Rogues Rush In: A Regency DuetRogues Rush In by Christi Caldwell, Tessa Dare
on May 22, 2018
Genres: Regency Romance
Pages: 214
Format: eBook
Source: Advance Reader Copy
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell come together in this smart, sexy, not-to-be-missed Regency Duet!

Two scandalous brides...
Two rogues who won’t be denied...

His Bride for the Taking by New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Dare
It’s the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don’t even think about touching your best friend’s sister. But Sebastian, Lord Byrne, has never been one for rules. He’s thought about touching Mary Clayton—a lot—and struggled to resist temptation. But when Mary’s bridegroom leaves her waiting the altar, only Sebastian can save her from ruin. By marrying her himself.

In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold...and to love.

His Duchess for a Day by USA Today Bestseller Christi Caldwell
It was never meant to be…
That’s what Elizabeth Terry has told herself while trying to forget the man she married--her once best friend. Passing herself off as a widow, Elizabeth has since built a life for herself as an instructor at a finishing school, far away from that greatest of mistakes. But the past has a way of finding you, and now that her husband has found her, Elizabeth must face the man she’s tried to forget.

It was time to right a wrong…
Crispin Ferguson, the Duke of Huntington, has spent the past years living with regret. The young woman he married left without a by-your-leave, and his hasty elopement had devastating repercussions. Despite everything, Crispin never stopped thinking about Elizabeth. Now that he’s found her, he has one request—be his duchess, publicly, just for a day.

Can spending time together as husband and wife rekindle the bond they once shared? Or will a shocking discovery tear them apart...this time, forever?

Note: This review is for the Tessa Dare novella only. His Bride for the Taking

You guys don’t think I’d ever pass up a Tessa Dare novella, do you?

This story begins with a wedding, sort of. Mary has been left at the altar and Sebastian is there to rescue her. He’s always been there to rescue her. He’s her younger brother’s best friend, and spent a lot of time with them when they were younger. When her brother was killed in the war, Sebastian couldn’t rescue Henry, so his protective instincts intensified.

Sebastian’s form of rescuing her is to marry her himself so her reputation wouldn’t suffer as much as if she stayed a jilted spinster. It doesn’t take much to convince her, although Mary does argue against the idea at first. He isn’t above forcing her hand a bit, and she seems relieved to not have to deal with the groom not showing up.

This chance to rescue her isn’t entirely selfless, though. Sebastian has been in love with his best friend’s older sister since he met her as a lad. But he’s always known that you don’t touch your best friend’s sister. Once they’re married, he starts to think that maybe marrying a woman who was supposed to marry someone else that day wasn’t the best idea. She might tell him that she never loved the fiance, however he thinks maybe she’s still conflicted about the whirlwind jilting/wedding.

They ride all night to a small cottage he owns and there’s a scene, the best scene in any book ever. Guys. They have to assemble a bed, a Swedish bed, with no directions, and it goes about like any couple who has ever gone to Ikea and tried to assemble a piece of furniture would think. Tessa Dare, I see what you did there. 🙂

This story could have easily veered into the old He doesn’t love me, he’s just honorable/She doesn’t love me, she’s just out of choices territory, but I’m so glad it didn’t. There’s no Big Misunderstanding, but there is a big twist I didn’t see coming. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed. I wanted more! I hope we see these characters in future books, because it’s a fun and happy story, with enjoyable characters who you just love. With her trademark wit and light hand, Tessa Dare tells a delightful tale.

***ARC courtesy of the author

four-stars