Book Review: A Rogue's Pleasure

Author: Hope Tarr
Title: A Rogue's Pleasure
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: August 16, 2010
Rating: 5 stars
Book Blurb: Miss Chelsea Bellamy is desperate!


Her beloved brother is being held for ransom! Impoverished after the deaths of her parents, Chelsea doesn't have five shillings, never mind the five hundred pounds the kidnappers are demanding. With no one to turn to, she resorts to highway robbery to raise the sum.

Lord Anthony Grenville is bored

Viscount Montrose's coach is overtaken by a highwayman—who turns out to be no man at all! Anthony hasn't been this intrigued by anything, or anyone, since his return from the war. And when he catches the flame-haired thief breaking into his London house to further fill her coffers, he comes up with a plan to rescue her brother—and resolves to seduce her into his bed!

Their passion is mutual

Chelsea accepts Anthony's aid, but she'll never become his mistress—even if the thought of it fills her veins with liquid fire...

Review: When it comes to historical fiction, you can't go wrong with Hope Tarr. Her characters always find their way into the reader's heart, and Chelsea and Anthony are no exception.

Chelsea is a strong heroine though at times she doesn't use the brain that it is quite obvious she has. When faced with the problem of her brother's kidnapping, she turns to thievery to raise the funds for his safe return.

Not very bright, but then again, if she hadn't done that she wouldn't have met Lord Melrose, and he's a hero you can't help but love.

He's a total rogue, willing to offer her carte blanche because he is to marry the Lady Pheobe in a month's time, actually on the date she was to turn over the money to the kidnappers.

Chelsea robs him, is caught by him and he decides to help her and her butler (the former highwayman) to find the men who kidnapped her brother. From there, love blossoms, but Chelsea is too scared and proud to admit it, especially as Anthony is betrothed and only wants her as his mistress.

Probably the most memorable character, is actually One Eyed Jack, the former highwayman. His protectiveness of her is wonderful and funny, especially when he discovers that she's been with Anthony. He really is the string that binds the two of them together.

They have a lot to get through before they can be together too and its the getting there that's the fun. Plus some of the secondary characters get a happy ending too, which makes this a fantastic book from start to finish, but those of you familiar with Hope's books, know that her books are all fantastic, and this is no different.