“Rich with subplot, historical detail and beautifully descriptive writing that keeps the pages turning until the delightfully unconventional happy ending.”—NPRAn Indie Next/LibraryReads pick!An Apple Must Listen Audiobook for September!A lady must have money and an army of her own if she is to win a revolution—but first, she must pit her wits against the wiles of an irresistible rogue bent on … irresistible rogue bent on wrecking her plans…and her heart.
Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis and London’s undisputed lord of sin, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.
Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smoldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.
As Lucie tries to out-maneuver Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war…
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It took awhile for these characters to grow on me, and at ~ 1/3 though I had trouble seeing the hero as heroic, and the heroine seemed almost one dimensional in her laser focus on her cause. Stick with it, I really liked the book in the end, though it wasn’t as sweet as some romances are.
This was my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last. I was intrigued by the cover – no bulging muscles clasping a half naked woman. That does get tiresome, to the extent that I no longer even look at the covers, depending on the author and reviews. I was further impressed by a very different storyline with very interesting characters. I will not rehash the plot here, but I will say that it was fresh and interesting and I was never quite sure how the story would twist and turn to its conclusion. Do yourself a favor and enjoy a refreshing change from the usual boilerplate romance. I have now read the first 2 books in the series, and look forward to the third.
Not quite as good as the first one in the series, but a really solid story and characters I cared about.
I’m actually a huge fan of every word in it, thanks to the writer. I suggest you join NōvelStar’s writing competition this April.
THE MARRIED WOMEN’S PROPERTY ACT
Lady Lucinda is a leader of British Suffragist. Tristan, Lord Ballentine, has been a thorn in her side since they were children. He may have earned the Victoria Cross for his heroism in Afghanistan, but is known for his risque behavior in Oxford and London. Lucie and her fellow Oxford Suffragists are pooling their money to buy half ownership in a publishing company. What better way to spread the cause! Unfortunately after the sale, guess who owns the other half? Tristan has his own secrets for publishing and he plans to keep control on all the publications. During one of their explosive confrontations, Tristan offers Lucie the majority ownership in exchange for one night in his bed. Will one night lead to two…or more? Lucie and Tristan both carry a lot of baggage and pain from their families. Neither one likes to be controlled. It’s no wonder they clash when they’re together. Enemies to lovers to friends. A lot of explicit sex and a different HEA.
just TERRIFIC. character development is very good. good dialogue. let’s you into the characters thinking. …all set in an interesting historical period with suffragettes certainly beginning to get their strength & their voice.
3.5-4 Stars
Evie Dunmore’s first book was a favorite in 2019. Therefore, I was excited to read this next release and pre-ordered a copy. Then, the mixed reviews started flowing in and my copy languished on my tbr pile, no longer in a rush. Now that I’ve finally read it, I’ll admit, there were some great moments and then some not-so-great moments. Even if some troublesome aspects can’t be completely dismissed, I felt that the great moments prevailed.
I’ll start with my first impression of Tristan, the hero of the story. He was unsurprisingly scandalous (not always a bad thing) and perverse (not necessarily a good thing in a non-erotic historical romance.) What I found distasteful was how cavalier he was about his participation in orgies and voyeurism. Or voyeuristic orgies. Are there any other kind? It simply made him kind of icky in my mind right out of the gate. (Note: This was revealed during dialogue at two different times. It was never graphically on page.) I wasn’t sure if Dunmore could turn his character around for me.
Some may wonder why I continued after the inauspicious start with Tristan. For the most part, Lucie, along with her suffragette friends, carried the story for me. Lucie was a woman torn between her commitment to singledom and the suffragette movement (which went hand and hand in her eyes) and her pull toward Tristan. Like the previous book in the series, this story relies heavily on the heroine’s work for the suffragette movement. I liked how the story balanced the desires of Lucie’s heart with her pointedly determined work for women’s rights and how they could or couldn’t potentially coexist. The story also showed the concerted efforts of some women who wielded their feminine power negatively to get what they wanted through deceitful means. Not only to hurt fellow women, but (maybe unwittingly?) hinder the momentum of the movement as a whole. All of this showcased the strength of Lucie and her fellow suffragists. Women who were each others staunchest supporters and loyal defenders.
The hero eventually and halfheartedly won me over with his long-standing unrequited attraction to Lucie and desire to see her happy. His revealed behavior early in the book wasn’t forgotten, but the intensity of my distaste waned as the story progressed. Overall, the romance ended up being quite lovely. I might be a little sad that it wasn’t the 5-star “Top Read” that I found last year in Bringing Down the Duke, but It was a solid and entertaining story overall.
As a historical romance fan, I adore Evie Dunmore. Her first novel in the A League of Extraordinary Women captured my heart and whisked me away to my own stomping grounds – Oxford University.
This second book centers around Lady Lucie – one of the brave band of female suffragists and Lord Ballentine, London’s undisputed lord of sin…if it sounds promising, that’s because IT IS.
This book will soon become a favorite for anyone who loves strong intelligent characters, breathtaking love scenes and witty dialogue!
This doesn’t happen often, but I enjoyed the second installment of this series more than the first! Lucy is an impressive and intrepid heroine, and Tristan is a hero who is comfortable in is masculinity, his sexuality, and, eventually, his vulnerability. These two are both deeply interesting people and their chemistry and rivalry keeps the reader riveted, but what may stand out to me even more than those gems are the depth of research and historical accuracies that make Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women so very extraordinary. I will wait very impatiently for Book 3.
A Rogue of One’s Own is the second book in Evie Dunmore’s “ A league of Extraordinary women” series. Let me start off by saying that I have not read the first book in this series. I don’t think that you need to read them in order, I caught up fairly quickly on who’s who. The first book was Annebelle and Sebastian’s story, this story centers around Luci and Tristian. Luci is a commanding and well known figure in the suffragette movement. She and her fellow suffragettes want to buy a publishing house so they can get more awareness out for the cause. The owners at first hesitated to sell to her at first because of her reputation, and the fact that she is a woman. They finally relent, but Luci learns later that she is the partial owner. The other person who owns the remaining shares is Tristian Ballantine who is a childhood nemesis of hers. This was definitely an enemy to lovers trope. I usually like this trope, but I felt that they were extending it more than it needed to be. There were times that I felt like the heroine was just looking for things to vilify the hero with, which was annoying to me. I wish that was more romance between these two, then conflict and overcoming it. I also liked the family dynamics coming into play in regards to both of their families. Both Tristian and Lucie are alienated from their families in regards to choices that they have made in their lives. Which ties them together, and makes them understand one another better. Despite her hard exterior, you can tell that being alienated from her family has a major impact on Lucie. Which brings up the hidden question if her suffragette work is worth the loneliness that she is feeling? Overall, I really liked the story, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
I’d give this a 4.5 if I could. I enjoyed this second book in the series even more than the first. The problems the heroine faced and the legal challenges set before her made a HEA highly unlikely, and as it was the HEA was there…but now exactly what we’ve come to expect. The hero was complex enough in his own personality that I could enjoy his motivations and actions even when they were problematic.
I’m eagerly looking forward to Book 3!
A Rogue Of One’s Own
By Evie Dunmore
What a winning historical fiction hot romance read I loved! I enjoyed Bringing Down the Duke and this one was just as, if not, better sequel. What a delight to read a perfectly executed hate-to-love trope that is witty, angsty, delectable, hot, amazing chemistry, and with great banter. Lucie and Tristan are a great couple to read about and this series really solidified Evie Dunmore as one of my favorite authors. I am dying to wait for the release of the third installment coming this FALL 2021.
I’m enjoying this historical romance series. Lucy was such a wonderful character. Tristan was a lovable rake! I will definitely continue the series and can’t wait for the next one.
I really liked Bringing Down the Duke so I was very excited when I heard this one was coming out but what I did not expect was to love this book so much more. There is just something about Evie Dunmore’s writing that just pulls me in.
A Rouge of One’s Own is a Regency romance centered around the suffragette movement. This story is a hate to love romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. Big bonus this book can be read as a stand-alone so you do not have to go back and read the first one before you pick this one up.
I really like how the friendships in this book are just as if not more important than the romance. These ladies band together through everything and no matter how a situation looks. Sorry, I can’t say more there I don’t want to spoil something that happens.
Lucie may come from a well-to-do family but for the most part, she has been disowned by her father. He does not condone her fighting for women’s rights and as a result, she lost her family. I love the strength that Lucie shoes when it comes to her family and standing firm for what she believes. This is all during a time when women really do not have a say in their futures. Lucie learns that you can love and be loved and not lose everything.
Tristan. I loved his character so much! Tristan had intense family issues and was sent away when he was a teenager. He is only back because his older brother has died and he is needed to fill the heir position. Yes, that sounds cold the way I put it but the whole situation is cold.
The banter in this story will make you laugh, the romance will make you swoon. If anything you have read has sparked any interest at all please pick this one up.
This is her second book. About women suffragists in the late 1800’s in Oxford. Four different women’ s stories and rights or lack of back then. These four different women tell their stories and are friends. Really realistic and steamy.
THIS BOOK!!! I finished the last chapter and found myself speechless, then greedy for more! There’s so much I want to talk about it, but here are a few things that make me love it so hard:
Enemies-to-lovers (more like she hates him with a passion )
A PINING HERO (since he was twelve!!!), Lord Tristan Ballentine: a war hero, a handsome and infamous rogue, and a published romantic POET *swoon*
A stubborn and emotionally constipated heroine, Lady Lucinda Tedbury: the badass leader of the suffrage movement for women’s rights and freedom.
Smart dialogues and witty conversations that show the characters’ deep thoughts and who they really are underneath the facades that society has put the labels on.
Real interesting historical facts, figures, and events interwoven into the storyline that will give you a glimpse into women’s life during this period. It’s beautifully written and well researched, and I’ve learned so much from it!
Tristan is much more than what society gives him credit for. He’s so misunderstood, mostly by Lucie, and it made my heart hurt ! But he doesn’t back down, he has secretly helped her in subtle ways, given her hints for her work… Once he fully understands the dire circumstances women are dealing with daily and the reasons for Lucie’s fight, he full-on supports her, pulling all his cards for her Cause, and I’m here for it !
I was reading this book when the devastating news of Justice RBG passing hit. I can’t help but imagine Lucie being the fictional version of Justice Ginsburg. Their causes and battles are the same, so are their struggles and frustration, their determination and compassion… And romances are perhaps similar in the sense that they both received full support from their partners… I couldn’t think of a more feminist book than this!
I also love the tight friendship among the four best friends, how they support and stand by each other without judgment, how they share the same conviction and passion for a cause, their tireless efforts to fight against patriarchy… It’s so heartwarming to read about women empowerment done so well here !
This series keeps me thinking about the pioneer women who had fought their whole lives for women’s rights to vote, to pursue higher education, to maintain their independence after marriage… Because of these courageous and persistent trailblazers, we are able to enjoy these privileges today. The road is still full of obstacles, but we have them to thank for, and our job is to keep fighting and carrying on their legacies .
I understand there are some criticisms about the cultural representation in this book. But the author has assured me that she had sought out many sensitivity readers from said culture, some are in Europe, and even one living in the country. I trust her work and believe that she respects and does not make light of anyone’s culture. I hope readers will take a chance on this series and this author, because the feminism messages are powerful and history is so well portrayed. Bravo Ms Dunmore! I can’t wait to see what you’ll have next for us .
Absolutely wonderful 5 read for me!
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1kU
Lady Lucinda “Lucie” Tedbury is a staunch supporter of the suffrage movement, and her current goal is to have the Married Women’s Property Act be amended to be more fair and equitable to women. Lucie’s passion for her cause and her outspokenness caused her father, Earl Wycliffe, to banish her from their home ten years ago when she was just eighteen. Thanks to a small legacy from an aunt, she’s been able to afford a place to live and the necessities. Lucie, along with her friends and fellow suffragettes, have formed an investment group with the intention of becoming controlling owners of London Print, a successful publishing company which will give them the avenue they need to further their cause. When the deal is finally done, Lucie is shocked to learn that her group is now an equal partner with someone who has been her tormentor for fifteen years.
Tristan Ballentine is a returning war hero, a rake, and a scoundrel. He was also formerly a friend of Lucie’s brother, and he spent much time at their home, where he showed his affection for, and fascination with, Lucie by pulling pranks on her, and generally being a nuisance. Now the darling of the ton, Tristan longs to be financially free of his controlling and abusive father. Unbeknownst to Lucie, he actually owned twenty-five percent of London Print for years, and has just purchased another twenty-five percent. He’s aware of how Lucie intends to use the company, and he knows that its success will dramatically drop if she does, thus ruining his own financial goals. He suggests that they forget their childhood antagonism, and try to work together, only to have his character, his person, and his actions denigrated by Lucie. Though her words deeply wound Tristan, they also anger him, as he still seems to have that same fascination for Lucie. He counters with an outrageous proposal of an exchange of one percent interest in the company for one night in bed with her.
Tristan has sufficient sexual experience to realize that while Lucie may hate him, she also feels a strong desire for him. Lucie despises her own weakness, which she’s determined to fight, so she refuses his offer. At least, for a while….
After their night together, Lucie boldly tells Tristan that she wants another. One more night soon turns into almost every night, and their passion soon becomes affection, then caring, then genuine love, though neither has admitted it as such. Lucie has begun to trust Tristan, something she doesn’t give lightly, but he still has secrets that he hasn’t shared with her, secrets that will be disastrous to their relationship if she learns about them.
The first thing I have to say about A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN, is that it’s totally immersive and encompassing. I got lost in the world of Tristan and Lucie, who are two very flawed and imperfect people, yet were characters I loved. Tristan is described as being physically beautiful, a gift that he uses to his own advantage. He has indulged in some debauched activities, as well as many unscrupulous ones, in order to benefit his own interests. Yet, at the same time, he shows tremendous love and caring for both Lucie, and his mother, doing many things behind the scene, without any thought of recognition. He endured a lot as a child from his sleazy father, who still attempts to control him to this day. Lucie, on the other hand, lacks all the charm that Tristan has in abundance. She is brash, bold, impulsive, and seemingly uncaring of the hurt she can inflict with her vicious words. She’s also intelligent, dedicated, and willing to listen to reason when her emotions settle. She took her banishment from her home while still a teenager with strength and a lack of self pity.
I am in awe of Evie Dunmore’s writing. A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN has the same captivating quality as her first book, BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE, which was also a five star read for me. That book does not have to be read in order to enjoy this one, though I do recommend it purely on its own merit. The struggles of women in that time period are vividly and sympathetically portrayed, along with how Lucie’s own trust issues were affected. The romance between this couple is outstanding and honest, sometimes painfully so. I wholeheartedly recommend A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN to all readers, particularly those who enjoy depth, history, strong characters, family drama, and deception, along with an emotional romance and most excellent writing.
Terrific follow-on to Bringing Down the Duke. Once again, the setting is London, late Victorian period, as the Suffragist movement gains steam. The challenges facing women, such as property ownership, voting, and marital abuse, are an excellent backdrop for the romance between Lucie and Tristan.
We met Lucie in the last book, as head of the Oxford chapter of the suffragists. She is stubborn, determined, and focused on seeing the dream come true. Disowned by her family, she lives on her own with her cat, Boudica, embracing the title of “spinster.” She refuses to give up what little autonomy she has by marrying. In this book, which takes place a few months after the previous one, the ladies need a way to publish a report they have compiled. Lucie plans to purchase a publishing house and use that. As the story opens, she has just purchased one-half of a publishing house, where the other two owners are absentees, leaving her free to run it as she likes. Unfortunately for her, the man she buys from informs her that the other two men have just sold their shares also. Lucie’s new partner is her childhood nemesis, Tristan Ballentine.
Tristan is an unexpectedly complex man. He has the reputation of a rake, but also a secret identity as a fantastic poet. Tristan has recently returned from the wars in India and Afghanistan. He appeared briefly in the previous book as an unmitigated rake who danced with Annabelle. He is handsome and has quite a reputation with women. His older brother died, leaving Tristan as the heir, something that displeases his father. Dear old dad has arranged a marriage for Tristan but requires a cleaned-up reputation. Tristan has no intention of cooperating until Rochester threatens to put Tristan’s mother in an asylum if he doesn’t. Caught in a trap, Tristan decides to play along until he can find a way to rescue his mother. He comes up with the idea of republishing his poems under his own name to raise the needed funds. Buying half of a publishing house is the quickest way to do so.
The sparks between Lucie and Tristan are off the charts from the start. The two of them have a history from when they were children, and Tristan took great delight in playing pranks on Lucie. What she never knew was that there were elements of a serious crush involved. As an adult, Lucie played a part in many of Tristan’s fantasies. Thrown together as they are, Lucie continues to plague Tristan’s thoughts. It isn’t too long until Tristan works his way into hers, also. I loved the back and forth between them. At first, it is very antagonistic, especially on Lucie’s side. Tristan just wants a chance to live out his fantasies and offers an unexpected bargain. The more time they spend together, the more they realize that they have much in common. I loved watching Lucie open Tristan’s eyes to the truths of her cause, and how Tristan found himself sharing more of the real him with her.
The fire between Lucie and Tristan was intense when they finally gave in to it. Neither of them expected that deep of a connection, and both tried to resist it. It takes a long time for each of them to realize their feelings. It was fun to see Tristan demonstrate those feelings without knowing it, by merely being himself. From being there to support her during the ball to his final demonstration of his belief in her, he finally saw that he’d always loved her. There were still some obstacles standing between them, not the least of which was the secret he kept from her. I ached for Lucie when that came out. Tristan impressed me with how he handled it. Fate wasn’t entirely done with them, though, and there was one more hurdle. I loved how Lucie dealt with all the parties concerned. I was a little surprised by their plan for the future, but I loved how Tristan was so supportive of what was essential to Lucie.
I liked seeing more of Annabelle and Sebastian and how their life together is going. The house party at Claremont was interesting with all of the undercurrents. Hattie and Catriona also had their parts to play, especially in helping Lucie carry out her plans. I appreciate the strength of the friendship among the four women and how they support each other. There are a few rough spots, but the friendships are solid enough to weather them. Lucie’s cousin Cecily irritated me from the beginning, and I wasn’t at all surprised at her part in the book. Lucie’s mother was pretty bad, too, but she did redeem herself somewhat at the end. I detested Tristan’s father.
I was very impressed after reading Evie Dunmore’s debut novel, ‘Bringing Down the Duke,’ last year. I was excited beyond words to read A Rogue of One’s Own.
In ‘A Rogue of One’s Own’ we get to read Lucie and Tristan’s story and it was magnificent. I loved Lucie’s fierceness and drive and it was riveting to read about her involvement with the Women’s suffrage movement. I was afraid Tristan would be too vain and distasteful, but I have to admit I ended up loving him too. It was a pleasure to read about these two falling in love and to see both of them struggle with the ramifications of said love.
Tristan’s father was extra ghastly in this story and I was glad to see he did not get his way. I also enjoyed reading more about Lucie’s family and seeing that they were not completely past the point of redemption.
Overall, I adored this story, but I must admit that I am most looking forward to Hattie’s story, especially after finding out who the love-interest will be.