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The Beautiful Stranger : The Rogues of Regent Street

The Beautiful Stranger : The Rogues of Regent Street

List Price: $5.99
Your Price: $5.39
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A wonderful finale! Don't miss this one!
Review: A wonderful finale to a great series of books. Arthur and Kerry's love story was so beautiful! It was funny and entertaining how they met and spent days trying to get back to her home. I love Julia London's wit and she makes you fall in love with the characters. My favorite of the three was The Ruthless Charmer, but this one was just about as good. And I'm actually kind of bummed that it's over. I waited and waited for this book to come out and it's been fun seeing the characters reappear in each book, including Alex and Lauren of Wicked Angel. If you like historical romance, you really won't want to miss any of London's books. They're the kind of books you start to read and can't put down until you're finished because from the first page, she pulls you in and when it's over, you think to yourself, What am I going to read now?

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A cliched disappointment from a great author
Review: After Ruthless Charmer, I had such high hopes for this concluding book in the series, but alas, I was doomed to disappointment. My first indication of trouble with this usually quite original author was that Arthur goes to Scotland, which country is such a cliche these days for the "primitive" life that will somehow redeem one of the main, over-urbanized characters. And indeed, that is exactly what happens. Secondly, he travels there to handle a business affair remaining from the death of his friend, Philip, at the behest of Philip's father. Now the problem here is that the father believes the "Rogues" led his son to his death -- would he then ask one of them to handle Philip's business affairs, even if he blamed Arthur for not preventing the son for getting into that business problem? Unlikely. What is more unlikely is the fact that the business in question involves our heroine, Kerry, whom Arthur "just happens" to meet on the side of the road somewhere in Scotland while he is lost and she is waiting for a stagecoach. There's coincidence, and then there's ridiculous. And then, there is the other cliche of the evil local landowner who threatens Kerry and her bankrupt clan unless she marries his son. The son, of course, then tries to rape her and she kills him in self defense. We get a break from the Scottish idyll when the hero gets there "just" in the nick of time and spirits Kerry away to England to save her from certain hanging. Kerry resists being transformed into a proper British lady but stupidly keeps insisting upon her need to return to Scotland even though she KNOWS she will hang if she does so. This point is where I started just skimming the book - I have no patience for dumb behavior. Or maybe Arthur is attracted to people who are self-destructive? How Kerry is finally saved, by our hero of course, strained my credulity to the max. Can we say "melodramatic"? I can only guess that London was under a deadline when she came up with the hackneyed "coincidences" and plot lines in this book. I am getting tired of good series ending with lousy books, like "The Wicked One" in Danelle Harmon's series. I would much rather the author take as long as she needs, even if she needs a break, to write a truly fabulous final volume than the rushed work we are seeing.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Last of the Rogues of Regent Street. Interesting.
Review: Arthur Christian, third son of the duke of Southerland, is still having nightmares regarding the unfortunate death of Philip Rothembow, one of the Rogues of Regent Street, three years ago. During a ball given by Arthur, Philip's father comes to see Arthur about a debt concerning money Philip invested in horses in Scotland. Arthur decided to go to Scotland and settle this matter.

Arthur is totally unfamiliar with Scotland and gets lost. He happens upon Kerry McKinnon in the middle of nowhere and she shoots him in the arm causing no great injury. Unbeknownest to Arthur, Kerry is the widow of Fraser McKinnon, the man Arthur has instructed his solictor to evict in a month if the taxes and money owed are not paid. Kerry and Arthur travel to the Glenfadden, Kerry's home, and then realizes who she is. He stays there for two weeks, falls in love with her but knows they can never wed as he is low born. Additionally, Kerry's neighbor, Baron Moncrieffe, tells her her husband owes him five thousand pounds and has offered her hand in marriage to Moncrieffe's son after his death. Moncrieffe's son, Charles, is retarded.

After Arthur leaves Glenfadden, Kerry urges all the people in the glen to leave along with her husband's cousin, Thomas, who is to sell the remaining beeves. Charles goes to visit with Kerry, attempts to rape her, so she shoots him. Arthur returns at the same time and takes Kerry away to London. He has her meet his friends Adrian, Lilliana, Julian, Claudia and his Aunt Paddy. He is determined to have the ton accept her; however, Kerry feels out of place and knows she does not belong in London. She sells the diamond necklace Arthur gave her and goes back to Glenfadden where she finds that Thomas has been accused of killing Charles. When she returns she is arrested along with Thomas for the death.

The story continues from there and gets better and better. To write more would give away the plot. Nice story.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Beautiful Stranger - Beautiful Story
Review: Excellent. Once I started reading, I didn't stop until I was finished. Wonderful characters and intriguing storyline.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I was a bit bored
Review: I agree with everyone, that when I read Julia London for the first time, I knew I found a new great author. All of her other books, I read in one day, but this one I didn't mind putting it down. I can't put my finger on it, other than to say it had a bit too much going on. I think there was a lot crammed in at the end. The court scenes were boring and predictable. Jamie Regis all of sudden wanting to help. Willie Keith and the chaos felt like an easy way to tie it all up. Also, Thomas' story just ended. Kerry's mother too, if she came all the way to court, maybe a scene between the two of them would give some depth. I felt like the pain of the past was just explained in short summary instead of living it with the characters. If Arthur was going to dream about Philip, why not have Philip give him some insight into his own tragic life. The dreams could have told much more.

I will continue to read Julia London, There are only a handful of authors that can write with so much depth, emotion and humor.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: enh
Review: I do not really like Julia London. This is the fourth book of her's I've read, and I do not believe I've rated any of the books above a three. So, I'm not quite sure why Amazon continues to recommend her to me, but this was certainly the last book by her I'll be reading.

The story itself was as well written as it could be, but the characters, like the rest of her characters were weak. Like many authors, the problem is that she trys to give her characters too much realness, and in doing so destorys the romance. Too many real life problems do not belong in romance novels. I didn't like Arthur at all. I know that he was dealing with his past, and acting like he thought he should as the youngest son of a duke, but he seemed like an idiot to me.

The book was chalk full of events and people I didn't like. If you want a romance novel that is attempting to verge into the more general fiction area perhaps this is the book for you. I, however, prefer my romance novels to be happy and missing the obnoxious little problems that fill real life.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Love is all around in this novel
Review: I don't believe it possible NOT to fall in love with Arthur Christian (the hero). Arthur is a noble man with no pretense in anything he does. His kindness and sincerity was portrayed exceptionally well, keeping the realistic human behaviour well in check. His boldness in proclaiming his love for Kerry (heroine) is in such a way that when you finish with the book, you would sit there and reflect on the words Arthur spoke throughout the book and the many things he did for Kerry.

Kerry McKinnon was written extremely well too! She is one of my favorite heroines now. Here is a lady who knew exactly what she wanted and never paused in showing her love and her true thoughts to our hero. In many romance novels, the hero would be the instigator in most intimate moments, yet in "A Beautiful Stranger" Kerry knew where she stood and was not afraid to go to Arthur in many circumstances during the story.

"A Beautiful Stranger" was the perfect finale for the "Rogues of Regent Street" series. I don't want to let on too much here so I'll simply say that the plot is quite far off from the average regency romance that you get and it was done perfectly!

To support the story through...to bring it across to the end, the friendship between the Rogues (and you will be touched by it, especially Adrian's part) play an important role, plus the many characters around the couple make this book unforgettable!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A Very Disappointing Ending
Review: I had such high expectations for this third book after reading the first two, that I felt as though I was let down, just grasping for more...
The first gripe that I have for this book is that the hero and the heroine do not meet each other until past page 60. Until then, the book is filled with excess hype, and the reader is left to wonder, "When are they finally going to meet? Get on with the Love Story!"
Secondly, there is no passion, no umph to their romance, like in the first two books.
And Thirdly, the last 50 pages of this book is just awful! It's predictable, especially the courtroom scene, and it just drags on and on. After a while, I found myself skimming it because I just wanted this book to end!!
This book is definately going into the local library book sale stack.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Satisfying end to a terrific series
Review: I liked the writing in this novel very much. It was emotional, but not corny or over the top; it was suspenseful but not melodramatic. I believed in the characters and cared what became of them. Even though this is the third book in the series, it would very easily stand on its own; reading the others enriches the experience but isn't necessary to knowing the characters or understanding the events. Julia London is an autobuy for me now, and I look forward to her next book very much.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful Story
Review: I loved this book.. It is actually the third in a series called the Rogue's of Regent Stret. (the first two are Dangerous Gentleman, and Ruthless Charmer) The first two were good, bu the third was wonderful! The two characters acknowledge their love reltively early in the book, and the reader is able to enjoy their love and experience the tensions and trials along with them. The class conflict and battle to overcome it was realistic and well-done. Worth a read!


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