Customer Reviews

Rogue's Salute

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

 

 

I absolutely couldn't put the book down. I've read every Jennifer Blake written and the interaction between these two main characters, Juliette and Nicholas, is the finest work she's done to date. Blake's a true professional, capable of drawing us into the world she's created.

Can you can resist the opening lines?
"Send a husband for me, I pray, most Holy Mother. Interced in this
matter, if it be they will, for I have desperate need."

If you enjoy the history on the sword masters of New Orleans, be sure to read the other two books in the Master at Arms series, "Challenge to Honor" and "Dawn Encounter".

Blake uses beautiful language to tell an engaging story. I would have rated the book 4 stars except for the numerous typographical errors and the weak ending. There were more than 40 errors (I counted them), some subtle and ignorable, others as blatant as mis-spelling the heroine's name (p.188). A large part of my disappointment in the ending was due to a continuity error: in a substantial chunk of the story the heroine stews about the hero having lied to her, but in the final confrontation, he speaks as though she knows the truth behind the lie and she responds in kind. Maybe a scene was missing from the final print?

In 1842 New Orleans, fencing master Nicholas "La Roche" Pasquale meets church-pledged Juliette Armonte when she rescues his three year old ward from an angry male pursuer, who happens to be him. Nicholas tells her that Gabriel could use a mother so he proposes a marriage of convenience. To save the family legacy, a marriage chest, she accepts.

Juliette's twin sister Paulette wants to keep the marriage chest so she does her best to cause trouble in order for the relationship between Nicholas and her sibling to fall apart. For the most Nicholas ignores the irritating machinations until someone tries to kill Juliette; Nicholas assumes a desperate Paulette is behind the dastardly but potentially lethal attempts and he vows to stop her. Julietee knows the rivalry is intense due to the marriage chest, but she cannot accept her sibling would want her dead.

ROGUE'S SALUTE is a heated historical romance starring the latest Maitres des Armes (see DAWN ENCOUNTER and CHALLENGE TO HONOR) hero and the woman who proves his fencing equal. The story line focuses on a marriage of convenience turning into a marriage of love and passion and the suspense in the storyline enriches a fast-paced mid nineteenth century tale.

Harriet Klausner

I'm i love. Where can I find one of these heros for me? :)

The strengths of Blake's writing, character development, dialogue, and description far out weighed the editorial problems (she needs to take that up with her editor and probably has). The story line was lovely with a hint of spirituality, the heroine very likable and firm, and the hero masculine and quite yummy. She maintained the sexual tension well and I simply adored the dialogue-- intelligent, witty, and absorbing. The writing was a cut above most others, with rich, well-researched descriptions and some words that sent me scrambling to my dictionary. I really liked her writing--it reminded me of M. Hunter, and E. James, and even a little of Kinsale. I didn't care about the typos much but someone did leave out a scene on that one plot issue. But the book was still a pure delight when compared the run of the mill we often get these days.

I genuinely liked the hero of Rogue's Salute. Nicholas, an expert fencing master, is everything a hero should be, dashing, a little bit dangerous, a lion of justice and protective of the heroine.

Nicholas meets Juliette on the street and within half an hour is proposing marriage. He needs a mother to his brood of street orphans and she needs to marry to prevent her sister from acquiring a treasure box. The box goes to the oldest and first married in the maternal line.

Juliette is from a good Creole family and knows marriage to Nicholas will be difficult as he is beneath her station. She has no problem with this as she was almost a nun and has not led the indulgent life her twin sister has over the years. Juliette is an okay heroine but just cannot hold her own when compared to Nicholas. She was compassionate and loyal to her family but she was also a bit priggish and well, a tad boring.

Most of this book deals with Nicholas and Juliette's engagement. It is interesting only when Nicholas is on the page. I noticed I flipped past Juliette's scenes with others. She just could not capture my interest.

Nicholas spends most of the novel playing gentleman to Juliette but also endearingly playing mentor to his orphan brigade.

The ending is a bit troublesome as the questions Juliette had about Nicholas were never really answered. Also the book was too long. About one hundred pages could have been deleted as some scenes never seemed to move the plot forward. This rates three stars though solely for the hero.

As always Jennifer Blake has out done herself in this book. The characters are so wonderful to drift off with. The story line is so good that you can't put it down for you want to find out what is going to happen. I read it in a day's time. I also can't wait for next book!