Review: eARC A Most Devilish Rogue by Ashlyn Macnamara

A Most Devilish Rogue

Ashlyn Macnarama

Review:

This is the second book in Ashlyn’s series (don’t know the series’ title sadly) and the second book she’s published. I can say that I really enjoyed this story and loved seeing past characters sprung up in this story too. Well yeah, that will happen because the hero is best friends with the hero of the previous book, so duhh.

But anyways, I really liked this book not because it holds only one love story, or due to the fact that the cover holds some nice buns, *wink wink* But because I really liked George Upperton from A Most Scandalous Proposal.

He was that friend that would pop in and out and make everything either better or more entertaining. But I was totally shock at how his story started off! Him reacting to the news of his impending fatherhood and providing for the illegitimate child of his mistress! Now that was a start to a shocking Upperton story.

Who would have knew that was what his life would have turned out to be like after seeing him in the previous story! Although he was a great rake and rogue in that one too, we still loved him.

Here he is on his last savings and need money fast. He’s been gaming and losing lots especially when his father threw him the title with barely a farthing. And now told he’ll have to provide for a child! Gracious! With barely a farthing, he’s soon to go mad. Then the fact that he got beat up by a so called brother of the mistress and dragged to a house party with his sisters and a nagging mother pushing marriage upon him. He has a lot on his plate. But then he met a little boy and his mother and everything changed.

Isabelle. I also really like her. Even though she was a fallen lady, sadly at such a young age, as a debutante, and thrown out of society; I supported her. She was a heck of a mother and raised her son with the help of her former servant tucked away in the country side of Kent and did well for herself and her son for the past six years. Hiding a secret from the villagers of her true family name and her upbringing, she’s done much to provide as much she could for her son and protect him as best she could from the scandal of his birth.

She’s very protective of her son and it’s very understandable for a mother of a six year old who’s wild and untamed, but especially when havoc breaks out and the son goes missing! Oh the pain and stressfulness of it all.

She really is a great mother, doing all she can to find and get her son back, rationally even if the villagers weren’t helping her she got George and his friends at her back.

The chemistry between George and Isabelle was not love at first sight, well maybe a little bit for George without his knowledge, but it took some time (one day or two) to develop. Though the vibe was there I liked how Isabelle stood strong and cold against its penetrations on her because of past experiences. But also loved that she warmed to George and trusted him enough to let him help her against her better judgment.

I absolutely love how George was very aware of his feelings towards Isabelle even though he wasn’t willing to admit to them. And at how much he cared and wanted Isabelle in his life but not knowing where and how to go about it due to his own complications and troubles. He was very patient and true to his words, even to his mistress! and to his friends when they’re in need of help. Although he himself was in need of help, he wouldn’t give in to their sympathies nor confined in them with the whole truth but I really praise him for giving a helping hand when other needed them.

The problem I have is just the thought that George didn’t care or think much of his mistress and her condition. True that he “ran away” from his duties and it would have been a totally different story if he kept his mistress on his mind, it still bothered me that he didn’t mention it to Isabelle until the very end. Though he did think lots about it and mention it throughout their journey, I felt like it did make him look like a bad person for leaving that out or behind.

All in all, this was a fantastic read full of mystery, missing persons, a very talented piano prodigy, card games, some badly played piano, charcoal sketches, down poured rain and some steamy tumbling in cabins, sweets, and bantering.

The next book is suppose to be about George’s lovely sister, Henrietta! We got to see a very small glimpse of her past scandalous jilt and well, he is coming back~ eeekkkkk (shhh that’s a secret so, Shhh, but I can’t wait!)

This eARC was provided by the publishers via Netgallery.