Customer Reviews

To Rescue A Rogue

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Lord Darius Debenham ("Dare"), the tenth and last member of the Company of Rogues, battles drug addiction and falls in love in this rather lackluster end to a vibrant series. Dare was severely wounded at Waterloo, and afterwards was captured by a French spy who forced him into opium dependency. He was rescued about a year ago and is now physically recovered, but is undergoing an agonizing struggle to free himself from addiction. Once an outgoing and popular young man, there is now a darkness and fragility about him, and his temper is often on edge. He shuns society, not sure if he can hold himself together in public.

Into this half-existence drops the ebullient Lady Mara St. Bride, younger sister of his good friend and fellow rogue, Simon. Dare comes to Mara's rescue one night when she foolishly goes in search of a little fun and almost loses her virtue. Mara decides to rescue Dare in return, whether he wants it or not. She is determined to draw him out of his cloistered existence - and hopefully into her waiting arms.

This story started out well, and the couple was pleasant enough, but it never really took off. There was no buildup to the couple's falling in love, or for that matter much buildup of anything, nor was there anything remarkable to compensate. Mara was likeable, but needed more depth, and Dare should have had more to him considering his eventful past. I liked the opium addict angle and felt this was the most compelling part of the story. Overall, this was a likable couple and an OK read - just not very exciting.

Lady Mara St. Bride with the telling hair of the more adventuresome St. Bride's was ripe for an adventure. Sneaking out of the house to experience a gaming hell with an older family acquaintance she never thought to later find herself barefoot, wearing nothing but a chemise, and wrapped in a blanket while running through the streets after escaping unwanted amorous attentions. It was providence that the person who came to her rescue was none other than Lord Darius "Dare" Debenham - bosom friend of her brother Simon and a fellow `rogue'.

After the battle of Waterloo, Dare had been presumed dead. Instead he'd been rescued and kept prisoner of sorts by a bitter enemy of the founder of the `Rogues'. Mortally wounded he was initially given laudanum for the pain but was then given larger amounts than needed for a longer period of time to purposely turn him into an addict. Now two years later Dare, once one of the more carefree and boisterous of fellows, fought a tortuous battle to free himself from the `monster within'. The battle would be laden with many pitfalls, least of all rumors that Dare had cowardly fled the battlefield. As Dare fights his addiction, Mara appoints herself to be the one who brings the `old Dare' back into the light, redemption, and land of the living and loving.

*** Jo Beverley has always written edgy historicals and has concluded her "Company of Rogues" with one of the more powerful and compelling reads in a tremendous finale of this exceptional series. The last unmarried rogue, Dare Debenham's battle to overcome his addiction was extremely well done giving the reader an unforgettable experience of the ravages of addiction and the tortuous journey one needed to free oneself from the beast. Additionally, Mara was developed as an inspiring and outstanding heroine whose strength of purpose and determination in supporting Dare through his addiction and battling for his love made for an unforgettable heroine.

In a masterful stroke Beverley scores a big hit in bringing all the rogues back to rally around one of their own. Additionally, she shores up this impressive story by filling the pages with wonderful secondary characters and some poignantly emotional moments. Suffice it to say, Jo Beverley remains at the top of her game as one of the true Queens of Regency romance with this fabulous Rogue finale.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

disagree with most recent reviews. if you want a 'bodice burner' - this book is not for you. it is a very compelling story about overcoming addiction. OK - so the title should indicate that dare rescued himself, and mara should be older than 18, but the rest wil chime a cord with anyone who has tried to overcome addiction (in my case - cigaretts).
KUDOS to jo beverley - this is a great book.

This book started off remarkably well. Mara St. Bride starts off sounding like an intriguing woman/child who is marked by trouble simply because of her Ademar hair. Dare's early rescue is touching and you can feel yourself grow griddy in anticipation of a good story. Then a hero struggling with opium addiction-wow, all right. Uncharted waters, I'm in....but then...the author seem to have forgetton about a small detail called A PLOT. Nothing happens in this book. The main conflict are fighting rumors. That's it. How we combat this rumor? How do we clear that rumor? Are you kidding me? Where is the action and intrigue that was promised in the first chapter? And heaven forbid if you haven't read any of the other Rogue books. There are literally chapters after chapters talking about people you have no idea who they are-nor do you care. Most of this book is just a giant reunion party from other characters from other books. They had their book-don't clog this one up. I don't care about Blanche being accepted by the ton-I don't know her-I didn't read that book-I want to know more about Dare...and surprisingly other than his addiction-you don't really get to know him. You don't get to know Mara either. Other than she decided in Chapter two that she was going to marry the hero and there were no obstacles in this book preventing her from her getting what she wanted. I thought Dare would have put up a great fight against her charms because he was an addict and didn't want to ruin her future. Nope. He loved her too and sure I'll marry you. That's it. The rest is just watching them literally talk about rumors and who said what. For a brief moment in the third act, Beverly realized there needed to be some kind of dramatic moment and introduces Delphie's possible mother and for about twenty pages things picked up again--Dare might actually marry someone else. Alright! Finally some action-but no...that frizzled rather easily, too. Berkstead was downgraded to a joke for no reason, just a loon for loon sakes. After the brief drama with the children-they exit stage right-never to be seen again-even in the epilogue. Yeah, he was really in love with those kids. Sheesh. Whatever happened to consistency? By the middle of the book I was tired of the Ademar hair coming up-it was cute at first, but I didn't see anything that warrant people to keep bringing it up. After a while I started a drinking a game and took a shot every time someone mentioned the hair. Nice way to end the night with a buzz. I also wanted Dare and Mara to finish the blasted book they parley with-why was this even mentinoned-oh, to eat up pages. However, after it's all said and done, Beverley's talent still shines through. She is a talented writer, she however was more in love with her research on opium addiction than she was in actually developing a story with a plot. Overall, just okay.

I liked the way the heroes helped each other. It was so obvious that they were in love. Amazing. The scene where Dare asked Mara to wait for her was so touching. But the battle with opium was sometimes difficult to bear. And all the bad things that just kept happening to them were just too overwhelming. Maybe it would have been better if just a few less things would happen in this book. But anyway, it was a wonderful read, and I'm looking forward to reading some more of this author's books.

All of Jo Beverley's "Rogue" series are good books. They are set in the Regency era, but are different then the usual Regency Romances. I enjoyed all of them very much. Ms. Beverley often touchs on human failings and problems and their affect on the characters without losing the story line or leaving you saddened by the end.

I loved this book & was very pleased to finally know Dare's story. I also loved the way all of the rogues were woven in to help - as usual. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of the Rogue's stories so far & am pleased to hear that they are not finished yet.

I've read all Beverley's Rogue books and thoroughly enjoyed most of them. (Nicholas's story has always creeped me out a bit, but the rest were great.) Dare's story has to be one of the most complex of them all. There are so many problems to be solved and strings to tie together to finish the series. Beverley does a wonderful job in accomplishing this. The primary challenge and plotline of Dare overcoming his opium addiction is well done. The physical and mental battle of breaking free from the drug's lure is portrayed convincingly. We root for Dare in his struggle. Beverley's heroine, Mara, is never annoying, even though she is young and falls in love with Dare early in the book. Her optimism and zest for life are endearing. She is really the glue that holds this novel together. While the story is ostensibly about Dare, the final Rogue, Mara comes along to create mayhem in the first few chapters and then to uplift and support him as he deals with the various dilemmas in his life. They are a truly unique pair of characters, ones I plan to revisit in the future. This is definitely a keeper, a fitting finale to a great series.

In 1815 during the pivotal Battle of Waterloo, Lord Darius "Dare" Debenham is critically injured and rushed from the front. To dull his severe pain and help him heal, he receives medication, but finds out over time way he had way too much laudanum as he become addicted to the opiate. Now two years later, he fights his craving for the drug every moment he is awake.

As he struggles to control his addiction and accusation that he cowardly fled the battlefield, family friend Lady Mara St. Bride wants the return of the old Dare that she secretly loved. She will do what it takes to persuade him that he can contain the demons and still live a fruitful fulfilling life in the light instead of humiliatingly hiding in the shadows. As Mara does anything and everything including touring London with a blanket and her undies and enlisting the other eleven Rogues, the last of them dares to think he can return to life with the love of Mara as his impetus.

This is a fantastic finale to the superior Regency romantic suspense series, the Rogues. Mara is a courageous heroine risking her reputation and much more for the man she loves while the return of the other eleven of the Dirty Dozen provides a homecoming feel to the plot. However this story belongs to Dare as he struggles with everyday life having no dreams or aspirations for even tomorrow until Mara kicks his butt and heart into first gear. As has been the case throughout this exemplary saga, Jo Beverly writes an outstanding historical romance.

Harriet Klausner

I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but I fully intend to go back and start at the beginning.

As for this book -- Someone complained about the lack of action. For me, that was one of the things I most enjoyed. This is a nice, quiet book. It's about a man and a woman coming to know each other rather than an action plot about spies or whatever. Everything in this story is about the couple. About their relationship and how it grows. And about Dare overcoming his addiction -- and Mara growing up enough to realize that she can't simply jump on a white horse and ride to the rescue, like a character in that book she and Dare plot out together. Real life -- and real love -- is more complicated than that. Messier. Less sure of a Happily Ever After ending.

And no, there weren't any great obstacles put in their way (as someone else complained) -- Dare's addiction included. But so what? Why can't we occasionally have a book that flows gently along instead of rumbling into action or bouncing from problem to problem (or bedroom scene to bedroom scene)? Something different -- something out of the ordinary -- is a refreshing change.

If all the other books in the series are like this, I'm going to be one happy reader!