Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Rake To Ruin Her (Ransleigh Rogues, Book 1) by Julia Justiss
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 19 Feb 13
By the time I discovered the romance genre, the death knell for the traditional Regency was already ringing (not loudly, but ringing all the same). So I never really developed a deep, abiding affection for them, although I find I appreciate authors who still play around in that sandbox. Everyone likes to harp on the “no sex” thing when it comes to trads, but for me it was all about tone and style. Traditional Regencies just felt different. While Julia Justiss most definitely does write sex in her stories, many of her books have that trad feel to them, and she has worked well for me in the past. Sadly, this first book in a new series about roguish cousins? Yeah, not so much.
Max Ransleigh is a diplomat with his star on the rise when an unfortunate turn of events in Vienna alters his future. Someone tries to assassinate Wellington, and it happens on Max’s watch. He returns to England in disgrace, essentially kicked to the curb by his own father, and at loose ends. He’s hoping to lay low at his cousin’s, Alastair, family home, only to find out too late that his aunt is hosting a matchmaking house party for various young ladies of the ton. Oh well. There’s plenty on the grounds to keep him busy and away from the girls, too bad one young lady in particular keeps seeking him out.
Caroline Denby has no desire to marry and, instead, wants to keep running her deceased father’s stud horse farm. Sadly, for her, she has a stepmother who is determined to marry her off because, frankly, isn’t that what all young ladies want? And Caroline is dangerously close to being labelled on the shelf. Caroline, of course, wants none of this, and hits upon the idea to ruin herself. Certainly with a man of Max’s reputation in attendance he’ll be happy to oblige. Except, of course, he isn’t. Turns out he’s more honorable than the gossips led her to believe.
My boredom and, at times, general dislike of this story boils down to personal preference. If what bugs me doesn’t bug you, then you very well may find this story delightful. Certainly Max and Caroline share a lot of banter, they’re both intelligent people, and watching them work their way towards each other is, at times, very charming. Sadly, for me, there were too many annoyances mounting in my personal preferences column to overlook.
Chits who think they can run the family business better than any man tend to lead to heroines who stamp their feet a lot. Caroline at least doesn’t do that, but her desire to run the stud farm has me questioning her intelligence. For one thing, she doesn’t deduce that getting “ruined” could have an adverse effect on her stepmother and stepsister. I mean, why should it affect them? Really, cupcake?!?! I mean, really?! I could understand her being this ignorant about society if she were raised by wolves, and yes, her father did dote on her and keep her somewhat sheltered, but he also remarried! She has a stepmother who is not ignorant about society. So yeah, her lack of understanding for anything regarding society doesn’t seem believable.
Then there is some nonsense about “The Curse.” Romance readers know all about this one. Seemingly every woman in Caroline’s family has died in childbirth, ergo she will die in childbirth. I know medicine, in particular women’s health knowledge, have come a long way in the last several hundred years – but this is one worn-out trope that should have been kicked to the curb years ago.
The nail in the coffin for me, though, is poor Harry. Harry is Caroline’s childhood friend, he’s currently in India, and she figures if she has to marry anyone she can marry him. She has no concern for what Harry wants, though. And naturally when Max starts coming around with his smoldering eyes and hunky good looks…..Harry? Harry who?
So yeah, this one doesn’t work for me. I never came to outright dislike my reading experience, but I was fairly bored. Bored enough that I really contemplated DNF’ing this one. But I didn’t, I persevered, and now I’m left with a case of ennui.
Grade: C-
Summary:
Once a rake…
Known as “Magnificent Max,” diplomat Max Ransleigh was famed for his lethal charm until a political betrayal left him exiled from government and his reputation in tatters. He seems a very unlikely savior for a well-bred young lady.
Except that Miss Caroline Denby doesn’t want to be saved…she wants to be ruined! To Caroline, getting married is tantamount to a death sentence, and meeting the rakish Max at a house party seems the answer to her prayers…. Surely this rogue won’t hesitate to put his bad reputation to good use?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
