A review by bookgoonie
A Rogue by Any Other Name, by Sarah MacLean
4.0
I now know why Sarah MacLean is a much-loved author. She takes us back in time to when marriage and love don’t always go together. But times are changing and occasionally they do align.
Penelope is damaged. She is in danger of becoming a spinster. Her time to find love has come and gone. Now her parents are forcing her to marry so the family name doesn’t have to weather more tarnishing. I admired her strength to rebuke undesirable suitors despite her clock ticking. She wants to marry someone she loves. She wants to feel passion. It was easy to connect with her and want to witness her journey to get what she wants and settle for nothing less.
Bourne lost everything, but his title. But a title without land holdings doesn’t mean anything. With no family to lean on, he scraps out a name for himself in London’s underworld. Not only does he make a name for himself, but he rebuilds the wealth he lost and more. He is clever and cunning and definitely learned from his mistakes. He has learned to deny his desires, so that he can exact revenge and regain his family estate.
MacLean throws these two at each other. It created a page-turner. I couldn’t find out fast enough how they would both end up with what they wanted. Their goals seem at odds with each other’s and it creates conflict, but also thick sexy time tension. The moments where they put down their agenda and let themselves find comfort in the arms of the other were tender and temperature rising. I didn’t need to sit by the fire to keep warm during this read.
It had everything I love in a book: childhood friends, a bad boy and a strong woman that isn’t afraid to fight for love.
Penelope is damaged. She is in danger of becoming a spinster. Her time to find love has come and gone. Now her parents are forcing her to marry so the family name doesn’t have to weather more tarnishing. I admired her strength to rebuke undesirable suitors despite her clock ticking. She wants to marry someone she loves. She wants to feel passion. It was easy to connect with her and want to witness her journey to get what she wants and settle for nothing less.
Bourne lost everything, but his title. But a title without land holdings doesn’t mean anything. With no family to lean on, he scraps out a name for himself in London’s underworld. Not only does he make a name for himself, but he rebuilds the wealth he lost and more. He is clever and cunning and definitely learned from his mistakes. He has learned to deny his desires, so that he can exact revenge and regain his family estate.
MacLean throws these two at each other. It created a page-turner. I couldn’t find out fast enough how they would both end up with what they wanted. Their goals seem at odds with each other’s and it creates conflict, but also thick sexy time tension. The moments where they put down their agenda and let themselves find comfort in the arms of the other were tender and temperature rising. I didn’t need to sit by the fire to keep warm during this read.
It had everything I love in a book: childhood friends, a bad boy and a strong woman that isn’t afraid to fight for love.