Book Review: A Most Devilish Rogue by Ashlyn Macnamara

This is a warm story, rich in romance.
A Most Devilish Rogue
by Ashlyn Macnamara

• File Size: 1099 KB
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (August 27, 2013)
• Sold by: Random House LLC
• ASIN: B00BO4GSVG

Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Fans who adore Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries will savor Ashlyn Macnamara’s sensual new novel, which proves that two hearts are better than one.
Years ago, when Isabelle Mears was still a young miss too infatuated to know better, she surrendered her innocence to a dishonorable man. Though ruined and cast out from society, she has worked hard to shelter her illegitimate son, Jack. Having sworn off men in her quiet but dignified life, Isabelle is unprepared for the deep longing that rips through her when a handsome stranger rescues her rambunctious six-year-old from the pounding ocean surf.
George Upperton is a man in trouble with debts, women, and a meddling family. He is, by all accounts, the last gentleman on earth Isabelle should be drawn to. But loneliness is a hard mistress, and caution gives way to desire . . . even though Isabelle is convinced that happiness can’t be found in the arms of such a devilish rogue. Only when Jack is kidnapped does Isabelle discover the true depth of George’s devotion—and how far a good man will go to fight for the woman whose love is all that matters.

Review:
George Upperton appears at first to be a rather offensive aristocratic man who has built up debt through gambling and supporting a mistress with costly tastes. When his mistress announces bad news – she is pregnant – George escapes town to join his family at a country party of a good friend.  He hopes to find some friendly card games where he can win enough to bring his debts current, complete plans for a revenge he is seeking for a friend and make provisions for his ladybird. Meanwhile he has to dodge his mother who is pushing him towards a suitable marriage.

George strolls down to the beach just in time to rescue a young boy. Jack, a precocious lad of six, clings to George and decides that the waves and George are fun. Jack’s mother, Isabelle, is understandably distressed. She is grateful but wary considering her past experience with a man of ton who took advantage of her innocence leaving her pregnant, ruined and outcast by her family.

George and Isabelle are drawn to each other even though he doesn’t need complications in his life and she doesn’t need to be used or scorned by anyone new. She gets enough disdain even from the locals who look down their noses because of her circumstances.

When Isabelle gets a threatening note about Jack she ends up seeking George’s help to find the boy. Then Isabelle’s house servant/companion, Biggles, disappears the next day. George enlists the help of his male friends to try to find her son. At first Isabelle is welcomed into the manor house until her own haughty cousin steps in the room and proclaims her shame.

Most of the town see George as he describes himself: “A simple man who plays too deep, drinks too much, and enjoys too many ladies outside the bonds of marriage.” (Location 3299.)  But Isabelle sees beyond the shallow facade to the man of sensitivity, gentleness and kindness.

I didn’t like George at first but as his sensitive nature was revealed he became much more likeable. I did like Isabelle, especially for her strength in the face of being outcast to raise her son with little help. I liked the rich warmth of the story and the kidnapping plot. However I was a little disappointed that the kidnapping occurs and then the majority of the book proceeds to share the developing romance and passion between George and Isabelle. It seemed quite a long time before the hunt for Jack and Biggles led anywhere.

I had issues with playing the piano at midnight and not disturbing anyone in the manor. Also I felt like there were unanswered questions with Isabelle’s relationship with her father. Even with these issues I did enjoy the book. I would only wish for less focus on the sensual romance and more on the substantive plot. But for readers who love a sensual romance - this should fill that craving very nicely.

I received this for an honest review for Random House and the author as part of a Blog Tour. Please see Author Guest Post and Giveaway for more about the book and a chance to win.

A Few Words on Gambling - Guest Post by Ashlyn Macnamara with GIVEAWAY!

I don’t know whether England possessed an official national sport during the Regency period, but I would argue if it did, that sport was gambling. The betting books in gentleman’s clubs such as White’s hold the evidence of wagers on anything from raindrop races to whether a certain couple might wed at the end of the season. They wagered on cock fights, horse races, and boxing matches. Even such seemingly staid venues as balls and Almack’s were incomplete without their card rooms—where entire fortunes might be won and lost.

The compulsion to lay a sporting wager or two wasn’t restricted to the men, either. No one thought anything of a lady sitting down to a respectable game of whist.

But the real gamblers haunted gaming hells. While White’s and Brook’s and Boodles all had card rooms, such clubs mainly served as an exclusive spot for men of the upper class to gather and discuss various issues of the day. Gaming hells were more like a casino, and they existed to relieve a man (or a woman, although I can’t imagine any respectable woman haunting such a place) of his blunt.

A time-traveller from our era might even recognize some of the games of the day. Played with dice, hazard was a forerunner of craps. The object of vingt-et-un was to see which player could come closest to twenty-one without going over—just like the game we call blackjack. Roulette has existed since the 18th century or earlier—physicist Blaise Pascal accidentally invented the roulette wheel in his search for a perpetual motion machine. Contract bridge traces its roots, in part, to a less complicated game called whist.

One of the more famous of these establishments was Crockford’s. Founded in 1793 on St. James street among the other gentlemen’s clubs, its true raison d’être was to separate wealthy young bucks from their allowances. At its height, the club was the most famous gaming house in Europe in spite of—or perhaps due to—a reputation for boisterousness. The casino’s eponymous owner invented the principal that the house always wins, which allowed him to amass a vast personal fortune, enough to rise from his working class roots to own more than one home, including one in fashionable Mayfair.

And what of the poor members of the aristocracy he fleeced? A gentleman considered his markers debts of honor—and accordingly paid them off before he paid tradesmen such as his tailor.

Now you may ask yourself what any of this has to do with my upcoming release,  A Most Devilish Rogue. As you might imagine, a gentleman with roguish qualities might well find himself within a gaming establishment within the course of a story. He may even land himself in a spot of trouble. To find out how this comes about, you may want to read the book. Here is the blurb:

Years ago, when Isabelle Mears was still a young miss too infatuated to know better, she surrendered her innocence to a dishonorable man. Though ruined and cast out from society, she has worked hard to shelter her illegitimate son, Jack. Having sworn off men in her quiet but dignified life, Isabelle is unprepared for the deep longing that rips through her when a handsome stranger rescues her rambunctious six-year-old from the pounding ocean surf.

George Upperton is a man in trouble with debts, women, and a meddling family. He is, by all accounts, the last gentleman on earth Isabelle should be drawn to. But loneliness is a hard mistress, and caution gives way to desire . . . even though Isabelle is convinced that happiness can’t be found in the arms of such a devilish rogue. Only when Jack is kidnapped does Isabelle discover the true depth of George’s devotion—and how far a good man will go to fight for the woman whose love is all that matters.

In the meantime, plenty of other romance heroes have found themselves in a similar situation. Others have even owned the casinos. Tell me about your favorites in the comments.

Ashlyn Macnamara writes Regency romances with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. She considers this writing gig her midlife crisis, but figures it’s less risky than rock climbing or skydiving. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research. Despite her insistence on looking toward the past, she can be found on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. She also likes to play at being a Duchess from time to time.

 A Most Devilish Rogue                       

Ballantine Books * Coming August 27, 2013

ISBN-10: 034553476X  * ISBN-13: 978-0345534767

Paperback:

Please watch for my review which will be posted mid-day on Thursday, August 22.

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audible Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

This is a different, thought provoking, dystopia.

The Giver
UNABRIDGED
    by Lois Lowry

    Narrated by Ron Rifkin
        Series: Giver Quartet, Book 1
    LENGTH    4 hrs and 41 mins
    RELEASE DATE    11-07-03
    PUBLISHER    Listening Library

Genre: Dystopia
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve-year-old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man, the man called only the Giver, he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Told with deceptive simplicity, this is the provocative story of a boy who experiences something incredible and undertakes something impossible. In the telling it questions every value we have taken for granted and reexamines our most deeply held beliefs.
©1993 Lois Lowry; (P)1993 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group.

Review:
Jonas is an eleven year old about to go through the annual Ceremony for twelve-year-olds to be assigned their role or job in the community. The adults have watched and monitored the youth to determine their best placing. Jonas realizes that his friends, Fiona and Asher, have been assigned jobs appropriate to their personalities and desires. Fiona, a caring young girl, will be trained to become a Caretaker of the Old, helping the elderly with bathing, dressing and daily living until they are released in a joyous celebration. The release celebration is believed to mean that they are moved onto another community across the river.

Jonas’ active friend Asher is assigned to train in the department of Recreation which Jonas sees as well suited. But what position will Jonas be assigned? To his surprise he is initially passed over and then proclaimed to train to be a keeper of memory. This is a greatly honored position which pulls him away and apart for everyone else, including his family. He finds himself being trained by a man called The Giver. This aged man holds all the memories of the past, including all the nuances of emotions–from pain to joy and love. He has the wisdom to help the leaders of the community to make decisions to avoid the mistakes of the past. But none of this information can be shared with others so The Giver leads a pretty solitary life.

When Jonas begins to share the burden of The Giver he learns of happiness and love but also pain and grief . He realizes certain lies that control his family and community. As he questions The Giver on the rightness of the system they begin to plot a means to force change on the community.

This story is set in a (presumably) future time when certain communities have settled around a system of control that is based on “sameness”. Personal emotions have been limited and controlled by trained (manipulated) family and educational teaching along with imposed medication that apparently suppresses natural emotions. Personal choice doesn’t exist.

I found myself captivated by the idea of the story and was eager to know what would happen as Jonas began to see and experience a fuller life of color and feelings. Would the emotions of love, joy and freedom overcome the trauma of physical pain and grief? That seems to be the real issue of the story and it makes you think about the value of free choice.

This is the first of several (four I think) books in the series. This ends at a point that leaves the reader to wonder what will happen to Jonas and the community. I will seek out the next book to see where it goes.

Audio Notes: I had some issues early in the book with the whininess of the narrator, especially for the younger characters like Jonas and his younger sister. As I began to accept that this might be fitting for the characters I relaxed into the listening. After that I was able to focus on the storyline and for the most part enjoyed the reading. I recommend listening to a sample before you decide to purchase as an Audiobook.

I read this from my own Audible Library TBR files.

Mailbox Monday August 19, 2013

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
For AUGUST: the Mailbox Monday Tour host is Bermudaonion (thanks Kathy).
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) but is now hosted at Mailbox Monday and through various blog hosts.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received two print books for review, two print for survey and I picked up the final free audio titles from SYNC YA. 

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received these two print books from Sourcebooks for November reviews:

Don't Want to Miss a Thing

by Jill Mansell

and

To Have and to Hold
by Leigh Greewood

Received from Harlequin Tell
for survey/review
Not sure when I will fit these in but they look like quick reads.

Heir to A Dark Inheritance

by Maisey Yates

and

 

A Legacy of Secrets

by Carol Marinelli

Won

None.

Purchased

None

Free

Audios:

I downloaded the last of the summer free pair from SYNC YA August 15 – August 21, 2013:
Both of these sound interesting!

Sold
By Patricia McCormick
Read by Justine Eyre
Published by Tantor Media
Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award

“Eyre delivers a stellar performance that embodies the main character’s quest in the utmost detail.” –AudioFile Magazine

Lakshmi, raised in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal, journeys to India to take a job to support her family.  There she is tricked into prostitution and must risk everything to reclaim her life.

and

Let Me Stand Alone:The Journals of Rachel Corrie
By Rachel Corrie
Read by Tavia Gilbert
Published by Talkbox / Blackstone Audiobooks
“Rachel gives us herself through her words;
Tavia Gilbert gives us her voice.” –AudioFile Magazine

Rachel Corrie, a young women with a striking gift for poetry, writing, and drawing, was determined to make a better, more peaceful world.  The twenty-three-year-old American activist died protecting a Palestinian family’s home.

I downloaded a couple of free Kindle Titles this week
linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle Review.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading August 19, 2013

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This was a strange, busy week requiring early morning risings. I pushed to finish one of the books Sunday although the other two are at 75%. I posted three reviews, one with ARC Giveaway. I  posted the weekly Mailbox Monday meme, Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Snapshot, Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words.

I still had limited visiting last week. I hope to visit more this week.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts (plus winner post):

• It's Monday What are You Reading? August 12, 2013.

• Mailbox Monday August 12, 2013.

• Audible Book Review: The Eye of Moloch by Glenn Beck, Political Thriller; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway August 16, 2013. Open Worldwide. Ends 8/22.

• Saturday Snapshot August 17, 2013 - Blurry Bucks
  

• Book Review: Windshift by Joyce Faulkner , Historical Fiction; my rating 4.5.

• Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Revenge by Debra Webb, Romantic Suspense; my rating 4.5. Ends 8/23.

• Sharing Beyond Books #113 Comment Giveaway 8/17/13. Open Worldwide. Ends 8/23.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement August 18, 2013.
  

Finished Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle

   The Companions, The Sundering, Book I
by R. A. Salvatore
This is definitely epic fantasy!

I'll post the review this week.
Click on Title for full Book Description.

Line Edits/Releases:
This week's new eBook release: 

The Appointed Collection, The Initiates by Kamil Ali
     Set in 19th century Russian-occupied Latvia, a brilliant lawyer, Karlis Stucka, meets Satan's First Dark Angel in a decrepit hotel in Riga.
     The Dark Angel takes Karlis on a supernatural odyssey spanning time and places beyond the imagination.
Genre: Fantasy, Thriller
Pages:  390, Novel




Enter the bi-monthly drawings at eTreasures Publishing Facebook page.
This week's giveaway link:  Seven Shades of Luminosity by Beth Bowland
Genre(s): Children's - Middle Grade, Fantasy; Print Pages: 228

Currently reading:
1. Print

Guilty as Sin
by Jami Alden
I am 75% completed and have been enjoying this.  I plan to post the review with ARC giveaway at the end of the week.
Click on Title for full Book Description.

2. Audio

Death of a Dyer

by Eleanor Kuhns

Reader: Richard Waterhouse

I am 75% in this and 
have not figured out the murderer yet. 

Reviewing for AudioGo through Audiobook Jukebox.

Click on Title for full Book Description.

3. eBook/Kindle

A Most Devilish Rogue
by Ashlyn Macnamara
I will be starting this on Monday for Thursday review and feature.
Reviewing for Random House and author.
Book Description
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Fans who adore Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries will savor Ashlyn Macnamara’s sensual new novel, which proves that two hearts are better than one.
Years ago, when Isabelle Mears was still a young miss too infatuated to know better, she surrendered her innocence to a dishonorable man. Though ruined and cast out from society, she has worked hard to shelter her illegitimate son, Jack. Having sworn off men in her quiet but dignified life, Isabelle is unprepared for the deep longing that rips through her when a handsome stranger rescues her rambunctious six-year-old from the pounding ocean surf.
George Upperton is a man in trouble with debts, women, and a meddling family. He is, by all accounts, the last gentleman on earth Isabelle should be drawn to. But loneliness is a hard mistress, and caution gives way to desire . . . even though Isabelle is convinced that happiness can’t be found in the arms of such a devilish rogue. Only when Jack is kidnapped does Isabelle discover the true depth of George’s devotion—and how far a good man will go to fight for the woman whose love is all that matters.

4. Audible

Paradox Resolution
Author: K.A. Bedford
Narrator: Cameron McDonald
I expect to start this midweek.
Reviewing for Post Hypnotic Press 
through Audiobook Jukebox.
Audio Book Description:
Aloysius “Spider” Webb fixes time machines for a living. He hates his job; he hates his life, and hates time travel even more. He simply wants to get on with his life. He’s a hard working -Australian bloke — a good man in a bad -situation who is willing to do almost anything to regain his self-respect and the affection of his nearly -ex-wife, Molly; a mad sculptress on her way to international fame and fortune.

Spider’s life and his world are changing. -After quitting the Western Australian Police Service, Spider studied to become a time -machine repair -mechanic, eking out a sparse -living fixing broken down machines. But the -repair business isn’t what it used to be. Once, time machines were as big as cars; but now they’re smaller and compact, portable, and cost too much to get fixed so it’s easier for people to simply buy a new one. Times are tough and there is no end in sight.

Meanwhile, Spider’s new boss at the Time -Machines Repaired While-U-Wait franchise needs help: his -secretly built, totally -illegal, -radically overclocked, hotrod time -machine has been stolen, and Spider is the right man to get it back before it falls into the wrong hands, or worse inadvertently destroys the entire universe.

Spider’s journey begins with a simple favor to help his almost ex-wife, Molly, and moves to the icy wastes of the far, far future.

Surprise and shock are the only -constants in -Spider’s life; why should this job be any -different?

I am really lagging but still listening to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. [Reading and listening on MP3.] I have been remiss and not keeping up with daily reading with my DH.

Line Edits: Still working. Several more releases being prepared for the next few weeks. I am still doing more Smashword conversions in between print formatting.

I still have several print books carrying over from June now into August. I don't have quite so many new choices so I think I can wrap these carry overs up this month.

August
Scheduled:
8/22 Review: A Most Devilish Rogue by Ashlyn Macnamara; Review and Author Guest Blog through Random House 

Sourcebooks
    (none scheduled unless I pick up at NetGalley)

Hachette - Forever
    A House Divided by Kimberly Lawson Roby
    Guilty as Sin by Jami Alden (finishing)
    Ruthless by Debra Webb

NetGalley:
      The Godborn, The Sundering, Book II by Paul S. Kemp
 
AudioBook Jukebox
Death of a Dyer by Eleanor Kuhns (finishing)
Paradox Resolution by K.A. Bedford (to start)

Author Books received at March EPICon
     Convict Dad by P. Ryan Hembree

Author Review titles:
     Double Click by Lisa Becker

From TBR Collection - TBD
Won Book - TBD
Free Kindle/Nook or Smashwords: TBD