St. Raven

I found Tris to be a great hero!! He was such a complex individual - having been such a wild young man, he is beginning to fight some of his rakish ways - feeling compelled to settle down and be a "Duke" but in so many respects, really just wanting to be a good, carefree and decent person. Enter into his life, just when he is beginning to come into what he will be, Cressida - a young lady with so very many problems of her own. And Tris just becomes her knight in shining armor. What a knight he is too - wow he was so gallant, caring, romantic and just a delightful unassuming person. I loved some of the dialog between these two. Cressida also is the first woman that really emotionally and romantically takes ahold of Tris's heart. Because of that he seriously questions how far he is willing to allow the dictates of what is supposed to be a Duke's life and a Duke's wife and what will really compliment Tris's life. Cressida was the one thing that would make him the best that he could be - she truly brought out the best in him and it was a wonderful romantic tale. Great Beverley rouge book!!!

Aahh!! Where to begin. Picture this: A moonlit night, a dashing highwayman awaiting a carriage to rob. The carriage our highwayman decides to rob is none other than the odious Lord Crofton, on his way to an orgy with the enchanting and innocent Cressida Mandeville. When Le Corbeau (a.k.a. St. Raven) spies Cressida he sees her for the innocent she is. On the pretense of demanding a kiss, he successfully rescues her. Little does our hero know he just ruined Cressida's plan to retrieve her fathers jewels hidden in an erotic Indian statue. When St. Raven discovers this, he decides to help her on her quest. By "help" he takes her to an orgy dressed in a risque costume. The orgy is delightful (because of Cressida and Tris) and repulsive at the same time. The orgy is also only the beginning of quite a few adventures that this pair goes through, including falling in love. The pages sizzle with sexual tension, and the love scenes burn up the pages. I've said this before but Jo has the ability to create so much heat without too much description, just a sentence can make your pulse race. I am forever grateful for discovering this magnificently talented writer, if you haven't read one of her novels you are depriving yourself of one of the greatest historical romance authors of all time, and that is a shame.

As a great Jo Beverley fan I always look forward to her new releases and having had a glimpse of the mysterious and handsome Tristan Tregallows, Duke of St. Raven in "Hazard" I was totally intrigued and couldn't wait for his story. The book description sums up the story with Cressida Mandeville agreeing to the swarmy Lord Crofton's vile proposal with her naively thinking she is going to put one over on him and retrieve her father's hidden wealth. Rescue, in the guise of a `highwayman' messes up her plans, as she and Crofton are held up by a `highwayman' who recognizes and knows Crofton for the slime-monster he is, so thinking of doing a good deed he rescues Cressida from his clutches. Instead of grateful Cressida is furious! Tristan, our knight-errant `highwayman' is a complex character, not withstanding his very wild tendencies, he treated Cressida like a lady, once he realized she was an innocent, and her very naivety would make even him blush. Cressida is, for all her attempts at proving to be a lady, curious enough and naïve enough to have thought she could have gotten away with her plan. Realizing how tenuous her reputation is should word of this escapade be known she convinces herself to grasp whatever `pleasurable' experience Tristan so succinctly offers her. Tristan develops extremely well and the orgy he brings Cressida to was, to me, a highlight of this story and not to be missed. The extremely sensual loveplay is tastefully and skillfully woven under the expert pen of Ms. Beverley.If any part of this romance were to bother me, it would be the reality of the historical era that they lived in and the division of classes. All through the story, you see Cressida, wanting so much to be able to spend her life with Tris, and his thoughts as well on the dilemma, with both rationalizing that they could never cross over the barrier that separated the high-born from the masses, especially when their very association would have led many to speculate as to how they met which could have very well ruined her. Bottom line, this is Beverley at her best, a keeper and a must read!

in short -- excellent book! If you like adventure, romance, love and a great ending this book is for you.I particulary liked that the auther did not end the book quickly. It was very though out and complete. For once I was not looking for an Epologe.

Jo Beverly is absolutely wonderful with sensual Regency romances. I enjoyed this book tremendously. Except anthologies, I've probably read everything Jo Beverley has ever written.St. Raven is a great read - I ate it right up and passed it along to my mom as soon as I could; she's a fan, too.The resolution of the story of Le Corbeau was satisfying and the romance was great.