A sweeping and seductive historical romance rich in intensity, passion and emotion, When a Rogue Meets His Match is the latest seductive page-turner from the immensely talented pen of Elizabeth Hoyt.

Gideon Hawthorne might have been born in the gutter, but he had vowed not to let his humble beginnings condemn him to a life of drudgery and despair. Having dragged himself up by his bootstraps, Gideon had worked hard to shake off the dust and stench of the slums. For the last ten years, he has acted as the Duke of Windermere’s fixer where no job was too big or too small for him. Gideon has executed his duties to the letter without a single word of complaint, but he has had enough. Tired of doing the duke’s bidding and desperate to be his own boss and not be answerable to anyone, the time has come for Gideon to quit the duke’s office. However, before he lets him go the duke wants him to do one final job for him and as a reward, he will get the one thing he has always wanted which has always been out of reach: Messalina Greycourt’s hand in marriage.

Messalina is a young woman who has her pick of suitors. With men falling at her feet, she is certainly never short of male attention and admiration, but she is shocked to her very core when she is summoned by Windermere and is informed of his plan for her to wed the dour and saturnine Gideon Hawthorne. Messalina is naturally appalled. Gideon is the last man she would ever consider marrying, but despite of all her protestations, she has no choice and finds herself having to marry him. However, Messalina vows never to submit or surrender to the man she is being forced to marry, but once she begins to spend more and more time with her husband, will she find herself changing her mind?

Gideon has offered his reluctant wife a compromise: if she plays the part of a biddable wife, then he will leave her alone unless she asks for his touch. Messalina might have initially thought that she was in no danger of asking her husband to come anywhere near her -until his touch becomes the only thing she can think about. Will Messalina end up falling in love with her husband? Or are there simply too many obstacles standing in the way of their future?

Elizabeth Hoyt’s When a Rogue Meets His Match is a beguiling and passionate romantic read that sizzles with danger, drama and desire. Written in Elizabeth Hoyt’s inimitable style, When a Rogue Meets His Match, is an enemies to lovers tale where the prose is lush, the atmosphere rich and evocative, the passion red-hot and steamy and the drama poignant and powerful. Messalina is a nuanced and richly drawn heroine and Gideon is a brooding and devilish Alpha hero with a dangerous side to him readers will fall in love with.

When a Rogue Meets His Match is a dark and emotional historical romance from master storyteller Elizabeth Hoyt.

My review of this book is based on the blurb and my experience with this authors work to date. Unfortunately I was unable to read this due to a formatting issue.

4.5 stars
And that's why i love this author's work so much.
Messalina ( such an interesting name for a heroine) is a strong female character that has a mind of her own and it's not lead or let herself lead by anyone, not even by what her heart really desires. Her dreams and passion are stronger than the closed minded people around her and she stands her ground in front of the charming like a devil, Gideon. He put his foot in his mouth and boy, does he have to grovel for her love at the end.
Another lovely historical romance from a favorite author.

When a Rogue meets his Match ticks all the boxes for the perfect escapist historical romance. Some jeopardy, extended families, interesting friends and of course sexy conflicted hero and intelligent feisty heroine. It also tells you interesting historical facts and provides information about society at the time. Surprisingly this is often not the case, some novels are just given a "historical" setting to include more balls and aristocracy than a modern setting would allow. I am really looking forward to more in the Greycourt series and will seek out other titles by Elizabeth Hoyt. Thankyou to Piatkus and Netgalley for an entertaining and relaxing read during this horrible time.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Messalina Greycourt knows that she is definitely a catch, and could have a pick of husband wherever she looks, but being under the thumb of her wicked uncle, the Duke of Windemere, who will do anything he can for his own good, leads to a forced marriage to his own fixer, Gideon Hawthorne. Gideon pulled himself up from the gutter of St Giles, and has done all manner of jobs for Windemere in his time, but being offered Messalina in exchange for an unspecified job may just be too much. He's always wanted to be self sufficient and away from Windemere, and is finally in the position where he may just be able to do so, but being married to Messalina, who he's always wanted, would give him a footing in society he could never have wished for. However, Windemere's wicked plan is more heinous than anyone could have expected, and as much as Messalina and Gideon are adamant their marriage will be in name only, they may just find themselves facing it all together.

I utterly adored Not the Duke's Darling, so when review copies became available for book 2, I jumped at the chance. With Messalina being neigh on kidnapped by Gideon in the last pages of book 1, I couldn't wait to discover how their story panned out. Ever since her parents died, and her eldest sister, Aurelia, Messalina has had to protect herself from her uncle's wicked plans. Playing the doting guardian in public, Windemere has always made it clear that all of the Greycourt children are in his way, and he only cares about what they can do for him, not about what he can do for them. When he learns about Gideon's wish to leave, he dangles Messalina in front of him, in exchange for Gideon removing Julian Greycourt for his way - permanently. For Messalina, only knowing Gideon as Windemere's lapdog and fixer, she would do just about anything to avoid marrying him, but not if that means younger sister Lucretia will be forced to instead. So, she proposes an agreement with Gideon - in exchange for her dowry, she will be a true wife after a month, and no earlier. Gideon agrees, and promises not to touch her unless she asks for it, but she knows she never will, and now thinks she has a month to plan her escape. But the longer the couple spend together, trying to discover more about one another, and aid Gideon in his plans to find aristocratic backers for his mining ventures, their marriage becomes less of a sham, and more of a reality. But the looming threat of Windemere is always over head, and the arrival of the remaining Greycourt siblings means the couple need to seriously consider their relationship.

I really loved both of the main characters, and thought their development from indifference to love was perfect. Gideon has pined for Messalina from afar for quite some time, and as much as he tries to hide it in this book, it's plainly obvious that he adores her, and would do anything for her. Messalina is a harder nut to crack, but once she learns about Gideon's origins, and the way he truly cares for his staff, she's melting inside, and thinks less about leaving, and more about making Whispers a true home for them, and their children in the future. Their relationship was full of heat, and passion, and it was a joy to read about. I did feel as if the ending and climax of the plot line surrounding Windemere, Gideon and Julian, was a little rushed, but all in all, a fantastic addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to No Ordinary Duchess.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book in the Greycourt series. After a somewhat inauspicious beginning, where Messalina is forced to marry Gideon by her evil uncle, they gradually get to know one another and fall in love. Gideon is a very interesting character, as he was born in the s,IM’s of St Giles and initially appears to be nothing more than Messalina’s uncle’s henchman. However as the story and his character gradually unfurls, it is clear that he has hidden depths and is a deeply principled man. There was a great plot twist I didn’t see coming and some very likeable characters who will hopefully each get their own stories at some point.

Gideon Hawthorne hadn’t experienced an easy earlier life but had become wealthy by his own endeavours. Gideon works for the Duke of Windermere. Messalina Greycourt, has been manipulated into marriage by her devious and hateful uncle, the Duke of Windermere. As they spend more time in each other’s company, so Messalina sees a different side to Gideon. This was an absorbing read, I was routing for all to work out well for Messalina and Gideon. However, there are many factors that have a part in this story, including the rest of Messalina’s family. I hadn’t read the first in the series but this didn’t affect my enjoyment. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Hoyt is one of my favourite writers. I love her escapist Georgian romances. I was so excited to receive an early copy of her latest book and I wasn't disappointed. When a Rogue Meets His Match is one of her best.

Gideon Hawthorne is the Duke of Windermere's personal fixer. After clawing his way up from the gutter, there is nothing Gideon wouldn't do to achieve his dream of joining the ranks of the aristocracy. He has the house, he has the money, all he needs now is an aristocratic wife to introduce him to Society so he can start wheeling and dealing. When the Duke offers Gideon his niece, Messalina Greycourt, as a wife (along with her enormous fortune), Gideon can hardly say no - especially since he's been obsessed with Messalina for years. There is, however, one tiny snag. The Duke has one last task for him to carry out. A task that he won't reveal until Gideon and Messalina are wed. So, just how far will Gideon go to receive Messalina's hand in marriage?

The story is one of my favourite tropes, enemies to lovers. Although as the story is told from both Messalina's and Gideon's point of view, we know he's not really a villain! Despite his harsh childhood, Gideon is rather sweet (think: the Beast from Beauty and the Beast) and I fell in love with him immediately. Messalina makes a splendid heroine - she doesn't stand for any of his nonsense. The tension comes from knowing exactly what task the Duke wants Gideon to perform and wondering if Gideon will really go through with it - or how he'll get out of it!

When a Rogue Meets His Match is the second in the Greycourt series (you don't need to have read the first one to enjoy it). About halfway through, future 'own-story' characters begin appearing. I particularly loved the relationship between the laid-back Elspeth and the way she teased Messalina's cake-loving sister, Lucretia. I can't wait for their stories!

I loved When a Rogue Meets His Match and can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical romance. I know Elizabeth's fans will adore the story, particularly if they've previously enjoyed Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane #3). It should also appeal to fans of those authors who write slightly grittier historical romances, such as Courtney Milan.


Thank you to Elizabeth Hoyt and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Ambitious, sly, and lethally intelligent, Gideon Hawthorne has spent his life clawing his way up from the gutter. For the last ten years, he's acted as the Duke of Windemere's fixer, performing the most dangerous tasks without question. Now Gideon's ready to quit the duke's service and work solely for himself. But Windermere wants Gideon to complete one last task, and his reward is impossible to resist: Messalina Greycourt's hand in marriage. Witty, vivacious Messalina Greycourt has her pick of suitors. When Windermere summons Messalina to inform his niece that she must marry Mr. Hawthorne, she is appalled. But she's surprised when Gideon offers her a compromise: as long as she plays the complacent wife, he promises to leave her alone until she asks for his touch. Since Messalina is confident that she'll never ask Gideon for anything, she readily agrees. However, the more time she spends with Gideon, the harder it is to stay away.
This is the second book in the series & it’s been a while since the first. I'm a bit on the fence with this book, there were things I loved but I was left feeling dissatisfied & had lots of questions, which made me want to be able to dive into the next book in the series so I hope there’s not another long wait for it. I liked both Gideon & Messalina but I didn't love them, enemies to lovers is my favourite trope but again this story just didn’t rock my boat & I found my interest wandering, I think it was the intricacy of the plot & sub plots of which there were many. A well written book but not the best the author has written
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Sadly, this one just wasn't my cup of tea. I found the hero deeply unlikeable and the heroine far too lacking in power - I normally enjoy the marriage of convenience trope, but not when one party is scared of the other and desperate to avoid him (yet strangely attracted to him while scared). I also didn't like that the hero had lusted after /'loved' the heroine since she was a young teen, but that he was so moody and coarse with her - he's supposed to be dangerous and dark, but he just came off as a bit of a dick. The whole thing felt more like a 90s bodice ripper than a 2020s romance - if you're looking for melodrama and a plotline where a good woman redeems a bad man with her love, then this will be great for you, as the writing and pacing is good, it's just not to my taste. DNFed at 52%.

Elizabeth Hoyt is a great romance author. I think I have probably read most of her earlier novels and enjoyed them all. This was no exception, except it did take a few chapters to get going. This is the second novel in this series,, but very little is mentioned about the first in the series and this can easily be read as a stand alone novel. The story had me engrossed throughout and I would recommend it as a great historical romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed 'When a Rogue Meets His Match'.  It was very Beauty and the Beast.

I liked Messalina greatly, she was stubborn and challenging but soft and open alongside it. I think at times she was too quick to make judgements about people, but the flaw added to her depth of character and allowed her development.

I didn't think that Gideon was my type of hero, but I warmed to him and by the midway point I was championing him. He seemed too miserly and cold at the start but this played into his "Beast" personality. It allowed for him to open and grow. I always love reading about Dukes and fine ladies but Hoyt is a master at writing the lower born heroes - Mickey still gives me shivers. They add something different to a regency romance. Even down to Gideon's cruder and more raw thoughts and way of speaking. It separated him from the usual upper crust heroes subtly but with great effect for the reader, wink wink.

I enjoyed the play of subplots which bolstered the main romance. There was alot to focus on and it kept the plot interesting.

Definitely enjoyed this read

When A Rogue Meets His Match is the first Elizabeth Hoyt novel I've read and it didn't disappoint. Normally, I'm not a fan of the man claws his way up from the slums and sets his sight on an aristocratic heiress trope but it really was executed well in this novel. I expected Gideon to be a bit of a brute but from the beginning he would deliver swoonily romantic statements. I haven't read the first book in the series so I didn't fully understand Messalina's family drama but I found her brothers to be wholly unsympathetic. I enjoyed both Messalina and Gideon as protagonists - they both knew their own minds but were not afraid to re-examine their own positions. My main gripe is that who I consider the main villain didn't get any comeuppance at all although there was a different villain who got what he deserved.

I will definitely will be reading more of Elizabeth Hoyt's novels in the future.

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this second book more than the first. I think part of the problem may be that there's an awful lot of back story and relationships to be teased out. This book deals with Messalina and her uncle's enforcer Gideon. The uncle can't be trusted and Messalina was desperately trying to get away from him. Gideon is offered her in marriage but he knows that the price could be very heavy. I liked how we learnt a litlle more about the other Greycourts. Freya from the first book also makes an appearance and perhaps there will be a book dealing with her sister. Julian reminds me a little of Lazarus Huntingdon from Maiden Lane but I'm sure there's bound to be a twist. I enjoy this author's writing and now I will be eagely waiting for the next episode. It's always interesting to check out the author's pinterest account. Like some other reviewers, the only reason it didn't get a 5 was because the denouement seemed to come very quickly. I didn't guess who was the real villain.

I'd heartily recommend this work. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Three and a half stars.

Gideon is the Duke of Windermere's fixer and bully boy, born in the slums of St Giles he has done whatever he has to in order to claw his way out of the gutter. Now, he's ready to quit but the Duke has one last request, and the reward is beyond Gideon's wildest dreams, the hand in marriage of the Duke's niece Messalina.

The Duke of Windermere is vicious and conniving but he has blackmailed Messalina into accepting Gideon's hand by threatening to force her younger sister into marriage instead. Then Gideon offers her a compromise, a marriage in name only unless she chooses otherwise.

This is an enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, opposites attract kind of romance. Gideon may be a commoner and have done some very questionable things in his lifetime, but he has a heart as big as a house and is determined to help others. Messalina may be a kind and gentle aristocrat but she has never thought about the plight of the poor.

After their marriage Gideon finds he has agreed to perform a task which will alienate Messalina forever, he also has to cope with multiple attacks on him and Messalina are they coincidence or the work of the Duke? Or even Messalina's two brothers?

I enjoyed this novel, as I do most of Elizabeth Hoyt's books. The characters are believable, engaging and the dialogue is sharp and snappy. I had two small niggles. Firstly, I felt I had read the plot before (I honestly thought it was an Elizabeth Hoyt book as well) and therefore the identity of the person behind the attacks was not in the least bit a surprise to me. Secondly, I thought the intimate scenes were a bit rinse and repeat and therefore a bit boring. Finally, a personal foible, I loathe the words quim and cunny and I wish they could be expunged from all historical romances!

As always, I focus more on the negatives than the positives. Gideon was a dark, dangerous, yet vulnerable hero. Messalina was a kind, family-orientated woman who is willing to see the truth when her eyes are opened. There are cute moppets, ridiculously cute dogs, irritating siblings and scheming uncles. All the perfect ingredients for a rip-roaring historical romance.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.