HER SECRET SCANDAL As far as London’s high society knows, Lady Isabel Morrow is above reproach. But the truth is rarely so simple. Though the young widow’s passionate fling with dashing Bow Street Runner Callum Jenks ended amicably months ago, she now needs his expertise. It seems Isabel’s late husband, a respected art dealer, was peddling forgeries. If those misdeeds are revealed, the marriage … revealed, the marriage prospects of his younger cousin— now Isabel’s ward—will be ruined.
For the second time, Isabel has upended Callum’s well-ordered world. He’s resolved to help her secretly replace the forgeries with the real masterpieces, as a . . . friend. A proper sort of friend doesn’t burn with desire, of course, or steal kisses on twilight errands. Or draw a willing lady into one passionate encounter after another. Isabel’s scheme is testing Callum’s heart as well as his loyalties. But with pleasure so intoxicating, the real crime would be to resist . . .
“Richly rewarding.”
—Booklist, Starred Review on Fortune Favors the Wicked
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Usually I enjoy Ms. Roman’s books, but this one just didn’t work for me. There were too many things/events that didn’t fit into the regency genre I’ve come to love. Lady Isabel Morrow has been widowed for 18 months and once again in a short span she requires the services of Officer of the Police, Callum Jenks, for an unorthodox problem that she cannot solve herself. This is the first problem I had with the book. It was a strange request that is not lawful and yet Officer Jenks goes along with it even though he knows he shouldn’t. He cannot say no to Isabel because he’s fallen for the lady–a problem that cannot be resolved because of their lot in life. He will never be accepted by the ton, yet Isabel is like a siren for him.
I did not like the twist involving Isabel’s ward, Lucy, and so the events surrounding her were just too much for me. There was no public scandal/outcry for the events that happened at the ball. Ms. Romain is a talented author and can keep the reader engaged to the end, but this book just did not appeal to me.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review and was not obligated to post a review.
Isabel was not looking for scandal. It just found her twice. Callum did not plan to end risking his reputation and heart. It just happened. Can this tantalizing duo, give love a chance as they race to right a wrong? Lady Rogue is an intricate tale of love, lust and intrigue. What began as an affair quickly spirals into something beyond their control. Love.
Lady Rogue by Theresa Romain is book three in The Royal Rewards series. This is the story of Isabel Morrow and Callum Jenks. I have read the other books in this series but feel this can be a standalone book.
Isabel husband died but now it is coming out that he may have been killed and that the art he was dealing in was forgeries. Isabel needs Callum help with getting everything straitening out before being found out. But their past relationship and now friendship is turning back into a current relationship that is hotter than before.
Loved reading their story.
London 1818. Lady Isabel Morrow is in need of help. Not just any help but the kind if not carefully handled might ruin her name and thus her ward’s chances of a good marriage. Widowed and left a home, money and a ward, she discovers her late husband, a respected art dealer was selling forged paintings and keeping the originals. What to do? Calling on Bow Street Runner, Callum Jenks, she hoped he might help replace the forged paintings with the originals before they were found. What, a reserve burglary? Well yes and after she and Jenks had a brief fling when he was helping her investigate the death of her husband, he was the logical person to trust! Would a respected officer help her with her scheme? Could he stay away from the emotions Isabel pulled out of him when he was around her? Filled with surprises and unexpected turns, I could not wait to find out what happened. A well written story about two people from different classes that are brought together. Although part of a series, but this can be read as a standalone!
As far as London’s high society knows, Lady Isabel Morrow is above reproach. Though the young widow’s passionate fling with dashing Bow Street Runner Callum Jenks ended amicably months ago, she now needs his expertise. It seems Isabel’s late husband, a respected art dealer, was peddling forgeries. If those misdeeds are revealed, the marriage prospects of his younger cousin, Lucy now Isabel’s ward will be ruined. For the second time, Isabel has upended Callum’s well-ordered world. He’s resolved to help her secretly replace the forgeries with the real masterpieces, as a friend.
This book had everything to be a five star read, mystery, blackmail, suspicious death but for me it just fell a little flat. I found it hard to relate to Isabel, she was a widow who had always behaved impeccably & in many ways was almost downtrodden. She’d started to throw away the shackles that had bound her all her life but falling for a grocer’s son just didn’t sit right with me for a Regency novel. I liked Callum having met him briefly in the previous books in the series & glad that he had his HEA.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I wanted, so much, to love this book, the characters, the story, etc. but I just couldn’t get there. The characters just weren’t believable nor were their actions, but I think that is mostly because of the time the author chose to set the story within. The setting is the Regency (1818) period but absolutely none of the societal norms of the times are present and that just makes it all totally unbelievable. If the story were set at a later time when Callum (son of a grocer) really could have been referred to as an ‘Officer of the Police’, or Isobel (daughter of a Marquess) really could have received him in the drawing room after he entered through the front door, or she really could have visited (happily chatting) with his family in their grocery store, or she could have freely visited him at his rooming house unaccompanied, etc., well, then maybe the story would have worked. This author writes well, but this story was so non-Regency that I just couldn’t get into it.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”