A relentless rake

Olivia Everett is attacked after trying to find her missing brother, and is saved by a masked man. The next time she encounters him, she is back at the girls' school she runs, in her bedroom. Alec, Earl of St. James, is trying to stop a plot to kill the prime minister. The only clue he has is the last name, Everett. He believes Olivia's brother, Henry, is the one involved, but he can't resist following the fascinating, feisty schoolmistress to see what she knows. Olivia soon realizes that the handsome Earl of St. James who asks her to waltz is also her clandestine verbal sparring partner. They circle each other as they help stop the dangerous political scheme, uncovering secrets and growing closer. Both have pasts that hamper their ability to trust, but a cast of colorful secondary characters helps them find their way to a love match. Harrington's latest installment in the Lords of the Armory series, following An Inconvenient Duke (2020), is a wonderful work of Regency romantic suspense with a strong, smart heroine and plenty of steam.

Harrington takes her Regency era Lords of the Armory series to new heights with this un-put-downable fourth romance (after An Extraordinary Lord). Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St. James, and his illegitimate half brother, Nathaniel Reed, are tapped by the Home Office to uncover the latest plot by Scepter, a criminal organization dedicated to overthrowing the monarchy. Their only lead is a clue left at a meeting of Scepter's members: a scrap of paper with obscure calculations, building plans, and the name Everett. Alexander makes the connection to the Everett School, a girls' school run by mathematician Henry Everett and his sister, Olivia. As he investigates, Alexander can't help but be intrigued by Olivia's beauty and intelligence, discovering that she's the brains behind Henry's application for a fellowship at the Royal Society. As he grows closer to uncovering Scepter's plans and the danger increases, so too does the chemistry between Alexander and Olivia, leading both to reveal their deepest secrets and emotional scars. Harrington's alluring characters and their mysterious pasts easily draw readers into the narrative, while the looming threat of Scepter keeps the pages flying. This may be Harrington's best yet. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Mar.)