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I KISSED A ROGUE

I Kissed a Rogue, March 2016
Covent Garden Cubs #3
by Shana Galen

Sourcebooks
Featuring: Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox; Brook Derring
ISBN: 1402298773
EAN: 9781402298776
Kindle: B017HX12WM
Paperback / e-Book
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"A fascinating look into class differences amidst romance, action and adventure"

Fresh Fiction Review

I KISSED A ROGUE
Shana Galen

Reviewed by Monique Daoust
Posted March 1, 2016

Romance Historical

Lila, Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox, comes to in a cellar with her hands tied. She had left a ball early when her carriage is attacked and she is kidnapped; it's not random, her abductors know who she is. She manages to free her hands, and tries to escape and thus doing, she witnesses a murder, and one of the villains sees her. She is eventually rescued by a man she once spurned. Lila's father, the Duke of Lennox asked for the best, and he got the best: Sir Brook Derring, Investigator. This decision does not go over well with either Brook or Lila.

Shana Galen captured my attention literally from the very first sentence of I KISSED A ROGUE: I could easily imagine the cold and malodorous cellar, Lila's fear and disgust; the author's descriptions have never been more vivid. To say the least, not everybody likes Lila, in fact, almost no one likes Lila; she has made many enemies over the years: she was spoiled, selfish, and at times nearly as snotty as her father. And yet, the way Ms. Galen portrays her, I didn't hate Lila; her behaviour, although reprehensible, is understandable because of the difference in the classes at the time, which the Duke minded to the extreme.

I KISSED A ROGUE might be my favourite instalment in this brilliant Covent Garden Cubs series. I love Brooke: he's your everyman, and even though he is the second son of an Earl, he works. The author delves even more deeply into Regency society than in the previous books, and the class differences are glaring. I also love the way characters from the previous books appear in this book, and how the author has not changed their essence. The romance between Brooke and Lila is not an easy one, and that appealed to me tremendously, because I thought their road to romance was even more captivating and realistic. And Shana Galen being who she is, it will surprise no one that I KISSED A ROGUE has plot twists and a few stunners every few chapters, and apart from a most welcome romantic lull in the middle, the beginning and the end are filled with action and excitement, and the pace is dizzyingly good. I KISSED A ROGUE is a smashing read!

Learn more about I KISSED A ROGUE

SUMMARY

Once she spurned the man...
When the Duke of Lennox hires Sir Brook Derring, England's best investigator, to find his daughter, Brook intends only to rescue the lady and return to his solitary life. He deals with London's roughest criminals every day of the week; surely he should be able to endure seeing his first love again-the perfect girl who broke his heart... Now her life depends on him
Lady Lillian-Anne Lennox has always done her best to live up to her father's standards of perfection- at the cost of following her heart. When she's kidnapped and her perfect life is shattered, Lila has another chance. Together, Lila and Brook navigate not only the dark and deadly side of London, but the chasm of pride and prejudice that divides them.

EXCERPT

The church was all but empty. Brookโ€™s mother and her husband sat with his sister and Dorrington on one side, while the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Granbury sat on the other. Behind them, one of the Kingโ€™s attendants took a seat. Brook supposed he was there to ensure the Kingโ€™s wishes were followed precisely. There hadnโ€™t been time for Dane and his wife to come in from the country. If his older brother had been present, Brook would have asked him to stand beside him. As it was, Lila had no attendants, so perhaps it was for the best Brook stood before the bishop alone as well. The bishop, a jowly man with white hair and a ruddy face, cleared his throat and began. For the first time since her father had brought her in, Lila looked up at him. Her warm brown eyes looked too big against her pale skin, which was as white as the silk gown she wore. The gown had a leaf design in silver netting, and she had a small silver leaf ornamenting her hair. Pearls circled her throat and danced at her ears, and with her hair piled high in a coil of ebony, she looked every inch the dukeโ€™s daughter. The bishop had droned onโ€”something about Godโ€™s will and not entering into marriage unadvisedly; clearly the bishop did not know about the Kingโ€™s will and adviceโ€”but now the officiate paused and cleared his throat again. โ€œInto this holy union Sir Brook Erasmus Derring and Lady Lillian-Anne Pevensy now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now.โ€ The bishop paused at this, looking first at Lila then Brook. โ€œOr else forever hold your peace.โ€ Brook ground his teeth together and glared at Lila. She lowered her gaze again. โ€œI require and charge you bothโ€”โ€ the bishop began. โ€œMay I have one moment with myโ€”er, betrothed?โ€ Lila said. She had spoken to the bishop, but her gaze was on Brook. He raised a brow. โ€œYou can speak to him after the ceremony,โ€ the duke said from the pew. โ€œJust for one moment, Father,โ€ she said. โ€œMy Lord,โ€ the duke said to the bishop. โ€œPlease continue.โ€ โ€œI am sorry, Your Grace, but I cannot. Lady Lillian-Anne must come to this union of her own free will.โ€ He glanced at Lila. โ€œIf you need a moment, my lady, you may use the sacristy.โ€ She nodded and gave Brook an imploring look. With a shrug directed at his mother, whose face was the picture of disapproval, he followed Lila to the side chamber. The room was full of books and vestments, all in order, and in the middle were a small altar and a sacrarium, where the bishop washed his hands. Lila stood before the altar, like a sacrificial lamb. Brook stood just inside the door, keeping it open for propriety. โ€œDelaying the inevitable?โ€ he asked. โ€œI had to make certain you knew this was not my doing,โ€ she said, her voice breathless. โ€œI never told my father to go to the King. I did not want to force you into marriage.โ€ Brook leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb. โ€œI must admit, your previous refusal was quite definitive and robust. This sudden change of heart surprised me.โ€ โ€œOh, stop speaking so formally! I am trying to tell you I have no more choice in this than you.โ€ โ€œThe bishop will ask for your consent in a few moments. All you need say is I wonโ€™t.โ€ โ€œAnd then my father will disown me, and Vile Valencia will make certain I am shipped off to Cheapside to live with my motherโ€™s great-aunt, who is so poor she can ill afford to feed herself much less me.โ€ โ€œBeezle will find you inside a week there.โ€ She closed her eyes, seeming to summon patience. He couldnโ€™t blame her. He was being an arse. โ€œYou must be the one to say you wonโ€™t have me.โ€ โ€œOh, no.โ€ He pushed away from the jamb. โ€œAnd have the King throw me in the Tower? Not bloody likely.โ€ โ€œHe wonโ€™t throw you in the Tower.โ€ She folded her arms under the square neck of the gown, pushing her breasts up until they swelled at the bodice. โ€œIโ€™m not taking that chance.โ€ โ€œThen we have no choice but to marry.โ€ โ€œI assumed that was the reason we were both in the church at half eight in the morningโ€”you in your bridal silk and me in this stiff-necked cravat Hunt tied far too tightly.โ€ โ€œBut you donโ€™t want to marry me!โ€ โ€œI want to be thrown into the Tower even less.โ€ โ€œNice to know I rank above imprisonment.โ€ โ€œBarely,โ€ he said, pointing a finger at her. โ€œBesides, the King mentioned annulment. Iโ€™m to keep you safe and capture the man who killed Fitzsimmons and abducted you, and the King will see the union annulled.โ€ โ€œOn what grounds?โ€ โ€œHow the devil do I know? On whatever grounds His Majesty fabricates.โ€ โ€œBut what if you donโ€™t capture this Beezle, or whoever it was?โ€ โ€œI will.โ€ โ€œAnd whatโ€™s to happen to me after the marriage is annulled?โ€ โ€œI donโ€™t know, and I donโ€™t care.โ€ He glanced behind him and into the sanctuary. Lennox had risen and was looking pointedly in his direction. The Kingโ€™s attendant was scribbling something on a sheet of vellum. โ€œLetโ€™s finish this.โ€ He turned to exit the sacristy, but her hand on his upper arm made him pause. He looked down at the gloved fingers, so white against his dark blue coat, and then at her pale face. โ€œBrook, I donโ€™tโ€”I just donโ€™t want you to hate me for this.โ€ โ€œItโ€™s far too late for that.โ€

BOOK SERIES

Covent Garden Cubs

Earls Just Want To Have Fun
EARLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
#1.0 โ€ข February 2015
The Rogue You Know
THE ROGUE YOU KNOW
#2.0 โ€ข September 2015
I Kissed a Rogue
I KISSED A ROGUE
#3.0 โ€ข March 2016

 

 

 

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