THE AVON AFFAIR IS A 14-DAY AVON BOOKS REVIEW EVENT
ORGANIZED AND HOSTED BY CURRENT AND ALUMNI MEMBERS OF
THE AVON ADDICTS.
ORGANIZED AND HOSTED BY CURRENT AND ALUMNI MEMBERS OF
THE AVON ADDICTS.
Today I'm reviewing Anna Randol's Sins of a Ruthless Rogue!
When apprentice
Clayton Campbell discovers his employer is embezzling funds from his investors,
he prepared to put a halt to it. But his plan is betrayed by his employer’s
daughter, and he is framed and sentenced to hang. Fate instead hands him to the
British Foreign Service.
Now released from his duty to his country, Clayton is free to seek revenge on the family that destroyed him. Then his enemy’s daughter approaches him for help deciphering a code she claims to have found in a dead man’s gallows confession. The code reveals the plans of a violent Russian spy ring long ago disbanded. His investigation into the cold, troubled palaces of Russia thrusts both of their lives into danger, and sparks fierce passion he’d thought forgotten. But is this tempting woman really the innocent she seems or a cold-hearted vixen pursuing a plan of revenge more intricate than his own?
When Clayton Campbell walks back into Olivia Swift’s life, she is elated—for a moment. But it becomes clear Campbell wants nothing but her ruin. Yet she cannot blame him, after all, it was her betrayal that sent him to the gallows. Time has carved the shy, awkward lad into a cold, ruthless man. A decade of poverty has taught her she’d be a fool to allow him close. But when she discovers a threat to his life, she sees a way to repay her debt. When she brings him the information, he makes it clear all he sees is another betrayal. He gives her an ultimatum—either prove the threat is real or pay her debt with her body and soul.
Now released from his duty to his country, Clayton is free to seek revenge on the family that destroyed him. Then his enemy’s daughter approaches him for help deciphering a code she claims to have found in a dead man’s gallows confession. The code reveals the plans of a violent Russian spy ring long ago disbanded. His investigation into the cold, troubled palaces of Russia thrusts both of their lives into danger, and sparks fierce passion he’d thought forgotten. But is this tempting woman really the innocent she seems or a cold-hearted vixen pursuing a plan of revenge more intricate than his own?
When Clayton Campbell walks back into Olivia Swift’s life, she is elated—for a moment. But it becomes clear Campbell wants nothing but her ruin. Yet she cannot blame him, after all, it was her betrayal that sent him to the gallows. Time has carved the shy, awkward lad into a cold, ruthless man. A decade of poverty has taught her she’d be a fool to allow him close. But when she discovers a threat to his life, she sees a way to repay her debt. When she brings him the information, he makes it clear all he sees is another betrayal. He gives her an ultimatum—either prove the threat is real or pay her debt with her body and soul.
***********
Sins of a Ruthless Rogue is the second book in Anna Randol’s
Sinners Trio. It’s an exciting tale of betrayal and forgiveness, all
wrapped up in a story which proves that love really can conquer all – if you'll
only give it the chance!
To say this story has everything is to say the least. Rogues
and revolutionaries, treason and torture, murder and mayhem, blackmail,
scandal, revenge… spies, agents, thugs, assassins, princes, princesses, czars,
peasants… seriously… this story has it all, including a believable romance and
some steamy lovin’. It’s a uniquely intriguing tale with compelling characters,
and I loved every minute I spent reading it!
And speaking of compelling characters! The first glimpse we're given of Clayton and Olivia are as a young, engaged couple. Clayton is a noble, honorable idealist, and Olivia a fairly naive, spoiled young woman. They both think they're doing the right thing, for the right reason, but in the end, both are devastated. When next we see them, it's ten years later, and they are so far removed, so very different from the people they had once been. Both have been betrayed in one sense or another and they've learned that it's safer to trust no one but themselves. And this, believe it or not, in my opinion, is where the beauty of their love is born.
One of my favorite things about this story is the happy ending which, because it wasn't easy to get there, felt so real! So believable! To have any hope of surviving this deadly mission, Clayton and Olivia have to trust one another enough to share their secrets, and to put the past behind them. Trust... no relationship is worth having - or can survive - without it, and that's the lesson they have to learn. And their happily ever after, once they got it, was hard fought and well deserved.
Anna Randol is a unique, fresh voice in historical romance, and I am so looking forward to reading more by this very gifted writer!
My sincerest thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of Sins of a Ruthless Rogue in exchange for an honest review. It's been such pleasure!
And be sure to visit the other blogs participating in the Avon Affair:
A Tasty Read
Rusticating In The Tropics
Toot's Book Reviews
S.O.S. Aloha
The Book Queen's Personal Book Palace
Romancing The Readers
The Book Cellar
The Romance Reviews
Tempting Reads
And speaking of compelling characters! The first glimpse we're given of Clayton and Olivia are as a young, engaged couple. Clayton is a noble, honorable idealist, and Olivia a fairly naive, spoiled young woman. They both think they're doing the right thing, for the right reason, but in the end, both are devastated. When next we see them, it's ten years later, and they are so far removed, so very different from the people they had once been. Both have been betrayed in one sense or another and they've learned that it's safer to trust no one but themselves. And this, believe it or not, in my opinion, is where the beauty of their love is born.
One of my favorite things about this story is the happy ending which, because it wasn't easy to get there, felt so real! So believable! To have any hope of surviving this deadly mission, Clayton and Olivia have to trust one another enough to share their secrets, and to put the past behind them. Trust... no relationship is worth having - or can survive - without it, and that's the lesson they have to learn. And their happily ever after, once they got it, was hard fought and well deserved.
Anna Randol is a unique, fresh voice in historical romance, and I am so looking forward to reading more by this very gifted writer!
My sincerest thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of Sins of a Ruthless Rogue in exchange for an honest review. It's been such pleasure!
And be sure to visit the other blogs participating in the Avon Affair:
A Tasty Read
Rusticating In The Tropics
Toot's Book Reviews
S.O.S. Aloha
The Book Queen's Personal Book Palace
Romancing The Readers
The Book Cellar
The Romance Reviews
Tempting Reads
