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The Survivors #9
Sweet Rogue of Mine
A sharpshooter who’s lost his sight…
When a stray pistol ball from the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated to his father’s county home to lick his wounds, but his drinking and isolation have only made things worse. When Nash’s father, a powerful earl, threatens to send Nash to an asylum, his former brothers-in-arms call in one of their own to set Nash back on the right course. Nash fears he’s fallen too far and perhaps ending it all is the best solution. Until he encounters a woman in the garden signing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs.
An outcast who sees too much…
Prudence Howard has traveled the world with her missionary parents. But after the scandal she caused in Cairo, they’ve foisted her on a vicar in the small town of Milcroft and sailed to the Far East to evangelize without her. Pru doesn’t mean to cause trouble; it’s just that being good is so very hard. When she meets Nash Pope, she’s instantly intrigued. He might be hot-tempered, but he’s handsome and unusual and arouses her interest and passion like no one she’s ever met. He might not know he needs or even wants her help, but Pru has a plan to save him.
Together they glimpse a brighter future.
Nash is bewildered by the unconventional woman who keeps turning up on his doorstep. She tries to teach him night writing, claims a feral peacock is a momentous sign, and makes his toes curl when she kisses him. She refuses to give up on him. But though Nash finds it easy to believe in Pru, can he ever trust himself again?
When a stray pistol ball from the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated to his father’s county home to lick his wounds, but his drinking and isolation have only made things worse. When Nash’s father, a powerful earl, threatens to send Nash to an asylum, his former brothers-in-arms call in one of their own to set Nash back on the right course. Nash fears he’s fallen too far and perhaps ending it all is the best solution. Until he encounters a woman in the garden signing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs.
An outcast who sees too much…
Prudence Howard has traveled the world with her missionary parents. But after the scandal she caused in Cairo, they’ve foisted her on a vicar in the small town of Milcroft and sailed to the Far East to evangelize without her. Pru doesn’t mean to cause trouble; it’s just that being good is so very hard. When she meets Nash Pope, she’s instantly intrigued. He might be hot-tempered, but he’s handsome and unusual and arouses her interest and passion like no one she’s ever met. He might not know he needs or even wants her help, but Pru has a plan to save him.
Together they glimpse a brighter future.
Nash is bewildered by the unconventional woman who keeps turning up on his doorstep. She tries to teach him night writing, claims a feral peacock is a momentous sign, and makes his toes curl when she kisses him. She refuses to give up on him. But though Nash finds it easy to believe in Pru, can he ever trust himself again?
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2021
87 people are currently reading
575 people want to read
About the author
Shana Galen
98 books1,547 followersShana Galen is three-time Rita award nominee and the bestselling author of fast-paced, witty, and adventurous Regency romances. Kirkus says of her books, "The road to happily-ever-after is intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Bookreviews calls her books “lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." She taught English at the middle and high school level off and on for eleven years. Most of those years were spent working in Houston's inner city. Now she writes full time. She's happily married and has a daughter who is most definitely a romance heroine in the making.
Want to know more? Visit Shana's website at http://www.shanagalen.com and sign up to be notified when Shana has a new release http://bit.ly/ShanaGalenNews
Want to know more? Visit Shana's website at http://www.shanagalen.com and sign up to be notified when Shana has a new release http://bit.ly/ShanaGalenNews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
February 10, 2021
4.5 surprised-the-hell-out-of-me stars
I freaking love this book. I have no expectation for it whatsoever. Hence why I was blown away.
Isn't it weird that I have just came from a half blind hero book that I hate to another book with a fully blind hero that I love? And I didn't even plan this.
In this one, we have a grouchy suicidal blind hero and a quirky abandoned hopeful heroine. Is that enough of adjectives to won you over yet? No? Okay. I got nothing else to give you. Like I said, I suck at reviewing books that I love.
I freaking love this book. I have no expectation for it whatsoever. Hence why I was blown away.
Isn't it weird that I have just came from a half blind hero book that I hate to another book with a fully blind hero that I love? And I didn't even plan this.
In this one, we have a grouchy suicidal blind hero and a quirky abandoned hopeful heroine. Is that enough of adjectives to won you over yet? No? Okay. I got nothing else to give you. Like I said, I suck at reviewing books that I love.
January 26, 2021
Series: The Survivors #9
Publication Date: 2/9/21
I have loved Shana Galen’s books since her very first one. She writes strong, complex characters – both male and female – along with compelling stories usually filled with an abundance of wit, romance, and excitement. In this story, she explores the after effects of the Peninsular Wars on one soldier who was wounded and lost his sight. Her descriptions of Melancholia and what is today known as PTSD make you feel those things, the fear, the dread, the despair, the anguish, right along with Nash.
Nash Pope is the youngest son of an earl and a survivor of the Peninsular Wars. Nash is the most gifted sharpshooter England has ever seen – or at least he was. Now, he is a broken man, living in isolation, and expecting his father to have him hauled off to an asylum at any moment. He can’t help it. The lives he took, the mistakes he made, haunt him constantly and threaten to drag him down into a deep, dark abyss and maybe never let him out. Any unexpected noise, any unexpected approach, throws him right back into those horrific scenes from the war with the enemy approaching from all sides. He lives all alone in a dark world where the slightest thing causes fear and an immediate defensive reaction from him. He even shot one of his friends a few months ago when the friend unexpectedly arrived at his door (The Highlanders Excellent Adventure).
Nash served as part of a troop that was deemed to be expendable. The elite troop was made up of thirty younger sons of the nobility who were assigned to the most dangerous and deadly missions in the war. Only twelve returned and they became known as Draven’s Dozen. Those twelve men all had survivor’s guilt of one sort or another and all of them had seen and done things that would curl the toes of most men. Those men, those survivors, are still looking out for each other even after the wars have ended. They know Nash is on the cusp of being confined and send one of their own, Rowden Payne to intervene and begin to straighten Nash up. Rowden is the perfect one to begin to put Nash on the road toward some normalcy in his life. Rowden is huge, brusque, no-nonsense, and just what Nash needs.
Prudence Howard – you are going to LOVE her – is the twenty-three-year-old daughter of zealot missionaries. Because of an unfortunate incident in Cairo, her parents have dumped her off in the care of Vicar Higginbotham, in the village of Milcroft. Pru is sunny, happy, kind, patient, non-judgmental, calm, and … surprising. Pru is definitely NOT your typical daughter of missionaries – she tries very, very hard to be good, she’s just not very good at being good. If she thinks it – she says it. If she feels it, she usually says it. She’s very much Polyanna and everybody who meets her loves her – well, except maybe her parents. Pru’s whole outlook on life and what is around her is different than most – more nuanced, more focused. Where one person would see a grassy field, Pru sees and delights in the different colors of the grasses, the flowers that are there, the small animals. Pru loves to walk through the countryside when she can escape the vicarage and one day while walking – and singing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs – she sees a young handsome man who is stuck in the mud and trying to get up the embankment. Of course, Pru being Pru, she offers her assistance. When he is short and brusque with her, she just ignores it and continues on with trying to help him. Their relationship goes in much that same manner until – surprise – they are in love.
I loved watching Nash begin to come to terms with his blindness and his PTSD – and to learn to deal with them. The help he needed was a long time in coming, but when it arrived, it was exactly the right help. Maybe it was even the right time for that help as well, because he probably wouldn’t have been ready for it earlier. Pru, Rowden, and Nash’s new valet, Clopdon, are exactly who he needed in his life and I love how he learned to accept that help without resentment.
After the last book, I didn’t see how this author was going to redeem Nash. Not only did she redeem him, she made him one of the best heroes. We get to see Nash go from contemplating suicide to his HEA because of the lovely, lovely people around him – and his genuine desire to come back to the land of the living.
I definitely recommend this book – and all of the other books in the series. I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it as much as I did. Since we saw so much of Rowden in this book, I’m thinking he might just get the feature role in the next book. Since I really liked him, I can’t wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 2/9/21
I have loved Shana Galen’s books since her very first one. She writes strong, complex characters – both male and female – along with compelling stories usually filled with an abundance of wit, romance, and excitement. In this story, she explores the after effects of the Peninsular Wars on one soldier who was wounded and lost his sight. Her descriptions of Melancholia and what is today known as PTSD make you feel those things, the fear, the dread, the despair, the anguish, right along with Nash.
Nash Pope is the youngest son of an earl and a survivor of the Peninsular Wars. Nash is the most gifted sharpshooter England has ever seen – or at least he was. Now, he is a broken man, living in isolation, and expecting his father to have him hauled off to an asylum at any moment. He can’t help it. The lives he took, the mistakes he made, haunt him constantly and threaten to drag him down into a deep, dark abyss and maybe never let him out. Any unexpected noise, any unexpected approach, throws him right back into those horrific scenes from the war with the enemy approaching from all sides. He lives all alone in a dark world where the slightest thing causes fear and an immediate defensive reaction from him. He even shot one of his friends a few months ago when the friend unexpectedly arrived at his door (The Highlanders Excellent Adventure).
Nash served as part of a troop that was deemed to be expendable. The elite troop was made up of thirty younger sons of the nobility who were assigned to the most dangerous and deadly missions in the war. Only twelve returned and they became known as Draven’s Dozen. Those twelve men all had survivor’s guilt of one sort or another and all of them had seen and done things that would curl the toes of most men. Those men, those survivors, are still looking out for each other even after the wars have ended. They know Nash is on the cusp of being confined and send one of their own, Rowden Payne to intervene and begin to straighten Nash up. Rowden is the perfect one to begin to put Nash on the road toward some normalcy in his life. Rowden is huge, brusque, no-nonsense, and just what Nash needs.
Prudence Howard – you are going to LOVE her – is the twenty-three-year-old daughter of zealot missionaries. Because of an unfortunate incident in Cairo, her parents have dumped her off in the care of Vicar Higginbotham, in the village of Milcroft. Pru is sunny, happy, kind, patient, non-judgmental, calm, and … surprising. Pru is definitely NOT your typical daughter of missionaries – she tries very, very hard to be good, she’s just not very good at being good. If she thinks it – she says it. If she feels it, she usually says it. She’s very much Polyanna and everybody who meets her loves her – well, except maybe her parents. Pru’s whole outlook on life and what is around her is different than most – more nuanced, more focused. Where one person would see a grassy field, Pru sees and delights in the different colors of the grasses, the flowers that are there, the small animals. Pru loves to walk through the countryside when she can escape the vicarage and one day while walking – and singing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs – she sees a young handsome man who is stuck in the mud and trying to get up the embankment. Of course, Pru being Pru, she offers her assistance. When he is short and brusque with her, she just ignores it and continues on with trying to help him. Their relationship goes in much that same manner until – surprise – they are in love.
I loved watching Nash begin to come to terms with his blindness and his PTSD – and to learn to deal with them. The help he needed was a long time in coming, but when it arrived, it was exactly the right help. Maybe it was even the right time for that help as well, because he probably wouldn’t have been ready for it earlier. Pru, Rowden, and Nash’s new valet, Clopdon, are exactly who he needed in his life and I love how he learned to accept that help without resentment.
After the last book, I didn’t see how this author was going to redeem Nash. Not only did she redeem him, she made him one of the best heroes. We get to see Nash go from contemplating suicide to his HEA because of the lovely, lovely people around him – and his genuine desire to come back to the land of the living.
I definitely recommend this book – and all of the other books in the series. I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it as much as I did. Since we saw so much of Rowden in this book, I’m thinking he might just get the feature role in the next book. Since I really liked him, I can’t wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 3, 2022
2.5-2.75
It was okay. Some parts were enjoyable but since I don’t see myself rereading this book, I can’t round it up to 3 stars.
It was okay. Some parts were enjoyable but since I don’t see myself rereading this book, I can’t round it up to 3 stars.
January 20, 2025
This was a great little surprise. I wasn't expecting to read it but I slipped it into my Rake Meets Bluestocking Readathon.
Blind hero with PTSD and a feisty heroine who brings him back to life. It was wonderful.
4 Stars
2 on the spice scale
CW: PTSD, flashbacks to war, attempted SA, threat of institutionalization
Blind hero with PTSD and a feisty heroine who brings him back to life. It was wonderful.
4 Stars
2 on the spice scale
CW: PTSD, flashbacks to war, attempted SA, threat of institutionalization
February 5, 2021
Sweet Rogue of Mine
The Survivors Series #9
Shana Galen
https://www.facebook.com/ShanaGalen/
Release Date 02/09/2021
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
A sharpshooter who’s lost his sight…
When a stray pistol ball from the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated to his father’s county home to lick his wounds, but his drinking and isolation have only made things worse. When Nash’s father, a powerful earl, threatens to send Nash to an asylum, his former brothers-in-arms call in one of their own to set Nash back on the right course. Nash fears he’s fallen too far and perhaps ending it all is the best solution. Until he encounters a woman in the garden singing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs.
An outcast who sees too much…
Prudence Howard has traveled the world with her missionary parents. But after the scandal she caused in Cairo, they’ve foisted her on a vicar in the small town of Milcroft and sailed to the Far East to evangelize without her. Pru doesn’t mean to cause trouble; it’s just that being good is so very hard. When she meets Nash Pope, she’s instantly intrigued. He might be hot-tempered, but he’s handsome and unusual and arouses her interest and passion like no one she’s ever met. He might not know he needs or even wants her help, but Pru has a plan to save him.
Together they glimpse a brighter future.
Nash is bewildered by the unconventional woman who keeps turning up on his doorstep. She tries to teach him night writing, claims a feral peacock is a momentous sign, and makes his toes curl when she kisses him. She refuses to give up on him. But though Nash finds it easy to believe in Pru, can he ever trust himself again?
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will he close his heart and soul to happiness by letting his fears eat at him ...
« 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒 »
From Pru to Nash.
It is what I often do, I try to bring to life the book I’m reading in my mind. And I truly followed Pru’s advice with this one.
I always need a few pages to recall about a character seen in a previous book, I am quite bad at remembering name so I often forget who’s who. But Nash left such a strong impression in the previous book, I instantly remembered the arse shooting his friend in The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure.
I did not know if I would be able to like him after the stunt he did. Yet I should have known better, the author could not disappoint. She has a way with words, she brought her characters to life, they are fleshy and flawed, and Nash despite all his faults is so lovable, in need to be throttled at time but still so endearing.
He is a man lost, he roams the earth unable to find purchase to something to bind him to it. Damaged by the war, he switches without notice between reality and nightmares. Until a friend’s visit land him brutally to the world of the living with an horrifying prospect for his future if he does not clean his act.
His encounter with Pru is like a waking alarm, she reminds him there is more to life than his fear and self pity, even if it is very hard for him to go out his very closed way.
Pru is whom we could call a hyperactive, always in motion, struggling to stay quiet and static.
She is so refreshing, blunt and outspoken. Perfectly conscious of her flaws and accepting herself as she is. Even if it hurts her to recognize it, she is only plain Pru, the girl everyone leave behind, never enough to be loved and cherished. Still she does not let bitterness take hold of her, she does not allow life’s impediments to cripple her course, she experiences life at its fullest with her own meager means. Why she does not mind sharing her joyful view of the world, she sees every new taste or scent as precious, she rambles with her words and mind but regroups when it is to assist those she cares about.
I can only thank the author for this awesome story, from the first word I immersed myself in Nash and Pru story. They felt like friends, I wanted to listen to them, hear their thoughts and ask them questions. I was immediately sucked and transported into the pages, walking along Pru and Nash, sharing their adventures.
A five stars read.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen detailed lovemaking scenes.
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
The Survivors Series #9
Shana Galen
https://www.facebook.com/ShanaGalen/
Release Date 02/09/2021
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
A sharpshooter who’s lost his sight…
When a stray pistol ball from the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated to his father’s county home to lick his wounds, but his drinking and isolation have only made things worse. When Nash’s father, a powerful earl, threatens to send Nash to an asylum, his former brothers-in-arms call in one of their own to set Nash back on the right course. Nash fears he’s fallen too far and perhaps ending it all is the best solution. Until he encounters a woman in the garden singing a bawdy tune at the top of her lungs.
An outcast who sees too much…
Prudence Howard has traveled the world with her missionary parents. But after the scandal she caused in Cairo, they’ve foisted her on a vicar in the small town of Milcroft and sailed to the Far East to evangelize without her. Pru doesn’t mean to cause trouble; it’s just that being good is so very hard. When she meets Nash Pope, she’s instantly intrigued. He might be hot-tempered, but he’s handsome and unusual and arouses her interest and passion like no one she’s ever met. He might not know he needs or even wants her help, but Pru has a plan to save him.
Together they glimpse a brighter future.
Nash is bewildered by the unconventional woman who keeps turning up on his doorstep. She tries to teach him night writing, claims a feral peacock is a momentous sign, and makes his toes curl when she kisses him. She refuses to give up on him. But though Nash finds it easy to believe in Pru, can he ever trust himself again?
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will he close his heart and soul to happiness by letting his fears eat at him ...
« 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒 »
From Pru to Nash.
It is what I often do, I try to bring to life the book I’m reading in my mind. And I truly followed Pru’s advice with this one.
I always need a few pages to recall about a character seen in a previous book, I am quite bad at remembering name so I often forget who’s who. But Nash left such a strong impression in the previous book, I instantly remembered the arse shooting his friend in The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure.
I did not know if I would be able to like him after the stunt he did. Yet I should have known better, the author could not disappoint. She has a way with words, she brought her characters to life, they are fleshy and flawed, and Nash despite all his faults is so lovable, in need to be throttled at time but still so endearing.
He is a man lost, he roams the earth unable to find purchase to something to bind him to it. Damaged by the war, he switches without notice between reality and nightmares. Until a friend’s visit land him brutally to the world of the living with an horrifying prospect for his future if he does not clean his act.
His encounter with Pru is like a waking alarm, she reminds him there is more to life than his fear and self pity, even if it is very hard for him to go out his very closed way.
Pru is whom we could call a hyperactive, always in motion, struggling to stay quiet and static.
She is so refreshing, blunt and outspoken. Perfectly conscious of her flaws and accepting herself as she is. Even if it hurts her to recognize it, she is only plain Pru, the girl everyone leave behind, never enough to be loved and cherished. Still she does not let bitterness take hold of her, she does not allow life’s impediments to cripple her course, she experiences life at its fullest with her own meager means. Why she does not mind sharing her joyful view of the world, she sees every new taste or scent as precious, she rambles with her words and mind but regroups when it is to assist those she cares about.
I can only thank the author for this awesome story, from the first word I immersed myself in Nash and Pru story. They felt like friends, I wanted to listen to them, hear their thoughts and ask them questions. I was immediately sucked and transported into the pages, walking along Pru and Nash, sharing their adventures.
A five stars read.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen detailed lovemaking scenes.
I have been granted an advance copy by the author, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
September 19, 2022
this was the darkest book out of the series so far regarding the topics of depression and PTSD... these two were great together and I enjoyed it!!!
February 1, 2021
Nash Pope’s entire career and even his very identity has been predicated on his exceedingly superior ability as a sharpshooter. When a sniper’s bullet results in a shrapnel injury that robs him of his sight, Nash no longer knows who he is and retreats to his father’s country estate to drown his sorrows and attempt to heal. The isolation and alcohol have only exacerbated his issues, however, and his father, a powerful earl, is now threatening to send him to an asylum for his own safety. The fellow survivors of his troop refuse to allow that to happen and send one of their ranks to help Nash forge a new path. Nash is starting to believe ending things would be better since a man without sight must be useless, until he finds a young woman belting out pub songs in his garden.
Since her parents served as missionaries, Prudence Howard has lived in several different countries and experienced much, but since she caused quite a scandal in Cairo, her parents have declined to take her with them to their next posting in the Far East. Instead, she’s been all but abandoned to the guardianship of the local vicar in the small village of Milcroft. Pru means well but trouble always seems to find her. When she meets the volatile Nash Pope, Pru is instantly intrigued by his good looks and the vulnerability beneath his prickly façade. He may not want it, but Pru is determined to help him.
Nash is completely bowled over by Pru, but her efforts to teach him night writing give him hope that he can attain some sense of normalcy and her kisses reawaken feelings he thought long dead. She pushes him to escape his melancholy and he trusts her, but Nash isn’t always certain he can trust himself.
This book gave me all the feels. Nash’s world has been completely devastated, his family can’t understand what he’s going through and has completely failed him, and he’s haunted by things he saw and did in the war against Napoleon. Ms. Galen certainly didn’t pull any punches with her descriptions of Nash’s depression and PTSD. He was suffering and Pru was a bright spot of optimistic color in a world that had literally gone dark for him. Nash also gave Pru the acceptance and love she’d been missing and longing for most of her life. I also loved Nash’s relationship with his friend Rowden Payne and how that bond, strengthened by war, was adapted to his new life and also went a long way toward showing Nash how things could be if he allowed it. I still think Nash’s father needed a punch to the face for putting his son through so much anxiety and more groveling from him would’ve been most welcome. Anyway, Nash and Pru truly healed each other, this story was both heartwarming and heartrending, and I loved it. I look forward to more installments for one of my favorite series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Since her parents served as missionaries, Prudence Howard has lived in several different countries and experienced much, but since she caused quite a scandal in Cairo, her parents have declined to take her with them to their next posting in the Far East. Instead, she’s been all but abandoned to the guardianship of the local vicar in the small village of Milcroft. Pru means well but trouble always seems to find her. When she meets the volatile Nash Pope, Pru is instantly intrigued by his good looks and the vulnerability beneath his prickly façade. He may not want it, but Pru is determined to help him.
Nash is completely bowled over by Pru, but her efforts to teach him night writing give him hope that he can attain some sense of normalcy and her kisses reawaken feelings he thought long dead. She pushes him to escape his melancholy and he trusts her, but Nash isn’t always certain he can trust himself.
This book gave me all the feels. Nash’s world has been completely devastated, his family can’t understand what he’s going through and has completely failed him, and he’s haunted by things he saw and did in the war against Napoleon. Ms. Galen certainly didn’t pull any punches with her descriptions of Nash’s depression and PTSD. He was suffering and Pru was a bright spot of optimistic color in a world that had literally gone dark for him. Nash also gave Pru the acceptance and love she’d been missing and longing for most of her life. I also loved Nash’s relationship with his friend Rowden Payne and how that bond, strengthened by war, was adapted to his new life and also went a long way toward showing Nash how things could be if he allowed it. I still think Nash’s father needed a punch to the face for putting his son through so much anxiety and more groveling from him would’ve been most welcome. Anyway, Nash and Pru truly healed each other, this story was both heartwarming and heartrending, and I loved it. I look forward to more installments for one of my favorite series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
January 27, 2021
Prudence Howard is the daughter of missionaries and has traveled the world, but can’t seem to stay out of trouble, which is how she ends up staying with the local vicar while her parents are on another mission. She’s a pretty unusual young lady and is just what Nash Pope needs to get him out of his depression and drinking. He was a sharpshooter who lost his sight in the war and has been holed up in Wentmore, his father’s country estate, giving in to despair and memories of battle. His father, the Earl of Beaufort, is threatening to send Nash to an asylum, since he's dangerous to himself and others with the pistol he carries with him at all times, and in fact has shot one of his brothers-in arms (it was an accident when Duncan startled him and brought on a flashback). The earl sends one of his fellow soldiers, Rowden Payne to see if he can help and with the care of Rowden and Pru’s unconventional company, Nash starts to care about the world again. I really felt for Nash, who endured much in the war and carries it with him in the form of flashbacks and fear, especially since he’s lost his sight. Pru is just what he needs, and since she’s alone in the world with no friends or family nearby, she jumps at the chance to help Nash, especially since he’s the most handsome and interesting man she’s ever met. What a pair they make and she’ll never give up on him, no matter what, which gives him the courage to not give up on himself as well. Although I’ve enjoyed them all, this is one of my favorite books in the Survivors series, what a great story!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
July 26, 2021
My first thought after finishing reading this book was “Well, that was by far the best book I’ve read so far this year.” Unfortunately that only lasted until I read another one in this series the very next day, but more on that later.
This book has great disability rep, two MCs that jump off the page from the moment you meet them, and a colorful and diverse regency. Shana Galen’s writing is great, the story extremely rewarding. I don’t know how EVERYONE isn’t talking about this book yet. It’s so good.
But, I did say I liked one better, and here I’ll admit it’s a slim margin. That one is A Duke a Dozen and I’ll elaborate why I love it in my review there.
TL;DR: (even though this isn’t that long 😜) READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book has great disability rep, two MCs that jump off the page from the moment you meet them, and a colorful and diverse regency. Shana Galen’s writing is great, the story extremely rewarding. I don’t know how EVERYONE isn’t talking about this book yet. It’s so good.
But, I did say I liked one better, and here I’ll admit it’s a slim margin. That one is A Duke a Dozen and I’ll elaborate why I love it in my review there.
TL;DR: (even though this isn’t that long 😜) READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 1, 2021
Nash Pope was a sharpshooter in Draven’s company and lost his sight when debris damaged his left eye – his right eye was spared, but he can barely see anything out of it, just vague shapes, and no color. Nash did not take well to blindness and as a result was sent to Wentmore, one of his father’s lesser estates in Milcroft to convalesce. But Nash did not find peace in the country, instead, he sunk deeper into despair, drinking to forget, and refusing anyone’s help. But it wasn’t until he hit rock bottom and shot one of his friends and threatened to shoot others that his father, the Earl of Beaufort, finally had enough and sent Rowden Payne in a final attempt to straighten Nash out. If Rowden fails, the earl has made it clear that he will have no choice but to commit Nash to an asylum. Angry about his father’s interference and Rowden’s willingness to do his bidding – which includes removing all the liquor from the house and hiring men to make repairs. Nash escapes the house and goes for a walk and ends up getting stuck in the mud. He is wondering how he will get out when he hears a woman singing, a very bawdy song and making effort to not be heard.
Prudence “Pru” Howard is new to the village of Milcroft, her parents are missionaries and have decided to take a post in the far East – without Pru. They leave her in the care of the local vicar, Mr. Higginbotham, and take off without a backward glance. Pru knows they are disappointed with her after she caused a scandal and her own ruin by engaging in an affair in Cairo, but she really didn’t think they would go as far as to abandon her. But Pru is a survivor and determined to be happy, so she does her best to fit in, but sadly, she is not well received and spends much of her time alone. Today she is wandering in the gardens of Wentmore, singing to herself when she notices a man stuck in the mud. She offers to help him, but her efforts are rejected and Nash threatens to have her charged with trespassing. Not one to be deterred, Pru changes her tactic and manages to get Nash back on solid ground. Afterward, Pru learns that Nash is blind and she decides to help him, after all, she has a blind sister and a talent that will help him – she learned “Ecriture Nocturne” or night writing, which was invented to help the French army, but also enables the blind to read and write – and she offers to teach it to him. An offer that he accepts, much to everyone’s surprise.
Pru and Nash begin his lessons and a true friendship develops, she soothes his anxiety and slowly he begins to realize that his life is not over, it has changed, but now the future doesn’t seem as dismal. But he is far from healed and still suffers from flashbacks. Not to mention he still has the threat of being committed hanging over his head. As his feeling for Pru deepens, Nash begins to think that he should let her go, as he can’t give her a future – but Nash grossly underestimates Pru, Rowden, and his own heart. For her part, Pru seems to have found her place in Milcroft and even befriended the curmudgeonly elderly Mrs. Northgate. And even though she doesn’t think they have any chance for a future, she loves him and will do all she can to keep him out of an asylum.
When I finished the last book, The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure, I really didn’t like Nash and wondered if it was even possible to redeem him – so I am thrilled to report – Yes, he can be redeemed, and Yes, I not only forgave him, I fell a little in love with him! This book was so good, it is well-written, interesting, emotional, uplifting, and fun. There are warm love scenes, a villain who gets his due, wonderful secondary characters, redemption, acceptance, forgiveness, a peacock, and a very sweet ending. This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title, I would however recommend reading the previous book in the series because it gives you a glimpse of how far Nash had fallen before his father sent Rowden to him.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own *
Prudence “Pru” Howard is new to the village of Milcroft, her parents are missionaries and have decided to take a post in the far East – without Pru. They leave her in the care of the local vicar, Mr. Higginbotham, and take off without a backward glance. Pru knows they are disappointed with her after she caused a scandal and her own ruin by engaging in an affair in Cairo, but she really didn’t think they would go as far as to abandon her. But Pru is a survivor and determined to be happy, so she does her best to fit in, but sadly, she is not well received and spends much of her time alone. Today she is wandering in the gardens of Wentmore, singing to herself when she notices a man stuck in the mud. She offers to help him, but her efforts are rejected and Nash threatens to have her charged with trespassing. Not one to be deterred, Pru changes her tactic and manages to get Nash back on solid ground. Afterward, Pru learns that Nash is blind and she decides to help him, after all, she has a blind sister and a talent that will help him – she learned “Ecriture Nocturne” or night writing, which was invented to help the French army, but also enables the blind to read and write – and she offers to teach it to him. An offer that he accepts, much to everyone’s surprise.
Pru and Nash begin his lessons and a true friendship develops, she soothes his anxiety and slowly he begins to realize that his life is not over, it has changed, but now the future doesn’t seem as dismal. But he is far from healed and still suffers from flashbacks. Not to mention he still has the threat of being committed hanging over his head. As his feeling for Pru deepens, Nash begins to think that he should let her go, as he can’t give her a future – but Nash grossly underestimates Pru, Rowden, and his own heart. For her part, Pru seems to have found her place in Milcroft and even befriended the curmudgeonly elderly Mrs. Northgate. And even though she doesn’t think they have any chance for a future, she loves him and will do all she can to keep him out of an asylum.
When I finished the last book, The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure, I really didn’t like Nash and wondered if it was even possible to redeem him – so I am thrilled to report – Yes, he can be redeemed, and Yes, I not only forgave him, I fell a little in love with him! This book was so good, it is well-written, interesting, emotional, uplifting, and fun. There are warm love scenes, a villain who gets his due, wonderful secondary characters, redemption, acceptance, forgiveness, a peacock, and a very sweet ending. This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title, I would however recommend reading the previous book in the series because it gives you a glimpse of how far Nash had fallen before his father sent Rowden to him.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own *
February 15, 2021
Shana Galen is one of my favorite authors. Her novels are filled with captivating characters, intriguing conflict and sizzling romance. She pairs an unlikely couple – a blind soldier and a missionaries daughter-in Sweet Rogue of Mine resulting in an excellent read!
Nash Pope was a member of the Draven’s Dozen; a group of elite soldiers. As a sharpshooter, he played an important role in covert operations against Napoleon’s army. A piece of shrapnel leaves Nash blind but, more importantly, robs him of his identity and self-worth. Shana Galen writes Nash’s story with honestly and emotion. Nash’s struggle drew me into the story immediately.
Prudence Howard is Fabulous! She’s a free spirit, an intelligent and kind person. Although she’s travelled the world with her missionary parents, her manners, clothing and behavior aren’t accepted by most of residents in the village.
I loved this fast paced novel as it had several supporting sub plots. Rowden travels to Nash’s estate to help him get back on his feet and get the estate and its grounds in shape. As one of the survivors, Rowden understands what Nash experienced during the war. The pieces of Nash’s story unfold during the conversations between the two ex-soldiers and this information is significant to the story. Prudence experiences are important to the story as well. She wants to help Nash by teaching him night writing—a form of Braille. Both Nash and Prudence have scars. Nash’s are visible while Pru’s are emotional—these wounds bond the two characters. I was invested in their friendship, loved how they believed the best in each other and enjoyed watching their friendship deepen into a romance.
If you are looking for a fast paced novel filled with fabulous characters and a fantastic story-pick up a copy of Sweet Rogue of Mine!
Nash Pope was a member of the Draven’s Dozen; a group of elite soldiers. As a sharpshooter, he played an important role in covert operations against Napoleon’s army. A piece of shrapnel leaves Nash blind but, more importantly, robs him of his identity and self-worth. Shana Galen writes Nash’s story with honestly and emotion. Nash’s struggle drew me into the story immediately.
Prudence Howard is Fabulous! She’s a free spirit, an intelligent and kind person. Although she’s travelled the world with her missionary parents, her manners, clothing and behavior aren’t accepted by most of residents in the village.
I loved this fast paced novel as it had several supporting sub plots. Rowden travels to Nash’s estate to help him get back on his feet and get the estate and its grounds in shape. As one of the survivors, Rowden understands what Nash experienced during the war. The pieces of Nash’s story unfold during the conversations between the two ex-soldiers and this information is significant to the story. Prudence experiences are important to the story as well. She wants to help Nash by teaching him night writing—a form of Braille. Both Nash and Prudence have scars. Nash’s are visible while Pru’s are emotional—these wounds bond the two characters. I was invested in their friendship, loved how they believed the best in each other and enjoyed watching their friendship deepen into a romance.
If you are looking for a fast paced novel filled with fabulous characters and a fantastic story-pick up a copy of Sweet Rogue of Mine!
December 26, 2022
This was grumpy meets sunshine. Pru was fun and Nash was filled with despair. Ok that sounds sad, but he came back from the war having lost his sight. He was a sharp shooter, and now he just feels lost and useless. He drinks too much and has turned his back on everyone. Pru has been left with the village priest since her parents are missionaries.
They meet in an amusing way. She can't stop thinking about him. People warn him, but she does not listen.
He can´t stop thinking either, but he knows his ptsd might him do things so he wants nothing to do with her.
There is the danger of what his family wants to do with him. All while they fall in love.
They truly belonged together. But they have some drama to get over first.
Great narration. I have listened to a lot of these now. It is a fun series
They meet in an amusing way. She can't stop thinking about him. People warn him, but she does not listen.
He can´t stop thinking either, but he knows his ptsd might him do things so he wants nothing to do with her.
There is the danger of what his family wants to do with him. All while they fall in love.
They truly belonged together. But they have some drama to get over first.
Great narration. I have listened to a lot of these now. It is a fun series
October 20, 2021
One of my favs as a troupe, wounded hero and a unique woman willing to take him on. Pru singing the naughty ballad was so funny. Loved this one and thought that Pru and Nash made a great couple.
February 2, 2021
This is the ninth book in Shana Galen's The Survivors series. I've enjoyed each of the books in this series, and there have been other 5-star reads in the group, but, for me, this one is the best. I loved it! I've read it twice. I'll probably read it again. It can be enjoyed on its own but I do think you'll enjoy it more if you first read book #8, The Highlander's Excellent Adventure.
Full review to come...
*ARC received for fair and unbiased review
Full review to come...
*ARC received for fair and unbiased review
September 13, 2021
I inhaled this book in one night. I love the back-from-war trope. that's why i love this series so much!
I just loved the heroine, she was so positive and kind and good humored, she balanced out the hero and really brought out the best in him. This is such a feel good novel and I love how Trauma informed Shana Galen seems to be! I really love to see authors portraying people with disabilities in a respectful way and treating them just as you would treat anyone else. Such a pleasure! I'm so sad this series is almost over because I love this little world of Draven's survivors, but I trust we have much more to look forward to in the future!
I just loved the heroine, she was so positive and kind and good humored, she balanced out the hero and really brought out the best in him. This is such a feel good novel and I love how Trauma informed Shana Galen seems to be! I really love to see authors portraying people with disabilities in a respectful way and treating them just as you would treat anyone else. Such a pleasure! I'm so sad this series is almost over because I love this little world of Draven's survivors, but I trust we have much more to look forward to in the future!
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January 27, 2021
I enjoyed this story of an almost blind former sharpshooter from the war against Napoleon, and an independent oldest daughter of missionaries. I found it unique and I really wondered what kind of heroine Shana Galen would pull out of her imagination for poor broken Nash. She did an awesome job of crafting a heroine who wants to help those who need it and in the process healing Nash's wounded soul.
Nash Pope is in a deep depression and suffering from severe PTSD after being almost blinded in the war. He's one of the survivors of Draven's suicide troop. As a man who is blind in one eye and can only see shadows out of the other he feels worthless to anyone and is suicidal. He's still remarkably accurate with a pistol though even drunk and mostly blind. He's retreated to a country estate of his Earl father's and lives alone, pushing everyone away who wants to help. His father, the Earl of Beaufort threatens to send him to an asylum to keep others safe. His friends try to help but he points his gun and shoots at them to keep them away. Finally with the threat of asylum his former commander Draven sends Rowden to help clean up the estate and dry Nash out.
He meets Prudence Howard when she's singing a very bawdy drinking song while out for a walk in the fields. He's enchanted in spite of himself. He chases her off but she comes back. Pru is under the supervision of the local vicar that her parents left her with. She disgraced them on a mission in Cairo and they refused to take her on their missions anymore. Even being 23 she is left penniless so she fills her days trying to help others. She decides she can teach Nash night writing she learned in France, a code similar to braille. Nash agrees and that starts their unexpected journey to love. Rowden hires workers to clean up the estate and got rid of all the alcohol to sober Nash up. Pru helps him see life again. He begins to see with her help that he's not worthless. Nash on the other hand helps Pru realize she has a beautiful, giving soul and what's on the outside doesn't matter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Nash Pope is in a deep depression and suffering from severe PTSD after being almost blinded in the war. He's one of the survivors of Draven's suicide troop. As a man who is blind in one eye and can only see shadows out of the other he feels worthless to anyone and is suicidal. He's still remarkably accurate with a pistol though even drunk and mostly blind. He's retreated to a country estate of his Earl father's and lives alone, pushing everyone away who wants to help. His father, the Earl of Beaufort threatens to send him to an asylum to keep others safe. His friends try to help but he points his gun and shoots at them to keep them away. Finally with the threat of asylum his former commander Draven sends Rowden to help clean up the estate and dry Nash out.
He meets Prudence Howard when she's singing a very bawdy drinking song while out for a walk in the fields. He's enchanted in spite of himself. He chases her off but she comes back. Pru is under the supervision of the local vicar that her parents left her with. She disgraced them on a mission in Cairo and they refused to take her on their missions anymore. Even being 23 she is left penniless so she fills her days trying to help others. She decides she can teach Nash night writing she learned in France, a code similar to braille. Nash agrees and that starts their unexpected journey to love. Rowden hires workers to clean up the estate and got rid of all the alcohol to sober Nash up. Pru helps him see life again. He begins to see with her help that he's not worthless. Nash on the other hand helps Pru realize she has a beautiful, giving soul and what's on the outside doesn't matter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 19, 2021
The H is returned soldier, blind and isolated in a wreck of a house. The h is the daughter of missionaries, and tries to help the H live a better life. She's poor, plain and a misfit but she helped her blind sister to learn how to read and write. I liked how their relationship started, with slightly odd heroine getting distracted and the H not being able to see what's going on. It's a lovely story.
August 27, 2024
This was good but the villain got away too easily. The hero should have at least punched him in the nose hard.
January 19, 2021
Sweet Rogue of Mine is Book 9 of the
Survivors Series. It's easily my favorite
Shana Galen series. Scheduled for
February 9, 2021 release.
Prudence Howard is humble and honest.
She is kind to those around her. Pru will help
anyone that needs it. And for some reason,
trouble seems to follow her around. Just waiting
for a chance to strike.
Then there is Nash Pope. He has survived war, losing
his sight and bullets. He has survived his own best
efforts to do himself in. Nash finds himself wandering
his property only to wind up stuck in the mud.
Then he hears a woman singing. His life is forever changed.
The next day, Prudence discovers his blindness. She tells
him that had she known, she would not have helped him
the day before. He is shocked that she would not have
helped him if she had known he was blind. As she explains
to him, "Those who are blind or deaf or crippled want to be
treated with the same dignity as everyone else."
"You offered assistance because you thought I had perfect vision."
"Exactly. I thought you were just being a typical man and
refusing help out of stupidity."
Nash all but choked at that statement.
"But if turns out you were just being determined. I have been
scolded by enough one-legged beggars to know that they
would rather do it on their own. It's a point of pride.
To offer assistance would be to imply I thought you were not
competent. I did not mean to make you feel so.
"That is certainly an .....interesting way of thinking
about the world."
This gives you all you need to know about Pru.
Nash and Pru have so many things against them. The world
does not generally look kindly at those with mental health
issues or a wide open way of looking at life. Can the two
of them come to terms? With each other? With those
around them? Those that have left them? Those that have
been there thru the worst with them?
Shana Galen has added a wonderful chapter to this series.
The Survivors continue on. Living and loving and enjoying life.
Survivors Series. It's easily my favorite
Shana Galen series. Scheduled for
February 9, 2021 release.
Prudence Howard is humble and honest.
She is kind to those around her. Pru will help
anyone that needs it. And for some reason,
trouble seems to follow her around. Just waiting
for a chance to strike.
Then there is Nash Pope. He has survived war, losing
his sight and bullets. He has survived his own best
efforts to do himself in. Nash finds himself wandering
his property only to wind up stuck in the mud.
Then he hears a woman singing. His life is forever changed.
The next day, Prudence discovers his blindness. She tells
him that had she known, she would not have helped him
the day before. He is shocked that she would not have
helped him if she had known he was blind. As she explains
to him, "Those who are blind or deaf or crippled want to be
treated with the same dignity as everyone else."
"You offered assistance because you thought I had perfect vision."
"Exactly. I thought you were just being a typical man and
refusing help out of stupidity."
Nash all but choked at that statement.
"But if turns out you were just being determined. I have been
scolded by enough one-legged beggars to know that they
would rather do it on their own. It's a point of pride.
To offer assistance would be to imply I thought you were not
competent. I did not mean to make you feel so.
"That is certainly an .....interesting way of thinking
about the world."
This gives you all you need to know about Pru.
Nash and Pru have so many things against them. The world
does not generally look kindly at those with mental health
issues or a wide open way of looking at life. Can the two
of them come to terms? With each other? With those
around them? Those that have left them? Those that have
been there thru the worst with them?
Shana Galen has added a wonderful chapter to this series.
The Survivors continue on. Living and loving and enjoying life.
February 22, 2021
I liked this entry into the Survivors series. Nash's struggles with his blindness and PTSD were poignant, and reminded us all of present-day war veterans' situations. However, I could not warm up to Prudence; in the beginning I thought she was a precocious 12 by the way she acted and spoke--I was surprised when she revealed she was 23!
February 18, 2021
Did someone say wounded and grumpy hero meets sunshine heroine???
Pru Howard is a positive, if somewhat odd, unconventional, and even scandalous, daughter of missionaries who have left her behind. Nash Pope is a member of Draven’s Dozen who lost is sight in the war. At his lowest moments Pru bursts into his life full of songs and hope.
From the exploration of PTSD, night reading (the foundations of Braille), and finding your own happiness and place in the world to the chemistry between Pru and Nash and the affection between Pru and her people and Nash and his subtly growing circle the emotions and depth of this Survivors book is Shana Galen at her best!
While this is the ninth book in the series you can definitely jump in here, though I think you’ll appreciate it a bit more if you at least read book eight first.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
Pru Howard is a positive, if somewhat odd, unconventional, and even scandalous, daughter of missionaries who have left her behind. Nash Pope is a member of Draven’s Dozen who lost is sight in the war. At his lowest moments Pru bursts into his life full of songs and hope.
From the exploration of PTSD, night reading (the foundations of Braille), and finding your own happiness and place in the world to the chemistry between Pru and Nash and the affection between Pru and her people and Nash and his subtly growing circle the emotions and depth of this Survivors book is Shana Galen at her best!
While this is the ninth book in the series you can definitely jump in here, though I think you’ll appreciate it a bit more if you at least read book eight first.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
February 28, 2021
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1s4
Nash Pope is a member of Draven’s Dozen, a group of former soldiers who were part of an original group of thirty who accepted dangerous missions during the war. Nash is a sharpshooter, who, in addition to his guilt over his wartime activities, suffered a terrible injury. He has completely lost the sight of one eye, and almost all in the other. All he sees now are vague shadows. His PTSD and his bitterness over his blindness have caused him to strike out at everyone, including family and his fellow soldiers. His father is unable to tolerate his behavior in town, so has sent him off to a somewhat ramshackle family estate in the country. Nash has basically driven off all of the servants, and lives his life clutching a gun close to him, and losing himself in drink. When his friend, Rowden, comes to visit, warning him that his father is considering having him institutionalized, Nash finally accepts that he must pull himself together, or face life in an asylum. Nash does not want Rowden’s, or anyone’s, company, but he realizes that he does need help. Then he encounters a stranger on his property, a female singing a bawdy song, seemingly unaffected by his rude behavior.
Prudence “Pru” Howard is the daughter of missionaries, who have left her behind in the care of the local vicar as they head off on a mission in the Far East. A discretion in Pru’s past greatly disappointed her parents, who no longer want her to accompany them. Pru’s plain looks and lack of wealth and status have left her basically friendless, so she spends her time doing chores in the vicar’s household or walking the countryside. When Pru initially encounters Nash, she doesn’t realize that he is blind, and doesn’t treat him any differently, or deferentially, as the son of an earl. When she later finds out about his affliction, she decides to go back to apologize for her behavior. They end up talking about Pru’s sister, who is also blind, and who has learned a new method of reading, one where she uses her fingertips to “read” raised characters on paper. Nash is intrigued enough to want Pru to become his tutor and teach him this method.
I adore free-spirited Pru, who never seems to let herself be beaten down, no matter the circumstances. She accepts her fate of being plain and poor, as well as being mocked by many of the other young ladies in town. She joyously sings off color songs, and isn’t afraid to pursue a relationship with Nash when he becomes interested. She never tries to make herself out to be something she’s not, and never hesitates to tell Nash the truth about her past or her circumstances, or even that she’s far from beautiful. To Nash, however, she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever known. Something in Pru calls to Nash, making him want to live again, and even making him believe that he can do more than he ever imagined. I love how Pru reassures Nash that physically, he is still devastatingly handsome, and how his touch makes Pru feel truly beautiful.
Glimpses of Nash in a previous book made me genuinely doubt that he could be redeemed, or, quite frankly, whether I would even care, as he struck me as that far gone. In SWEET ROGUE OF MINE, I learned about his genuine torment over things he had done and how he was suffering with seemingly no way back to himself. Shana Galen did such an excellent job of portraying a man on the edge, and how love arrived just in time. Rowden is also a significant part of this story, working desperately to get Nash back to a state where he is fit to meet his father, and convince him that he’s capable of living on his own. The new valet, Clopdon, is a gem, one who provides several smiles. Of course, there is a villain, a spoiled, rejected suitor, who ends up getting just what he deserves. SWEET ROGUE OF MINE is a lovely, steamy, and romantic read, one that I wholeheartedly recommend, with lead characters I loved. It can be read as a standalone, but I do recommend the whole Survivors series for some of Shana Galen’s best writing ever.
Nash Pope is a member of Draven’s Dozen, a group of former soldiers who were part of an original group of thirty who accepted dangerous missions during the war. Nash is a sharpshooter, who, in addition to his guilt over his wartime activities, suffered a terrible injury. He has completely lost the sight of one eye, and almost all in the other. All he sees now are vague shadows. His PTSD and his bitterness over his blindness have caused him to strike out at everyone, including family and his fellow soldiers. His father is unable to tolerate his behavior in town, so has sent him off to a somewhat ramshackle family estate in the country. Nash has basically driven off all of the servants, and lives his life clutching a gun close to him, and losing himself in drink. When his friend, Rowden, comes to visit, warning him that his father is considering having him institutionalized, Nash finally accepts that he must pull himself together, or face life in an asylum. Nash does not want Rowden’s, or anyone’s, company, but he realizes that he does need help. Then he encounters a stranger on his property, a female singing a bawdy song, seemingly unaffected by his rude behavior.
Prudence “Pru” Howard is the daughter of missionaries, who have left her behind in the care of the local vicar as they head off on a mission in the Far East. A discretion in Pru’s past greatly disappointed her parents, who no longer want her to accompany them. Pru’s plain looks and lack of wealth and status have left her basically friendless, so she spends her time doing chores in the vicar’s household or walking the countryside. When Pru initially encounters Nash, she doesn’t realize that he is blind, and doesn’t treat him any differently, or deferentially, as the son of an earl. When she later finds out about his affliction, she decides to go back to apologize for her behavior. They end up talking about Pru’s sister, who is also blind, and who has learned a new method of reading, one where she uses her fingertips to “read” raised characters on paper. Nash is intrigued enough to want Pru to become his tutor and teach him this method.
I adore free-spirited Pru, who never seems to let herself be beaten down, no matter the circumstances. She accepts her fate of being plain and poor, as well as being mocked by many of the other young ladies in town. She joyously sings off color songs, and isn’t afraid to pursue a relationship with Nash when he becomes interested. She never tries to make herself out to be something she’s not, and never hesitates to tell Nash the truth about her past or her circumstances, or even that she’s far from beautiful. To Nash, however, she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever known. Something in Pru calls to Nash, making him want to live again, and even making him believe that he can do more than he ever imagined. I love how Pru reassures Nash that physically, he is still devastatingly handsome, and how his touch makes Pru feel truly beautiful.
Glimpses of Nash in a previous book made me genuinely doubt that he could be redeemed, or, quite frankly, whether I would even care, as he struck me as that far gone. In SWEET ROGUE OF MINE, I learned about his genuine torment over things he had done and how he was suffering with seemingly no way back to himself. Shana Galen did such an excellent job of portraying a man on the edge, and how love arrived just in time. Rowden is also a significant part of this story, working desperately to get Nash back to a state where he is fit to meet his father, and convince him that he’s capable of living on his own. The new valet, Clopdon, is a gem, one who provides several smiles. Of course, there is a villain, a spoiled, rejected suitor, who ends up getting just what he deserves. SWEET ROGUE OF MINE is a lovely, steamy, and romantic read, one that I wholeheartedly recommend, with lead characters I loved. It can be read as a standalone, but I do recommend the whole Survivors series for some of Shana Galen’s best writing ever.
January 11, 2022
Nash was a sharpshooter in the Napoleonic war. He was injured and lost his sight. Now, he drinks himself senseless in a house that belongs to his father, an earl. Nash has all the memories of his war experiences running through his head. He has PTSD.
And to protect himself from the next attack by the French, he carries a pistol at all times. In fact, he shot one of his best friends, because he was having a flashback. In the village it is well known that Nash is insane. It is also well known that his father will be taking him to an asylum very soon.
Prudence (Pru) is being held as a ward of the vicar in the village. Her parents are missionaries and have gone off leaving Pru behind. Her existence is less than ideal, but she is an optimist. She makes the most of her situation. And because her situation is really terrible, she is overcoming a great deal.
When Pru meets Nash, he is immediately aware that she is nothing like people he knows. She sees the world and she shares her vision with Nash. She reminds him of the beauty in the world. But, it is a hard sell because he has no hope.
This is a well written story. But, that is just what I expect from Ms Galen.
The characters are all interesting. Even the secondary characters bring a great deal of depth to the story.
There are three older women who become involved with Pru. The woman who cooks and cleans for Nash – is an awful cook. The woman who cooks for the vicar and Pru is an excellent cook. And there is an older woman who helps Pru create a new dress for herself. Each of these women help the plot move forward at the same time providing Pru with emotional support.
When Pru offers to help Nash learn a type of writing which could help him read, he agrees. This writing is the precursor for what would eventually become Braille. And because Nash is a quick study, he can see the possibilities. Pru learned the writing because her sister is blind and they write letters to one another.
I liked that part of the plot which shows Pru for the woman she is. She is intelligent, she speaks her mind and she is open to the world.
Nash feels that his life should be over. When Pru gives him the slightest hint of possibilities, he overcomes his fears and reaches for the help she represents.
This is a plot which moves along at a regular pace. There are hurdles for Pru and Nash to overcome. There are people working to support Nash and provide Pru with the ability to bring him back from the edge.
I enjoyed this story
Pru and Nash are attractive characters. Rowden Payne is a good friend of Nash’s and he provides protection for him. All in all, both Pru and Nash get a little help from their friends.
And to protect himself from the next attack by the French, he carries a pistol at all times. In fact, he shot one of his best friends, because he was having a flashback. In the village it is well known that Nash is insane. It is also well known that his father will be taking him to an asylum very soon.
Prudence (Pru) is being held as a ward of the vicar in the village. Her parents are missionaries and have gone off leaving Pru behind. Her existence is less than ideal, but she is an optimist. She makes the most of her situation. And because her situation is really terrible, she is overcoming a great deal.
When Pru meets Nash, he is immediately aware that she is nothing like people he knows. She sees the world and she shares her vision with Nash. She reminds him of the beauty in the world. But, it is a hard sell because he has no hope.
This is a well written story. But, that is just what I expect from Ms Galen.
The characters are all interesting. Even the secondary characters bring a great deal of depth to the story.
There are three older women who become involved with Pru. The woman who cooks and cleans for Nash – is an awful cook. The woman who cooks for the vicar and Pru is an excellent cook. And there is an older woman who helps Pru create a new dress for herself. Each of these women help the plot move forward at the same time providing Pru with emotional support.
When Pru offers to help Nash learn a type of writing which could help him read, he agrees. This writing is the precursor for what would eventually become Braille. And because Nash is a quick study, he can see the possibilities. Pru learned the writing because her sister is blind and they write letters to one another.
I liked that part of the plot which shows Pru for the woman she is. She is intelligent, she speaks her mind and she is open to the world.
Nash feels that his life should be over. When Pru gives him the slightest hint of possibilities, he overcomes his fears and reaches for the help she represents.
This is a plot which moves along at a regular pace. There are hurdles for Pru and Nash to overcome. There are people working to support Nash and provide Pru with the ability to bring him back from the edge.
I enjoyed this story
Pru and Nash are attractive characters. Rowden Payne is a good friend of Nash’s and he provides protection for him. All in all, both Pru and Nash get a little help from their friends.
February 3, 2021
When a shrapnel from a pistol ball on the battlefield took Nash’s sight, it also took his entire identity. He’s retreated into himself to lick his wounds, but his drinking &behaviour had his father sending him to a country estate but the isolation have only made things worse. When his father, threatens to send Nash to an asylum, his former brothers-in-arms call in Rowden Payne, one of their own to set Nash back on the right course. Prudence Howard has travelled the world with her missionary parents. But after the scandal she caused in Cairo, they’ve foisted her on a vicar in the small town of Milcroft and sailed to the Far East to evangelise without her. Pru doesn’t mean to cause trouble; it’s just that being good is so very hard. When she meets Nash Pope, she’s instantly intrigued. Nash is bewildered by the unconventional woman who keeps turning up on his doorstep. She tries to teach him night writing, claims a feral peacock is a momentous sign, and makes his toes curl when she kisses him.
This is the ninth book in the series, it could be read on its own but if you love series then I’d recommend reading from the beginning. I love the author’s books & have never been disappointed & this book is another well written book with wonderful characters. We met Nash in the previous book & I wondered if he could be redeemed. I was engrossed from start to finish & read this lovely book in two sittings. I absolutely adored Pru, one of the loveliest heroines you’ll come across, also the more I read the more I came to like & finally love Nash. The secondary characters are also delightful especially Rowden, Clopton & Mrs Northgate. The author handled Nash's melancholy & blindness sensitively & revealed how he felt behind the angry, drunken front. I loved the road to their HEA which took me on a gamut of emotions from laughing to crying.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is the ninth book in the series, it could be read on its own but if you love series then I’d recommend reading from the beginning. I love the author’s books & have never been disappointed & this book is another well written book with wonderful characters. We met Nash in the previous book & I wondered if he could be redeemed. I was engrossed from start to finish & read this lovely book in two sittings. I absolutely adored Pru, one of the loveliest heroines you’ll come across, also the more I read the more I came to like & finally love Nash. The secondary characters are also delightful especially Rowden, Clopton & Mrs Northgate. The author handled Nash's melancholy & blindness sensitively & revealed how he felt behind the angry, drunken front. I loved the road to their HEA which took me on a gamut of emotions from laughing to crying.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
December 30, 2024
I adored this book. It got me from the beginning and didn’t let up for even a second. The chemistry between Nash and Prudence flew from the pages and the story itself was fantastic. I wanted to get to the end to see them get their happily ever after all while I wished it would never end because I was so caught up with it all.
Pru is the daughter of missionaries who for all intent and purposes, have abandoned her with the local village vicar. She has embarrassed and shamed them and she doubts she will ever see them again. It bothers her that nobody wants her, but she is independent and unconventional and gosh darn the consequences.
Nash stole my heart. He’s a war veteran, has lost his sight, and suffers from PTSD. He was a sharpshooter while he was in the military and that has carried over into his civilian life and despite his diminished ability to see, packs a pistol at all times and has even put a round into one of friends while in a drunken stupor and suffering through a flashback. Everybody thinks he’s dangerous and can’t be trusted. His own father wants to put him in an asylum. Poor guy.
When Pru encounters Rowden Payne recruiting workers to renovate and repair Nash Pope’s home, she wants in. She needs new shoes and clothes and doesn’t know how much money her parents left the vicar for her care. She doesn’t know anything about construction, but she knows she can help him in other ways.
There was a lot of steam between Nash and Pru, proving that love doesn’t need sight to see. The secondary characters were important and offered comedic relief at times.
This was a magnificent story and I hope to read the entire series.
*This is part of a series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel
Pru is the daughter of missionaries who for all intent and purposes, have abandoned her with the local village vicar. She has embarrassed and shamed them and she doubts she will ever see them again. It bothers her that nobody wants her, but she is independent and unconventional and gosh darn the consequences.
Nash stole my heart. He’s a war veteran, has lost his sight, and suffers from PTSD. He was a sharpshooter while he was in the military and that has carried over into his civilian life and despite his diminished ability to see, packs a pistol at all times and has even put a round into one of friends while in a drunken stupor and suffering through a flashback. Everybody thinks he’s dangerous and can’t be trusted. His own father wants to put him in an asylum. Poor guy.
When Pru encounters Rowden Payne recruiting workers to renovate and repair Nash Pope’s home, she wants in. She needs new shoes and clothes and doesn’t know how much money her parents left the vicar for her care. She doesn’t know anything about construction, but she knows she can help him in other ways.
There was a lot of steam between Nash and Pru, proving that love doesn’t need sight to see. The secondary characters were important and offered comedic relief at times.
This was a magnificent story and I hope to read the entire series.
*This is part of a series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel
January 18, 2021
Nash Pope was the best sharpshooter in the war until a sniper bullet robbed him of his sight. Now back in England, Nash is angry, depressed and doesn't care a whit for this new sightless life. He is isolated and refuses to see any of his fellow war brothers-in-arms and even goes so far as to shoot one of them when he tries to help Nash. He's ready to end his life when he hears a young lady singing a bawdy song. It's his first introduction to Miss Prudence Howard, a missionary's daughter. Prudence has been abandoned by her parents and left in the care of the local vicar. She's odd and doesn't fit in, but somehow she and Nash form a tenuous friendship. Can she bring this scarred soldier back to life and open his heart to love?
I've enjoyed each of the Survivor series books, but this one has to be my favorites most especially because of Pru. She's a refreshing character who is not the usual beautiful young lady, but she sees something in Nash that pulls on her heart strings. The more reluctant he is to see her, the more she perseveres. She can help him read and write again and she won't let him hide away in a crumbling estate. Nash is the reluctant hero believing without his sight, he is of little use to anyone. Ms. Galen does a fantastic job of conveying the horror of the war and his PTSD. I also liked that Nash wasn't miraculously healed at the end of the book, but the author left him with hope and love for a better future. I'm not a fan of the title because Nash is hardly a rogue, but this is a minor criticism. One note of caution-there are graphic sex scenes in this book.
I voluntarily read this advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
I've enjoyed each of the Survivor series books, but this one has to be my favorites most especially because of Pru. She's a refreshing character who is not the usual beautiful young lady, but she sees something in Nash that pulls on her heart strings. The more reluctant he is to see her, the more she perseveres. She can help him read and write again and she won't let him hide away in a crumbling estate. Nash is the reluctant hero believing without his sight, he is of little use to anyone. Ms. Galen does a fantastic job of conveying the horror of the war and his PTSD. I also liked that Nash wasn't miraculously healed at the end of the book, but the author left him with hope and love for a better future. I'm not a fan of the title because Nash is hardly a rogue, but this is a minor criticism. One note of caution-there are graphic sex scenes in this book.
I voluntarily read this advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
February 9, 2021
When we met Nash in the last book I knew his story was going to be a must-read and it didn’t disappoint. Nash and Pru are very different from each other and exactly what each other needed. There’s heat between them from the moment they meet and she is determined to keep him from being sent away or worse. Their love proves beauty is deeper than what you see because both believed they were ugly and no one would want them.
They brought out the best in each other and protected each other. Anyone around them could see the love and passion between them so it was no surprise when their passion leads to some problems that in the end helped them more. The peacock ties into everything and is a wonderful story.
Pru is full of life, stories, and doesn’t give up on anything or anyone. Her personality will make you smile from the start with the song she is singing and how bouncy she is. She knew what Nash needed wasn’t pity or help, but to take care of himself and deal with what haunted him. Because of the scandal in Cairo, she knew more than other young women and didn’t hide her passion.
Nash has shot a friend, locked himself away, and he fears he’ll hurt those he cares about. He used a gun to protect himself in more ways than one, but Pru made him lose the need for it. The more you learn about him the more you love him and you will be holding your breath when he must face his fears.
The ending was absolutely perfect and left me holding my breath the whole time and then jumping up and down with what happened.
Copy provided for an honest and voluntary review
They brought out the best in each other and protected each other. Anyone around them could see the love and passion between them so it was no surprise when their passion leads to some problems that in the end helped them more. The peacock ties into everything and is a wonderful story.
Pru is full of life, stories, and doesn’t give up on anything or anyone. Her personality will make you smile from the start with the song she is singing and how bouncy she is. She knew what Nash needed wasn’t pity or help, but to take care of himself and deal with what haunted him. Because of the scandal in Cairo, she knew more than other young women and didn’t hide her passion.
Nash has shot a friend, locked himself away, and he fears he’ll hurt those he cares about. He used a gun to protect himself in more ways than one, but Pru made him lose the need for it. The more you learn about him the more you love him and you will be holding your breath when he must face his fears.
The ending was absolutely perfect and left me holding my breath the whole time and then jumping up and down with what happened.
Copy provided for an honest and voluntary review
February 9, 2021
The Survivors series by Shana Galen keeps getting better and better! Sweet Rogue of Mine, the ninth and newest book in the series, is a delightful story that showcases it’s unusual hero and heroine. Their journey to their HEA is both heart-warming and, and at times, heart-breaking.
Prudence Howard is not the stereotypical romance novel heroine. Instead of being beautiful, she is rather plain looking. Instead of being a virgin, she has had a previous love affair. It was this affair that led her missionary parents to abandon her at the home of a small town vicar. Through it all, however, Pru managed to stay hopeful and cheerful. She was fascinated by Nash Pope, the son of an earl, when they accidentally met in a garden. Again, unlike the usual romance novel hero, he was angry, ill tempered, and apparently suffering from PTSD. He also had physical scars from his military service. He was hit by a stray pistol ball and it left him blind. Ever the optimist, Pru thought she could help him, and so began their journey.
Nash and Pru are wonderful lead characters. They are complex and well-written, and I found myself cheering for them all the way. It was refreshing that Ms. Galen stepped out of the box to give us characters that did not fit the norm. It was also refreshing to have a cast of supporting characters that were such an intricate part of the plot,
Thank you Shana Galen for this novel and this series. I can’t wait for the next one!
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.
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