A ROGUE REDEEMED
As Washington burns, Callista Brooke is trapped in the
battle between her native England and her adopted homeland. She is on the verge
of losing everything, including her life, when a handsome Englishman cuts
through the violent crowd to claim that she is his. Callie falls into her
protector's arms, recognizing that he is no stranger, but the boy she'd once
loved, a lifetime ago.
Lord George Gordon Audley had been Callie's best friend,
and it was to Gordon she turned in desperation to avoid a loathsome arranged
marriage. But the repercussions of his gallant attempt to rescue her sent
Callie packing to Jamaica, and Gordon on a one way trip to the penal colony of
Australia.
Against all odds, Gordon survived. Finding Callie is like
reclaiming his tarnished soul, and once again he vows to do whatever is
necessary to protect her and those she loves. But the innocent friendship they
shared as children has become a dangerous passion that may save or destroy them
when they challenge the aristocratic society that exiled them both . . .
This was a good friends to lovers story in a setting not
often seen in Regency romance. Callie and Gordon were best friends growing up. When
her father planned to marry her off to a Jamaican planter three times her age,
Callie fled to Gordon for help. His idea for them to escape to Gretna Green did
not go as planned, and they were quickly caught. In a heartbreaking scene,
Gordon was nearly beaten to death, and Callie submits to save Gordon's life.
She is sent off to Jamaica and Gordon ends up sent to the penal colony in Australia.
Fast forward fifteen years. Callie is a widow who fled
from Jamaica to Washington DC to escape her brutal stepson, taking her late
husband's illegitimate quadroon children and their grandparents with her. She
created a successful life there as a dressmaker, but as the story opens, she is
caught in the British invasion of Washington. Unfortunate timing places her in
the midst of danger when an unexpected savior arrives just in time to save her
life. Callie is stunned to see Gordon, who she believed was dead.
After many years and adventures, of which we get only
hints, Gordon made it back to England. He now spends his time helping people
out of tricky situations. He was asked to go to America and track down a widow
for her family. They would like her to return to England, or if not, to be sure
that she is safe and happy. The last thing he expected was for Callie to be
that widow.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Callie and Gordon. Once they recovered from their surprise, they slipped easily
back into their old friendship. But they are no longer children, and there is a
new tension simmering under the surface. I loved seeing them get to know each
other as adults. Callie has become a beautiful woman who is intelligent, independent,
and determined. She doesn't trust easily and has no plans to marry again. Gordon
is a man with many facets which comes in handy during this book. His happiness
at finding Callie again made him realize that he wants to keep her in his life.
There are two main obstacles. One is her determination not to marry, and the
other is her reluctance to return to England. Because of their dysfunctional
families, neither Gordon nor Callie has any real experience with love.
Gordon is the first to realize that what he feels for
Callie is more than friendship and decides to use his time to woo Callie to his
way of thinking. He also isn't above using little tastes of passion to show her
the benefits of marrying him. Though adamantly opposed at first, changing
circumstances and growing passion cause Callie to reconsider. I loved Gordon's
patience as he slowly brought Callie to realize that they belonged together. I
liked their support of each other on their return to England, where several surprises
awaited them. But it took a near-tragedy for them to realize the depth of their
feelings for each other. I liked the ending and seeing them accept the full
measure of their love.
One of my favorite things about this book is the setting.
Placing this book in Baltimore during the War of 1812 gave an added layer of
drama to the story. It was fun to see Callie and Gordon jump back and forth
between being British or American as the need arose. Gordon was especially good
at exhibiting just the right attitude for the situation. I thoroughly enjoyed
the descriptions of life in Baltimore as they prepared for the possible arrival
of British soldiers. The vividness of the bombardment of Fort McHenry made me
feel as though I was there. The identity of Callie's lawyer was unexpected and
a nice touch.
There were two bits of mystery and danger that added to
the tension of the book. The first was the reason that Callie fled Jamaica. Her
husband's legitimate son was a greedy bully and his actions made it clear she and
her adopted family were not safe. With the steps she took, she never expected
Henry to pursue them, but was proved wrong. The confrontation with him was intense
and had me on the edge of my seat until it was over. The second was the
surprise inheritance that Gordon received on his arrival back in England. His
trip back to his childhood home was emotional and full of both good and bad
memories. Unexpected danger had me glued to the pages as once again Gordon was
called on to save them from danger. I ached for him as he confronted the culprit
to save himself and Callie.
I would have liked an epilogue to see their lives a few
years down the road. I'm curious to see how things go for Callie's Baltimore
family. Since this is part of a series, hopefully there will be updates in
future books.
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