⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes and no. This is a sweet, heart-warming story of redemption and self-forgiveness.

Growing up in isolation in Cornwall, Tamsin Penrose looks forward to the one month each year that she spends in an idyllic seaside town with her best friends. She’s shocked to receive a letter from her reclusive father informing her of a potential groom, they’ve never even discussed marriage and she rather expected to be a spinster. But she’s met a charming, if serious, baron and now she’s dreaming of a romantic, wedded life. During his annual trip to a friend’s seaside estate, broody Isaac Deverell, Baron Droxford, finds himself in an objectionable situation: socializing with a group of ladies over several days. He is not prepared for the storm of cheerfulness that is Miss Penrose, nor can he deny that she makes him feel good. Because Isaac is an unheroic rogue with a devastatingly sinful secret, he should flee this delightful ray of sunshine. However, he can’t keep his distance, and when her overzealous suitor arrives and won’t take no for an answer, Isaac protects her in a scandalously public fashion. Now he can’t run from her. Can these attracted opposites find a happy ever after, or will the past destroy their chance?

MY THOUGHTS

Let’s start with the beginning, which was my least favourite part. It started out slow, even though a lot of things were happening, and I kept wondering where all of this was heading. There were way too many discussions on the subject of rogues, which just made me think that the ladies weren’t all that well-versed in rogue-ery and were basing all of their observations on one friend’s bad experience. And then, of course, the man that our FMC was interested in couldn’t possibly fall in the rogue category, so she was free to associate with him.

I quite enjoyed the middle part a lot more where it was mostly only Tamsin and Isaac confronting their relationship issues. It was sweet and very reflective of the tentative connection between them. I understand that when Isaac was young it was easier to let his family take care of his problem, but surely as he got older and gained more influence, he could’ve tried to find out the truth, instead of torturing himself with guilt and his own imagination.

Isaac spent so much time trying to avoid Tamsin and his growing feelings for her, and that made the ending feel a bit rushed. There was enough chemistry to make them believable and interesting. And I loved the mention of the town Marrywell from the Marrywell Brides series.

This is book two in the series, but it stands well on its own. You might like this if you like your historical romance with tortured heroes and strong, supporting heroines.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Romance
Published: April 30, 2024
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Rogue Rules