The Rogue's Redemption (Regency Series #4) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #55) [Mass Market Paperback]

Ruth Axtell Morren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2008

Only she could redeem him…

He was tall and dark with eyes as blue as cobalt. In a glittering London ballroom Miss Hester Leighton saw a man who interested her more than anyone she'd met since coming to town. A woman of deep faith, Hester knew she should not keep company with Major Gerrit Hawkes, a jaded, penniless soldier haunted by nightmares of war. But their connection would not be denied.

Hester was the only woman who'd ever made Gerrit feel truly worthy of love, and he would not lose her. Separated from her by her father—and an ocean—Gerrit must decide whether he will risk his life and his soul to earn a home in Hester's arms forever.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037378600X
• ISBN-13: 978-0373786008
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,111,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ruth knew she wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote her first story--a spy thriller--at the age of twelve. She studied comparative literature at Smith College, spending her junior year at the Sorbonne in Paris. After college, she taught English in the Canary Islands then worked in international development in Miami, Florida, before moving to the Netherlands, where for the next several years, she juggled both writing and raising her three children.
In 1994, her second manuscript was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart competition. In 2002, her sixth manuscript took second place in the Laurie Contest of RWA's Smoky Mountain chapter. The final judge requested her full manuscript and this became her first published book, Winter Is Past, which was spotlighted in Christian Retailing magazine. Since then, Ruth has gone on to publish thirteen historical romances and one novella. Her books have been translated into Dutch, Italian, Polish and Afrikaans . Her second historical, Wild Rose, was chosen by Booklist as a "Top Ten Christian Fiction" selection in 2005.
Ruth lives on the coast of Maine where she enjoys gardening, walking, reading romances and gazing at the ocean plotting her next romance.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and revealing historical romance, February 1, 2008

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rogue's Redemption (Regency Series #4) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #55) (Mass Market Paperback)

It may be coincidence that Major Gerrit Hawkes meets Miss Hester Leighton at a masquerade ball, but he never expected her to see through his roguish veneer to the wounded soldier inside.

Major Hawkes can't figure out why Miss Leighton evokes such protective feelings in him, but he can't imagine using her as he's done with so many other women. Instead, he takes Hester under his wing and helps her navigate the ballrooms at other social events of London.

Hester quickly comes to admire Major Hawkes-and has trouble believing it when her chaperon cautions her about the man who is rumored to have ruined many a young woman's reputation. She sees the shadows in the Major's eyes and wants to help him find God - the only One who can offer the Major true peace. When Hester must leave London and return to America with her father, she risks leaving her heart to a rogue who denies that he wants it.

After Hester's departure, Major Hawkes finds himself even deeper in despair than before. He has only one hope of finding the peace that he so desperately seeks - leave everything and sail to America to find Hester. But will her father, and Major Hawkes' past sins, be too much for him to overcome?

Morren has a wonderful talent for making historical fiction come to life. From the sights, sounds, even the characters' insights and motivations, it is obvious that the author has done her homework. However, each detail is included in such an unobtrusive way that the reader who doesn't really care about historical accuracy won't be overwhelmed with information.

While the dialogue in this novel fits the time period of nineteenth century England and America, it is also witty and at times, revealing.

The romance thread is definitely one of the major focuses of the book, but Morren also gives both the hero and heroine their own obstacles to overcome. You will identify with Hester and her struggle between honoring her father's wishes and following her heart. And I believe Major Hawkes' search for peace and battle with his own mortality will touch many hearts.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Regency and I'd Love to Read More!, December 3, 2008

By 

Jennifer Hudson Taylor (NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rogue's Redemption (Regency Series #4) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #55) (Mass Market Paperback)

To date it has been hard to find Regency books in the CBA market, but I'm delighted to say that this is starting to change.

Ruth Axtell Morren has written a wonderful Christian Regency romance that is flavored with the time period and sensory details that will have you experiencing a delightful taste of England. When reading this book you will feel the emotional impact of one man's change of heart from the rogue he was to a new creation in Christ who loves the heroine with a passion and a new restraint.

Morren has captured the dialogue of the period, created 3-dimensional characters with flaws and strengths that make you root for them in their goals, and layers enough conflict in the story that makes you wonder how they will be brought together in the end. It's a great and wonderful read that I would recommend to anyone who loves historical Christian romance.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fabulous Book by This Author!!, March 7, 2008

By 

Starr reader "MAS" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rogue's Redemption (Regency Series #4) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #55) (Mass Market Paperback)

I love this author and have read (and thoroughly enjoyed) ALL of her work, especially the Winter is Past Series. Once again, I could not put her latest book down.
Such compassion rose up inside of me for all of the characters in this book. Young Hester only wants a friend, and the only one offered to her in London, is someone who is wrong friendship material; but she is drawn to him and eventually concludes that he needs a friend more than she does, but more than that, she knows he needs to meet the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (The Savior, Jesus). Hester, sees Garrit through the eyes of her Lord; beyond his faults and prays for his needs and even when she falls in love with him, she leans on her relationship with Jesus and does the wise thing by obeying her father and most of all, the word of God and her faith, which she refuses to violate or compromise, by leaving London and the man she loves.
As a parent of older daughters, I couldn't help but feel for Hester's parents, who pray that their children will find Godly people to befriend and, in the right timing, marry a like-minded believer. When they steer from our 'perfect ideal and standard' by choosing friends who are not believers, it is a stressful situation and one that constantly gets taken before the cross of Christ.
Then there is Garrit, who is a 'type' of all of us in our worst condition. So depraved in his sinful, selfishness, you see him slowly being wooed and drawn by the Holy Spirit because of the prayers of the saints around him. I didn't find myself saying "serves you right" when he was at his lowest state, despite him being the villian in the book, "Dawn In My Heart" because I knew that each of us must reach that point where all we can do is look up to God, no one else can save us. I found great similarities to portions of the book of Hosea and saw the love God has for His people, even in the lowest, most base conditions and that only He sees from the heart and is with us no matter where we go. But for the grace of God go I! Judgement belongs to God.
My prayer is for the reader to see exactly how far God's redemption really goes - and how depraved behavior can be overcome from the GUTTERMOST to the UTTERMOST. If only one person gets that message, this book will be well worth it.