New release: The Rogue’s Runaway Bride offers fun family building with a side of romance
The Rogue’s Runaway Bride by Tara Kingston is a period adventure with just enough romantic bounce to keep you going, and it’s out today! Purchase or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited starting August 26, 2025.
Tap here to unroll a detailed plot summary:
An heiress on the run . . .
Stranded in London with only the rain-soaked wedding dress on her back, American dollar princess Arabelle Frost is on the run from a dangerous man. Drenched and desperate, she’s sure her dismal night can’t get worse . . . until a rogue from her past charges to the rescue. As handsome as he is arrogant, Jon Mason nearly stole her heart. She’d hoped to never again lay eyes on the tempting yet vexing rake, but she needs a place to hide. And fast. But falling for him is out of the question. Especially when an angry would-be groom with a dark secret is hot on her trail.
The rogue who never got over her . . .
Tycoon Jonathan Mason has everything a sensible man could want. Blasted shame he had to complicate matters by playing the hero. Now, the beautiful heiress he’d left behind after a whirlwind romance is under his roof. Arabelle Frost is exasperating. Challenging. And utterly enchanting. But she can’t hide her fear of the fortune-hunting scoundrel who pursued her through the city on a bleak and rainy night. Determined to protect her, Jon knows the risks. After all, he’s no stranger to taking chances. But with each day that passes, it’s harder not to fall for her.
I never like to spend too much time on a plot description, but the basic overview is Arabelle fled a bad situation very quickly and without a lot of resources one day and needs shelter. By happenstance, she ends up reconnecting with a man who left her behind in America years ago, Jonathan Mason, and seeking shelter with him.
Strong points for this new Regency romance
I really loved that this book spent a lot of time developing characters outside of the female and male leads. In particular, the female lead spends a lot of time building relationships within the household and with her limited visitors. There is also a bit of time spent with the male main character reflecting on his changing relationships with these same individuals. It’s a bit like found family, but with a real family/domestic setup. In the tropes, this is expressed as domesticity.
This is actually a really fun aspect of the book, but the space spent on this exposition takes away from pages building up the main relationship. The book relies heavily on these characters having a backstory largely outside of the book to establish their connection, and there isn’t a great deal of tension between Arabelle and Jonathan. Spice is limited. They are bit like two old friends taking it slow versus a “will they or won’t they” vibe.
The culmination of the “suspense” of the book is resolved fairly quickly, and there is a bit of a pop-up issue for final drama. I feel the book fumbled here, and this is largely the reason for me considering more of a four star read than a five star read.
Still a recommended book if you enjoy a period romance, as I think the increased focus on social and household connections was a really nice twist. It made the book more homey and wholesome feeling. I can’t say that I enjoyed the book enough to seek out the others in this series though.
Tropes in The Rogue’s Runaway Bride for Regency romance trope seekers:
✅ Runaway Bride
✅ Protector / Woman in Jeopardy
✅ Grumpy / Sunshine
✅ Second Chance Romance
✅ Forced Proximity
✅ Opposites Attract
✅ Bad Boy Reformed
✅ Domesticity
Series: A Rogue of Her Own
Prior Books in the series:
Publisher: Dragonblade
Please note: this book was based on an advanced review copy acquired through Net Galley, and this post features an affiliate link to Amazon. I would earn a slight commission if you acquired the book through this link. All opinions are my own.
