, and both main characters - Penny & Liam are driven by a compelling sense of social justice.

However, my problem lies with the inconsistency of Penny's character development. Despite believing Liam was responsible for her mother's imprisonment and involved in sex trafficking, her intense sexual attraction to him seems implausible and contradicts her motivations. So all through the book I wasn’t able to relate to the characters or commit to the story author is trying to tell.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I love a good forbidden romance so the prospect of this book along with the maid turned spy plotline was very exciting! This was a quick and enjoyable read over and the romance was definitely steamy.

Pros: I loved that Penny was a fierce and independent woman, she was so capable it was refreshing to read a historical romance with such a strong leading lady. I enjoyed the espionage element of the plot, it added tension and stakes to the story.

Cons: the relationship of the two characters felt much too rushed for my tastes, I struggled to believe they were in love after 2 weeks. This didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy their relationship, just that the speed took ne out of it a bit. This was also true for the lack of barriers to their love, I wish there was a bit more resistance to a peer and maid getting together openly to add a little realism and additional tension.


This was an enjoyable read, and a great remedy for those looking to fill a hole left by Bridgerton!

The Confessions of a Lady by Darcy McGuire was a thoroughly enjoyable historical romance with plenty of heart and intrigue. The story pulled me in right away with its mix of romance, secrets, and a touch of scandal.
The main character was graceful yet flawed, and her journey was both emotional and compelling. I really enjoyed how the author peeled back layers of her character as the story progressed. The romantic tension was well-executed, and the chemistry between the leads felt genuine and heartfelt.

One of the standout aspects was the historical setting, which was beautifully described and added a lot of richness to the story. The attention to detail in the period’s customs and societal norms brought the world to life without ever feeling heavy-handed.

If I had a minor criticism, it would be that some of the secondary characters could have been developed a bit more to add even more depth to the story. However, this didn’t detract much from my overall enjoyment.

This is a charming, well-written romance with a dash of drama and plenty of swoon-worthy moments. If you love historical romances with strong characters and a captivating storyline, The Confessions of a Lady is a wonderful choice!

Fresh off a Bridgerton binge, I thought this would be right up my alley, but sadly, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

The setup is intriguing: Penny, a maid-turned-spy, and Liam, a marquess with his own secret mission, are thrown together in a high-stakes game of espionage and attraction. There’s plenty of tension, masked balls, and whispers of danger, but something about the execution didn’t quite work for me. The pacing felt uneven, and I struggled to connect with the characters or fully invest in their romance.

That said, I can absolutely see this appealing to fans of slow-burn historical romances with a touch of intrigue. No shade to the author—this just wasn’t my vibe this time around.

If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s worth checking out to see if it clicks for you!

Absolutely thrilled to read an ARC of this book. I loved the first two in the series and this third instalment didn’t disappoint.
The end of the book felt a bit rushed, but besides that it was a great read.

Thank you Boldwood Books & NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC!

This was an enjoyable & quick read! I’ve been liking this series, and I always love a good “forbidden” (heavy on the quote unquote) romance; in this case one between a marquess and his maid. Lots of fun (though IRL I’m not sure how smoothly this would’ve gone).

I will say I wasn’t fully convinced that these 2 were in anything but lust by the end, but hey🤷🏻‍♀️ Penny’s “he’s guilty/he’s innocent/I love him/he’s awful” attitude gave me some whiplash. Also I would’ve loved to have read more about Penny’s mother towards the end!

Another good addition to the series!

Loved the writing style and characters. I felt immersed and connected with the characters, which doesn’t happen often for me with the romance genre. I also adore the cover, thank you so much for allowing me to read this arc!

4+ stars

A continuation of Darcy McQuire’s Queen’s Deadly Damsels series.

Penny Smith is a maid working in Lord William “Liam” Renquist’s house. He’s suspected of being part of the evil Devil’s Sons, an organization previous books have also worked to uncover and bring to justice. Penny is working with the authorities and spying on Liam.

Penny is determined to unearth Liam’s secrets while being drawn to him, and him to her, despite their obvious class differences.

I’ve read the two previous books in this series as well and have enjoyed all of them. I appreciate how the author dives right into each story and mystery, explaining what we need to as the story progresses instead of setting things up with a chapter or two of background details.

While each story is mostly independent of each other, I’d recommend reading the series in order. A fun series indeed!

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for making this book available. All opinions are my own.

Though the third I the series, this worked well enough for me as a stand alone book. Penny and Liam were engaging as characters, complex and intriguing enough to make up for the mild back story I was missing from the first two books. It’s fine on its own, but I’m sure it works better when read as a series in order.

Does not disappoint. The plot was engaging and found the characters easy to like. Though, I’ll be honest I don’t know why I feel particularly invested in Ivy and itching to know her story. Can’t wait for the rest of the books in the series.

An interesting concept, but the execution fell a bit flat for me by the end. As someone who has not read the previous entries in this series, I was still able to keep up with and enjoy the characters and plot. An enjoyable time!