Tag: The Rules of Scoundrels

Review: Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean

Posted February 4, 2015 by Holly in Reviews | 4 Comments

Review: Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLeanReviewer: Holly
Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rules of Scoundrels #4
Also in this series: A Rogue by Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels, #1), A Rogue by Any Other Name, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover,
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: November 25th 2014
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

RITA® Award-winning author Sarah MacLean reveals the identity of The Fallen Angel's final scoundrel in the spectacular conclusion to her New York Times bestselling Rules of Scoundrels series . . .
By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking—in London's darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city's most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered . . . until now.
Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems, and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana's secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear . . . including her heart.

I’m sad to see the end of the Rules of Scoundrels series, though I’m happy to say MacLean really went out with a bang. This was an excellent read.

Lady Georgiana was introduced in Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart. She is the younger sister of The Duke of Leighton. She was ruined when she became pregnant out of wedlock. It’s been many years and she’s mostly fine with not being accepted in society, until it becomes apparent her daughter will also be snubbed. By day she may be the fallen sister of the Duke of Leighton, but by night she is Chase, the founder of the Fallen Angel, and she holds more power than any man in England, for she knows the secrets of everyone.

She plans to use her knowledge to secure herself a place in society, and a strong marriage to a titled gentleman, in order to pave the way for her daughter. She hopes to win a proposal without resorting to blackmail, though she isn’t above it if necessary. All is going as plan until Duncan West, owner of the city’s largest newspaper, takes an interest in her. She can’t let Duncan find out her secrets, but she can’t afford to turn him away when he offers to help repair her reputation. They’re more similar than they like to admit, and the attraction between them is hard to deny. But Duncan has secrets from his own past he doesn’t want revealed. Plus, he lacks the one thing Georgiana desperately needs…a title.

Chase is the most enigmatic and mysterious owner of the Fallen Angel. Throughout the series, there have been clues about Chase’s identity, but it isn’t until this book that she’s finally revealed (Though I feel pretty smug that I called who Chase was right after the last book was released.). I wasn’t sure what to expect from a female gaming hell owner, but Lady Georgiana was everything I could have hoped for. Strong, independent, wily and manipulative.

Duncan was a good fit for her, since he, too, was wily and manipulative. As a newspaper magnate, he’s learned to be cagey and trade in information. His secrets were well kept, and he did well at ferreting out the secrets of others. Yet he had a surprising about of honor for a journalist.

They had a good amount of chemistry. Their witty banter and constant sparring made for interesting reading. I did feel like Georgiana kept her secrets a lot longer than she needed to, but I understood why she felt the need to hold her cards close to her chest. I also felt like she took an unnecessary amount of risks with her identity after she came back out into society. Especially since she knew Duncan had figured out who she was (not Chase, but the madame at the club, who she’d masquerading as for years).

I’m sad to see the series end, but MacLean is ending on a high note.  The final resolution was satisfying and, though I’ll miss them, I think all four founders of the Fallen Angel have moved on to bigger and better things.

4 out of 5

Reading Order:

four-stars

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Review: Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean

Posted December 8, 2014 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Series: The Rules of Scoundrels #4
Also in this series: A Rogue by Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels, #1), A Rogue by Any Other Name, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover
Series Rating: four-stars

chaseRowena’s review of Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover (Rules of Scoundrels #4) by Sarah MacLean.

SPOILERS AHEAD, READ ON AT YOUR OWN RISK

She is the most powerful woman in Britain,
A queen of the London Underworld …
But no one can ever know.

He is the only man smart enough to uncover the truth,
Putting all she has at risk . . .
Including her heart.

The fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean’s incredible Rule of Scoundrels/Fallen Angels series. These four dark heroes will steal the hearts of their heroines and the readers alike! This is the last in the Rules of Scoundrels series—Chase’s story

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a Duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking—in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered . . . until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear . . . including her heart.

This is the final book in the Rules of Scoundrels series by Sarah MacLean and I was very satisfied with the way that MacLean ended the series. I closed the book (well on my eReader) with a happy sigh because I was completely content with the way that things turned out. Each character ended up with who they were meant to be with and the links between her two series made my happy. When I found out who Chase was, I hit myself in the forehead because duh it couldn’t have been anyone else. It made sense.

It was nice to see Chase come as far as she did from the very first time that we saw her and I really liked the person that she grew up to be. Her circumstances shaped her life and it wasn’t an easy life for her but she turned things around for her and made a great life for, not only herself but for her daughter as well. I thought that was commendable.

So this story follows Chase, aka Lady Georgiana, sister to the Duke of Leighton as she falls in love with Mr. Duncan West.  The guy behind the newspapers. All of the newspapers. Lady Georgianna needs to get married to secure a good future for her daughter, Caroline. So she’s re-entering society to find a titled husband who can get her the respectability she needs. She doesn’t necessarily care for it or want it for herself since she hates the ton with everything in her but for her daughter, there isn’t a thing she wouldn’t do.

Enter Mr. Duncan West. He’s a journalist first and foremost and he smells a good story in a the fallen angel (ha, literally!) trying to re-enter a society that gives her the cut direct at every turn but when he comes across Lady Georgianna giving as good as she gets outside a ballroom, he’s intrigued. By the woman and by her story. Okay, so he feels a little guilty for his part in her downfall but he’s got a chance to make up a bit of it up to her by helping her in the papers.

The attraction is hot right from the jump between these two. Every time that they shared page time, the chemistry is evident. I really enjoyed their interactions with each other. I thought MacLean did a wonderful job of bringing these two together. Their word play and their obvious attraction made for some pretty entertaining reading.

Now, this wasn’t the most perfect of books. I thought it took far too long for Chase to trust West. She could have saved herself a lot of heartache if she would have come clean a lot sooner than she did. West was a bit impatient but that’s understandable, considering Chase was holding her cards close to her chest without taking any of the chances she had to fess up. But in the end, I was incredibly happy that they finally got it right. So I guess I didn’t mind all the angst as much as I thought. Ha!

As the main character of the story, I thought Chase was a well rounded character. You really see her vulnerability but you also see the growth in character from the beginning to end so I thought MacLean handled Chase’s character really well. Same for West. He was imperfectly perfect for Chase and I really liked getting to know him. Seeing the way that he was with both his sister and Caroline was great and I really enjoyed seeing his pool. I wanted to swim with him in that pool.

MacLean did a great job with the recurring characters as well. They were included in the story without overshadowing the main characters. I enjoyed seeing what motivated both Chase and Duncan in their every day lives and I loved seeing their love for the people around them. It was in every interaction Chase had with her partners and their wives. It was in West’s interactions with his sister. It made them approachable and more likable. Chase was this larger than life persona who was untouchable, and same with West. Because of who they were and what they did for a living, they were above every day people and seeing their relationships with the people close to them was great.

Overall, this was a great ending to a great series and I was happy with the way everything came together. I definitely recommend.

Grade: 4 out of 5

Reading Order:

This book is available from Avon. You can purchase it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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COVER REVEAL: Sarah MacLean’s NEVER JUDGE A LADY BY HER COVER

Posted June 12, 2014 by Rowena in Promotions | 0 Comments

Holly and I are huge fans of Sarah MacLean’s books and we’re pretty stoked that she’s got a new book coming out and that it’s CHASE’S book!

Check out the cover:

BEHIND-THE-SCENE QUOTES:

“I’ve always loved cross-dressing heroines – the trope is probably my most favorite of all the romance tropes, so when I wrote Chase, I wanted to play with the cross-dressing heroine idea. She doesn’t just dress in trousers – she’s also built a persona to match. She’s a pre-Victorian Wizard of Oz, so to speak, thought to be a man, but one who has never been seen in public, and about whom very few people know the truth…namely, that he’s a she.”

–Sarah MacLean

“Seeing a woman in pants has not been shocking for about a century.

But when one remembers the historical context of Regency England it is extraordinary. I hope this cover attracts readers who are looking for something different, because Sarah is blazing her own path in historical romance.“

–Carrie Feron, Executive Editor

“It was a fabulous challenge.”

–Tom Egner, Avon Art Director

NEVER JUDGE A LADY BY HER COVER by Sarah MacLean
On-sale 11/25/2014 | ISBN: 9780062068514

RITA Award winning author, Sarah MacLean, reveals the identity of The Fallen Angel’s final scoundrel in the spectacular conclusion to her New York Times bestselling Rules of Scoundrels series…

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking-in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered…until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear…including her heart.

maclean

Author Bio: Sarah MacLean grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance and bemoaning the fact that she was born far too late for her own season. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book. Sarah now lives in New York City with her husband, baby daughter, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She loves to hear from readers. Please visit her at www.macleanspace.com.

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Review: No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean

Posted November 26, 2013 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

ngdgu
Rowena’s review of No Good Duke Goes Unpunished (Rules of Scoundrels #3) by Sarah MacLean.

A rogue ruined . . .

He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of . . . absolution.

A lady returned . . .

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows . . . that he is no killer.

A scandal revealed . . .

It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady—and her past—are more than they seem. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything for honor . . . and to keep from putting himself on the line for love…

Sarah MacLean strikes again!

I’m always excited to read a new Sarah MacLean because she’s written some pretty fantastic books and this book wasn’t any different. Temple and Mara came alive in this book for me and I really came to love the both of them. I thought MacLean did a great job of making the reader understand where each character was coming from and why they did the things they did, and the way that everything unraveled kept me glued into the story. I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in one sitting.

So this book starts off with Temple waking up from a good night. He spent the night with a beautiful woman and he’s in a good mood, until he realizes he’s not in his bed and there’s a pool of blood on the sheets. And just like that, his good mood is gone and he gets a new name. The Killer Duke.

Temple is thrown into the streets and he builds a life for himself in the darkness of the streets. Twelve years later, Temple is one of the owners of The Fallen Angel, the exclusive gaming hall of the aristocracy and he’s richer than rich.

Christopher Lowe has lost everything he owns to the Fallen Angel. He’s desperate to get everything back and the only way that he can do that is to fight Temple…and win. But Temple won’t fight him because Christopher is brother to Mara Lowe, the woman that Temple supposedly killed. So when Mara comes back into Temples life, trying to barter for her brother’s debt, Temple is equal parts relieved that he’s not a killer and pissed because Mara set him up to fall.

So Temple goes about avenging himself…with Mara’s help. But the more time he spends with Mara, the more he realizes that not all is what they seem.

For the past twelve years, Mara has been living as a widow running an orphanage of illegitimate young boys. She had her reasons for running away and hiding away from everyone and now that her brother has gambled away everything that he owned (and everything she owned), the future of the orphanage is at risk and Mara is desperate to save the boys. So she returns to Temple and the story really takes off.

MacLean writes a fabulous story about two people who have every reason to not trust each other but fall in love with each other anyway.

I loved Temple. I loved getting his back story, loved seeing him come to terms with the past in order to completely move on toward a future that he always wanted but never thought he’d have. When he realizes that he is in love with Mara, I couldn’t help but sigh because Temple deserved to love and be loved more than anyone and I was so happy that he was finally going to get that.

What’s funny is that considering what Mara did to Temple, I didn’t hate her at all. Not once in the entire story did I hate her. I was dying to find out what her reasons were for doing what she did because I know that it had to be something and I was worried that when the big reveal came, I would be let down by what happened but that wasn’t the case at all. Everything made sense and even though it shouldn’t, it made me laugh. It should have been easy to hate Mara because she charged Temple for every little thing and I didn’t feel like he owed her anything…but even while I thought that, I understood why she was doing what she did. She had reasons for doing every single thing she did and I just really liked her.

This book was filled with great characters, a story that was interesting and a romance that was filled with steam. I really loved this book and I know everyone who reads it will enjoy it as well. It was a great addition to the Scoundrels series and I’m mighty anxious for Chase’s story…WHO THE HECK IS HE???? I thought I read somewhere that Chase’s identity is revealed in this book but if it was, I missed it (so did Holly) but now I NEED TO KNOW!

Read this book, you won’t regret it!

Edited to add (I finally read the back of the final copy):  The only thing that I’ll say about Chase is that….I totally didn’t see that one coming but I can’t wait for Chase’s book!

Grade: 4.75 out of 5

This book is available from Avon.  You purchase the book here or here in e-format.  This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean

Posted January 29, 2013 by Tracy in Reviews | 2 Comments

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she’s never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London’s most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.

Like any good scientist, Pippa’s done her research and Cross’s reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion—the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it’s more than tempting . . . and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts—and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

Pippa is the scientific sort. She’s thought odd but really she’s highly intelligent and isn’t afraid to come out and ask about something when she’s curious. Unfortunately that’s not what ladies of the ton do, so she’s a bit out of sorts. She’s 14 days away from marrying an Earl but she’s really having a hard time wrapping her mind around the logistics of the marriage bed. She’s never experienced even a kiss much less a lusty man that she’s had to contend with. Her sisters who are all married but one aren’t sharing any information and quite frankly she’s frustrated. She needs knowledge! Because of rumors around London Pippa heads to The Fallen Angel, a gaming hell, to ask a man named Cross to help her with her research.

When Pippa shows up in Cross’s office saying that she needs ruining he’s thinking he’d be more than happy to accommodate her, but he won’t. He’s fascinated by the woman and almost everything about her from the minute he meets her but he won’t have anything to do with her learning any information. The pair have a strange and complicated relationship over the days leading up to Pippa’s wedding and in that time, they fall in love. Cross, however, has no intention of being with Pippa on a permanent basis as he feels he doesn’t deserve her or her inner goodness.

Cross is actually an Earl but he has forsworn the title for the past seven years and it centered around the death of his brother and the injury of his sister. Cross has a relationship with Digger Knight who runs a lower gaming hell and Knight has power of Cross from year earlier. When Knight thinks to blackmail Cross into doing his bidding, Cross vows to ruin the man. Unfortunately things don’t always work out the way they’re planned and he Cross ends up getting assistance when and from whom he least expects it.

I loved this book from almost start to finish. I was almost completely engrossed in the story by page 5 and couldn’t stop reading it after that.

Cross is such a tortured man. A lot of what he’s feeling is his own guilt toward an incident involving his family years prior. He’s quite the stubborn fellow, I must say. Even when I thought he would give in to Pippa and his love for her he refused to make himself happy. Stupid Man! lol Luckily it all ended well but he had me going for a darned long time.

Pippa – omg I loved that woman. She was just so…unafraid. She would think things out and hypothesize and then do what she needed to do, or say what she needed to say. If she wanted to go somewhere, she walked. I loved that she put on no airs and was just matter of fact. I ached for her when Cross was being incredibly stubborn but even then she wasn’t going to sit back and get passed by.

Now, the whole part of the story with Digger Knight and Cross, for me, wasn’t explained well. Even after the book ended I never felt like we were given all the background we needed understand and, well, hate Knight like we should have. The Knight aspect of the story also involved Cross’s sister and in that case I felt that there was vital information missing. I don’t want to give things away so I can’t exactly tell you specifics but suffice it to say I was dissatisfied with that portion of the story.

Despite that I really loved this book. Pippa and Cross and their love story is definitely one I will be rereading in the future. MacLean’s writing, imho, keeps getting better and better – and that’s saying something as I thought her first book was fabulous! lol This is definitely not one that should be missed.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Sarah MacLean

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