Customer Reviews

Scandal of the Black Rose

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

 

 

Anna Rosewood's twin brother was killed by footpad, according
to the authorities. Anna was looking through her brother's
things and came across her letters that she had written to
Anthony. In between the envelope there was a paper,
a drawing of a Black Rose crossed with a Sword. Anna knew
her brother was murdered, her instinct told her Anthony put
the paper there for her to see.

Anna decided to investigate her brother's death. One night
she sees a masked man with a ring with a rose crossed with a
sword. Anna follows him to Vauxhall Gardens, found herself
caught up in the crowd and make-believe, she was just another
doxy attending the party. They all worn masked, she was able
to protect her identity. Anna decided to leave and a handsome
stranger bear down on her so she wouldn't leave. He introduced
himself as Rome. They were immediately magnetized with each
other. He thought she was a doxy lead her out in the garden.
Anna and Rome had a slight adventure. Anna stopped it before
it went any further, took off running and left him in the garden.

Anna Rosewood and Lord Marc Haverford, their parents had
arranged for them to be married. The next day Lord Haverford
had a dinner party. Anna and Rome recognized each other
at the party not saying anything until days later.
Anna organized a meeting with Rome at his sister's house.
Rome was also investigating The Black Rose Society.
They decided to join forces. Anna kept a lot of notes within
a year since her brother's death, as well as, the recent
death of other young men being killed by footpad.

A lot of twists and turns. Scandal of the Black Rose one
of the best books, I've read from Debra Mullins. It has
romance, adventure and also who is the leader in The
Black Rose Society. I didn't figure it out until I read it.
I was totally surprised. There were other characters as well.
The Fellhoppers, they were good friends with Lord Haverford.
Of course, Anna's mother, at times, I thought she was rather
funny.

I highly recommend Scandal of the Black Rose.

You could feel the heat between this couple. Roman and Anna immediately connected and you wanted them to somehow find a way to be together. These prearranged marriages when they were children, how in the world did these people manage to deal with this? Backing up this powerful love story was the very mysterious unmasking of the Black Rose society who have been killing young men in death duels. I loved how Anna was so loyal to her dead twin, wanting to find out how he had been killed. Which of course, constantly keeps throwing her again and again with Rome who she cannot seem to control her emotions with. Poor Roman is so in love, for the first time, and yet he cannot find happiness without destroying his family in the same way his father did. How can this be happening to him the only girl he will ever love is his cousins betrothed? He will not do what his father did and steal his cousins future wife but he will forever be in love with Anna! Sometimes true love wins out, and if it did not would any of us ever read these books? This was a great love story with a good mysterious plot that totally fooled me!

Her parents expect her to concentrate on marrying the Earl, Marcus Deveraux, but Anna Rosewood is distracted; she vows to bring to justice the unknown assailant who murdered her twin brother Anthony. Her only clue is a letter Anthony had containing no words just a circle with pictures of a sword and black rose inside.

At a Vauxhall Gardens masquerade party, Anna pretends to be a light skirt so that she can enter a pavilion with the same symbols as the letter contains. Working undercover for the government to uncover the person responsible for the dueling deaths of young aristocrats, Marcus' cousin, Roman Deveraux, sees Rose and makes a bid for her; both are stunned by his kiss, but she flees.

At a family dinner to introduce Anna to Marcus' family, "Rose" and Rome recognize one another. He wonders if she is taking his cousin for a ride so he investigates her while she continues her inquiries into her sibling's death while they also fall in love. However, he rejects his feelings because he refuses to cause the same type of scandal that his father once caused; besides which he does not trust the enigmatic Rose.

This exciting Regency romantic suspense catches the reader's attention on two levels; that of who leads the mysterious sword and black rose gang and how the lead couple will come together without hurting the nice Marcus. The former is what brings Anna and Rome together though that also includes a strong dose of distrust; while the latter turns into a delightful triangle and more. Historical romance fans will enjoy this fine thriller with a final shocker of a twist that leaves a secondary protagonist deserving a future tale.

Harriet Klausner

This is the second book I've read by Debra Mullins - the first being Just One Touch, which wasn't my favorite historical romance of all time but an enjoyable read and better than Scandal of the Black Rose.

SUMMARY:
Convinced that her twin brother, Anthony, was not killed randomly by footpads, Anne Rosewood (20) is determined to discover more about the Black Rose Society - a mysterious club which she is certain is somehow responsible for her brother's murder. Her mission leads her into dangerous areas - a scandalous gathering in Vauxhall Gardens where she pretends to be a prostitute, sleuthing around a tavern in a disreputable part of town, and into the arms of a handsome and dangerous man who also happens to be her intended's cousin.

Roman Devereaux (33) has just resigned his commission and is now seeking employment in the diplomatic corps. He's struggled for 12 years to restore honor and respectability to his family's name - ever since his father ran off with the fiancee of his uncle (the now-deceased Earl of Haverford, father of the current Earl, Marc, who is Anne's intended). Because Rome made a promise to a dying comrade to look after the man's younger brother, he attends a masked gathering in Vauxhall Gardens to determine what type of crowd the young man has fallen in with ... and meets a lovely and sensuous young woman whom he can't get out of mind - and is shocked to later discover is respectable young Miss Anna Rosewood, who is almost certainly to marry into his family.

CRITICISMS:
There wasn't really anything glaringly frustrating or bad about this novel, but although Anna and Rome were interesting characters and had good chemistry (about all they had with each other), there was a certain spark missing in the story and it just felt a little off.

Problems with the hero and heroine's relationship:
~ I didn't like that Anna and Roman go so far in their sexual relationship within the first thirty pages (granted he doesn't know she's not a prostitute, but she could have stopped him; she doesn't even know the man, or that he's a good guy - he could be a rapist!); would have preferred it just stuck to hot and heavy kissing
~ They go on a little excessively throughout the book about how much they want each other, remember "the feel of being in his/her arms," see desire in the other's eyes, etc.
~ They start talking of love far too early for the story, since they hardly know each other (and still don't IMO by the end of the book), but rather just share a mutual physical attraction
~ No matter that we want Anna and Rome to get together, they are being dishonest and disloyal towards Marc in their continued and furthered relationship - basically cheating (until everything becomes above-board at the way end - and is all tied up quite neatly, surprise-surprise, with no hurt feelings)

Problems with the plot: (*includes slight spoiler*)
~ The mystery subplot which is central to the story has a villain who is a complete surprise; we don't get any clues throughout the book that hint to the villain's correct identity (though Mullins does do a good job in throwing us off the path and making us suspect other characters in the book)
~ The problem of figuring out who's in the Society and disbanding it is all resolved quite quickly, easily, and anti-climatically

BOTTOM LINE and SIMILAR BOOKS:
This book is by no means bad, but it's not all that memorable. With so many great historical romances out there that one can't wait to reread the minute one finishes them, I would recommend reading one of those instead of buying this book or getting it from the library. Some of my favorites with mystery/action subplots include: Irresistible (Banning Sisters Trilogy, Book 2) by Karen Robards; A Notorious Love (Swanlea Spinsters, Book 2) by Sabrina Jeffries; Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street, Book 1) by Lisa Kleypas; The Hostage Bride (Bride Trilogy, Book 1) by Jane Feather; The Least Likely Bride (Bride Trilogy, Book 3) by Jane Feather; Lord of Fire (Knight Miscellany, Book 2) by Gaelen Foley; After Midnight by Teresa Medeiros; and Lady Rogue by Suzanne Enoch.

Anna Rosewood is lost without her beloved twin brother. Knowing that it is up to her to make an advantageous marriage, Anna can't help but try and find out the real reason her twin died. It is in doing that very thing that Anna runs into Roman Deveraux in Vauxhall Gardens disguised as a loose woman.

Roman Deveraux is in Vauxhall Gardens watching out for the younger brother of a friend. He is also investigating a secret society in which death seems to follow. Attending the party, he spies a beautiful and somewhat allusive woman he immediately wants to know better. Cornering her, the two share passionate kisses until she alludes him and scatters off into the night.

It is not until the next day at his cousin's home that Roman realizes the woman he had been with was in actuality his cousin's newly betrothed fiancé. Then and there, the two realize who the other is and both are taken aback by the emotion that this knowing commands. Anna knows she needs to marry, Roman knows she needs to marry, but neither want her to marry Roman's cousin. Plus, they now have to get to the bottom of the Black Rose society's tendency to lose members to death.

Scandal of the Black Rose took my breath away and I almost didn't find it. From the very start of this book I was taken aback by the imagery and emotions of both characters as well as their feelings for loved ones lost. Anna broke my heart yearning to find out the truth about her beloved brother and I wanted to hold her closely and assure her things would be okay. However, Roman beat me to it and his honor and loyalty to family almost completely did me in. I wanted him to stop being so honorable and grab what he wanted.

Scandal of the Black Rose is tied to Two Weeks with a Stranger, also by Debra Mullins. I could not put this book down and can't wait to see what Ms. Mullins writes next.

Talia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Anna Rosewood is on a mission to discover who killed her twin brother a year ago and why. The authorities claim it was caused by footpads, but Anna thinks otherwise. While looking back over letters she'd written her twin she finds a mysterious piece of parchment that has a black rose crossed with a sword. She is convinced this has something to do with her brother's death so she sets out to find out what it means. Then on one night she infiltrates a meeting of a band of swordsmen she realizes she's out of her element but before she can leave...a handsome stranger notices her and thinking she's a new courtesan introduces her to passion she never knew existed. This one night of magic needs to be all she experiences with the man who calls himself Rome. She is as good as engaged and it's a good match...but will she be able to do forget Rome.

Rome has promised to look out for a friend's younger brother. When they attend a secret society meeting...he doesn't expect the night to turn out like it does and he certainly doesn't expect to find his mystery lady in his own cousin's house. When he realizes what and who "Rose" is he's bound and determined to walk away...but he can't and the danger she insists in getting into won't allow him to move on. But will this tale have a happy ending or will danger and honor get in the way?

This was another passionate and suspenseful read. Finally drawn characters with an intriguing plot will keep the reader motivated to finish this story. Anna and Rome are very engaging characters and their romance will captivate. Ms. Mullins has indeed penned another winner.

While this book was good, I did not enjoy it as much as her other books. Some of it was kind of hard to believe, but it was still very entertaining.

I would recommend this as an easy read. Even too easy, as if the author were explaining things to a child. Much was thought out word for word and then further rehashed out in simple dialogue. The scenes were sexy though sadly most of the romance scenes came post-grief.

The author does have a certain way with male characters view points. They come across manly, very sexy. That and the story of the rose society was enough to keep me interested in Scandal of the Black Rose. Plus, I wanted to find out who dunnit. But, there were no real clues, anybody could be the killer; sigh.