Lord Rayven's Revenge

by Trisha Ashley

Alys Weston secretly writes Gothic novels while her widowed father drinks away her tiny inheritance. After a disillusioning early encounter with the rakish Lord Rayven in Harrogate—in which he came off the worst—she is quite resigned to being a spinster. Several years later, she meets the Lord again in London and he makes it clear that he has not forgotten her—indeed, he dogs her footsteps. But is it for revenge, or some other reason? As Alys becomes unwittingly embroiled in the dark and dangerous rites of a hell-fire club, her very life could hang on the answer.

Genres: Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2007

About the author

Trisha Ashley is now a full-time novelist, but she has been known to work for stained glass makers and/or plumbers. She likes to paint, eat, drink, and read literary biographies. Her previous hobbies included getting divorced and packing to move. She claims to have once actually eaten Bronte burgers at the Branwell café, but her publisher declines to verify this. She lives in North Wales.

Reviews

[MB (What she read)]

Redone in new book "The book of lost stories".

[Verity W]

This is the only one of Trisha Ashley's back catalogue that I hadn't read - and as I'm a completist it was fun to fill in the gap. This is a Regency gothic romance - it's very Heyerish in someways - think Sylvester crossed with Talisman Ring (in mood terms) crossed with one of the frustrated guardian-y type stories. It's enjoyable enough - and there are hints of the writing style that you find in her contemporary fiction - but it's a very different beast.

[Billie (bilbo.h)]

Took me a while to adjust to the writing style with it being set in the 1800s but once I was adjusted I thoroughly enjoyed it! Loved the dark twist at the end.

[Dona]

What a wonderful way to drift back in time. I enjoyed this book immensely.

[Deirdre]

Alys Weston has taken care of her widowed father for years. Yearning for a life outside the confines of her family home. She gets an opportunity when her vaguely disreputable and overweight aunt offers her a chance to pay a visit with her to Harrogate (to take the waters of course). She encounters Lord Rayven and he fares worst from the encounter.

She returns to her life with her father, resigned to spinsterhood until her father dies and her cousin marries a woman determined to see the back of her. When she moves to London, having had some success with writing, she finds herself attracted again to Lord Rayven. However there's something going on that involves something her mother took from her family. Something that Lord Rayven is also interested in. Can she trust him?

It's a fun read, I really enjoyed the characters and would love to read more in this world, the vague hints of secret societies intrigued me.

[Maggi Andersen]

Alys Weston's life is made difficult by an invalid father who drinks away her tiny inheritance. She escapes into writing Gothic novels. She is resigned to being a spinster for her father is determined to keep her by his side caring for him. But fate takes a hand in the form of rakish Lord Rayven and other events she has little control of. One thing she can control is her books, they are leaping off the shelves!
I found this traditional Regency well written and entertaining. Trisha Ashley knows the era well and her characters are well drawn. For those who prefer hotter stories I wouldn't choose this as there's very little in it. A little more romance would have been welcome, but not really necessary. Published by Robert Hale Ltd. There's a good story as well as the romance, much to my delight.

[Pat Stearman]

Always love Trisha and this was laugh out loud funny in parts and a good story. Love the Regency setting - having grown up on Georgette Heyer.