The Righteous Rogue

by Martha Kirkland

Penniless but blue-blooded, Miss Janine Morgan discovers the handsome town rogue, Zach, padding about her brother's mansion, looking for the man he believes is making it impossible to reveal his true identity as the Baron Thornton

Genres: Regency, Traditional Regency

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

About the author

Martha Kirkland is a graduate of Georgia State University and has taught both English and drama at the high school level. A classical singer, she believes it was the years she spent practicing scales that gave her the discipline needed to write twenty-six books. She is a lifelong resident of Atlanta, and her family includes a husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, gentle read. I love these old Signet stories. Just right when you're struggling with reading.
The characters were likable. The plot a bit thin but a satisfying novel for a Sunday afternoon.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

So, I liked this one. I thought it was a fun read, although it didn’t blow me away. I liked it enough that I’ll probably check out more from Ms. Kirkland. This is bad, I finished the book awhile ago and I can’t think of the characters names (I’ll have to add them later). Anyway, I liked our heroine; she was your typical nice girl with a lighthearted personality. Our hero was also pretty likable; he was a bit different than he is originally introduced. The book starts with him receiving a portrait of himself from his mistress. He comes across like a brooding rake. When he shows up at the heroines country home he seems more lighthearted, acts like a gentlemen and pretty un-rakish. Anyway, I thought they had pretty good chemistry and the story was enjoyable.

There was something that didn't make sense to me though. When our heroine arrives at her childhood home she finds it completely abandoned and uninhabitable. She spends one night there and then leaves the next day to find shelter with an old friend in the village. The friend suggests they move back to the house. Why?? Why would she suggest they go live in a run-down, mice infested house? It didn’t make sense to me. It’s not big deal, but it did seem weird. I guess the author needed to figure out how to get the heroine back to the house and around the hero again.

Overall, I liked it. I thought the mystery could have been built up a bit more and the end did feel a little rushed. It was enjoyable though and I liked the characters.

Content: Clean.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, quick and cute read. It's set in the Regency Period (ie: Pride & Prejudice times) where "making love" is talking romantically. So if you're in the mood for a straight-up undisguised romance without being a grocery story paperback then this is a good one to try. It was definitely cheesy at times and I laughed out loud a lot (at times that weren't necessarily supposed to humorous) and the ending was totally predictable . . . but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a love story and sometimes the cheesy ones are what I'm in the mood for!

[Lisa Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though a beautiful young woman looks destitute, she still is a lady. And the man waiting in the shadows hardly seems high society himself. Dark, handsome, and entangled in a web of ominous family secrets, his rescuing her has suddenly involved them both in something he is bent on avoiding--the precarious business of love. A Regency romance original.

There is a constant change in the point of view from H/h and even minor characters.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regency

[Dona Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful piece of regency fluff. Perfect for a cold and rainy day in Utah.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

More research reading. :) After a while light fluffy novels begin to numb the brain. :P