REVIEW: Subterfuge – Dark Earls Series Book 1 – Rebecca Cohen

In 1594 the Dark Earldom of Crofton was created by one of the most powerful vampire sires to have walked the Earth. Now, over four hundred years later, Ben Redbourn needs to take his seat at the Vampire Council as the 3rd Dark Earl of Crofton, whether he likes it or not.

Under investigation, Ben has to contend with Senior Warlock Ashley Niven invading his home. But there is more hidden at Crofton Hall than Ashley could have imagined with Ben having a demon valet, an elf secretary, and a werewolf in the archive.

Tempers are raised and sparks fly in all the wrong ways until a spell misfires and the tension shifts in a different, passionate, direction which has Ben and Ashley fighting to ignore their instincts.

Subterfuge is the first in a paranormal gay romance series. Come and experience a darker side of Crofton Hall.

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Ben Redbourn’s sire, Charles is the Dark Earl of Crofton, but he is stepping down and Ben is expected to take his place. Ben wants to be the next Dark Earl, but he wasn’t ready yet so when he went to the Vampire Council to assume his role an old rule stating that an investigation could be made against Ben as being unfit, he was surprised as well as everyone else. The claim is anonymous so there is no waying of knowing who or why this accusation is being made.

Leading the investigation is Ashley Niven, a warlock, and Jack the legal counsel, both from the Warlock Ruling Committee. They have three months to find anything that would preclude Ben taking over as the new Dark Earl of Crofton. They will reside in Ben’s home and if the three months are not enough time, they can extend it to six.

The first thing that Ashley and Jack found strange was a demon valet, an elf as Ben’s private secretary and an archivist who is a werewolf. Ben is not comfortable having strangers in his home and Ashley doesn’t hide his dislike for vampires. Ben and Ashley try to one up each other but Ben plays it as cool as possible not wanting to get deeper into Ashley’s dislike for him.

Ben is not worried because he knows without a doubt that he has done nothing wrong, and the investigation will prove that. Ben goes as far as refusing to open a blood sealed box which Ashley is convinced holds the evidence needed to prove Ben unworthy. When Ashley comes up with a potion to get Ben to agree to his demand the potion does not do what was expected instead it brought Ben and Ashley’s lips sealed tight together and their attraction off the walls.

Walking around each other and trying to take as many cold showers as possible it appears the only solution to cancelling the spell is to have Ben and Ashley give into the lust, they are both suffering from and end their feelings for each other. Well, as the saying goes “the best laid plans of mice and men” sometimes goes awry and they did.

The plan just made things worse and there was a question as to whether Ashley could be Ben’s Eternal, the one just for him. While the investigation continues, Ben and Ashley try to deal with their feelings for each other, someone is working on the sidelines and not with good intentions.

This book was filled with betrayal, lies, romance, secrets and surprises. The truth of who anonymously accused Ben of being unworthy comes to light, but I will leave you in the dark as to who it is, sorry.