Sweet Rogue O'Mine

Rogues of Redemption #1

by Brenna Ash

A scarred duke, a beautiful lass, an everlasting love…

Returning from war, Nicholas Gordon, Duke of Gordon, faces unruly siblings, a garden thief, and an unknown fiancée, courtesy of his ill, but meddling mother. Uninterested in marriage, Nicholas still agrees to meet his betrothed. Scarred from a childhood accident, his fiancé is horrified when she sees him, a reaction he’s come to expect. He contemplates how to end their engagement while dealing with a mysterious lass stealing from his gardens. A beauty he can’t ignore.

Gwendolyn Romy, living in squalor with her siblings after their parents' execution for treason, resorts to stealing flowers from Huntly Castle to survive. Stripped of everything—their home, belongings, and sense of security, she risks it all to save her brothers, and does what she must. The return of the ruggedly handsome, mask-wearing duke is unexpected. Though not so much as his offer of a governess position, a solution marred by his persistent fiancée and a family secret threatening to disgrace them.

Nicholas and Gwendolyn's feelings bloom and become undeniable, but can they overcome the forces determined to tear them apart? Or will Gwendolyn be forced to watch Nicholas wed a conniving woman he doesn’t love?

Read Free in Kindle Unlimited!

Rogues of Redemption
Book 1 - Sweet Rogue O’ Mine
Book 2 - Rogue You Like a Hurricane
Book 3 - No Rogue Like You

Genres: Historical Romance, Regency

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2024

Reviews

[ren ౨ৎ (rozanov's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⁀➷ 3.5 ★ ´ˎ˗

“to me, your scars dinna take away from ye, they add to ye.”

this book was a quick and light-hearted read — despite my still struggling to read the scottish dialect, but i’m getting better at it from being on my historical romance kick lately. the moment i read the premise of the story, i was eager to dive in. i love a masked protagonist.

i enjoyed all the characters in the story and the romance between nicholas and gwen, but their romance did feel a bit off-balance to me. they don’t truly interact with one another until about 20% through the story and then their romance is slow burn since nicholas was betrothed to someone he had no interest in marrying. but when they finally did admit their feelings to one another, it felt too fast. almost as if the author was rushing to wrap up the story and give us actual crumbs of romance.

another thing that bothered me was the fact that the conflict within the story was built up so much just to be resolved extremely quickly. it felt like a non-issue in the end and almost as if more time could have been spent fostering the romance between the two main characters instead.

thank you to netgalley, dragonblade publishing and brenna ash for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Returning from war, Nicholas Gordon, Duke of Gordon, faces unruly siblings, a garden thief, and Collette an unknown fiancée, courtesy of his ill, but meddling mother. Gwendolyn Romy, living in squalor with her siblings after their parents' execution for treason, resorts to stealing flowers from Huntly Castle to survive. They’ve lost everything—their home, belongings, and sense of security, she risks it all to save her brothers, and does what she must. The return of the ruggedly handsome, mask-wearing duke is unexpected. Though not so much as his offer of a governess position, a solution marred by his persistent fiancée and a family secret threatening to disgrace them.
The start of a new series & a well written enjoyable book, secrets abound in this slow burn romance. I really liked both Nicholas & Gwendolyn & loved their very rocky journey to a HEA. A quick read but I did feel Collette has more page time than Gwen. An interesting series starter
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was very sweet I liked Gwen and Nicholas and both their families (except his mother). I don’t like how the speech is written with the Scottish accent, when one speaks to another in the same dialect you don’t have an accent to one another, it just didn’t seem necessary. Things did seem to wrap up very nicely for everyone quite quickly. Very light on the spice. More naughty thoughts I think than actually naughty engagement which did not bug me.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Scottish duke saves a young lady and her brothers from living on the streets. She's afraid to tell him her family secret or it may be back out on the streets. He also carriers a family secret threatened by a mysterious young lady demanding they marry. He won't be swayed by blackmail when he's already found the lady he loves. I call the blackmail a surface problem that doesn't cause as much angst as in some books I've read. Once solved the story quickly comes to a happy conclusion. Much humor with all the siblings.
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Evanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

If you enjoy the sexy Scottish accent and Beauty and the Beast vibes, then you might enjoy this!

It follows the story of Nicholas Gordon, a Duke, who just returned home after two years away, only to find out his mother had managed to get him engaged to a Collette Northton. Collette Northton is a cockroach who keeps appearing whenever she feels like it and is entirely unwelcomed by everyone, and even though Nicholas has tried to tell her that they won't be getting married, she assures him that they will. Come to find out, Collette knows some juicy secrets that could bring Nicholas and his family to ruin.

He meets Gwen, who has been sneaking into his gardens and clipping his beautiful flowers to sell on the streets for money so she can provide for her three younger brothers. Gwen and her brothers were children of a Baron who had been found guilty of treason, and after their parents were hung, they were thrown out on the streets to fend for themselves. But on the day that Nicholas returns home, he catches Gwen in the garden, and after a few more times to find her, he decides to follow her and give her an offer of employment in this household: to act as a governess to his own younger siblings, in exchange for food and board for her and her brothers.

Overall, it was fine. It was a quick read, and it was interesting to find out how Collette knew about the Gordon family secret and why she was so pushy about being married to him. Nicholas and Gwen's romance seemed very rushed and was very insta-lovey, and very love at first sight, but it came second to everything else. I wish we had more of their romance and more of them together and being interrupted by Collette. However, Collette had more time in the book than Gwen. It seemed like the story mostly surrounded Nicholas and Collette and finding out why she was so adamant about the marriage rather than Nicholas and Gwen falling in love.

I would put this on my list of Historical Romance recommendations for someone who is just starting to get into historicals, as this would be a good introductory read for them.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Once I saw the cover art for Sweet Rogue O' Mine, I knew I needed to request it from the catalog. Scarred heroes are one of my favorite subgenres and I love reading romances about these type of men. I firmly subscribe to the ideal that true beauty comes from within. I would be happy with my own scarred hero and that's why I enjoy books like these so much. Sweet Rogue O'Mine was as sweet as the orchids in the duke's greenhouse. I immediately wanted this couple to be together and I cursed every obstacle that stood in their path to happily ever after. This was a very slow burn and our protagonists didn't even get to talk to each other until the 20% mark. Gwen stole the duke's prize flowers as well as his heart directly from his garden!



Sweet Rogue O'Mine was a darling love story, but there was only one major weed that spoiled the floral bouquet. Nicholas's unwanted fiancee had far more screen time than his actual love interest, Gwen. The interloper kept butting in and showing up at his estate at the most unwanted occasions. His mother made the arrangement to help raise his siblings and provide him a wife, but the suitor was a nasty woman who flinched at his scars. Personally, I would have snipped out the fiancee altogether from the story and just made Gwen the governess within the first quarter of the novel. They would have had their relationship develop more organically and their only conflict would be bypassing the class system. Other than the unnecessary fiancee plotline, this was a charming and sweet romance. It makes sense that their courtship revolved around flowers because their love was constantly blooming!



Sweet Rogue O'Mine was a darling romance plucked straight from the garden. I loved watching this couple fall in love and eventually getting their happy ending. I plan to read more from this author and I believe the duke's friends are the future protagonists in the Rogues of Redemption series. My only hope is that there are no more interloping fiancees to bother this upcoming Sweet Rogue O'Mine.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Rouge O’ Mine by Brenna Ash is wonderful story of a duke, Nicholas Gordon, Duke of Gordon, who was burned as a child, leaving scars on his face. He perceives that most people run from him, including the woman his mother has “betrothed” him to. Gwendolyn Romy is the daughter of a baron but she and her brothers were thrown into poverty when her parents were tried and hung for treason, as counterfeiters. She is struggling to take care of the four of them. One of her main sources of income is the cut flowers she sells, cut from the duke’s garden. When he had been at war, no one noticed. Now he was home and he noticed. After observing her several times, he followed her to ascertain what was happening and he was shocked. He could not allow these things to happen to this young woman and her family so he offered her a position as governess to his younger siblings. His mother didn’t care for them and his “betrothed” didn’t even like them.

Nicholas has outright refused to marry this woman; Collette Northton. She was unpleasant, unattractive, and some ulterior motive. He was a good man. His siblings and staff loved him. Even his “betrothed” had run when she had seen his face. Excellent character, but an even better one was Gwen, who was nothing but charm and goodness. She had taken his twin siblings and brought order to their lives. The plot was enjoyable, if full of holes. Many characters were introduced during the story, and I expect to see them turn up in subsequent books. It was a fun read, with decent characters and an acceptable plot. Thanks Ms Ash for an enjoyable few hours.

I was invited to read Sweet Rogue O’ Mine by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #BrennaAsh #SweetRogueOMine

[Beverly Manring · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me. This was a fresh take on an old theme and was a quick read. That being said, I felt there was very good character development that swept me up with the rest of the characters. It begins with Nicholas, the Duke of Gordon, who returns home from war to find out his mother has betrothed him to Collette, a sharp edged, shrill woman, who his siblings detest. She was, however thick as thieves with his mother, both determined that there will be an upcoming wedding. Nicholas, is determined there will not. He also sees that his siblings have not been cared for by their mother, rather duty fell to his younger sister. The Duke, as a small child, had boiling water hit the left side of his face, leaving him disfigured. He never found a debutante that was able to look at his uncovered face. Instead they would scream and run away. this caused him to wear a mask to keep from looking like a monster. Colette was no different when she saw the Duke without his mask. Yet Collette and his mother were still determined that they were betrothed and continued to spend her energy planning a wedding. This was the first in a series by Brenna Ash. I am anxiously awaiting the next. Special thanks to the following for allowing me to review an early unedited copy and give my own honest opinion. I would definitely recommend this this book.
#NetGalley
#DragonbladePublishing
#BrennaAsh
#SweetRogueO’Mine
Publication DateMarch 26, 2024
Get your copy for your weekend read.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet romance, one in which the usual rules of society are thrown over. Nicholas has worn the horror of his scarred face his entire life and rather than endure the horrified expressions on the faces of the people he meets, he has taken to wearing a mask, even though his scars served him well in the war against Napoleon. Returning home his mother presents him with a feit accompli, informing him that she has arranged his marriage during his absence. The situation does not sit easily with him, especially as his mischievous siblings seem to abhor the woman. Espying an intruder in his flower garden, Nicholas follows the young woman and discovers that Gwendolyn is living in poverty with her brothers through no fault of their own and is selling his flowers to take care of her brothers. Persuading her to take on employment as his siblings' governess takes a bit more skill than he would have thought, but the attraction between them is something that needs to be avoided, especially as he still has to deal with the betrothal that he never agreed to. The novel is a standalone and comes to a sweet conclusion, and although I felt there were a few loose ends I did enjoy this romance. I received a copy of this book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2
This author is new to me but she draws you in and won’t let go!
We have Gwen and her 3 brothers. She is the oldest and her parents were hanged for treason so they live in abject poverty!
Gwen sneaks into the Duke’s garden and sells the blooms in town to try to feed her brothers. She herself eats very little! The youngest is such a delight and grateful for everything!
The Duke is actually home from the war and loves nurturing his garden of flora and has many exotic plants!
Nicholas Gordon, Duke of Gordon Marquess of Huntley has a large loving family! He has a meddling mother who basically should have been a better judge of character! She is thankful her son is home after war he is injured in the face from a childhood injury not the war!
Collette is vile and openly despises his siblings! Not much is said about his father but he definitely loved his mother! Their union was definitely fruitful!
Nicholas sees this green eyed sprite stealing flowers and one day decides to follow her!
There story is fraught with a demanding Collette, Nicholas self esteem and more secrets!
It does not seem possible these two can ever be a match! But that’s what family is for! I love the family love and support!
I did not like the use of modern and then Scots language! But the story was just the right amount of steam. Bravo!

[Carole Burant · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite trope is a scarred hero so of course I just knew I would love this story and I did!!! From start to finish, Nicholas and Gwen's story held my interest. I absolutely loved both their characters and if anyone was meant to be together, it was these two. It was heart warming how Gwen could see through his scars and see the real man, that the scars were just a part of what made him who he was.

Nicholas, scarred since childhood, comes home from the war to find out his mother has betrothed him to a lady who ends up being as awful on the inside as she is on the outside. He will do anything to resist marrying her, even though she is blackmailing him and his family with a secret best hidden. When he spies a beautiful woman stealing some of his beloved flowers in his garden, he is mesmerized by her and follows her.

Gwen is desperate to put food on the table for her 3 young brothers and is not above stealing flowers to sell for some coin. After their parents were hanged for treason, they were thrown on the streets with just the clothes they were wearing. Life has been a struggle since then and soon they will find themselves back on the streets. That is when Nicholas comes to save the day and what follows is a romance filled with love and hope but not without its uncertainties!!

Simply put, I loved this story and the way Brenna Ash writes.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first installment of the series, Rogues of Redemption, and it is off to a brilliant start! Nicholas, Duke of Gordon, has returned from war to take up his responsibilities. He has come home betrothed to an unknown fiance, who has no trouble hiding her shock when she sees his scarred face. Nicholas suffered an accident when he was young which left his face scarred, and he now wears a mask. He has no desire to marry her and her devious ways, however, because the woman who occupies his thoughts is Gwen. Gwen has been trying to survive and provide for her siblings after her parents were executed. One of the ways she does that is by sneaking onto Nicholas' property and clipping the flowers to sell. But now that the duke is back, that might prove to be a little challenging. She accepts a position as a governess instead and as they spend more time together they grow closer and a beautiful romance develops between them. There are, however, some obstacles for them to overcome before they can reach their happy ending.
A sweet story with endearing characters that held my interest all the way through. My thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

[Pat Robinson]

This author is new to me and I must say I WILL be reading more of her stories. She has a way of making the characters so very real and important to your life that you want to know more and more about them. I loved how Gwen was such a strong woman without really realizing it and really seeing Nickolas for himself and willing to do whatever it took to get him to come out from behind the wall he had built. The mystery of Collette kept me guessing for the entire book, until the big reveal and the children were so adorable! In my estimation , Mother had a lot of explaining to do, but was quick to see her error. My only concern was a small issue that the author made a big issue that really can’t be named here as it will be a spoiler. It has to do with Nickolas’s secret that other regency romance novels portray differently than what the author does here. But I know little of Scottish law, so I will accept it for what it is worth. All in all , enthralling story that I read in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down! Loved it!

I received this book for free and these are my own opinions

[EVANGELIA MARAGKOPOULOU · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Nicholas returns home from the war his mother tells his that he is engaged even if he doesn't want to marry a woman who don't love him or like him because of the scar he has on his face . The only place it makes him relax is the garden and lately a mysterious woman is stealing flowers from it . Gwendolyn Romy was a daughter of a Baron but after her parents were hanged for treason and now she has to steal flowers to sell at the road to gain money so she can feed her three younger brothers . When Nicholas and Gwendolyn meet they fall in love but a secret keeps them apart .
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .

[Cherie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets, Interloper, Different Stations, Romance:
My first time reading Ms.Ash's writing and I was very pleased with the blossoming of the characters and the amount of desirous passion.
Both characters Gwen and Nicholas turned this romance story into a very gripping and emotional love story that captured my heart.
The handsome man with the mask and the charming lass with a horrible past. 
They had a rough road filled with lies, secrets, a determined interloper, a conniving mother, but family and friends brought everyone to a HEA.
💖Cover was quite pretty.
📖I would gladly read another book by this author,
👀I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy for my honest thoughts and opinion.

[Mindy B (reader_of_the_lost_arcs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwen has fallen on hard times and resorts to stealing flowers from Nicholas' garden to sell to get food for her and her brothers. Nicholas is a Duke who has just returned from war. He sees her stealing and follows her home to realize what conditions she and her brothers are forced to live in. He offers her a position as governess to his other siblings. Gwen and her brothers move in. I was very glad that he rescued her out of her horrible conditions. This is a very sweet story with a bunch of notable children that will warm your heart. Just seeing her littlest brother Guthrie enjoy the simple joys of life such as regular food and sweets and being able to be a kid again, just good for them all.

[Margerm, Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars Can writing be described as immature? The scarred H was described as kind but the way he treated his supposed betrothed was mean and impolite. Granted she was not a nice person but he wasn't acting like a nice person either. He even admits that he said some untrue things to placate her. The h steals flowers from the H's garden to sell to support her three brothers. They were orphaned and homeless after their parents were hanged for treason. The H follows her home from his garden and offers her a position as governess. I dislike books in which the H and h continually describe their physical attraction to each other. It feels like the author really wants to get the point across with constant hammering. Very heavy handed.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story set in Scotland of Nicholas, scarred duke and Gwen, who needs saving. The first book in a series with great characters that you will want to read about. Nicholas has six siblings plus four best friends. Gwen has three brothers that she's raising. Well crafted with just enough steam, not an excessive to keep the reader fully engaged. I wasn't a fan on Nicholas' mom both because she was forcing him into an engagement with Collette (horrible woman) and because she's self centered. The author really works at how much Nichols thinks of his mom but I really couldn't like her at all. Looking forward to reading more of her work.

[Texastwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Romy is just trying keep her siblings out of trouble and feed. Taking flowers from a beautiful garden to sell. The Duke of Gordon has just returned from France as a war hero. Only to find a beautiful woodland nymph taking flowers.
This book was entertaining as well as poignant. Finding out which conundrum needs to be solved first and to go about finding the truth. This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed reading it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with guidelines.

[Linda J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disappointing ending in the epilogue, had me dropping a star rating. It was 5 stars until so many lose ends left. Doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but if you are going to do an epilogue 3 months in the future, tidy things up.

Great main and secondary characters, especially the children! Nice set up for the rest of the series.
Not only Beauty and the Beast story but class differences.

Some suspense, twists, lovemaking outside of marriage - heat level 5 out of 5. No cheating, HEA, some romance and steam. Plus, a nasty villain that we are left hanging what happened to her. I can't improve on the blurb, just giving you some extra tidbits to decide whether to purchase. (ljb)

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable 1st book in a new series

I loved the setting and the dialogue in this entertaining historical romance. The masked Duke, Nicholas, is a wonderful hero character and the heroine, Gwen, is a perfect foil to his personality. I found the Cinderella theme appealing and the children were wonderful additions to the cast. I did wish that there was more of a backstory for both Gwen’s parents and Nicholas’s mother’s unusual treatment, or in actuality ignoring, of her children. All in all, this was a fun read and I look forward to following, I hope, some of the characters introduced in this book in future stories.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and Family Secrets

She steals from his garden so she can provide for her family. When she sees him, his scars do not disturb her. When he realizes she is stealing from him, instead of calling the magistrate, he offers her shelter. Nicholas and Gwendolyn are two delightful, but lonely souls. They find themselves falling in love, but he is a duke, and she is a poor governess whose parents were tried for treason. Then, there is the matter of the obnoxious fiancée, who knows a family secret that could destroy Nicholas and his family. Can love find a way? For the answer, you would want to read this delightful historical romance.

[Dana Duplantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

After returning from war, Nicholas Gordon, Duke of Gordon has him set up with and unknown fiancee. His mother is trying to make him happy by setting him up with Collette. Gwen Romy has been stealing flowers in his garden at Huntly Castle to sell and help her feed herself and younger brothers. Her parents were executed for treason and they were forced to leave with only the clothes on their backs. When she comes face to face with Gordon the handsome mask wearing unexpected. He offers her a job as a governess position after following and seeing how they were living. Gordon's persistent finance is threating him with a family secret that will disgrace them. A wonderful love Romance story.

[Priscila Vera Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book!
FMC's family falls into disgrace when her parents are found guilty of treason. After the fallout, she is in charge of her 3 younger brothers. To do so, she steals flowers from a duke's garden and sells them to keep a roof above their heads.
MMC is a Duke that comes back from war, whose meddling mother has already made a match for him. He is supposed to get married to this girl in a couple of weeks without meeting her. Their parents were a love match, and he expects to do the same, even if the scars on his face make it difficult. When he meets his future bride, she is dreadful and, worst of all, she hates his youngest siblings. The only woman he can think of is the flower thief, and when he follows her... she ends up with a new job as governess of his siblings.
I hope to read more books from this series!

[Aspoon · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOORING!! The hero lacked a back bone. Total turn off.

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a short and sweet cozy read. Very little spice but a lot of love between Nicholas and Gwendolyn.

[Mary Ellen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Rogue O'Mine

This was a great book, I enjoyed Gwen and Nicholas. I am also glad of no extended epilogue. But I have questions. I figure in the next book.

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this romance, easy to read. Nicholas and Gwen have a great connection and have a deserving happily ever after.

[Krissy Smut_Sommelier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicholas and Gwen's story was good but the proverty story was so sad that it was hard to read about Gwen and her brothers lives. I loved that even though Nick was a Duke he was more down to earth and lovable I hate that people treated him that was and that he felt you couldn't go without a mask. Miss wretched Fiance' was so eww and his momma needed a switch to her ankles for the mess she created.

This book was good but had a few issues that could have been fixed prior to release but overall wasnt a bad read and I will read this author again.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

Sweet Rogue O'Mine is a really sweet romance and makes for a pretty quick read. The characters of Gwen and Nicholas are easy to like and root for and the supporting characters really add to the story rather than detract from it. There is not a lot of filler here, I found this to be a story that moves along at a good pace. I would have loved more with Gwen and Nicholas falling in love - that all happens pretty quickly and easily. I also felt that the subplot involving Collete was resolved a little too easily. A nice confrontation between her and Nicholas or her and Gwen would have been entertaining. On a slightly related note, I have no idea why his mother would have ever told him he wasn't the legitimate heir - just seems like one of those things where the fewer people who knew about it, the better. It was nice to see that Gwen's love for him helped him overcome his insecurities regarding his scars, but that seemed to happen a little too quickly as well. Being the first in the series this gives you a quick intro to the men who will make up half of the couples for the remaining books. I'm especially interested to find out if Clarissa ends up with Alexander!