Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney Series: Rogues Redeemed #1
Published by Zebra Books on June 28, 2016
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 368
Format: Kindle or ebook
Source: the publisher
Add to Goodreads
Also by this author: Sometimes a Rogue, Not Quite a Wife, Not Always a Saint, The Last Chance Christmas Ball, Seduction On a Snowy Night, One Perfect Rose, Silver Lady
As heir to a title and great wealth, Will Masterson should have stayed home and tended his responsibilities. Instead he went to war. Now, after perilous years fighting the French, he intends his current mission to be his last. But all his plans are forgotten when he arrives in the small mountain stronghold of San Gabriel and meets her.
Knowing herself to be too tall, strong, and unconventional to appeal to a man, Athena Markham has always gloried in her independence. But for the first time in her life, she finds a man who might be her match.
Two of a kind, too brave for their own good, Athena and Will vow to do whatever it takes to vanquish San Gabriel's enemies. For neither will back down from death, and only together can they find happiness and a love deeper than any they'd dared imagine...
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
Review
I enjoyed Once a Soldier, in part because I always enjoy Putney’s historical romances for their blend of solid history and unlikely-but-believable stories, and in part because both Will and Athena are so easy to like and connect with. The book feels much like the Lost Lords series in tone, and no wonder: Will Masterton is a Lost Lord.
In fact, he’s Damian Mackenzie’s legitimate half-brother. We met Will earlier in Nowhere Near Respectable. That links the Rogues Redeemed series to the Lost Lords series, and Will and Athena do interact with several of the characters from the Lost Lords books, if only briefly. Ballard, who is mentioned occasionally in the Lost Lords books but rarely seen, is the hero of the secondary romance in Once a Soldier, so Putney gets to marry off the last two school chums in one fell swoop before introducing a new cast characters in the next book. (Don’t worry if you haven’t read the Lost Lords books, though; this one can certainly stand on its own.)
I’ve read several romances recently in which the hero is singularly devoid of flaws, and Once a Soldier fits that mold. Will is honorable, loyal, caring, and remarkably unsexist for a man of the early 19th century. I kept waiting for his flaws to surface, and they never really did. He makes mistakes here and there, but nothing significant within the romantic relationship. Frankly, he doesn’t really fit the “rogues redeemed” idea, for all that he thinks he does. In case you can’t tell, I liked him very much.
Athena has a much less conventional background than Will, and more obvious emotional scars. She’s strong, capable, and confident, except when it comes to romantic relationships. Her influence, intelligence and determination are one of the main reasons San Gabriel has survived the Napoleonic Wars as well as it has. She’s altogether admirable, and I love it that Will is not intimidated or turned off by Athena’s rather unconventional strengths, but appreciates her for who she is.
San Gabriel, the fictional state where the majority of the book takes place, is a delightful miniature country — about the size of Liechtenstein, or even smaller. To be honest, it comes across as overly idealized, almost a fairy-tale country: beautiful and charming, but not quite real. . . rather like the novel itself.
I can’t help feeling a little nostalgic for the emotional depth and richness Putney instilled in Thunder and Roses and her other Fallen Angels books, and some of her other early works. This book, like the Lost Lords series, feels a little lighter, even when the characters are in serious danger. I can’t quite pinpoint the cause, but I find myself missing that sense of vivid realism. Nonetheless, I truly enjoyed Once a Soldier, and I’m definitely looking forward to the sequels!
About Mary Jo Putney
Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York and holds degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design from Syracuse University. She worked in the field of design until her first novel was published in 1987. Since then, she has written over forty books, mainly historical romances.
Ms. Putney’s novels are known for their emotional depth and for tackling unusal subjects for romance, including alcoholism, imprisonment, terminal illness, and domestic violence. Her books regularly feature on national bestseller lists. A ten-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA award, Putney has won twice, for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer (later revised and expanded as The Rake. She is also the holder of several other awards, including the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ms. Putney continues to write new stories for Kensington, but has reissued many of her backlist titles independently, including the Silk Trilogy and her bestselling Fallen Angels series.
She lives near Baltimore, Maryland.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Clean Sweep ARC Challenge (May 2016)
Kimberly @ Turning the Pages
I was actually looking at this authors books today at the library when I was pursuing the shelves and I though about picking her up but wanted to see what people were saying about her newer books as the ones at my branch were older titles. I don’t read many historical romances anymore and it’s a shame since I miss the genre. Hope my library will have this one soon.
Kimberly @ Turning the Pages recently posted…It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #126
Rita @ View From My Books
Maybe I need to read an older Mary Jo Putney to get the full experience of her writing talents. Thanks for pointing out a new to me author.
Rita @ View From My Books recently posted…Weekly List #5! Out of the Comfort Zone & Reviews