Review: most emotionally-charged novella of the series (yet)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 20, 2012
Ruination is another sensational installment in the already exceptional The Rake and the Recluse Series.  I was not sure, when I first began the series, if the serial nature of the novellas would enhance or detract from the story line.  Now that I am more than half-way through the series, I can safely say that the serial series is even better than the original novel.  Each serial novella is more detailed, better edited, and gives more depth to the story.A Duke provoked and a scandalous kidnapping make Ruination the most emotionally-charged and thrilling installment in The Rake and the Recluse series yet.Ruination picks up right where novella 3, Taken, ends.  Francine has been abducted and Gideon is racing to save her.  Despite Gideon's best efforts, miscalculations cost both him and Francine.  Francine is in a horrible situation (as you might expect for a kidnap victim), but she maintains her spunk.  When Francine and Gideon are reunited, there is no keeping them apart.  Neither want to loose the other again, and Francine becomes more at ease with being in this new time period.  While Gideon and Francine's relationship solidifies, Perry begins acting strangely.  Perry is not settling into his new role as guardian very well.  Ruination sets the scene for Perry's secrets and story to unfold in the next installments, and I can not wait to read about it.I have not at all been let down with this series.  I had expected that these middle novella sections might taper off a bit, or show some weak points.  However, my fears evaporated as I read Ruination.  The storyline in Ruination kept me reading as fast as I could and the more I read the more I loved the characters.  I get the feeling that from here on out, the focus of the story will shift a little bit, and I am eagerly anticipating the next installments in the series.Notes on the series: Jenn LeBlanc's photography interspersed throughout the story only enhances the story. Illustrated novels are a very new concept (as far as I know, unique to Jenn LeBlanc), but with both visually stunning photographs and impressive writing Jenn LeBlanc has created a new format for a literary masterpiece.Each installment of this series is uniquely crafted to focus the storyline and engage readers. With the story broken into segments, the reader is able to really learn each of the characters and understand the setting. The reader is transported from the pages of the book into the story.*I received this book for review*