Customer Reviews

The Return Of The Prodigal (The Beckets of Romney Marsh)

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Rian Becket may have survived the war but not without serious injuries. Having been nursed back to health by Lisette, he finds himself developing feelings for her. But he doesn't trust her. They're living in a manor house and she says she's a housemaid to her mother's childhood friend but something just doesn't seem right. She's too anxious to know things about his family and home. And as a Becket, those are things you don't tell just anyone.

Lisette has been given the task of finding out where Rian Becket's family lives. But Rian is not cooperating with her. She knows he is withholding information and being deliberately vague. She describes the manor house owner as a cruel, mean man and proposes a plan of escape, where she hopes he will take her to his home, even as she worries about how she will be received by his family.

As Rian and Lisette embark on their journey to Becket Hall, they each discover that things aren't always as they seem. Both being romantics, they are seemingly, inexplicably drawn to each other, despite the fact that neither trusts the other. So, are the developing feelings a result of the nurse / patient relationship or are they real? And if they're real, can they withstand the lies and half truths?

The Return of the Prodigal is the sixth installment of the Becket's saga. One of the things I love about Kasey Michaels' books is that she creates things so vividly, yet does so subtly. For example, I could hear Lisette's french accent, visualize Jasper's imposing frame, without being constantly reminded that Lisette was French and Jasper was a giant. I loved that. And I loved The Return of the Prodigal. It is a fast-paced, action packed story. A must read.

Rian Becket was wounded at Waterloo; he was saved when a stranger removed him from the battlefield and left him with the lovely Lisette to help him heal. As he recuperates physically, mentally he remains despondent over the loss of an arm. Only the innocent Lisette keeps his spirits from crashing.

Rian believes Lisette's tale of fleeing a cruel employer because he needs to in order to survive. However, he soon will learn the truth the hard way about his Lisette, who has set him up as a pawn for an enemy, who "owns" her, trying to destroy the Becketts. The adversary failed to account for one minor detail in an otherwise perfect scheme; Lisette has fallen in love with Rian.

Readers who have followed this refreshing Regency saga will know that the end is near as the mystery of who wants to destroy the Beckets of Romney Marsh is focusing. The story line is action-packed, but driven by the RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL and the nurse he loves. Lisette steals the show from the Beckett brood as she must decide between loyalties to her father vs. fidelity to the man she loves. Although this tale like the previous ones can stand alone, to understand the flow of the mystery, fans should start with the first book and proceed from there.

Harriet Klausner

Started in middle of affair,(What happened from battle field to house) Not enough on the main characters, to much other stuff, disappointed

When I read the last book, I felt the Edmund Beales story arc had become too tedious for me. But, I do like Rian, so I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I do feel a bit let down.

As someone else said, we were never really treated to a "love" story between Rian and Lisette. They'd already been together awhile when the story opened, and that was marred by the fact that she had been drugging him. Yes, I know that later, we understand her motives better, but it just didn't make things better for me. I understand I was supposed to feel sympathetic to her, but I just didn't. She was a shrew, and I couldn't for the life of me understand what Rian felt was so compelling about her, especially after his head had cleared.

Also, again, there was the tedious "Edmund Beales" story, which had to be explained to us yet again, and yet again, we get close to catching him but then he gets away. Like he's done for five other books before. Supposedly, with every book they get "closer" to him, but it seemed like a small compensation in this one.

I still love Rian's character, and I loved the character of Jasper, but for the most part, I found myself doing a lot of skimming here.

This novel has a very fine plot with mystery, intrigue and revenge but not a passionate romance between the two leads.

Rian Becket is recovering from his wounds after Waterloo in a French manor house tended to by Lisette, a woman who tells him she is but a servant in the house. Lisette is no servant but the daughter of the home owner. She has recently reunited with her father, whom she does not really know as she has been living in a convent for years.

Rian is kept in a drugged state constantly while he recuperates thanks to Lisette and a wicked voodoo queen. Lisette's mission is to find Rian's family back in England so her father can follow and then kill Rian's father. Lisette's job is to eventially kill Rian, all because many years ago, according to Lisette's father, Rian's adopted father killed Lisette's mother.

Lisette and Rian are lovers and the reader knows this from the first chapter. There is no build up to their romance at all. Since Rian is drugged, initially he has no personality and really just waits on Lisette to tell him what to do. It is only after they leave the manor that Rian comes to himself and the reader gets the full force of this formidable man's personality. He is kind and lively and above all intelligent. He quickly ascertains the situation at hand and goes about thwarting Lisette's plans.

Lisette begins to genuinely like Rian, even though she has a most annoying habit of calling her lover by his full name Rian Beckett. Why not use either his first or last name, using both sounded pretentious. Lissette realizes her father is not forthcoming with the truth, but even worse she is in love with the man she had set out to betray and murder; she wrestles with forgiving herself.

The plotting in this novel is first rate. Rian is brave and operates in a manor worthy of a hero but his relationship with Lisette always felt lukewarm.

This is one of the Romney Marsh series and I have really enjoyed the complete series. It has action, romance and history, all the things I like in a great book.

Over all I liked this book. Ms Michaels did a fine job telling Rian's story. My only critiques would be that I felt that it started too far into their relationship, we didn't really get to see Rian and Lisette fall in love, which for me is part of the fun. Also, the reunion with the family, which was really the theme of the book, was very abbreviated; I felt that I missed something. I liked how she let us know Rian felt about his missing limb and how he was able to still use his mind and body to save the day. I was pleased that Lisette didn't misplace her loyalty, and seemed to use her wit. I liked the struggle she had to overcome the fairytale she wanted to believe she was living, and what was really going on. Also, I liked the clean set up for the next book featuring Courtland and Cassie.