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How to Ravish a Rake (Forever) (Paperback)
Short Description for How to Ravish a RakeAmy Hardwick has one last Season to shake off her wallflower image and make a love match. If she can't, she'll set aside her dreams of romance and return home to a suitor who can provide security--if little else. What she doesn't count on is the inappropriate--and irresistible--attention lavished on her by rake extraordinaire Will "The Devil" Darcett. Original.
Full description- Publisher: FOREVER
- Published: 01 April 2012
- Format: Paperback 384 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Historical Romance
- ISBN 13: 9780446565400 ISBN 10: 0446565407
- Sales rank: 25,675
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Reviews for How to Ravish a Rake
4.5 stars! Fabulous read
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publish date: April 1st, 2012 Fiction - Adult: Romance: Historical
Grand Central Publishing (Forever)
Amy Hardwick promised herself to shed her wallflower image this season - her last one. She's ready to wow the ton. Her parents wouldn't outright say something or demand it, but they consider the town's vicar a good match. Amy is shy and has trouble holding up her end of a conversation. Mindless chit-chat is not for her. Will "the devil" Darcett mocking her? Even worse! A rake; he's messing with her head - couldn't really be interested in plain old Amy. Better to avoid him!
Julia Quinn is the best of the best when it comes to historical romance. Lisa Kleypas coming in a close second. It took me a long time to find another author (or book that is) that lived up to my high expectations. Vicky Dreiling succeeded!
The writing was no-nonsense funny and heartfelt. Superb! I didn't get stuck; I didn't feel the need to skip pages. I was able to lean back and think myself into another world. It's book #3 in a series, but you can absolutely read it as a stand-alone. I did!
The heroine Amy became a dear friend. I mostly talked; she's a shy one after all. I had so much respect for her. She was wallflower enough to satisfy my "quiet girl gets the guy" fantasies; strong-willed enough to be taken seriously. Amy had a unique hobby. Make that a passion! It gave her purpose and joy. To accomplish something excited her. Like a giddy six-year-old I clapped by hands. You go girl! She lived in a different era, but I could relate to her nonetheless. Most of her struggles were universal. You see something looking mighty tasty, yet...you know it's bad for you. How frustrating. It was the case with her infatuation with the hero. Your heart will break when she tells you all about her previous seasons, and how she failed; wasn't noticed....cast aside.
Will, called "the devil" by the ton, was a rake if I ever saw one. His "year-long" grand tour lasted four - he had no desire to be close to his family, and even less to get leg-shackled to a woman. Tortured by his inability to take his family members for whom they were (granted, sometimes judgmental and overbearing), he would've done anything to escape; get back on the road. Travel! The actions he took to get what he wanted I simply couldn't condone. I seriously didn't like him much, but neither did he; like himself that is. Redeemed in a flash!
I thought it a wonderful aspect of the story that the romance wasn't the only....main-theme, if you will. In addition the character development was highly dependent on the main character's respective interaction with the secondary characters. Family and friendship! I instantly picked candidates as potential hero / heroines - material for future releases in this series. I have a huge crush on a certain friend of the hero. Will's Grandmamma and aunt Hester were great, too. So hilariously funny, and adorable.
As for the chemistry between Will and Amy....wowza! Dem sparks flew! Loved the kinky sexy schmexy. Not all historical "go there": explicit, yummy, more please!
Why oh why did the ending have to be cut short? I really, really, really dislike rushed endings. No epilogue either! Picture me pouting. Ugh! Explain to me why no one criticized the lack of a sweetness-overdose? Yep, I wanted one. One other factor I teeth-gnashingly noticed was the hero's tendency to chuckle. He chuckled a lot; chuckled, chuckled, chuckled. STOP IT! Editor(s)? Your job is to pick up on these things.
Hooray for conversations. Hero and heroine actually talked to each other. Will was baffled by it, too, for he had never been the talking type. As much as Amy was tongue-tied in the presence of others, she wasn't with him. That made me unbelievably happy. Sigh. Furthermore, you know that crucial moment - the one where you decide whether to flat-out love the book or "just" like it. Amy thought about doing something (meanwhile I was throwing my hands up in horror), just to reconsider seconds before disappointment would've surely suffocated me. Thank you!
Do me a favor and get this wonderful historical romance. Grand Central Publishing, I'm begging you to let me read and review book #4. "How to" survive the wait?!?! 4.5 stars to How to Ravish a Rake by Vicky Dreiling.
Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° "While everyone else is chatting like monkeys, you look as if you're plotting something. - I'm not plotting; I'm thinking."
° "You spilled punch all over me - Yes, I got you wet..."
° "It seems I have a conscience after all." ° "Why did some mother's not understand the fine art of subtlety?"
° "I'm a rake, not a prince, and our marriage will not be the fairy tale you dreamed about."
° "Marriage is making you soft - Actually, it's making me hard." by SaskiaOh My Books! Review
I was impatiently waiting for Amy Hardwick story, she was a wallflower from the begging of this series and had no prospect of getting married. But she stared to talk more and make an impression, and I was sure that when I read this book she was going to be stronger than anyone.
Amy has changed. It's her last season and she's the most fashionable lady of the ton. She has friends and feels good, but still no one asks her to dance, expect Will 'the devil' Darcett. She hates him since she met him at her best friend wedding....but she can't stop noticing how attractive he is.
Will just want to keep traveling around the world with his best friend, but his family is not giving him more money. He has to work, or win at gambling...or compromise an heiress. I liked Will, but also I didn't think he deserved to be called 'the devil'. He was naughty and thought about compromising Amy, but in the end nothing happened like he expected it. He's attracted to Amy and isn't sad about their new life together, but also don't expect nothing about it.
Like the previous books from this series, How to Marry a Duke and How to Seduce a Scoundrel, I thought it was missing more passion. Will and Amy could have been an explosive couple, Amy wasn't as shy as the previous books but I couldn't see what Will liked about her. Also, the first half of the book was a little bit slow and made me loose interest in Amy and Will...I was rather hoping for more story about Georgette, Amy's friend.
Overall, I didn't love How to Ravish a Rake, but still enjoyed it and liked how I could see Amy and Will's love grow. I only wish there was an epilogue or something more, because the ending felt very abrupt to me, and I wanted to see more of Will and Amy as a real couple. by Maria Guajardo (GABY)
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