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A Rogue by Any Other Name The First Rule of Scoundrels Rules of Scoundrels Sarah MacLean 9780062068521 Books

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A Rogue by Any Other Name The First Rule of Scoundrels Rules of Scoundrels Sarah MacLean 9780062068521 Books

TITLE: A Rogue by Any Other Name
AUTHOR: Sarah MacLean
SERIES: Rules of Scoundrels, Book 1
SETTING: early 1830s (post-Georgian, pre-Victorian), mostly London
THEMES/TROPES: old friends-to-lovers, coerced marriage, revenge, redemption, spinster, “heartless” hero, reformed rake, gaming hell

OVERVIEW:
Lady Penelope Marbury has languished in Society for several years after a broken engagement placed her desirability in question, turning down a handful of so-so suitors and, without realizing it, putting her sisters’ futures in jeopardy—but her father is determined that it’s time she married. He’s added a valuable piece of land, newly acquired, to Penelope’s dowry, and the suitors are about to come pouring in. Though she knows she wants more than a bland Society marriage, Penelope is ready to accept a proposal from an old friend and settle into a comfortable life.

That is, until another old friend, Michael, Lord Bourne, comes bursting back into her life, determined to have her dowry: the ancestral land that he lost on a foolish bet years earlier. Bourne has spent several years focused on two things, regaining his land and seeking revenge against the man who took it from him, and a wife seems a small price to pay to achieve at least one of those goals. His plan, however, did not account for the fact that the bride in question is the one woman who knew him before he was the dark, hardened Bourne—when he was happy, carefree Michael. Nor did he consider that his revenge might be something that hurts Penelope. And he certainly didn’t consider that he might care about hurting her. It all comes down to a decision between the goal he’s been chasing for so long—as goal that has hardened his heart—and giving Penelope the love and adventure that she’s always wanted.

PROS:
Love developing between old friends is one of my favorite romance archetypes, so this storyline automatically appealed to me. The concept of Bourne’s goals, and his guilt and shame at having lost his land to begin with, are a fabulous background for the story because it puts him and Penelope in a position where they’ve been separated for years and become very different people. Not only do they need to rediscover one another and their friendship, but his drive for revenge propels the drama between them.

The two characters are both well-rounded and interesting, and their relationship develops at a good pace. Penelope is finding the gumption to seek some adventure in her life, but she’s not throwing propriety to the wind because she wants to help her sisters make good matches more than anything. Bourne is infused with a good amount of devil-may-care attitude with hints of solicitousness to show that he’s not truly heartless. I like that he has a major screw-up in his past because so many heroes are so infallible. Bourne is constructed as a very driven character, so it felt believable that once he found a goal that brought out the best in him (namely, love and family), his drive would make him strive to be better.

The pace of the romance is fairly good, with plenty of trust issues because of the charade of a love match they put on for Society to make their marriage look less scandalous. Because they spend so much time pretending to be in love, there are points when the emotional progression feels a little redundant—“he cares about me … no, that was just pretend … but he does seem to care … no, that was just acting again”—but those emotional circles mostly make sense in the plot.

One detail of this book that I love is the use of letters as epigraphs for each chapter, starting with letters between Penelope and Bourne when they were quite young and continuing to letters from Penelope that he never answered and then to letters that Penelope kept writing but never sent.

CONS:
The one aspect of Bourne that I found a little perplexing was his very insistent belief that he and his life aren’t good enough for Penelope. Perhaps if we got more information on the things he had done during the years when he was trying to earn back his lost fortune, this might make more sense, but the glimpses we get of the gaming hell he co-owns, particularly some details about how well-regulated it is and how well they treat their employees, does not paint a picture of a particularly dark life.

The plot was very much focused on their emotional progression, which is not necessarily a con in itself, but the plot could have had more interest by being a bit more eventful. I would have liked a bit more of Bourne and Penelope interacting with secondary characters. I usually love secondary characters, and I did enjoy Cross, one of Bourne’s partners, but there just wasn’t a lot of the other characters in this story.

RATINGS:
Writing: 4/5 MacLean’s writing is consistently good.
Characters: 5/5 Well-rounded and interesting.
Plot: 4/5 Could have been a bit more eventful.
Setting: 4/5 Bourne’s gaming hell is nicely detailed.
Romance: 5/5 I love a friends-to-lovers story.
Sexiness: 5/5 Well-written and integrated with romance.
Humor: 3/5 Touches of humor, but not much laugh-out-loud.
Average: 4.28 Great Romance Development between Old Friends

OTHER INFO:
This is the first of MacLean’s Rules of Scoundrels series, each book focusing on one of the four owners of the gaming hell called The Fallen Angel. Penelope previously appeared in the Love by Numbers series as the betrothed of the Duke of Leighton, the hero of the third book, and their broken engagement plays a big role in how she got to the place she’s at in this book. Reading that book before this one isn’t necessary, but I would recommend reading this book before moving on to the rest of the series because this book gives good background on Penelope’s sister Pippa, who is the next heroine in this series, paired with Bourne’s co-owner, Cross.


Tags : A Rogue by Any Other Name: The First Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels) [Sarah MacLean] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets. . . A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London's most exclusive gaming hell,Sarah MacLean,A Rogue by Any Other Name: The First Rule of Scoundrels (Rules of Scoundrels),Avon,0062068520,Aristocracy (Social class),Arranged marriage,England - 19th century,England - Social life and customs - 19th century,Gambling,Historical fiction,Historical fiction.,Love stories,Love stories.,Man-woman relationships,Nobility,Romance fiction,Wagers,AMERICAN HISTORICAL FICTION,AMERICAN LIGHT ROMANTIC FICTION,England,FICTION Romance Historical General,Fiction,Fiction - Romance,Fiction-Romance,General Adult,MASS MARKET,Monograph Series, 1st,Romance,Romance - Historical - General,RomanceHistorical,Romance: Historical,United States,Wagers,FICTION Romance Historical General,Romance - Historical - General,Fiction - Romance,American Historical Fiction,American Light Romantic Fiction,Fiction,Romance: Historical,Romance

A Rogue by Any Other Name The First Rule of Scoundrels Rules of Scoundrels Sarah MacLean 9780062068521 Books Reviews

Michael, Marquess of Bourne, and Lady Penelope were childhood friends. He went away to school and she stayed home as was the curse of women in her era. They wrote letters, but Michael’s responses petered out and then stopped after he gambled away his inheritance and left Society behind. For ten years, he has been bent on reclaiming the property that he considers his birthright. There are a lot of people in romances who gamble away their fortunes, but they are rarely the hero. It’s a great touch. Bourne is cold, driven, and, as I said in reference to him in the One Good Earl review, suffers “from a prolonged case of Head Up Posterior”. When Bourne discovers that “his” land is now tied to Penelope’s dowry, it brings him back into the orbit of his childhood friend. Wallflower Penelope is surprised to see Michael again and not happy with the changes in him. They gradually come together as he both resolves and relinquishes his issues. Overall, I enjoyed A Rogue by Any Other Name, but it was not as good as either of the two that followed it.
Michael, Marquess of Bourne gambled and lost all his lands specifically Falconwell, at the age of 21. From that time forth, his goal is to grow his fortune and plan his revenge on the man who took everything from him. The spinsterish Lady Penelope Marbury, once a childhood friend now has Falconwell included in her dowry. Bourne will do anything to get Falconwell back, even if that means marriage. Bourne is cold & bitter & unable to let go of his hate even if it means losing Penelope. The story is ok even though I got a little weary of hearing about his revenge and her insecurities and unrequited love.
This is my first Sarah MacLean book, and it won't be my last! Both Michael and Penelope were well drawn characters that each stayed true to their characters and yet grew throughout the story. The conclusion was lovely and so fitting! I thoroughly enjoyed the witty and realistic dialog, the spicy sex scenes (well done, but not scattered obnoxiously throughout the story) and the just-right sense of adventure. I finished the book this morning before work and have carried a nice, warm glow all day. Well done!
When I read the sample I was intrigued and interested in the book. Before purchasing a book I look at s few reviews. One mentioned that it was good, but there was a lot of insecurity on the part of Michael. I agree. If he was co owner of a sinful gambling club, he wouldn't have been so unsure and insecure. It bothered me to see how he was made to look so weak, a little too vulnerable in my opinion this book had an interesting plot line though so I took a gamble and dug right in.. Overall interesting characters that make me want to know their stories as well. Unfortunately not enough to buy them.
Bourne is the type of hero that I simply can't ever bring myself to like--he runs around for years plotting revenge, abducts the heroine for the purpose of forcing her into marriage in order to further his revenge plan, and I'm supposed to believe that her spunk and animal magnetism miraculously transform him into a decent human being? I don't think so.
I bought this book based on the good reviews, and the fact that my usual authors didn't have any new books coming out for a couple of months. For the most part I enjoyed the characters and their development. The only thing that kinda got on my nerves was the H insistence that it was someone else's fault he lost his inheritance. I think it was his own darn fault, that no one forced him to play the game or make the wager that he did. I liked the book enough to get the second book so I can find out what happens with the h's sister. The love scenes were 3/5 on the spicy scale, not too much to offend certain people, but maybe lacking a bit for others. Just to help out other readers my favorite HR authors are Elizabeth Hoyt, Tessa Dare, and Sabrina Jeffries. Oldies but goodies Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, and Julie Garwood.
TITLE A Rogue by Any Other Name
AUTHOR Sarah MacLean
SERIES Rules of Scoundrels, Book 1
SETTING early 1830s (post-Georgian, pre-Victorian), mostly London
THEMES/TROPES old friends-to-lovers, coerced marriage, revenge, redemption, spinster, “heartless” hero, reformed rake, gaming hell

OVERVIEW
Lady Penelope Marbury has languished in Society for several years after a broken engagement placed her desirability in question, turning down a handful of so-so suitors and, without realizing it, putting her sisters’ futures in jeopardy—but her father is determined that it’s time she married. He’s added a valuable piece of land, newly acquired, to Penelope’s dowry, and the suitors are about to come pouring in. Though she knows she wants more than a bland Society marriage, Penelope is ready to accept a proposal from an old friend and settle into a comfortable life.

That is, until another old friend, Michael, Lord Bourne, comes bursting back into her life, determined to have her dowry the ancestral land that he lost on a foolish bet years earlier. Bourne has spent several years focused on two things, regaining his land and seeking revenge against the man who took it from him, and a wife seems a small price to pay to achieve at least one of those goals. His plan, however, did not account for the fact that the bride in question is the one woman who knew him before he was the dark, hardened Bourne—when he was happy, carefree Michael. Nor did he consider that his revenge might be something that hurts Penelope. And he certainly didn’t consider that he might care about hurting her. It all comes down to a decision between the goal he’s been chasing for so long—as goal that has hardened his heart—and giving Penelope the love and adventure that she’s always wanted.

PROS
Love developing between old friends is one of my favorite romance archetypes, so this storyline automatically appealed to me. The concept of Bourne’s goals, and his guilt and shame at having lost his land to begin with, are a fabulous background for the story because it puts him and Penelope in a position where they’ve been separated for years and become very different people. Not only do they need to rediscover one another and their friendship, but his drive for revenge propels the drama between them.

The two characters are both well-rounded and interesting, and their relationship develops at a good pace. Penelope is finding the gumption to seek some adventure in her life, but she’s not throwing propriety to the wind because she wants to help her sisters make good matches more than anything. Bourne is infused with a good amount of devil-may-care attitude with hints of solicitousness to show that he’s not truly heartless. I like that he has a major screw-up in his past because so many heroes are so infallible. Bourne is constructed as a very driven character, so it felt believable that once he found a goal that brought out the best in him (namely, love and family), his drive would make him strive to be better.

The pace of the romance is fairly good, with plenty of trust issues because of the charade of a love match they put on for Society to make their marriage look less scandalous. Because they spend so much time pretending to be in love, there are points when the emotional progression feels a little redundant—“he cares about me … no, that was just pretend … but he does seem to care … no, that was just acting again”—but those emotional circles mostly make sense in the plot.

One detail of this book that I love is the use of letters as epigraphs for each chapter, starting with letters between Penelope and Bourne when they were quite young and continuing to letters from Penelope that he never answered and then to letters that Penelope kept writing but never sent.

CONS
The one aspect of Bourne that I found a little perplexing was his very insistent belief that he and his life aren’t good enough for Penelope. Perhaps if we got more information on the things he had done during the years when he was trying to earn back his lost fortune, this might make more sense, but the glimpses we get of the gaming hell he co-owns, particularly some details about how well-regulated it is and how well they treat their employees, does not paint a picture of a particularly dark life.

The plot was very much focused on their emotional progression, which is not necessarily a con in itself, but the plot could have had more interest by being a bit more eventful. I would have liked a bit more of Bourne and Penelope interacting with secondary characters. I usually love secondary characters, and I did enjoy Cross, one of Bourne’s partners, but there just wasn’t a lot of the other characters in this story.

RATINGS
Writing 4/5 MacLean’s writing is consistently good.
Characters 5/5 Well-rounded and interesting.
Plot 4/5 Could have been a bit more eventful.
Setting 4/5 Bourne’s gaming hell is nicely detailed.
Romance 5/5 I love a friends-to-lovers story.
Sexiness 5/5 Well-written and integrated with romance.
Humor 3/5 Touches of humor, but not much laugh-out-loud.
Average 4.28 Great Romance Development between Old Friends

OTHER INFO
This is the first of MacLean’s Rules of Scoundrels series, each book focusing on one of the four owners of the gaming hell called The Fallen Angel. Penelope previously appeared in the Love by Numbers series as the betrothed of the Duke of Leighton, the hero of the third book, and their broken engagement plays a big role in how she got to the place she’s at in this book. Reading that book before this one isn’t necessary, but I would recommend reading this book before moving on to the rest of the series because this book gives good background on Penelope’s sister Pippa, who is the next heroine in this series, paired with Bourne’s co-owner, Cross.