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The Regency Rogues #2
The Rakehell of Roth
In this game of seduction, the rules don't apply...
As owner of the most scandalous club in London, the last thing the notorious Marquess of Roth wants is a wife. Keeping up his false reputation as a rake brings in the clients with the deepest pockets—money he needs to fund a noble cause. Even though everything inside tells him not to leave his beautiful, innocent wife behind at his country estate...he must.
But three years later, tired of her scoundrel of a husband headlining the gossip rags, Lady Isobel Vance decides enough is enough. She is no longer a fragile kitten, but as the anonymous author of a women’s sexual advice column, she’s now a roaring tigress...and she can use her claws.
Isobel decides to go to him in London, channeling her powers of seduction to make him beg to take her back. But she didn’t expect her marauding marquess to be equally hard to resist. Now the game is on to see who will give in to the other first, with both sides determined like hell to win.
As owner of the most scandalous club in London, the last thing the notorious Marquess of Roth wants is a wife. Keeping up his false reputation as a rake brings in the clients with the deepest pockets—money he needs to fund a noble cause. Even though everything inside tells him not to leave his beautiful, innocent wife behind at his country estate...he must.
But three years later, tired of her scoundrel of a husband headlining the gossip rags, Lady Isobel Vance decides enough is enough. She is no longer a fragile kitten, but as the anonymous author of a women’s sexual advice column, she’s now a roaring tigress...and she can use her claws.
Isobel decides to go to him in London, channeling her powers of seduction to make him beg to take her back. But she didn’t expect her marauding marquess to be equally hard to resist. Now the game is on to see who will give in to the other first, with both sides determined like hell to win.
371 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 9, 2021
About the author
Amalie Howard
39 books2,868 followersAMALIE HOWARD is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, most notably of The Beast of Beswick, “a smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance,” and one of O-The Oprah Magazine’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and Scottish historical romance, My Rogue, My Ruin and What A Scot Wants, and has also penned several young adult novels, critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Kid’s INDIE NEXT selection. Of Indo-Caribbean descent, she has written articles on multicultural fiction for The Portland Book Review and Ravishly magazine. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. Visit her at amaliehoward.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
May 21, 2022
Eh, this book was okay. Maybe Amalie Howard just isn't the historical romance author for me? This is a marriage in trouble romance, but I never felt the chemistry or angst of the romance. The hero and heroine get married, have an amazing wedding night, and then the hero leaves for three years. Fed up, the wife finally decides to confront her husband. There were scenes that should have been really great (like the club scene), but I feel like they didn't really do anything for the romance. And the reason for them not being together? Really annoying and not something I thought would cause someone to completely abandon their wife? The hero was the entire reason they weren't together anymore and he just was more annoying than anything. This was just a miss for me and I found myself not caring about these characters or their story.
February 10, 2021
The Rakehell of Roth by Amalie Howard
2nd book in the Everleigh Sisters series. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Marquess of Roth married Isobel, did his duty and left her alone in the country for the next three years at his fathers estate. She tired of the gossip and heads to London to confront him.
I enjoyed the first book, more than expected since historical romance isn’t a particular favorite. This book was better. Maybe it was just the mood I was in, but the tone was lighter and the man spent hours on accounting and charity work. And he has been faithful while staying away from her all that time. Why not fall in love with him? But he too, had some growing up to do and letting go of the past
Lovely humor and glorious sexual tension. In a naive sort of way. Some old troupes and some kick it heroine.
I don’t know if this is typical of the author but I will be checking out some of the backlist.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share and a copy to keep. I love a feisty heroine.
2nd book in the Everleigh Sisters series. Historical romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
The Marquess of Roth married Isobel, did his duty and left her alone in the country for the next three years at his fathers estate. She tired of the gossip and heads to London to confront him.
I enjoyed the first book, more than expected since historical romance isn’t a particular favorite. This book was better. Maybe it was just the mood I was in, but the tone was lighter and the man spent hours on accounting and charity work. And he has been faithful while staying away from her all that time. Why not fall in love with him? But he too, had some growing up to do and letting go of the past
Lovely humor and glorious sexual tension. In a naive sort of way. Some old troupes and some kick it heroine.
I don’t know if this is typical of the author but I will be checking out some of the backlist.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share and a copy to keep. I love a feisty heroine.
November 20, 2021
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I breezed through the first book in this duology in one day. THE BEAST OF BESWICK was the perfect beauty and the beast retelling and it grabbed me from the opening and didn't let go. It had a scarred and brooding hero, a capable and headstrong heroine, and a chilling villain who hung menacingly over the plot and kept the pace moving. It wasn't quite perfect but it was close, because it was a romance that knew exactly what it wanted to be and where it wanted to go.
Conversely, THE RAKEHELL OF ROTH meanders its way through its way-too-many pages. There were some things I did like about it but for the most part it was a slog. I barely managed to get through the book and it took me eight days to finish. This book is about Astrid's sister, Isobel, who has hurriedly married the Marquess of Roth to escape her marriage to the evil Earl of Cain. A wedding night filled with fireworks leaves Isobel feeling hopeful, but then he abandons her the next morning to go to his gaming hell, leaving her alone for years.
In the interim, Isobel and her friend, Clarissa, have been writing serialized advice columns under a fake name that are basically the regency equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey. But now she's fed up and has decided to march over to said gaming hell to teach her husband a lesson. The next hundred pages are kind of a mess. Like, Isobel poses as a male groom named "Iz" to spy on her husband and HE NEVER PUTS TWO AND TWO TOGETHER. There's a villain and a showdown but it all comes out of nowhere because it wasn't foreshadowed very well. Isobel and Winter (the marquess's name) go to a kinky lounge but it doesn't feel at that sexy because they don't really have an emotional connection.
I think that's what really bothered me about this book. The bond between them is based entirely on trickery, deceit, and miscommunication. By the end of the book, I never really felt like things were settled between them. It was like they decided to mutually just ignore all the ways they lied to each other because the sex was good, but that's not very healthy. By contrast, Astrid and Nathaniel came at each other from a position of mutual companionship and respect. Their relationship started as a sort of friendship which ended up making the romance much more sexy. The dialogue in this book also felt way too modern. I was going to try and ignore it but it bothered me.
I did like this better than THE PRINCESS STAKES and was originally going to give it a three-star rating, but there was just so much about it that bothered me that I think I'm going to give it a two. Amalie Howard is a very talented writer when she's on her game but this just wasn't it for me.
P.S. The fem-dom scene and the sexy strip tease at the end almost make me want to round up, though.
2 to 2.5 stars
September 13, 2021
Rating 3.5
This story was full of angst, chemistry, heat and frustration.
Isobel and Winter marriage was not a love match. He's got a reputation as a despicable rake and she's a sweet and innocent young lady.
They marry, he consummates the marriage and is gone the next day, leaving Isobel at his fathers country estate. Winter, didn't want to feel what he did on his wedding night. Isobel had high hopes for her marriage, especially because of her wedding night.
Three years latter, Isobel hears of his latest conquest and is involvement in a duel. She's had it. During those three years she's done a lot of growing up and acquiring skills a many kinds. She's going to confront her reprobate husband, she wants a real marriage.
Winter runs a disreputable club. He's got a lot of family baggage, and it's made him bitter and closed off. He's never stopped thinking about his wife unfortunately. *One thing I want to point out for other potential future reader, he does NOT cheat on his wife and I loved that!*
So Isobel arrives in London and arrives at Winter's townhouse to let him know she's in town. And so the story becomes about the push and pull between these two. Well mostly Winter.
There is a lot of chemistry and steam.
It's pretty heavy on the sexy and I skimmed some (not my cup of tea). I did appreciate the chemistry and sexual tension between the two, that's the fun part in a romance for me. There is quite a bit of angst as well.
I was frustrated with the storyline of Winter and his denying his feelings for Isobel. And then Isobel continuing to pursue him and win him over. That got a little old and felt it was repetitive. I liked the secondary characters.
There was a little drama and action with another woman and a villain. And as I am finding more and more in Historical romance this was more modernized. We also have the theme of woman can do anything and everything that a man can do (Annie Oakley anyone??). And my frustration with that is authors are not really incorporating or weaving it into the story is a smooth and or effective manner. What is happening is they are shouting at the reader and clobbering us over the head with it. My opinion and observation that I want to address.
This is my first time reading this author, will read more of her books. I think she has some promising talent and hopeful she will continue to evolve.
I appreciated that this author made each faithful and no cheating. Definitely felt they were soulmates, one of my favorite themes in a romance. The sexual tension was off the charts as well as their chemistry together, which is pretty much what sucked me into this romance.
Oh, I do have one request for the author. PLEASE write Westmore and Lady Jocelyn Capehart's story. Boy, one scene, one little sentence and I'm totally in for their book.
This story was full of angst, chemistry, heat and frustration.
Isobel and Winter marriage was not a love match. He's got a reputation as a despicable rake and she's a sweet and innocent young lady.
They marry, he consummates the marriage and is gone the next day, leaving Isobel at his fathers country estate. Winter, didn't want to feel what he did on his wedding night. Isobel had high hopes for her marriage, especially because of her wedding night.
Three years latter, Isobel hears of his latest conquest and is involvement in a duel. She's had it. During those three years she's done a lot of growing up and acquiring skills a many kinds. She's going to confront her reprobate husband, she wants a real marriage.
Winter runs a disreputable club. He's got a lot of family baggage, and it's made him bitter and closed off. He's never stopped thinking about his wife unfortunately. *One thing I want to point out for other potential future reader, he does NOT cheat on his wife and I loved that!*
So Isobel arrives in London and arrives at Winter's townhouse to let him know she's in town. And so the story becomes about the push and pull between these two. Well mostly Winter.
There is a lot of chemistry and steam.
It's pretty heavy on the sexy and I skimmed some (not my cup of tea). I did appreciate the chemistry and sexual tension between the two, that's the fun part in a romance for me. There is quite a bit of angst as well.
I was frustrated with the storyline of Winter and his denying his feelings for Isobel. And then Isobel continuing to pursue him and win him over. That got a little old and felt it was repetitive. I liked the secondary characters.
There was a little drama and action with another woman and a villain. And as I am finding more and more in Historical romance this was more modernized. We also have the theme of woman can do anything and everything that a man can do (Annie Oakley anyone??). And my frustration with that is authors are not really incorporating or weaving it into the story is a smooth and or effective manner. What is happening is they are shouting at the reader and clobbering us over the head with it. My opinion and observation that I want to address.
This is my first time reading this author, will read more of her books. I think she has some promising talent and hopeful she will continue to evolve.
I appreciated that this author made each faithful and no cheating. Definitely felt they were soulmates, one of my favorite themes in a romance. The sexual tension was off the charts as well as their chemistry together, which is pretty much what sucked me into this romance.
Oh, I do have one request for the author. PLEASE write Westmore and Lady Jocelyn Capehart's story. Boy, one scene, one little sentence and I'm totally in for their book.
March 25, 2021
I LOVED IT. I LOVEDDD IT! I. FREAKING. LOVED. IT!!!! This book, you guys, the FEELINGS! It was so angsty, so seductive and sexy and sensual and YUMMY!!!! I love a hero who’s a jerk and Winter Vance, the Marquess of Roth, STOLE my whole heart! HE RUINED ME. I LIVED for the back and forth between him and Isobel. The chemistry, the tension, the way they burned together. OMG! These two had me on the edge of my seat, DYINGGGGGG! It was such a fun, sexy, passionate, yet heartfelt read! I’m addicted to Amalie Howard’s writing! Soooooo sooooo soooooo incredibly good! I simply can’t say enough good things! I ADORED every word of this romance!!!! It completely owned me! A favorite of the year for me! FIVE STARS!
”Fate had given her a crate of lemons. She planned to drown her scoundrel of a husband in lemonade.” <<— I love this quote! 😂
”Fate had given her a crate of lemons. She planned to drown her scoundrel of a husband in lemonade.” <<— I love this quote! 😂
February 2, 2021
The Marquess of Roth could be a statue carved from marble instead of flesh and bone. Starkly beautiful. Impenetrable. Impossible to read. Her husband.
4.5 Lady Darcy stars!
Amalie Howard, where the hell have you been my entire life?! I cannot believe that this is the first book I've read by Amalie as I absolutely adored her writing style; it was so effortless and perfectly balanced in dialogue and character growth. I loved every single word of her novel, and I could not read fast enough even though work this week made it hard to devour as quickly as I would have liked.
However as much as I loved this story, I do have one minor hang-up which caused me to drop 1/2 a star. I really wanted Winter to grovel more and have this grand moment of "I'm such a bastard and a blathering fool and I would be nothing without you and I'm so sorry, please forgive me and I'll spend the rest of my angst-riddled days making it up to you." Even though we hear his guilt and remorse, I felt he wasn't as contrite towards Isobel after he majorly fucks up multiple times and just wish he would have given her the epic grovel she deserves after putting up with his nonsense.
Nevertheless, there were so many aspects of this amazing story that I loved. I loved Winter's constant swearing; his sailor mouth definitely felt in sync with my own! The side characters were just as lovable as Winter and Isobel; I found myself rooting for Oliver and Clarissa almost more than I was for Winobel and cheering whenever Clarissa sampled Oliver's tea... **wink, wink** There was just enough OW drama, angsty thoughts of unworthiness from our hero, danger and excitement with guns and swordfights, and plenty of scenes of our heroine taking the reins and showing our hero what a dumbass he really is (lovingly, of course). I will definitely be reading more of Amalie Howard's books, beginning with THE BEAST OF BESWICK, and look forward to more from her! ♡
*ARC provided by the publisher, and I voluntarily reviewed it*
July 14, 2022
I know Amalie Howard writes her historicals with contemporary flare, but in the past, I have enjoyed two of her books. Although, this one was a complete waste of time. The banter or whatever the hell going on between h and H gave me some real tension headache. I really should have Dnfed it ....I really should have.
Sorry, Amalie Howard next time I will not be so eager to pick your book.
Sorry, Amalie Howard next time I will not be so eager to pick your book.
February 8, 2021
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had a great time with this book! I fell in love with the first book in this series of stand-alone novels, The Beast of Beswick, so I was really eager to read this book. I went into this book with pretty high expectations and I was not disappointed. The story pulled me in right away and I was hooked until the end by this pair of characters.
The book opens with Winter and Isobel's wedding. After their wedding night, he leaves his wife at his father's estate and goes back to London where he remains for the next three years. Isobel has grown up a lot during those three years and now writes an infamous advice column along with her best friend. When she reads the newest gossip headline involving her husband, she is furious and decides it is time to go to London herself.
I loved these characters. Isobel knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to take steps to make it happen. She sometimes does things that would be considered improper which I loved. Winter doesn't feel like he deserves to be loved or truly happy so he has kept his wife at a distance even though he is drawn to her. He works very hard at making his rather scandalous club a success. He has a lot of things to work through and Isobel is more than willing to help him do it. I loved the chemistry between these characters and their banter was a whole lot of fun.
I really liked how original this story was. I don't read a ton of historical fiction but the genre is not new to me by any stretch. This book started with the couple getting married and then we get to see them fall for each other instead of the other way around. Isobel was a lot more assertive than I am used to seeing and I loved her for it. I think that the author did a fantastic job of creating two characters that were perfect for each other in this book.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. I thought that this book was a lot of fun, filled with great characters, and had a good dose of excitement to keep things interesting. I definitely plan to read more of this talented author's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Amara via NetGalley.
Intial Thoughts
This was really good! I was a little worried that there might be some cheating in this book based on the description but was thrilled to find that that was not the case. Winter and Isobel are great characters and I love how much chemistry they had together. Isobel's friends were fantastic and added a lot to the story. I am glad that I didn't shy away from this one.
I had a great time with this book! I fell in love with the first book in this series of stand-alone novels, The Beast of Beswick, so I was really eager to read this book. I went into this book with pretty high expectations and I was not disappointed. The story pulled me in right away and I was hooked until the end by this pair of characters.
The book opens with Winter and Isobel's wedding. After their wedding night, he leaves his wife at his father's estate and goes back to London where he remains for the next three years. Isobel has grown up a lot during those three years and now writes an infamous advice column along with her best friend. When she reads the newest gossip headline involving her husband, she is furious and decides it is time to go to London herself.
I loved these characters. Isobel knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to take steps to make it happen. She sometimes does things that would be considered improper which I loved. Winter doesn't feel like he deserves to be loved or truly happy so he has kept his wife at a distance even though he is drawn to her. He works very hard at making his rather scandalous club a success. He has a lot of things to work through and Isobel is more than willing to help him do it. I loved the chemistry between these characters and their banter was a whole lot of fun.
I really liked how original this story was. I don't read a ton of historical fiction but the genre is not new to me by any stretch. This book started with the couple getting married and then we get to see them fall for each other instead of the other way around. Isobel was a lot more assertive than I am used to seeing and I loved her for it. I think that the author did a fantastic job of creating two characters that were perfect for each other in this book.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. I thought that this book was a lot of fun, filled with great characters, and had a good dose of excitement to keep things interesting. I definitely plan to read more of this talented author's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Entangled: Amara via NetGalley.
Intial Thoughts
This was really good! I was a little worried that there might be some cheating in this book based on the description but was thrilled to find that that was not the case. Winter and Isobel are great characters and I love how much chemistry they had together. Isobel's friends were fantastic and added a lot to the story. I am glad that I didn't shy away from this one.
February 1, 2021
Yes yes yes! Freaking love this one!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me just say that this story is totally not what I was expecting and I am so glad! This is one hot and fiery story. The heroine is bold and outspoken and totally in love with her husband.
He was pretty much a jerk but, oh, how the sparks fly. This book is wild and crazy, with shades of erotica that takes the story to new levels. Humorous and bold; I absolutely I love it!
I have never read Howard before this book and while I am super sad on one hand, the fact is now I have a new author whos works I get to devour! Her writing is unapologetic as she blends her lusty sass into a historic based, typically conventional storyline. You will not look at historic romance in the same light again!
Fast paced, exciting, and definitely not full of boring banter, The Rakehell of Roth is one you won’t forget and will have you craving even more from this author.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-rakehell...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me just say that this story is totally not what I was expecting and I am so glad! This is one hot and fiery story. The heroine is bold and outspoken and totally in love with her husband.
He was pretty much a jerk but, oh, how the sparks fly. This book is wild and crazy, with shades of erotica that takes the story to new levels. Humorous and bold; I absolutely I love it!
I have never read Howard before this book and while I am super sad on one hand, the fact is now I have a new author whos works I get to devour! Her writing is unapologetic as she blends her lusty sass into a historic based, typically conventional storyline. You will not look at historic romance in the same light again!
Fast paced, exciting, and definitely not full of boring banter, The Rakehell of Roth is one you won’t forget and will have you craving even more from this author.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-rakehell...
May 10, 2021
Ok, so I had to go back and read the first in this series to figure out what was happening in this one. The Beast of Beswick leaves off with Isobel marrying the Marquess of Roth in what appears to be a love match at least from the heroine's perspective. Isobel has to marry him because in the first book, her uncle tries to marry her off to the villain, the Earl of Beaumont. This book begins with the 21-year-old Hero abandoning his 16-year-old bride. I LOVED the Beast of Beswick, I thought the characters and central story were fascinating - was it long? - maybe, did it drag at times with the central conflict? - a bit. But compared to this book, it was a literary masterpiece.
When I see all these 5-star reviews, I have no idea what these readers were reading because this was hands down one of the worst books by a fave author I have ever read. The author needs to fire her editors - which I see she has three. And it completely showed.
-First off, Isobel in the first book is a girl's girl and in the novel, she evolves basically into the same character as her sister in the first. A feisty feminist, horse-loving lady.
-Second, she has this second secret life-giving sex advice despite the fact that she and her co-conspirator are practically virgins. It sort of reminds me of the time I was 12 and tried to write a romance novel. My aunt found it and thought it was hysterical - she was like this is what you think sex is? But I digress
-The hero was soooo immature. 21? Really? and to have this huge backstory and history, like when was this to have taken place - when he was 18? Laughable. really.
-His motivations, stupid, then when fully explained which took forever - even stupider.
-There was so much going on in this book - villains, and opium addicts, a dead sister, and a crazy dead mother, revenge plots! secret identities, and then the villain from the first book is back, secret illegitimate children, an evil ex-mistress, and then he has a sex club - again at 21?!?? At times, the author struggled to connect all the dots. It's like she made a list of tropes, couldn't decide on
-There was literally only 1 sex scene. This book was not that steamy. It was a lot of the celibate hero avoiding the heroine.
-Also, the heroine was a doormat, I was really hopeful in the beginning that she was going to go to London and make the hero eat his actions. Instead, she follows him around like a lost puppy, practically begging him to love her.
Honestly, this would have been a better book if the plotlines had been condensed and more fleshed out. I love Amalie Howard's books, I was really excited for this one but I felt like the entire time I was watching a train wreck - one that could have easily been avoided.
When I see all these 5-star reviews, I have no idea what these readers were reading because this was hands down one of the worst books by a fave author I have ever read. The author needs to fire her editors - which I see she has three. And it completely showed.
-First off, Isobel in the first book is a girl's girl and in the novel, she evolves basically into the same character as her sister in the first. A feisty feminist, horse-loving lady.
-Second, she has this second secret life-giving sex advice despite the fact that she and her co-conspirator are practically virgins. It sort of reminds me of the time I was 12 and tried to write a romance novel. My aunt found it and thought it was hysterical - she was like this is what you think sex is? But I digress
-The hero was soooo immature. 21? Really? and to have this huge backstory and history, like when was this to have taken place - when he was 18? Laughable. really.
-His motivations, stupid, then when fully explained which took forever - even stupider.
-There was so much going on in this book - villains, and opium addicts, a dead sister, and a crazy dead mother, revenge plots! secret identities, and then the villain from the first book is back, secret illegitimate children, an evil ex-mistress, and then he has a sex club - again at 21?!?? At times, the author struggled to connect all the dots. It's like she made a list of tropes, couldn't decide on
-There was literally only 1 sex scene. This book was not that steamy. It was a lot of the celibate hero avoiding the heroine.
-Also, the heroine was a doormat, I was really hopeful in the beginning that she was going to go to London and make the hero eat his actions. Instead, she follows him around like a lost puppy, practically begging him to love her.
Honestly, this would have been a better book if the plotlines had been condensed and more fleshed out. I love Amalie Howard's books, I was really excited for this one but I felt like the entire time I was watching a train wreck - one that could have easily been avoided.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2021
I disliked this book so strongly, I need a rant review. (I already posted this on Reddit too). The plot starts with him marrying the innocent girl out of convenience, they sleep together once, then he immediately leaves for 3 years. She ends up going to London to find him after reading one too many scandalous stories about him, and this is where it goes off the rails.
None of the characters’ motivations make any sense. He, of course, is the classic “I can’t have kids or love to punish my father” trope, and also So when she gets to London, full of rage and ready to punish him, I was excited, I love that shit. Except her plan immediately switches from punishing him to winning him back to seducing him? It’s never clear which of those her motivation actually is, but while the book thinks it's portraying her as strong and sexy (she's also great at horseback riding and shooting), she’s basically throwing herself over and over at a guy who does nothing but glare sexily and tell her to fuck off. Have some dignity, woman.
And good lord, both of their internal monologues the entire book are nothing but ranting about how sexy the other one is. There’s no reason why they like each other, other than being super super horny. I’m all for lots of sex and sex as motivation in books, but it can’t be the sole reason a couple gets together. Also, the “sexy” bits are really over the top, and I say this as someone who enjoys smut, good and bad. But I was rolling my eyes so hard that I could see my last brain cell, begging me to stop reading this stupid book. Awful characters and bad sex and terrible plot.
PS, there’s also a deeply stupid subplot where the heroine who had sex once and her virgin friend make a fortune writing a sex advice column? In Regency England? It’s bad, folks.
None of the characters’ motivations make any sense. He, of course, is the classic “I can’t have kids or love to punish my father” trope, and also So when she gets to London, full of rage and ready to punish him, I was excited, I love that shit. Except her plan immediately switches from punishing him to winning him back to seducing him? It’s never clear which of those her motivation actually is, but while the book thinks it's portraying her as strong and sexy (she's also great at horseback riding and shooting), she’s basically throwing herself over and over at a guy who does nothing but glare sexily and tell her to fuck off. Have some dignity, woman.
And good lord, both of their internal monologues the entire book are nothing but ranting about how sexy the other one is. There’s no reason why they like each other, other than being super super horny. I’m all for lots of sex and sex as motivation in books, but it can’t be the sole reason a couple gets together. Also, the “sexy” bits are really over the top, and I say this as someone who enjoys smut, good and bad. But I was rolling my eyes so hard that I could see my last brain cell, begging me to stop reading this stupid book. Awful characters and bad sex and terrible plot.
PS, there’s also a deeply stupid subplot where the heroine who had sex once and her virgin friend make a fortune writing a sex advice column? In Regency England? It’s bad, folks.
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July 23, 2020I dont think i am going to like it,
There is going to be cheating which the plot clearly indicates.
This ruins it.
i liked the first book.
There is going to be cheating which the plot clearly indicates.
This ruins it.
i liked the first book.
January 25, 2021
I wanted to like this book so much. My favorite trope in a book is separated married couples who have a falling out and work their way back together. I especially love when they get married and the hero leaves the wife somewhere and continues on with his life, only for the wife to interrupt it years later. That is the premise of this book.
Winter, the Marquess of Roth, marries Isobel Everleigh in order to save her from the evil clutches of the Earl of Beaumont. However, he didn’t want to lose his carefree existence and settle down, as he was revealing against his father, the Duke of Kendrick.
The writing style of the book was too modern and just very juvenile overall. It didn’t go with the time period portrayed.
There are too many curse words used in conversation. The old Duke casually talking to the heroine telling her she is “someone with a backbone who won’t take his sh*t”... this was not how people of that time would converse. And to that statement, it’s been three years that she hasn’t even talked to her husband so she certainly doesn’t have a backbone and is most definitely putting up with his “sh*t”. Also the “f” word is thrown around too casually.
Isobel also writes explicit letters under the pseudonym “Lady Darcy”. These would never just be enjoyed by all the ton as the subject matter would not be allowed in polite society.
It’s like the author wanted to write a period piece but had no concept or understanding of the time. She did no research into how people are addressed or how they speak or what was proper.
This book was very hard to get through and I just tried to ignore everything and focus on the story of the H and h. I will say I do like that I’m glad that Winter did not actually cheat on Isobel after their wedding night together but I also found it a little unbelievable that he wouldn’t return to her anytime in that 3 years if she was the only one he could think about, regardless of his feelings about his father.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Winter, the Marquess of Roth, marries Isobel Everleigh in order to save her from the evil clutches of the Earl of Beaumont. However, he didn’t want to lose his carefree existence and settle down, as he was revealing against his father, the Duke of Kendrick.
The writing style of the book was too modern and just very juvenile overall. It didn’t go with the time period portrayed.
There are too many curse words used in conversation. The old Duke casually talking to the heroine telling her she is “someone with a backbone who won’t take his sh*t”... this was not how people of that time would converse. And to that statement, it’s been three years that she hasn’t even talked to her husband so she certainly doesn’t have a backbone and is most definitely putting up with his “sh*t”. Also the “f” word is thrown around too casually.
Isobel also writes explicit letters under the pseudonym “Lady Darcy”. These would never just be enjoyed by all the ton as the subject matter would not be allowed in polite society.
It’s like the author wanted to write a period piece but had no concept or understanding of the time. She did no research into how people are addressed or how they speak or what was proper.
This book was very hard to get through and I just tried to ignore everything and focus on the story of the H and h. I will say I do like that I’m glad that Winter did not actually cheat on Isobel after their wedding night together but I also found it a little unbelievable that he wouldn’t return to her anytime in that 3 years if she was the only one he could think about, regardless of his feelings about his father.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2021
Winter Vance, Marquess of Roth, enters into a marriage of convenience with Miss Isobel Everleigh. She received the protection of his name and he met a codicil of his inheritance. Although he is attracted to his beautiful wife, he abandons her in the country and continues his fake-rake identity in London, managing his club. But three years later, Isobel has had enough! She's matured, and has her own scandalous hidden identity, so she heads to London to show Winter that she won't be ignored any longer.
This is the second book in the Everleigh Sisters duo. It can be read alone, but there is a certain part of the plot that makes a bigger impact if one has read The Beast of Beswick. Isobel's sister, Astrid, also makes an appearance.
I really liked this book! Isobel's and Winter's connection is established early, as the story starts right after their wedding. The reader isn't waiting for a meeting or attraction, it's already there. This is a case where I feel like the time separation is necessary and works well. Winter is only 21 when they marry; he has no interest in marriage or children and has animosity towards his father and younger brother. Isobel also needs a chance to grow up and gain confidence.
When Isobel arrives in town, Winter just can't seem to get out of his own way! They are both lusting after one another, but Winter is determined to resist and keep an upper hand, even if it's at a cost of his own happiness. This book is SUPER sexy and I loved every sizzling encounter!
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Second Chance, Secret Job
Eggplant Rating: 5 (five scenes and lots of fantasizing)
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TheRakehellOfRoth #NetGalley
This is the second book in the Everleigh Sisters duo. It can be read alone, but there is a certain part of the plot that makes a bigger impact if one has read The Beast of Beswick. Isobel's sister, Astrid, also makes an appearance.
I really liked this book! Isobel's and Winter's connection is established early, as the story starts right after their wedding. The reader isn't waiting for a meeting or attraction, it's already there. This is a case where I feel like the time separation is necessary and works well. Winter is only 21 when they marry; he has no interest in marriage or children and has animosity towards his father and younger brother. Isobel also needs a chance to grow up and gain confidence.
When Isobel arrives in town, Winter just can't seem to get out of his own way! They are both lusting after one another, but Winter is determined to resist and keep an upper hand, even if it's at a cost of his own happiness. This book is SUPER sexy and I loved every sizzling encounter!
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Second Chance, Secret Job
Eggplant Rating: 5 (five scenes and lots of fantasizing)
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TheRakehellOfRoth #NetGalley
March 20, 2021
Actually I love hoyden heroines but even with my rose tinted glasses, it was totally unbelievable historical. But I liked the banter at least.
April 30, 2021
Marriage in trouble.
Tortured hero.
Feisty heroine.
Let the drama unfurl.
Tortured hero.
Feisty heroine.
Let the drama unfurl.
April 27, 2022
She really had Isobel punch a bitch and I for one think that’s so fucking hot
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
August 12, 2022
I listened to the audio for this story. It was narrated by a woman, and I have to say I prefer dual male/female narrators. But that didn’t effect my rating, just stating my preference.
Background-Isobel was betrothed to a wicked Earl and her brother in law’s friend, the Marquess of Roth, agreed to marry her to save her from a hellish future. Winter agrees to play the knight but has a bunch of baggage that keeps him from opening his heart to Isobel. Instead he dumps her in the country and returns back to his “scoundrel,” yet celibate life as a club owner for the next 3.5 yrs. Isobel, after receiving plenty of “education” from her best friend decides to go collect her husband from London. The rest is a compilation of seduction, sexy scenes, plotting, and adventure. There are many explicit scenes in this hot angsty romance. It’s the 2nd book but can be a standalone since Howard explains the background. Although I loved book 1, so I was suggest starting with it. My only complaint was I felt it got a bit repetitive and a bit too drawn out. The ending and epilogue were great. I am craving a book on the Roth’s best friend Westfield though. Plenty of set up was done for it. FYI—I did find the next book but it’s not a standalone. It can be found in Big Duke Energy which is compilation of 5 novellas.
Background-Isobel was betrothed to a wicked Earl and her brother in law’s friend, the Marquess of Roth, agreed to marry her to save her from a hellish future. Winter agrees to play the knight but has a bunch of baggage that keeps him from opening his heart to Isobel. Instead he dumps her in the country and returns back to his “scoundrel,” yet celibate life as a club owner for the next 3.5 yrs. Isobel, after receiving plenty of “education” from her best friend decides to go collect her husband from London. The rest is a compilation of seduction, sexy scenes, plotting, and adventure. There are many explicit scenes in this hot angsty romance. It’s the 2nd book but can be a standalone since Howard explains the background. Although I loved book 1, so I was suggest starting with it. My only complaint was I felt it got a bit repetitive and a bit too drawn out. The ending and epilogue were great. I am craving a book on the Roth’s best friend Westfield though. Plenty of set up was done for it. FYI—I did find the next book but it’s not a standalone. It can be found in Big Duke Energy which is compilation of 5 novellas.
January 10, 2021
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
When Isobel Everleigh needed to marry in order to get away from the evil Earl of Beaumont, Winter Vance, the Marquess of Roth, and heir to the Duke of Kendrick, stepped in to be her hero. Unfortunately, after wedding and bedding her, he left her in the countryside, at his father's estate, and has spent the last three years in London, continuing his rakehell ways, and not caring about Isobel, or her feelings. Well, enough is enough, and Isobel won't stand for it any longer. Arriving in London, with best friend Clarissa in tow, she sets out to make sure that Winter knows just what he's been missing, and that this kitten has developed some claws, and will not back down without a fight.
To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I loved The Beast of Beswick when I read it last year, and meeting Isobel and Vance in the way we did, made me desperate for their story, so when my NetGalley widget arrived for The Rakehell of Roth I dropped all the other books I was currently reading, and devoured the entire book in one afternoon. Isobel married when she was young, only 18, to escape Beaumont's clutches after he had already ruined her sister, and was naive in thinking that her husband would settle down and mend his ways for her. Winter had always been vocal that he never wanted to marry, and was considered by many to be an unsuitable heir to a dukedom, but he stepped up to help Isobel by giving her his name, and family's protection. After spending a single night with her, to consummate the marriage, he fled back to his life of debauchery in London, but it was all just a front he put on, as he could never forget his time with Isobel, thinking she'd ruined him for anyone else. However, his hatred for his father following the death's of his mother and sister have left him enraged, and he won't do anything that would please the duke, not least be back with his wife and have a family. So when Isobel arrives in London, and makes it plainly clear that she is wanting a proper marriage, and children, they come to a sort of wager, where if she hasn't managed to seduce him back into her bed by the end of a month, she'll go home, and might find another way to have children, without involving Winter at all. I loved this part of the book - it really showed both characters off to the best of their abilities, and somewhat to their worst, but the playful nature of their interactions, and seeing Isobel disguise herself as Iz to learn more from Winter was so cute.
While being sequestered in the country, Isobel hasn't been idle. Her and Clarissa - the daughter of the duke's steward - have used their cheeky and bawdy letters to each other to develop the persona of Lady Darcy, whose letters are published for all the ton to read, and enjoy. By doing this, it's helped Isobel grow, and become strong enough to fight for Winter, and help him too. The death's of his mother and sister really hurt him, and it's only by talking with Iz/Isobel that he starts to heal, and come to understand Oliver, his stuck up younger brother, and his father so much more. This secondary story line, which at times led to peril and angst, was running perfectly alongside Isobel and Winter's romance, and the way all of the questions and problems were resolved by the ending was simply wonderful. I loved the epilogue so much, and could not have wanted anything more for Isobel and Winter, as well as for their friends and families - the best ending to the entire series!
When Isobel Everleigh needed to marry in order to get away from the evil Earl of Beaumont, Winter Vance, the Marquess of Roth, and heir to the Duke of Kendrick, stepped in to be her hero. Unfortunately, after wedding and bedding her, he left her in the countryside, at his father's estate, and has spent the last three years in London, continuing his rakehell ways, and not caring about Isobel, or her feelings. Well, enough is enough, and Isobel won't stand for it any longer. Arriving in London, with best friend Clarissa in tow, she sets out to make sure that Winter knows just what he's been missing, and that this kitten has developed some claws, and will not back down without a fight.
To say I loved this book would be an understatement. I loved The Beast of Beswick when I read it last year, and meeting Isobel and Vance in the way we did, made me desperate for their story, so when my NetGalley widget arrived for The Rakehell of Roth I dropped all the other books I was currently reading, and devoured the entire book in one afternoon. Isobel married when she was young, only 18, to escape Beaumont's clutches after he had already ruined her sister, and was naive in thinking that her husband would settle down and mend his ways for her. Winter had always been vocal that he never wanted to marry, and was considered by many to be an unsuitable heir to a dukedom, but he stepped up to help Isobel by giving her his name, and family's protection. After spending a single night with her, to consummate the marriage, he fled back to his life of debauchery in London, but it was all just a front he put on, as he could never forget his time with Isobel, thinking she'd ruined him for anyone else. However, his hatred for his father following the death's of his mother and sister have left him enraged, and he won't do anything that would please the duke, not least be back with his wife and have a family. So when Isobel arrives in London, and makes it plainly clear that she is wanting a proper marriage, and children, they come to a sort of wager, where if she hasn't managed to seduce him back into her bed by the end of a month, she'll go home, and might find another way to have children, without involving Winter at all. I loved this part of the book - it really showed both characters off to the best of their abilities, and somewhat to their worst, but the playful nature of their interactions, and seeing Isobel disguise herself as Iz to learn more from Winter was so cute.
While being sequestered in the country, Isobel hasn't been idle. Her and Clarissa - the daughter of the duke's steward - have used their cheeky and bawdy letters to each other to develop the persona of Lady Darcy, whose letters are published for all the ton to read, and enjoy. By doing this, it's helped Isobel grow, and become strong enough to fight for Winter, and help him too. The death's of his mother and sister really hurt him, and it's only by talking with Iz/Isobel that he starts to heal, and come to understand Oliver, his stuck up younger brother, and his father so much more. This secondary story line, which at times led to peril and angst, was running perfectly alongside Isobel and Winter's romance, and the way all of the questions and problems were resolved by the ending was simply wonderful. I loved the epilogue so much, and could not have wanted anything more for Isobel and Winter, as well as for their friends and families - the best ending to the entire series!
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June 9, 2021The Maggot of Roth
I loved when the heroine called her husband that. Because he really was. I detested him for most of the book. He was so cruel to her. But I loved her and her friend Clarissa . They were a hoot. Him leaving her behind for three years was so mean. Luckily he was faithful. But I still felt bad for her. He hurt her so bad. But I loved how strong and brave she was and learned how to take care of herself. She was awesome. This book is very steamy and suggestive and a little porny but I still liked it. Bad language too . Didn't bother me but just be warned. I do like this author very much.
I loved when the heroine called her husband that. Because he really was. I detested him for most of the book. He was so cruel to her. But I loved her and her friend Clarissa . They were a hoot. Him leaving her behind for three years was so mean. Luckily he was faithful. But I still felt bad for her. He hurt her so bad. But I loved how strong and brave she was and learned how to take care of herself. She was awesome. This book is very steamy and suggestive and a little porny but I still liked it. Bad language too . Didn't bother me but just be warned. I do like this author very much.
April 17, 2021
Yeah, this is a no from me. There was no story, the characters were stupid, the motivations behind their actions were stupid, Roth was a stupid jerk, the girl was a stupid doormat. So frustrating, she is supposed to be this empowered woman because... she found out about sex?! They slept together once, he treats her like dirt, we are told about his many affairs so I can't see the attraction between them. This was sold as a marriage of convenience, at that time, most marriages were completely open for both men and women, so why would she want him back? Mind numbing stupid!
October 5, 2021
Okunabilir bir hikaye... Ama ilk kitaptaki o nüktedanlık, eğlence pek yoktu.İki kitap farklı çizgilere sahipti.
Isobel, ablasını mahveden pislik kendisine de göz koyunca bir plan yapar. Başkasıyla evlenir. Ama bu konuşmalar nasıl oldu, nasıl karar alındı onları da okumak isterdim. Birde ilk kitapta Beswick, Roth'un paraya ihtiyacı olduğunu bu yüzden evlendiğini söylemişti sanki. Ama alakası yok, adam baba parası yememek için neler neler kazanmış. Aile içinde pek onaylanmasa da, zevk evleri de bunlardan biri. Ön taraf kumarhane, arkası zevk-ü sefa yeri . Kırbaçlar felan 😂
Winter ailedir, eşdir, kurulu düzendir hiç birini istemez. Bir anlık kahraman olma isteği ve Isobel'i korumayı düşündüğü için evlenir. Kızı atının terkisine attığı gibi kırsalda ki baba evine, Kendrick Abbey'e götürür. Yaşanan ilk geceden sonra ver elini Londra! Hayır manyak adam kıza tek laf da etmedi.Evde süs kalsın diye mi aldın anlamadım ki🤔 Bu kız senin maskaralıklarına bir dayanır iki dayanır. Gazete de afiş afiş eğlencelerin de bir yere kadar... Madem sen Isobel için gelmiyorsun. Okey! Isobel Londra'ya gelip kocalık görevlerini yapmanı talep eder.🤷🏻♀️
Hikâyenin teması, Isobel'in Winter'dan kendisine eş olmasını ve bunun için çabalaması üzerine ilerliyor. Winter ise üç yıllık araya rağmen gözü başkasına kaymasa da, Isobel ile de olmak istemez. Aşk ne annesine ne de kardeşi Prue iyi gelmemiştir. Zaten evlenmesi dert, bir de babasına torun sevinci yaşatacak değildir. Bir de her fırsatta açığını kollayan kardeşi Oliver iyice canını sıkar. Uzun zaman sonra kalbinde bir duygu kıvılcımı yaşatan Isobel'i görmezden gelmek için elinden geleni yapar. Bir ay... Bir ay sonra kesin paşa paşa geri dönecektir. Onda sevilecek ne var ki zaten 🤦🏻♀️
Yazar biraz müstehcen, arsız karakterler yazmak istemiş. Bunun içinde gerekli tohumları atmış ama iyi işleyememiş bence. Yan karakter Clarissa bence çok daha iyiydi 🤭 Ama dediğim gibi orta karar okutur kendini.
Seride uşaktan yatırımcıya, iş adamlığına kadar her işi yapan İtalyanımız Matteo ve Prue'nun ölümünden sonra değişen Westmore da 8kgi çekiciydi. Açıkarttırma da kendisine teklif veren düşman ailelerden Leydi J. isminin anılması da sanki bir hikayeleri olacak hissi verdi. Umarım olur. Yazar fena değildi, çıkarsa okurum ben.
Isobel, ablasını mahveden pislik kendisine de göz koyunca bir plan yapar. Başkasıyla evlenir. Ama bu konuşmalar nasıl oldu, nasıl karar alındı onları da okumak isterdim. Birde ilk kitapta Beswick, Roth'un paraya ihtiyacı olduğunu bu yüzden evlendiğini söylemişti sanki. Ama alakası yok, adam baba parası yememek için neler neler kazanmış. Aile içinde pek onaylanmasa da, zevk evleri de bunlardan biri. Ön taraf kumarhane, arkası zevk-ü sefa yeri . Kırbaçlar felan 😂
Winter ailedir, eşdir, kurulu düzendir hiç birini istemez. Bir anlık kahraman olma isteği ve Isobel'i korumayı düşündüğü için evlenir. Kızı atının terkisine attığı gibi kırsalda ki baba evine, Kendrick Abbey'e götürür. Yaşanan ilk geceden sonra ver elini Londra! Hayır manyak adam kıza tek laf da etmedi.Evde süs kalsın diye mi aldın anlamadım ki🤔 Bu kız senin maskaralıklarına bir dayanır iki dayanır. Gazete de afiş afiş eğlencelerin de bir yere kadar... Madem sen Isobel için gelmiyorsun. Okey! Isobel Londra'ya gelip kocalık görevlerini yapmanı talep eder.🤷🏻♀️
Hikâyenin teması, Isobel'in Winter'dan kendisine eş olmasını ve bunun için çabalaması üzerine ilerliyor. Winter ise üç yıllık araya rağmen gözü başkasına kaymasa da, Isobel ile de olmak istemez. Aşk ne annesine ne de kardeşi Prue iyi gelmemiştir. Zaten evlenmesi dert, bir de babasına torun sevinci yaşatacak değildir. Bir de her fırsatta açığını kollayan kardeşi Oliver iyice canını sıkar. Uzun zaman sonra kalbinde bir duygu kıvılcımı yaşatan Isobel'i görmezden gelmek için elinden geleni yapar. Bir ay... Bir ay sonra kesin paşa paşa geri dönecektir. Onda sevilecek ne var ki zaten 🤦🏻♀️
Yazar biraz müstehcen, arsız karakterler yazmak istemiş. Bunun içinde gerekli tohumları atmış ama iyi işleyememiş bence. Yan karakter Clarissa bence çok daha iyiydi 🤭 Ama dediğim gibi orta karar okutur kendini.
Seride uşaktan yatırımcıya, iş adamlığına kadar her işi yapan İtalyanımız Matteo ve Prue'nun ölümünden sonra değişen Westmore da 8kgi çekiciydi. Açıkarttırma da kendisine teklif veren düşman ailelerden Leydi J. isminin anılması da sanki bir hikayeleri olacak hissi verdi. Umarım olur. Yazar fena değildi, çıkarsa okurum ben.
February 18, 2021
A great follow up to The Beast of Beswick! It honestly exceeded my expectations. I was (only slightly) nervous about this one, in that I was a bit unsure of Isabel and how much I would connect with her, as she came of a little ridged in the previous book. She was absolute perfection and I was wrong to worry. The antics between Izzy and Clarissa were my favorite! But the games with her and Winter really set the pages on fire. This was a fun read with a big dash of heart and I immensely enjoyed it. I truly hope to see more of these characters in future books.
February 7, 2021
I did enjoy this entertaining story very much. I loved the way Isobel took things into her own hands and made more than a match for Winter, Marquess of Roth. At times, I felt like giving Roth a shake, especially when he purposely said cruel things. However, Isobel was certainly up to the task she set herself. It was good for Roth to be told a number of home truths. There are a number of interesting secondary characters, dangerous events and another romance. Altogether, an engaging read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 18, 2021
After reading the Beast of Beswick, I was really looking forward to this one, but did not enjoy it all that much. My biggest problem was that the story didn't help me understand why Winter and Isobel were it for each other.....why it could only be Isobel for Winter and vice versa.
To me, it looked like the biggest issue here was the misunderstanding that Winter was laboring under with respect to his parents' marriage and the circumstances of his sister's death. Once that trauma had healed, he could've been happy with anyone (and not necessarily only Isobel). Of course, it helped that she was beautiful and had similar sexual preferences as he did, but I really didn't understand what made her the only person who could take that place in his life. In fact, the fact that he hadn't spent any time with her throughout their marriage and didn't know her at all was emphasized repeatedly throughout the book, even up to and beyond the 50% mark. So its a little difficult to believe his love for her.
Similarly, Isobel apparently falls in love with Winter immediately after their wedding. By her own admission, their courtship was extremely limited and perfunctory. Winter abandoned her at his house on their wedding night, and they didn't interact at all for 3 years after that. During these 3 years, she constantly gets news of his dalliances with other women. Yet, her love for him never wavers, and she's determined to win him back. All this does is make her look a little spineless and desperate, notwithstanding all her Lady Darcy shenanigans (which are also entirely unbelievable - its entirely unclear how her wedding night - which the book itself says was pretty basic - and theoretical "research" equips her to write about and actually perform dominatrix / BDSM stuff).
In fact, nowhere does the book make you want to root for these two. The characters fail to even have a basic conversation about how Winter hadn't actually cheated on her for the last 3 years - something so fundamental is just left unaddressed. Even more unbelievable is how Winter manages to hang on to his rake reputation for all these years without doing anything remotely rake-ish - all the women that he's supposed to be with actually sleep with Matteo, but fail to disclose this fact to anyone. Winter also fails to recognize his wife on several occasions when she's wearing a mask on her face - in fact, he has more conversations with Isobel disguised as "Iz" than with Isobel herself. On one occasion, when Isobel bids on him at an auction and calls herself "Lady Darcy" - she talks about how she feels this pull towards him and wonders if he also feels the same and would be able to recognize her. He doesn't. Because she's wearing trousers and a hat. What makes this even more disconcerting is the fact that their entire relationship is based on physical attraction - and he can't even recognize her under a hat or a mask.
2 stars only for the wonderful supporting characters - loved reading about Clarissa and Oliver (their love story was fleshed out better than the main characters'), as well as Kendrick. And yes - Westmore is amazing - his love for the long dead Prue was more palpable and real than the 300 page Winter and Isobel saga. I really hope that the author gives him his own book.
PS - Minor gripe regarding the usage of certain words / expressions (though this book had fewer instances of these issues as compared to the Beast of Beswick). I'm unsure if the word "cute" was used in regency England. Also, a minor quibble with using just the word "Duke" as a form of address. As in - its awkward reading sentences like - "let's do xyz, Duke", instead of "my lord" or "your grace". Meh - but I'm not really an expert on this stuff.
To me, it looked like the biggest issue here was the misunderstanding that Winter was laboring under with respect to his parents' marriage and the circumstances of his sister's death. Once that trauma had healed, he could've been happy with anyone (and not necessarily only Isobel). Of course, it helped that she was beautiful and had similar sexual preferences as he did, but I really didn't understand what made her the only person who could take that place in his life. In fact, the fact that he hadn't spent any time with her throughout their marriage and didn't know her at all was emphasized repeatedly throughout the book, even up to and beyond the 50% mark. So its a little difficult to believe his love for her.
Similarly, Isobel apparently falls in love with Winter immediately after their wedding. By her own admission, their courtship was extremely limited and perfunctory. Winter abandoned her at his house on their wedding night, and they didn't interact at all for 3 years after that. During these 3 years, she constantly gets news of his dalliances with other women. Yet, her love for him never wavers, and she's determined to win him back. All this does is make her look a little spineless and desperate, notwithstanding all her Lady Darcy shenanigans (which are also entirely unbelievable - its entirely unclear how her wedding night - which the book itself says was pretty basic - and theoretical "research" equips her to write about and actually perform dominatrix / BDSM stuff).
In fact, nowhere does the book make you want to root for these two. The characters fail to even have a basic conversation about how Winter hadn't actually cheated on her for the last 3 years - something so fundamental is just left unaddressed. Even more unbelievable is how Winter manages to hang on to his rake reputation for all these years without doing anything remotely rake-ish - all the women that he's supposed to be with actually sleep with Matteo, but fail to disclose this fact to anyone. Winter also fails to recognize his wife on several occasions when she's wearing a mask on her face - in fact, he has more conversations with Isobel disguised as "Iz" than with Isobel herself. On one occasion, when Isobel bids on him at an auction and calls herself "Lady Darcy" - she talks about how she feels this pull towards him and wonders if he also feels the same and would be able to recognize her. He doesn't. Because she's wearing trousers and a hat. What makes this even more disconcerting is the fact that their entire relationship is based on physical attraction - and he can't even recognize her under a hat or a mask.
2 stars only for the wonderful supporting characters - loved reading about Clarissa and Oliver (their love story was fleshed out better than the main characters'), as well as Kendrick. And yes - Westmore is amazing - his love for the long dead Prue was more palpable and real than the 300 page Winter and Isobel saga. I really hope that the author gives him his own book.
PS - Minor gripe regarding the usage of certain words / expressions (though this book had fewer instances of these issues as compared to the Beast of Beswick). I'm unsure if the word "cute" was used in regency England. Also, a minor quibble with using just the word "Duke" as a form of address. As in - its awkward reading sentences like - "let's do xyz, Duke", instead of "my lord" or "your grace". Meh - but I'm not really an expert on this stuff.
July 21, 2024
3⭐
Me ha mantenido muy entretenida, aunque, como dice una amiga mía, es un salto de fe. Hay muchas cosas que me restan mucha credibilidad a la historia y, quizás, la protagonista es demasiado perfecta. Una novela muy picante, con aventuras y que cumple
Otro problema que he tenido es que es el segundo y creo que hay demasiadas cosas que me he perdido.
Si os gustan las novelas históricas con cierto erotismo y protagonistas abanderadas, independientes y decididas, esta puede ser una muy buena opción
Ha empezado mucho mejor de lo que termina, al principio tanto erotismo no terminaba de convencerme, pero al final, creo que con Isobel se le ha ido totalmente la mano a la autora
Me ha mantenido muy entretenida, aunque, como dice una amiga mía, es un salto de fe. Hay muchas cosas que me restan mucha credibilidad a la historia y, quizás, la protagonista es demasiado perfecta. Una novela muy picante, con aventuras y que cumple
Otro problema que he tenido es que es el segundo y creo que hay demasiadas cosas que me he perdido.
Si os gustan las novelas históricas con cierto erotismo y protagonistas abanderadas, independientes y decididas, esta puede ser una muy buena opción
Ha empezado mucho mejor de lo que termina, al principio tanto erotismo no terminaba de convencerme, pero al final, creo que con Isobel se le ha ido totalmente la mano a la autora
April 28, 2021
Sleeping Beauty But Make It True Love’s Sexual Skills!
Roth married Isobel to save her from a scoundrel. Isobel married Roth fancying herself in love with him...until he literally abandoned her on their wedding night. Three years older, wiser, and determine to find her own pleasure, Isobel sets her sights on claiming her husband.
I love the idea of retelling Sleeping Beauty as story of sexual awakening. Lady Darcy, Is, Clarissa, and the twins were perfect nods to the fairytale classic with a fun regency, and naughty, twist! I also loved that Isobel got to be the hero in multiple ways.
Amalie Howard is quickly becoming a favorite historical romance author for me!
The audio of this one is delightful with lots of emotion, unique voices for each character, and great pacing.
Roth married Isobel to save her from a scoundrel. Isobel married Roth fancying herself in love with him...until he literally abandoned her on their wedding night. Three years older, wiser, and determine to find her own pleasure, Isobel sets her sights on claiming her husband.
I love the idea of retelling Sleeping Beauty as story of sexual awakening. Lady Darcy, Is, Clarissa, and the twins were perfect nods to the fairytale classic with a fun regency, and naughty, twist! I also loved that Isobel got to be the hero in multiple ways.
Amalie Howard is quickly becoming a favorite historical romance author for me!
The audio of this one is delightful with lots of emotion, unique voices for each character, and great pacing.
February 5, 2021
The Rakehell of Roth
The Regency Rogues Series #2
Amalie Howard
https://www.facebook.com/AmalieHoward...
Release Date 02/09/2021
Publisher Entangled Amara
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
As owner of the most scandalous club in London, the last thing the notorious Marquess of Roth wants is a wife. Keeping up his false reputation as a rake brings in the clients with the deepest pockets—money he needs to fund a noble cause. Even though everything inside tells him not to leave his beautiful, innocent wife behind at his country estate...he must.
But three years later, tired of her scoundrel of a husband headlining the gossip rags, Lady Isobel Vance decides enough is enough. She is no longer a fragile kitten, but as the anonymous author of a women’s sexual advice column, she’s now a roaring tigress...and she can use her claws.
Isobel decides to go to him in London, channeling her powers of seduction to make him beg to take her back. But she didn’t expect her marauding marquess to be equally hard to resist. Now the game is on to see who will give in to the other first, with both sides determined like hell to win.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will he be able to see past his blinders before loosing his way to redemption...
I have read the first book in the series, and while it was good, it did not reach the level of this one.
How young both were, as winter married Isobel before his twenty-first birthday.
Still there was an ocean of differences between them, when She was naive, he was bitter, gullible to the fault, cynical to the bone, blind to his flaws, conscious of the muddy waters he was walking in.
I confess despite the hero’s causes to act the way he did, which was very wrong. I was 1000% behind the heroine to teach him a lesson. So each time, she faltered, I was shooting at her « stand up Girl! », to steel her spine, grit her teeth and face him her head held high. He was the one who left her behind to rot alone after he got what he wanted. Worse repeatedly he hurt her, again and again, deliberately.
I just would have liked her to have more mastery over her emotions, I am not fond of women turning into puddle of drooling. Yet when it mattered truly, I liked she was able to lock her knees and jumped straight into the fight.
Isobel changed a lot in the course of three and a half year she was left to languish in the country. Left and forgotten.
I loved she was taken in hand, striped of her ingenue’s skin. She found a new family and allies in the place her cad of a husband dumped her and washed his hands of her. There she recreated herself in a stronger, more confident and independent young woman. She can take care of herself and stand for herself. Yet when you receive blow after blow, it is understandable your resolve can falter.
Winter while I understand his reason to be angry from his point of view, not once did he seek to understand the hows and whys. He let his ire take control and decided to become the worst possible heir to spat on his father. He used Isobel as a pawn, and while he is drawn to her, he slapped her emotionally many times, rejecting her again and again, because he denies his feelings and chooses his revenge over everything even else, even love.
I know love is forgiveness why Isobel too readily took him back, but he really needed to grovel and crawl a lot more, after the many blows he threw at her, some grand gesture would have soften the path.
But oh my, the love scenes, hot hot hot and wondrous. Get an atomizer at close range, because it will be handy when the heat around you will rise.
And while the plot is all about Winter and Isobel, there is a second romance in the background, and if look could kill, Oliver the uptight younger brother of the hero would be long dead, killed by their childhood friend Clarissa. Clarissa was the breath of fresh air in this tale, witty, outrageous and impertinent renaming at will all those bothering her, mostly Oliver.
And more often than less, she stole the limelights, she is such an accomplished performer with words, it is hilarious, she wields her peculiar language like a blade, slicing and pricking.
I hope the author will one day offer them a novella.
In all, if you are in for a mouse turned cat, a dashing hero in need of his head being bashed, supportive witty characters and ton’s intrigues, do not miss this clever and brilliant read, you will a fan to cool off during certain scorching passages.
4.75 because I needed more groveling rounded up to 5 stars.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot hot hot
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Entangled, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
The Regency Rogues Series #2
Amalie Howard
https://www.facebook.com/AmalieHoward...
Release Date 02/09/2021
Publisher Entangled Amara
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
As owner of the most scandalous club in London, the last thing the notorious Marquess of Roth wants is a wife. Keeping up his false reputation as a rake brings in the clients with the deepest pockets—money he needs to fund a noble cause. Even though everything inside tells him not to leave his beautiful, innocent wife behind at his country estate...he must.
But three years later, tired of her scoundrel of a husband headlining the gossip rags, Lady Isobel Vance decides enough is enough. She is no longer a fragile kitten, but as the anonymous author of a women’s sexual advice column, she’s now a roaring tigress...and she can use her claws.
Isobel decides to go to him in London, channeling her powers of seduction to make him beg to take her back. But she didn’t expect her marauding marquess to be equally hard to resist. Now the game is on to see who will give in to the other first, with both sides determined like hell to win.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will he be able to see past his blinders before loosing his way to redemption...
I have read the first book in the series, and while it was good, it did not reach the level of this one.
How young both were, as winter married Isobel before his twenty-first birthday.
Still there was an ocean of differences between them, when She was naive, he was bitter, gullible to the fault, cynical to the bone, blind to his flaws, conscious of the muddy waters he was walking in.
I confess despite the hero’s causes to act the way he did, which was very wrong. I was 1000% behind the heroine to teach him a lesson. So each time, she faltered, I was shooting at her « stand up Girl! », to steel her spine, grit her teeth and face him her head held high. He was the one who left her behind to rot alone after he got what he wanted. Worse repeatedly he hurt her, again and again, deliberately.
I just would have liked her to have more mastery over her emotions, I am not fond of women turning into puddle of drooling. Yet when it mattered truly, I liked she was able to lock her knees and jumped straight into the fight.
Isobel changed a lot in the course of three and a half year she was left to languish in the country. Left and forgotten.
I loved she was taken in hand, striped of her ingenue’s skin. She found a new family and allies in the place her cad of a husband dumped her and washed his hands of her. There she recreated herself in a stronger, more confident and independent young woman. She can take care of herself and stand for herself. Yet when you receive blow after blow, it is understandable your resolve can falter.
Winter while I understand his reason to be angry from his point of view, not once did he seek to understand the hows and whys. He let his ire take control and decided to become the worst possible heir to spat on his father. He used Isobel as a pawn, and while he is drawn to her, he slapped her emotionally many times, rejecting her again and again, because he denies his feelings and chooses his revenge over everything even else, even love.
I know love is forgiveness why Isobel too readily took him back, but he really needed to grovel and crawl a lot more, after the many blows he threw at her, some grand gesture would have soften the path.
But oh my, the love scenes, hot hot hot and wondrous. Get an atomizer at close range, because it will be handy when the heat around you will rise.
And while the plot is all about Winter and Isobel, there is a second romance in the background, and if look could kill, Oliver the uptight younger brother of the hero would be long dead, killed by their childhood friend Clarissa. Clarissa was the breath of fresh air in this tale, witty, outrageous and impertinent renaming at will all those bothering her, mostly Oliver.
And more often than less, she stole the limelights, she is such an accomplished performer with words, it is hilarious, she wields her peculiar language like a blade, slicing and pricking.
I hope the author will one day offer them a novella.
In all, if you are in for a mouse turned cat, a dashing hero in need of his head being bashed, supportive witty characters and ton’s intrigues, do not miss this clever and brilliant read, you will a fan to cool off during certain scorching passages.
4.75 because I needed more groveling rounded up to 5 stars.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 hot hot hot
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher Entangled, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
December 7, 2023
3.5 Stars
This was well written and I did enjoy it though I did have a few niggles and I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as its predecessor. So here we have the second book in the series and it focuses on Isobel the sister of the first heroine we met both of these previously.
To escape an undesirable match a fresh out of the schoolroom Lady Isobel finds herself wedded to the notorious rake The Marquess of Roth Winter Vance. With stars in her eyes and hope for the future her dreams are cruelly shattered when she finds herself dumped at his father's ancestral estate to languish whilst he runs back to London and picks up his life like he was never married.
It’s now over three years and Isobel after another scandal in the gossip rags involving her wayward husband has had enough. So with encouragement from her father-in-law the duke and her colourful best friend Clarissa Isobel heads to the city to attempt to bring her disinterested spouse to heel.
So this was an enjoyable read but Winters's reasons for the way he was though were flimsy at best. The way he initially treated his young bride cruel he humiliates her at every turn with his antics. Though they did prove to be false and a front Isobel didn’t know that so the cause and effect is the same in my option.
I also wasn’t a fan of the fact that Isobel did most of the running here in fact I was annoyed that she didn’t make him grovel when he eventually realised how much he’d messed up, she forgives him instantly and she never really properly inquires about his past indiscretions during the years they spent apart. He was faithful but again how would Isobel know this as she never really addressed it in any detail with her husband.
As I mentioned earlier Winters's actions and reasonings to me seemed melodramatic, they were mostly tied up with his grief over losing his sister and the fact he blames his father for her death, personally, I didn’t think they made much actual sense. I also thought Isobel was far too reasonable and accommodating.
Isobel and Winter did have chemistry and the intimate scenes were scorching, we have some push-pull mostly Isobel pushing and the latter running scared. There was also some slight intrigue and danger included and a scandalous secret Isobel is keeping close to her chest.
Isobel has definitely evolved from the young naive girl she was in the previous book. Now she’s a force to be reckoned with and she’s determined to seduce her husband getting Winter to admit how much he desires her will go somewhat to soothing her wounded pride and heart.
Overall this had lots of positives I just wish Isobel had been less of a doormat and let her husband do some of the chasing instead she was the aggressor and it didn’t matter how much her husband pushed back she still went back for more personally I’d have had to much pride. It just made her appear weak.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
March 7, 2021
New to me author. Not bad. Just so-so. I will try another of her titles.
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