Customer Reviews

A Gift For a Rogue (Zebra Regency Romance)

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This is a much better book then Ms. Park's previous efforts. Alex, an Earl, has decided, after some years of being a widow, to marry again. He has become a confirmed rake, but a likeable one. However, he discovers he is no longer considered eligible due to his rakishness. In steps Belle, his sister-in-law Grace's friend. She too is a widow with a small daughter and for the past 5 years, as sponsored misses for the season and has an excellent reputation. She is also going to possibly sponsor Alex's 2 wards for their upcoming season. He sort of hires her to help him polish his act so he can court a potentional wife. He holds a holiday house party and together they invite many eligible ton figures and matrons to see how well he has shinned up. Of course, they fall in love and are really a nice couple. He even becomes a more doting father on his two boys due to her influence. The extra characters in the story add to the mix in a positive manner. My main issue with the story is Belle herself. After being seduced 5-6 years earlier and having to marry as she was "increasing", she swears off rakes. She will not marry Alex since he is one. Well, that is true. But was so obvious was the fact that for all the years he was married, he loved his wife and was a faithful husband. So one would conclude he became a rake almost to drown his sorrow. Since he had been a faithful and loving husband once, why would he not again be one to a new love? While others in the story, including their own children, were trying to tell Belle he changed for the better, this one omission of his past marital fidelity, which should have been mentioned and discussed, was not and it was very annoying...

as someone who is also no longer a pert and perky 20 year old it was refreshing to read this Regency.

Both the hero and heroine are in their 30's, both widowers who actually loved their deceased mates, and both have children. The story is well written by Parks (pseudonym of Regency author Donna Bell), is lovely,fun, and quick to read. I especially liked the interaction between the hero/heroine and each others children.

The other reviewers summed up the storyline well so I'll just add that if you're looking for a light, clean Regency you should like this. Though sold as a Christmas Regency from the cover, Christmas is not critical to the storyline as much as it being a winter storyline at a country house party.

The storyline on the back of the book, Isabelle playing professional matchmaker for Alex, is frankly feeble and ditched early on because even the hero can see that he quickly falls for the matchmaker instead. This doesn't hurt the story, in fact it helps it, as the hero uses the matchmaking excuse to find a way to spend time with the heroine.

My one fault with the story is the abrupt "juvenile" turn the author took with the leads the last 40 pages. Miss Parks went from the characters behaving in a mature, and therefore realistic way towards each other, and how they thought about having a relationship, to behaving very silly ala' modern romantic comedy. If the author would have kept it mature it would have been a five star book. I still recommend it for Regency fans sick of virginal debutante heroines right out of the schoolroom.

4 stars.