SPOILERY REVIEW>


We've followed Alf, a 20-something girl from St. Giles who dresses as a much younger boy, throughout the series. She's cocky, knows everything and everyone, and if she doesn't she knows where to find out how to get that info for you. OH, and she's also the new Ghost! That surprised me a bit even though it should't have, but cool!

Hugh is the bastard son of the king but also a Duke and acknowledged, and he's trying to find out what is up with the Lords of Chaos and bring them down. He has two small sons who he is now taking care of after the death of his wife (who he lived separately from-she had many lovers). He's also supposed to marry his dead wife's best friend, the refined Lady Iris. A marriage of convenience only, NEVER AGAIN of passion.

But of course Hugh hires Alf, has a boner for the Ghost of St. Giles who he figures out is a woman, and then puts the pieces together that Alf is the Ghost is a woman. And worries he got to third base with a child (because he and the Ghost mess around before he figures out the connection). There is a lot of yucky business here with the Lords of Chaos, raping children, secret societies, and what not, plus SO MUCH gendered language of Alf being the woman to his man, their woman and man parts being perfectly aligned, etc etc. Most romances are still grappling with such gendered language, but this was exceptionally glaring and threw me off a bit.

But lots of things I did like, especially Lady Iris and how she befriended Alf and basically told Hugh "he would not suit" and that he was basically a dolt for not realizing his feeeeeelings. Love her.

Not one of my favs - and I'm intrigued to see how/if Lady Iris can make it work with the heir apparent to the Lords of Chaos in the next book. Y I K E S.