Desert Isle Keeper
Ruined by Rumor
In Alyssa Everett’s Ruined by Rumor, Roxana Langley has been unofficially engaged to Major George Wyatt for five years. Her parents insisted the couple delay their wedding rather than Roxana following the drum, but the long wait is finally over. Roxana looks forward to George’s return and the official announcement of their betrothal, because she’s very much in love with him.
Unfortunately for Alex Winslow, the Earl of Ayersley, he’s very much in love with Roxana. He’s the best friend of her older brother and his country estate is close enough to theirs that the three of them often played together as children. But as they grew up, the differences between him and Roxana became more pronounced. She’s cheerful and vivacious, while Alex is serious and introverted, to the point where he feels miserably awkward at parties because he doesn’t know how to make conversation. George Wyatt mocks him as a “dull dog” to Roxana, and although she’s not so unkind, she doesn’t see Alex as anything more than a sensible, reliable friend of the family.
Until the ball where her betrothal is due to be announced, when Wyatt tells her in private that he can’t go through with it and won’t provide an explanation. Alex finds a devastated Roxana in the library, and as he comforts her, the two of them end up sharing a kiss. But they’re seen together, so Alex proposes to her. There seems to be no other choice, so Roxana finally accepts, though she’s convinced he’s only made the offer out of kindness. On top of that, although she likes Alex well enough, she doesn’t expect to enjoy the marital act. Exciting though it was to be in Wyatt’s company, because he’s suave and confident, she didn’t find his kisses pleasurable, and she’s so sheltered she has no idea what to expect from sex anyway.
So there is a lot going on in this story. Both Alex and Roxana want to make the best of their marriage; the problem is that they don’t know how. This is very much an opposites-attract romance, and one of my favorite moments was when Roxana finally grasps the extent of Alex’s social discomfort and suggests role-playing scenarios, where she pretends to be different people and he has to converse with them all. I love romances where the characters bring out the best in each other.
Roxana also realizes that although Alex isn’t a polished conversationalist with an arsenal of silver-tongued compliments for the ladies, there’s a lot beneath his surface. He genuinely cares about his tenants and is careful that in his enthusiasm to embrace new technology, he doesn’t leave people without jobs. He also does his best to be patient with Roxana, since Wyatt keeps accidentally-on-purpose meeting with her and making it clear that he can provide her with all the flirtation and fun that’s lacking in Alex. The scene where Alex finally has enough of this is almost painful to read because both his and Roxana’s confusion and hurt comes through so clearly.
While a lot of Alex’s and Roxana’s problems could have been solved with some straightforward conversation, the Big Mis feels like an organic result of their personalities and flaws. Before they’re caught together, Alex had mentioned to Roxana that he was in love with a woman, and had been so for all his life, so she now thinks he gave up his heart’s desire in order to marry her. Meanwhile, Alex thinks Roxana is still in love with Wyatt, but rather than tackle the issue head-on, he tries his best to give her the space she needs while hoping he can be a good enough husband that she’ll start to care about him instead.
At this point I was so anxious to find out what happened next that I read the book far too fast and gave myself eyestrain, but it was worth it. I enjoyed both Alex and Roxana a lot. Alex is a wonderful hero who’s nowhere near as inhibited between the sheets as he is at a party, and while Roxana seems naïve and superficial at first, she’s a loyal warm-hearted person whose real fault is being inexperienced. After all, even Elizabeth believed Wickham’s claims at first. And speaking of Wickham – er, Wyatt – he’s a pretty good villain because he’s so smoothly, cleverly manipulative. I guessed why he broke off his engagement to Roxana, but not the reason he entered into that engagement in the first place, so that was a nice twist too.
The end of the book is a little melodramatic but on the whole, Ruined by Rumor was a wonderful read. I recommend it for anyone who’s in the mood for a very well-written and moving historical romance.
I'm Marian, originally from Sri Lanka but grew up in the United Arab Emirates, studied in Georgia and Texas, ended up in Toronto. When I'm not at my job as a medical laboratory technologist, I read, write, do calligraphy, and grow vegetables in the back yard.
Book Details
Reviewer: | Marian Perera |
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Review Date: | January 22, 2023 |
Publication Date: | 04/2013 |
Grade: | A- |
Sensuality | Warm |
Book Type: | Historical Romance |
Review Tags: | opposites attract |
Thanks for this review — I bought the book, am reading it now, and so far I really like it!
Added to my tbr . . .
Hope it’s a great read for you!
Great review Marian! I just bought it and am looking forward to reading it. There haven’t been a lot of DIKs recently in Historical Romance.
Thank you! And yes, I can’t remember the last time I gave a historical romance an A, although I’ll try to read more of them this year.
On my TBR now!
Hope you enjoy it!
Heroes who have secretly been in love with oblivious heroines are my FAVORITE. Thanks for clueing me in to this book!
You’re welcome! I was a bit nervous about the oblivious-heroine trope because sometimes this goes too far for me (Secondary character : “Hero is in love with a woman who doesn’t care about him!” Heroine : “That woman is such an idiot. I wonder who she could be?”). But here, it was done well and felt so poignant. I hope you enjoy the story.
Have you read Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair? That’s another favorite of mine with this trope. And if you know any others please share!
I love that book! Sigh! I wish she had written a dozen more books.
I’m sure you’ve read Not Quite a Husband. That trope is also the girder for The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King. When He Was Wicked too!
This sounds great, Marian! Thanks!
My pleasure. It’s great to find a well-written historical romance, and I can’t wait to pick up more of this author’s books.
Great review, Marian! I listened to this one several years ago and really enjoyed it, too. I’ve read and reviewed most of the author’s other books here (or at AudioGals), but she hasn’t published anything recently, which is a shame – she’s one of the few HR authors I’d still be reading!
Thanks! I really enjoyed the fact that the heroine was an ordinary woman who liked socializing, wasn’t a natural sex goddess, and wanted most of all to have a happy marriage, She felt like someone I could relate to, and I think this allowed the author to focus solidly on the romance.