A sweet, rather slight novel in the required historical version. As per the trope there are impediments to overcome before it all ends with a happily ever after.
The first half of the novel works better, in my opinion, than the final half. It has more depth and content. The last half seems to miss descriptoon and characters not to mention actions.
Well proofed and nice style of writing.

Anything Sophie Barnes writes is usually on my virtual bookshelf; she never fails to create characters you want to root for or smack! This is book 9 in the Diamonds in the Rough Series and while it is far shorter than a classic novel, it's a sweet quick read that hits all the right notes.

Jack, Baron Hawthorne, and Sophia, a youngster the local vicar took in as an orphan meet as children and hit it off splendidly. Too splendidly if Jack's father has anything to say about it. So, he offers Jack an ultimatum, head to London and leave Sophia behind or his inheritance would be taken away. Jack not believing his feelings to be that strong for Sophia takes off.

The story picks up four years later when Jack makes it back in town to find that Sophia is betrothed to her foster brother, a man that Jack cannot stand. Her agreement only comes to see if she can spur Jack into declaring himself, something that seems a little too risky for me.

What follows is a very quick story where they become acquainted again, especially in barn they took refuge in to escape a storm...

It was an excellent story, as Sophie Barnes usually writes! I would have liked to see it longer to enjoy the fleshing out of characters and angsty tension though. Either way, a great quick read for an evening of romance.

My opinions are my own and freely given.

The Roguish Baron is essentially a romance novel on speedrun mode. It's jam packed from beginning to end with all the beats of a romance - seemingly unrequited affection, a rake trying to reform, familial troubles, an orphan of unknown parentage, getting caught in a storm - but it moves through them all extremely quickly.

The quickness of this book is both a benefit and a drawback. On the one hand, it's a quick bite, perfect for when you want a romance that won't take long to read (I read it in an evening). But on the other, the pace comes at the cost of genuine-seeming character development and an ability to savor anything that's happening. Revelations about feelings ended up being spelled out explicitly rather than being allowed to develop naturally on the page, and background elements - like Jack's sister's romances - felt rushed, like afterthoughts merely shoe-horned in to fill space. The central love story also felt like it needed a little more room to breathe. I wanted to linger with the two main characters, but the pace simply did not allow for that.

That said, the setup of childhood friends to lovers was a good one, and both main characters were solid enough that I cared about seeing how their story would wrap up. I just wish there had been a little more substance to it!

3.25/5

This is the ninth installment of Ms. Barnes' Diamonds in the Rough series. I always love picking up a book by Ms. Barnes. Her stories always captivate and pull me in right from the start and I get lost in the story. She always pays close attention to details that really make the story and characters come to life. This series has been such a delight to read so far and this latest installment also did not disappoint!
Jack and Sophia have been friends since they were kids. Jack is a member of the aristocracy and Sophia was taken in as an orphan and cared for by the local vicar. When they were young, they began to form an attachment, and Jack's father was not happy with that so he sent Jack away. When he returns, Sophia enters into an engagement with another in hopes of making Jack jealous and rekindling those feelings they shared years ago. When Jack finds out, he sets out on a path to win her back.
This was a lovely second chance romance that was such delight to read! The writing and storyline were well done and the characters were well-crafted and likable.
A wonderful addition to the series and I wholeheartedly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

So, the Roguish Baron is the 9th in the Diamonds in the Rough series. I absolutely ADORED the first three books in the series. The first one, A Most Unlikely Duke is a 5-star read.

This book is essentially a novella (123 vs. the 372 of A Most Unlikely Duke), which means that there’s only so much plot development possible. It was a quick and engaging read, but didn’t require a lot of focus or attention. I felt that Sophia’s character was better fleshed out than Jack’s—I really wanted to like Jack, he had a lot of potential. But we didn’t get to learn a lot about him. I wish we’d had more time to delve into his relationship with his father and with the title, and how that affected his feelings for Sophia. Because it was so short, it feels like it wrapped up too quickly. In fact, there is a significant gap/time leap of which we know nothing.

I feel this novella had a lot of potential, but the length constraints made it so a lot was left out. This is definitely a story I would love to get a “director’s cut” that puts in a lot of what must have been cut out for length.

FYI, the spice level is very low if that’s a concern of yours (I personally like the spicier the better, but that’s a personal preference), but Sophie Barnes is not a high-spice author. That being said, the full-length books in this series provide you with a lot of sensual tension build up that is delightful. This one didn’t have the space to accomplish that. Still, it’s a nice quick read that would be delightful for a plane ride where you don’t want heat boiling off the page while you’re sitting next to a stranger.

Here we have the rare baron hero! Sophie Barnes’s The Roguish Baron was a sweet, short read, and I adored the childhood-friends-to-lovers set-up. Sophia and Jack always had a close connection as children, but, four years before the start of the novel, he left their country village and went to London to put space between the two of them. His father—an Earl—had told him that he could never marry Sophia and, if he did, he would forfeit his inheritance. He didn't feel that he was in love with Sophia at this point, but he was offended by his father's attempt to intervene and his threats. Now, Jack has returned to their country village for the first time and Sophia has recently become engaged to her foster brother, Edward. Jack immediately takes a dislike to this turn of events and it causes him to realize that he has long been in love with Sophia. They find their way together (including getting caught in a storm together and having to take shelter in an empty shepherd’s cottage—love this trope!) and find their HEA against the odds (which include a surprise inheritance for Sophia).
The Roguish Baron was truly tropetastic and had a lot of elements that I love in historicals. I definitely recommend it, especially if you like baron heroes, childhood-friends-to-lovers, and the best friends’ older brother trope.

This for me, was a one nighter. I was able to start and finish the same day. Most of the book I was able to move along with. It did take a moment to correlate how the characters knew one another, but once everyone was sorted in my mind, the read went along smoothly.

I enjoyed the descriptions, but was hoping for a stronger story. Part of the story is the main character, Sophia, is helping along with meals for underprivileged families, this could have been an area to explore more about her.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author (Sophie Barnes) and the publisher for allowing me an advanced eCopy of the book.

The Roguish Baron by Sophie Barnes is the ninth book of the Diamonds in the Rough series. Jack Lancaster, Baron Hawthorne, is returning home after four years. When he discovers his childhood friend Sophia Fenmore has become engaged, Jack realizes he never should have run away from the way he feels about her. Sophia is still heartbroken over the way Jack left years before. Now that he is back, she is determined to move on. But Jack is determined to win her back. Sophia is unwilling to risk her heart for a rogue. It is up to Jack to prove to Sophia that he has changed.

I had so much fun reading this novella! I couldn’t help but devour this romantic story. I can’t wait to read more from Sophie Barnes!

Sophia and Jack are a lifetime friends finding love when least expected.

After his return at home, his twin sisters agree to marry them and will do everything they can for that to happen. When Sophia declines her attendance at the party, but later on shows up with her now fiancé, everything takes an unexpected turn.

I loved the love triangle element in here and I think it works great for this story.

All their interaction and chemistry are intriguing to watch and the romance part is swoon worthy.

A quick read that I enjoyed a lot and I’m looking forward to seeing where the author will take us on a new journey and couple in this series.

Very grateful to the author for my review copy

It was really nice being back in the " Diamonds in the Rough " world, I loved the aspect of unrequited love, friends to loves and the added addition of a love triangle. Which all added up to a fun quick steamy read.

Sophia Fenmore, 22, has just learned that Jack Lancaster, Baron Hawthorne, 27, is headed home His twin sisters, Felicity and Kaitlin, 20, are looking forward to Jack being at their house party. Since the twins’ father, the Earl of Hawthorne declared his daughters’ debuts and season a failure, he has invited 5 gentlemen to their house party from whom, hopefully, the girls can choose a husband. The sisters want Sophia to attend the party too, but she declines. The twins know that Sophia has loved Jack for a long time and they want them to marry.

Sophia was left as an orphan on a doorstep and adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Fenmore, a vicar and his wife. Edward is the couple’s child and the two children grew up together. Today, Edward is also a vicar like his father. Sophia knows that Jack will never marry her so when Edward asks her to marry him, she accepts.

When Edward and Sophia are invited to the house party, they announce their engagement. Jack is shocked and feels that they are more like brother and sister than husband and wife. Now, Jack is set on a path to win Sophia’s hand. Will he be able to convince her of his love?

This is a nice story and I especially liked the fact that it is clean. I’m glad to see the author back to sweet romance novels like those of her earlier ones. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

He ran off to London...

to be a full time rake.. While Sophia pined for him. Jack was a first rate jerk and it took a lot for me to warm up to him. In the four years since he ran away, Sophia became engaged to Edward. There's another interwoven couple here as well. I do think Sophia should have made Jack work for it more, but it is novella length and moves at a good pace.

Recommend.
4.5

This is the sweetest of love triangles!

Aww, I just love Sophia and her reasons for agreeing to marry Edward. It was fun to watch Jack struggle with his feelings for her, especially since Edward's his best friend. The scene where he finally opens up was absolute perfection, and because of who he opened up to, I think I can honestly say I've never read anything like it before!

It took me a while to warm up to Jack, mostly because of his state of denial. The secret revealed at the end wasn't a complete surprise, but the complication it created for Jack and Sophia's relationship seemed a bit much. Still, it didn't take up too much time so I can overlook its little interruption.

Their HEA was sublime, and I adored how it also included a very well-deserved HEA for another couple. I especially appreciated how the lines were blurred between friends and family, showing that family really is made by the heart and not by the DNA. It's a terrific book that I highly recommend. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This story was previously published in a holiday collection called "The Rogue Who Stole Christmas".
This story was sweet and romantic. Barnes succeeds in creating an intricate story in such a short tale. I never felt that the pacing was too fast or that anything unbelievable was occurring.
I liked how witty Sophia was. She had some great one-liners!
Definitely a story to be finished on a rainy afternoon.

A short sweet and clean story that I enjoyed very much. While I have read the odd other story from this series I haven't read them all and didn't feel like I had missed anything. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A sweet novella that is part of the Diamonds in the Rough series. Sophia was abandoned in a church as a baby, but the vicar and his wife raised her along with their son Edward as if she was truly their child. Growing up with the neighboring Earl’s family was always a adventure. Jack was Edward’s friend and older, but the two always shared the same interests. While Edward preferred spending time with Jack’s sisters. As they grew up, feelings changed and Jack’s father noticed before Jack did. Causing a riff between father and son and breaking of Sophia heart when Jack suddenly left for London. Now four years later Jack returns and regrets some of his choices, but is it to late for second chances?
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheRoguishBaron

So good... I read it twice! I do read my favs twice, but never in quick succession. Well, this one was the exception. Sophie Barnes has given us another love to love story. Our heroine is Sophia, who was abandoned on the doorstep of a church. She a great person, but... in those days, there's no way she would be accepted as a bride by folks of rank right? Our hero though, grows up with her and is into her. His dad, of course, is not happy and threatens him. Jack runs away and now... he's back. And... she's engaged. And... he's... done for. Don't miss this one!

Sophie Barnes is one of my favorite writers of the genre, her writing makes it easy to immerse yourself in the story and take part in one of its characters
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The Roguish Baron is an easy-to-read short story, number nine in this series, about two people who grew up together, became best friends, and then drifted apart
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Sophia and Jack grew up together regardless of social differences, but as they grew up Jack distanced himself and settled in London, making the pages of the newspapers live with stories of his nights of adventure, but when he returns home to support his sisters in the search of a husband is speechless to see Sophia turned into a beautiful woman and even more upset to learn that she is engaged
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As Jack begins to discover his true feelings for Sophia, he tries to do everything possible to make her change her mind and give up getting married.
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I always enjoy a good story written by Sophie Barnes, even when her rakes and rogues don't deserve my good opinion, I'm always happy with their happy endings and the path they take to get there
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Thanks to Sophie Barnes for give me this beautiful book in exchange for my honest opinion I really enjoyed reading it

The Roguish Baron By Sophie Barnes

Jack and Sophie grew up together as children . Sophie is an orphan being raised by the Fenmores the Vicars family and is friends with Jack's Sisters. Now they are grown up Sophie is no longer acceptable in their social circle as her origins are unknown and they are all the children of the Earl of Hunter. Jack has a falling out with his father about this and goes off to London to gain his own way and only returns home for his sisters forthcoming season. In his four year absence he has developed quite a reputation of a notorious rake. On his return Sophie is now a very beautiful young woman and is about to get engaged to Edward the Vicars son who secretly loves Felicity Jack sister. Jack now finds he is in love with Sophie and works out how to stop the impending marriage.

For a short novel it was a very slow long winded read . A bit disappointing for Sophie Barnes.

I enjoyed this story of best friends finally admitting their love for each other and overcoming all obstacles including family to be together. Jack and Sophia are relatable characters whom I pulled for and enjoyed watching their growth as individuals and in their romance. I really liked Jack’s development through this story.

If you like best friends to lovers trope and groveling this is a good story for you. It’s low steam, with lots of sparks and chemistry.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.