Rating: 
Summary: I loved it.
Review: Enjoyable book. Witty, smart and likable characters. I seem to recall reading it's going to be reissued along with Christmas Angel, but I may be mistaken. I found my copy at a used book store. It's worth looking for.
Rating: 
Summary: Dreadful
Review: Even leaving aside the revolting manner in which the so-called hero behaves, this book is dull in the extreme. she is a shrew, he is self-centered, and the whole thing comes to a convoluted and crashing halt at the end of the book. the author has totally lost her way on this one. Trying to set up for a new title in the series is never a good idea, and you would reall have had to read other books in the series to understand a lot of what is going on, or even like any of the characters. Her terror of his violence becomes all too real, and making excuses is not acceptable. I agree with the other reviewers that publishing houses and especially the predominantly female editors in these house should never make abuse or forced sexual ecounters the stuff for which they base their entertainment or their profits. And any author who thinks it is amusing for readers should donate her time and at least part of her profits to a women's shelter!
Rating:
Summary: For Heaven's Sake, Lighten Up!!
Review: Fans who've come to know the other rogues will understand and enjoy this book immensely. Yes, Lucien did a stupid, dopey thing, but the fact that he realized it and agonized over it proved to me that he wasn't a wife beater! Feminists would have had Beth crucify the guy! And for what? For Beth and Lucien to separate and be miserable without each other while hovering feminists gloated that they'd 'saved' another woman from A MAN? How I hate that! Wake up, women. Feminists of all eras believe men dislike intelligent women. I believe they simply dislike feminists and adore intelligent women.
Rating: 
Summary: Dull and Frustrating
Review: First of all, I purchased this book because the back summary made the book seem passionate and original. I wanted to see what Beth would do with the marriage she is forced into. I thought she would use her wit and intelligence to ensnare her new husband. I thought there would at least be some sexual tension. However this is not the case at all. Beth in fact goes out of her way to make herself unattractive to her future husband, like snipping off her bow from her modcap before she first meets him. This is supposed to make us cheer her on, but I felt more frustrated. The hero, Lucien, is so shallow that without even knowing the character of the heroine, tells her he finds her "unattractive". This is what she wants, but she still feels hurt by his comment (FRUSTRATING!!!). This pretty much happens throughout the whole book. She goes out of her way to seem unaffected by him and he goes out of his way to hurt her. I really don't like the way JB forced the reader to read the interaction between Beth (who we're not even sure Lucien loves) and his mistress Blanche (who JB lets us know he does love). There is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between Lucien and Beth. Lucien admits even after they are married that he felt no pressing need to make love to his wife. What galls me the most is that there is more passion between Lucien and Blanche than between Lucien and the woman he "loves" Beth. Then there's the back-handed slap. There were many times that JB could have made Lucien feel jealousy towards Beth, but didn't.Instead we are left with the impression that he slaps her because of wounded pride. Strangely this is the first show of any sort of intense feeling toward Beth and it falls flat.There was no justification for it. Considering he had a torrid affair with Blanche, even after he agreed to marry Beth, the jerk had no right to hit her merely because he saw an old tricorn hat. When the love scene DOES occur it is over before it begins, literally. Try two measly sentences. Worst of all, we're STILL not sure Lucien truly loves his wife. After this "love" scene, Lucien and Beth Join Blanche (I know, dumb) and Nicholas Delaney in one of the cheesiest stings ever to catch the villains. Beth and Blanche dress up like hookers while the men dress up like ruffians (?????). Blanche, once again is glorified, for being beautiful, graceful, etc., etc, and they all work together to bring the villains down. Needless to say there was no passion in this book, and in my opinion no love. Just a bunch of frustrating interactions between the hero and the heroine, and the knowledge that Lucien's mistress is the best. I would definitely recommend that people not waste their hard earned coin on this book between a "heroine", a "hero", and his greatest love, his mistress "Blanche"(Dare I mention I absolutely abhor this name!!!!)
Rating:
Summary: A fun and wonderful read
Review: Hard pressed as I am to name a favorite Beverley novel, Beth is easily my favorite of her heroines. This is a delightful tale of two head strong individuals learning to like and love each other and discovering life may not be what they always thought it would be, but the changes can make it exciting and challenging all the same. I highly recommend this book and the other Rogue series. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: If I could give it zero stars, I would
Review: I absolutely abhor and despise, with every fiber of my soul, so-called "romance" books which employ domestic violence as a plot device. No -- let's call it what it is -- wife beating. Authors and editors: violence against women is NEVER acceptable in a romance book. A male character who hits a woman across her face in one scene and squeezes her neck in another is not a romantic hero -- he is an abuser. If he did it once, he will do it again and again and again. I have worked with abused women and I have heard, "But he did it because he really loves me and gets jealous," "he said he was sorry," "he said he was really upset," until I want to scream and along comes a book that reads like a victim's handbook for continuing violence. Just what victims need -- outside justification of their abuser's rationalizations.Moreover, this book follows An Arranged Marriage, in which that male lead, Nicholas Delaney, is reported by servants to have hit a former lover. Jo Beverley -- you have issues that need resolution. Stop writing abuse scenes -- they are not romantic and they are not responsible. Editors -- show some integrity before publishing tripe that justifies abuse. I thought we had gotten past the rape=overwhelming passion instead of rape=violence mode decades ago.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: I adored Lucien and Beth and thought they made a great couple. He DID focus a little too much on 'good looks' though when he first met Beth, almost 'comparing' himself to her! Anyway, these are some great characters and I especially enjoyed Eleanor and Nicholas's involvement.
Rating:
Summary: Domestic Violence is NOT romance
Review: I cannot for the life of me figure out the other reviews on this book. In short, the "hero" here physically abuses the "heroine" and she gives the traditional victim lies that she fell to cover the fact that she has a gigantic bruise on her face. He twists her arm and causes her pain and is constantly threatening to beat her up and it's not in a joking manner (not that it is funny anyway). When I read "he backhanded her.." I nearly fell out of my chair. THIS is a "romance?" The heroine very quickly forgives him, he quickly forgets that he's hit her and the whole book made me so ill, I threw it away. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but most assuredly not to anyone seeking to read a romance. This isn't romance. This is domestic violence. The last two chapters made me sick and the character does such an about face about her "modesty" or whatever that I just couldn't bear to finish this book. The worst "romance" I have ever read, hands down.
Rating:
Summary: Head strong heroine goes nowhere
Review: I did not like it. Not bad enough to put down before the end, hoping it will turn out interesting but.... She doesn t want the marriage forced on her and she'll do/say anything to prevent it. When she realises she will be married anyways, she does not have the wit to arrange things for the story to become an interesting relationship. From there, it goes flat. They turn in circle until, it seams, the author realised the story's boring, then, she (the author) digs out an old bad guy from previous story to make something happend... She event dig out old heros to manage it all. It's as if the not interesting story was lacking text to fill out the contract the author had and she improvise a speudo exiting end to it...
Rating:
Summary: Well Done!
Review: I didn't think any book could be as good as An Arranged Marriage, but this one came close. I just loved the characters and the plot. There did seem to be much focus on Lucien's looks, but it went with the story.
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