When a young lady sacrifices her reputation to save a viscount, it’s the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in Adrienne Basso’s captivating Regency tale . . . Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, knows what the gossips say about him. They claim he’s been a dejected, half-mad recluse ever since he was jilted at the altar. The simple truth is that Jon has thrown all the passion he once had for his … passion he once had for his fiancée into his latest mechanical invention. But his single-minded existence has lately been shattered by repeated encounters with Miss Emma Ellingham, his neighbor’s intriguing sister-in-law . . .
Painting and sketching have been Emma’s consolation since her own secret heartbreak. When she stumbles upon the viscount’s workshop, his machine revives her artistic imagination. The gentleman himself is even more fascinating—and deeply seductive. When Jon is accused of a crime, Emma risks her good name for his sake. But though the threat of scandal compels them to wed, only courage can overcome their pasts, and allow desire to transform into love . . .
Praise for Adrienne Basso’s The Bride Chooses a Highlander
“Basso keeps the action moving and the attraction building between the compassionate, appealing protagonists, making their journey to the altar both entertaining and satisfying.”
—Publishers Weekly
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Every Bit a Rogue is the fourth book in Adrienne Basso’s The Ellinghams series. It’s been some time since I read the two previous books and I wasn’t confused in the least, so I doubt anyone else will be either. This was a delightful story that starts out with a “marriage of convenience” which ends up turning into a full-blown love match.
Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, was embarrassingly jilted at the altar by the woman he loved. He throws his heart and soul into working on an invention which would change the farming industry. His whole being revolves around this invention, until he encounters the charming sister-in-law of his friend and neighbor. Emma Ellingham was a very talented painter and sketch artist until her heart was broken by a man who only loved her as a sister. Normally she would have consoled herself with her art, but her muse seemed to have deserted her when her heart broke. However, when she sees the invention that Jon is working on, her muse starts waking up again. When Jon is accused of a murder and his alibi is Emma, she risks her reputation to tell the authorities that Jon was innocent. To save Emma from scandal, Jon marries her; can their physical passion turn to love?
This was a lovely romance between two hurt and lost souls. Both feel great attraction, but they’re afraid of being hurt again. They can’t resist the passion that grows between them, however. And there were quite some steamy passionate bits going on here! I loved the teasing that went on between Jon and Emma. I absolutely adored the huge dog, Sir Galahad, which Emma made hers, partly hoping to irritate Jon! The only thing that fell flat a bit for me here was the crime of which Jon was accused and how that story played out. It just seemed a bit anti-climatic. But the romance it caused was well worth it, so all is good. Definitely time well spent reading.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
He had been left at the altar on his wedding day. Yes, the talk would begin about “jilted Viscount Kendall being left at the altar. How would he survive this agony?”
But he somehow made it through and they even had the breakfast celebration since there was so much food that would go to waste. Afterwards, as Jon sat his mother’s solarium, Miss Emma Ellingham found him. She had been sent by his mother to bring him back to the last of the guest and make sure he was not too despondent. She lived with her sister and husband and were next door neighbors to Jon. Her heart hurt for him in having been jilted and could tell if affected him greatly. She had her own experience of unrequited love.. Since it had seemed her love of drawing had left her.
Fast forward and these two come back together. He has been working on an invention and Emma wanders next door and unexpectedly comes upon him in a workshop and sees what he is working on.
She is so amazed she only wants to begin drawing it but Jon sends her own her way.
Then the journey begins! Emma and Jon end up in his workshop when they are caught out in the rain and everything starts happening! Murder, suspense, longing, attraction and eventually sparks fly between these two! I really enjoyed this story and need to go back and read the rest of the series! Don’t miss it!
Every Bit a Rogue by Adrienne Basso is book 4 in The Ellinghams Series. This is the story of Emma Ellingham and Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall. I have read the previous book which did add to my enjoyment of this one but I did feel you could make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Emma heart was broken when she confessed her love to the Sebastian Dodd, the Earl of Tinsdale but he said he only had brotherly feelings towards her and married someone else. So Emma is now trying to move on which lands her trying to get her grove back with her arts. Jon is known as a recluse after he was left at the alter by his intended Bride who went on to marry another. But Jon has moved his feelings toward working on his invention. Along the way he happens to meet Emma who has been walking around their near by lands and has gotten lost. Emma is intrigued with Jon and when he is suspected of a crime, Emma stands up to say he was with her.
I enjoyed their story.
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-19x
Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, is standing at the altar, eagerly waiting for his fiancée to make her trip down the aisle. He finally receives word that she has run off with another man. Heartbroken, Jon retreats from society, and devotes his time to working on building a machine that will revolutionize farming.
Emma Ellingham lives with her sister and brother-in-law on the estate next to Jon’s. Though she didn’t know Jon, she was present at his (almost) wedding, and felt such empathy for him, as she knows what it’s like to have your love not returned. Emma was deeply in love with Sebastian, but when she told him so, he let her know that he loved her, but only as a friend or a sister. Sebastian married someone else, and Emma seemed to lose her muse for painting. She had been a very talented artist, but can’t find inspiration anymore.
About a year after Jon’s jilting, Emma stumbles upon the building where Jon is working on a threshing machine. Finding the door unlocked, Emma goes in, and is immediately fascinated by the gears and intricacy of the machine. Oddly, she feels compelled to draw it, something that has eluded her for years. Jon is none too happy to find Emma in his building. He has hopes to patent his invention once he’s finessed out the bugs, and secrecy is important. Though Emma asks his permission to stay, Jon turns her down.
On another of Emma’s jaunts, she gets caught in a nasty storm, and is rescued by Jon. They innocently seek shelter for the duration, sharing some surprisingly good conversation. Eventually, when the weather clears, Emma steals away back home, eager that no one become aware of where she had been. Though it would appear there are no repercussions from their spending sizable time alone together, Jon becomes the victim of a false accusation, with Emma as his only alibi. Being a gentleman to the core, Jon does not mention that he was with Emma and couldn’t have committed the crime.
Emma’s conscience won’t let her stay silent, so she confesses that she was with Jon, who then immediately seeks her out with an offer of marriage. Though Emma had thought never to marry, since she couldn’t have the man she loved, Jon wins her consent with his plea of friendship, fidelity, and creating a family. Emma agrees, and they quickly marry. Since they are both eager for a family, they share a physical relationship which turns out to be absolutely steamy and satisfying. Their interactions out of the bedroom are also fun, honest, and warm.
I am so totally in love with EVERY BIT A ROGUE, as it has a bit of friends-to-lovers, friends with benefits, forced marriage, and second love. Both Jon and Emma are wonderful characters who shared the experience of losing their first loves. It took them time to realize that they actually were falling in love with each other, and were slowly letting go of the past. They both had to confront their past loves in the flesh to come to realize what they have in the present. This is my first experience in reading Adrienne Basso, and I’m so impressed with her writing. EVERY BIT A ROGUE flowed beautifully, from the conversations, to the scenes of self discovery, to the passionate interludes. This is actually the fourth book of the series, but it can easily be read on its own. However, I will definitely be reading the rest, especially Sebastian’s story, as his appearance in this book really intrigued me. I recommend EVERY BIT A ROGUE for all historical romance readers who enjoy a warm and steamy romance, particularly those who love to see deserving characters who once lost at love, strike gold the second time around.
This was a delightful and swoon worthy read and the author did not disappoint with Jon and Emma’s story.
This story is a bit different in that both main characters are in love with someone else but have had their hearts broken and when circumstances forces them to get married, they both must learn to let go of the past and try to make their marriage work. I loved how they interacted with each other and didn’t fight the heated passion that built up between them. The caring and respect went a long way in making this story such a delight.
Both are such strong characters and you can’t help but feel so happy for them when they finally reach their HEA. Loved the epilogue as well, made me finish reading the book with a huge grin on my face:)
I was given an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Emma Ellingham knows heartbreak and unrequited love, years ago she confessed her love to Sebastian Dodd, the Earl of Tinsdale, who told her he loved her too, as a sister. When Sebastian fell in love and married another, Emma was devastated, she closed off her heart and concentrated on her art, but even that seems to have deserted her. So when Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall is jilted at the altar, Emma knows his pain and feels empathetic but she doesn’t really give him another thought for almost a year, when their paths cross again.
While exploring her brother in laws property, Emma finds a path she has not taken before, one that leads to an unfamiliar building, her curiosity gets the best of her and she approaches, she knocks and enters, she finds two men working on a machine, one of them is Jon, but it is not Jon that captures her attention – it is his machine, for the first time in years Emma feels the overwhelming desire to draw, she is overjoyed, but her joy is short lived when Jon asks her to leave. She returns home and sketches from memory, but really wants to see the machine again. She returns to the workshop and lets herself in and begins to draw, Jon finds her and sends her away, refusing to let her draw his machine. She leaves, promising not to return until she is invited. But, she hasn’t given up, she will find a way!
Jon is finally beginning to get over Dianna, the woman he loved, the one who left him at the altar and ran off with another man. He has poured all the passion he felt for her into his invention – a threshing machine. His experience with Dianna left him hurt and unable to really trust anyone, which is why he denied Emma. He is in the village when he runs into Dianna, literally. He is shocked to see her and tries to be polite, she is married and her husband inherited a barony with a nearby estate. Jon is not happy to learn she will be living close by and even more upset when Dianna’s husband joins them and is nasty to her. Despite everything she did to him, he still feels outraged on her behalf and has to stop himself from defending her. He is returning home when it begins to rain and he finds Emma lost in the woods. The rain intensifies and they take shelter in his workshop, they share a drink and he tells her of seeing Dianna in the village, she moves to comfort him and trips, he catches her and they share a kiss. She is surprised by the feelings it invokes – but they agree it was a mistake. They fall asleep and Emma wakes at dawn – she bolts, hoping to return home before anyone knows she is gone.
Jon is home getting ready to go see Emma when her brother in law arrives – he thinks it is about Emma, but is stunned to learn that Dianna’s husband had been killed the night before and servants at the house named him as the murderer!! To save Jon, Emma confesses to being with him all night. Her confession saves him, but to save their reputations, they must wed. Can they find happiness or will their past experiences with love keep them from trying to find love again?
This was a well written, well-paced story with likable characters, cameos from previous couples in the series, a murder, steamy love scenes and a HEA complete with an epilogue. I was loving this book right up to about the 85% mark and then it tanked for me. I didn’t care for Emma’s deception, I wasn’t thrilled with resolution of the murder and I was really not happy with the “punishment” the villain got. This is the fourth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone title. I enjoyed the book even though the ending was not what I was hoping for and I would be happy to recommend it.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, knows what the gossips say about him. They claim he’s been a dejected, half-mad recluse ever since he was jilted at the altar. The simple truth is that Jon has thrown all the passion he once had for his fiancée into his latest mechanical invention.
Painting and sketching have been Emma’s consolation since her own secret heartbreak. When she stumbles upon the viscount’s workshop, his machine revives her artistic imagination. When Jon is accused of a crime, Emma risks her good name for his sake. But though the threat of scandal compels them to wed, only courage can overcome their pasts, and allow desire to transform into love I thoroughly enjoyed this different take on second chance of love. This is a new author to me & I did find all the characters a little confusing & it took some time for me to sort everyone out, this probably wouldn’t have happened if I’d read the earlier books. A well written book, I really liked both Jon & Emma & how their relationship developed held me engrossed. I’ll certainly be reading more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is my first book by Adrienne Basso, and man did I feel lost. I am used to not having to read every book in a series to know whats going on. Most books will have a short summary but this one did not, it was also hard to read as large pieces of the story were told out of order; at least that’s how it felt reading it. I just couldn’t get into the book for the first half.
I stuck with it and it was a decent love story, nothing too crazy, and was believable. It has dual pov, which is something I like, as it gives you insight into both characters mind sets. I loved the playful banter between the hero and heroine.
overall it was an okay story, but I know it would have been so much better if I had read the previous two stories.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Every bit an English gentleman best describes Jon, the hero, in my humble opinion. He was smart, dashingly handsome, and kept his manners and temper in check, even under stressful circumstances, such as being jilted at the altar in a crowded church. Seriously, I held him in highest regard right from the get go with how he handled that hot mess. I really couldn’t find anything objectionable or roguish about him, except he was quite roguish between the sheets when it came to sharing them with his wife, Emma, the heroine. So, yeah, among the sweetness here, there were definitely some graphic, steamy scenes, my fellow romance book loving friends.
Emma, Emma, Emma.. I really wanted to tap her on the shoulder and ask her why she still wasn’t over her teenage crush rejection years ago. Since it happened just between them, I felt the humiliation she couldn’t let go go was over dramatized in her own mind. She’d never even shared a kiss with the older guy, people.
All in all, I enjoyed this leisurely paced romantic tale and seeing these two perfect for each other lovebirds find happiness. I was surprised the ending wasn’t more dramatic though, especially considering the unsolved murder. Loose ends mostly got tidied up with a neat little bow, but that is certainly better than a nonsensical conclusion. We are even given a short epilogue that proves life did turn out well for them, indeed.
Title: Every Bit a Rogue, Series: The Ellinghams (Book 4), Author: Adrienne Basso, Pages: 352, stand-alone but part of a series, jilted good guy English gentleman hero, sweet heroine with self imposed, one sided romantic baggage, a couple very steamy scenes starting with their wedding night.
Book 1 – How to Enjoy a Scandal
Book 2 – How to Seduce a Sinner
Book 3 – A Little Bit Sinful
Book 4 – Every Bit a Rogue
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no relationship between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or NetGalley.)
The title of this makes no sense, the hero is a gentleman and acts that way. The OW, OM, and the stalker I would have happily done without.
I loved the main characters and was refreshed by the realism.
I must say this author was new to me and it wasn’t until I did research that I learned that she had written other books that were the precursor to this one.
With that said this one read as a stand-alone book. Though there were hints to a past fro Emma and her sisters it did not keep this story from flowing nicely.
Both Jon and Emma have had their heartbroken by the one they think is their true love. However, after a seemingly innocent encounter leaves Emma’s reputation in danger Jon does what all heroes do he rides in to rescue her.
However, Emma isn’t your typical damsel in distress and finds being rescued not something she wants but when marriage is the only solution both Emma and Jon find they have more in common than their broken hearts. Soon they are fighting feelings they never thought they would feel with another.
This story has romance, comedy, and intrigue that left me wanting to read more by this author.
This is a story about two creative people who have been rejected by other suitors and believe that they will never find love again. I very much enjoyed Emma and Jon’s story. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.
Emma Ellingham Lives with her sister and brother-in-law, her parents died by a train wreck. Luckily she had siblings to take care of her. She was an artist and a good one at that. But she lost her gift and could not seem to get it back. She met Viscount Jon Randall when her family attended Jon’s wedding. His bride jilted him and his mother was very upset. She did not want him to marry her. She was shallow and thoughtless, They also lived at the manor house next door to them. But Jon became a recluse and did not want to trust women, ever. Emma was not interested in marriage especially after Sebastion’ He had been her childhood friend and she loved him with all she had. He went and married another lady and left Emma brokenhearted.
I could not imagine how much work Emma and Jon had to put into their friendship. The story was well laid out, easy to read, kept your interest and was entertaining. The characters you could understand and sympathize with.
You could understand Emma and Jon’s emotions thru out their ordeal. The author knew what she wanted and went after it with zeal. I so enjoyed her book and all the characters. I also very highly recommend this novel for anyone over Eighteen.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you.
Although I kind of liked both of the main characters. They were different than the conventional expected normal that society of their times demanded. However, this story just never seemed to really get me to like it as much as I had hoped. For me, it was hard to keep really interested when not a lot really seemed to be happening. Sure, there were a few things going on but it just seemed to lack some real depth as well; even with both of them giving their own point of views.
Both Emma and Jon had good family members that were part of the story. It just didn’t hook me into the story all that much. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either.
There is a H.E.A. which I did feel like they deserved because they were both good and honorable people.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
4.5 stars
Since he was jilted at the alter nearly a year ago, Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall has all but retired from society, channeling all of his unspent passion into innovative mechanical inventions. Because of his absence, society has deemed him a half-mad recluse, but he has no care for London gossips.
Emma Ellingham has found solace in her art since her own love did not reciprocate her feelings, but now she has lost her creative spark. Her ideas begin to flow again when she inadvertently finds Lord Kendall’s workshop and sees his new machine. She finds the man who invented it to be even more interesting and their repeated encounters shake up his quiet life.
When Jon finds himself accused of murder, Emma sacrifices her reputation to prove the truth of his innocence, obliging them to marry in hopes of mitigating further scandal. There’s plenty of desire between them but they’ve both been hurt before and are afraid of opening their hearts again and their happiness is far from assured.
This was a lovely, well-written story. There was a slight lag in the second half as compared to the first, but the writing was so lovely that I really didn’t mind. Both Jon and Emma had past hurts to overcome and I almost lost patience with Emma, but she eventually redeemed herself and Jon was really lovely. I was pleased to see these two work out their issues in a mature way without a lot of unnecessary or over-the-top angst, which I had feared would happen given Emma’s unrequited love storyline. These two wound up being great together and I loved the writing so much I now want to go back and read the rest of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The only trouble I had with Adrienne Basso’s “Every Bit a Rogue” is that her hero is NOT a rogue. He is a good, hard-working man, jilted at the altar but not the cold-hearted survivor so common in heroes of other books or any sort of rogue.
Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, abandoned at the altar, throws himself into science, attempting an invention that will save time threshing. His neighbor’s sister-in-law, Emma Ellingham, is intriguing but he’s too busy to pay much attention, even when she shows up at his workshed and his fascinated by his machinery. She has her own problems, which cause her to lose her passion for painting. The machine revives her and she is drawn again and again to the workshed, despite the Viscount wishing her far away — he wants no distractions.
When she sacrifices her reputation — they are stuck at the shed overnight because of weather, an old trope — to save him from being arrested for murder, they marry. How they move from friends to lovers and then to two people deeply in love is a satisfying story, one that thankfully lacks silly misunderstandings.
Kendall’s ex-fiance is in the picture, but Emma doesn’t believe he is going to be unfaithful just because the other woman is beautiful. Emma has her own past, an unrequited love from her youth, and when Kendall finds out, he doesn’t immediately become overwrought. He trusts her to put things to right. That they both have somewhat broken hearts but heal together and move toward a bright future is simply lovely. (I received a NetGalley advance copy of this book; opinions are my own.)
Every Bit a Rogue
The Ellinghams
Adrienne Basso
https://m.facebook.com/AdrienneBasso.Author/
Release date 02/25/2020
Publisher Kensington Zebra
Blurb :
Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, knows what the gossips say about him. They claim he’s been a dejected, half-mad recluse ever since he was jilted at the altar. The simple truth is that Jon has thrown all the passion he once had for his fiancée into his latest mechanical invention. But his single-minded existence has lately been shattered by repeated encounters with Miss Emma Ellingham, his neighbor’s intriguing sister-in-law . . .
Painting and sketching have been Emma’s consolation since her own secret heartbreak. When she stumbles upon the viscount’s workshop, his machine revives her artistic imagination. The gentleman himself is even more fascinating—and deeply seductive. When Jon is accused of a crime, Emma risks her good name for his sake. But though the threat of scandal compels them to wed, only courage can overcome their pasts, and allow desire to transform into love . . .
My review :
When circumstances bring together two broken-hearted persons, do they get a second chance at love …
I know, I often say this, Mrs Adrienne Basso is a new-author-to-me, so it is the blurb that caught my eyes. I love stories set outside ballrooms and people driven by pursuits far away the conventional ones.
I adored this book!
The story begins with Jon’s heartbreak rudely spread in front of everyone when he is left waiting at the altar by his selfish runaway bride.
After I might say lucky him as her character was portrayed as a spoiled brat, only thinking of herself and ready to deplete his coffers for her own enjoyment.
Still he didn’t saw her under this light so smitten by her colorful personality.
Why he retreated from society’s prying eyes to nurse his wounded heart and bury his mind in scientific fulfillment.
Emma suffered too from her own devastating heartache, the difference it was left a secret lingering only between herself and the man whom never returned her feelings. Still it affected her painting muse, shattering her will and need to express herself on paper and canvas.
So when unexpectedly it is reawakening when she stumbles upon Jon’s creation, whatever his rebuttal, she is drawn to him and his engineered machine.
I loved their straightforward personalities, they are honest and caring, thus their tale is one of a romance slowly filling their heart and mind, satisfying their bodies and without rush their need for more than what their firstly expected.
It was nice to see two people with a level head, they might make mistakes, still they give each other time to adjust, they rehearse before giving to doubt, they act maturely able to wait for the other to take the first step.
5 stars for this stirring lively romance of two people who never foresee love might just need a spark to ignite their heart and soul and it was awaiting them in corner.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Kensington, I preordered too my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/553035798618929/?d=n
Every Bit a Rogue is the fourth book in The Ellinghams series. It was wonderful to see new work from this author. The book had a wonderful plot, interesting characters, mystery, and was great fun to read. It was fast paced and kept your attention until the end. Jon Burwell, Viscount Kendall, was devastated when the woman he ran off with another man. He became a recluse and dedicated all his time to his mechanical inventions. Emma Ellingham wasn’t interested in social activities and marriage. She loved to paint, but her muse has disappeared. When she came upon Jon in his workshop, all she wanted to do was paint his invention. Jon just wanted to be left alone but Emma was not about to give up on having a chance to paint again. One stormy night, a murder, and a ruined reputation lead to a marriage between the two. But can they get over the pasts and let themselves love again?
I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily read and reviewed it with my honest opinion