A Reckless Beauty

Fanny Becket runs off battle to find Rian her adopted brother. Valentine Clement, Earl of Brede is a friend of Fanny and Rian's brother-in-law and finds himself trying to protect them in the middle of battle of Waterloo. This was a great history lesson, excellent strong characters and a passionate romance. Enjoy! Check out the whole series A Gentleman By Any Other Name (1), The Dangerous Debutante (2) Beware of Virtuous Women (3), A Most Unsuitable Groom (4), A Reckless Beauty (5),Return of the Prodigal (6 due out October 2007) and Becket's Last Stand (7 due out November 2007)

I absolutely love the Romney Marsh series. This was great! I can't wait to read the last two.

I'm giving this book 5 Stars because I think it deserves higher than 4 stars, but, in my opinion it should probably receive around 4 1/2 stars. The other reviews give good summaries of this story, so I will not summarize the plot. I felt the characters were engaging and realistic. Fanny is headstrong and believes herself to be in love with her "adopted" brother, Rian. Brede, an Earl, is jaded and sarcastic, but falls for Fanny because she is so different than most English ladies. This is believable because her background is extremely different from most English ladies. The characters are novel and interesting. However, I found the story a bit long at times, especially the lengthy military and battle field parts. Also, this book is the 4th or 5th in a series, and there were parts that were confusing to me, as I haven't read the the previous books in this series. On the other hand, the "hints" at something I didn't understand added a bit of mystery to the plot.

When Fanny Beckett's beloved adopted "brother" Rain joins Wellington's army, she does what she always does, follows him to Brussels. To do so she cuts her hair and puts on a male military uniform. However, her masquerade fails and she is exposed as an inane female. Rain asks officer Valentine Clement, an earl, to insure his sibling is safe. When the battle occurs at Waterloo, Val rescues Fanny. However, word from the front line is that Rain died honorably in combat though no body is recovered. Val escorts the grieving Fanny back to her home at Romney Marsh. He soon learns the family secrets and that an unknown adversary arranged for Rain to vanish. Val vows to use his influence as an earl and his skill to insure Fanny remains safe even as she takes risks that keep him hopping because he is falling in love with her. The latest Beckets of Romney Marsh tale (see THE DANGEROUS DEBUTANTE, BEWARE OF VIRTUOUS WOMEN, A MOST UNSUITABLE GROOM, and A GENTLEMAN BY ANY OTHER NAME) continues the fun regency saga of misfits. This time it is faithful fearless Fanny forcing friends, foes, and fans to follow her frolics. Harriet Klausner

As part of the Becket clan, Fanny and Rian were rescued from a battle many years ago. Although raised as siblings, Fanny Becket knows Rian to be her brother in name only - not by blood. As such, she believes herself to be in love with him. After all, he is her best friend and has been with her through every trial she's ever had. That's why, when Rian leaves for battle, no one is surprised that she has gone after him. But once she's reached her intended destination - and is discovered - she is put in the care of Valentine Clement, the Earl of Brede, (with Rian's blessing) who vows to keep her safe. Valentine Clement (Brede) is a man used to people bending to his wishes. Undaunted by his name, position or reputation, Fanny refuses to be intimidated by his orders. And that she continually puts herself at risk and in danger is a constant frustration for Brede. How can he keep his mind on the tasks at hand when he's always having to rescue Fanny from her own misguided deeds? As Brede attempts to keep Fanny safe, their feelings for each other grow. But can their budding relationship survive Fanny's feeling of betrayal to Rian and Brede's feeling of guilt and deception? Kasey Michaels has a way of telling a story that makes the reader feel as if they're part of the action. Once I started the book, I couldn't put it down. Literally. I read A Reckless Beauty in one sitting. If you're looking for a fast-paced, action-packed story, I highly recommend A Reckless Beauty, the fifth installment of the Becket saga.