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Dashing Lords #4

A Lady's Luck

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An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

Henri lives to uncover secrets, but this man has everything to hide...

Lady Henrietta Bloomfield has built a fortune gambling on the utterly predictable foibles of her peers. When her latest wager fails thanks to the stodgy Earl of Colefax and his surprisingly rash behavior, she's more intrigued than disappointed. It seems there's more to the upright earl than meets the eye, and Henri makes it her mission to discover who he really is. The more she gets to know the real Alistair, with his dark passion and his mysterious missions, the more she finds him utterly, irresistibly appealing. And what she feels when he holds her in his arms? That's enough to make her doubt her sanity. No rational woman should lose her heart to a man who's determined to ruin her fun.

Alistair might have found Henri's nosey antics amusing...if he didn't have so many secrets to hide. But it's not just his pride on the line—lives are at stake, including his brother's. He has no choice but to do whatever it takes to distract Henri from her suspicions, and if kisses are the best way to do that, then so be it. Now if only he can kiss her senseless without risking his own heart in the process.

Author's Note: This book is a completely standalone novel. While it overlaps with two other series, and can be read as either the prequel novel for the "Bluestocking Batallion" series or as the fourth installment of the "Dashing Lords" series. It is not necessary to read either series to enjoy this novel.

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2019

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About the author

Maggie Dallen

198 books994 followers

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5 stars
393 (42%)
4 stars
308 (33%)
3 stars
168 (18%)
2 stars
41 (4%)
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18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Tracy Emro.
2,056 reviews63 followers
January 3, 2019
Alistair Merrywether, the Earl of Colefax is a man with secrets and to protect the people he loves, he lives a scandal free life, he does nothing to draw attention to himself, so when a wager placed naming him as the father of an actress' unborn child and gossip spreads that he is refusing to accept responsibility - he is livid. He tracks down the source of the wager and demands to know why he was targeted. The man who placed the wager is Rodrick Bloomfield, the Earl of Braxton. Rodrick is drunk and confused and ends up agreeing to take Alistair to his home to meet with "Henry" - the person who told Rodrick to place the bet.

Lady Henrietta "Henri" Bloomfield has made a fortune wagering in secret, she has an uncanny knack for getting information and uses her brother to place the bets. When Alistair bursts into her home and demands to know why the wager was placed, she is intrigued. She is sure that he is hiding something and will stop at nothing to find out what.

Alistair is befuddled by Henri, she is lovely, witty and way too clever, he has to divert her from his secrets but she manages to always stay one step ahead of him. He decides to fight fire with fire - he will uncover her secrets! Let the games begin!

This was a sweet novella with wonderful characters, very low heat love scenes (just kisses), lots of secrets, some surprises and a HEA.

This is the fourth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone title with no problem.
Profile Image for SassyLeg.
547 reviews
April 25, 2021
3.5 stars
A pleasant surprise. A good banter between the two strong/stubbon/fiery protagonists and a sizzling attraction. This book shows how passion can be portrayed with heated glances/kisses and seductive/passionate words but no explicit sex. I will look out for other books by this author
Profile Image for 🦉Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews114 followers
December 29, 2018
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋
A deliciously fun , and twisting , regency rom/com , the banter between these two is nothing if not brilliant.
Maggie Dallen is getting so good at these books , they are getting harder to put down .
It’s not till the very end that it all slides into place , great story planning .
I could read it again straight away.
I received an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review
Author 1 book1 follower
January 24, 2021
I rarely write reviews. But I also don't like being misled. If you're looking for a good hearted, warm heroine you can identify with, Henri is not it. Other reviewers have used words like "cold" and "calculating" and they are spot on. She does not start out this way and them improve, either. Her sole purpose for interacting with the hero is finding out his secrets because its (quote:) "intriguing". Even as the hero, Alistair, warns her off, she relentlessly presses on, even after she realizes what a great person the hero appears to be and how much he's willing to do for others. She only wants to know his secrets to have power or (again, quote:) " leverage" against Alistair. Then she could also wager using this ill gotten knowledge. Who would be attracted to, fall in love with and then want to marry this kind of woman?! Not the kind of twisted love story I signed up for.
2,241 reviews11 followers
February 9, 2021
Just fabulous!
Short and sweet but full of guessing as to which secret would next be revealed. I was fascinated at how both Alistair and Henrietta (Henri) cleverly used each secret to manipulated each other.
It was mind-boggling to see just how many both of them were keeping from each other and wonderful to see how each was revealed.
About the only thing that wasn't kept as a secret was the passion between them.
These two characters were perfect for each other in every way and the story, just fabulous!
Profile Image for Lori Quick.
301 reviews4 followers
December 31, 2018
I have really enjoyed this series. Great story, wonderful characters. I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Susan.
423 reviews10 followers
March 22, 2020
A terrific end to this series. Every book has been wonderful filled with laughter, tears, and lots of romance.
Profile Image for Jessi.
353 reviews2 followers
September 16, 2024
Engaging and interesting protagonists. Pirates? Sure why not. Overall an enjoying read.
Profile Image for Laura J..
421 reviews9 followers
May 20, 2021
it started with a bet

Alistair is a prim, proper and a bit of a prig (or so it seems) Earl who is outraged when he sees his pristine reputation besmirch in his club’s betting book. Henri, the besmircher, is clever, intelligent and beautiful. She loves a challenge as much as she loves secrets and Alistair provides both.

This was a fun, fast pace romance.

Profile Image for George.
142 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2021
A Lady's Luck, by Maggie Dallen.
This novel is one of the best plotted Regency Romance stories I have read in a long time. Take a beautiful blonde, a blue-eyed blackmailer who has restored her family's fortune by nefarious means, and an Earl with secrets to hide, and you have the ingredients for an unlikely romance that begins as a game of wits and ends at the altar. Throw in an admiral bent on tracking down audacious pirates, a brother to the earl who is a pirate, and a drunken dandy--brother to the heroine--and you have a mix that captivates from start to finish.

Alistair Merrywether, the Earl of Colefax, is the earl with secrets to hide. Lady Henrietta (Henri) Bloomfield is the nosey blackmailer intent on ferreting out those secrets to replenish her family's coffers. When these two dominant personalities meet and clash, there is never a dull moment.

It begins as a chess game, with real people on the board. But it quickly escalates to a battle of wits with first her, then him one-upping the other. It quickly becomes obvious both are well-matched, and as the action heats, the results, although at times fraught with consequences, are never in doubt. The pair fall for each other as they both realize that they have met a match not likely to be encountered in any other individual.

Although this story features others, like Marcus the earl's brother, the admiral, and Mary Henrietta's young companion, the book centers around the romantic battle between the two protagonists as they slowly come to appreciate one another.

For a Regency Romance, the book's action moves rapidly, something Maggie Dallen is very good at. I have read one other book by her (Miss Minerva's Militia) and plan to read more. I love the way she brings her characters to life and moves them through complex situations so deftly. A great read!






Profile Image for The Mysterious Reader.
3,587 reviews65 followers
January 15, 2019
I’ve decided that Maggie Dallen has a split personality. I’ve “known” her (ie, read books she wrote, though we’ve never met in person) for ages as my favorite YA romance author (and I think I’ve reviewed every YA romance she’d written - giving all of them five stars). Now I discover that she’s also a pretty fantastic Regency Romance author too. How did I miss that? I feel cheated only just now discovering it. On the other hand I now have sooo much yumminess to look forward to. The book that topped me off was A Lady's Luck (Devilish Lords, Book 4). In it Lady Henrietta "Henri" Bloomfield has made a fortune wagering in secret via bets made by her brother at his “gambling hell” (very Regency Period appropriate). Then she made a very wrong choice betting about Alistair Merrywether, the Earl of Colefax, being the father of an illegitimate child. Alastair is furious as he wants to keep his reputation spotless as he has real secrets he wants nobody to be suspicious of (and oh yes, there’s one here that is hugely earth-shaking, though I will not spoil it). Alastair ends up confronting Henri and eventually romance (and fantastic banter between the two) ensues. A guaranteed HEA in a perfectly written, perfectly plotted, imaginative Regency Period appropriate tale. Who knew one author could master two very different genres (YA romance and Regency romance) so perfectly? Wow. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more Regency romance by Maggie Dallen.
Profile Image for Kiley.
1,807 reviews35 followers
Read
May 13, 2021
***Spoiler Alert*** Did Not Read...There were several reasons I chose not to read this book. 1) Henrietta appeared for all intents and purposes to be a cold-hearted, vindictive, calculating, and ruthless woman. Not what I would call a good character for a Heroine. 2)Henrietta, although a friend of Eliza from book 3 of the series, was not pertinent to the Cleveland Clan, so I felt this book should not have been part of the series. 3) After reading some of the other reviews, I got a distasteful feeling about the main female character. 4) She used her brother to place her bets for her, placing him in an awkward position should she ever be found out...which she was. 5) It didn't seem to bother her whether or not the information she used to make her bets were true. 6) She was "intrigued" by the Earl and was determined to learn all of his secrets. Why? Did she intend to place bets on those too? Yes. So did that create a reason for a romantic relationship between the two? Hell No!
After reading about Jed Cleveland's gambling habits in the other books that caused the financial ruin for his entire family, I felt it was wrong to have a fourth book all about a woman who made a "fortune gambling on the utterly predictable foibles of her peers" be a part of the series. Apparently, this woman (who was the Heroine in the book) didn't have a care in the world about making a fortune by using the woes, rumors, and misfortune of those around her. That being said, I didn't see any reason to read a "love story" about a woman who had no respect, love, or compassion for her fellow man/woman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Janet.
4,980 reviews63 followers
December 28, 2018
Lady Henrietta Bloomfield has built a fortune gambling on the utterly predictable foibles of her peers. When her latest wager fails thanks to the stodgy Earl of Colefax and his surprisingly rash behaviour, she's more intrigued than disappointed. It seems there's more to the upright earl than meets the eye, and Henri makes it her mission to discover who he really is. The more she gets to know the real Alistair, with his dark passion and his mysterious missions, the more she finds him utterly, irresistibly appealing. Alistair might have found Henri's nosey antics amusing...if he didn't have so many secrets to hide. It's not just his pride on the line--lives are at stake, including his brother Marcus'. He has no choice but to do whatever it takes to distract Henri from her suspicions, and if kisses are the best way to do that, then so be it.
A very enjoyable read, the characters have plenty of depth & the verbal sparring & chemistry between Alistair & Henri is what makes this book so captivating. They are so right for each other but secrets & insecurities make them question their feelings. I was hooked from the start & surprised at the revelation at the end. I read the book in two sittings, this is part of a series but could easily be read on its own
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Profile Image for Mel.
229 reviews8 followers
February 11, 2023
This was extremely interesting. I gave it five stars because I will probably be reading this one again. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked Henri so it was touch and go on if it would be a 3-star book.
Henrietta grew up in a family of incompetent males. Her own brother is described as "biddable or amiable". In order to build the family's fortune back up after her parents passed she has her brother place bids on others' behavior. she has him place a bet on if Earl of Colefax fathered a child by an actress knowing that he was not in the area when the behavior happened. Once he is aware that he is in the betting books he searches out the instigator the Earl of Braxton. The Earl of Braxton is terrified and brings him home to meet Henry.
Once the story showed that Henri wasn't malicious but extremely intelligent and curious, the story became very interesting and slightly steamy. This is a story of wits and two people that didn't ever expect to love anyone because of their secrets that required them to remain independent. The author pulled off the verbal sparring very well without anyone coming off as too nasty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lori D.
4,070 reviews123 followers
January 4, 2019
An entertaining regency tale that begs the question, what secrets do you have? Did you know that money could be made off secrets with wagers if they are true of not? Lady Henrietta (Henri) has made a lot of money by having her brother place bets for her on character flaws of the Ton. But when a bet was made on the upright Alistar, Earl of Colefax, he is incensed by the gossip and he tracks her down to demand why she targeted him.
Thus the adventure begins with Henri being intrigued by Alistar and fairly certain he is hiding something. He tries to divert her from his true secrets, but she is just so beautiful and cleaver he decides to turn the tables and find out something about her! Doesn't everyone have some things they want to keep to themselves?
With wonderful characters who banter back and forth with their wit and humor, you will be surprised when everything comes out and the last page is turned. Although part of a series, it can be read as a standalone but you will want to read them all!
Profile Image for Kaye.
7,177 reviews72 followers
January 3, 2019
ONE CAPTIVATING READ!!!
Oh man! Talk about what the heart wants. This is one exciting, fast paced, heart pounding, pulse racing, page turning wonder that's as riveting as it is captivating. With all the drama, heartache, fear, a little mystery and suspense that keeps you on your toes and your rear frozen to your seat. The twists and turns, ups and downs, ins and outs, along with a few unexpected surprises around every corner make for one incredible experience. The intense connection and strong chemistry between the two main characters flows smoothly throughout. The characters are complex and believable with such depth and individuality it's easy to relate. The scenes are so graphic and detailed it's easy to picture each scenario as they play off one another perfectly. Maggie did an amazing job bringing this read to life. Awesome job Maggie, thanks for sharing this little guy with us.
Profile Image for Elda.
1,203 reviews6 followers
March 22, 2021
Wittiness personified!

This was a very well written book. I have read previous books by Ms Dallen and thoroughly enjoyed them. This particular book was a challenge due to always trying to keep straight the who did what to whom when and where and what was his/her name really. Ultimately, I loved the banter between Alistair and Henri (Henrietta). And those passionate kisses! The comedic interlude of her continuously drunken brother always got a chuckle out of me. Henri was a daunting personality always maintaining her independence by placing bets that she knew she could win in order to maintain her family’s fortune. Alistair was a highly intelligent person trying to keep one step ahead of Henri to outwit her and keep his secrets. Eventually their wittiness brought them together for a great HEA.
Profile Image for Roslyn Stillman.
522 reviews14 followers
December 31, 2018
Well we got the much awaited story of Henri, and I was not disappointed. I love the characters of Henri and Alister. Ms Dallen has a way of writing that draws you into the story and making you want the best for them both. The story had everything you want in a good book. Adventure, romance and mystery. It was a nice clean quick read. I found it hard to put down and am now hoping the next story will be Marcus. I can see lots of adventure and humour, which Ms Dallen has a wonderful way of putting to paper. I received this as an ARC.
255 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2019
Been looking forward to Henri story for awhile and it definitely did not disappoint. Secrets and bets are what makes Henri’s life go round but when her latest bet goes askew and brings Alistair to her door a new game starts. Alistair has secrets and Henrietta want to know what they are but what starts as a cat and mouse game becomes so much more when they fall for one another. All I can say is this story was a great read and did not disappoint and I’m definitely looking forward to another book in this series!
Profile Image for Kathy.
1,659 reviews5 followers
November 20, 2023
Henri is a spy for secrets. She uses those secrets to predict people’s behavior. From those predictions she makes bets through her brother in the ton betting books. This is how she paid the family debts after her parents died. Her brother is a drunk and a gambler who relies on her to run his estate. She has decided to never marry because she will not had power over her future to anyone else.
Alistair has secrets of his own. A bet placed by Henri’s brother anger and alarms him. He sets out the find the author of the bet. What happens next leads to a delightful story.
Profile Image for  The Flipped Page (Susan K).
1,776 reviews39 followers
June 16, 2025
Sweet, period romance

Romance, sweet, period, secrets;series but stand alone read
Henri and Alistair’s story came about as a rumor spread and Alistair’s reputation was besmirched. When he realizes Henri is Henrietta, he has to change tactics.
As they circle each other and secrets swirl they realize they have both done the unthinkable, fallen in love with an adversary.
Fun, told from alternating points of view with some strong side characters. Lovely fall and sweet how Alistair finally wins her heart.
Profile Image for Melissa.
603 reviews1 follower
December 30, 2018
This has officially just jumped to my favorite Maggie Dallen book! I loved Henri. She is independent, determined, protective of those she loves, everything a strong heroine should be. Plus crazy smart. But I think the best part of the story was watching Alistair fall in love with her and know that her immense intellect is part of what draws him to her.
I am seriously hoping Marcus's story is next.
Profile Image for Rosemary Hughes.
4,109 reviews22 followers
April 2, 2022
A different time frame for this author, but in keeping with the time period. Definitely shows this writer's versatility.
He had his secrets, things that could threaten himself and his family.
She had penchant for finding other's secrets, so that she held power and knowledge, an insurance for unforseen circumstances.
So she sort his secrets, and after a lot of to do, he found a way to alleviate the threat of her knowledge and how she made him feel.
72 reviews
December 29, 2024
Easy read. At first I was all over this story line. It was very intriguing. But after awhile the cat and mouse play between the leads just became too much. By the end I just wanted it to be over. And honestly I didn’t see the romantic connection between them. Henrietta was just awful. It doesn’t matter that she was trying to keep her tiny family afloat. She was ruthless. I don’t get why anyone would find her attractive.
Profile Image for Regina.
1,067 reviews
December 27, 2018
Henri is not your typical demure damsel (but then, Maggie Dallen's heroines never are), and the somewhat bland and boring-seeming Lord Colefax harbors more than one scandalous secret.

Add to that a solid plot with some mystery and intrigue and a dash of humor, and you get an entertaining, quick read.

All in all, this was another enjoyable foray into the Regency era for me.

2,362 reviews24 followers
January 4, 2019
This was a very absorbing read. The two main characters, Alistair, Earl of Colefax and Lady Henrietta Bloomfield were two very intelligent people who certainly had a chemistry between them . I loved the interaction between them. They both had secrets and the ways they tried to out think each other was very engaging. They were a pair well matched. This was a delightfully entertaining read.
Profile Image for Delacey.
1,171 reviews8 followers
January 6, 2019
A very good clean and sweet regency romance. The dialogue was entertaining, as was the cat and mouse game the H&h were drawn too. Both characters developed and very smart and it was a pleasure seeing how they feel for each other. Overall, a very enjoyable read. *I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Sarah.
56 reviews
March 8, 2022
Pretty good story! Love strong women and the handsome men who appreciate strong women. I really like the London ton stories, fairytale balls, dancing, musicals, pretty gowns. It emphasizes the fake world society creates to hide the ugliness of life. The mystery was transparent, but who reads this kind of book for mystery anyway…?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews

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