As the weeks early autumn passed us by, I began to see a recurring theme in the posts at Romantic Reads. Maybe it wasn’t a theme, exactly, more like a repeating call to action: Read
Ruthless. It’s one of the best books of the year.
I’m a little slow on the uptake, so it took me until the very last month of the year to get on the bandwagon. So allow me, now, to proclaim what the wise Romantic Readers were urging the rest of us to do for months: Read Ruthless. It’s one of the best books of the year.
Few heroes are as devilish as Francis Rohan, Viscount Rohan. An Englishman living in Eurpoe, he's earned his reputation for sin the fun way. There are rumors making their way through the French countryside and Parisian streets of a secret society whose members practice the most debauched things: pleasures of the flesh, dark and dangerous rituals, and indulgences catering to any desire.
Only a foolish or desperate woman would venture into Rohan’s secretive world, and Elinor Harriman is the latter. Her mother is just the sort of woman Rohan’s activities appeal to, and to save her from herself, Elinor must venture into the lair of the very Devil himself.
This is the extraordinarily seductive entrée into the House of Rohan novels, a series written by Anne Stuart. Ruthless is followed by Reckless and Breathless, and I promise that the books will have you feeling both things described in the titles.
I’m so glad I paid attention to all the buzz surrounding these books. Not only are they exceedingly sexy and decadent, but they’re emotionally satisfying, too. I’m putting the entire trio of books on my best-of list for 2010.
What were your favorite reads of the year?
Melanie Murray is the moderator of Romantic Reads, BN.com's all-romance, all-the-time community forum.
becke_davis
on
I'm so glad you liked it, Melanie!
I love the fact that audiences seem more open to Anne Stuart's darker books these days. I also highly recommend her Ice series - and don't forget her older books like RITUAL SINS, MOONRISE and NIGHTFALL.
For my best book of the year, the first one that comes to mind is Joanna Bourne's FORBIDDEN ROSE.
