The Rogue's Return (Company Of Rogues)

Jancy lost her family and currently resides with her Uncle Trewitt. Simon is Trewitt's good friend and when he is in York he lives with him as well. Jancy is a solitary young woman and when her living arrangements with Trewitt are questioned by a man named McArthur, Simon defends her honor and a duel is set between the men. Just before the duel commences, Jancy arrives to tell Simon that Uncle Trewitt is dying. They rush to his side where he begs them to marry. With some hesitance they agree and are married on the spot. Simon is aware that McArthur has been embezzling money and gifts that are supposed to go to the Indians and he is attempting to stop him. Jancy is hiding a huge secret and now that she is married to Simon, the one man she has always wanted, she is terrified of what will happen when he finds out who she really is. Another duel is set and afterwards they realize that someone is after the documents that Simon has obtained that damn McArthur. As Simon and Jancy's relationship grows closer, her secrets are gnawing at her. She longs to tell Simon the truth. With Simon's life in danger again, they leave York for England. There, they hope Simon will be out of danger and he can bring the documents to the proper authorities. They travel to England by boat where they are given plenty of opportunities for their relationship to grow. Which is does. Simon and Jancy become very close. But when the truth is revealed will Simon still accept Jancey; the woman he has come to love, or will he turn her away? The Rogue's Return is largely based on the relationship between Jancy and Simon. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Jancy and Simon are so loving with each other. Their mutual desire is both tender and passionate. I was anxious, but then relieved to see the events unfold as they did. Ms. Beverly is very descriptive with some of the characters' injuries and illnesses, which had me grimacing often. Definitely not a deterrent, but graphic none the less! The Rogue's Return is a beautiful story about love withstanding all obstacles and I enjoyed it very much. Nannette reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I've loved them all, even Nicholas, King Rogue, whose saga "An Arranged Marriage" is perhaps the most disturbing of all Beverley's Rogues. This time around, the protaganist is Simon St. Bride, who has been merely a reference in previous tales while off in the wilds of Canada. To fulfill his promise to a dying man, he marries Jane, who (we learn long before he does) is not at all what she seems. Of course, their marriage evolves into the real thing (this is, after all, a romance), but along the way the reader encounters intrigue, betrayal, lies, conceits, tangles, misunderstandings and cross-purposes--ah, the path to true love! One can begin the Company of Rogues series with this book, even though it is the second-to-last tale, because it is not directly connected to the European goings-on of the time, as the other books are. Nevertheless, I recommend beginning, as they say, at the beginning, with Beverley's "An Arranged Marriage" (a much darker tale) and moving forward from there. Still, although a bit richer when read in context, this novel stands alone quite well. As always, Beverley delivers a well-written, cleverly plotted, and sublimely romantic page-turner.

Simon St. Bride had left home in 1812 to seek adventure landing in Canada to fight the Americans. An honorable and just man he came to admire the native people despising what he discovered was corruption in the Canadian government. As he prepared to return home with the proof he was forced into a duel to defend the honor of his good friend, Isaiah Trewitt's niece, Miss Jane Otterburn. The original duel was interrupted and Simon was coerced by a death bed promise to Isaiah to marry Jane. Initially he felt that her humble beginnings would be a blow to his family and he hadn't truly considered marriage feeling that when the time came he would be married for love. Jane Otterburn had secretly admired Simon for some time but never dreamt that there could ever be a future for someone like her with him, nor in the present situation, did she want to appear to trap him. Jane knew she was totally unsuitable and held a terrible secret of her true heritage that could ruin any chances Simon had for a political future should it be revealed. Forced into marriage, they would eventually discover a rare and passionate love and a new enemy that threatened their newfound happiness. *** Beverley continues to delight readers with tales of complex people caught up in romantic love stories and surrounded with adventuresome exploits and intrigue. While this had less intrigue than usual the romance was divine. Beverley slowly and with a deft hand unraveled the lead's uncertainties weaving them back into a stronger and tighter fabric in their resolve of loving and protecting one another. The author keeps the tension high with Jane/Jancy falling deeper and deeper in love with her new husband, knowing all the while that she really should leave him to find a more appropriate wife. Scared to death of what he would think of her with her Haskett background, even because of that background she was eventually able to save him from amputating his arm, he returned that love ten-fold in their deeply moving confessions. Bottom line is that this author continues to give thought provoking, appealing and well researched stories with intelligence, caring and of course, steamy romance. I've never been disappointed and know one can expect the best from this author who delivers in spades prime historical romance reads. Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

I love Jo Beverley and she never disappoints. This Rogue book combines a plot centering on the class divisions in English society with the problems of sea travel and Indians in the New World. I really liked the main characters, although, as is typical of Jo Beverley characters, they have their flaws. I also found the book to be very fast moving, held my interest all the way through, and I wasn't sure of the villain until he appeared!! A wonderful read, and I was sorry to finish it! Cynthia Mcginnes

I was so happy when I found this book in the store! Finally! It had been several weeks since I had found a good book by a favorite author. I'm happy to report that this book was very good. It is a certain improvement from the previous one in the series, (Skylark) which I found a little boring. But this book proves that Jo Beverly is back! We had not heard much about Simon in the other Rogue's books, so he was kind of an enigma. But I liked him a lot. He is honorable, sensible, caring and strong. The heroine, Jancy, was very likeable too. Very mature, sensible and sweet. I think they make a good pair, and their feelings for each other are evident early in the book. The story is entertainning, and I like the fact the Jo Beverly always manages to teach us something in her books. I was fascinated to learn about the use of maggots to treat infected wounds. It shows that she really does her homework and reasearches the time period she is writting about carefully. You won't find stupid mistakes in her books, like in so many others of this genre. I think that is what separates a good writer from a mediocre one. If I have any complain about this book is that most of the Rogues were not present. The only one present is Hal, and although I like him inmensely, I would have liked for the others to take part in this book too. On the bright side, I liked that Hal and Blanche's romance had its happy resolution. We have seen this couple throughout most of the series and I'm glad that they finally found their happy ending. Maybe we will see all the Rogue's come together in the next book, Dare's story, since it appears it will be the last Rogue book, unless there are other spin offs. I would definetely recommend this book, specially if you have been following the Rogue's series. If you have not, it is still good on its own, but I would recommend reading the rest of the books in the series. Some of them are a little controversial, and some I have enjoyed more than others, but most of them are worthy of reading, if only to learn more about this intrepid group of young men. My favorite of the series is still "Forbidden" though.