Susanna Craig has done it again with the third installment in her Love and Let Spy series. Better Off Wed features the delightful trope of the two main characters pretending to be married. Of course, Jeremy and Laura fall in love in the process. This sweet and steamy romance did not disappoint, and I’m so excited for book four in the series!

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The summary, from Amazon:

A PopSugar Best New Book of December

She’s an avenging angel…who tempts him like the devil…

If Miss Laura Hopkins desired a husband, her beauty, brains, and fortune would make it easy to acquire one. Instead, Laura prefers to put her charms to another purpose entirely. Using the alias Lady Sterling, Laura helps young women who have been mistreated or compromised by their employers. Some might see it as theft and blackmail. For Laura, it is a small measure of justice. But while in pursuit of her latest target, Laura is unexpectedly aided by a gentleman who announces that he is Lord Sterling.

As a spy for the Crown, Captain Jeremy Addison, Viscount Sterling, has been assigned all manner of dangerous missions, though none as complicated as investigating the beguiling Lady Sterling. Forced to pose as newlyweds at the home of a disreputable earl, Laura and Jeremy forge an unexpected alliance…and a passionate connection. But can such a dangerous masquerade possibly lead to a real, lasting love?

PRAISE FOR WHO’S THAT EARL

“Craig delights with a fast-paced, intrigue-filled plot and expertly developed characters. Regency fans will eagerly anticipate future installments.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

Buy Better Off Wed here.

Don’t miss my review of Book 1 in the series, Who’s That Earl?, which you can buy here!
I also loved Book 2, One Thing Leads to a Lover, which you can buy here.

No one in Laura’s life knows she is the infamous Lady Sterling. Women, often those in servant positions, write to her about mistreatment from men in their life, often their employers. Usually these women are pregnant as a result of this mistreatment. As Lady Sterling, Laura dons disguises and steals an item of value from these men so she can send the women off with something monetary to improve their lives and the lives of their children. Laura also leaves her calling card and an implication of some sort to alert the man in question that she has dirt on him that she can release if he retaliates in any way.

Jeremy is a spy for the British army. His general’s curiosity is peaked by Lady Sterling, who possibly could make an excellent spy – or a feared enemy. He instructs Jeremy, who also so happens to possess the title of Lord Sterling, to find Lady Sterling and bring her in. Jeremy finds himself on Lady Sterling’s trail, and a clue puts him on to the fact that Laura is the person he’s looking for. When he can’t help himself and murmurs her pseudonym in front of her next target, Laura pretends to be Jeremy’s run-away bride. His shared title is a fortuitous coincidence.

The two spend the next days in the household of Laura’s target as she recovers from an injury caused in a carriage accident. There, Jeremy can’t help but become involved in Laura’s work as she is too injured to go about it herself and he’s been sent to gather information on her anyway. Jeremy and Laura deduce that the man she is spying on is committing treason. In their act, the chemistry is undeniable. But while the two fall in love, danger follows them at every corner.

This was a sweet and steamy romance with a ton of slow burn. I appreciated that the hero and heroine are both virgins but also very sex positive. While we don’t get the “major” love scene until the last few chapters, there are plenty of steamy moments after the 50% mark. I also feel this is my most feminist read from Craig yet. I really loved the ending and how Laura and Jeremy continue to work to help women and veterans. This was a 4 star read for me and I look forward to book four in the series. Craig always teases the premise in her epilog and it sounds so promising!