jjares reviewed on 8/22/2021 + 3292 more book reviews

The stories in this anthology are new to this book. HOWEVER, I recognized PRECIOUS ROGUE (from CAPTURED HEARTS, published in 1999). So beware. I think I've also read Edith Layton's story, but couldn't find the anthology name.

PRECIOUS ROGUE (Mary Balogh) -- 3 stars
Patricia Mangan is a poor relation to the Peabodys and acts as Mrs. Peabody's helper (slave). The Peabody's are having a house party in anticipation of an announcement of a pending marriage between their only daughter, Nancy, and the handsome Mr. Bancroft. However, Mr. Bandroft is very busy seducing all the females (excepting the Peabody women and Patricia) within sight. Bancroft has no intention of marrying Nancy, but he decides to injure the Peabody women's feelings when they are cruel to Patricia. This is an interesting story but the author has done too thorough a job turning Mr. Bancroft into a rake and a rogue to be able to pull off the solution she tries at the end. It just is not believable. Period. It is fun to read but unlikely to the max.

SWEET REVENGE (Melinda McRae) -- 3.5 stars
David and Chloe were meant to marry; when word came to England that David had been killed, Chloe married David's cousin, Jonathan. Now, 15 years later, Chloe is a widow (for two years) and is just emerging from her widow's weeds. It's just in time to celebrate her dear friend's (Georgie's) birthday. Unfortunately, Georgie is David's sister and David decided to crash the party. He is set on a course of revenge against Chloe.

BURIED TREASURE (Edith Layton) -- 3 stars
Edith Layton's story occurs on Long Island, New York in 1699. To sum the story up, it seems O'Henry-ish. A pirate is left with a treasure chest, thought dead and buried alive with a chest of ill-gotten gains. He plots to take his revenge on the pirates who left him while he recuperates at the home of a kind family who takes Dan Silver in. However, he also plans to seduce Hannah, the lovely girl of the family who takes him in and treats his severe wounds.

THE DEVIL'S SPAWN (Mary Jo Putney) -- 4.5 stars
Putney is one of those authors who write stories that I either hate or love. This one is a delight because the story is so unexpected. Dominick Chandler has fallen in love with his soulmate, Roxanne Mayfield. When he asks Roxanne's father (a pseudo-scientist) for her hand, we learn what an awful man Papa Mayfield is. He uses trickery to keep his daughter as his personal slave. Ten years pass and Dominick is now wealthy, world-traveled, and intent on getting Roxanne out of her father's clutches. The plan is wildly audacious and uses Mayfield's pseudo-scientist persona against himself. Delicious fun.

A GOOD WOMAN (Anita Mills) -- 5 stars
This story takes place much later than the others; it is 1881 and John/Jack O'Neal has been released from the Huntsville, Texas Penitentiary for robbery. A funny thing happens on John's way to digging up his ill-gotten earnings; he meets a widow with two children. Jack and Beth are both bitter about the deal life has handed them. Jack was raised by a mother who waited for a married man to outlive his wealthy, sickly wife, so he could take care of Jack's mother and Jack. Instead, she became a prostitute and Jack had no home life. Beth's husband borrowed too much and was killed in a gambling argument. Now, Beth is facing losing the home she and Ben struggled over for years. Through the interactions of all four characters (Beth, Jack, Beth's two intelligent children), they meld into a family. It was realistic and fascinating to watch.

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