Book: Romancing the Rake
Author: Nichole Van
My Rating: 5 Swoons
Hello dear readers! Do y’all remember last year I reviewed Suffering the Scot? Well, Nichole Van has just released the second book in that series, and she has done it again! I inhaled it in less than 24 hours. It was ADORABLE.
I am convinced that Nichole is without rival when it comes to writing the meet cute. I thought Andrew and Jane’s first meeting was great, but y’all…Rafe and Sophie’s first meeting had me chuckling out loud in front of strangers in public.
Let me give you the breakdown. Sophie is a quirky, highly intelligent bluestocking lady. Due to her questionable parentage, she’s a member of high society, but she doesn’t exactly have a long line of suitors. On the other hand, Lord Rafe is the son of a powerful Duke, with a reputation for charming every woman within eyesight. Sophie studies him with the tenacity of a Nobel prize winning scientist and she’s convinced he’s a “rake” of the worst kind. She must not fall victim to his charms, or his dimples, or how marvelous he smells… They have an instant connection, but it seems they are not meant to be. With Sophie’s unknown father and Rafe’s controlling one, how are they ever going to make a future together? (I’ll give you a hint: They end up on a 19th century road trip together, y’all.)
In case you’re thinking this is just another romance novel, let me tell you this little novel packs a punch! In the first six chapters alone I went from smiling to scowling. There’s comedy, there’s angst, there’s fist fights, there’s a mystery, there’s daring rescues, there’s mushy gushy, there’s always someone shooting at Rafe. So don’t shy away because you think it’s a typical romance novel!
This book, surprisingly, deals with some heavy topics for a historical romance. Rafe’s relationship with his father is clearly emotional abuse. And his mother suffers from what we now know as depression, but at the time was considered melancholy. I wasn’t reading it to find any deep truths, but Nichole managed to seamlessly weave in messages of hope and strength, without taking away from the sweetness of the love story. I highly recommend it if you like historical romance or Jane Austen!
Krystle Goodman is a crazy cat lady, who loves to drink exorbitant amounts of coffee, and read a shocking amount of books. She lives in Benton with her husband Josh, her son Roman, and their two cats Roxanne and Abby. When she isn’t reading, you’ll find her cooking, painting, or watching true crime shows. Watch for Krystle’s book reviews every other Friday. Send fanmail to: [email protected]
See more of Krystle’s reviews at www.mysaline.com/krystle.
Thanks for the news on the next book from my new favorite author. I will have to buy it. But it won’t be until after April 15. Cause I know I will have to read it immediately and I cannot afford to be up all night during tax season. Must have a brain at work.
Another great review! I am not an avid reader but I seem to catch myself often reading Krystle’s Bookworm Diary’s and have actually went on to read a couple of books from her selections.