Witty and entertaining!

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The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides #4) by Valerie Bowman  

 Playful Brides continues, this time with a Swift sibling in the major role. Daphne had grown up in a household dedicated to the service of their country, and even played a part. She married Captain Rafferty Cavendish as part of an assignment. Daphne is on the verge of becoming engaged to someone else, when Rafe returns and she discovers that the marriage she had supposed had been annulled has not! She is both furious and relieved. It has taken her sometime to go on with her life after Rafe, and now here he is upsetting her well laid plans!
What's to do! The Prince Regent was to take care of this! Rafe however has need of Daphne for one last assignment. 
Rafe is on the trail of the French handler who imprisoned him and took the life of Daphne's elder brother Donald, the former  Earl. He needs Daphne's help. The go-betweens speak Russian, as does Daphne.
There is a deeper game afoot though--a game of the heart and Daphne and Rafe have a long way to go before they can freely admit this.
A minor part is played by the other 'Playful Brides' Lucy, Cassandra and Jane, keeping their menfolk in line and giving Daphne much needed support and advice of a more sensual nature. And Delilah, Daphne's young cousin is brilliant--with her knowing ways, mischievousness, outrageous bargaining and delightful intermittent use of French. Currently a child, but definitely a coming force to be contended with.
This story is quite different from the other three in the series taking a different tack, but in the end it's about two people, drawn together and fighting that link.
Intelligent, adventurous and a worthy addition to the series and to my reading list.

 A NetGalley ARC

 *****

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