Review: Still Great After All These Years
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 5, 2013
I’ve been a fan of Alexandra Hawkins for a few years now, discovering her Carlyle family series when she was writing under the name of Barbara Pierce. I never did get to her Bedegrayne books before she began her Lords of Vice series, and those have kept me busy for a while. Now that St. Martin’s has reissued the Bedegraynes  in e-format, I’m not missing the opportunity to read about the family who started it all for this very talented author.Though I know each book is being updated to conform more toward today’s romance reader, you can still tell that even nearly fifteen years ago when these books were written Ms. Hawkins was going to hook those who love historical romance. She’s definitely grown as a writer over the years, but I still enjoyed myself reading these debut books.Rayne Wyman, Viscount Tipton, has shunned society for the last fifteen years. He’s been considered a monster, a spawn of the devil during that time, all because of the tragic mistake his family made when he and his older brother were deathly ill. Thinking both sons had died, Rayne found himself being “rescued” by grave robbers after he’d been buried alive. Though he survived, everyone has since looked upon him as evil incarnate, even his parents, who cast him out, leaving him on his own at fifteen years of age.Finally taking his place as head of the family, Rayne hasn’t been able to forgive and forget, treating his mother and sister with indifference and disgust, supplying them with the minimum to get by. His mother is one piece of work. She acts as though she did nothing wrong disavowing her young son, leaving him alone and unloved. You can’t blame Rayne one bit for the way he treats everyone now, shutting himself off from people and any emotion but perhaps anger and sarcasm. He’s as content as he can be, considering what he’s been through for so long.That contentment is shattered one night when the windstorm that is Devona Bedegrayne blusters into his home, asking for favors that he initially refuses. Feeling guilty over the imprisonment and impending death of a friend, Devona seeks Tipton out for his expertise in reviving those who have died. He’s a surgeon by trade, despite his noble heritage. His past also gives him an air of mystique, giving him “powers” he obviously doesn’t have. After having just a smattering of interaction with Devona, he now can’t get her out of his head, so he changes his mind about helping her and binds her to him with a bargain that leaves them betrothed and hopefully married when all is said and done.I love these two characters. They need each other desperately. Rayne needs Devona’s love, something he’s never truly experienced, and there is something in him that recognizes she’s the one who can give him what he’s missing. That makes him pursue her, coming up with new ways to keep her when things don’t go as he plans. Devona is that carefree, think later type of gal. She’s adventurous, loyal, and fun-loving. Taken with Rayne and his horrible experience, she wants to get to know him, but the man is frustration walking around in a suit. They complement each other, fill in one another’s flaws. I also like how Rayne eventually sees his younger sister in a different light due to Devona’s loving nature.All of that, however, doesn’t keep them out of trouble. Mysterious accidents occur, and though Rayne is more alert to keep Devona safe, there’s a sly culprit who has worked his plan down to the nth degree. Those scenes when Rayne is so close to getting Devona back are intense and your nails will be bitten down to the quick by the time you’re through them. This is one crazy villain and no one is safe.I like the feeling of family from the Bedegraynes, something else Rayne needs in his life. I was hoping for more of Brock, the Bedegrayne heir, and Amara, but there’s just enough to keep interest high and get to their book. Sister Wynne is next, The Scandalously Bad Mr. Milroy, which is also on the shelves right now. I hope the last two books in the series are also going to be updated and re-released. I’m in a Bedegrayne fever now.