About the Book:

A lady must have money and an army of her own if she is to win a revolution – but first, she must pit her wits against the wiles of an irresistible rogue bent on wrecking her plans…and her heart.

Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.

Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smouldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.

As Lucie tries to out-manoeuvre Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war…

Click on titles below for direct Amazon buy links:                                   A Rogue of One’s Own (A League of Extraordinary Women Book 2)
Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women Book 1)

My Review:

Lady Lucinda “Lucie” Tedbury is a staunch supporter of the suffrage movement, and her current goal is to have the Married Women’s Property Act be amended to be more fair and equitable to women.  Lucie’s passion for her cause and her outspokenness caused her father, Earl Wycliffe, to banish her from their home ten years ago when she was just eighteen.  Thanks to a small legacy from an aunt, she’s been able to afford a place to live and the necessities.  Lucie, along with her friends and fellow suffragettes, have formed an investment group with the intention of becoming controlling owners of London Print, a successful publishing company which will give them the avenue they need to further their cause.  When the deal is finally done, Lucie is shocked to learn that her group is now an equal partner with someone who has been her tormentor for fifteen years.

Tristan Ballentine is a returning war hero, a rake, and a scoundrel.  He was also formerly a friend of Lucie’s brother, and he spent much time at their home, where he showed his affection for, and fascination with, Lucie by pulling pranks on her, and generally being a nuisance.  Now the darling of the ton, Tristan longs to be financially free of his controlling and abusive father.  Unbeknownst to Lucie, he actually owned twenty-five percent of London Print for years, and has just purchased another twenty-five percent.  He’s aware of how Lucie intends to use the company, and he knows that its success will dramatically drop if she does, thus ruining his own financial goals.  He suggests that they forget their childhood antagonism, and try to work together, only to have his character, his person, and his actions denigrated by Lucie. Though her words deeply wound Tristan, they also anger him, as he still seems to have that same fascination for Lucie.  He counters with an outrageous proposal of an exchange of one percent interest in the company for one night in bed with her.

Tristan has sufficient sexual experience to realize that while Lucie may hate him, she also feels a strong desire for him.  Lucie despises her own weakness, which she’s determined to fight, so she refuses his offer.  At least, for a while….

After their night together, Lucie boldly tells Tristan that she wants another.  One more night soon turns into almost every night, and their passion soon becomes affection, then caring, then genuine love, though neither has admitted it as such.  Lucie has begun to trust Tristan, something she doesn’t give lightly, but he still has secrets that he hasn’t shared with her, secrets that will be disastrous to their relationship if she learns about them.

The first thing I have to say about A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN, is that it’s totally immersive and encompassing.  I got lost in the world of Tristan and Lucie, who are two very flawed and imperfect people, yet were characters I loved.  Tristan is described as being physically beautiful, a gift that he uses to his own advantage.  He has indulged in some debauched activities, as well as many unscrupulous ones, in order to benefit his own interests.  Yet, at the same time, he shows tremendous love and caring for both Lucie, and his mother, doing many things behind the scene, without any thought of recognition.  He endured a lot as a child from his sleazy father, who still attempts to control him to this day.  Lucie, on the other hand, lacks all the charm that Tristan has in abundance.  She is brash, bold, impulsive, and seemingly uncaring of the hurt she can inflict with her vicious words.  She’s also intelligent, dedicated, and willing to listen to reason when her emotions settle.  She took her banishment from her home while still a teenager with strength and a lack of self pity.

I am in awe of Evie Dunmore’s writing.  A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN has the same captivating quality as her first book, BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE, which was also a five star read for me. (My review here) That book does not have to be read in order to enjoy this one, though I do recommend it purely on its own merit.  The struggles of women in that time period are vividly and sympathetically portrayed, along with how Lucie’s own trust issues were affected.  The romance between this couple is outstanding and honest, sometimes painfully so.  I wholeheartedly recommend A ROGUE OF ONE’S OWN to all readers, particularly those who enjoy depth, history, strong characters, family drama, and deception, along with an emotional romance and most excellent writing.    ~Rose