I love romance, especially when placed in a different context, be it futuristic or in a castle and from centuries ago. Here we have a hated Black Cobra cult that attempts to prevent our heroes' mission from success, challenges that must be overcome with the help of amazing and extremely competent women who just happen to be beautiful yet who are NOT seeking love or a relationships.

I find this to be an amazing series; captivating given the mission of the four heroes to deliver an incrimina...

I love romance, especially when placed in a different context, be it futuristic or in a castle and from centuries ago. Here we have a hated Black Cobra cult that attempts to prevent our heroes' mission from success, challenges that must be overcome with the help of amazing and extremely competent women who just happen to be beautiful yet who are NOT seeking love or a relationships.

I find this to be an amazing series; captivating given the mission of the four heroes to deliver an incriminating letter to their superior. Knowing the risks these individuals would face, the superior had devised a scheme that had three of the four messengers carrying only copies of the actual letter, with each person taken a very different route to their leader's location.

Interestingly, the story is about much more than the mission itself. It is also what a particular messenger, Logan Montieth, encounters along the way and the beautiful, resourceful and capable companion the messenger comes to know, admire, and respect along the way. This book opens with the messenger, Logan on board the ship Helois Leger as it travels the English Channel. Unknown to Major Montieth, three assassins of the Black Cobra cult are on board. The three assassins attack the major. Although he kills one, he fails to kill the others. He takes a deep sword slash and ends up overboard clinging to a piece of the ship that has just sunk. The two surviving assassins also end up overboard. There was no debris for them to cling to and neither of them could swim.

This is the third book in the Black Cobra Quartet but only the second I have read. Previously, I read the previous book in the series, Elusive Bride. That book compelled me to follow the remaining swashbuckling books in the Quartet. One thing I loved in this book and the previous book is how the woman companion is portrayed. As people become aware of the progress of the four former military people who serve as messengers, the people learn there is a woman accompanying the messenger. Without knowing anything about the woman involved they question why would the messenger take on the "burden" of having to protect a woman as they carry out the mission! I like the portrayal of the women because, in truth none of these women are a burden and actually protect and occasionally save the life of the messenger. Each woman plays a critical role in the messenger's success. Each woman defends herself and protects her man. Each woman is inventive and intelligent. As a character in the book indicates, none of these women fit the mold of "conventional ladies". Linnet Trevission, the heroine of this book, fits the "non-conventional" description perfectly; not only does she have medical skills, fighting skills, leadership skills, and; the reader is very surprised to learn, she is also captain of an outstanding crew and wonderful ship.

Our hero in this book is Major Logan Monteith. He (and the other messengers) is challenged at every turn by the Black Cobra, the vicious cult of assassins that are sent after each of the messengers but on a larger scale wreaks havoc in India. This cult is led by a powerful, vicious, and titled (but unknown) set of individuals from England. The letter is important because the messengers' leader believes the letter contains the name or names of the Black Cobra himself.

Many adventures occur on land and sea and several people die in the various battles. Without giving away the book's outcome and resolution of the book, I will say the book is a wonderfully entertaining read. Many questions will come to mind as you read on. Will Linnet overcome any doubts she has on every needing a man, let alone the possibility of marrying one? Will the Black Cobra succeed in obtaining Logan's letter? Is the letter he carries the original or a copy? Will Logan and Linnet live to overcome the many traps the Black Cobra set to ensnare them? What becomes of the remaining three messengers and those women who accompany them? I look forward to reading the fourth and final book in this series so that I can answer some of these questions!

Contrary to so many of these reviews, I think this is an excellent book. The heroine's position of power, and it's inherent pitfalls, IS similar to that of Queen Elizabeth I, and while it's perhaps a lofty comparison and a stretch that a woman could hold such a position, I find it to be refreshing; it's taking a step outside the box. And while some may consider the extra sex scenes in this book page filler, I found them to be not only super hot, but a deeper exploration of the power dynamics ...

Contrary to so many of these reviews, I think this is an excellent book. The heroine's position of power, and it's inherent pitfalls, IS similar to that of Queen Elizabeth I, and while it's perhaps a lofty comparison and a stretch that a woman could hold such a position, I find it to be refreshing; it's taking a step outside the box. And while some may consider the extra sex scenes in this book page filler, I found them to be not only super hot, but a deeper exploration of the power dynamics between men and women.

If you are looking for another formulaic historical romance, this book may not be for you. However, if you are looking for a bit more depth, romance novels or erotic fiction that demand your attention to enjoy, this book is a great pick.

Having read many negative reviews before I started this book, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it so much. I am glad I did not let them keep me from reading it. Even though the first 40% of the book is dedicated to getting the H/h together, it was interesting and the plot twists and turns for the last 60% kept me reading. I was very glad this h did not keep a juvenileish diary like the one in book 2 did. This h was a fully realized competent adult.
I do have to agree that the sex scen...

Having read many negative reviews before I started this book, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it so much. I am glad I did not let them keep me from reading it. Even though the first 40% of the book is dedicated to getting the H/h together, it was interesting and the plot twists and turns for the last 60% kept me reading. I was very glad this h did not keep a juvenileish diary like the one in book 2 did. This h was a fully realized competent adult.
I do have to agree that the sex scenes are overdone and tend to go on and on. Surely they can do something besides "shatter" when they reach climax.
It did take me a minute to realize that these books cover the same time period so during the course of the book, some things that had happened in book 2 had not happened yet in book 3 caught me off guard and for a moment I thought someone had forgotten the plot but time advances and things get caught up.
Whoever proof read this book needs to go back and look at the extraneous commas.
I liked the H/h together and I am glad I read this book. I have already started the last one and am hoping I like it as well.

I have throughly enjoyed the first 2 books in this series, but consider this the best one. I thought after 2 books the plot would get old: a military man traveling from India to England on a spy mission, joined up with a female companion/future wife, battling bad guys to bring down the evil Black Cobra Cult. But Laurens does a great job of shaking things up and and introducing a new type of heroine. Linnet is very likable: a strong, compassionate woman with surprising strengths and skills. Lo...

I have throughly enjoyed the first 2 books in this series, but consider this the best one. I thought after 2 books the plot would get old: a military man traveling from India to England on a spy mission, joined up with a female companion/future wife, battling bad guys to bring down the evil Black Cobra Cult. But Laurens does a great job of shaking things up and and introducing a new type of heroine. Linnet is very likable: a strong, compassionate woman with surprising strengths and skills. Logan has had his own challenges in life, and is a great foil for Linnet. The locales are interesting, the skirmishes with the Black Cobra Cult believable and exciting; the growing bond between Linnet and Logan enjoyable. I liked the fleshing out of the bad guys as well. Definitely worth buying!

Way to go, Ms. Laurens! I enjoyed this book very much except the portion where Lillet was having doubts as to if she could marry Logan or not. That portion was BORING! Otherwise, loved the adventure, romance & intrigue. Logan is for sure a keeper! Lillet was wise to see the light & decided to accept her fate to become Logan's wife.
Now for the bad news. I am in no way an English grammar expert, but you need to hire someone to check your punctuation & sentence structure. You can't & shouldn't...

Way to go, Ms. Laurens! I enjoyed this book very much except the portion where Lillet was having doubts as to if she could marry Logan or not. That portion was BORING! Otherwise, loved the adventure, romance & intrigue. Logan is for sure a keeper! Lillet was wise to see the light & decided to accept her fate to become Logan's wife.
Now for the bad news. I am in no way an English grammar expert, but you need to hire someone to check your punctuation & sentence structure. You can't & shouldn't insert commas wherever & whenever it seems there should be a comma. There are specific rules as to where commas belong. As for sentence structure, you have rambling & long words with commas inserted helter skelter where they don't belong. This drove me crazy while reading this book!
Looking forward to book 4.