April 15, 2002
Major Jacob Forrester cannot forget what he owes Rachel Brady, who saves his leg and his life after army surgeons had given up on him. While under Rachel's care, Jacob discovers what a truly amazing person she is and, not surprisingly, falls in love with his very married savior. When Rachel's abusive husband "sells" her in a wife auction, Jacob outbids everyone to save her, but now he must find a way to convince Rachel that they belong together. Counts uses the British campaign in Spain against Napoleon's army as the setting for her latest historical Regency, and she skillfully infuses her story with numerous details about the life of British women who followed the drum. Amidst a realistic look at the devastation, waste, blood, and grime of war, Counts creates an exceptional hero and heroine and gives them a depth and subtly of character that is truly remarkable. " Rules of Marriage" is a beautifully written, wonderfully moving romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)