The Rogue

Liar's Club #5

by Celeste Bradley

A gambler and a liar?

Ethan Damont’s legendary gambling skills have earned him a place at the gaming tables of London’s most exclusive homes. He has used his dubious place in Society to aid the Liar’s Club. But his latest favor to the group has not only put his life in danger—it has thrown him together with the woman who tempts him to forgo his rakish ways. Lady Jane Pennington is a proper young lady and the ravishing niece of a suspected traitor. Now it’s Ethan’s job to discover if the woman he finds irresistible is naïve to her uncle’s deceit—or guilty of treason against the Crown…



Jane can barely wait for the Season to end—until she meets Ethan Damont. After a humiliating first encounter, Jane expects a scoundrel like Ethan to joke at her expense. Instead, he behaves like a perfect gentleman. But just as Jane finds herself overcome by her desire for Ethan, he takes her captive. Suddenly, she is pulled into a dangerous world where it’s impossible to know who is friend and who is foe. Will this rogue prove to be her undoing…or the love she has always longed for?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance, Fiction

325 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 13, 2005

About the author

Visit me at www.CelesteBradley.com or facebook.com/CelesteBradleyAuthor :)
Go to CelesteBradley.com/newsletter for my Voice of Society newsletter.

Hi, my name is Celeste Bradley and I write "brain chocolate." That is, I write fun and sexy escapism is for hardworking women everywhere. We deserve a little man-candy, too!

Reviewers like to say I write about misfit heroines getting the man of their dreams. Maybe that's true, but don't we all feel like misfits sometimes? Even if the rest of the world thinks we have all our balls in the air, aren't we juggling like mad on the inside, desperately trying not to drop one?

I love this manic, scattered life I lead. I love to write, craft, garden, bake and mother, even if I don't always do it all perfectly. I love living in the Southwest, with its big sky and vast desert views. I love venturing out of my quiet life to meet readers and other writers, and then I love to come back to my haven, full of ideas and renewed passion and creativity.

Maybe one of those times I'll meet you!

Hugs,
and thanks for reading!

Reviews

[Shellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This was the last book in this series and I thought as a whole the series was a fun one. Lots of action in this one and again the 2 leads were quite likable. We see folks from previous books and the main plot for this installment was some what resolved, but we still have more to be resolved as the ‘Chimera’ got away. My guess is this will be resolved sometime in the next series the Royal Four? I own the first book in that series so that’ll be next. Depending on how well I like it will decide whether I continue on after that.

[Mojca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan Damont is a gambler, constantly living on the fringe of Society - dangling between worlds - not quite an outsider, but not belonging either. This trait of his has brought him to the attention of the Liar's Club, and he finds himself the newest, and not so willing, recruit to the strange band of thieves, gentlemen, and spies.

His first mission is to "infiltrate" the household of Lord Maywell, a suspected traitor to the Crown, where he meets Maywell's niece, Lady Jane Pennington, hanging upside down from a tree branch.

Neither suspect, that his gallant rescue is just the beginning of a whirlwind that might save or destroy them both.



Finally! Ms. Bradley has finally succeeded in pulling me in fully, without having to bring in the Regent. ;)

Though the mystery and intrigue is still there, it has been succesfully pushed into a subplot, while the main plot, and its intricate twists and turns, revolve around Ethan Damont, oh so conveniently introduced in The Charmer when we ran out of drool-worthy and eligible spies.

Ethan truly has it all. He's handsome, sexy, charming when he needs to be, yet upon closer inspection, his easy-going nature is but a mask. A mask behind which he hides his insecurities and his fears. This is a man I wouldn't mind falling in love with and it's obvious why Jane did.

His gradual growth from drunken gambler and rake extraordinaire to a trustworthy and love-worthy man, not only in the eyes of those around him, but most importantly in his own eyes, is endearing and pulling from beginning to end.

Jane, his heroine, literally disappeared when Ethan strolled onto the scene. IMHO, she served no higher purpose than help him redeem himself and see himself for the man he truly was.

The "attraction" and romance between them seemed a bit strained, though the one full love-scene was quite daring and much hotter than the previous books in the series.

The ending was quite nicely concocted if you ask me. Although the Liar's series might have come to an end, the ongoing spy theme is far from finished. The revelation of the Chimera's identity and the cameo of the Falcon carry us onward into The Royal Four series.
A really nice move, that.


P.S. This book also put in stark evidence that whoever writes the blurbs, evidently doesn't bother with reading the book first.

[kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ethan Damont is asked to spy on Lord Maywell when he meets Lady Jane Pennington and things go from flirting in the gardens to masturbation in carriages to virgin bondage sex (the virgin is the one performing the bondage, to be clear) to spy game bullshit all the way down.

1. YIKE.

2. This was emphatically the worst of the series. The writing is wildly uneven; the characterization is sloppy; the pacing is even messier; the introduction of the larger "evil spy Chimera" was just a disaster: overall, it just wasn't very good.

3. The divergent threads never seemed to culminate in anything. There's the secret spy nonsense (so poorly developed) and Ethan's conflicting spy vs. spy arc and the Bedlam arc and the Chimera arc and the Prince George thing and it was all very discordant. Super unimpressive.

4. While the carriage scene was fire, the bondage sex scene was cringe.

5. I'm so disappointed in the back-and-forth "I LOVE YOU NO I DON'T BUT I REALLY DO LOVE YOU" bullshit. It didn't truly make sense because it wasn't honed enough to matter.

6. Also Dalton can pretty much fuck off.

7. (SIDE NOTE: why did all the previous heroes and heroines make an appearance except Simon and Agatha, huh? HUH?)

[Elis Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan (the Diamond) Damont is an accomplished cheater gambler, who has been targeted by The Liars (a bunch of spies/saboteurs/assassins for the Crown). The thing is, even the Liars aren't sure whether "targeted" means he's a guy who knows too much and is a liability



Or whether his cheating gambling skills might make him a great recruit for the Liars.

And, unfortunately for Ethan, the Liars aren't the only ones who are asking themselves this question.

Lady Jane Pennington and her mum were left penniless when her father died, but now she's an heiress, and the gents are lining up to snag her interest. But it's the handsome, completely ineligible Ethan who has her attention. Jane is also an intelligent, curious girl in a house full of interesting secrets. And she has a secret of her own.

There are a few nice surprises towards the end of this installment in the series, and, while Ethan does some stuff that call for



The HEA is worth it. Another 4 star.

[Lucy Qhuay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have only read one book by Celeste Bradley years ago and I remember I wasn't its biggest fan, but it had potential. This one was just boring. I persevered up until 35% or so and then I just skimmed pages in search of something interesting. No such luck!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the hero and heroine in this one. The story starts off lightly enough but descends into something darker than the preceeding books. The hero is the most reluctant of spies and the heroine the most enthusiastic. The dialogue, both between the main protagonists and internal, just sparkles - witty, dry and fast. The heroine is absolutely intriguing and I love the way the author keeps you guessing about her motives. The hero is also delicious - naughty and sexy, which nicely describes the love scenes too. The author really saved the best for last in this series, but you do need to read the rest of the series otherwise it'll be a load of nonsense.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a used book sale a few years ago and didn't know what to expect, not being familiar with the author or series. Turns out it was really good! The main characters are interesting and likeable, and I loved that they were quick to laugh (snort with laughter in fact, several times in Lady Jane's case) at things that also made me laugh. And of course, I'm always drawn to spunky, smart, independent female characters. I'm interested enough to pick up the others in the Liar's Club series.

[Kimia Safavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!

The Rogue is a great regency romance and the fifth book in "The Liar's Club"series. This is the second book I read by Celeste Bradley, I enjoyed it a lot and couldn't put it down.
The story of Ethan and Lady Jane was funny, romantic with lots of adventures. The plot was great and unexpected, the characters were believable , strong and real, The dialogue were witty and funny. I am looking forward to read more books by Celeste Bradley,her writing is amazing.
Thank you Celeste Bradley

[Lita · Rating 4 out of 5]

So who isn't a spy? With some humor, drama, intrigue and a sweet love story this book weaves a complex tale of spies, counter spies, hidden spies, double agents and changing loyalties. The identity of the Chimera is revealed and thee door is opened to the next set of tales of spies known as the Royal Four. Such fun!

[Cheryl Tollestrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the main characters, plot was interesting with lots of twists and turns, and the author at times kept the storyline hot and sizzling or the banter light and humorous.

[LadyAileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro è l'ultimo della serie Liar's Club e vede per protagonisti un gruppo di furfanti con il compito di proteggere la Gran Bretagna da Napoleone. Non c'è alcun obbligo di leggerli tutti ma se farlo meglio in ordine cronologico.
Forse per comprendere meglio questo sarà il caso di leggere almeno quello precedente perché appare per la prima volta Ethan e del suo legame con il club delle Menzogne.
Siamo nel 1810 a Londra, Ethan è un baro, nessun titolo, si sente inferiore e vive alla giornata. Anche se sembra non pesargli la solitudine in cuor suo desidera far parte di un qualcosa. Ora possiede una casa, dei servitori e la possibilità di frequentare persone con un rango superiore al suo ed è così che finisce a giocare contro una spia francese che sembra prenderlo in simpatia. La cosa buffa è che proprio questa sua ultima frequentazione fa gola anche al club delle Menzogne. Ethan non è interessato a proteggere la Patria anche perché non si sente ben accetto al club al contrario della spia francese che per potarlo dalla sua parte non esita a promettergli la nipote: Jane. Quest'ultima (almeno per la prima parte del romanzo) si mostra al lettore come una tipica ereditiera che cerca un marito ma in realtà è una spia proprio come il protagonista.
E' un romanzo pieno di suspense, avventuroso e con qualche colpo di scena che non avrei mai immaginato. La trama è densa di avvenimenti e lo stile è scorrevole. Il finale, invece, è alquanto aperto infatti pur avendo scoperto chi è a capo delle spie napoleoniche in Inghilterra non è stato sconfitto definitivamente.
All'inizio l'ho trovato anche molto divertente soprattutto per quel che riguarda i dialoghi e l'esposizione di talune situazioni.
Non manca l'apparizione dei protagonisti dei libri precedenti con una maggiore presenza di coloro che sono strettamente collegati con Ethan. Simpatici invece i nuovi personaggi secondari come Jeeves (come lo chiama il protagonista perché non si ricorda il nome) il maggiordomo che sembra prevedere le mosse del suo padrone ancora prima che ne faccia richiesta.
Per quanto riguarda la vicenda sentimentale che lega i due protagonisti credo che l'autrice abbia dato troppo poco spazio dedicandosi più all'aspetto spionistico ed avventuroso. Non manca la passione tra i due. In conclusione, non era brutto ma speravo in qualcosa di più.

[readmeregency · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars Romances that make me laugh are inevitably my favourites. I adored the back and forth between this reluctant spy and the niece of his target. If I'm honest, I sometimes shy away from romances with bickering or similar between the main characters because it so often feels needlessly aggressive to me. In this instance, it sparkles with humour and mischief, and always has a playful feel to it.

Ethan lives a carefree, if empty life, filling his time with gambling - at which he is very successful. For once in his life he is offered direction, as a spy, which he reluctantly accepts despite his dislike of the position. Jane is suffering through her season, and after a rather disastrous first meeting, is surprised when Ethan behaves as a gentleman. As they draw closer together, things turn dangerous, perhaps deadly, and more than their romance is at stake.

I absolutely adore the dynamic between Jane and Ethan. She's proper but with a clever, sarcastic wit. He's a carefree rogue with gentlemanly tendencies and an appreciation for cleverness. Their dynamic is so effectively developed through their banter, and it was my favourite part of the story. I really enjoyed the twists and turns as well, and was genuinely surprised by a plot twist, which rarely occurs for me in the histrom sphere. The pacing is relatively fast, as spy plots tend to be, and I found it refreshing to have a spy with genuine shades of grey.

There's so much this book has to offer. The banter, the espionage, and some scenes that relegate it to another impressive addition to the "carriage stuff" club 🔥 it's a fun read which has me looking at the rest of the series

[Rebecca Reddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last book in the series is actually my favorite. The Rogue gives us an unexpected hero and introduces us to our first spy heroine. I loved the mixture of sass and sensibility between the characters. Their unconventional first meeting, their unanticipated connection, and every diverting get-together they portray. There was something about the aimless, ne'er do well with his penchant for gambling - and cheating, who doesn't want to be the good guy but feels it's forced upon him when he has to help rescue the girl he stuck in the madhouse, that is endearing. Ethan ends up taking on more responsibility than he bargained for, and Jane proves to be a powerful attraction to the side of good. The two battle for the fate of their world and make a great team while they do it. It's a perfect combination of impertinence, comic relief, dashing hero-in-the-making, and a female spy who's never adopted the motto of "just give up." I think it's the best of the series, but I suppose it would have to end on a high note. Despite the usual naughty scenes that I don't subscribe to, personally, I still give this a 5/5.

Find out more about the series in my blog review: https://rebeccaswriteinspirations.blo...

[Julieta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divertida, encantadora y absolutamente entretenida historia. Me llevo a otro lugar o más bien a otra época, donde la historia principal basada en el romance entre Ethan, Jane y los numerosos secretos que su relación ocultaba fue grandiosa. Al mismo tiempo me interesó notar como han cambiado las cosa a lo largó de los años, por ejemplo, en esa época la mujer tenía que estar perfecta simpre, con los vestidos mas caros y modales de la realeza ( aunque no pertenecieran a está), incluso no podian reírse a carcagadas en público (aunque el público solo fuera una persona). Hoy en día no tenemos esos problemas y me gusta saber cunto hemos evolucionado en ese sentido. Me gusto que la protagonista Jane no siguiera ese régimen impuesto por la sociedad, ella era libre y a algunos no les gustaba, pero a muchos otros les encantaba lo divertida y arriesgada que era la muchacha... Tal era en caso de Ethan Damont, que la amaba tanto como ella a él.

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je m'attendais à adorer ce livre (vu que j'ai dévoré les 4 précédents tomes du Club des Menteurs et que j'attendais avec impatience de découvrir l'histoire du fascinant Ethan Damont) malheureusement l'enthousiasme n'a pas été au rendez-vous. L'histoire est trop lente à démarrer. Toute la première partie du roman est poussive. Les personnages sont bien, mais l'intrigue traîne en longueur. Les choses se décantent vraiment au milieu du livre, et là ça devient vraiment intéressant. Il y a deux rebondissements majeurs et très efficaces.

Dommage, il manque pas grand chose finalement pour ce que The Rogue soit aussi bon que les précédents romans de la série. Mais cette fois, la magie n'a pas opéré pour moi.

[Rainz ❤️rainnbooks❤️(on a break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly a very easy read. Ethan and Jane were very interesting characters and the witty dialogues just added to the sparkling chemistry between them.There was a bit of spy intrigue that spiced up the romance so in all it made a very entertaining read. I haven't read any other books by the author but the dry humor did make me smile throughout. The heroine was made of sterner stuff rather than the damsel in distress category that one gets used to and made a refreshing change in this genre.

[Annalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gambler Ethan Damont is enlisted as a spy for both the French and the Crown. Ethan has a reputation as a rogue. Love his bored attitude! He is going through the motions with no real purpose, worries, or ideas of the future until the Crown wants Ethan to spy on Lord Maywell who happens to have a stunning niece named Lady Jane. Their conversations are hilarious, sarcastic, and well-written. The love scenes are few but they are steamy! (carriage)

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay i’m gonna give this a 4 and a half. Def my favourite of the series. Loved the MMCs morally grey and cynical POV. Loved their dynamic (first the first 2/3 anyway). Loved that the FMCs secret was kept from the MMC and the reader - i did not see it coming. Did not love the whole bedlam and the fact the MMC did the whole ‘I don’t love you spiel’ when he had already lowkey admitted it to himself - bit tiring but i suppose there has got to be some conflict.Otherwise this gripped me

[catechism · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. I always appreciate a good triple agent, but I didn't much care for Jane and couldn't figure out why she was into Ethan. Also there was a whole subplot where they throw her in Bedlam for her own good, and we're expected to believe that Rakish Man-About-Town Fake-Gentleman Gambler doesn't know what kind of place it is. Nope!

[Vanessa]

I barely got through this book, even having read it before. It was dull and I wanted to kick some sense into each character -- except those that we've seen before.

Definitely going on my "Will Never Read Again" list.

[Hailee Amox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story, bad editing

Love this series. Love the plot, characters, etc. BUT you get major deductions when you typo and mess up your main character’s name halfway through the book inconsistently. Heroine’s name is Jane. Author started sometimes randomly calling her Janet.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I don’t usually like espionage books. This one, however, surprised me. It was easy to follow, had fun characters and a nice HEA.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one was my favorite. Ms. Bradley kept me guessing the whole time! And i adored Ethan!

[Luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Celeste book I’ve read and I’m hooked. I enjoyed it. 🙂

[Kim Otis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

I can only hope that there will be more Liars to come! This book was filled with romance and adventure from start to finish!

[Clarisse · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5

[Belladonna]

39

[Gara Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and fast-paced.

[Wendy Dresen]

DNF

[Alyssa Rixson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't entirely hate it, but it was a painful one for me to get through. I guess I'm not big on cheesy romances 🙈