Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rogues Rush In by Tessa Dare, Christi Caldwell Narrator: Justine Eyre
Published by Tantor Audio on February 19, 2019
Genres: Historical Romance
Length: 6 hours
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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Two scandalous brides...
Two rogues who won’t be denied...His Bride for the Taking by New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Dare
It’s the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don’t even think about touching your best friend’s sister. But Sebastian, Lord Byrne, has never been one for rules. He’s thought about touching Mary Clayton—a lot—and struggled to resist temptation. But when Mary’s bridegroom leaves her waiting the altar, only Sebastian can save her from ruin. By marrying her himself.In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold...and to love.
His Duchess for a Day by USA Today Bestseller Christi Caldwell
It was never meant to be…
That’s what Elizabeth Terry has told herself while trying to forget the man she married--her once best friend. Passing herself off as a widow, Elizabeth has since built a life for herself as an instructor at a finishing school, far away from that greatest of mistakes. But the past has a way of finding you, and now that her husband has found her, Elizabeth must face the man she’s tried to forget.It was time to right a wrong…
Crispin Ferguson, the Duke of Huntington, has spent the past years living with regret. The young woman he married left without a by-your-leave, and his hasty elopement had devastating repercussions. Despite everything, Crispin never stopped thinking about Elizabeth. Now that he’s found her, he has one request—be his duchess, publicly, just for a day.Can spending time together as husband and wife rekindle the bond they once shared? Or will a shocking discovery tear them apart...this time, forever?
Tessa Dare is one of my favorite Historical Romance writers. Her stories are always fun and Marriage of Convenience to lovers is a favorite trope of mine, so I was excited to get my hands on the Rogues Rush In: A Regency Duet. I’d never read Christi Caldwell before but see her books everywhere; this seemed like a good time to try a new to me author as well.
His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare – 4.5 Hearts
Mary has been left at the alter and will be ruined. Sebastian has loved Mary from afar for years but she was the sister of his best friend and even after the death of Mary’s brother, he can’t break the pact they made as children that she would be hands off to him. But, he also can’t let her be ruined; Sebastian decides he will save Mary and marry her, it is the least he can do for his dead friend when there is no one else to take care of her.
This is an adorable tale of two people who have circled each other their whole lives but never come together until Sebastian gets a little shove. I thought this was a clever and cute story with a smidge of a twist at the end that endeared Mary to me immensely. Because the two have known each other most of their lives, it was so easy to buy into the love story and we get a few hot scenes in a short time to round out the story.
As a short story, it is very strong, enjoyable and if you haven’t tried Tessa Dare before a good way to see if you like her writing style.
His Duchess for a Day by Christi Caldwell – 3.5 Hearts
Again, this has the marriage of convenience trope to it but also adds in the couple being separated for almost ten years post marriage. Elizabeth is in hiding and has just been found by The Duke of Huntington, the man she married almost ten years before. Crispin has become the Duke just recently and needs his wife to make an appearance to get all of the meddling mothers of the ton off his back as they try to marry off daughters to the newly appointed Duke.
Elizabeth never wanted to be in society, but this is the least she can do for Crispin as his wife. She will go and make an appearance in society for one night and then she will return to the life she has trudged in for the last decade.
This is a sad tale of a misunderstanding gone horribly wrong with lasting years of anguish. Crispin and Elizabeth were the best of friends growing up. They were two peas in a pod and she was not of his social standing but he didn’t care at all. She understood him and he her so when both of Elizabeth’s parents died, he offered to marry her. They ran off and were married in secret before returning to tell his family the news. That did not go well and sent Elizabeth into a hiding of sorts.
Now Crispin wants to discover why she left and convince Elizabeth she should remain by his side for more than just the one night because he doesn’t plan on loosing her again.
I enjoyed most of this story, there are a few lines that get repeated through the tale a little much as Elizabeth tries to hold onto her hurt instead of just telling Crispin why she left. Crispin himself is a very likable hero, this is a new role for him and he is determined to woo the wife he wanted but never got to keep. Elizabeth took a little time for me to warm up to because she is holding on to the hurt so tightly but eventually, she thawed and when she did it was worth it.
Narration:
Justine Eyre is one of my favorite narrators for HR books. There is just something very dated about her performance that makes me feel like I’m in that time with the characters. She did another great performance in Rogues Rush In and added to my enjoyment of the stories. I listened to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Christi Caldwell
USA TODAY Bestselling author CHRISTI CALDWELL blames Judith McNaught’s “Whitney, My Love!” for luring her into the world of historical romance. While sitting in her graduate school apartment at the University of Connecticut, Christi decided to set aside her notes and pick up her laptop to try her hand at romance. She believes the most perfect heroes and heroines have imperfections, and she rather enjoys torturing them before crafting them a well deserved happily ever after!
Christi makes her home in southern Connecticut where she spends her time writing her own enchanting historical romances, chasing around her feisty seven-year-old son and caring for her twin princesses in training!
About Tessa Dare
Tessa Dare is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fourteen historical romance novels and five novellas. Her books have won numerous accolades, including Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® award (twice!) and the RT Book Reviews Seal of Excellence. Booklist magazine named her one of the “new stars of historical romance,” and her books have been contracted for translation in more than a dozen languages.
A librarian by training and a booklover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, their two children, and a trio of cosmic kitties.
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Glad you enjoyed them.
I used to read tons of this genre and then it fell away when I got into horror and thrillers. I should dip my toes in again. Nice to see you enjoyed these!
Ah…this genre is like my pallet cleanser between fantasy reads. Sometimes after something that requires a lot of attention I jump into HR since it feels like candy in comparison.
These two stories both sound like they were worth a listen. I don’t think that I have read either of these authors but this kind of book is the perfect opportunity to give them a try. Great review, Robin!
Yeah I enjoyed them and it is nice sometimes to have something short and fluffy to read in between other books.
Thanks Sherry!