Sunday, January 26, 2014

Review - - When the Rogue Returns

When the Rogue Returns
By Sabrina Jeffries
Publisher:  Pocket
Release Date:  January 21, 2014





Victor Cale has been nursing a grudge against his wife for ten long years. Though they had been married only a week, he believed they had a love that would last a lifetime.  But that was before his young wife made a fool of him and left him to take the blame for the jewel theft she and her family engineered.  Now living in London, Victor, the newly discovered cousin to a duke, is not cut out to live a life of leisure so when a friend, who owns Manton Investigations, has a request to investigate a woman in Scotland who sounds suspiciously like his wife, Victor jumps at the opportunity.  Maybe, finally, he'll get an answer to the question that's waited ten long years to be answered.  Why?

At eighteen years of age, Isabella was already a talented jewelry designer specializing in paste replicas but remarkably innocent in the ways of the world and easily manipulated by her family.  For the past ten years she's believed that her husband, the man she loved more than life, abandoned her after stealing priceless jewels from her employer.  But she's not that naive young girl any longer. Extricating herself from her family, she's become a strong woman who has made a name for herself in the jewelry industry and has a good career and reputation in Scotland.  The only thing missing is an answer to why Victor betrayed her all those years ago.



As the truth of what really happened all those years ago unfolds, Isa and Victor face the fact that the feelings between them burn brighter than ever.  But ten years of hard feelings and mistrust are not easily overcome and a secret that one of them is keeping may bring their new-found love to a screeching halt.

Sabrina Jeffries is one of my "go to" authors who rarely disappoints.  One of the things I enjoy about her books is her willingness to venture outside the box.  When the Rogue Returns, the second book in Jeffries' new Duke's Men series features a hero and heroine who are Dutch.  I don't think I've seen that before.  The heroine is in trade, and proud of it, and while the hero has new-found connections to a duke, he's led a working life and is more comfortable there than among the peerage.  Another thing I like about this book is the growth of the characters.  They are both very young when first married and, while still married, they have each changed significantly during their years apart.  The spark that first ignited their young love is still present but they need time to get to know the people they are today and grow together as a couple.  I appreciate the fact that Jeffries gives them that time and that she doesn't make it easy.  They've mistrusted one another for a long time.  Those doubts and feelings don't just disappear overnight, especially when tested by someone determined to keep them apart.  The action is fast-paced, the story line intriguing and the dialogue between the hero and heroine is snappy and realistic.  The supporting cast moves the story forward and gives us a glimpse into the next book in the series which, if my guess is correct, will be filled with fireworks aplenty.  I can't wait!

~PJ

10 comments:

  1. I do read and enjoy Sabrina's books!

    The only Dutch heroes I know were found in almost everyone of Betty Neel's books.

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    1. You know, I've never read one of Betty Neels' books. She has quite an extensive back list. Is there one you recommend, Laurie?

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  2. Sabrina is one of my auto buys and this book is in the tbr pile, time is the enemy here.

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  3. Definitely an author that I enjoy - this sounds like another good one!

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  4. I will always read Sabrina's books, too. It does make me sad when characters lose 10 years of their lives together, though. :(

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  5. I always find room on my bookshelf for any of Sabrina's books.
    She's an author that I really like, her books are wonderful to curl up with.
    What The Duke Desires and When The Rogue Returns are side-by-side on my bookshelf right now......yay me!
    I'm looking forward to the release of How The Scoundrel Seduces, book #3 in this series.

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  6. I'm always excited when Sabrina releases a new book, it's definitely on my TBR pile automatically :)

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  7. I enjoy Sabrina Jeffries books very much. I like the different twists she gives to her stories. It sets her stories apart and makes them something to look forward to.
    Thanks for another review that is, as usual, informative and tells just enough to make you want to read the story.

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