Publisher: Darcy Burke Publishing
Format: ebook
Release Date: December 1st, 2020
Genre: Historical Romance
Goodreads
Rating: 4/5 Stars
What a fun novella! The Legend of a Rogue is a prequel to Darcy Burke’s Legendary Rogues series, which I wasn’t aware of when I originally picked it up. It being a prequel didn’t dampen my enjoyment at all, and has made me keen to check out the rest of the series.
This isn’t quite Regency, set more around mid-century shortly after the Battle of Culloden (1746), but it has that kind of Regency-vibe to it that I tend to love, though it stands out for being set in Scotland and away from the ‘ton’ as Regency readers would be familiar with. Elspeth Marshall is a storyteller, collecting legends and tales to recount and write. When she meets Roy, he enchants her with a story of a mystical sword, and with his kisses. He leaves Elspeth with promises to return, but two years later she has given up hope of ever seeing him again.
Until, travelling with her aunt, Elspeth is trapped by poor weather at an inn. There, she sees Roy again, and discovers the sword might actually be real. And Roy’s name isn’t Roy, it’s Tavish – and he’s looking for the sword. He isn’t the only one, however.
This novella was a romp – there’s some nice action towards the end, and we get plenty of time to indulge in Elspeth and Tavish’s relationship. Although he keeps a fair bit from her, he has his reasons, and eventually they work together to find the sword and keep it out of the wrong hands. There was a little bit too much repetition, with Elspeth for one part constantly thinking about what he’s kept from her and realising he has his reasons, then two pages later thinking about what he’s kept from her and realising he has his reasons…but other than that it really was a delight.
Burke’s writing keeps you swept up in the moment, and the dash of fantasy added here really compliments the relationship itself. I liked how much agency Elspeth had, pushing for what she wants and not afraid to stand up for herself, and the way the characters around the main couple were fleshed out. The ending was a lot of fun, too, as Tavish has to find a way to defeat the villains searching for the legendary sword.
If you’re looking for something fun to sit down with and devour in an afternoon, this works well, and will undoubtably keep you gripped.
Thank you to Darcy Book Publishing for providing me a copy of this book via NetGalley. Reviews remain my own.
Unwrapping Words 