I am so so happy I was allowed to read this book on netgalley. It seriously blew me away and I have a new author I am keeping a close eye on. When I finished this, I immediately bought the first book of the series and will be following her for other releases.

Alex, our hero, is a new duke. While his properties aren't making enough to maintain themselves and the dukedom is slowly going under and he knows he must marry and heiress, that's not his main concern. He's become obsessed with calling out frauds and his focus has landed on Evangeline who is a spiritualist and medium. She was brought to his attention from a photograph that haunts him.

Evie has worked her way up from the bottom of the London streets. She's a successful medium entertaining society, hardworking, but trapped in a life she doesn't love. When she meets Alex, he presents a wager. He can prove she's a fraud within one week. If not, he leaves her alone forever. If he's successful then she must publicly announce she's a fraud.

I adored the writing in this book. It just totally sucked me in. I thought the plot was pretty unique and I really couldn't predict what was going to happen. Or at least I thought I knew what would happen but it was totally different, especially the end.

I enjoyed both characters. I enjoyed the medium aspect to Evie's character but I think it could change depending on how you feel about that stuff. I thought Evie was really strong. But, Alex made this story for me. I loved Alex. So much. He's a cold, arrogant duke with some serious father issues. I know that doesn't sound unique, but I thought his character was really well done. I think that is my favorite hero type. The moment they crack for their heroine, the pain and worry they feel when they are in danger, the passion that burns beneath that utter contempt for the world. I loved it.

This book had a similar feel to me as some of Kerrigan Byrne books. It's a little dark, though not as dark as hers. There's plenty of language that people might find offensive, like the f*** word (used in a sexual context, not only in anger). It's not a light and fluffy romance. The sex can be rather raw and it's explicit and there's at least 3 scenes I believe. But I love all that stuff, so that brought up the rating for me.

There was a part towards the middle that I felt really dragged and I was starting to get a little bored. But overall I really enjoyed this story, the characters, the world that Julia Bennet created. Also the first book has me really intrigued. Alex's half sister is the heroine and she was locked in an insane asylum for 10 years. Can't wait to start that one soon.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC. These opinions and feelings are completely my own.