Customer Reviews

Kiss From a Rogue

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

'Kiss From a Rogue' by Shirley Karr has smuggling, 'a want to be' Rake and widow who is trying to save her village. A cute story - and it catches you on the first chapter.

If you enjoy this novel I would check out What an Earl Wants ( her debut novel) and Confessions of A Viscount (story of Alistair, the charming astronomer you met as one of Tony's friends in Kiss From A Rogue).

I was really looking forward to this book because I loved her first one about Sinclair and Jo Quincy. I was disappointed in this book, though and here's a list of reasons why: (1) Neither of the main characters had the same kind of spark as the ones in her first book; (2) even the cat in this one (Macbeth) lacked the pizzazz of Sir Ambrose; (3) too many characters! I needed a score card to track the plot; (4) I thought the plot was less intersting (smugglers?), and (5)I just didn't find Tony or Sylvia very appealing people. At least with Jo and Sinclair, there was wit and humor. With these two, he seemed directionless until he stumbles upon this village (not exciting to me) and she seemed just like any other female victim of the era--impoverished lady trying to solve her problems in a man's world.

Widow Sylvia Montgomery has been left with a bankrupt estate and with the whole poverty-stricken village depending on her, the only way they can survive is to continue their smuggling. The problem is that their only ship sank, killing her husband and most of the village's able-bodied men. So they have to deal with a lecherous, unscrupulous captain and a rival gang that's trying to take over their business.

Tony Sinclair has been running his family's estate, but now that his elder brother has returned from the war, it's his job, and Tony's at loose ends. He decides he's been respectable and responsible long enough, so rather than take a job in the city, he goes traveling, and finds himself stranded in Sylvia's village, and decides the attractive widow would be a perfect start to his life as a rakehell.

It's a fun story--warm and delightful. Sylvia's concern for the village and her acceptance of the responsibility, as well as her reactions to Tony, make her an appealing heroine. Tony's determination to become a rake, in direct contrast to his honorable and responsible nature is entertaining as well--there's something about a self-deluded hero that always appeals to me, I'm not sure why.

Tony's solution to the village's dilemma is a little too facile, I thought--along the lines of the divorced woman in a contemporary being able to support herself and her extended family by baking cookies in her kitchen.

Oddly, I guess the reason why this didn't grab me that much is that it was just too sweet--it felt like a Disney movie. (It's no coincidence that the product description calls it a cross between Pirates of the Caribbean and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.) The villains were a bit too 2-dimensional and easy to defeat; the conflicts were there, but there just wasn't a lot of meat to them.

Still, it was a pleasant read.

This was a wonderful sequel to her first great book, WHAT AN EARLY WANTS. Without giving away the plot, I will say the heroine is brave and fun, the hero is to die for, the chemistry between them is great, and the story is exciting and just moves along. I read it in two days. This is a gifted author who we'll be hearing from a lot in the future (I hope). Do pick up this book, and her first one (I loved it!) for great escapism and enjoyment.

Read this book and immediately went looking for more of her books...I loved the story...the characters...everything. In fact, I loved the whole series from this story line...I can't wait for more books to be published!

In 1816 Dorset, the estate of Lady Sylvia Montgomery's late husband is bankrupt. Sylvia feels she must take action not out of some aristocratic obligation, but because she worries what will come of the locals; some families have already fled to Canada. Thus, the ingenious Lady assumes leadership of the local smuggling operation.

While his brother served in the Napoleonic War, Lord Anthony Sinclair properly behaved as expected of the spare. However, now Benjamin the Earl has returned safely to London and married "Joe" (see WHAT AN EARL WANTS), a brilliant investor, who has made a fortune for him and the family, Tony has no idea what to do in life. He decides to become a rake while he ponders his future.

Tony's skirt-chasing leads him to Dorset where he meets the beguiling widow who he knows has a secret that he plans to uncover and exploit to get Sylvia in his bed. However, he falls in love with her and he believes she reciprocates; but she is an earnest woman working at saving her villagers. To earn Sylvia's respect he must stay at her side, but is unprepared for the illegal events that unfold at Lulworth Cove.

This sequel returns Tony on his romantic caper with another equally strong take charge female. The Regency story line is filled with plenty of action, but the real adventure is Tony's efforts to prove to his beloved Sylvia he will be there for her regardless of the escapades she leads them into; she assumes he is a wastrel. With her second wonderful historical, Shirley Karr shows she is no one hit wonder as readers will take immense delight in the gender bending battle of the smuggling sexes.

Harriet Klausner