"superior Regency romantic suspense"

In 1815 during the pivotal Battle of Waterloo, Lord Darius "Dare" Debenham is critically injured and rushed from the front. To dull his severe pain and help him heal, he receives medication, but finds out over time way he had way too much laudanum as he become addicted to the opiate. Now two years later, he fights his craving for the drug every moment he is awake.

As he struggles to control his addiction and accusation that he cowardly fled the battlefield, family friend Lady Mara St. Bride wants the return of the old Dare that she secretly loved. She will do what it takes to persuade him that he can contain the demons and still live a fruitful fulfilling life in the light instead of humiliatingly hiding in the shadows. As Mara does anything and everything including touring London with a blanket and her undies and enlisting the other eleven Rogues, the last of them dares to think he can return to life with the love of Mara as his impetus.

This is a fantastic finale to the superior Regency romantic suspense series, the Rogues. Mara is a courageous heroine risking her reputation and much more for the man she loves while the return of the other eleven of the Dirty Dozen provides a homecoming feel to the plot. However this story belongs to Dare as he struggles with everyday life having no dreams or aspirations for even tomorrow until Mara kicks his butt and heart into first gear. As has been the case throughout this exemplary saga, Jo Beverly writes an outstanding historical romance.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 29, 2006

Summary

Now, in a special treat, the New York Times bestselling author brings all twelve Rogues together to guarantee a splendid series finale for the last bachelor in their Company.

Lady Mara St. Bride has never backed down from a good adventure, which was how she wound up roaming the streets of London in the middle of the night, wearing nothing but a shift and corset beneath an old blanket. Luckily, her brother's oldest friend, the devilishly sexy Lord Darius Debenham, answered her plea for help. Now she intends to repay the favor...

Before he was wounded at Waterloo, Dare had embraced everything life had to offer. Forever changed by the war, he now believes nothing—not even the interference of a lovely young minx like Mara—can rescue him from his demons. But Mara is determined to reignite his warm smile, and enlists the help of all the Rogues to offer Dare a temptation he cannot resist...