Rosamunde's Revenge
Grade : C

Rosamunde's Revenge is a split personality book; the first half is great, and the second half, well, isn't. The author introduces two wonderful characters who share an interesting conflict. Then, about two thirds of the way through the book, that conflict is more or less solved, and a really lame action plot takes center stage. I rarely complain that a traditional Regency is too long, but in this case such criticism is warranted.

Rosamunde is a gently born young woman with a generous dowry, but when she's sixteen she really makes a cake of herself. While in Edinburgh staying with an aunt, she falls in love with Lieutenant Rory Buchanan, a charming and handsome officer who makes her think about new ideas and want to be a better person. The impulses he arouses in her are good ones, but she's really too young and immature for him at sixteen. When her aunt finds out about her attachment and decides to take Rosamunde to the country for awhile, Rosamunde writes a hasty letter to Rory professing her love. The letter falls into the wrong hands, and Rosamunde is publicly humiliated. Rory eventually receives the letter and kindly returns it to Rosamunde, but he has no intention of proposing to her, and she soon realizes how foolhardy she has been. Fortunately the whole affair is hushed up, and when Rosamunde returns home none of her other relations know about her folly.

Several years later, Rosamunde is a mature young woman on the verge of being on the shelf. She's stunning, but her sharp tongue and ready set-downs keep prospective suitors at bay. She's long since gotten over Rory Buchanan, until he shows up at her doorstep with Colonel Fitzgerald, a fellow officer who has inherited an estate near her home. Rory takes one look at Rosamunde and realizes that she has changed for the better, and he's immediately interested. But Colonel Fitzgerald notices her too, and tells Rory about his plans to woo her. In a weak moment, Rory does something foolish: he reveals Rosamunde's past indiscretion, hoping that the colonel will fix his interest elsewhere. He immediately regrets the decision, and hopes that Rosamunde will never know. At first, Rory is less than successful with his suit. Rosamunde is embarrassed about her earlier behavior and unwilling to make any similar mistakes. But after they share an invigorating morning ride, Rory asks permission to write to her. He leaves to resume fighting Napoleon, and they begin secretly courting through letters. Rory is nearly ready to propose to Rosamunde when disaster strikes; she finds out that he revealed her indiscretion to the Colonel, and writes a terse note asking for the return of her letters and an end to all correspondence. The disappointed Rory complies, all the while kicking himself for his stupidity.

As fate would have it, they meet again after the war, when Rory and Colonel Fitzgerald come to visit again. This time Rosamunde is resolved not to give him the time of day. But some determined matchmaking on the part of friends (who have no idea that the couple had corresponded at all) eventually brings them together. At first, they are unwilling to share the news of their engagement with others. Rosamunde's cousin Hero has also recently become engaged, and Rosamunde doesn't want to steal her thunder. Then disaster strikes when one of Rory's vengeful colleagues unleashes a plot to besmirch Hero's reputation. The situation quickly escalates, and Rory and Rosamunde are soon consumed with the events that follow.

Right up until the whole Herogate fiasco, I was really enjoying this book. The first part seems so fresh and entertaining, and Rory and Rosamunde both show deeply satisfying character growth. It's nice to see characters who make stupid mistakes realize their errors and change their ways accordingly. Better still is that both of them do this. It requires them both to forgive each other and overcome past prejudices, and what makes this all so much more effective is that they are truly enjoyable characters. Neither has that "stock" Regency feeling. Rory is much more than the typical rake about town, and Rosamunde also defies the common Regency stereotypes.

I should have known it was all too good to be true when they forgave each other and got together far before the end of the book. Since they had little else to do, apparently they needed to be distracted by something more pressing. And distraction is really the best word for it. I can't imagine what the Hero suspense plot was doing there in the first place, since it was completely unnecessary and fraught with annoyances and melodrama. One moment things are going along swimmingly for everyone, and the next not only is Hero's reputation on the line, but there's danger too (in a turn of events that seemed way over the top to me) that culminates in a bizarre action sequence.

Perhaps this would have worked better with a different villain, but the guy who goes after Hero is a garden variety lunatic. He has no real motivation to ruin her reputation, and absolutely nothing to gain by it. The plot as a whole is nothing but an annoyance designed (apparently) to add several more pages to the book. It was all quite disappointing, considering the book's fabulous start.

My final verdict? Well, it sounds silly, but I can't help advising Regency fans to buy the book, read the first part, and just stop reading when Herogate begins. Don't worry; it's easy to spot. That way you'll get the fabulous beginning and miss out on the annoying and disappointing end. If you're looking for a book that great from start to finish., you'll have to look elsewhere.

Reviewed by Blythe Smith
Grade : C
Book Type: Regency Romance

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date : January 4, 2005

Publication Date: 2005/01

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Blythe Smith

I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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