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Once a Soldier

(Rogues Redeemed #1)

Mary Jo Putney

3.73 · Rating details · 2,505 ratings · 413 reviews

Rogues Redeemed

As heir to a title and great wealth, Will Masterson should have stayed home and tended his responsibilities. Instead he went to war. Now, after perilous years fighting the French, he intends his current mission to be his last. But all his plans are forgotten when he arrives in the small mountain stronghold of San Gabriel and meets her.

Knowing herself to be ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 343 pages

Published June 28th 2016 by Zebra

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Apr 28, 2016 Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-netgalley, adorable-heroes, historical

After a taut silence, the rifle was lowered and a magnificent Amazon stepped from the shadows. Now that Will didn't have a weapon pointing at him, he realized that the rich, low voice belonged to a female.

I honestly can't do this book justice, all I can say is that it isn't your typical HR.
This book surprised me all round. At first glance it seems like every other historical romance I've read but that wasn't the case at all. The two main differences? The romance was secondary don't get me wrong at about 70% the author did intensified the romance and the connection between the love interests but I feel like that's not what this story was about. Secondly there were two couples in this book and their stories were told simultaneously. While Will and Athena were the lead characters, I was just as invested in Justin and Sophia's story! I never expected to enjoy the story as much as I did, I hesitantly started it last night and found I couldn't stop reading.

The two main characters Athena and Will are very well matched, Athena was a very strong and independent character because of how she grew up. On one hand because of her liberal upbringing she was capable of doing many things a woman like her wasn't able to at the time, but on the other hand her differences set her apart which was another negative blow, you see Athena is the illegitimate daughter of a peer. This book is set immediately after the defeat and abdication of Napoleon, in a small country called San Gabriel. While fighting in the war...Will and is captured and sentenced to death. Luckily he escapes along with a group of soldiers, they become fast friends and form a club called Rogues Redeemed. They're all seeking redemption, I assume because of tortured past. But that another story.

San Gabriel was very badly effected by the war and the attack of a militia led by the French General Bodain and when Will arrives he has his work cut out for him. The author focused quite a bit on the details of the war at the time and the cultivating of vineyards and wine making and at first I was a bit worried, I mean I was a expecting an historical romance but like I said, surprisingly I enjoyed this part of the book but I did wish for a deeper connection or maybe more on the romance between Athena and Will. One could never mistake their connection as insta-love.

What I loved about this book the most was probably Athena, I mean her name says it all. The goddess of wisdom and war, and she definitely lived up to her name. But she did have her hang ups, we call them daddy issues these days and rightfully so. Athena went through so much public ridicule because of her parentage. Will's character was quite different to what I normally read, he was a strong and protective man but never overbearing I I guess he was more of a beta-hero.

I'll definitely be reading more books in this series, Mary Jo Putney is quite different to all the other HR authors I've read. I quite enjoyed the way she told her story.

"I've met some female guerrillas as fierce as any man, but, in general, you're right. Perhaps the world needs more queens and fewer kings.

ARC kindly provided by publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review ...more

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Jun 09, 2017 WhiskeyintheJar rated it it was ok

Shelves: military, series, historical, regency

I drifted off twice while reading this.

The hero and heroine meet and because insta-lust would be too exciting, they just kind of really like each other. Ok, so they are quite lovely together and talk and share and calmly talk some more.
My kingdom for a scorned other woman, devious uncle, or some other over-the-top villain! I bemoan these tropes but at least they give the story some life.

Also, I love myself some wine but reading over and over about how this fictitious country has the best and ho ...more

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Jun 12, 2016 Zoe rated it liked it · review of another edition

I started reading Mary Jo Putney at least 20 years ago. And I will always read her books. If only the new writers had half of her talent. She has a distinctive style that is evident in her latest book. The conversations, the maturity, the characters, have Putney written all over it. I love this feeling of "meeting an old friend" when I read her books. It is....rather comforting.

Once a Soldier features Athena, an extremely tall Amazon like woman and Will, a war hero and a baron. The story took p I started reading Mary Jo Putney at least 20 years ago. And I will always read her books. If only the new writers had half of her talent. She has a distinctive style that is evident in her latest book. The conversations, the maturity, the characters, have Putney written all over it. I love this feeling of "meeting an old friend" when I read her books. It is....rather comforting.

Once a Soldier features Athena, an extremely tall Amazon like woman and Will, a war hero and a baron. The story took place in Southern Europe, even though both Athena and Will were British. The attraction happened very quickly, so did affections. I would usually hate such things. But this is what I love about Mary Jo Putney, her characters are nothing but practical. They are usually pragmatic and mature, making no fuss about "I love you" or "I want you." They are steady and reliable people, even in their affections. Not one volatile character. And that makes the quick affections work for me. I believe you can develop feelings in a fairly short time. But most writers make it look like a joke. But Mary Jo Putney, through her level-headed characters, makes it a serious attempt at happiness.

After their initial meeting, Will quickly came to the conclusion that he would not mind having Athena as a life partner and was open to the idea of marriage. He was very adult about it too. And that was the game changer for me. I did not feel that the relationship was "rushed". I just accepted it as it was: if 2 consenting adults hold affections and attraction toward each other, why not? Their relationship developed through a national crisis of San Gabriel, where Athena had been residing for 5 years. Their joint efforts to help the small country brought them together and also brought together a secondary couple, Will's Scottish friend Justin and San Gabriel's princess.

However this book belongs to the 3 stars group of Putney's books for me. My first reservation has to do with Athena's "warrior princess" stature. It was repeatedly mentioned that Athena was unusually tall, an Amazon of a woman and "magnificent" was the word. I have no doubt that "Amazons" can be attractive. There is no dispute about that. I just have trouble relating to her as a person because of that. I have in mind a female tarzan and that made it difficult to imagine her as a heroine in a romance.

My second issue with the story was the "saving San Gabriel" plot took precedence over the relationship. Putney excels at building a complex backdrop. While she does a fantastic job of it, sometimes the plots took the spotlight away from the lead characters. I feel that this was the case with Athena and Will. They did not really have much attraction from where I saw it. They did not really have enough romantic interactions for me to feel that the relationship was romantic. While I appreciate Will's being practical, Athena's Amazon image took root and made it difficult for me to picture her as my heroine. In short, I wasn't attracted to Athena and could not imagine why Will would be.

The third issue, or rather, observation, was that I was much more drawn to the secondary romance between the princess and Justin. As secondary characters, they had more chemistry than Will and Athena.

When I read the blurb and saw that Athena was an "unusually tall woman", I already had my reservation. I thought that I probably would not like her a lot and it turned out to be the case. I understand that writers must attempt to write about different types of characters. So there is nothing wrong with that. I love her ability to build a complex story and create characters with depth. Will and Athena's book isn't my favorite book from her but I am glad to see that Mary Jo Putney is still writing and also happy to see that her signature style is still evident in her stories.

*This review is for an ARC from the publisher on NetGalley. ...more

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Aug 23, 2016 Amanda rated it did not like it

Shelves: netgalley, romance, historical

Originally posted at Desert Island Book Reviews

I wanted to like this book. I wanted to be able to say that I enjoyed it, because I like historical romance and, in the past, I’ve liked Mary Jo Putney’s work. Unfortunately, however, I barely made it through this book.

Once a Soldier is purportedly a historical romance, but it’s missing both accurate historical details (it’s set in a fictional country and the characters frequently do things that are unbelievable for the time) and a compelling romanc Originally posted at Desert Island Book Reviews

I wanted to like this book. I wanted to be able to say that I enjoyed it, because I like historical romance and, in the past, I’ve liked Mary Jo Putney’s work. Unfortunately, however, I barely made it through this book.

Once a Soldier is purportedly a historical romance, but it’s missing both accurate historical details (it’s set in a fictional country and the characters frequently do things that are unbelievable for the time) and a compelling romance (despite the fact that there are not one, but two, romances in this book). The majority of the book is either related to war and battles or to wine or to rebuilding San Gabriel (the fictional country) following the Napoleonic wars in the mid 1800s.

I generally found the first 85% of this book to be dull and lifeless, full of details that, for me, didn’t add anything to the story. The events weren’t what I was looking for in a historical romance, and I didn’t care about the characters at all. Their romances and struggles were flat and unrealistic. I will say that I thought the ending read more like a historical romance and wasn’t too bad (although the happy coincidences are a frustrating way to deal with conflicts and struggles the characters faced).

The women in this book were completely wrong for the time period. Athena, our heroine, is supposed to be different; she’s supposed to be tall, independent, and strong. Sure, fine, I can handle that. I don’t need cookie cutter characters. What I don’t like, though, is that she does things that I can’t see any woman of the time doing. For example — and this is a spoiler, but honestly, since I don’t recommend this book, I’m not too worried — Athena and Princess Sofia (a twenty-three year old who is supposedly the heiress to the throne of San Gabriel) caused a landslide/avalanche to save the country’s wine when the French invaded. Another time, Athena dressed up like a nun in a war zone to save real nuns and children. Even for a “different” character in this period, I just don’t think either of these things is plausible.

The characters didn’t seem to have much chemistry with each other and the romances were “lightning strikes” types, where the characters were immediately in love with each other without knowing each other at all. Additionally, they were all way too informal and modern in addressing each other — at one point, Princess Sofia invited a wine merchant she’d just met to call her by her first name. This just wouldn’t have happened in this time period.

The main romance between Major Lord William Masterson (called Will by everyone in the book) and Athena (an illegitimate daughter of an unnamed-until-the-end lord) was boring and also completely unbelievable for the time. A few years ago, there was an article circulating about getting to know a potential mate through asking a series of difficult questions, which helps to build intimacy and trust. This book adopted that method in the early nineteenth century, and Athena and Will spend time asking each other personal questions. I just don’t think this would have happened then, and I can barely see it happening now.

One thing about Athena that just really drove me crazy was her attitude about sex. For the majority of the book, she tells Will she doesn’t want to be his mistress (an irrational leap she made after one small kiss) because she doesn’t want an illegitimate child. This isn’t so bad. Fast forward through a lot of pages, and on the eve of an impending attack by a rogue French force, she decides she doesn’t want to die without having sex with him. Okay, fine, not sure it would have happened, but sure. Then we find out that she’s been someone’s mistress before!! Her excuse through the whole book falls totally flat at that point. I just don’t think those two beliefs and behaviors are consistent, and it drives me crazy.

I honestly wish I had more positive things to say about this book, but it really wasn’t for me. It’s possible that someone who doesn’t mind a romance novel sans romance would like it, or maybe someone who’s not so focused on whether characters’ behaviors make sense for the time. For me, though, it wasn’t a good fit and I don’t recommend it. I gave it one star.

*ARC from Kensington Books via NetGalley ...more

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Apr 14, 2016 Sissy's Romance Book Review rated it really liked it

'Once a Soldier' by Mary Jo Putney is book one in the "Rogues Redeemed" This is the story of Will Masterson and Athena Markham.
Will and some other men had been taking and would be put to death at dawn. They all but said what they would change about their life if they could make it out. When the men all came together to escape they formed a alliance with each other and called themselves Rogues Redeemed.
Once Napoleon surrendered Will had one more assignment that has lead him to meet Athena.
Athe ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Jacob Proffitt marked it as unfinished

Shelves: romance, negative-motivation

At not quite 60% I'm going to call this done. I'm kind of figuring out why by writing this review, so I hope there's some clarity by the end, here.

I like all of the characters immensely. Will and Athena are meant for each other (perhaps a little unrealistically?) and I love their banter and mutual admiration. The secondary characters are nearly as strong and I want them all to end up happy. And together. Unfortunately, there are barriers. Even more unfortunately, the biggest is a huge negative m At not quite 60% I'm going to call this done. I'm kind of figuring out why by writing this review, so I hope there's some clarity by the end, here.

I like all of the characters immensely. Will and Athena are meant for each other (perhaps a little unrealistically?) and I love their banter and mutual admiration. The secondary characters are nearly as strong and I want them all to end up happy. And together. Unfortunately, there are barriers. Even more unfortunately, the biggest is a huge negative motivation* by Athena where she doesn't want to marry Will because she's a bastard and thus much beneath him, socially. Also, he'll be mocked if he marries her and she can't stand that. Which is silly because it isn't like he doesn't know his society at least as well as she does and if she's going to be worried about anybody she might as well own up to her own anxiety. It's particularly silly because she's otherwise quite intrepid.

Their friends suffer similar barriers to their obvious happiness. So it all feels like something of a pile-on.

And the problem is that I put the book down and just haven't been able to convince myself to pick it up again. I think this may be yet another manifestation of my newfound skill in identifying that I like the story just fine where it is combined with my superpower of editing stories in my head. Likely, that makes me a coward (though a creative one), but I'll own that if it lets me avoid plots that pretty much have to hurt people I kind of like to make any more forward progress.

Anyway, I'm not going to rate this as most of my enjoyment or lack is bound up in the story in my head (countered by my need to resort to that device). It's a good story and I'd love to hear what others think of it. Just so long as I don't have to actually go through it, myself...

* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story. ...more

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Mar 05, 2016 Kimberly Rocha~ Book Obsessed Chicks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-review

While preparing to meet the hangman's noose at sunrise, a group of captured men reflect on what they would do if they were saved from their impending deaths. With the toss of an empty liquor bottle by English officer, Will Masterson, the men have a reprieve from execution and flee to safety. Before going their own ways, they agree to keep in touch in the future by way of a book shop in London. Will Masterson goes back to his troops where he survives to see Napoleon's surrender. Just when he's ab
While preparing to meet the hangman's noose at sunrise, a group of captured men reflect on what they would do if they were saved from their impending deaths. With the toss of an empty liquor bottle by English officer, Will Masterson, the men have a reprieve from execution and flee to safety. Before going their own ways, they agree to keep in touch in the future by way of a book shop in London. Will Masterson goes back to his troops where he survives to see Napoleon's surrender. Just when he's about to sell out of his commission, Major Lord Masterson is given a final mission of heading to a scenic sovereignty bordering Portugal and Spain to assess the damage the French forces committed against San Gabriel.

Awkwardly tall for a woman and having nothing left for her in England but a father who wants nothing to do with her but to keep her illegitimacy secret, Athena Markham finds herself in San Gabriel as a savior of sorts, The fiercely independent woman with a tumultuous past finds herself useful as aid to San Gabriel's Princess Sofia and more importantly to the whole community after the French wrought destruction.

When Will Masterson appears in San Gabriel, both he and Athena share an immediate desire that shows promise if either one would allow. Athena dreads Will discovering about her past, but with their evolving friendship comes a trust she has never found in another, which allows her to unburden her soul. The task at hand though is to protect San Gabriel and the Princess from enemies who lurk in wait of the perfect time to attack the struggling country and while this is first and foremost, Athena's and Will's desire grows.

Will have never met a woman as magnificent as the Amazonian-like Athena, with her height and a admirable fortitude, he wants her badly. Not only in the physical sense does he desire Athena, but in the emotional and binding sense as well. But Athena can't see passed her illegitimacy and the legacy her mother left her. Convincing the proud and difficult Athena to allow him in is quite the journey in Mary Jo Putney's ONCE A SOLDIER.

This amazing romance set against a beautiful and exotic background is perfection for me. Reading Mary Jo Putney describe the Douro River Valley and its environs brings back my memories of trips to Portugal and Spain. I could tell by the way she speaks, that she felt an affinity for the country. Meeting Will Masterson in The Lost Lords series and enjoying his rapport in that series, it's a joy that he finally gets his own story. It's as if his character was calling Ms. Putney's name. He is a wonderful hero and one who will remain with me for quite some time. Athena Markham is remarkable to say the least. This heroine asks for nothing and deserves it all. Her fears about what her life will be like back in England are real but her insistence of pushing Will away is for nought, because the Amazon has met her match, and what a great match it is!

This new and exciting book, ONCE A SOLDIER by Mary Jo Putney is a must read. I look forward to the next installment wonder which hero will have his day. ...more

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Jun 01, 2016 Donna rated it liked it

It's hard to explain why this book, by a wonderful author, was one I could easily put down and not stay up reading 1/2 the night. The book is well written, but for me, something is lacking. Maybe the chemistry between the hero and heroine or the pace of the story.

Major Lord Will Masterson has served in Spain and Portugal during the Napoleonic war. Before he heads home to England, he is asked to accompany some troops from San Gabriel (fictional country between Spain & Portugal) home and evaluate ...more

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Jun 06, 2016 Ang rated it really liked it

This may have been the first book I read of Mary Jo Putney, but I really enjoyed it.

Will Masterson, having been at war for years, finds himself in a mountain town, San Gabriel, when the war ends, but his mission is to protect it, not expecting to meet a beautiful English woman, Athena Markham, among the locals. The story evolves into a suspenseful adventure that throws the two of them together. There is also a romance between the secondary characters which adds to the story. Two for the price o ...more

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Jun 03, 2016 Rebecca rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, regency-romance, arc, netgalley

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are my thoughts:

The book is set in the fictional San Gabriel, a small island country in between Spain and Portugal during the Napoleonic Wars. When I saw the historical setting for the story, I knew it was a book I wanted to read.

The story centers on a romance between Athena Markham, an illegitimate child of a wanton Briton called "Lady Whore" and Will Masterson, a British war hero. Athena is serving as an ad Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are my thoughts:

The book is set in the fictional San Gabriel, a small island country in between Spain and Portugal during the Napoleonic Wars. When I saw the historical setting for the story, I knew it was a book I wanted to read.

The story centers on a romance between Athena Markham, an illegitimate child of a wanton Briton called "Lady Whore" and Will Masterson, a British war hero. Athena is serving as an adviser in San Gabriel due to connections that her mother had, while Will leads San Gabriel soldiers back home to evaluate the state of their country. The two seemingly fall for each other at first sight and work together in helping the country get back on it's feet (this has to be a TINY country...)

I sadly did not care for this novel. In the most basic terms: the book was flat. I felt no chemistry between the characters and I thought the dialog could have been improved greatly. Moreover, I didn't feel particularly attached to either of the main characters at all, and therefore had no real vested interest in how their story played out. Character development was non-existent for Will, although some was given to Athena. The secondary romance between the Princess Sofia and Will's friend Justin Ballard was more interesting, and that doesn't say much. In my opinion, the story needed more drama to be interesting. The plot was great at first--intriguing and well-written--then was slow going until about 65% into the story. I actually really enjoyed the first segments of the book that featured Will's escape from imprisonment during the war.

Verdict: 2/5 Stars. I am sad I didn't like this book more, and thought the premise had a lot of promise. Sadly, it just had too many flaws for me to enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!

Random thoughts and things I bookmarked (potentially spoilery--hidden beyond this line):
(view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 12, 2016 Amanda rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2016, forced-proximity, reviewed-books, banter-gives-me-life, hot-scots-and-irish-hellions, letdowns-and-disappointments, clashes-of-class, regency-era, competence-porn, women-who-get-shit-done

2.5 stars

This was my first time reading Mary Jo Putney so I’m not exactly sure if all her books follow a similar suit as this one did but, WOW THIS BOOK WAS BORING. The amount of time spent, WASTED on the most minute details was insane. I didn’t need a complete breakdown of how the leads were going to repair a bridge or plant grapes but that’s exactly what I got. In fact, I skipped over a majority of these mundane sections and didn’t once feel disconnected from the rest of the plot, what little ...more

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Aug 17, 2017 Regan Walker rated it really liked it

Shelves: exotic-locale

Adventure in Spain and Portugal

The story begins in Portugal in 1809 as five men are imprisoned in a cellar, awaiting a firing squad in the morning. Among them is Major Lord Masterson, “Will” to his friends. With some knowledge of their surroundings, he finds an escape tunnel and all five men gain their freedom, going their separate ways but agreeing to send letters to Hatchard’s Bookstore to keep in touch.

I have to say, I like the set up for the Rogues Redeemed series.

Five years later, in 1814, ...more

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Sep 16, 2017 Cathryn added it

DNF at 40%. This was boring as hell and I really like Mary Jo Putney.

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Aug 10, 2016 Mariana rated it liked it

3.5 stars

I have read six of the seven Lost Lords books and enjoyed them all. I was glad to find out that the Rogues Redeemed series continues the characters, especially since I have been waiting for Will Masterson's story.

However, this was a slow read for me. It has never before taken me a week to read a Mary Jo Putney book. Other than that, I can't figure out why else this is my least favorite of her books I've read.

Athena was an okay character. I think the beauty she inherited from her mother ...more

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Jul 06, 2017 Barbara Rogers rated it liked it · review of another edition

Maybe 3.5 stars --
It seems I am like a number of other readers and reviewers of this book. I love Mary Jo Putney, and I cannot tell you why this book didn’t just suck me right in as her other books do. I read all of the Lost Lords books and loved them. I always wanted Will Masterson’s story to be exceptional – but – it is just – well – ordinary. The book starts off exciting and it ends with excitement, but the middle of the book just plugs along. It takes place in a fictional country, which is f Maybe 3.5 stars --
It seems I am like a number of other readers and reviewers of this book. I love Mary Jo Putney, and I cannot tell you why this book didn’t just suck me right in as her other books do. I read all of the Lost Lords books and loved them. I always wanted Will Masterson’s story to be exceptional – but – it is just – well – ordinary. The book starts off exciting and it ends with excitement, but the middle of the book just plugs along. It takes place in a fictional country, which is fine, but the things the characters did are against ALL of the rules of Regency times – and probably any other country of that time. I mean, can you imagine any place, during that time period, where it would be acceptable for two couples to go on an overnight ‘camping’ trip alone – totally unchaperoned? Yep – me neither.

What an exciting beginning. Our hero, Will Masterson, along with several other men have been captured by the French and are awaiting execution by hanging. They are locked in a cold, damp basement with no way to escape. What will they do! Never fear, Will figures out a way -- after all -- if he didn't, there wouldn't be any more story! :)

After that exciting beginning, the story goes into some descriptions of the end of the war and Will’s orders to escort a contingent of soldiers to their home in San Gabriel (a fictional country between Portugal and Spain). Besides escorting the soldiers, Will is to evaluate the situation in San Gabriel and report back. This portion of the book moves along slowly with the hero meeting the heroine and others in San Gabriel. He arranges for a friend to bring much-needed supplies to San Gabriel and then there are many discussions with the heroine, the friend, etc. talking about San Gabriel’s defenses, planting grapes, making wine – all sorts of things. It is a way they are getting to know each other. Will and Athena are instantly attracted, but they let their attraction grow slowly.

Then, we reach the conclusion where it gets exciting again with an attack by a renegade, retreating French general who wants to rule San Gabriel by conquering them and then forcing their ruling Princess to marry him.

Will is injured while defending San Gabriel – and – then – like magic – all of Athena’s objections, angst, etc. disappear and she decides all will be wonderful. It just happened too fast.

BTW – there are three romances in this book and all three get their HEA’s.

Bottom line is that the story idea was a good one, but the book was a bit slow and didn’t just suck me in and keep me up all night reading it. I had no trouble putting the book down and taking a break from the story. I had really hoped for something more spectacular for Will.
...more

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Mar 05, 2016 Jaci rated it it was amazing

The first book in The Rogues Redeemed Series is a wonderful start. Not only do you get a thrilling new story you have a hero who was a character in The Lost Lords series.

Will is a soldier and a Baron who is finally going home to England after years of fighting in the war against Napoleon. But before he goes home he agrees to go to the small kingdom of San Gabriel and evaluate and help rebuild this small country that had suffered so much in the war with the French. When he arrives he discovers a ...more

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May 30, 2016 Ermione Pickwick rated it liked it

Ok, I'm struggling with this novel. I cannot make up my mind about it. There is honestly nothing really out of place, the characters are truly well-rounded and interesting, the plot is perfectly developed and it is also somewhat different compared to most of the historical romances I know.

However, it didn't really catch me. I was reading and thinking "this is nice, why I'm not empathising with it?", the answer is "I don't know".

I guess that, thinking about the love story between the protagonist ...more

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Jun 05, 2016 Jackie rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf

This is billed as a Regency romance, but it reads far more like a nonfiction account of how to rebuild a city after war. Our hero, English Major Will Masterson, is asked to accompany a troop of cavalry back to their home country, San Gabriel (a made-up country plopped down between Portugal and Spain). San Gabriel's king and heir were both taken by the French, and the young Queen-presumptive, Sofia, must begin the work of revitalizing her country now that Napoleon has been exiled to Elba. The rom ...more

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Jun 02, 2016 Patrice rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-historical-romance, first-reads, kindle-e-book, 2016-books-read

Great Story! This was a fantastic historical romance novel that takes place around the end of the Napoleonic wars. I really enjoyed the fact that it had strong female characters. You meet Athena Markham and Princess Sofia Alcantara (she actually has a lot more names) residing in the small kingdom of San Gabriel. In addition, Major Will Masterson is enlisted by his British commanding officer to accompany some of San Gabriel's troops back to their homeland following Napoleon's surrender. Will is h ...more

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May 21, 2016 Tami rated it really liked it

Shelves: putney-m-j, netgalley

This review is based on an ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a nice historical romance. It wasn't the Atypical bodice rippers that I grew up with in that he really valued her opinions and friendship on top of wanting to rip that bodice LOL. It was kind of slow starting off, but the tensions grew. ...more

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Sep 08, 2019 Kate McMurry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dual-point-of-view, historical-romance

Review of audiobook version of this exciting, fast-paced historical romance

Lord Will Masterson is a 32-year-old, wealthy, British aristocrat who could easily have chosen to sit out the Napoleonic wars, safely at home. Instead, he spent many dangerous years on the continent fighting the French. And now that Napoleon is finally vanquished, instead of returning home to England, he takes a dutiful detour by accepting one final mission, which leads him to the fictional, micro-nation, San Gabriel, loc ...more

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Jun 23, 2016 Tin rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, 2016

Disclosure: I requested this ARC through Netgalley. Thank you to Kensington Books and Mary Jo Putney for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

* * *

In the opening chapter of the book, a group of 5 men are locked in a room with no probable escape route. Guards are at the door, and death is certain in the morning. On this, their last night together, they decide to talk about what they would do differently if they had another chance and another day to live --

Maybe it's Fate or the Divine, ...more

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Jul 22, 2021 Reader of Books rated it it was ok

Though I wanted to like this, it's not for me.
2 ⭐ ...more

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Jul 07, 2016 Bambi Unbridled rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2016, arc-netgalley, million-page-challenge, romance-historical

Mary Jo Putney is back with a new series that spins off from her original Lost Lords series. Where the Lost Lords all attended Westerfield Academy together, this new Rogues Redeemed series will focus on a group of spies who found themselves facing death together during England's fight with Old Boney.

Just a bit about the Rogues, they find themselves imprisoned in the basement of a home by French soldiers, and are expecting to meet a firing squad at dawn. As can be expected, the conversation turns Mary Jo Putney is back with a new series that spins off from her original Lost Lords series. Where the Lost Lords all attended Westerfield Academy together, this new Rogues Redeemed series will focus on a group of spies who found themselves facing death together during England's fight with Old Boney.

Just a bit about the Rogues, they find themselves imprisoned in the basement of a home by French soldiers, and are expecting to meet a firing squad at dawn. As can be expected, the conversation turns fatalistic and each rogue talks about the amends he wished he would have made before his death. Spending what they believe to be their last night on earth together, the gentlemen form a bond that, I suspect, will last through this series and beyond.

Our hero, Will Masterson, attended Westerfield Academy with the Lost Lords. After being devastated by the loss of his wife, Will is in a dark place and decides to buy a commission and fight for England in the Napoleanic Wars. Will never expected to to live through the war and he certainly didn't shy away from taking risks that would give others second thoughts. You can really tell from his behavior that he is punishing himself for what he feels was his failure to protect and care for his wife (who had a weak heart and died in childbirth). When he is asked by one of the rogues to travel to, assess and secure San Gabriel - he never expected to meet his next life mate - an amazon queen defending the fortress. I liked Will and that he was earnest and forthright. I love the close relationships between friends in these stories... and we got to see that with Will and Justin. Will was also quite generous, funding repairs for San Gabriel and providing a wonderful wedding gift for his batman.

I think Putney does a good job at giving us at least one unique character per story... and she did that again here with our heroine, Athena Markham. As the illegitimate daughter to a notorious courtesan and difficult duke, Athena felt the sting of society growing up. Despite this, Athena loved her mother dearly and, until her mother's death, she was afforded an interesting education as she was her mother's companion through various affairs. One of these affairs was with Prince Alfonso of the tiny kingdom of San Gabriel, which is how Athena became close friend and adviser to Princess Maria Sofia de Alcantara. In addition to Athena's unconventional upbringing, she is also not the typical petite historical heroine. Athena, much like her name, is described as an amazon - a woman warrior. Our hero first meets this tall striking woman at the end of her rifle. I really liked that Athena was a unique and capable heroine. However I did not like that she was afraid to take a chance on Will just because of his title. I know she had her reasons... but I wish she would have trusted him a little more.

The relationship between Will and Athena was hot and cold - mostly due to Athena's reluctance. Will knew what he wanted and he never stopped trying. I enjoyed Will's chase and felt bad that Athena made him work so hard. I do wish this one would have had a little more steam to it though.

The secondary plot involving the war and danger in San Gabriel was well done. I felt like those aspects really helped moved the story forward and gave the reader something to focus on when the romance was taking the back burner. The small kingdom was described beautifully, and it was nice to have a setting outside of England. (San Gabriel is a fictional valley between Portugal and Spain.)

I received an advanced copy of this book from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Full review posted at Bambi Unbridled.

...more

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Jun 29, 2016 Monique rated it it was amazing

Napoleon has just been exiled to Elba, and as a precarious peace settles on Europe, Will Masterson decides it’s time he went back home. Will has had enough of war, but to his chagrin, his trip will be delayed as he is asked to escort cavalrymen to the kingdom of San Gabriel. While he is there, Will is also to evaluate how Britain can best help the tiny country of San Gabriel ravaged by Napoleon’s troops. Upon arriving at his destination, he is met by a rifle-toting Amazon aptly named Athena. Ath Napoleon has just been exiled to Elba, and as a precarious peace settles on Europe, Will Masterson decides it’s time he went back home. Will has had enough of war, but to his chagrin, his trip will be delayed as he is asked to escort cavalrymen to the kingdom of San Gabriel. While he is there, Will is also to evaluate how Britain can best help the tiny country of San Gabriel ravaged by Napoleon’s troops. Upon arriving at his destination, he is met by a rifle-toting Amazon aptly named Athena. Athena Markham, an unconventionally pretty, too tall, and fierce Englishwoman is officially Princess Maria Sofia’s companion, but even more so, she is actually the brains behind the doddering Prince Regent; Princess Sofia is too young to rule and her father has vanished. And thus begins the wondrous voyage through space and time that is ONCE A SOLDIER.

How wonderful to read a Regency romance where barely a few pages take place in London. Ms. Putney’s remarkable descriptions of San Gabriel had me googling the name mid-way, wondering if my memory was failing me, but no. San Gabriel is a fictional country, and Ms. Putney had me completely fooled because it is imagined it so carefully and realistically; San Gabriel is the best fictional country I have ever read about. There are so many wonderful things to say about this fabulous book! Besides the aforementioned vivid descriptions, which extend to everything and everyone, the writing is exceedingly smooth and elegant, the dialogues are easy and natural, and every single character is splendid. The romance between Will and Athena also feels entirely genuine: they’re both honest, brave, and not boring for a single second.

Ms. Putney has a rare talent of making the most mundane things enchanting. Will and Athena also have very intriguing backstories. ONCE A SOLDIER is a comfortable and pleasant experience until the tension sets in when San Gabriel is threatened, and where some spectacular action scenes take place. And gentle readers, when you reach about three-quarters of the book, do not even think of being able to put it down, and make sure to have some tissues nearby.

ONCE A SOLDIER is a magnificent story about friendship, honour, courage, heroism, and true love. As a bonus, there is also a second romance, which is at least as splendid as Athena and Will’s. Mary Jo Putney has written a book I never thought I would be lucky enough to read one day. I don’t know what Ms. Putney has in store for us next, but I will be waiting with bated breath.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jun 21, 2016 Marilyn Rondeau rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-e-book-reading-challenge

In a new series by the ever-great Mary Jo Putney, I’m happy to have once again been able to start right at the first book in her new Rogues Redeemed series. However, I can’t say that her hero Will Masterson was truly a ‘rogue’ . He struck me much more as a hero than any kind of rogue.

Will was heir to a title and wealth but after the death of his wife and infant child, he was so devastated that the last five years he didn’t care what happened to him and decided to fight against Napoleon. After m In a new series by the ever-great Mary Jo Putney, I’m happy to have once again been able to start right at the first book in her new Rogues Redeemed series. However, I can’t say that her hero Will Masterson was truly a ‘rogue’ . He struck me much more as a hero than any kind of rogue.

Will was heir to a title and wealth but after the death of his wife and infant child, he was so devastated that the last five years he didn’t care what happened to him and decided to fight against Napoleon. After many years of battles fighting the French he plans that this would be his last battle, until he was asked to complete one more assignment before going home. He was asked to escort some soldiers back to their home in the mountains and check on the status of the small stronghold of San Gabriel.

Arriving, he was met at the castle doors by a beautiful, strong unconventional woman holding a rifle with every intention of using it should he be one of the many thieves and brigands that had come to San Gabriel to pillage what was left of their meager stores. Athena Markham had been helping her friend the Princess of San Gabriel for the last five years in aiding her to ready herself in the event she had to take charge of the throne should her father and brother not made it back alive. Athena had vowed to protect her with her very life if need be.

Right from the start, Will was instantly enamored of the tall Amazon-like Athena - for her independence, capability and especially her beauty. He knew he would have a difficult time to gain her trust, but knew in his heart that she was everything he could ever want in a bride. But after she learned he was a ‘titled’ lord - Athena wanted nothing to do with him.

Soon Will was helping San Gabriel citizens to put their lives back together by helping to direct their toils on the most vital projects they needed to accomplish in order to bring their country back from the desolate state it was in. As he slowly brought the citizens together in working towards a common goal, Athena began to see him in a different light, in spite of his title, especially since she had been attracted to him from the first moment she laid eyes on him.

With a great pace, wonderful dialogs and an exceptional plot line, the story ended up being both a quick and most enjoyable read. Ideally, this should be an interesting series from the great Mary Jo Putney.

Marilyn Rondeau
...more

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Feb 06, 2019 Chessela Helm rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As soon as I read the first Lost Lords book, I wanted Will's story. I got through all of them and was like 'surely Will has a story! He's the best!' so I was thrilled to see he met his match in this series. And he definitely does meet his match. Athena is smart, powerful, and brave. What more can you ask for? It was interesting to see things happening outside of Britain, and it was great that we finally got the last of the lost's story alongside Will. Loved this one! I couldn't get into the seco ...more

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Oct 19, 2017 Susan rated it really liked it

Shelves: military-hero, 2017-books-read, 2017-men-in-uniform-challenge, romance, historical-romance

Terrific start to the new series. The book begins with Will a prisoner along with five other men, awaiting execution by the French. Thanks to a bit of luck brought on by a thrown wine bottle, Will discovers a way for all six men to escape. Drawn together by their experience, they make a pact to stay in touch.

Five years later the war is finally over and Will looks forward to going home to England. Before he leaves, his commanding officer asks him to escort a group of soldiers from San Gabriel bac Terrific start to the new series. The book begins with Will a prisoner along with five other men, awaiting execution by the French. Thanks to a bit of luck brought on by a thrown wine bottle, Will discovers a way for all six men to escape. Drawn together by their experience, they make a pact to stay in touch.

Five years later the war is finally over and Will looks forward to going home to England. Before he leaves, his commanding officer asks him to escort a group of soldiers from San Gabriel back home and to check on the conditions in the small country. Upon his arrival, he discovers a country heavily damaged but determined to recover. Their king and prince are missing, having been taken prisoner by the French, and the country is led by their young princess, Sofia, aided by her friend and companion, Athena.

I loved the meeting between Will and Athena, as he is held at gunpoint until she is sure he is not another marauding soldier. Will is immediately smitten by the tall and fiercely protective Athena. Athena is attracted to him, but thanks to her past feels she is too far beneath him for anything but friendship. I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. First comes a deep friendship, aided by their work to help the people of San Gabriel. I loved their ability to talk honestly with each other. The scene where they shared the trials of their pasts was fantastic. Learning of Athena's past does nothing to dim Will's determination to win her heart. The attraction between them heats up with the sharing of some pretty intense kisses. I loved Will's patience as he works to overcome Athena's fears. There were a few times I wanted to shake her for letting her mother's reputation keep her from accepting Will's love for her. The danger of their situation brings some clarity to Athena's thinking and their attraction moves ahead. Their HEA is artfully engineered by Princess Sofia when Will and Athena nearly lose each other, though Athena still has her doubts. There is a delightful twist at the end that finally ends her fears.

There is a secondary romance between Princess Sofia and Will's friend Justin Ballard. Justin has come to help Will with the rebuilding of San Gabriel. He and Sofia experience the lightning bolt of love at first sight, but know that nothing can come of it. Sofia is a princess and will be Queen if her father and brother are not found. Justin is a Scottish merchant with great wealth but no pedigree. I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other, deepening their feelings for each other yet accepting the reality of their circumstances. I couldn't wait to see how things were going to work out for them and I was not disappointed. It was especially fun to see Sofia take the lead in that scene.

The setting was a very important part of the whole story. I loved reading a Regency romance that did not take place in the ballrooms of London. Instead, we are treated to the Peninsula during and after the war. There is a realistic look at the ravages of the war upon the land and the people as we see how the people of San Gabriel coped with the devastation caused by the French. The descriptions of the land and the people were vivid, and I could easily picture them as I read. I could feel the hope blossoming after Will's arrival and the promise of the supplies they needed. The various repairs and projects were interesting and worked well to further the connections among the main characters. There was also the growing tension as Will felt the sense of impending danger. The scene by the river was fast-paced and exciting as Will, Athena, Sofia, and Justin faced down the French scouts. I loved seeing Sofia and Athena take the lead in a solution quite different than Will would have come up with. As Will discovers that his instincts were right, I was enthralled reading of their plans and preparations. The final confrontation was intense and felt realistic in the way it was portrayed, including the injuries. ...more

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Dec 19, 2018 Kales rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2-star, physical-book, historical-fiction, romance, prh

Wow that book was just a tumble down a hill with a rough landing. It started off so well. I was intrigued by the town and the politics and the history. Let's not forget that we start off with five handsome men trapped together which is the start of this exciting series. I was happy that the heroine was a tall, Amazonian woman with "unladylike" skills and who had held her own in a war. I liked when they met and their original rules for courting and flirting. I liked the reveal about her past and ...more

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Sep 08, 2019 AG Reads rated it it was ok

Shelves: hr

It took me over a week to read this one. I kept getting bored and putting it aside. I ended up skimming several chapters just to finish it. The last quarter of the book does finally pick up, but it was a chore getting there.

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About Mary Jo Putney

Mary Jo Putney

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She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very com She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.

While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.

Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.

A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.

Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose. ...more