Play Book Tag discussion

A pretty stereotypical historical romance where a rogue is reformed by love. The rogue, who as a green youth lost on the turn of a card everyting except the empty house not entailed to the man who was his guardian, chosen to protect him by his parents before they died. For 9 years he's lived for revenge, amassing a midas fortune through owning the most exclusive and successful gambling hell in 1831 London: The Fallen Angel. The opportunity arises to reclaim the beloved land surrounding his entailed manor house, but as it's attached ot a dowery, he will have to marry a fair maid, though given his scandalous past, it may take compromising her to achieve it. Or rather, not so fair maid given she's a quarter inch from spinsterhood and whispers of scandal follow her around.

That fair maid is Penelope and she's the saving grace in this rather ho hum romance. In fact, not only were Penelope and our rougue BFFs until as a teen he became an orphan under the guidance of his villainous guardian, Penelope is a warrior queen and saves our rogue, whether the arrogant, stiff-rumped, blind, horses ass deserves it or not

I rounded this up to 3 stars and I fully plan to read teh 2nd in this quartet as it centers on Penelope's nerdy younger sister Pippa and one of her rogue's more interesting partners in the gambling hell. Pippa was by far my favorite characther, though far back in a secondary role here.

Friendship does play an important part in this book -- the childhood friendships of Penelope, our Rogue Michael, and Tommy, of an age and growing up as neighbors in Surrey.