⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. A delightful revenge plot ends up bringing together two people who needed healing and could give that to each other.

Gladys Bell is standing at the edge of the dance floor at the Marrywell Matchmaking Festival ball, very aware that this is her last chance to make a match, any match. She gets an offer, which she was willing to accept, until she kisses Reuben Medford. But London’s most notorious rake doesn’t show up the following morning to ask for her hand in marriage and instead leaves her with a ruined reputation. In one fell swoop, Gladys loses everything and her family renounces her. Five years later, Gladys is back in Marrywell to exact revenge.

MY THOUGHTS

Reuben saw himself as unlovable and inadequate, and I felt a little bit sorry for him. But he was pretty self-absorbed and chose to use women to cope with these negative feelings. Gladys made the best of an absolutely awful situation, even though it put her even further out of reach of her family and society. In a case of mistaken identity and Reuben’s unholy fear of commitment, Gladys had the rug pulled out from under her quite cruelly. I don’t blame her for seeking revenge.

The chemistry between them was hot and explosive. Gladys sure made Reuben work for every touch and kiss. Her efforts also revealed that Reuben was significantly more interesting and complex than his reputation suggested.

It still shocks me that people can treat their children so callously, but without these unfeeling parents, we won’t have stories like these. Reuben and Gladys learned how to be themselves away from the judgement and expectations of other people.

I quite enjoyed this short story and I can recommend it if you like steamy historical romance featuring a ruined reputation and redemption. Taming the Rake is part of the Lords of Love series that is a collaboration between Darcy Burke and Erica Ridley. It stands well on its own.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Historical Romance
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Lords in Love
Other books in the series: Beguiling the Duke