Why we’re excited
Duchess has spent years playing the wife of an absent duke while quietly spending his fortune on her cause. When she empties his accounts one time too many, the real Duke of Trevescan comes home to collect.
Sarah MacLean ends her Hell's Belles series here with book four, giving the long-running Duchess her own story at last. Start with Bombshell if you are new, since the earlier books set up her schemes. Readers of witty Regency-set romance with a criminal streak will want to see this group finish on a high.
On our most-anticipated list since 22 October 2026. See all the most anticipated books →
What to know about Mastermind
Mastermind is Book 4 in the Hell's Belles series. The series begins with Bombshell. The book just before this one is Knockout.
These Summer Storms is the one Sarah MacLean book we have reviewed, at 4 out of 5.
From the publisher
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the fiery conclusion to her blazingly sexy Hell’s Belles series.
The world knows her as the Duchess of Trevescan, the brightest star in London, the clever, beautiful wife of a hermit husband. What they do not know is that Duchess is no Duchess at all—she’s a fraud, having faked her marriage and stolen the title and the funds of the Trevescan name, all in service to a larger cause…with her "husband" none the wiser.
Except Branok Penrose, Duke of Trevescan, knows more about Duchess's secrets than anyone else. He has been watching her for years, waiting for the right moment to return and collect on her unpaid debts…and his undeniable desires. When Duchess empties his accounts, Bran knows if he doesn’t claim her now, she’ll be gone forever.
The last thing Duchess needs is a man upending her well-laid plans, especially this one, a final adventure that will vanquish her past and lay the groundwork for her future. But Bran is unlike any duke she’s ever met—too clever, throws a wicked punch, and kisses like a proper scoundrel. A bit of his delicious chaos might be the perfect farewell, but once she's tasted it—and his tempting promises—how will she ever give it up?
Description supplied by the publisher.
We haven’t read Mastermind yet. When our review goes up, it will replace this page.
