Cover Image: Diamond in the Rogue

Diamond in the Rogue

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Member Reviews

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book.
Rayne and Julia were definitely an interesting pair. Although this can be read as a stand alone I do think reading the previous books in the series are helpful.
After being caught in a kiss with Julia, Rayne left for new york. Alone at his sisters wedding, with only Farring still his friend Rayne planssl to leave immediately after the wedding.
Julia is determined to have her love and plans to abduct Rayne so he has no option but to marry her.
I liked the realtionship between Rayne and Julia. Julia was a fun character.

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This has been a good series so far and the author didn't disappoint with this addition. The characters are charming and the storyline is developed. It was fast-paced and easy to read. I have enjoyed the entire series and can't wait to see what the author has in mind for us next.

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I just really enjoyed this book. It was just really easy to get lost in this book. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

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Unfortunately, I will not be able to review this book to my usual standards. This is simply due to the fact that I have found that I have an incompatibility issue with historical romances. I find it difficult to become absorbed in them and don't enjoy them; which I feel would negatively impact my review, which I think is unfair to both the publisher and the author. I take pride in doing reviews that I'm proud of, and reviewing books I have enjoyed and am passionate about. I hope you can accept my apologies! This is definitely a "it's not you, it's me" scenario. Thank you regardless for allowing me to access an early copy of this fabulous book.

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I had a hard time following the beginning of this book. I had not read the previous books so I was a bit lost with the characters. I feel that the associations of the characters could have been explained better. Overall, I found the plot to be to far-fetched for me.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Graham, the Earl of Rayne, in an act of revenge, kissed Lady Julia.
Nineteen months later, he's back in England from a stint in America and sees Julia again.
Julia is no longer there the naive girls she was almost two years ago.

Graham "Rayne" feels like he will be like his miserly father and spent the time in America rebuilding his character.
Will he stay this time around?

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In a bid to get revenge on his friend for breaking off his betrothal to his sister, Graham Laithe, the Earl of Rayne, kissed Lady Julia Stanley and then promptly took himself off to America. After two years, he's temporarily returned for his sister's wedding to Julia's brother. He regrets nothing when it comes to Julia, but believes he could never be good enough for her. For her part, Julia has known Rayne was the one for her since they first met. But her brother objects, so in order to get her way, Julia sneaks onto Rayne's carriage with the intent of guiding him toward a Gretna elopement, though she might've underestimated the strength of Rayne's willpower and the depth of his pain.

I read and enjoyed the previous book in this series and was eager to finally learn what the deal really was with Rayne, but this one left me rather confused and I still feel like I'm missing something. I'm thinking that must be because I haven't yet read the first book so I felt like I was a step behind trying to figure out exactly what was so bad that it necessitated Rayne leaving. I also wasn't ever really clear on the issues Julia and Rayne both had from their childhoods and the reasons they gave here left me once again feeling like I'd missed something. I also wish Julia had referred to Rayne by his first name some, just to be cohesive with how the other ladies referred to their husbands, though this is also just because I love the name Graham.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this story and I loved the one-on-one road travel and one room, one bed scenes. These two were lovely together and both showed a great deal of growth in a short time. It was great to see them both choose each other despite any uncomfortable situations that meant facing and in the face of nay-saying family and friends. I really need to go back and read that first book but I'm looking forward to Farring's book now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I was so very excited to read this book for a couple of reasons; first- the author herself asked me to read and review this book (yes I totally fan girled over that), second- I really enjoyed the previous book in the series and couldn’t wait to see what the author had instore for this next book, and third- once I discovered this was Rayne and Julia’s story I was beyond stoked. After meeting these two characters in the last book and the hints about what broke up a long time group of best friends and forced Clarissa’s brother Rayne to flee to America I was praying it would be a good as the last. Let me tell you all this book was better than I ever imagined! I couldn’t put it down. This book has all the things I adore: A strong and sassy leading lady, a dark and brooding hero, and some seriously steamy love scenes (please remember this is a historical romance and while most love scenes can be pretty vanilla these most definitely were not). I can honestly say this is one of my favorite books for 2019!!! I can only hope we get to see how Farring’s story plays out in the next book.

Graham Laithe, Earl of Rayne has spent the last 2 years in America working very hard to forget the biggest mistake of his life. When he is forced to return to England for his sister’s wedding and to settle his affairs, the last thing he wants is to face his once bet friends or see the one woman he can never have and the cause of all his troubles. Will he be able to successfully part ways with his sister and his life in England as he plans or will he find himself with a reason to stay?

Lady Julia Stanley has a personal rule of never making the same mistake twice. Just as she is prepared to give up on finding love of her own, she is challenged by a dear friend to break that rule. Faced with the prospect saving the only man she loves from his own self-destruction, she forms a risky plan involving disguise, kidnapping, and possibly pirates to take her own destiny in hand and fight for the love she thought was lost. Will she succeed or will all her efforts leave them both heartbroken all over again?

This seriously is one of my favorite books of 2019 and I can’t wait to see how all of you like it.

I give this book a: 7!

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I have read the previous in the series, but each one can be read as a standalone. It is time I abandon this series. Once again, the characters are unlikeable and bear the traits of twenty-first-century characters thrown into a historical setting. 

I have tried to find something that would be complimentary about this book, but with such unlikeable main characters, the entire book was tainted for me. There are far better historical romances out there. I suggest finding one of them. 

I received an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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This book was an enjoyable romance between two headstrong characters, with one willing to stow away on the back of a carriage to win over the man she loves. The chemistry between the main characters was electric and sensual. I thought the climax fell a little flat after everything that the characters went through and I thought it was resolved too quickly. The book works as a stand-alone novel for the most part but there were a few places where I thought I was missing something since I hadn’t read the previous books in the series which would have definitely helped. Those situations could have been explained better so people who hadn’t read the previous books in the series could still understand what was going on.

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In an act of revenge, Lord Rayne kissed Lady Julia and was sent packing to America. But now he’s back to settle his affairs and give away his sister in marriage. Rayne has always wanted Julia but thought himself unworthy of the innocent young miss. Julia had two years to forget the moody and mercurial Earl of Rayne, but one look, and she knows they’re meant to be together.
She has a plan, but how wrong can it go.
This newest book in this series has it's delightfully humorous moments. Be warned, this book does contain a bit of light BDSM.. It may not be to everyone's taste. Although I don't normally care for bondage in my romance books, it was tastefully done in this one and doesn't distract from the story.
I laughed out loud at times while reading this third book in the Lords of Chance Series. I have only missed reading the novella but I have bought it and will read it soon.
If book #2, Heart's Desire, scored 4.75 of 5.0 stars this one deserves a higher rating. These books just keep getting better, so I gave this one 4.9 of 5.0 stars. We still have one more lord to get matched and Julia is itching to get that done.
I received a complimentary copy of this book to read via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

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Diamond In the Rogue by Wendy LaCapra was amazing! Yes I'll go ahead and say it the first thing. I've been going through some rough patches in my personal life for the past few months and needed a distraction badly. This book gave me that and more. I always applaud Wendy's writing style and her lovely narratives that hook you right into the story. But this book was just chock full of surprises I didn't see coming. In retrospect, I should've expected at least some of them.

From the previous books of Lords of Chance series, I had very little to form opinions about the H and h, Rayne and Julia. Rayne was banished from England in book 1 for being an a$$, while Julia seemed too young and immature and to be honest, I wasn't sure if they'd be a good match. You may kiss a stranger and get caught and may suffer the consequences too but who goes and says 'but I love him' to a man they'd met only a handful of times and kissed only once?!

The basis of Rayne and Julia's relationship had always seemed a bit vague to me, or maybe it was that straightforward. I knew Rayne was a bit of rough and broody, even more than Bromton. Definitely more than Farring and Markham. He could be too straightforward and cut you as if it didn't matter to him. When you read his upbringing it's quite clear that emotional attachment to another human being was not his forte. He had issues connecting even with Clarissa, his sister. Clarissa somewhat had the same thing going on until she met the Stanleys (Julia, Katherine and Markham), whose relationship with each-other is the epitome of sibling love and affection. They changed Bromton's life, then Clarissa's. Rayne was left alongside Farring, but Farring isn't really moody and broody (or is he?).

Rayne couldn't imagine a life full of happiness but Julia somehow instinctively noticed that and sought to change it promptly in all her naive glory. She was still a bit too young for my liking and had an innocent view of the world. The crazy attraction she felt for Rayne the moment they met soon transformed into something quite deep. But after that fateful affair of book 1 that led Rayne to flee England, rejecting Julia's seemingly innocent declaration of love, had changed them both in the intervening 2 yrs. Rayne learned that he'd made a grave mistake, or quite a few mistakes actually that he needed to amend. Julia learned that life sometimes isn't the happiest of places but you live and learn nonetheless and move on with it. Even if you think love will never come your way since the only person you ever wanted doesn't want you back.

In this book, Rayne's return will lead to his self-reflection about the whole situation since he'd never been able to forget Julia. She'd always plagued his mind and he knew he will have to apologize to her at the very least if he's to have any peace of mind. But could marriage be a 'thing' between them? Even he knew she was too innocent and he didn't want to ruin her reputation. After all, he had a very adventurous sex life before all that happened (I don't know why that even surprised me LOL) and he couldn't quite see Julia fitting into that lifestyle. But was it actually that complicated? Throw in a bit of silly but very persuasive 'kidnapping attempt' by none other than Julia (no, this time I wasn't surprised at all), the book was a hoot. The chemistry between them were off the charts and I absolutely loved Rayne's grumpy, growly side that Julia totally didn't mind being acquainted with. ;) She also discovered that she didn't mind being bound by Rayne in every sense of the word. I just knew these two belonged together.

Julia surprised me over and over again in this story with how she was so determined to have Rayne and she just went after him. Some will call her rash, immature... the whole scheme quite idiotic even if Farring's part in it made things smoother for her. But I had way too much fun just reading their banters and everything in between.

Diamond in the Rogue will be my other favorite of the series alongside Scandal In Spades. 4.5 stars and recommended.

My full review will be published in Goodreads, on my blog and booklikes in a few days.

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I enjoyed myself in the world of the Lords of Chance series. I do feel that this is a series which should be (if at all possible) read in order – and I dropped into this series with the third full-length story of Julia and Rayne. I wasn’t lost, I simply would have felt more comfortable in this world, and perhaps understood some nuances, some relationships better if I had started from the very beginning. I will definitely be catching up on the series, so that alone should tell you how much I was caught up in this world to be willing to spend time and money to discover what came before this story.

DIAMOND IN THE ROGUE is a story of determination, strong attraction, and even stronger personalities dealing with their pasts. Rayne is a complex man, one who feels deeply, is stubborn, and has the mistaken belief that he isn’t good enough for Julia. Now Julia is an innocent but a determined young lady who knows exactly what or who she wants – and that would be Rayne. Watching their journey to their happy ending with all the bumps along the road was captivating, entertaining and had me wishing I had started this series earlier. Ms. LaCapra writes a vivid story with people and events that come alive on the page, and that’s the style of writing that I can follow for a long time.

I don’t willing do spoilers, yet I believe if you love strong personalities, a very good story, likable if at times frustrating people, and a story that will hold your attention from the first page to the last – then you’ll have fun with DIAMOND IN THE ROGUE.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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Diamond in the Rogue is the third book in author Wendy LaCapra’s Lords of Chance series. For those of us following this series, Rayne’s story was heavily anticipated and it most definitely did not disappoint! A fabulous read and an excellent addition to this series!

Graham Laithe the Earl of Rayne is back! After two years of exile in America, he’s back to see his sister married and to settle his estate. He has no plans to stay and is itching to leave permanently.

Lady Julia’s childhood made her lose faith in love. Then Rayne entered her life.  Thinking herself in love and one forbidden kiss between them, she’s devastated when Rayne walks out of her life.

Oh my, what an absolutely fabulous story and couple! For those of us who have been with this series from the beginning, we’ve already met Julia and Rayne. Both characters have made appearances in the previous stories. Although I believe you could read this story as a stand-alone, I highly recommend you read the previous books to understand the history between all the characters.

I loved Rayne! He’s definitely a tortured hero. He wants Julia but feels he’s not good enough for her and has nothing to give her. His feelings for her are real and you sense the struggle within him wanting her but yet continually trying to resist her. You also see how the loss of his friends truly affected him and how he feels like an outsider. He was definitely a hero I wanted to see finally get his HEA and I loved him with Julia. The chemistry and dialogue between these two was fabulous! Julia was absolutely perfect for him and the more I got to know her the more I liked her. Julia is a kind, clever and insightful young woman. She was hurt by Rayne’s departure two years ago and is scared to be hurt again. When Lord Farring a mutual friend suggests she take steps to prevent Rayne from leaving again, she decides to take one more chance!

Ms. LaCapra wrote a fabulous story for this couple and I absolutely loved the journey she took us on to get to this couple’s well deserved HEA! I enjoyed seeing characters from the past books and look forward to the next book in this series. I can’t wait to get Lord Farring’s story and catch up with the rest of the Lords of Chance! This has been a fabulous series so far and one I highly recommend!

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3.5 stars

This is book 3 in the Lords of Chance series. I've read book 2 (Hearts, Lord Markham) and the Novella about Mrs Sartin. A lot of the action relates back to past. In this book 'Diamonds', Lord Rayne grabbed a kiss from our very young heroine and was sent to America. Julia didn't really understand why he was ostracised and has continued to love him. The Book is a bit of a road trip as 'Clubs' orchestrates our couple's reunion and hopefully Happy ever after. This book didn't grab me as much as the book 2 but it was an enjoyable read and I do recommend it. Wendy has become another on my must read list.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

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Lord Rayne and Lady Julia's story is perfect. I think that as far as historical romances go this is an amazing one and a must-read for the fans of this genre. It's well written and has interesting characters. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend to all my fellow readers.

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This was an enthralling read. Julia was certainly up for a challenge and was determined to for Rayne to come to terms with his feelings. Rayne was a complex character, he had been quite the rogue but he was also lost soul. He felt he was distant from his friends and didn’t know how to bridge the gap. Rayne had always liked Julia but felt he wasn’t good enough. This was a good paced, entertaining read. It will be good to read of his friend Farring in the next book. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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When I received this arc I had never read any of Wendy LaCapra's work. I, often times, like to read a series in order so I started with book 1. Well, I was hooked. Then I read book 2 and I was hooked, line & sinker. I couldn't wait to read book 3 and dived right in. I needed to know what would happen with Rayne and Julia. You know of their background right from book 1.
Rayne, oh how I loved him. He did wrong and left the country to put space between himself and those he hurt and was hurt by. Now he's back and wants to apologize and try to move forward with his life.
Julia. Julia was a hellion. A firebrand. A mischief-maker. She only wants what is best for her family and friends and goes about making sure their lives are filled with love. Julia wants love herself and thought she felt it with Rayne. Then he left and put an ocean between them.
I found this story to be incredible. I loved every part of it. The growth both Julia and Rayne make within themselves and together.
This was also an incredibly hot book. Some of the scenes were smoking! An all-around great book.
Now all I have to do is wait for Farring's story. (He may be my favourite character yet.)
I received an advance reader copy for an honest review.

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This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

Graham Laithe, is the Earl of Rayne and has recently returned to England just in time for his sister’s wedding. Rayne, been gone from his home in England for two years.

His objective is to give his sister away in marriage and settle his affairs before returning to America. The two years away have been difficult and hard on him.

Rayne’s bsence was caused by eventual act that almost ruined lady Julia and sent him packing to the America.

Head strong, delightful Lady Julia has given up on love, she gave her heart away, and look what happened . Still reveling over her almost disastrous ruination. Oh, but that memorable kiss. Julia knew she was still over the moon for Lord Rayne, even though his abrupt dissertation left a hole in her young heart. She knows she’ll only ever love Lord Rayne. No one can compare.

Determined Lady Julia has had her season and no one set her heart on fire as the rakish, unforgettableLord Rayne. Throwing caution to the wind she concocts a thrilling scheme with a little help from a family friend.

Will everything go as planned? Will she get her heart’s desire? Or will past lies resurface and come back to her, wrecking havoc.

A Swoon worthy read, that grabbed my complete attention all the way through!

Stellar heart racing, truly romantic moments, There is plenty of passion, heartbreak, doubt, romance and some interesting, well developed secondary characters. Readers who enjoy a character driven romance will find this a story well worth reading.

#DiamondInTheRouge #NetGalley #EntangledPublishing

Each story is based on a different member of the rakish quartet of friends

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Three years ago, Rayne kissed Julia in an act of revenge and then went to live in America. But he is back in England for his sisters wedding. He is determined to settle his affairs and head back to America, but when he runs into Julia again (which he was bound to do as his sister was marrying her brother...) he knows that the kiss was much more than just revenge. He cares for Julia, but knows that he will never be good enough for her.

Julia is determined to get her man. She had her season and no one made her forget Rayne. She concocts a scheme with a the help of a family friend. She is hiding in plain site while Rayne drives to him family home. But he soon learns of her presence and Julia must everything in her power to persuade Rayne tot not take her back home.

Now all Julia must do is convince Rayne that they were meant to be together...will they get their HEA?

I absolutely adored Julia and Rayne's story! I've been waiting for the two of them to get together since the first book in the series. I knew that they had to be each other's HEA!! I loved watching these two match wits with one another and watch Rayne slowly realize that he was enough for Julia.

There is one more book in this series and I so am excited to read it!! Hopefully it won't be too long of a wait!

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