The Ruthless Charmer (The Rogues of Regent Street, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Julia London (Author) "AHA! HE WAS being smothered by a pair of breasts..." (more)
Key Phrases: ruthless charmer, little town house, blue drawing room, Kettering Hall, The Ruthless Charmer, Upper Moreland Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The tragedy of errors between its equally willful hero and heroine hinder the plot of this second installment (after The Dangerous Gentleman) in London's The Rogues of Regent Street series. Unbeknownst to both Julian and Claudia is the depth of the other's affection. Consequently, when Julian's friend Phillip, a fellow dashing, supercilious, lady-killing "Rogue," becomes infatuated with Claudia, she returns Phillip's affection, until he is killed in a senseless, drunken and suicidal duel, for which Julian blames himself and for which Claudia, in turn, blames Julian and the Rogues' fast lifestyle. Nevertheless, life goes on, and the frequent bantering and flirting between Claudia and Julian eventually leads to an intimate encounter on a garden bench. But the couple are discovered by a member of the social establishment and forced into marriage to save Claudia's reputation. Believing that Julian is heartless and cruel and that their marriage is a loveless one, Claudia goes against Julian's wishes by helping his younger sister, Sophie, secretly meet with the man of her dreamsAan abusive blackguard who is only after the family fortune. Unfortunately, London loses the romance amid all the turmoil of her plot. But this won't be enough to turn off historical romance fans, for London has always satisfied her readers by providing plenty of lavish 19th-century settings and costumes. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"... a rising star."
-- Romantic Times


Don't miss Julia London's acclaimed romances

The Devil's Love
Wicked Angel
The Dangerous Gentleman

Available from Dell -- Review

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Dell (October 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440235626
• ISBN-13: 978-0440235620
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,385 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 2 in The Rogues of Regent Street Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique plot devices and interesting characterizations, December 19, 2001

By	camille (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Julia London is to be congratulated from veering from standard plot devices and resolutions in this masterful book. Our hero, Julian, has known our heroine, Claudia, for years since she was the childhood friend of his numerous sisters and spent many summers at his family's estate. She had long had a crush on him, but was crushed when he failed to return for a promised dance in her first season. This failure has led her to hold a grudge against him (which, frankly, was one of the many realistic touches in the book. Don't many of us hold grudges against the first man or boy to touch and break our hearts?) Later, Julian becomes attracted to Claudia, but bows out when a close friend evinces interest in her before Julian can speak of his own. This friend later dies of alchoholism and both Claudia and Julian blame Julian for failing to prevent the death. The novel begins at this point and the above is told through conversation between the characters and some descriptive prose. Claudia and Julian are caught in a compromising position and Claudia's father, who is more concerned about his political career than her happiness, forces her to marry much against her will. Meanwhile, Claudia has been anything other than the typical Regency miss concerned only with clothes and reading novels (ahem). She has begun a battered women's shelter, secret from everyone in her life. Kudos to London for introducing an important social issue without resorting to writing gratitious violence. All too often we forget that domestic violence has always existed and London educates us without ramming it down our throats. Claudia's knowledge in this area does not, however, permit her to see that her sister-in-law's suitor is a batterer waiting to happen and against her husband's wishes urges the sister-in-law to elope. Julian had known of the suitor's abusive nature and had done everything in his power to prevent the marriage, but had been unable to tell his wife or his sisters of the suitor's violence because of societal constraints against such conversation between men and women. I found this totally believable both for the time period in question (and unfortunately all too often in our own time). Julian, needless to say, has trouble forgiving his wife for aiding his sister's marriage to this abuser. In the end, Julian finds an imperfect solution to the sister's abusive marriage that, in contrast to most romances, does not involve the fortuitous death of the villian. I loved this book because the characters were realistic; the author not only developed the characters well but she was able to give them a history without getting bogged down in pages of descriptive prose; the hero was a rake (i.e. gorgeous, sexy and experienced)who was in fact loving and kind not only to his wife but to his family (I mean, who wouldn't want this guy?); the heroine had her own life and interests beyond Society; the love scenes were never perfunctory and always served to provide depth to the relationship; also the couple did not have fabulous sex even when they were angry or hurt -- their sex life did suffer as it would in reality. (I get so aggravated when I read love scenes in which the status of the relationship appears to be irrelevant to the sex life. I don't believe that would be accurate for the majority of women.) This book stands alone without having read any of the others in this series. A keeper of a book, full of depth and richness. Some of the plot devices are quite serious, but I never felt this was a gloom and doom book that was a chore or depressing to read. Even though there is not a lot of humor in this book, which is normally a requirement for a keeper for me, the characters and story are so compelling that I will return to this book again and again.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Julia, just gets better & better!!!, October 1, 2000

By	Linda Westburg "£inda W" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's hard to tell you how much I enjoyed this book!! I've loved ALL of Julia's books to date & wish she could write faster!!

Julian & Claudia are a H/H to die for!! He is even better than Adrian from The Dangerous Gentleman..

Claudia is feisty & independent, you will love her she is SO before her time! Opening a home for battered women & using her influence in society to support her cause! It's a wonderful story & warms the heart!!

Julian, is guilt ridden & tortured because he's loved Claudia for two years & feels he may have held back, helping his dear friend because of that love. When he compromises her at a party it's the beginning of the end of his bachelor days & his peace of mind! You'll love the ride this story takes you on & you'll feel like your watching a movie!! That is how vivid Julia writes!!

The sexual tension keeps you turning pages to get to the "HOT" part.. *G* But really the story is written with the heart & feeling that makes you able to "SEE" the story as it unfolds!! This is a tribute to an author's talent & Julia sure has that & more. When you read an author this good you wish they had a back list that could keep you busy until her next book comes out!!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This romance will becomee a classic, October 13, 2000

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In 1834, Julian Dane feels like his world ended when his friend Adrian Spence was forced to kill another crony Phillip Rothembow in a duel. Two years later, the death still haunts Julian, who seems bored with everything, finding temporary amusement in the precarious arms of a parade of females. In his entire life, only his childhood friend Lady Claudia Whitney has rejected his charm. Claudia has labeled Julian as a Rake with a capital R.

However, that changes when Julian and Claudia are caught kissing. To save her reputation, he knows he must marry her. She wants nothing to do with him, especially at the cost of her beloved independence. He broods over the death of Phillip, who Julian feels was Claudia's true love. Although passion threatens to enflame them, neither one is ready to admit, even to themselves, that love has blossomed between them.

The ruthless charmer, the second novel in Julia London's "The Rogues of Regent Street" (See THE DANGEROUS GENTLEMAN) is a captivating historical romance. The story line continues the train of thought set in the first novel as readers gain an understanding of the psychological problems eroding Julian's well being. The era comes alive through the cast and Claudia is a wonderful, feisty heroine, but Ms. London's plot belongs to THE RUTHLESS CHARMER whose mind has frozen that one deadly moment, haunting him forever.

Harriet Klausner