The Disgraceful Lord Gray - Virginia Heath (HH #1426 - Apr 2019)

Series: King's Elite (Book 3)

A spy on a mission…

Until he meets this heiress!

Miss Theodora Cranford's learned to keep her impetuous nature locked away. She won't be deceived by another man who can't see past her fortune. She wants an honorable, sensible sort -- not a self-assured scoundrel like her new neighbor, Lord Gray. Although she's sure there's more to him than meets the eye… But after that first captivating kiss, she's certainly left wanting more!

Good addition to the series. In the previous two books, the men of the King's Elite worked to bring an end to the smuggling and spy ring that was funneling arms and money to France. They succeeded in stopping the gang's operations, but have yet to capture the ringleader, known only as "The Boss." Intelligence has narrowed it down to two people, one of whom is Viscount Gislingham. Gray and Lord Fennimore were sent to Suffolk to infiltrate Gislingham's social circle and find out if he is, in fact, their quarry. The investigation gets off to a rocky start when Gislingham's niece, Thea, happens on Gray swimming naked in a stream while playing with his dog, and the dog knocks her into the stream as well.

I really liked both Gray and Thea. Gray made appearances in the two previous books where he played significant roles. Now he is up for a significant promotion if he handles himself well during this operation. Gray is a charming and flirtatious, but also level-headed and compassionate. After a romantic disappointment and irresponsible reaction left him financially ruined a decade earlier, he spent the intervening years traveling the world on merchant ships. Older and wiser, he wishes he'd done things differently in the past but believes he's changed for the better. Brooding over the past and things that can't be changed isn't his style. Thea is red-haired and feisty, but she tries to keep that side of herself locked up tight. She blames "Impetuous Thea" for some bad decisions in her past, ones that have left her feeling guilty. She is very cautious around men, thanks to those who have been more interested in her inheritance than in her.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Gray and Thea. The sparks flew from the moment they met, but both had reasons to resist. Thea, because of her distrust of charming scoundrels, and Gray, because of his reasons for being in Suffolk in the first place. He isn't very happy about having to play up his disreputable reputation as he is quite smitten by Thea and that reputation works against him. Admitting to themselves and each other that romantic involvement is not a good idea, they commit to friendship instead. I loved seeing them get to know each other, sharing the disappointments of their pasts and inevitably growing closer. This is especially a problem for Gray, who finds Thea invading his mind at inopportune moments, making him question his worth as a spy. He also suspects that his deception will not go over well when the truth is revealed. Thea finds it increasingly difficult to keep "Impetuous Thea" locked up as she gets to know Gray, especially when he is so understanding of her past. I liked how Gray encouraged her to embrace her true self and how Thea helped Gray open his heart again. There are the expected complications when the truth comes out, but some timely advice helps cut through the problems to the heart of the matter. The ending was terrific and perfectly "Impetuous Thea" and "disgraceful" Lord Gray.

The continuation of the search for "The Boss" was a page-turner. Both Gray and Lord Fennimore are prepared to do whatever necessary to advance their investigation, and Gray's time with Thea gives him the entry into the Viscount's world that he needs. As their efforts bring them closer to the truth, Gray finds himself questioning some of the things he discovers. There are some surprising twists leading up to the unmasking of "The Boss," one of which was a complete surprise and one I had begun to suspect. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, with the hero of the day turning out to be Trefor, the dog.

 The secondary characters are terrific, especially Lady Harriet and Lord Cedric Fennimore. Harriet is a widow who is determined to live life to the fullest. She is incorrigible in her actions and delights in encouraging Thea to loosen up. in previous books, Lord Fennimore has been shown as a gruff, mission-oriented man who doesn't put up with any shenanigans. It was fun to see Gray play up to their supposed "cousins" relationship whenever possible. It was especially enjoyable to see Cedric get caught in Harriet's wiles, exposing a very different side to him.