The Dedicated Villain

This is the sixth and final book of the Golden Chronicles series by Patricia Veryan. This one is all about Roland Fairleigh Mathieson, or Otton, whom we have all learned to love or hate in the first 5 books. Roly is a villian it would seem, and a rake, and a most handsome man, and he is a dedicated villian(the title of the book). Here he finally comes up with the Jacobite treasure he has been hunting for since we met him in Practice to Decieve. But he also comes up with a Miss Fiona Bradford, who is helping those in charge of the treasure. Now the question is, will Roly choose the treasure he has worked so hard to get to, or will he choose this lady, the one that seems to have finally made him give his heart?You'll have to read to find out. This is a very good book and it is nice to find out about Roly and the things he does. And for myself, after learning to think of Roly as a villian, it is interesting to find you really do like him at the end. But I must warn you that it is a frightful end. There is also the reappearance of Brooks Lambert and Robert MacTavish in this book. Rob is from Cherished Enemy(a good book as well, which you should read and probably will since it is the 5th book in the Chronicles).

Setting - England 1746 ----- It has been a wonderful journey and finally, in this the sixth novel of the Golden Chronicle series by Patricia Veryan, we are seeing the sometimes odious, sometimes sweet, and at all times handsome, womanizing, rogue Roland Fairleigh Mathieson aka, Otton get his comeuppance! This very dedicated villain, has never really loved before and at times you might have come to hate him. Other than his poor deceased mother and his faithful, and wonderful horse, Rumplestiltskin, or fondly referred to as Rump, he has never loved or been loved! Although, as bad as he has been portrayed in the previous novels, there has always been some spark of good that he would let slip through and in this book you will see his `epiphany' of sorts, brought on by the love of the irresistible force of Fiona Bradford!For those of you who have not read previous novels in this series, not to worry as this book can stand alone and though he's been portrayed as quite the rake, he has always been amusing and finally a hero! Roland is again in search of the fortune gathered by the Jacobites but never delivered to Bonnie Prince Charlie in his disastrous attempt to overthrow the king of England. For so many months, he had been thwarted in his attempts to discover the ciphers that would lead him to the treasure, the one time he actually does something really heroic in coming to the rescue of a drowning woman he happens upon a caravan troupe of actors whose main purpose was to transport the treasure back to it's rightful owners. Roland, thinking how fortuitous and to go along for the ride, in the end stealing the treasure for himself, begins to see himself through Fiona's eyes and discovers that he does want to change, and the real treasure, to become the man worthy of her love. This non-stop page-turning adventure has to be my very favorite of the six volume Golden Chronicle series. Even if I had not read the others, there has always been something special about this `dedicated villain' and his horse Rump! Veryan gives you the most marvelous hero, believing himself worthless, yet such a reluctant hero! Fiona, artless, and believing him to be what he truly was - a hero! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you will certainly find that you will not forget - this very special dedicated villain! --- Marilyn Rondeau, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com

I've just recently "discovered" Patricia Veryan and have enjoyed most of her books. I was intrigued by "Otton" in one of her previos books and had to get my hands on this one, no easy feet since it was out of print. I was not dissapointed however.This wasn't one of those horrible books where the hero and the heroine spend most of the time hating each other and then magicaly fall in love. Instead you "watch" while their friendship and affection grows into love. There are no overly dramatic scenes, and you've got to love the reluctant hero. It was a great book and going into my keeper pile.

I love Veryans books because they're always funny and touching without being sentimental.But this book is the best yet because the heroine won't let anything get in her way not even the hero. While the hero, being far from perfect, thinks that he was made to be a villian because of something that happened in his past. Which creates a wonderful story that somehow brings everything that Roly does into focus. If you have never read Veryan than you are missing out on a wonderful world where the only thing that holds true is you'll love everyone of her books! Besides of course that you hope she lives forever.

This last installment of Veryan's wonderful Golden Chronicles makes me scream with envy. This book was wonderful and her best yet. Funny and heartwarming, this book gave us more insight into Roly's character who developed in all 6 books of the Golden Chronicles