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WORK TITLE: The Pleasure of the Rose
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1940
WEBSITE: http://www.janebonander.com/
CITY: St. Paul
STATE: MN
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.janebonander.com/Janebiography.html * http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2017/02/14/jane-bonander-interview-the-scoundrels-pleasure/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1940; married Alan (deceased); married Richard Noer; children: Jason and another son.
EDUCATION:University of Minnesota, graduated.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
Also, coauthor, with Elaine Coffman, Joan Johnston, and Kasey Michaels, of To Have and to Hold; coauthor, with Thea Devine and Bertrice Small, of I Love Rogues; and coauthor, with Tanya Anne Crosby, Jennifer Horsman, and Joan Johnston, of A Christmas Together; author of the novella A Taste of Honey.
SIDELIGHTS
Jane Bonander is an author of romance novels. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, she holds a degree from the University of Minnesota.
Early Works
Bonander released her first book, Secrets of a Midnight Moon, in 1991. The volume is set during the California gold rush and features a protagonist named Anna Jenson. Anna has left her strict parents and her failed relationship behind to start a new life in California. She has accepted a job teaching school. However, Anna is soon kidnapped by a half-Native American, half-white man named Nicolas Gaspard. Nicolas is called “the Marauder,” as he is known for whisking people away. He has taken Native American child slaves away from white families. Nicolas needs Anna to work with the children he has rescued. She is initially upset with Nicolas for abducting her, but she becomes impressed with the care he shows to the children. Anna and Nicolas become lovers. Eventually, Nicolas takes Anna back to town, where residents criticize her for helping Nicolas. Meanwhile, Nicolas’s half-brother plots to kill him. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly remarked: “This first novel … has little to offer beyond stock characters and a simplistic moral stance.”
Bonander went on to write many other books, including Forbidden Moon, Heat of a Savage Moon, Fires of Innocence, Wild Heart, Winter Heart, The Bedroom Is Mine, Warrior Heart, Scent of Lilacs, and The Dragon Tamer. She is also the coauthor of books, including To Have and to Hold, I Love Rogues, and A Christmas Together, and author of the novella A Taste of Honey.
The Pleasure of the Rose
The Pleasure of the Rose is the first book in Bonander’s “MacNeil Legacy” series. Set in Texas in 1857, it tells the story of Fletcher MacNeil, a half-Scottish, half-Native American man. Fletcher is apprehended for a murder he did not commit and is scheduled to be hanged. Just before he is taken to the gallows, he is whisked away by a MacNeil family lawyer. Fletcher is taken to Scotland to serve as the Duke of Kintyre. A clause in a relative’s will requires him to have a child within a year. Fletcher has intimate relations with his lawyer’s sister, Rosalyn, and decides to marry her.
The Pleasure of the Rose received mixed reviews. A writer on the Romance Junkies Web site remarked: “Fletcher seemed to be a caricature of a Native American, often called a savage by everyone, including his wife.” The same writer added: “The sex seemed to drive the story, when the location and the circumstances were really what were more appealing.” A Publishers Weekly critic commented: “Bonander … interweaves issues of women’s rights with mystery and suspense to keep the story moving.” “This book was incredibly well-written and impossible to put down,” asserted a reviewer on the Playground of Randomness Web site. A contributor to the Buried under Romance Web site suggested: “Long a master of the historical and the heartfelt, Jane Bonander pens a sweeping Scottish romance, perfect for readers of Mary Balogh.” A writer on the Night Owl Reviews Web site stated: “The author has written great descriptions. You can visualize everything they do, wear, eat, look like and say. This is a fantastic read.”
The Scoundrel's Pleasure
In an interview with Joyce Lamb, contributor to the Happy Ever After Web site, Bonander summarized the plot of The Scoundrel’s Pleasure, the second novel in the “MacNeil Legacy” series. She stated: “Scoundrel’s Pleasure is about a young cad who leaves Scotland and when he returns ten years later, he learns he fathered a child before he left. Fireworks ensue when the heroine learns of his return. How will she keep her secret?” This volume focuses on Duncan MacNeil as he returns to the Scottish island where he grew up and discovers he is the father of a nine-year-old child. The child’s mother, Isobel, was devastated when Duncan left her, and her pain returns when Duncan comes back to town. Though Isobel worries about being abandoned again, she agrees to marry Duncan, for their son’s sake.
A reviewer in Publishers Weekly suggested that The Scoundrel’s Pleasure “addresses some unanswered questions from the first novel, smoothly tying the stories together. New characters are refreshing additions to the already charming ensemble.” A contributor to the Books of All Kinds Web site commented: “The Scoundrel’s Pleasure by Jane Bonander is an entertaining, historical romance with plenty of ups and downs to hold your interest throughout. Isobel is my favourite character as she is such a strong-willed, resourceful heroine. The Scoundrel’s Pleasure by Jane Bonander is the second book of the “MacNeil Legacy” but can easily be read on its own.” A writer on the Night Owl Reviews Web site asserted: “What a book! You have your romances, but this author went above and beyond. One time you love Duncan and the next minute you can’t stand him. He’s definitely a scoundrel but there’s things about that scoundrel you can’t help but love.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, October 4, 1991, review of Secrets of a Midnight Moon, p. 84; July 11, 2016, review of The Pleasure of the Rose, p. 51; January 2, 2017, review of The Scoundrel’s Pleasure, p. 43.
ONLINE
Books of All Kinds, http://booksofallkinds.weebly.com/ (February 13, 2017), review of The Scoundrel’s Pleasure.
Buried under Romance, http://www.buriedunderromance.com (September 6, 2016), review of The Pleasure of the Rose.
Happy Ever After, http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/ (February 14, 2017), Joyce Lamb, author interview.
Jane Bonander Home Page, http://www.janebonander.com (March 27, 2017).
Night Owl Reviews, https://romance.nightowlreviews.com/ (August 1, 2016), review of The Pleasure of the Rose; (December 1, 2016), review of The Scoundrel’s Pleasure.
Playground of Randomness, http://playgroundofrandomness.co.za/ (September 23, 2016), review of The Pleasure of the Rose.
Romance Junkies, http://romancejunkies.com/ (March 8, 2017), review of The Pleasure of the Rose.
LC control no.: no 91030766
Personal name heading:
Bonander, Jane, 1940-
Variant(s): Bonander, Jane Joanne Olson, 1940-
Olson, Jane Joanne, 1940-
Found in: Her Secrets of a midnight moon, 1991: t.p. (Jane Bonander)
MnHi files (Jane Joanne Olson Bonander; b. Jane Joanne
Olson, 1940)
================================================================================
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AUTHORITIES
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540
Questions? Contact: ils@loc.gov
Series
MacNeil Legacy
1. The Pleasure of the Rose (2016)
2. The Scoundrel's Pleasure (2017)
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Novels
Secrets of a Midnight Moon (1991)
Heat of a Savage Moon (1993)
Forbidden Moon (1994)
Fires of Innocence (1994)
Dancing on Snowflakes (1995)
For Auld Lang Syne (1995)
Wild Heart (1995)
Winter Heart (1996)
The Bedroom is Mine (1996)
Warrior Heart (1997)
Scent of Lilacs (1998)
The Dragon Tamer (2001)
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Omnibus
To Have and to Hold (1994) (with Elaine Coffman, Joan Johnston and Kasey Michaels)
A Christmas Together (1994) (with Tanya Anne Crosby, Jennifer Horsman and Joan Johnston)
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Collections
I Love Rogues (2003) (with Thea Devine and Bertrice Small)
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Novellas
A Taste of Honey (2011)
Biography
JANE BONANDER has always had a flare for the dramatic. Just ask her mother. When she was five, she ran home from kindergarten and scrambled under her parents' bed, hiding there until her mother came looking for her which was longer than Jane had anticipated, for she fell asleep. When her mother woke her, she told her that a big, hairy monster had chased her home. Since over an hour had passed, the drama of the moment was gone.
She sold her first novel, SECRETS OF A MIDNIGHT MOON, to St. Martin's Press in 1990. Since then she has published twelve more novels and novellas. She currently makes her home in St. Paul, Minnesota and in the fall of 1998, remarried after the death of her first husband, Alan. The new man in her life, Richard Noer, is an avid skiier and for the past twenty six years has been on the ski patrol at a local ski area. Although Jane doesn't ski and refuses to start now, she does "chalet" and enjoys people watching as she does so!
Jane's oldest son, Jason, who obtained his PhD from Brown University in Providence, RI, is living in Atlanta, GA with his wife. Jason is Director of Informatics at CDC's Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Laura, his wife, is Partner at Caldwell and Watson, LLD.
They have a six and a half year old son, Soren. Ross, Jane's younger son, is also a writer and multi-published. He is Lead Health Writer for Deep Dive Media. His wife, Amber, is Account Manager at LawPay where she provides custom payment solutions and client support to attorneys and law firms throughout the US.
QUOTED: "Scoundrel’s Pleasure is about a young cad who leaves Scotland and when he returns 10 years later, he learns he fathered a child before he left. Fireworks ensue when the heroine learns of his return. How will she keep her secret?"
Interview: Jane Bonander, author of ‘The Scoundrel’s Pleasure’
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By: Joyce Lamb | February 14, 2017 12:01 am
the-scoundrels-pleasure-jane-bonander
Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Jane! Please tell us a bit about your new release, The Scoundrel’s Pleasure.
Jane: Scoundrel’s Pleasure is about a young cad who leaves Scotland and when he returns 10 years later, he learns he fathered a child before he left. Fireworks ensue when the heroine learns of his return. How will she keep her secret?
Joyce: Is there an idea out there that you wish you’d thought of?
Jane: The Outlander series. Gabaldon is a wizard.
Joyce: Would you like to share a favorite moment from your writing career?
Jane: When I discovered that my manicurist was passing herself off as me, claiming to have written my first book, Secrets of a Midnight Moon. Imagine my surprise!
Joyce: Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?
Jane: Most recently, it would be The Middle. Other binge worthy: Pride and Prejudice, A&E version with Colin Firth. Call the Midwife. Veep. Modern Family. (I’m not very deep, am I?!)
Joyce: What would be your dream vacation?
Jane: Northern California coast. Give me a house atop a hill overlooking the ocean. I just want to watch the frothing waves, I don’t want to be in them!
Joyce: What’s coming next?
Jane: I have just finished a third book for Diversion, title of which is subject to change. It’s the story of a hero who writes and proposes to a twin whom he’s thought of for years. Unfortunately, he gets the names mixed up and the wrong twin shows up to marry him.
Joyce: Thanks, Jane!
About The Scoundrel’s Pleasure:
Duncan MacNeil voyages over the sea to make his fortune in America. Shortly before his departure, he has a single tryst near the village fair with lovely Isobel Dunbar. Their romp leads to a pregnancy, and while he is across the ocean, Isobel gives birth to a spirited boy she names Ian. To protect her reputation and to prevent Duncan’s wealthy family from taking Ian away from her, Isobel concocts a story that her neighbors believe—she claims Ian’s father married her and then died in a shipwreck, leaving her a poor widow. The truth, she hopes, will never be discovered, and her son will never meet his father.
When Duncan returns, weary of the New World and ready to take charge of his family’s business, his first plan is to buy a run-down former brothel and convert it to a cannery. Only this is where Isobel now calls home. He can’t understand why she refuses to sell, and he certainly cannot understand why she harbors such resentment towards him. Then he realizes who this beautiful woman once was to him. Can Duncan grow from an irresponsible boy into a man who takes responsibility for his past carelessness? And can Isobel ever trust this stranger, when keeping Ian’s parentage a secret is the only way she knows to keep her beloved son close?
Find out more at janebonander.com.
Jane’s first historical romance, Secrets of a Midnight Moon, was heralded as ‘sensitive and sensuous, violent and tender.’
“I found the plot to my first novel in a little known history of Northern California Indians when I learned that Native Americans were being taken as slaves by the settlers, their families threatened with death and dismemberment if they tried to leave. Yes, one can weave a romance around such an appalling event!”
Since then she has published nine full length novels and four anthologies, all dealing with the perils and passions of romantic historical fiction.
She graduated from the University of Minnesota majoring in American and Russian History revealing that, “while all of my stories are set in the US, I had hoped one day to set one in Russia, though in my opinion, the best ones have already been written.”
Jane continues to write and also edits for Melange Books. She currently lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, Richard Noer.
QUOTED: "addresses some unanswered questions from the first novel, smoothly tying the stories together. New characters are refreshing additions to the already charming ensemble."
The Scoundrel's Pleasure: The MacNeil Legacy, Book 2
264.1 (Jan. 2, 2017): p43.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
The Scoundrel's Pleasure: The MacNeil Legacy, Book 2
Jane Bonander. Diversion, $14.99 trade paper (250p) ISBN 978-1-68230-345-0
Bonander's second MacNeil Legacy historical (after The Pleasure of the Rose), set in 1850s Scotland, outshines the first with smooth plotting and appealing characters. Duncan MacNeil returns home to the island of Hedabarr and learns that he fathered a son with Isobel Dunbar during their single sexual encounter nine years prior. Duncan is the only man Isobel has ever been intimate with, and the hurt of being abandoned immediately after she'd given him her virginity comes back to the surface the moment she sees him again. In order to protect her son, she's fabricated a story of being a widow, and she sends her son to school on the mainland to prevent anyone from recognizing the MacNeil resemblance. However, that story unravels when Duncan learns of the truth and demands to be a part of his son's life. They both agree marriage is the best solution; however, Isobel--whose uses cynicism as a defense mechanism--fears falling in love with Duncan, whom she doubts has any romantic feelings for her despite his caring and attentive behavior. Bonander addresses some unanswered questions from the first novel, smoothly tying the stories together. New characters are refreshing additions to the already charming ensemble, and the introduction of another potential love match is a nice setup for the next book in the series. Agent: Katie Kotchman, Don Congdon Associates. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Scoundrel's Pleasure: The MacNeil Legacy, Book 2." Publishers Weekly, 2 Jan. 2017, p. 43. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA478696508&it=r&asid=877e21c09fc7c16d0e20f0f3299b4238. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "Bonander ... interweaves issues of women's rights with mystery and suspense to keep the story moving."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A478696508
The Pleasure of the Rose
263.28 (July 11, 2016): p51.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
The Pleasure of the Rose
Jane Bonander. Diversion, $14.99 trade paper (258p) ISBN 978-1-68230-289-7
Bonander's fast-paced historical, the first in the MacNeil Legacy series, abounds in implausibilities. In 1857 Texas, Fletcher, who has abandoned his Scottish father's MacNeil surname and calls himself Maker of Arrows in the style of his Native American mother, is wrongly convicted of murdering his lover, Lindsay, who was actually shot by her husband. Belatedly, he realizes it's time to change his roguish ways. Two nights before his hanging, the MacNeil family solicitor, Geddes Gordon, rescues him so he can return to Scotland and take his rightful place as the Duke of Kintyre. But in order to keep his inheritance, he must produce an heir within one year, or he loses everything to his cousin. Geddes's widowed sister, Rosalyn, one of the few remaining MacNeil servants, can't believe a "half-breed savage" is their new leader, and she's even more appalled when her brother suggests she marry Fletcher and provide the requisite heir. After an unexpected sexual encounter--improbably instigated by Rosalyn while Fletcher is asleep and dreaming of Lindsay--the two decide to marry in order to save her reputation. Rosalyn decides to make the best of the situation, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead for them both. Bonander (A Taste of Honey) interweaves issues of women's rights with mystery and suspense to keep the story moving, but readers eager to see a mixed-race historical romance hero may struggle with the slurs that the suspicious Scots constantly fling Fletcher's way. Agent: Katie Kotchman, Don Congdon Associates. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Pleasure of the Rose." Publishers Weekly, 11 July 2016, p. 51. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA458915346&it=r&asid=cdd8964722301b9ca16ec1b0c3257969. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
QUOTED: "This first novel ... has little to offer beyond stock characters and a simplistic moral stance."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A458915346
Secrets of a Midnight Moon
238.44 (Oct. 4, 1991): p84.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1991 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
This first novel set in 1850s Northern California has little to offer beyond stock characters and a simplistic moral stance. Fleeing an unhappy love affair and unforgiving parents, Anna Jenson arrives in California to begin her new job as a teacher. As it happens, Nicolas Gaspard, son of an Indian woman and a white man, needs a schoolteacher and kidnaps Anna. Nicolas is used to swiping people: known as "the Marauder," he rescues Indian children from local whites who use them as slaves, and he has created a secret haven for his wards. Once Anna overcomes her annoyance at being abducted and sees how good Nicolas is with the children, she becomes not only a willing contributor to the community but Nicolas's lover (though since Nicolas sometimes acts like an insensitive jerk, this takes a little longer). Then illness sweeps through the small band, and when Nicolas returns Anna to the white community, she is scorned for her involvement with the Indians and finds herself under the roof of the man most determined to track down and destroy the Marauder--his own half brother. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Secrets of a Midnight Moon." Publishers Weekly, 4 Oct. 1991, p. 84. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA11406017&it=r&asid=2d6270b506b446a99f828b6907d76767. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A11406017
QUOTED: "This book was incredibly well-written and impossible to put down."
September 23, 2016
Fiction Friday: Book Review- The Pleasure of The Rose by Jane Bonander (The MacNeil Legacy #1)
The Pleasure of the Rose: The MacNeil Legacy - Book One
The Pleasure of the Rose: The MacNeil Legacy – Book One by Jane Bonander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve never read any of Bonander’s books before but I really enjoyed this one. Roz is instantly attracted to Fletcher when he arrives to reclaim his home and title as Duke. She reluctantly enters into a marriage of convenience with him so that they can both keep the property. As time goes on Roz begins to develop feelings for Fletcher but they both hide secrets in their past. I loved Fletcher’s character and found the chemistry between him and Roz tangible. This book was incredibly well-written and impossible to put down. I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of Bonander’s work.
QUOTED: "Fletcher seemed to be a caricature of a Native American, often called a savage by everyone, including his wife."
"The sex seemed to drive the story, when the location and the circumstances were really what were more appealing."
he Pleasure of the Rose
Author Jane Bonander
Release Date August 23, 2016
Publisher Diversion Publishing
ISBN/ASIN 9781682302897
Our Rating
Reviewed by Dorine
Buy the Book
Our Review
An interesting combination, THE PLEASURE OF THE ROSE by Jane Bonander, introduces a Scottish inheritance erotic romance in which the characters must produce an heir. Half Comanche and half Scottish, Fletcher MacNeil expects to live only two more days when he gets an unexpected visitor in jail. Fletcher has been tried and convicted of rape and murder, with no hope but to face a hanging. A solicitor from Scotland instigates an escape and Fletcher is on his way to become the next Duke of Kintyre.
The solicitor’s sister, Rosalyn Geddes, is the castle’s housekeeper and a widow. After losing her daughter in a tragic accident, she has no wish to become another man’s wife and pawn. Unfortunately, or conveniently, while caring for the new duke during his illness, Rosalyn is mistaken for someone else and they consummate a relationship without really knowing one another. Since the duke needs an heir and Rosalyn was compromised, she is the likely choice to become his wife.
I love Native American and Scottish historical stories, so this combination naturally caught my eye. Although the concept is plausible, the implementation didn’t convince me most of the time. Fletcher seemed to be a caricature of a Native American, often called a savage by everyone, including his wife. He didn’t seem to mind, but that went along with his easygoing personality.
The story is well-written, but I only connected with Rosalyn and her best friend, a healer, finding most of the men unappealing. Fletcher talks and thinks about what he likes to call his “bag of tricks”, so there’s purple prose mixed with erotic terminology. The relationships seemed to be more lust driven than love exhibited. I think that’s what bothered me the most, that the sex seemed to drive the story, when the location and the circumstances were really what were more appealing. Leaning toward erotic wasn’t hinted at in the description of the story, so it caused me to put the book down several times and almost not finish because I wanted more emphasis on the unusual situation.
Fletcher comes across as crass in the beginning chapters so I was curious how the author would redeem him. He’s caught in bed with another man’s wife and ends up accused of rape and murder. Of course, Fletcher doesn’t have much choice but to escape when he has a chance to begin a new life in Scotland. His one redeeming quality at that point is that he refuses to go with the solicitor unless he promises to find his three missing siblings and bring them to Scotland. Fletcher has been supporting his siblings and his grandfather with his army pay, so the reader knows he’s not uncaring.
The angst created by some of the plot points is resolved rather quickly with an explanation. Those plot points were why I kept reading, so I felt let down when they weren’t shown but were told. There’s substance to this novel that I enjoyed, but it felt glossed over. I wanted the characters’ relationship to be more thoroughly fleshed out and that wasn’t possible when they seemed to spend so much time apart.
Fletcher does redeem himself in the way he treats those who live on his land. The former duke was cruel, so Fletcher fixes what’s broke and improves his tenants’ lives. He’s kind to his wife and gives her time to love him. He’s not perfect, but he tries to improve their relationship. Fletcher’s siblings set the stage for what I assume will be future books.
A good concept for a series, THE PLEASURE OF THE ROSE introduces characters who long for two countries. I’m curious whether the future books in THE MACNEIL LEGACY series will spend more time in America or Scotland, or a mixture of both.
QUOTED: "Long a master of the historical and the heartfelt, Jane Bonander pens a sweeping Scottish romance, perfect for readers of Mary Balogh."
ARC Review: The Pleasure of the Rose by Jane Bonander
September 6, 2016 By Lisa Leave a Comment
ARC Review: The Pleasure of the Rose by Jane BonanderThe Pleasure of the Rose: The MacNeil Legacy - Book One by Jane Bonander
Published by Diversion Publishing on August 23rd 2016
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
Goodreads
Long a master of the historical and the heartfelt, Jane Bonander pens a sweeping Scottish romance, perfect for readers of Mary Balogh. "Jane Bonander reaches out to her readers' hearts." "RT Book Reviews" As Fletcher MacNeil sat in a jail cell, the last thing he expected was a Scottish solicitor bearing news of an inheritance. Fletcher, half Comanche and half Scottish, is the only surviving heir to Castle Sheiling and a fortune beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he must escape his current predicament and travel across the ocean to a world of loyal clans and kinsmen where Fletcher s very appearance marks him as outsider. Rosalyn Geddes, housekeeper of Sheiling, is relieved to hear that the new earl of Kintyre has been located in America. But the last thing she expected was the mysterious, darkly handsome man who appears on the castle doorstep. Rosalyn cannot believe he is a MacNeil, let alone the new earl. But there s something about this man a power and magnetism that draws her in. Fletcher learns that his inheritance comes with a caveat he must produce an heir within one year s time or the fortune goes to a rogue cousin of the late earl. A marriage of convenience is proposed, and Roz reluctantly agrees. What begins as purely a business transaction blossoms into something more. Roz begins to feel herself open up to the possibility of love, but the question of whether Fletcher will leave her once he s met the terms of the will continues to loom over their relationship. Can they overcome Roz s tragic past and Fletcher s uncertain future?"
~~~~~
~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~
QUOTED: "The author has written great descriptions. You can visualize everything they do, wear, eat, look like and say. This is a fantastic read."
The Pleasure of the Rose
The MacNeil Legacy, #1
Ms. Bonander is letting us escape for a little way in this book. All you have to do is meet Fletcher MacNeil, half Scottish and half Comanche. He never thought he would be the only heir to a fortune, a vast fortune. There is one stipulation. He must sire a boy to get this inheritance. He will at least try by traveling across the ocean into a strange world of clans and kinsmen.
The clans and kinsmen aren't quite sure what to make of this long, dark haired man. He has so much to learn and everyone around him has a lot to learn from him. The author describes him so you can picture being alongside him as he enters the castle of Sheiling for the first time.
There is Rosalyn Geddes, the housekeeper who hasn't been with a man in a long time, not since her husband died along with her baby girl. You the reader will follow Rosalyn as Fletcher and her get to know each other. Readers get to feel the ups and downs, the hurts, the heartaches, and the romance (oh, the romance). Rosalyn is resolved not to like Fletcher but something has hold of her and is drawing her closer and closer. They have a different kind of relationship even after they are married. They have a marriage of convenience, just convenience? Will Rosalyn come around and realize that Fletcher is the MAN she's always wanted? Will Rosalyn become with child and bear a son? Follow Rosalyn and Fletcher as they try to overcome obstacles and the past. Will they eventually become a loving couple?
The author has written great descriptions. You can visualize everything they do, wear, eat, look like and say. This is a fantastic read.
QUOTED: "THE SCOUNDREL'S PLEASURE by Jane Bonander is an entertaining, historical romance with plenty of ups and downs to hold your interest throughout. Isobel is my favourite character as she is such a strong-willed, resourceful heroine. THE SCOUNDREL'S PLEASURE by Jane Bonander is the second book of The MacNeil Legacy but can easily be read on its own."
THE SCOUNDREL'S PLEASURE by Jane Bonander
13/2/2017
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Release date - 14th February 2017
Book length - 222 pages
Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com
Amazon UK - The Scoundrel's Pleasure: The MacNeil Legacy - Book Two
Amazon US - www.amazon.com
BLURB
Bestselling author Jane Bonander enchants readers the world over with her heartfelt historical romances set in Scotland and perfect for the readership of Monica McCarty and Julie Garwood.
Duncan MacNeil voyages over the sea to make his fortune in America. Shortly before his departure, he has a single tryst near the village fair with lovely Isobel Dunbar. Their romp leads to a pregnancy, and while he is across the ocean, Isobel gives birth to a spirited boy she names Ian. To protect her reputation and to prevent Duncan's wealthy family from taking Ian away from her, Isobel concocts a story that her neighbors believe--she claims Ian's father married her and then died in a shipwreck, leaving her a poor widow. The truth, she hopes, will never be discovered, and her son will never meet his father.
When Duncan returns, weary of the New World and ready to take charge of his family's business, his first plan is to buy a run-down former brothel and convert it to a cannery. Only this is where Isobel now calls home. He can't understand why she refuses to sell, and he certainly cannot understand why she harbors such resentment towards him. Then he realizes who this beautiful woman once was to him. Can Duncan grow from an irresponsible boy into a man who takes responsibility for his past carelessness? And can Isobel ever trust this stranger, when keeping Ian's parentage a secret is the only way she knows to keep her beloved son close?
MY REVIEW
One careless night of passion and rebellion and Isobel Dunbar's life is changed forever. With Duncan MacNeil, the father of her child, gone to sea never to return, Isobel fears that the MacNeil's will try to take her precious child away from her if they were to learn of his existence. So she concocts a story and makes herself a widow, and begins a new life where she can raise her son. But when Duncan returns and is determined to buy the building where she has made her home, Isobel is determined to resist him...in every way possible. For the scoundrel still has the power to set her blood on fire. But with so many secrets and insecurities between them, could Isobel ever trust Duncan with her heart and their beloved son? THE SCOUNDREL'S PLEASURE by Jane Bonander is an entertaining, historical romance with plenty of ups and downs to hold your interest throughout. Isobel is my favourite character as she is such a strong-willed, resourceful heroine. THE SCOUNDREL'S PLEASURE by Jane Bonander is the second book of The MacNeil Legacy but can easily be read on its own.
BOOK RATING - 📖📖📖📖 4
Author Bio:
Jane Bonander has always had a flare for the dramatic. Just ask her mother. When she was five, she ran home from kindergarten and scrambled under her parents’ bed, hiding there until her mother came looking for her which was longer than Jane had anticipated, for she fell asleep. When her mother woke her, she told her that a big, hairy monster had chased her home. Since over an hour had passed, the drama of the moment was gone. She sold her first novel, SECRETS OF A MIDNIGHT MOON, to St. Martin’s Press in 1990. Since then she has published twelve more novels and novellas.
Although Jane lived in California for nearly twenty years and wrote most of her novels there, she returned to her roots in Minnesota in 1997, where she makes her home in St. Paul. For more information:
Website - www.janebonander.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/Jane-Bonander-914942311887071/?fref=ts
QUOTED: "What a book! You have your romances, but this author went above and beyond. One time you love Duncan and the next minute you cant' stand him. He's definitely a scoundrel but there's things about that scoundrel you can't help but love."
The Scoundrel's Pleasure
The MacNeil Legacy - Book Two
One night will change several lives forever. One careless night of a romp in the hay. A child is born from this night, only the father doesn't know it. Duncan MacNeil is gone to sea on his way to America to make many riches. Lovely Isobel Dunbar is left with a child that is born while Duncan is gone. She fears that Duncan's wealthy family will take her son, Ian, from her. She comes up with the story that Ian's father had married her and then died at sea. She prays that the truth never comes out. She has made her home in a run down brothel and when Duncan returns from sea, he plans on buying the brothel and converting it to a cannery. But he runs into problems when the owner won't sell. He doesn't understand why. That is, until he discovers the owner is the beautiful woman who he once made love to. Duncan doesn't know real responsibility. He's always had money and he's never had to really grow up and take on a man's responsibilities. But now, what will happen now.? Will he discover why Isobel is so standoffish to him? Will Duncan discover that Ian is his son? Will the tucked away romance come to the surface? So many questions. The author grabs your heart strings as soon as you begin reading. She gives you that one night that soon will lead into possibly others. At least the author leaves the reader hoping so. The author gives you, the reader, two characters that are both strong willed and rather stubborn. Everybody loves that love story that appears it can't be. Everybody wants it to come out with love winning over the stubbornness and the strong willed to keep secrets. The author keeps those pages turning as you are wanting Duncan to grow up and be a real man. You want Isobel to figure out a way for Ian to have his father. Your heart beats strong and you keep hoping and praying that Duncan and Isobel will finally let the secrets out and give Ian the parents he deserves. What a book! You have your romances, but this author went above and beyond. One time you love Duncan and the next minute you cant' stand him. He's definitely a scoundrel but there's things about that scoundrel you can't help but love. A scoundrel makes you heart flip flop sometimes. Isobel, sometimes you feel sorry for her and other times you want her to just outright tell Duncan that Ian is his. The author keeps you guessing until the end and the end may surprise you. Will you, Duncan, Isobel and Ian get what you all want and need? Don't let this book pass you by. Isobel, Duncan and Ian are waiting for you to follow them in this unforgettable story.