Becket's Last Stand
by Kasey Michaels
Sycamore Public Library call number: ROM FIC MIC
(The first three books in this series are reviewed here; books 4 & 5 are reviewed here.)
Return of the Prodigal is the story of Rian Becket's recovery from injuries sustained at Waterloo - during Fanny's book, A Reckless Beauty - and eventual return to Romney Marsh. Rian comes home in the company of an AWOL blacksmith named Jasper, who's served as his bodyguard and become a good friend in the process, as well as a young French nurse named Lisette. She is more than she initially seems to be, and there is more between nurse and patient than meets the eye.
Although it is vital to the progression of The Beckets of Romney Marsh series, this was not my favorite of the books. Rian goes through a very difficult time (extraordinarily so, considering that this is essentially "escapist fiction"!) and Lisette is a hard character for whom to find empathy. On its own, I would be reluctant to recommend it, but as a part of the series it is absolutely essential.
The final book in the series is Becket's Last Stand, which brings to a close all of the political, military, family, and romantic intrigue that was begun in the previous six, including the relationships of Courtland (the second-oldest of Ainsley Becket's wards) and Cassandra Becket, Ainsley's only natural child. Because there is so much ground to cover and so many threads to wrap up, there was some risk that this book would seem too ambitious or over-stuffed with details. But Michaels did a great job of putting everything together in a way that made it all make sense without oversimplifying any of it. And, fittingly, the romantic elements of the last book are fairytale-worthy.
Overall, this is a very good series for fans of historical romance who really like to get into the detail of what they read. While some of the entries are necessarily better than others, more than not are really outstanding and very much worth reading on their own merits. Recommended!
Reviewed by: Grace
Age Group: Adult
Class: Fiction (romance, historical)
Rating: A-
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