Review: The Recluse and The Rake
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 5, 2014
I purchased and read this set after reading Book One, Freedom. I typically don't read serials, time travel,  or historicals, but something about  Freedom drew me in and REDUX subsequently captured my total attention. I couldn't put it down. Making the serial available in one book is a large part of what made it work so well for me, though. Additionally, LeBlanc has done a wonderful job of placing the reader in Victorian England and Scotland. The characters are well developed and the plot is captivating.Francine is from the present time.  She is on her way to a meeting when she suddenly finds herself running through woods and into the path of a team of horses. She awakens to discover herself  concussed, amnesic and recovering in the country manor of the Duke of Roxleigh. Rox has the reputation of a Recluse, shying away from the congestion of London and the trappings of the Ton. He takes his position as a peer of the realm very seriously, but protecting Francine soon becomes his primary focus. As his attraction to her grows, he realizes he must learn who she is before he can harbor any hope of a future with her. When his younger brother, Perigrine, the Rake, learns of Rox's dilemma, he inserts himself into the household and inadvertently becomes Francine' s guardian. But when he returns to London to take care of urgent business, he discovers a stow away in his carriage. It is Lilly, a young under servant who was brutally attacked and left for dead in the woods near her family's home on Rox's land.  She wants to get away from the smothering and pity of her family and friends.  Lilly persuades Perry to help her get away, but what she asks next of him will rock his innate beliefs about class and propriety.Of the two couples, I enjoyed the Rake' s story the most. Francine is from a different time but is accepted as "suitable"while Lilly is not only "damaged" but a servant who can at best aspire to become a lady's maid. Prior to the attack, Lilly was a self assured, fearless tomboy.  I loved the awareness and patience Perry brought to her "lessons"  to help her return to her spunky former self.  And I loved the transformation of both brothers.  I hope there will be follow-up stories to this book. This is a large extended Scottish family with lots of potential for more great romances.  As long as they aren't serialized and marketed individually I'm in.