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Cover of How To Romance a Rake

How To Romance a Rake

336 pages

A swoony Regency romance that sweeps from glittering ballrooms to shadowy alleys as a shy wallflower and a protective rake uncover hidden secrets.

What it feels like

Reading this historical romance feels like stepping from a brightly lit, glittering ballroom straight into the thrilling shadows of Regency London. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, seamlessly blending the swoony, protective energy of a classic rake-and-wallflower dynamic with the suspense of a missing persons investigation. The mood shifts beautifully between the sparkling, high-stakes social maneuvering of the ton and the gritty, dangerous atmosphere of the city's underworld. It is a story of hidden depths and blossoming confidence, where shy vulnerability gives way to fiery intelligence. Readers who delight in protective heroes, heroines finding their footing on the dance floor, and a touch of dark mystery will find themselves completely swept away by this passionate, dual-layered romance.

Mood
  • swoony
  • shadowy
  • sparkling
Tone
  • romantic
  • protective
  • suspenseful
  • earnest
Pace
brisk
Themes
blossoming confidence · hidden depths · protective romance · class contrasts · healing past wounds
The writing
Engaging and atmospheric, balancing the glittering elegance of the Regency ballroom with the gritty tension of London's underworld.
The arc
Moves from shy vulnerability and social anxiety to fiery confidence and passionate partnership.
Who it's for
Readers who love a protective hero, a wallflower coming out of her shell, and a dash of mystery mixed with their historical romance.
Content notes
  • missing persons investigation
  • social mockery

About the book

You can lead a wallflower to the ball, but you can’t make her bloom—unless one daring young bachelor turns up the heat...

What’s a nice girl like Miss Juliet Shelby, 18, doing in a place like Lord Deveril’s ballroom? With her shy demeanor, she’s a total stranger to the dance floor and a source of mockery for the ton. So imagine her surprise when Deveril gallantly comes to her defense—and offers to teach her to dance! Juliet can hardly believe the most handsome bachelor in London would notice her, until he takes her in his arms and sets her heart ablaze...

Lord Alec Deveril, 30, has never felt such a spark of attraction for an unmarried lady before. Unlike the “fashionable” women he’s accustomed to, Juliet possesses a generous spirit, a fiery intelligence—and an explosive secret. Deep in the London underworld, a dear friend has vanished, and Juliet fears the worst. Deveril insists on helping, escorting her through the darkest alleys in town. But he too is hiding a shocking secret—and the only way he can defeat the devil in his past is to seduce the angel in his arms...

Description from Open Library.

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