Review: Pursued by the Rogue by Kelly Hunter (Fairy Tales of New York #1)

Note: This ARC was provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dawn Turner has always seen as herself as an ugly duckling and someone no one could ever possibly want. Feeling abandoned by her parents and sent off by her aunt and uncle to a boarding school, Dawn is still grateful that she’s intelligent and has three best friends she can always count on. When Finn Sullivan, brother to one of her best friends, notices her and makes her feel beautiful, they spend one unforgettable moment together. But that moment came with consequences that Dawn chose to handle quietly and alone.

Ten years later, Dawn agrees to a reunion with her best friends and comes face-to-face with the guy who changed her life. Both highly successful in their respective fields—Dawn in genetics research and Finn in music—the connection they once shared is still very much there. When Finn decides to pursue Dawn again, she makes it clear that she’s not after a relationship, and while Finn agrees to Dawn’s terms, he knows that the girl who made him weak at the knees a decade ago is the very woman he wants so much more with now.

Pursued by the Rogue by Kelly Hunter is the first novella in the multi-authored Fairy Tales of New York series from Tule Publishing. Each of the novellas is inspired by a classic fairy tale, with this first one finding inspiration in The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. Dawn Turner has never believed herself as a beauty or anyone worthy to invest time in or commit to personally, so that even as a highly successful adult who is now CEO of her own company, she still has certain doubts. She’s also keeping secrets from her friends and from Finbar Sullivan, the one guy who’s ever made her feel truly beautiful. This is a second chance romance but one with a twist because the resistance to any sort of committed relationship is coming from the female lead, making it somewhat of a rarity in the contemporary romance genre that carry commitment-phobic storylines. It’s a fairly short read but paced really well and doesn’t leave you wanting.

This was an excellent beginning to the series, introducing readers to the four friends who will each get their stories told—Dawn Turner, Faith Sullivan, Zel Madison, and Mercy, whose last name I don’t recall being mentioned. While this was about Dawn and Finn, we gain a bit of insight on Faith, Zel, and Mercy with the snippets of information they share. I’m curious to find out what the three other books will be based on, especially since I enjoy stories that find inspiration from much loved fairy tales and then have their own unique touch to them once they’re set in more contemporary times. This first book had a bit of humor mixed in with a fair dose of angst-driven drama and I certainly liked that it was about falling in love and the importance of family and being able to forgive and accept the shortcomings of certain family members. Pursued by the Rogue is my second Kelly Hunter book and I have yet to be disappointed. This gets 4.5 stars! ♥

Release Date: 19 June 2015

Date Read: 14 June 2015

Learn more about Kelly Hunter here.

Buy links for Pursued by the Rogue will be posted once made available.