Review – No Rest for the Wicked (Heart of a Hero, Prequel) by Cora Lee

The Heart of a Hero series prequel

Michael Devlin is a man of great learning but little means, living in one of the poorest sections of Dublin. By day, he practices law at the Four Courts and gives reading lessons to the local children. By night he’s the man in the mask, prowling the streets of The Liberties defending the people—his people—from those who would prey upon them. But when his estranged wife appears on his doorstep with a summons from Sir Arthur Wellesley, both of Michael’s worlds are turned upside down. What will happen to The Liberties if he obeys Sir Arthur’s command to meet in Cork? Can he even trust the woman who married and then left him five years ago?

As a spy for Sir Arthur Wellesley, Joanna Pearson Devlin has executed this same mission flawlessly many times before: locate the subject, transport him safely, and present him to her employer. When Sir Arthur sends her out one more time to bring in her estranged husband, Joanna knows this mission will be anything except flawless. But Napoleon’s agents are everywhere, and Michael is an important part of the team Sir Arthur is assembling to stop them. For the sake of her country, Joanna heads to Dublin even as her discomfort grows. Will she be able to put aside her uncertainties and convince her husband to join the fight? Can they learn to work together again if he agrees?

Brief Preview

Five years ago his wife left him and set off on another mission for the crown, Michael has learned to get on with his life, not only that but he has learned to lock away the anger and hurt that he has been feeling for not only his estranged wife but of life itself. He had set out to focus on helping those that are genuinely in need, in his own special way!

By day he is the calm and educated lawyer Michael Devlin, by night he walks the streets of “The Liberties” as the masked vigilante; The Demon of Dublin’s Hell.

So he gets the shock of his life when one day out of the blue his estranged wife turns up on his doorstep with a message from none other than the mighty Lord Arthur Wellesley. She is there to deliver the message and the Demon to Sir Arthur.

Joanna is a covert agent who works closely with the war effort and Sir Arthur in particular, she knew that she would get another mission so it wasn’t surprising that soon after her wedding to Michael she was given a new assignment what did surprise her was it has kept her away from the man she loves for five years.

Joanna, as much as she loves her work and being able to do something useful to help her country and the people she loves. She hated having to leave Michael and worse than that because of her duty she had to stay away and break off all contact with the only man she has ever loved, and the only man who has ever loved her completely.

She promised she wouldn’t be away for too long but because of her duty, she was forced to break that promise to her husband and in the process break both of their hearts.

After agreeing to undertake this assignment and travel to meet with Sir Arthur with Joanna, they set off, but what they encounter on the route will turn their lives upside down, not just with the danger of the mission but from what they find out about each other.

My View

This is the first book I have read by Cora Lee and I thought it was a fabulous introduction to this talented lady’s work. No Rest For The Wicked is a part of the “Heart of a Hero” series and it is a series I am looking forward to reading more of. The chemistry between our estranged couple is heated, the tension just ripples as well as the distrust for each other. This is a fast, fun and exciting fabulous read.

Michael is a really good man, he is from the slums and yet, he has had an education he is hard-working, kind-hearted and loyal. A man who genuinely cares for the people in his Dublin Hell, he is a surprise and not exactly what you would expect from a lawyer. By day he helps people legally and by night he prowls about wearing a black mask under the name of the Demon of Dublin’s Hells, he cares for the underprivileged and cares about what will happen to them.

He is a regular man who has pulled himself out of the lowest rungs of society to become the intelligent, brave and caring man he is now and he deserves respect, especially from his wife. He genuinely loves Joanna and I do think that he was treated very harshly by Joanna and the way he lets her back into his life and his world after five years just goes to show just how much of a good man he is.

He is incredible!

“You said it’s the Demon of the Dublin’s Hell, that Wellesley wants. Does he know I’m the Demon?”
“He does.”
Michael held the letter with both hands and read it again, “What does he want with me?”
“A meeting…”

Now Joanna is a tough woman and when she is on a mission she is a force to be reckoned with and when she’s in agent mode she is very cold and calculating, and I will admit that I wasn’t sure if I could like her but she grew on me. Her loyalty and her bull headed-ness to get the job done earn respect, she is a woman putting her life at risk day in and day out and she is doing what many would – even today – consider a man’s job, and that is inspiring.

When on a mission she is cold, calculated and manipulative, she is a fierce woman, especially when eagerly integrating a highwayman while pointing a pistol at his head. But when she is alone with Michael she is like a completely different woman, she is warm and she actually comes across as very vulnerable. She wants Michael to look after her, and to love her.

“You never spent even a single night with… company?”
“No” his brows drew down over his eyes “Why would I?”
“Because I disappeared without a trace far longer than I told you I’d be gone. Because I could have been dead, or captured or mistress to another man.”
He was seated across from her again and slid his foot across the floor to touch hers.
“You were my wife and continued to be eleven when we were no longer in the same country. I’d never hurt you that way.”
“I didn’t…I was never unfaithful to you, either.”

I do really like this, it is smart, sexy and so well written but more than that it makes you think. It is really lovely watching as these two get to know each other all over again and as their defences lower and they get closer and closer. They are both very reluctant to reveal their hearts, so it’s quite sweet when they finally do.

The inner turmoil between both of them is constantly present and yet despite not knowing whether to trust one another, they work brilliantly as a team. They can read each other like a book and it’s like a beautiful dance between them, they are so in sync.

A great story about how love can conquer so many difficulties and so much turmoil, and one that I would definitely recommend Lee is an author who I will be reading more about.

Fabulous!

This was an ARC copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.

No Rest For The Wicked is released on 6th July and can be found on Amazon.

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