Review: The Rake of Hearts (A Lady to Suit #2) by Emily Windsor

Synopsis

When the heart is afire...
By his own admission, Lord Ernest Brook is a rake. With sapphire gaze and sinfully handsome looks, the pleasures of London have come with ease...apart from one.
Ever since the gauntlet of her first wintry dismissal was thrown, the widowed Hebe Locke has stirred his deepest desires, but just what would it take to woo such a woman?

Sparks will fly.
Hebe Locke has vowed to never again fall for a scoundrel after her brief marriage to one left her broken and haunted.
Now she finds comfort with paintbrush and canvas, but as a female artist in a male world, commissions are as rare as a ballroom without rakes.

A castle of enchantment.
As the heat of late summer warms the land, an ancient, moated castle plays host to a widow and a rake, both concealing passions contrary to their reputations.
But as Lord Ernest awakens Hebe's desire and thaws her frozen emotions, can she hold true to her vow?
Or can this rake win the one heart he yearns for?

Sensual Regency romance with warmth and wit, this tale also includes a disreputable aunt with a secondary love story, Cotswold country fairs, sinful masquerades and...a goat.

Add to Goodreads Shelf

Review

I loved how this book transported me back in time. That’s why I read historical fiction. The settings, characters, and the language all made it a worthy read. And it’s so well written that it is difficult to put down. The story is pretty straightforward, something often seen in historical romance novels; a hero who is rakish, but also sensitive and sweet; a heroine who is vulnerable, but also strong and determined. I quite enjoyed the romance between the two main characters, as well as the side characters. In fact, to be honest, I find Hebe’s aunt’s love story to be more intriguing and tragically beautiful.

Hebe is a widow who is trying to get over her abusive husband. Ernest is a Duke’s brother, a second son, who doesn’t want to live an idle life. The two become entangled during the summer at an enchanting castle. Ernest likes her blunt manners and the way she is always rude to him. He feels that there is a mystery behind it and wishes to unravel it. Hebe finds him attractive, but she also knows that many women are after him and he doesn’t hide the fact that he is a rake. Once burnt, twice shy. She wants nothing to do with him. However, fate might have something else in mind.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and find it a leisurely read. I would definitely recommend it to the lovers of historical romance.

P.S. I would like to thank the author for a complimentary copy of this book.