Lady Helen has a lot to worry about with her upcoming presentation before the Queen and setting up her presentation ball with her aunt and guardian. Then suddenly a dashing Earl with a dangerous past comes back to London and informs Helen that she is something called a Receiver - someone who can identify and kill demons, as well as take the darkness out of people's souls. Now Lady Helen has to start her training while also trying not to damage her reputation and field some marriage proposals while at it.

I loved this! Everything is pretty much perfect - the characters, the story, the history of the Receivers and Deceivers, the sexual tension (oh the tension!) and even the clothes. Alison Goodman did such a good job with the atmosphere and setting of Regency London and Lady Helen's day to day life and her troubles when it suddenly collides with the realisation of who she actually is was really realistic. She can't go of willy nilly to meet Carlston because a woman of her stature can't be with a man alone - let alone a man who people think killed his wife! I not only loved hearing about the Receivers and how the life energy worked and the inclusion of alchemy but I also loved Lady Helen having to go and get her new riding hat fitted and attending balls and dealing with her own presentation as well as what she would do if she married and had to be a Receiver.

Helen was a wonderful character with enough girlish charm and roguish spunk to keep her relatable and interesting. She was a good person who tried her best for everyone - including her lady's maid Darby. I loved her relationship with Darby, it was honest and genuine and reminded me of the relationship between Lady Mary and Anna Bates in Downton Abbey. Carlston was everything you wanted in a main character - dark, brooding, mysterious. I still don't have enough answers about him, especially to do with Elise but I'm really hoping for some hot and steaming scenes between him and Helen in the next book as they move on to her proper training.

There were times when I did get frustrated that Helen couldn't really do enough in this book but I do feel like this one set up the world of The Dark Day Club really well and I cant wait to learn more about it in the next book and hopefully have Helen involved in more action where she can actually use her strength and skills. Maybe even Darby can get a little bit of action with Quinn because that would be perfect.