ARC REVIEW Romancing the Rogue by Erica Ridley

Romancing the Rogue is the second of Erica Ridley's Gothic Historical Romance series. it was originally part of the Vexed Anthology. (I'm sorry but the model on the cover looks like she is about to sneeze.) I enjoyed the story and the characters, it's a quick and easy read. Rebecca has been invisible for the better part of a year. The death of her parents left her at her great grandfather's house his illness left him bedridden and soon the servants even forgot about her their. She took it upon herself to fix the mistakes the steward made in the ledgers and even helped the kitchen staff a time or two, everyone just assumed it was one of the ghosts haunting the castle. Everyone made a big deal about the castle being haunted and barely touched on how it became haunted, I wish Erica Ridley did more with the haunted house for a gothic romance it wasn't very gothic, for the exception of the location of haunted castle that's as gothic as it gets.

Daniel Goodenham came into his viscountcy early in his his life. He strived to make his grandmother proud something his father never seemed to do. But in his drive to be the best Viscount he can be it cost him the only true friend he ever had. Rebecca Bond was younger than him and according to his grandmother to far beneath him to be his Viscountess. Daniel planned to make it up to her the next year after everything was settled but she never came back to London. As the years passed Daniel kept putting off an apology because it would never be enough. On the eve of his birthday Daniel receives a missive telling him that Rebecca's grandfather has died and that he is expected to be there for the reading of the will. Daniel sees this as his chance to get back his best friend and make up for lost time.

Rebecca's invisibility disappeared when her grandfather died and her uncle inherited. With six daughters already he gave Rebecca the ultimatum that she marry before January or he finds a husband for her. Rebecca knew Daniel would show up and was ready with a proposition for him. Out of practice from the ton she asks Daniel's help to find her a husband. Taken back by the idea has Daniel realize Rebecca means everything to him and he must either love her enough to brave his grandmother or love her enough to let her go.

Overall, this was a good story focusing just on the main characters with hardly any secondary characters at all. I almost wish there was more to it.