Pink Heart Reviews
The Rogues Return
Jo Beverley
ISBN# 0451217888
Signet, March 2006, 366 pps
Historical-Regency 1816
$6.99 (US) $9.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
September 2006
Simon St. Bride had left home in 1812 to seek adventure landing in Canada to fight the Americans. An honorable and just man he came to admire the native people despising what he discovered was corruption in the Canadian government. As he prepared to return home with the proof he was forced into a duel to defend the honor of his good friend, Isaiah Trewitt’s niece, Miss Jane Otterburn. The original duel was interrupted and Simon was coerced by a death bed promise to Isaiah to marry Jane. Initially he felt that her humble beginnings would be a blow to his family and he hadn’t truly considered marriage feeling that when the time came he would be married for love.
Jane Otterburn had secretly admired Simon for some time but never dreamt that there could ever be a future for someone like her with him, nor in the present situation, did she want to appear to trap him. Jane knew she was totally unsuitable and held a terrible secret of her true heritage that could ruin any chances Simon had for a political future should it be revealed. Forced into marriage, they would eventually discover a rare and passionate love and a new enemy that threatened their newfound happiness.
Beverley continues to delight readers with tales of complex people caught up in romantic love stories and surrounded with adventuresome exploits and intrigue. While this had less intrigue than usual the romance was divine. Beverley slowly and with a deft hand unraveled the lead’s uncertainties weaving them back into a stronger and tighter fabric in their resolve of loving and protecting one another. The author keeps the tension high with Jane/Jancy falling deeper and deeper in love with her new husband, knowing all the while that she really should leave him to find a more appropriate wife. Scared to death of what he would think of her with her Haskett background, even because of that background she was eventually able to save him from amputating his arm, he returned that love ten-fold in their deeply moving confessions. Bottom line is that this author continues to give thought provoking, appealing and well researched stories with intelligence, caring and of course, steamy romance. I’ve never been disappointed and know one can expect the best from this author who delivers in spades prime historical romance reads.
Marilyn Rondeau also reviews for RIO — Reviewers International Organization