Not my typical review, but this is not my usual read. However, Hope Tarr wins me over with this regency romance. A Rogue's Pleasure is, and I blush when I happily admit, a newly found guilty pleasure. I've already added several more of Hope Tarr's books to my to-be-read list. When the mood strikes, I can't wait to curl up with a chunk of chocolate, a warm blanket and surrender to the historical world the author paints. I quite enjoyed the dirty side of London. The characters are engaging and I fell head over heels for Lord Grenville. If you have a soft spot for 19th century rakes, you'll lust after him too. It was a fast paced read that had me flipping pages late into the night. I was having so much fun reading that I hated to put it down. It was entertaining, enjoyable, and delightfully romantic. Viscount Grenville is the ultimate historical bad boy of London and if I had a time machine I'd jump in it and likely throw myself on his doorstep. The love scenes were delicious and hung on the edge of erotic without spilling over into vulgarity. The language was romantic, seductive and sensual without being dirty. However, for the more prudish it might be too much and if you're longing for chaste traditional sexual restraint sometimes found in the historical genre, this is not your book. What I adored about Tarr's writing was that she mingles historical adventure and period setting with romantic sensuality. For me, this is a winning and entertaining combination. I felt very attached to Chelsea and Grenville and invested in their love story. I can't wait to read another! Besides, who can resist the new smoking cover! ( )

A Rogue’s Pleasure by Hope Tarr

“A Rogue’s Pleasure” is a re-release under a new publisher Carina Press.

Miss Chelsea Bellemy is having a very bad few months…Her parents died in a carriage accident, her brother wants to join the army taking the last of their money to secure a commission, the Squire next door wants her body and soul and someone just kidnapped her brother and is asking for a large ransom. With no cash and no one to turn to she decides to try her hand at highway robbery under the guise of “One-Eye Jack” or rather a much younger version of the near famous highwayman. Of course who should Chelsea find to rob but the bored and affianced Lord Anthony Grenville who is just back from being wounded in the war, his fiancé and her mother.

Of course with this being a romance, we have to find a way for Chelsea and Anthony to meet, fall in lust, then love and try to find a happily ever after. And Ms Tarr manages to do so quite cleverly. Although Ms Tarr uses the “mistress option” (Anthony can not see a way around his upcoming marriage so proposes he takes Chelsea as mistress) which has been done quite a lot in historical romance, she does it with finesse and a fair amount of heat and passion. Enough to send you for an ice cold beverage or a cool shower. The main characters are pleasant and believable, the evil characters are very evil and there are enough comedic interludes to keep you from getting overly weepy. I have never read anything by this author before I enjoyed this very much and look forward to trying some more of Ms Tarr’s books. ( )

A ROGUE'S PLEASURE by Hope Tarr is a delightful historical romance set in 1812 England. It is well written with the characters and plot easy to follow. The characters will steal your heart, championing their cause and wanting them to success. It has been previously published. It has sensuality, adventure, suspense, passion,deceit, desperation and a budding romance or two.The heroin, Chelsea, is beautiful, resourceful, determined, strong willed and desperate. Her beloved brother, Robert, has been kidnapped,a ransom demanded, they are impoverished after the deaths of their parents.She will resort to highway robbery and housebreaking to gain the money needed to save her brother. The hero, Lord Grenville,(Anthony), is handsome, a war hero, a Viscount,betrothed to another, and is intrigued by the lovely Chelsea,who has overtaken has carriage as a highwayman(One-Eyed Jack).He believes this highwayman to be a woman, is intrigued by her,determines to help her find her brother, and resolves to seduce her in the process. What begins as an adventure, intrigue, desperation, passion,betrayal to a betrothed turns into a love story. This is a fast paced, page turning story of love, sacrifice, and commitment. I would recommend this book especially if you enjoy a wonderful historical romance, suspense and adventure. This book was received for review from Net Galley and details can be found at Carina Press and My Book Addiction and More. ( )