Review: The Rogue Steals a Bride

The Rogue Steals a Bride (Rogues' Dynasty - Book 6) by Amelia Grey

Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Sourcesbooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 362
ISBN-10: 1402239777
ISBN-13: 978-1402239779

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Amelia Grey on the WEB: Website, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

A Duke to Die for (2009), A Marquis to Marry (2009), An Earl to Enchant (2010), A Gentleman Never Tells (2011), A Gentleman says "I Do" (2012), The Rogue Steals a Bride (2013)

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Rogue Steals a Bride, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

A Promise Can Be a Terrible Thing

All heiress Sophia Hart's father wanted was for her to marry a gentleman with a title. She promised him on his deathbed she would do just that. But the only man Sophia wants to spend time with is Matson Brentwood, who makes up for the lack of a title by being dashing and decidedly dangerous. Since Matson crashed his way into her life and her heart, that vow to her father has become an awful burden.

Thoughts:

The final book in Amelia Grey's, Rogues' Dynasty, The Rogue Steals a Bride, hit shelves earlier this month. Fans of the series will appreciate Grey's attention to detail and her somewhat simplistic approach to the Ton. This regency historical boasts some eccentric characters and a plot worthy of the aristocracy. Grey's heroine Sophie makes a deathbed promise to marry a titled gentleman when her heart is captivated by a rogue. Will she choose to fulfill her vow or follow her heart?

Amelia Grey has a knack for writing characters that readers identify with. Have you ever made a promise, you wish you didn't have to keep? At some point I think we all have and that's what makes Sophie so easy to relate to. Even though this is a regency novel, where titled characters and members of the Ton abound, Sophie is still just a daughter who wants to fulfill her father's wishes. Readers will applaud her resilience and sense of responsibility. She did not take her vow lightly, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

I loved Matson. He was such a good hero. Often in books set in this time period, if the hero has questionable parentage, the entire book will focus on how the hero gets back that which should be his. Usually that entails money and lands. In this novel Grey turns the tables on the typical regency hero. Matson has no desire whatsoever to gain anything that he does not earn himself. He is a successful business man, who doesn't need to Ton to give him a purpose. I liked the fact that he was secure in himself, despite his upbringing. 

The heat between Sophia and Matson is palpable. They have an attraction that neither of them wants to deny, but Sophia has more than just love to consider. Loyalty to her father makes her head go one direction and love for Matson makes her heart go another. I liked the humor and tension that Grey adds to the story as Sophia tries to come to a decision that will honor both parts of herself. Her meddling twin aunts were also a comical addition to the story that helped move the plot along. 

The romantic scenes between Matson and Sophia range from sweet and dashing to hot and sultry. I thought the love scenes were well written and not overly graphic. They gave the reader the sense of urgency and passion needed to advance the plot, without taking away from it. Sometimes in these types of books, authors overdo it. But I think Grey stayed in just the right range. These scenes didn't seem contrived or just put in for effect. They were the normal progression of a romance between two very passionate characters. 

The Rogue Steals a Bride wraps up the Rogues' Dynasty series nicely. Allowing Grey to move on to other things. I think she took the series as far as it needed to go. It is easy for an author to linger too long with some characters who they are highly successful, but in this case I think Grey ended it when it was time. This one was probably one of my favorites of the series and I think readers will love it. 

The Rogue Steals a Bride is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey's awards include the Booksellers Best and the Aspen Gold, and writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Amelia read her first romance book when she was thirteen and has been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. She is the author of over twenty-five books. Happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years, Amelia lives in Panama City Beach, Florida.