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The Reluctant Rogue
Forced to marry within two months or lose his inheritance, dashing nobleman Sebastian Carr sets his sights on Penelope Rutledge, the Season's Incomparable, but instead finds himself utterly captivated by her sister, Jane. Original.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 15, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 30, 2017
Ho letteralmente adorato questo romanzo, i due protagonisti avevano entrambi una forte personalità. Jane non era la solita plain jane piagnucolona, ma una donna di valore che nei tempi moderni avrebbe potuto essere definita un'imprenditrice. Sebastian non era, da parte sua, il solito rake- libertino, ma un uomo con dei conflitti interiori dovuti a dei fraintendimenti con il padre.
Un clean - love romanzato nel quale, tuttavia, non mancava la passione, sia di Sebastian che di Jane, che none era la tipica scialba frigida lady. La cosa che mi ha attirata di più è stata quel pizzico di gelosia del visconte, ignaro dei propri setimenti, ma che, una volta saputo che la sua "amica" e potenziale cognata era fidanzata, ha perso totalmanete la ragione lasciandosi trasportare dall'onda delle emozioni ...
Consiglio assolutamente questo romanzo!!
Un clean - love romanzato nel quale, tuttavia, non mancava la passione, sia di Sebastian che di Jane, che none era la tipica scialba frigida lady. La cosa che mi ha attirata di più è stata quel pizzico di gelosia del visconte, ignaro dei propri setimenti, ma che, una volta saputo che la sua "amica" e potenziale cognata era fidanzata, ha perso totalmanete la ragione lasciandosi trasportare dall'onda delle emozioni ...
Consiglio assolutamente questo romanzo!!
July 6, 2022
Not totally predictable, or trite, there were moments of originality. With someone who could read this book and make some minor changes in language and descriptions, this book could easily have been a four-star.
January 6, 2008
Setting: Regency Era England
Let me first say that I was VERY impressed with the amount of research that is evident in Ms. Powell's third novel. Ms. Powell, unlike many modern historical fiction writers, believes in historical accuracy and not just a jazzy plot. Says Ms. Powell in an interview on www.theromancereader.com "... I believe that good, solid research is essential for historical romance. [...] The more an author knows, the more it colors her writing. Why do a pencil sketch when you can present the reader with a full-color, wall-sized mural? Regencies are especially demanding in this regard; Regency readers know right away whether or not an author got her facts straight. Glaring errors hamstring a writer’s credibility. So I know I’d better do my homework." A writer after my own heart!
That said, sometimes Ms. Powell goes a bit TOO far to demonstrate her historical knowledge. Some of the slang used by the characters, for example, is difficult for a modern reader to understand, even in context. As much as I'm sure Regency Romance Publishing would NEVER allow this, I think a few footnotes would be in order *cowers in anticipation of a beating*.
As for the plot and character development, this book is INCREDIBLY refreshing in that A. our hero does not automatically fall on his face upon seeing our heroine and B. the romance action is limited to appropriate PG (and historically accurate) levels. Jane is accompanying her older and much more beautiful sister Penelope on her first Season in the outskirts of London. Their mother is hell-bent on Penelope marrying a titled man, since she herself did not, and poor Penelope is caught between obeying her mother and obeying her own desire to marry for love. Dowdy sister Jane, by contrast, hates being in society and is not concerned about finding a husband, since she's alread sort of half-pledged herself to herself to her neighbor, who just wants to gain her family's horse farm (or whatever you call that). Sebastian Carr, that is, VISCOUNT Sebastian Carr is in search of a heiress wife after his father threatens to cut him off as punishment for his wild gambling and drinking (hmm, a little cliche there, Ms. Powell, but we'll look over it for the moment). The gorgeous and rich Penelope immediately grabs his attention, but our socially awkward Jane falls for him first (I mean she literally falls for him, right out of a tree and at his feet!). Unrequited love is NOT a common theme in this genre, so I was pleased to see how the characters played out. Eventually two very convenient and not entirely probable events occur to bring our hero and heroine together: Penelope elopes with a tradesman's son *GASP* with whom she is very much in love, and our handsome viscount forgets himself and kisses Jane in public, which results in a "shot-gun wedding" because he has compromised her. Their mother is so out of sorts that she conveniently disappears from the story for a few chapters. Meanwhile, Jane has discovered the viscount's gambling debts and his intention to marry her sister for her money, and gets rightfully pissed at her new husband. The rest of the story is devoted to their reconcilliation and a half-hearted evil-villain blackmail attempt by Jane's former fiance.
This plot has quite a bit of action and character development that could have been developed better in a much longer novel. However this is a rare breed of romance novel that actually takes the time to think out real characters and not just paper dolls who spend the bulk of their literary-face-time in between the sheets. I would definitely recommend this book to Regency Romance readers, and I look forward to more books by this author!
Let me first say that I was VERY impressed with the amount of research that is evident in Ms. Powell's third novel. Ms. Powell, unlike many modern historical fiction writers, believes in historical accuracy and not just a jazzy plot. Says Ms. Powell in an interview on www.theromancereader.com "... I believe that good, solid research is essential for historical romance. [...] The more an author knows, the more it colors her writing. Why do a pencil sketch when you can present the reader with a full-color, wall-sized mural? Regencies are especially demanding in this regard; Regency readers know right away whether or not an author got her facts straight. Glaring errors hamstring a writer’s credibility. So I know I’d better do my homework." A writer after my own heart!
That said, sometimes Ms. Powell goes a bit TOO far to demonstrate her historical knowledge. Some of the slang used by the characters, for example, is difficult for a modern reader to understand, even in context. As much as I'm sure Regency Romance Publishing would NEVER allow this, I think a few footnotes would be in order *cowers in anticipation of a beating*.
As for the plot and character development, this book is INCREDIBLY refreshing in that A. our hero does not automatically fall on his face upon seeing our heroine and B. the romance action is limited to appropriate PG (and historically accurate) levels. Jane is accompanying her older and much more beautiful sister Penelope on her first Season in the outskirts of London. Their mother is hell-bent on Penelope marrying a titled man, since she herself did not, and poor Penelope is caught between obeying her mother and obeying her own desire to marry for love. Dowdy sister Jane, by contrast, hates being in society and is not concerned about finding a husband, since she's alread sort of half-pledged herself to herself to her neighbor, who just wants to gain her family's horse farm (or whatever you call that). Sebastian Carr, that is, VISCOUNT Sebastian Carr is in search of a heiress wife after his father threatens to cut him off as punishment for his wild gambling and drinking (hmm, a little cliche there, Ms. Powell, but we'll look over it for the moment). The gorgeous and rich Penelope immediately grabs his attention, but our socially awkward Jane falls for him first (I mean she literally falls for him, right out of a tree and at his feet!). Unrequited love is NOT a common theme in this genre, so I was pleased to see how the characters played out. Eventually two very convenient and not entirely probable events occur to bring our hero and heroine together: Penelope elopes with a tradesman's son *GASP* with whom she is very much in love, and our handsome viscount forgets himself and kisses Jane in public, which results in a "shot-gun wedding" because he has compromised her. Their mother is so out of sorts that she conveniently disappears from the story for a few chapters. Meanwhile, Jane has discovered the viscount's gambling debts and his intention to marry her sister for her money, and gets rightfully pissed at her new husband. The rest of the story is devoted to their reconcilliation and a half-hearted evil-villain blackmail attempt by Jane's former fiance.
This plot has quite a bit of action and character development that could have been developed better in a much longer novel. However this is a rare breed of romance novel that actually takes the time to think out real characters and not just paper dolls who spend the bulk of their literary-face-time in between the sheets. I would definitely recommend this book to Regency Romance readers, and I look forward to more books by this author!
January 24, 2016
Jane is always being outshone by her older sister who is being courted by Sebastian Carr, Viscount Langley for her dowry mainly. Though he is determined to marry money in Jane's older sister, Sebastian is intrigued by Jane and ends up compromising her one night. They marry and eventually he proves his love. I did enjoy it but it was just average and I though Sebastian was a bit too petulant and his reasons for loving Jane were not as developed as they could have been.
December 5, 2008
Nice story of a handsome rogue who compromises a plain Jane. Actually, I thought it was wonderful. Ms. Powell, in my opinion, successfully made each character's lonliness felt. At one point, I thought I would cry. Both of these characters were incredibly lonely due to unfeeling parents and losses they were unsure how to deal with. It was a poignant story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews