An Arranged Marriage (Company of Rogues, #1)

May 11, 2009 Dina marked it as not-interested

Shelves: historical-romance

From K. @ Ami:
'I spent all night working and "torturing myself" listening to Jo Beverley's "An Arranged Marriage." I think I stuck with it so long because my 50% audiobooks were turning out to be a lesson in "you get what you pay for," and I didn't want ALL of them to be one huge waste of money. This book was just flat out awful. If I sat down and wrote out a list of plot devices that I would despise in a romance novel . . . this book would contain them all.
1) Top of the list: Cheating! However,...more From K. @ Ami:
'I spent all night working and "torturing myself" listening to Jo Beverley's "An Arranged Marriage." I think I stuck with it so long because my 50% audiobooks were turning out to be a lesson in "you get what you pay for," and I didn't want ALL of them to be one huge waste of money. This book was just flat out awful. If I sat down and wrote out a list of plot devices that I would despise in a romance novel . . . this book would contain them all.
1) Top of the list: Cheating! However, JoBev couches it in the guise of "I'm noble and just doing it for the sake of God and country." PLEASE!! (I know, I know seton -- you warned me!! ;) If the cheating itself (which continued through most of the book) is not bad enough, we get "treated" to an actual detailed LOVE scene of the hero with the villain mistress! (Oh . . . don't worry, she let's us know he's "disgusted" between each detailed line of "kissing her breasts" and running his fingers over her thighs, "just how she likes it." Ooww!!) Was that necessary? Did JoBev think my mental picture needed more enhancement in that regard?!! I can't imagine why JoBev felt this scene needed to be included whatsoever. After that . . . just throw in some drugging and raping; alluding to (I think?) the homosexual predisposition by the rapist (the brother of our hero) whom I can't figure out if he's a good character or a villain, or whether the (apparent?) homosexual traits are supposed to be good or bad as she depicts them!?! I can't even form a complete thought on it to write a comprehensive sentence about it! It's that confusing. Sheesh! :D
2) Full of underdeveloped cardboard, cliche characters inserted in the story at awkward moments, all of which I could have cared less about. Some kind of "aunt" (I think?) comes out of nowhere at practically the end of the story who had the most grating personality I can imagine. I'm certain she was supposed to come off as the lovable in a "wise old cranky" spinster (before her time) feminist sidekick aunt. Not!
3) The hero and heroine spend about 90% of the story apart, and in practically the last chapter where you think they are finally going to spend some "quality" time together on the same page . . . the heroine tells him to go away for another three weeks so she can think about it! WTF!!! AHHHH! Consequently, their relationship falls into the author's "telling" me they should be in love, rather than "showing" category.
4) The scenes don't feel like they "track" well. There's just too much going on, without enough explanation to fill the plot holes. Both the main espionage theme is "jerky" and underdeveloped, and the romance is as well (pick a theme, any theme . . . but give us at least one that's fleshed out).
5) JoBev absolutely makes sure you know this book is the beginning of a long series. She's all over the place trying to "set up" future books. (Toward the end, she goes so far as to have an actual scene where the hero sits all their "friends" down in the drawing room and explains the entire plot to them . . .and us, I'm sure!! LOL! I''m not kidding -- It feels like he needed a dry erase board and flow chart to go with it. :D) Too bad she doesn't focus on writing a good introductory book that makes you want to read the series.
On my personal scale of good to bad, this book made "Flowers From the Storm" look good! I think you all know what that means coming from me. LOL! At least FFTS was well-written and "tracked," if not a satisfying love story. This book is a failure on every front I can think of, and I'm amazed it came from the same author that penned "My Lady Notorious." Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I usually try not to be so harsh on any given author/book . . . but this time I just can't find one redeeming aspect to rely on.'
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Oct 21, 2012 Elis Madison rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-guys-galore, bodice-ripper, dwippy-heroine, distorted-self-image, era-georgian, hero-needs-colonoscopy-2-find-head, lame-moments, like-the-author, marriage-of-convenience, meh, part-of-series, ru-kidding-me, shallow-end-of-gene-pool, use-your-words

OK. This was me at various points in the book

…when I wasn't

Here's the basic story—maybe you'll see what I mean.

Eleanor Chivenham is in a bad situation that just keeps getting worse. Before their parents died, her brother Lionel persuaded them to make him her guardian. She can't claim her inheritance unless she either marries with his consent or turns 25 without shaming herself. She's stuck in his house, with two more years on her sentence, since she’s not meeting anyone worth marrying among Lion...more

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Jul 26, 2013 Dangermousie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, period-romance, aaangst, awesomeness-of-awesomeness, bad-boys-brought-to-their-knees, crushing-on-secondaries, dysfunction-reigns-supreme, family-secrets, favorites, grovelling, hh-abused-mistreated, horrible-childhood-of-h-h, human-puppies, hurt-comfort, hurts-so-good, my-desert-island-book, ptsd, regency, reunited-lovers, sexy-control-freak-hero-and-heroine, soulmatey-soulmates, spies-agents, the-aliens-made-me-do-it, tough-heroines, tortured-heroines, tortured-heroes, trigger-warnings

In this start of her Rogue series, our regency hero marries the woman his brother raped out of noblesse oblige and falls for her but he is also a spy and has been ordered to sleep with an eeeeeeeeeeeeevil Frenchwoman (for England!!!) to get info out of her. My advice to heroine would be to get an STD panel asap.

Sounds insane yet I love it and it's oddly not particularly melodramatic. Actually, it is such an utter delight. I think it's going to be my favorite Beverley book by far. But then I oft...more

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Sep 05, 2008 Natalie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Don't Hate... :D
Not sure about this one yet. I am a big fan of arranged marriage books, not sure why! This one did have some aspects that I liked and some that I really didn't. The part I hated the most was the fact that he had to be a Man-Ho for the government. What was that?? That just made me feel weird and didn't start me off with a good vibe for the whole relationship. I think I would've liked the book a lot more without that whole thing in there. Don't even get me started on the whole rape...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Minh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

I picked up the Rogue series through a recommendation on Julia Quinn's message boards. The recommendation either listed under the, 'Virgin Male' section or in the top 100. Now that I think about it, it probably was the top 100. lol but the Virgin Male section sounds better. I... like this series! The characters are often incredibly dense and make me want to scream but the progression of it all makes up for it a little.

The thing about the Rogue novels is that all the couples in the book are inev...more

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Sep 03, 2013 Emily Goodell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Warning - spoilers abound. Also this book contains a rape. Rather vividly described.

The Plot:
- Country mouse on shelf is stuck living with dissipated evil brother to gain inheritance
- she is raped in a horrifying incident with brother's consent after being drugged; used in blackmail plot and compromised for purposes of evil man
- rapist stops her from committing suicide, convinces her his twin is responsible and that marriage to his twin is the best option.
- arranged marriage to twin, who reveals...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Janusz rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was the first book I've ever read by Ms Beverley and I was unfamiliar with either her name or her work when I picked it out at random. So, no expectations (apart from an enjoyable read) and no preconceptions.

The rape of Eleanor in the first few pages was unpleasant and confusing. This confusion grew with the circumstances of her improbably speedy recovery from the trauma -- even allowing for her being drugged during the ordeal -- and the facile appearance of a handsome and dashing gallant w...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Christine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I'm glad I picked up a couple of the later books in this series before I read this one, because had I read this one first, I'm not sure I would have read further. As it is, I got two in from the library at the same time and will quickly move on, beliving that "An Arrnged Marriage" is a fluke. I've enjoyed other books by Jo Beverley as well, so I know I often like her stuff.

This one, though...it was off from the start. Eleanor's reprobate of a brother hatches this elaborate and senseless plot to...more

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Aug 05, 2009 K. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks

Jo Beverly - “An Arranged Marriage”
(Audiobook: Narrated by Jill Tanner: Reader rating = 2* (very little voice change between characters, men sound like women!)

(Review at the “I’m currently reading . . . “ thread (Amazon Romance Forum) that Dina had copied to Goodreads (I didn’t even know it at the time! Handy though -- saves me a lot of work that I probably would not have done. ;)

From K. @ Ami:
'I spent all night working and "torturing myself" listening to Jo Beverley's "An Arranged Marriage."...more Jo Beverly - “An Arranged Marriage”
(Audiobook: Narrated by Jill Tanner: Reader rating = 2* (very little voice change between characters, men sound like women!)

(Review at the “I’m currently reading . . . “ thread (Amazon Romance Forum) that Dina had copied to Goodreads (I didn’t even know it at the time! Handy though -- saves me a lot of work that I probably would not have done. ;)

From K. @ Ami:
'I spent all night working and "torturing myself" listening to Jo Beverley's "An Arranged Marriage." I think I stuck with it so long because my 50% audiobooks were turning out to be a lesson in "you get what you pay for," and I didn't want ALL of them to be one huge waste of money. This book was just flat out awful. If I sat down and wrote out a list of plot devices that I would despise in a romance novel . . . this book would contain them all.
1) Top of the list: Cheating! However, JoBev couches it in the guise of "I'm noble and just doing it for the sake of God and country." PLEASE!! (I know, I know seton -- you warned me!! ;) If the cheating itself (which continued through most of the book) is not bad enough, we get "treated" to an actual detailed LOVE scene of the hero with the villain mistress! (Oh . . . don't worry, she let's us know he's "disgusted" between each detailed line of "kissing her breasts" and running his fingers over her thighs, "just how she likes it." Ooww!!) Was that necessary? Did JoBev think my mental picture needed more enhancement in that regard?!! I can't imagine why JoBev felt this scene needed to be included whatsoever. After that . . . just throw in some drugging and raping; alluding to (I think?) the homosexual predisposition by the rapist (the brother of our hero) whom I can't figure out if he's a good character or a villain, or whether the (apparent?) homosexual traits are supposed to be good or bad as she depicts them!?! I can't even form a complete thought on it to write a comprehensive sentence about it! It's that confusing. Sheesh! :D
2) Full of underdeveloped cardboard, cliche characters inserted in the story at awkward moments, all of which I could have cared less about. Some kind of "aunt" (I think?) comes out of nowhere at practically the end of the story who had the most grating personality I can imagine. I'm certain she was supposed to come off as the lovable in a "wise old cranky" spinster (before her time) feminist sidekick aunt. Not!
3) The hero and heroine spend about 90% of the story apart, and in practically the last chapter where you think they are finally going to spend some "quality" time together on the same page . . . the heroine tells him to go away for another three weeks so she can think about it! WTF!!! AHHHH! Consequently, their relationship falls into the author's "telling" me they should be in love, rather than "showing" category
4) The scenes don't feel like they "track" well. There's just too much going on, without enough explanation to fill the plot holes. Both the main espionage theme is "jerky" and underdeveloped, and the romance is as well (pick a theme, any theme . . . but give us at least one that's fleshed out).
5) JoBev absolutely makes sure you know this book is the beginning of a long series. She's all over the place trying to "set up" future books. (Toward the end, she goes so far as to have an actual scene where the hero sits all their "friends" down in the drawing room and explains the entire plot to them . . .and us, I'm sure!! LOL! I''m not kidding -- It feels like he needed a dry erase board and flow chart to go with it. :D) Too bad she doesn't focus on writing a good introductory book that makes you want to read the series. On my personal scale of good to bad, this book made "Flowers From the Storm" look good! I think you all know what that means coming from me. LOL! At least FFTS was well-written and "tracked," if not a satisfying love story. This book is a failure on every front I can think of, and I'm amazed it came from the same author that penned "My Lady Notorious." Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I usually try not to be so harsh on any given author/book . . . but this time I just can't find one redeeming aspect to rely on.'
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Nov 04, 2009 Beth F. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vile-rapists, historical-romance, audiobooks, 2009, infidelity, src-fall-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I listened to this story as a free audiobook download from my library.

I thought the premise of the book was completely ludicrous, even by regency smut standards.

At the beginning, the heroine is living with her brother who is a Grade A Pervert of the highest class. He throws wild, drinking parties where men and women canoodle under the influence of alcohol and touch each other in bad places. Eleanor doesn’t approve of the goings-on and knows the only reason she is still clinging to her virginit...more I listened to this story as a free audiobook download from my library.

I thought the premise of the book was completely ludicrous, even by regency smut standards.

At the beginning, the heroine is living with her brother who is a Grade A Pervert of the highest class. He throws wild, drinking parties where men and women canoodle under the influence of alcohol and touch each other in bad places. Eleanor doesn’t approve of the goings-on and knows the only reason she is still clinging to her virginity is because she religiously locks her door every night.

But one night, the pervy brother orchestrates the administration of drugs to both Eleanor and the Earl of Stainbridge so she can't lock her door and neither of them are in complete control of their faculties. The purpose for this being that after being raped by the earl, Eleanor would be ruined and her brother would be in a position to force a marriage to another skeevy man Eleanor otherwise wouldn’t want anything to do with. The next morning, Eleanor decides to kill herself but is fortuitously saved by her rapist who convinces her that he most certainly did NOT rape her and blames the whole thing on his twin brother. Eleanor believes him, befriends him and confides in him that she is fearful about what will happen to her under her brother’s roof. The earl promises to take care of it.

The resolution? He arranges a marriage between Eleanor and the man he’s led her to believe is her rapist: Nicholas Delaney, the younger brother. Without questioning all the details, Nicholas goes along with it and on their wedding night learns that Eleanor believes him to be her rapist. Once the record is set straight, they get naked and consummate the marriage but there aren’t any fireworks.

In time, Nicholas and Eleanor become intrigued by each other and a period of flirtation follows and the next time they make love, they both dig it and it seems like everything is going to be okay. Except that isn’t the case, because Nicholas also happens to be embroiled in a political espionage case that requires he continue a physical relationship with his French mistress even though his heart isn’t in it and he only wants Eleanor. Nicholas recognizes this as a case where he must “lie back and think of England” so he continues to boink the French mistress through a series of steamy scenes, all the while acting more and more erratic in his behavior to Eleanor (who also happens to be pregnant). One moment he acts like a man who is falling in love with his wife and the next he is rude and nasty to her (to “protect” her from the knowledge of what is really going on).

It all ends well and aside from the plot sucking major balls, I don’t have any real fault with the author’s writing style or the development of the story. I’m curious enough to check out something else she’s written, perhaps something that doesn’t start with rape, muddle through some significant issues with infidelity in the middle section and oddly end with a happy ending.
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Oct 21, 2012 Lord Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnf, romance, genre-historical-romance, era-regency

Ick. Just couldn't get into it because the premise was not something I could enjoy. (And the cheating certainly didn't help.)

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Mar 19, 2011 Tammy Walton Grant rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: hr-regency, 2011-march, couldn-t-finish, tropes-secret-identity, snarky-troll-lives-here, romance-historical

So I'm home sick with a terrible cold and thought to myself, self, you need to read something pleasant. Perhaps a re-read of a book you love? Nope, did that yesterday with Goddess of the Hunt. Aaah, LOVE that book. Maybe I'll try one I bought last week at the used book store. Like this one, "An Arranged Marriage". Sounds promising.

My first inclination that this book was going to be a BIT different was the rape at the beginning. Notice I said rape, not forced seduction. This is a drugged, forced...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-or-so-romance

With a rape to start it off, this romance had no place to go but up. Unfortunately, the contrivance to get the heroine married to the hero marred the whole story. A woman at the mercy of her slimy brother is raped by a man who then feels guilty when he finds he on the verge of suicide and convinces his brother to marry her. The brother goes along with this (Why???) and then we get a slight spy thriller where he has to submit to disgusting (we are told) sex with a French whore, all while our marr...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Ilze rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: jo-beverley, dnf

Horrible story. It starts off with the heroine being raped by the hero's brother, who was drugged by the heroine's vile and useless brother, after which the hero agrees to marry her for honour or something, although it's advertised to others as an elopement. The hero then spends most of the book in an affair with a French whore because he's some sort of a spy and has to have sex with her constantly in order to uncover some plot involving Napoleon. It's never really explained why the only way he...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beverley-jo

This is the story of Eleanor and Nicholas. Not an easy story to read, but, in the end, satisfying. It begins with Eleanor being raped by Nicholas's older twin. For reasons never fully explained, he didn't want to marry her, but was concerned for her reputation. So he convinced Nicholas to marry her. Nicholas didn't hesitate. It took the entire book for there to be even a hint of an HEA. But, there was. It was a complex story line involving espionage in an attempt to bring Napoleon back from Elba...more

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Sep 24, 2013 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I normally really like Jo Beverley's romance novels, but this one was very disappointing. Eleanor and Nicholas become married after a ridiculous situation (she is raped by his twin brother) and then don't get a chance through the whole book to get close because of another absurd situation (he is a spy who must sleep with a French ex-lover to prevent her from helping Napoleon regain power!) I can forgive absurd situations in romances, after all I've read a lot of romances that have them, but only...more

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Oct 16, 2013 Mia rated it 5 of 5 stars

An Arranged Marriage is a compelling story set in the times of the Napoleonic wars. I found it to be a fascinating but difficult book to read because the emotions wrought and engaged were highly sensitive. This is not a comfortable novel that can easily be reread again in the future (at least for me). It was extremely painful to read the written desperation of the hero as he strove to do what was right at the cost of his heart, life and dignity. It is 5 stars for me because rarely has a book aff...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Abigail rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, romance-historical, read-2012, hated, part-of-series, audio-historical-romance

I love the premise of arranged marriages in romance novels, so of course the title caught my attention. I downloaded this from Audible and started listening to it while I doing my chores and walking my dog.

...I hope nobody was watching my faces as I reacted to the story. *cringe* First - the reprehensible brother's plot to get his sister's inheritance by drugging her and having her raped. *"What!?"* Second - passing the heroine off to a twin brother. Third - the French mistress *scoff*.

Okay, o...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Monkeyface rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Listened to An Arranged MarriageBy Jo Beverley. Eleanor Chivenham didn't put much past her vile brother, but even she had not anticipated his greedy scheme to dupe a rich earl into mistaking her for a lightskirt! With her reputation in shreds and her future ruined, a defeated Eleanor was forced to agree to a hasty wedding. But marriage to the mysterious Nicholas Delaney, with his casual elegance and knowing smile, was more than she'd bargained for. He doubtless thought the worst of her, but when...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Natalie rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 11, 2011 Highland-dreamer rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 07, 2012 Steamywindows♥♫ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, french-connection, forced-marriage, company-of-rogues-beverley, baby-or-children-factor, courtesan-issues, devilish-rake, grovel-worthy, history-of-abuse, infidelity-factor, part-of-a-series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I would rate this book above the 3 star, but not quiet a 4. The premise of this book really interested me. It is the story of a man caught in a situation in which his loyalty to country demands he "cross a line" for that cause, and as a consequence, betray a relationship which with this start, seems doomed to fail. Nicholas, a gentleman with wanderlust yet deep loyalties for his long time "company of rogues", an abiding commitment to justice and love of family, but a roguish reputation with the...more I would rate this book above the 3 star, but not quiet a 4. The premise of this book really interested me. It is the story of a man caught in a situation in which his loyalty to country demands he "cross a line" for that cause, and as a consequence, betray a relationship which with this start, seems doomed to fail. Nicholas, a gentleman with wanderlust yet deep loyalties for his long time "company of rogues", an abiding commitment to justice and love of family, but a roguish reputation with the ladies makes an interesting set of characteristics for a "romance" hero. Enter the heroine, who has long been at the mercy of her misogynistic father and brother. She is "ruined" by the hero's brother in a situation set up her greedy, self centred brother. At the fairly heavy handed machination of the ruin-er, our hero marries the potentially pregnant Eleanor.

Smooth sailing for our couple? Weeelll, maybe not. You see Nicholas has been recently enlisted to be secret agent for the crown specifically to re-establish an affair with his former mistress, a wicked French courtesan. I was very sure that when Nicholas enlisted his "company of rogues" to entertain his wife while he dallied, that I was not going to be very sympathetic to him. Ha, I thought, Nicholas you are so deeply in the pit dug by his own arrogant thinking like, he would just "make it up to her"! We see that (and hope) that his rationalization "after all it wasn't a love match" will come back to bite him... Yikes I could have cheerfully throttled him for Eleanor.

Suffice it to say, my sympathies being firmly in our heroine's camp, I was not inclined to give Nicholas a pass just because of the service he was performing for his country. I wasn't convinced that the author could redeem this fellow. But I a must confess, she did a beautiful job of keeping with the character, by allowing us to see his dawning realization that this was costing him something more than he at first calculated and subsequently deeply wanted- the love and regard of a very good woman. Grovel factor? Not bad at all!
If you are up for a lot of angst, and a hero who needs to learn a thing or two about the woman he loves, this might be the read for you. (less)

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Jun 04, 2009 Danielle The Book Huntress (Angels Weep For Goodreads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: abused, marriage-of-convenience, owned-copy, part-of-a-series, regency, spy, favorite-or-autobuy-author

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Although Forbidden is still my favorite because I loved Frances and Serena as a couple so much (plus Francis is a virgin hero), this is an incredibly effective book. There are so many reasons why this story could have gone the wrong way for me: First and foremost, the hero commits the unthinkable for me in a romance, adultery. However, he has reasons that I could not argue with. He has been asked to cozy up to his former mistress who is actually a morally bankrupt spy, and in order to do that, p...more Although Forbidden is still my favorite because I loved Frances and Serena as a couple so much (plus Francis is a virgin hero), this is an incredibly effective book. There are so many reasons why this story could have gone the wrong way for me: First and foremost, the hero commits the unthinkable for me in a romance, adultery. However, he has reasons that I could not argue with. He has been asked to cozy up to his former mistress who is actually a morally bankrupt spy, and in order to do that, pillow talk is essential. Also, Eleanor and Nicholas do not have an emotional commitment (this alone would not have been enough for me). Eleanor is dealing with the trauma of having been raped, also living in a household with a brother who is a complete libertine, and never feeling safe. She is way too traumatized to be a 'real wife' to Nicholas initially. Then there's the fact that Eleanor was drugged and offered out to be raped from a person she should have been able to trust, her brother. She is raped by Nicholas' titled brother, who is actually gay, but is hiding it. He rapes her to help preserve his reputation as a heterosexual (there are questions). So you would think, okay, this is a romance? But yes, it is.
It's a bit different for a romance. And the relationship between Nicholas and Eleanor develops very slowly. There is a sexual enconter between them on their wedding night, but it's fairly passionless. Nicholas felt that they should have this so that in their mind, the child that Eleanor could be carrying could be her husband's. Okay, I had no quarrel with that.

I liked the aspect of seeing this couple come to know each other and build a marriage together on what should have been a very shaky foundation. But somehow, a strong bond develops between them. It is nice to see them in later books as they form a happy family and love each other deeply.

Of course, Eleanor has issues with Nicholas' brother. I can't blame her at all. I think he was a loser and a jerk. In a way, he seemed surprised at how much Eleanor despised him. Hello! Not only did he wrong Eleanor terribly, but then he begged his untitled brother to marry her in case of consequences. I have nothing against him as a closeted gay person. I just thought he could have been a man and owned up to what he did.

At any rate, I really did like this book. (less)

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Apr 24, 2008 _inbetween_ rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'd give minus points if I could. Considering this first book in Beverley's Rogues series was actually the third she wrote for it, it's all the worse - badly (under)written, badly plotted, badly executed. Pushed into 350 pages by an author who has no shame in rushing through the most dramatic storylines by telling rather than showing anything about her paper-thin characters, and not even including (because seemingly not knowing) any historical details, this is yet another huge disappointment.

Be...more I'd give minus points if I could. Considering this first book in Beverley's Rogues series was actually the third she wrote for it, it's all the worse - badly (under)written, badly plotted, badly executed. Pushed into 350 pages by an author who has no shame in rushing through the most dramatic storylines by telling rather than showing anything about her paper-thin characters, and not even including (because seemingly not knowing) any historical details, this is yet another huge disappointment.

Beverley would have had working ideas - or at least original twists on old ideas - but to start with the rape (both participants drugged/forced) that's sadly often the norm in bodice rippers, and then to have that "nightmare" just be half a sentence and never dealt with, except in occasional miffed thoughts of the heroine?! Beverley was aware of it, too, because there is one half line where the heroine gets to think that she must be not a lady because she "dealt" with it so well. Except her enjoying shop windows the morning after, and generally being insufferably pleased with herself despite the text telling us the usual tropes - how she's insecure and worries about the obligatory female rival - makes her my least liked/most hated of Beverley's heroines.

She's probably perfectly tuned to the expected audience though, an unremarkable woman that is then called beautiful, doing nothing except tear out facial hair and arrange ornaments in order to incite deep lust and love - why, any woman can do that, so her happy end must make it every reader's, too *bitter* To think this was the book that started it all and reverberated right into the latest one, and then to have not just the heroes this time but the actual plot be less than it seemed in the retelling in sequels?

The second spoiler apart from the "rape" is also told of right in the first pages - the heroes twin brother is gay. And again, the disappointment is so huge because what a smart twist, to make him another victim of the villain, to have them both drugged, to have him have to fuck the supposed whore to prove he's not gay (Beverley read "Bent"?), then to want to atone! Except - Beverley makes him effeminate and positively amoral in claiming his brother had raped her, then blackmailing his brother. I'm worried she will kill him off in the future - sadly I have half a dozen more books already in the mail to me.

But, repeating myself again, there is nothing worse than seeing this huge WASTE of characters and storylines, of the possibility of a truly arranged marriage, how getting-on-the-horse-again right away (ie. having sex with the husband) also isn't immediately the perfect lust, how homosexuality might really have been handled (Kit is extra stuffy and careful due to permanent fear), how Nicholas is forced to prostitute himself for his country (he's visibly suffering from having to be Therese's toy, but of course everyone blames him) ... WASTED. All of it, including actually plausible actions and reactions, due to the usual damn laziness of the editor and a writer who might be better than most others in the field, but never once reaches potential.

The ending though turns a disappointing book into her (hopefully?) worst ever. Beverley has the unbelievable bad taste to follow a tedious hero-retells-everything and tediouser heroine-sends-him-away-another-month (there B. gets worse than Diane Perkins!) with the disgusting ending of her asking him "wtf did your brother rape me" and then indicating it's all a grand old joke, like not understanding "erotica" - less the so-called "rape" (and I'd never have thought I'd see the opposite of a boddice-ripper rape as equally bad), not even that the child might be the gay brothers, but that the whole "gay" thing is meant to be amusing. And then it ends without a single romantic intercourse, the woman already a mother and yet not even daring to show or feel any want for her husband. Revolting and depressing (- at least me).(less)

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Jan 29, 2008 Ana T. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: georgian

I'm particularly fond of marriage of convenience stories and so I've been looking forward to this one for a long time now. Especially because I've read almost all the others in the Company of Rogues series.

Eleanor Chivenham didn't put much past her vile brother, but even she had not anticipated his greedy scheme to dupe a rich earl into mistaking her for a lightskirt! With her reputation in shreds and her future ruined, a defeated Eleanor was forced to agree to a hasty wedding. But marriage to t...more I'm particularly fond of marriage of convenience stories and so I've been looking forward to this one for a long time now. Especially because I've read almost all the others in the Company of Rogues series.

Eleanor Chivenham didn't put much past her vile brother, but even she had not anticipated his greedy scheme to dupe a rich earl into mistaking her for a lightskirt! With her reputation in shreds and her future ruined, a defeated Eleanor was forced to agree to a hasty wedding. But marriage to the mysterious Nicholas Delaney, with his casual elegance and knowing smile, was more than she'd bargained for. He doubtless thought the worst of her, but when society gossip soon told her all about his beautiful French mistress, Eleanor tried to act with the cool dignity required in a marriage of convenience. But how long could she hold out against his undeniable charm-or the secret desires of her heart?

For the sake of family honor, Nicholas Delaney agreed to wed a wronged lady. In truth, such chivalry ran counter to his carefully wrought image of a carousing, dissolute rogue-the guise so vital to his secret political mission. He hoped to keep his new wife in the background until a spy was trapped, but Eleanor's beauty and fighting wit were impossible to ignore. In fact, she presented quite a challenge to his prowess with women-and a test of his formidable will!

I was a bit afraid when I saw the initial misunderstanding but fortunately Beverley solved that rather quickly.

I did feel Nicholas was a bit too good to be true, marrying on his brother's request, immediately caring for his bride... I think they too brotherly love a bit too far, no matter how Nicholas was used to solving his brothers problems...
Nicholas is involved with the secret services and that collides with his marriage as he has to seduce a spy to uncover a plot to free Napoleon Bonaparte. This ended in another misunderstanding but once again I didn't feel it was too much. Beverley handles these beautifully, her characters show intelligence and rationality in face of adversity and I cared wether they would manage to find a happy ending or not. I really liked how Nicholas treated Eleanor, despite his peculiar bahaviour he was always repectful and caring and even bringing his friends to suppoert her when he couldn't.

It did puzzle me a bit that Eleanor never confronts her true ravisher about the why. We know what went on in his head but Eleanor and Nicholas never mentioned it to him. I did like it however that Eleanor confronted her husband about his dealings with the other woman and how he disappeared for so long. It was also refreshing that she didn't punish him forever and ever, she just needed time to deal with everything and when she did she accepted him.

Grade: B-(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5, rounding up for the fun factor. Loved the voice and Eleanor, but the hero was a bit too stupid/ignorant about how much he could tell Eleanor at times for me to care. The rape at the beginning (not done by the hero, but still graphic and dealt with throughout the book) and the infidelity throughout make it a difficult read from a genre-conventions standpoint, yet Beverly mostly pulled it off for me. Definitely an author I will be reading more from (I already borrowed book two from my library...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Laine rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was confusing at first, especially if you are dealing with twins. I really didn't like the idea that Nicholas didn't even got home when Eleanor gave birth to their first child, but I forgive him after all the trouble and hardships he endured just to come back home to his family. There was so much neglect and honesty that it is hard to forgive and forget. In their case it was so much easier because of their trust and love that nobody can't deny.

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Aug 10, 2012 Anne Auer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not a review necessarily, just a recommendation. This was the first "Company of Rogues" books, and the first Jo Beverley book I ever read. It is intelligent, funny, romantic, and left me wanting more...more rogues, that is. Thank goodness she obliged and wrote several more. This series is possibly my favorite of hers, though the "Mallorens" runs a close second. Beverley never fails to entertain and deliver.

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Jan 01, 2012 Teshii rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Umm. So it want that bad as in i refuse to read pass the first chapter. But it took a lot of force to finish it. I didnt like her writing style. I thank god this was not the first book i read from her. It just... flat. The whole story was so dead, i felt nothing from reading it. In fact, i find it rather annoying for reason i cant describe. i doubt there is anything much i can review about.

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Aug 12, 2011 ♆ BookAddict ~ La Crimson Femme rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, library-book

I found Ms. Beverley by reading through her Malloren series. I enjoyed those so much I picked up all her Rogue series and read them in a week or so. I have to say, reading a complete series one right after another has been good. There are some similarities between the two series as far as style and tone.

This first book with the arranged marriage was a fast and easy read.

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An Arranged Marriage (Company of Rogues #1)

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