Irresistible

TITLE: Irresistible

SERIES: The Phoenix Club #6

AUTHOR: Christina Britton

RATING: 

STEAM: 

THE SYNOPSIS

Jessamine Goodfellow has spent six Seasons avoiding the parson’s trap, and spinsterhood is finally within her grasp. A brilliant scholar, she longs for adventure and new experiences, things her family frowns upon. Presented with the opportunity to use her puzzle-solving talent on a secret mission for the Foreign Office, Jess eagerly accepts. Even when it means posing as the wife of a scorchingly attractive Scotsman who she must also covertly investigate as a possible double agent.

Lord Dougal MacNair, the new Viscount Fallin, has always completed his assignments for the Foreign Office alone. Now he’s saddled with an overly enthusiastic amateur partner. She possesses a remarkable intellect, but something about her isn’t quite right, and after two failed missions, Dougal is certain someone is working against him. Battling their secret suspicions, Dougal and Jess dive deep into their cover as a married couple, which arouses temptations they find irresistible. Danger is all around them, but it’s their hearts that may be the most imperiled.

THE HEROINE

Jessamine was in love with a man her parents didn't approve of, so they paid him to go away, leaving Jess devastated and angry. She vowed never to marry to spit her parents. So she devoted herself to the prospect of spinsterhood and avoided all the men her mother pushed at her. Jess is very smart and stumbled upon an opportunity to decode messages which led to her being asked to assist the Foreign Office in a case that involved secret, coded messages.  But being partnered with Dougal is rattling her and pretending marriage is all too easy and real. She starts to realize that maybe she would be lonely in her spinsterhood and that she has some pretty strong feelings for Dougal.  

I liked Jess quite a bit, however I was a little frustrated at her drive to be a spinster, even with Dougal since she was clearly attracted to him, he was a kind man, and she had been attracted to him for years. I was hoping she wouldn't resist as much as she did. 

THE HERO

Dougal MacNair has been serving the Foreign Office for years, but, with the death of his brother, he will need to step down from serving and become the Viscount Fallin. The prospect of that is not appealing in the least and he is angry about it, sad about the death of his brother and battling two failed missions. Dougal has always completed his missions alone, but having to work with the beautiful Jess isn't so bad until he can't stop thinking about her. He never planned on getting married, but with becoming the heir, he will need to marry and produce an heir. 

THE PLOT

Neither Jess nor Dougal planned or even wanted to get married, but pretending to be a married couple comes to easily as does their attraction to each other. I was disappointed that their mission only lasted a few days and small part of the story. I was hoping it would be a bit more of an adventure, but it started and stopped abruptly without any real drama. I kept thinking they were going to find something or get caught or that Jess would have reason to suspect Dougal of being a double agent. But, alas, nothing. When they got back to London, I again thought maybe, maybe, someone they knew was the bad guy, someone I would never suspect. Or that Jess would be kidnapped by the couple they were investigating or the real double agent. But no. So although the romance and the plot were fine and I enjoyed it, I was bummed that there wasn't more adventure! More danger!

TROPES

Historical Romance, Georgian Era, Country Life, Season/Marriage Mart, Beta Hero, Detective/Agents to the Crown, Illegitimate Hero, Soldier/War Hero, Titled Hero, Detective Heroine, Spinster Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Fake Relationship, Workplace Romance, Forced Proximity, Sudden Nobility/Rags to Riches, Suspense/Danger/Murder. Four Star, Three Flame

HistoricalRomance, GeorgianEra, CountryLife, Season/MarriageMart, Beta/CinnamonrollHero, Detectivehero, IllegitimateHero, Soldier/WarHero, TitledHero, DetectiveHeroine, SpinsterHeroine, VirginHeroine, FakeRelationship, WorkplaceRomance, ForcedProximity, SuddenNobility/RagstoRiches, Suspense/Danger/Murder, FourStar, ThreeFlame