Smuggled Rose

by Amy Corwin

A cynical earl and a rose smuggler are an unlikely pair, particularly when the smuggler is a supposedly fallen woman the earl owes for saving his feckless brother's life. Nonetheless, Michael, the earl of Ramsgate, is determined to repay his family's debt by presenting Margaret at Court an action calculated to repair even the worst reputation. But Margaret has been burned before and is suspicious that Michael's intentions aren't entirely honorable...despite the certainty in her heart that she can trust him. As the tension between them flares and Michael's feelings for Margaret strain his self-control, an old enemy bent on revenge returns to challenge Michael's iron determination...and threatens to take Margaret away from him forever.

276 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2007

About the author

Amy Corwin is a charter member of the Romance Writers of America and recently joined Mystery Writers of America. She has been writing for the last ten years and managing a career as an enterprise systems administrator in the computer industry. She writes Regencies/historicals, mysteries, and contemporary paranormals. To be truthful, most of her books include a bit of murder and mayhem since she discovered that killing off at least one character is a highly effective way to make the remaining ones toe the plot line.
Amy’s books include the two Regency romances, SMUGGLED ROSE, and LOVE, THE CRITIC; three Regency romantic mysteries, I BID ONE AMERICAN, THE BRICKLAYER’S HELPER, and THE NECKLACE; and her first paranormal, VAMPIRE PROTECTOR.
WHACKED!, a contemporary mystery from Five Star, will be out in 2012, and her most current historical mysteries include THE VITAL PRINCIPLE--a Second Sons Mystery.

Reviews

[L JONES · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mar 2023

One star deducted because of the too sudden ending just a little more would have been great. Excellent story and characters

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful characters, rich detail. **I LOVE THIS NOVEL** and I rarely read romances. I loved the characters and wanted to "hang out" with them as I sipped tea by the fire on a cold winter day. The cast of "Smuggled Rose," from the minors to the majors, were well drawn, delightful, and pleasant company.

I had given up romances years ago, sick of the stereotyped macho hero and the feisty, sassy heroine, but "Smuggled Rose" came highly recommended so I tried it, not expecting to be impressed. What a surprise! Margaret is an independent spirit, like a romance heroine should be, but she is also quiet, calm, firm yet gentle, and entirely willing to make painful decisions with dignity and restraint. She never slaps or yells at the handsome, overbearing man who believes rumors that she's a fallen woman. Nice change from the hissing, foot-stamping heroines that turned me off the genre years ago.

Our hero, Lord Michael Ramsgate, regrets his rude advances after he recognizes Margaret's virtue and dignity. Modern readers may oppose novels where virginity is expected of brides but not grooms, but Ramsgate is historically correct--in England, in the time of Napolean, a man might have been considered odd if he did *not* have a mistress or some experience with women. Corwin's research has kept her true to the reality of the times.


After his embarrassing advances the night they meet, Ramsgate finds himself more and more drawn to the virtuous spinster who supports herself in an old manor house by smuggling roses, fabric and brandy from France. During a trip to the village, Ramsgate witnesses people shunning Margaret because of a spurned man's lies about her being his mistress. Margaret, instead of fighting back, comports herself with dignity. While others in the novel accuse Margaret of weakness, Ramsgate comes to appreciate that it is the weak who lose their tempers and yell, while Margaret is peerless in her quiet strength and courage.

Margaret's self-restraint should not be mistaken for a lack of passion. My favorite scene is Margaret by moonlight playing Beethoven's "Pathetique." Ramsgate stands behind the French doors, watching in fascination and admiration. Few women of her day display such talent on piano. Other favorite scenes: she misses some buttons, and he comes up from behind to re-button her dress. I shivered along with Margaret at the touch of his fingertips and that whispery kiss on the nape of her neck. On the ride home from the village, her yearning to lean against him is so powerful, I ached with her.

Readers may find her self-sacrificing for others maddening. Not weakness but concern for her loved ones motivates her to forego her own desires to do what seems best for the larger community. She would rather return to a life of loneliness than bring scandal or rejection upon the family of Lord Ramsgate, who take her to London and try to restore her social standing. Selfish, impulsive, she is not, but passionate, she is.

I love Margaret's fondness for roses and her sense of humor and confidence with men like Ramsgate. At 24 she is an older heroine, "too old" to hope for a husband, but she outshines the young ladies at balls and boring dinner parties.

Her servants, Henry and Alice, are delightful personalities. Her grandmother and Ramsgate's mother renew their acquaintance and bring wickedly funny moments to the novel.

I was sorry to read the last page and say goodbye to this pleasant company of people. Tomorrow I'll be back to reading manuscripts about jaded cops, sadistic killers, whiny contemporary chicks, and vampires. The vampires are growing on me. But I'll take a satisfying ending (okay, this is a romance, you KNOW it's a happy ending) over those dreary "life is so cruel" or "ironic" endings, any day.

I'm looking forward to more of Amy Corwin's uplifting novels, and I promise I'll remember the dirty dishes in the sink and stop reading long enough to vacuum and do laundry. Some books are so hard to put down, they make me look like a derelict housekeeper. Write on, Amy!

[Lilly Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael, Earl of Ramsgate is cynical. Margret is a rose smuggler and rumored to be a fallen woman. When she saves the life of Michael's brother, Michael decides to repay his family's debt by presenting Margaret at Court, believing he can repair her reputation. But Margaret suspects Michael's motives,despite her heart's desire to trust him. As Michael attempts to convince Margaret his intentions are honorable, the two grow closer. Between the sexual tension, an old enemy bent on revenge, hidden coves, and smuggled roses, there's plenty of action and romance in this book.

[Book Utopia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this, probably especially so since I loved the other book I read by this author so much. But I found the heroine too weak-spined and boring to really care about, and the hero's characterization awkward. The entire story just felt passionless to me.

[Nellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story, and the characters. It was clean, and interesting. I feel like the romantic story kind of took a back seat at times, and the ending was very rushed.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still smiling

Another delightful tale from an author who seems to have a very large store of them, thankfully! I'm off to start a new one.

[Sonja Likness · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read! I loved the damaged characters and their redemption stories. Also, this book has one of the best endings I've read in a long time. The bad guys get their comeuppance and the good guys all get what they deserve! Loved it!