I received a copy of Irresistible by Darcy Burke from NetGalley. This historical fiction is the 6th addition to the Phoenix Club Series. The book focuses on the romance between Lady Jessamine Goodfellow and Lord Dougal MacNair, the new Viscount Fallin.
These characters have been introduced in the previous books, but there isn’t much I knew about them. Jessamine is committed to spinsterhood because she feels that it will finally give her the freedom she wants. She craves adventure, something different and exciting than how her life has been up till now. She is brilliant at deciphering and solving puzzles, and this leads her to unknowingly helping the Foreign Office. Dougal MacNair has been working with the Foreign Office for years. Recently, due to his brother’s untimely death, he has to take up the responsibility of being a Viscount.
Jessamine is recruited to go on an undercover mission. Dougal is paired up with her, and they need to act as a married couple to carry out this spying mission. After a disastrous first meeting, both of them find a tuning with each other. Pretending to be married means spending a lot of time in close quarters. Their chemistry builds up slowly at the start, but it is easy to see they are coming closer. They have to rely on each other completely to make sure the mission isn’t comprised and develop trust. Their attraction and feelings reach a boiling point soon enough. The story maintains the element of mystery enough to keep you intrigued and is woven well with the romance. The relationship and the pull and push between these two are exciting and cute. Their relationship develops at a good pace, and so does their understanding and trust in each other.
Jessamine is smart, and she has a plan for her life. But, as the story progresses you find out more about her past, and the strong views she has about marriage make sense in a way. Dougal has a complicated family history; he isn’t his father’s biological father and is never made to realize this by him. One of the best relationships in the book is between Dougal and his father. It seems completely natural and realistic with how they interact. It is Jessamine and Dougal’s romance that kept me interested from beginning to end. I liked the progression of their relationship.
Dougal is still grieving for his brother and worried about this new responsibility. He is ambitious and loves his work with the Foreign Office but becoming a Viscount means change. Dougal is dealing with identity crises and is torn between what he wants to do, new responsibilities, and letting go. His backstory is much more complex than Jessamine’s. She is understandably tired of all the pressure of expectations from society and her parents. The book deals with important issues like racism, societal pressure, gender bias, and expectations. It is done subtly, which works well into the overall story without getting too explicit.
The book has an interesting story with good characters and a sizzling romance. I have read all the five books of the Phoenix Series by Darcy Burke and enjoyed them. Irresistible was just as romantic and engaging as the others in the series. I generally love reading historical romances, and this series has been like catnip to me. I can’t wait to read the next one.
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