His Secret Mistress
Series: A Logical Man's Guide to Dangerous Women #1
Author: Cathy Maxwell
Published February 25th 2020 by Avon

Goodreads Synopsis
At the Logical Men's Society—an exclusive bachelor's club—brandy flows like water, bawdy stories abound, and a gentleman tempted to marry is always persuaded to reconsider...

Brandon Balfour made the mistake of trusting his heart to the exquisite, strong-willed actress, Kate Addison, with whom he shared one intimate night before fate intervened. Now a decade later, Brandon is a leading member of the Logical Men's Society—for no woman since Kate has managed to captivate him.

To Kate, the memory of that night still burns strongly, because it was followed by a stunning betrayal. A chance encounter may have brought Brandon back into her life, but that doesn't mean Kate will ever forgive him. She's vowed to make him pay—even as she realizes the promises of the young love they once shared are still etched upon her heart...

Loving her exiled him.

Trusting him ruined her.

And now, a clash of passions threatens everything each of them ever desired.
Goodreads

Review
When a trio of friends decide to join the Logical Men's Society, proclaiming their perpetual bachelorhood, it's obvious that it won't last for long. Brandon Balfour made his fortune in India following heartbreak, and is now the guardian for his nephew, the Duke of Winderton, who is about to come into his majority. Brandon's older sister has always been anxious of her boy, and the fact that her husband left them nearly destitute, and they needed to rely on Brandon for help, makes her even more so. So when Winderton claims that he has found love, and to an older actress no less, Brandon needs to put a stop to it. And low and behold, the woman Winderton claims he wants to marry is Kate Addison, the actress who stole Brandon's heart in his youth, before 'running off' with a wealthy and titled gentleman. Brandon will stop at nothing to prove Kate is out for the money, and run her out of town - along with his sister and the rest of the village - but Kate is stronger than she seems. She has faced a lot in her life, and this is her final chance to return to London, and make it big. But will her old feelings for Brandon come back, and ruin the plan?

I liked this book, but didn't love it. It took me a little while to get into, and I really enjoyed the change in opinion surrounding Kate, but all in all, I was never overly invested in the romance. Brandon and Kate were both good characters, and I liked that they were older and had a past - and even that the event that changed everything for the both of them was actually discussed, and dealt with, rather than being brushed under the carpet and causing more and more tension. Winderton was a wet rag, and I really disliked him, as I did his mother too. However, the other 'Logical Men' seem intriguing - which is good because I've got an ARC of Her First Desire to read soon enough. The plot line was definitely slow for the first half, but once it picked up, was much improved. Maybe book 2 will blow me away, you never know.

Dates Read:
April 18-20, 2021

Rating
3 Stars