Usually I really like novels by Romain and I had this like forever on my kindle but I couldn't finish it at all. It just didn't work for me. Later on I gave it another try and it didnt work again.

This was a decent story and I somewhat enjoyed both the hero and the heroine. Callum and Isabel were well-written characters. However, nothing really stood out making it a great book.

Full feature to appear on my blog in October.

Theresa Romain writes in an entertaining and lively way, managing to make interesting characters who usually stay (more or less) in the confines of the time.
Art forgery is a popular topic in historical romance at the moment, but this book manages to find something new in a nearly overused subject.

2.5 stars.

I’ve never really been a fan of ‘mystery’ type books, and while this wasn’t super heavy in a mystery or anything, it was very like, oceans 11 or something. The aim for them was to steal a Duke’s painting and replace it with the real thing so when he sold it no one would find out her late husband was selling forgeries and keeping the real ones.

Now all that wasn’t awful. It felt a little slow to read, but overall it was an alright time. Everything after that is was had me like... huh? The Duke ends up being pissed because he wanted to sell the fake to the guy (STILL confused as to why, they said he felt better about jipping the guy money or something - DUMB) and the whole Lucy mystery plot line sort of felt, not right to me? It felt like it was shoved in right at the end, and there was so much talk of justice and it never being served in this that I was shocked they turned away from the fact she’d killed her parents and nearly killed a random guy IN THE MIDDLE OF A BALL. Why was she carrying that gun at the ball anyway people? Is no one going to question if SHE shot andrew? What he and her parents did were horrible and disgusting, but she still took justice into her own hands. That was the whole point of the story, that everyone’s version of Justice is different, but at the end of the day the law is still the law and they have to do their jobs. Which in the end they didn’t do. It just reminded me of rich people hiding their skeletons and it didn’t really sit well with me.

I’ll try a different series from this author as I have two from different series that slightly interest me (one more than the other) so we will see if I just don’t like the style of writing or if it’s just his series in particular.

Please note I didn’t find this book horrible. I just found it average and it took me a weirdly long time to get through it.

3.25 stars. The plot was unique and intriguing and I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I found the execution to be a little lacking. Storylines came out of nowhere (esp at the very end - what on earth?) or just totally dropped out of sight without resolution (what happened to the threatening Duke of Ardmore? ). I enjoyed getting to know the characters and the storyline about Isabel's crooked husband and the artwork was fun and original. Overall, a somewhat mildly entertaining read. I read the first two in the series a while back and didn't remember a lot of it, so I was a little lost whenever they talked about details from the treasure hunt in this book, the third entry in the series.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Usually I enjoy Ms. Roman's books, but this one just didn't work for me. There were too many things/events that didn't fit into the regency genre I've come to love. Lady Isabel Morrow has been widowed for 18 months and once again in a short span she requires the services of Officer of the Police, Callum Jenks, for an unorthodox problem that she cannot solve herself. This is the first problem I had with the book. It was a strange request that is not lawful and yet Officer Jenks goes along with it even though he knows he shouldn't. He cannot say no to Isabel because he's fallen for the lady--a problem that cannot be resolved because of their lot in life. He will never be accepted by the ton, yet Isabel is like a siren for him.

I did not like the twist involving Isabel's ward, Lucy, and so the events surrounding her were just too much for me. There was no public scandal/outcry for the events that happened at the ball. Ms. Romain is a talented author and can keep the reader engaged to the end, but this book just did not appeal to me.

I loved the storyline and the strong characters. Totally worth ☆☆☆☆☆ . I Highly recommend this book to my friends and family.

3.5 stars

I’m a fairly new fan of Theresa Romain; I’ve only read a few of her earlier novels – but I liked them quite a bit. I decided to pick up Lady Rogue on a whim – I read the first book in the Royal Rewards series, Fortune Favors the Wicked, shortly after its release and enjoyed every bit of it, so when I saw she had another book in the series coming out, I decided to pick it up. Now, dear reader, if you know me at all, you know I abhor reading a series out of order. But I was: out of town, craving a great historical romance, and Ms. Romain is reliably good… so, here we are. And fortunately, the book works just fine on its own. Once again the author shines her spotlight on two principals struggling under the weight of their pasts. To her credit, Ms. Romain’s lead characters are nothing like the cookie cutter lords and ladies that clutter much of historical romance. Instead she writes about flawed and imperfect men and women trying – and sometimes failing – to find meaning in their lives. Her characters are dynamic, sympathetic figures you want to know more about. In that respect, Lady Rogue is a success. I wholeheartedly believed in the transformative power of love between her principal characters; unfortunately, the disjointed plot (plots) of the story leave something to be desired. Art forgery, theft, murder, blackmail, sexual abuse… Lady Rogue is an awkward mash-up of mystery and romance, and the author doesn’t quite pull it all off.

Lady Isabel Morrow tries to live her life above reproach. After the death of her husband, she quietly mourned his passing – silently dignified in her grief. Privately, she questioned everything about her life: her repressive childhood, her marriage to a virtual stranger, and what it might mean to finally be free to live life on her own terms. But as Lady Rogue begins, she’s further from finding those answers than she’s ever been. The surprise discovery that her dead husband Andrew, an art dealer, was also commissioning and selling art forgeries – stashing them in a secret room in the house, has left her struggling to reconcile the man she thought she knew with the stranger he was.

Shortly after discovering Andrew’s hidden cache of real and forged paintings (whose subject matter stirs up disquieting suspicions she desperately tries to quell), she learns the Duke of Ardmore plans to sell one of them to settle a gambling debt with a notorious and dangerous London crime-lord. Fearful of the scandal that might ensue should the new owner discover the painting is a copy – and what that might mean to the marriage prospects of Andrew’s young ward Lucy – Isabel decides to secretly switch the paintings. She reaches out to Callum Jenks, the police officer who investigated her husband’s death – and with whom she engaged in a passionate one-night affair (we’ll revisit this in a moment), for help. Despite her entreaties and explanations, he refuses.

Callum Jenks has found success as a Bow Street Runner, but the one man he wants – needs – to put away, Sir Frederick Chapple, is about to be released for lack of evidence. Callum knows Sir Frederick was the mastermind behind the theft at the Royal Mint (detailed in the first two books of the Royal Rewards series) – and is therefore ultimately responsible for the murder of his beloved brother Harry, a guard – but he can’t prove it. After an odd morning wherein he received a summons from Lady Isabel Morrow, and her even more surprising revelations and request for help (to break into the Duke of Ardmore’s house, steal a fake Botticelli and replace it with the original), he arrives at Newgate to Sir Frederick’s smug confidence in his own imminent release. Angry, disillusioned and questioning his life and purpose, he decides to help Lady Isabel after all.

Callum stirs up feelings Isabel never knew she could experience. Being with him again – working alongside him – reminds her of their passionate interlude, and how much she admires and likes him. He’s protective and careful with her, but he also looks at her as someone to be desired and admired – something Andrew never did. For his part, Callum was attracted to Isabel from the moment they first met. Memories of their one-night together plague him whenever they’re together and he can’t seem to stop wanting her… but the circumstances of their initial meeting, Isabel’s position in society and Callum’s work keep him from believing they can ever have a future together.

The slow burn affection and affair between Callum and Isabel is a highlight of the story. But perhaps you, like me, were surprised to discover they had already engaged in a one-night stand? Ms. Romain introduces this twist right from the outset (as if it’s no big deal although it’s completely uncharacteristic of her oh-so-proper heroine) – so it’s clear from the beginning that Callum and Isabel have history. It feels oddly out of sequence with the story as it unfolds – and since they both continue to lust after one another once they partner up to steal the painting, I kept asking myself what was really keeping them from being lovers.

Although I enjoyed the suspense plot involving Andrew and the forged artworks and the underlying sense of dread attached to the paintings left in his secret room, the resolution of both storylines feels forced and unsatisfying. Isabel and Callum plot and plan to make the switch at the Duke of Ardmore’s home (and I loved every scene they shared on the page) – but I struggled to accept Isabel as a thief plotting her next adventure, or to believe Callum would encourage or want a partner in crime. The story takes another twist following their late night caper and frankly, it felt like Ms. Romain was gilding the lily. The switch – as a means to reunite Callum and Isabel and introduce the spectre of Andrew’s death and its implications – is enough in and of itself. Meanwhile, Isabel visits acquaintances with Lucy and tries to match-make on her behalf. I kept wondering why Lucy even appears in the story – she pops up between chapters and Isabel’s visits with Callum, but then the author finally reveals the truth behind the hidden paintings whilst simultaneously introducing and resolving Lucy’s purpose in the novel…and reader? It’s awful and terrible and totally out of sync with the rest of this story.

Lady Rogue is most successful when it focuses on its principal characters. Their struggle – to live authentic lives that have meaning and purpose, and to follow their hearts’ desire despite the societal confines of the time – is poignant and deeply affecting. The mystery subplot, while interesting, is messy and overly complicated. There are sort of bad guys, bad guys and really bad guys… and honestly, that Andrew was a lying, thieving crook, was enough. I didn’t need the other tangents the story took, and ultimately they detracted from my pleasure in the romance.

This is the 3rd book in the Penhallow Series. They all can be read as a stand alone though. The main characters, Isabel and Callum were very likeable. And that's the way I felt about this book. It was just likeable. It plodded along just enough to keep me interested but there was nothing riveting.

Strong characters, well written. As always Theresa romain doesn't disappointed. The secondary characters leaving the audience wanting tonknow more about them.

Lady Rogue is the third book in Theresa Romain’s Royal Rewards series, but can be read as a stand-alone. The Lady Rogue in question is Lady Isabel Morrow, who is a relatively recent widow to a respected art dealer. After her husband’s death, his young cousin becomes Isabel’s ward and is seeking marriage prospects. It is this goal that drives Isabel back to her Bow Street Runner lover, Callum Jenks.

Isabel and Callum had a brief but very passionate coupling soon after her husband’s death, which Callum was investigating. Their affair ended on good terms with neither of them hurt or angry with one another. Therefore, when Isabel discovers that her husband was actually selling forged art work and keeping the genuine pieces, she turns to Callum to help right this wrong before it ruins her ward’s prospects for marriage. Callum is not so keen to perform some potentially illegal activities in order to fix past mistakes, however he has recently become disillusioned by England’s justice system and combined with his attraction to Isabel, he agrees, and so begins their adventure.

I really did enjoy this book for the most part, there was a lot of chemistry between Isabel and Callum and this made for an interesting romance between them, especially due to societal rules about class. It was a fun, romantic, and suspenseful book that kept me hooked throughout the pages. I admired Callum’s drive both professionally and personally to make his life better and to live in an ethical way. I also really admired Isabel as a woman who was not willing to settle for the societal norms placed upon her. There was so much potential for this book to be an amazing one, however one major reason stops it from being so – for myself anyways.

I cannot understand, and will never understand, why authors insist on writing “historical” romances that would be far better as a contemporary romance. I love believable and well written historical romances (Sarah MacLean, Beverley Kendall, Julia Quinn etc.), and I love contemporary romances as well (Denise Grover Swank, Beverley Kendall, Samantha Young etc.). I feel like the only reason this book was made a historical was that Romain wanted there to be a class obstacle between Isabel and Callum – which could also have been easily done in a contemporary novel: the novel could have taken place in say 1920, Isabel could have been the daughter and widow of a very wealthy, old family/old money man and Callum still the son of a grocer and a policeman. This could have worked so well! Making this story into a historical just made it so unbelievable, no respected lady in 1818 would enter a single man’s lodgings unchaperoned and be served tea by his landlady with not even a raised eyebrow – that just did not happen. There was not even a whisper of following even one societal norm for that time period. This to me is a deal breaker – if you are claiming to be a historical novel, please at least attempt to convey societal norms from that time period.

If you can get past the inaccuracies with the setting then give this novel a go, it is a fun one to read! Or just pretend that it is taking place in the early 1900s instead.

~ Harshita

I was given a free copy for an honest review. Lady Rogue is definitely different from other books in this genre. There are Parts I liked but there was a lot that didn't work for me. I just never really connected with any of the main characters in the story.

One year and a half before, Lady Isabel found her husband dead, a bullet in his head. After a quick investigation, the death was ruled and accident. Now Isabel has discovered her late husband was selling copies of masterpiece paintings to his rich clients and kept the originals, and she’s afraid the scandal if it was discovered would ruin her niece by marriage’s marriage prospects.

I must say I was curious to know how the author would succeed in creating a believable HEA for a lady and a policeman in the Regency period, and the solution found seems too modern. But it’s the general tone of the novel in fact. Because yes, here we have a lady who doesn’t hesitate to break into a Duke’s townhouse (reminder: Dukes were the highest in the English nobility after the Royal family), drugging his dogs, and rope climbing the façade. Sigh…

It’s too bad because Isabel is an interesting character and seeing her realize she can affirm herself and get out of the society constraint was well imagined. As well, Callum, the policeman who investigated her husband’s death, is quite well done too, we could see his job limitations towards nobility weighed upon him, just as the non-solved case of his brother’s death. He’s full of prejudices on her and the relationship they can have (that is none according to him because they’re not part of the same spheres) when she’s more open. Between them the attraction who pushed them in each other’s arms during a nigh several months ago is still there, but I had the feeling the author was telling us about it more than showing it to us.

There are some likeable moments but all in all I thought the story was floppy and boring. And why add the final drama, with the truth about Isabel’s husband’s death in a sordid story revealed at a reception where the whole elite are present?
To conclude for me it’s a book really forgettable and that I don’t recommend.

I love Callum and Isabelle! I wish we had more of the backstory of their relationship, was it possibly in an earlier book? Even with a few things that I felt were missing in the story, it is a 4.5 stars for me.

Stevie‘s review of Lady Rogue (Royal Rewards, Book 3) by Theresa Romain
Historical Romance published by Zebra 24 Apr 18

Although the main mystery of the Royal Rewards stories seemed to get wrapped up in the second book of the series, there seemed to me at the time to be quite a lot more adventures for the characters to have. Now the series has been restarted (or spun off) with the first of what promises to be at least two more books featuring both familiar and new characters. This time, an antagonist of sorts (definitely not the villain of the piece, though) from the first two books takes centre stage as a protagonist in his own right.


Bow Street Runner – or Officer of the Police, to give him his correct title – Callum Jenks has returned to London after solving the Royal Rewards mystery, not entirely to his satisfaction; no one has been convicted or punished for the death of Callum’s brother in the original theft. Feeling uncertain of his next move, he is intrigued to be invited to the setting of another former investigation: the home of Lady Isabel Morrow. Callum and Isabel first met when her husband committed suicide and Callum was the attending officer, shortly after which the pair had a brief fling. The affair ended amicably, although each still harbours feelings for the other, and now Isabel needs Callum’s help again.

Isabel’s husband ostensibly made his money buying and selling valuable paintings, but following his death she has discovered that many, if not most, of those sales were of forgeries, with the real paintings stored in a secret room of the house. Now, one of the victims of that deception is planning to sell his painting in order to clear gambling debts, and Isabel is certain that the forgery will be discovered, leading to ostracisation for herself and her young ward, her late husband’s cousin. Isabel was unhappy in her marriage – hence the fling with Callum early in her widowhood – and she is determined that her ward should make a better match than she did, one with a man that truly cares for her.

Isabel proposes that Callum help her steal back the forgery, replacing it with the original version from her husband’s hidden collection, so preventing any scandal and enabling Isabel to see her ward settled and then decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life. She has no real plan for that, but is certain that a new marriage is not part of it, no matter how much she and Callum seem to be enjoying each other’s company once again.

I really enjoyed this book. The heist caper was a lot of fun, as were Callum’s family when we finally got to meet them. There was also a serious side to the story, involving a subplot regarding Isabel’s ward and her real thoughts on the plan to find a husband for her. I also greatly enjoyed meeting the paintings’ forger and observing his attempts to be recognised by society as an artist in his own right – going against the expectations of the aristocracy on account of his background. All in all a fine novel, and I’m now eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Grade: A

Lady Rogue is the third book in Theresa Romain’s Regency-era Royal Rewards series. I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book because I enjoyed the second book in the series.

Callum Jenks, the hero of this book, played a minor role in the earlier books. He works as a Bow Street Runner, and he is summoned to the house of Isabel Morrow. He investigated her husband’s death a year ago, but now she needs help dealing with a different matter entirely.

Isabel’s husband was involved with art forgery, and she needs Callum’s help to keep this shameful secret from being revealed. Her proposition consists of a scheme of questionable legality- is it really a crime to replace forgeries with originals? If the truth about the late Mr. Morrow came out, it would ruin Isabella, as well as her young ward, who is poised to make her debut in Society.

This is an interesting book. To begin with, it deals with social disparity- Isabel’s husband was not titled, but her father is a peer. She lives relatively humbly, but moves in elevated social circles. Callum, on the other hand, has working class origins. He is not a gentleman, and his parents own a grocery store. Social disparity is a popular trope, but it seems like there are a lot more examples of the heroine being the one from the humble background. Even when the hero is the one who did not grow up among the aristocracy, he often ends up inheriting a title, and is a gentleman by default. That is not the case with this book; Callum has an interesting approach to his position. He struggles to reconcile his feelings for Isabel because they come from different worlds. But he also doesn’t feel entirely comfortable around his family because of his guilt over choosing something other than the family grocery business.

I’ve written quite a bit about Callum, but Isabel is equally fascinating. Her position in Society is already tenuous, thanks to her less than advantageous match. Now that she is a widow, she is tolerated again, but she knows that if anyone were to find out about the forgeries, she would be permanently ruined. She is quite pragmatic, and has already formulated a plan to keep the secret from being revealed. Another thing that I thought was very interesting was that Callum and Isabel had a brief tryst almost a year ago- not too long after he was investigating her husband’s death. This is mentioned in the first few pages, so it’s hardly a spoiler, but I had to read the passage twice to make sure I understood. That’s another rarity for the genre, and it had quite an impact on their dynamic.

The one thing that surprised me was that there were some huge revelations towards the end of the book. They came completely out of nowhere; there wasn’t any foreshadowing at all that would have indicated anything of that nature. These revelations were also quite dark, and contrasted with the tone of the rest of the book. The issues were resolved as quickly as they were revealed, allowing the book to end on a positive note.

I would recommend Lady Rogue. This book functions well as a standalone, because Callum only had a minor role, and most of the characters from the earlier books do not appear in this one. I liked the way that Romain took a fresh approach to classic tropes. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Romain’s books in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.

Book #3 in the series The Royal Rewards, Lady Rogue can be read without knowledge of the previous books (my case), although H and h have their first time together (you know what I mean) in one of those books.
When Book 3 starts, Lady Isabel Morrow, a widow for a year and a half, is summoning Callum Jenks, Officer of the Police, to help her solve a problem related to her late husband's art dealing. As I said, Isabel and Callum has history, having met during the investigation of her husband's death.
Callum Jenks is not the traditional hero of this kind of books - oh,he's nice, handsome and a bit roguish - but a wonderful respite from the "dukes rule" fashion that has plagued the genre for a while, he WORKS. Yes, he's an Officer of the Police, as he proudly announces. And his family owns a grocer's, not an enormous estate with a title tied to it!
Isabel is trying to leave behind her unhappy first marriage, with all her husband's skeletons in the cupboard. Unfortunately, that is not possible and she needs Callum to help her. While the story develops, we can see the two of them try to deal with their different background and situations in life.
In spite of some minor problems (the story drags a little after a main event takes place; some mysteries are dealt with too fast; and maybe the how some situations concerning the previous books may not be explained or solved in satisfactory manner), I enjoyed reading this book.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..

Loved it! I'm a sucker for Bow Street Runners (*ahem*) and Callum did not disappoint. I want all the Theresa Romain books on audio!

A slow starter of a book, the romance just warmed me inside out like a hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Both the hero and heroine are lovable and beautifully written. The only part that is missing from the book is any intrigue about the paintings. I felt a little underwhelmed by the conclusion of the mystery of the original paintings. This is book three in The Royal Rewards series but can be read as a standalone.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

I should probably stew on this before writing a review, but I doubt it would resolve any questions. The twists and turns in the last chapter boggled my mind. I think I read the whole book. Did my kindle just randomly skip chapters that contained important pieces of information? Even so, all that in one chapter threw the whole book out of wack for me.

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There were moments I enjoyed in this book, cute moments between the MCs, and the writing was solid. The plot, though, was a mess. Too many suspend-belief moments for me to get onboard, too many balls being juggled to make a satisfying ending.

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While I kinda sorta liked the MCs, I didn’t feel the heat and felt we readers were more told than shown the falling-in-love bit. It also had a decidedly contemporary feel to it. As a historical romance reader, I am generally looking for a good deal of focus on either the historical side or the romance side, preferably adequate attention to both. But maybe that’s just me. I am sure this story will appeal to some, but it just didn’t work for me.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.