Download or read book Girls Before Earls written by Anna Bennett and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 2021-12-28 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Irresistibly angsty...will keep historical romance fans hooked." —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Girls Before Earls is the delightful first novel in the Rogues to Lovers series from romance author Anna Bennett. WHAT A GIRL WANTS To survive her difficult childhood, Miss Hazel Lively relied on two things: a tough exterior and a love of books. Now, she’s realized her life-long dream of opening a school for girls. She’s hoping the wealthy families who summer at the shore will entrust their daughters to Bellehaven Academy—and help pay for less fortunate students. All Hazel must do is maintain a flawless reputation. It’s a foolproof plan...until a handsome earl strides into her office. WHAT AN EARL NEEDS Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, has had a monstrous headache since the day his teenaged niece became his ward. She’s already been expelled from two London schools, but Blade is determined to enroll her at Bellehaven Academy, where she’ll be out of his hair. If only he can convince the buttoned-up—and unexpectedly intriguing—headmistress to take a risk. LEAD TO AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL Blade makes an offer that’s impossible for Hazel to refuse, but she has one condition: the earl must visit his niece every other week. Soon, Blade discovers there’s more to Hazel than meticulous lessons. Their sparring leads to flirtation...and something altogether deeper. But the passion that flares between them poses a threat to Hazel’s school and Blade’s battered heart. They say a good thing can’t last forever, but true love? Well, it just might... "An utter delight until the very last page." —BookPage “A fantastic storyteller. —Fresh Fiction "This enjoyable tale of two people living full lives and finding unexpected love is a great kick-off for Bennett’s new Rogues to Lovers series.” —Booklist

Download or read book It Takes a Rake written by Anna Bennett and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 2024-01-23 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The swoony, frothy finale to the Rogues to Lovers series from award-winning author Anna Bennett. She’s about to face her biggest challenge yet... Since she was a girl, Miss Kitty Beckett has been adept at finding trouble: sneaking brandy, running away, and getting under the skin of the boy who, like her, was an apprentice to an architect. Now Kitty’s a talented heiress who can take a dry building plan and breathe life into it with her pencils and paints. Also? She can spot a rake at a hundred yards—and she won’t be tricked or charmed into marriage. Certainly not by a man who might interfere with her dreams. When Bellehaven Bay announces its first ever architectural design contest, she vows to win—with a little help from her childhood rival. Turning her buttoned-up nemesis into a certified rake. Leo Lockland, a hardworking architect with a gift for numbers, has returned home after a few years in London, and he has secrets. The biggest? He’s been in love with Kitty since they were both apprentices. She refuses to give her heart to any man, but Leo’s determined to beat the odds—even if it means learning how to be a rake. Fortunately, Kitty’s willing to tutor him in the nuances of fashion, flirtation, and seduction in exchange for his help with the contest. But the whole plan would fall apart if she knew how he felt, so he’ll have to be very convincing. Let the lessons begin... Leo proves to be a surprisingly quick study in the ballroom, on the beach, and in the bedchamber. Before long, he’s softening Kitty’s hard edges with his wicked words and kissing his way past all her defenses. Perhaps she’s a bit too skilled at teaching, because her lessons are threatening to backfire, putting her closely guarded heart in grave danger...

Download or read book My Fake Rake written by Eva Leigh and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-11-26 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "[A] feast of female empowerment, positive friendships, feel-good moments, and social satire." — NPR “A jolt of electricity, a blast of fresh air—everything delightful and exciting you could want it to be.” — The New York Times Book Review Meet the Union of the Rakes—a new Regency romance series inspired by the Breakfast Club and other classic 80s films! In the first book, a bluestocking enlists a faux suitor to help her land an ideal husband only to be blindsided by real desire… Lady Grace Wyatt is content as a wallflower, focusing on scientific pursuits rather than the complications of society matches. But when a handsome, celebrated naturalist returns from abroad, Grace wishes, for once, to be noticed. Her solution: to “build” the perfect man, who will court her publicly and help her catch his eye. Grace’s colleague, anthropologist Sebastian Holloway, is just the blank slate she requires. To further his own research on English society, Sebastian agrees to let Grace transform him from a bespectacled, bookish academic into a dashing—albeit fake—rake. Between secret lessons on how to be a rogue and exaggerated public flirtations, Grace’s feelings for Sebastian grow from friendship into undeniable, inconvenient, real attraction. If only she hadn’t asked him to help her marry someone else... Sebastian is in love with brilliant, beautiful Grace, but their bargain is complete, and she desires another. Yet when he’s faced with losing her forever, Sebastian will do whatever it takes to tell her the truth, even if it means risking his own future—and his heart. *One of Oprah Magazine's Best Historical Romances to Read*

Download or read book To Wed a Rake written by Eloisa James and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-12-04 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “sophisticated, witty” (Romantic Times) and scandalous tale of love from New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James. AVAILABLE DIGITALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME Gilbert Baring-Gould, the Earl of Kerr, has no plans to settle down…regardless of his fiancée Emma, who lives in the country. But Miss Emma Loudan is no quiet country mouse. When the earl goes too far, announcing he won’t marry until his fiancée has his ring on her finger and his baby on the way, Emma takes matters into her own hands. Before he knows it, Gil will find that his ring—and his virtue—are no longer his own… And he’s fighting the battle of his life to woo the woman he planned to throw away. To Wed a Rake was previously published as A Proper Englishwoman in the anthology Talk of the Ton.

Download or read book A Rake Like You written by Becky Michaels and published by Mildred Press. This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A delightfully vibrant tale of reluctant lovers reunited." -Kirkus Reviews 2021 BookLife Prize Quarter Finalist - Romance/Erotica About to turn thirty, Charles Finch finally realizes his luck has run out. He’s twenty thousand pounds in debt, his entire family hates him, and the powerful Duke of Rutley is watching his every move. So Charles sets out to do what any handsome but impoverished earl would: find a young lady with an impressive dowry to marry him and replenish his coffers. Louisa Strickland much prefers managing the successful estate her father left her to the company of society. But now that her younger sister has come of age, Louisa finds herself in Mayfair, forced to protect her family from desperate fortune hunters like her neighbor, Charles Finch. And when Charles sets his sights on Louisa’s sister, Louisa will do anything to avert his attention elsewhere. As Charles and Louisa find themselves rekindling an old friendship that once went up in flames, Charles begins to wonder if there could be something more between them. He only needs to prove he’s not the man he once was. But unfortunately for Charles, it will take much more than passionate kisses and giving up brandy to convince independent Louisa to marry a rake like him.

Download or read book The Perfect Rake written by Anne Gracie and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-07-05 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A phony engagement turns into real passion in this delightful Regency romance from award-winning author Anne Gracie. Fate has lavished beauty on the Merridew sisters—that is, all save the eldest. But plain Prudence bears no grudge; she loves her four beautiful sisters infinitely. So when their abusive grandfather is laid up with an injury, she seizes the opportunity to concoct an ingenious plan that will allow all five of them to escape the clutches of their legal guardian. All it will take is a little matrimonial deception... A renowned rake, Gideon, Lord Carradice, has a way of making ladies swoon. But when Prudence arrives at his doorstep and mistakes him for his cousin, the Duke, it is Gideon who’s infatuated. The delightful spitfire claims she and the Duke are engaged—although a taller tale was never told. In spite of the lies, Gideon is so taken with charming Prudence that he’s eager to join her game, especially if it will award him a stolen kiss or two. Now, Prudence’s plot is about to go terribly, albeit deliciously, awry...

Download or read book The Ruin of a Rake written by Cat Sebastian and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2017-07-04 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A 2017 RT Reviewer's Choice Nominee for Best Digital Historical! One of Goodreads' Best Romances of July A RT Book Review Top Pick! “Sebastian proves she is a new force to be reckoned with in historical romances.”—Booklist Rogue. Libertine. Rake. Lord Courtenay has been called many things and has never much cared. But after the publication of a salacious novel supposedly based on his exploits, he finds himself shunned from society. Unable to see his nephew, he is willing to do anything to improve his reputation, even if that means spending time with the most proper man in London. Julian Medlock has spent years becoming the epitome of correct behavior. As far as he cares, if Courtenay finds himself in hot water, it’s his own fault for behaving so badly—and being so blasted irresistible. But when Julian’s sister asks him to rehabilitate Courtenay’s image, Julian is forced to spend time with the man he loathes—and lusts after—most. As Courtenay begins to yearn for a love he fears he doesn’t deserve, Julian starts to understand how desire can drive a man to abandon all sense of propriety. But he has secrets he’s determined to keep, because if the truth came out, it would ruin everyone he loves. Together, they must decide what they’re willing to risk for love.

Download or read book Never Kiss a Rake written by Anne Kristine Stuart and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bryony Russell and her two sisters are left destitute by the disgrace and unexpected death of their father, a wealthy shipping magnate. He left a cryptic note, and Bryony is determined to find the real villain and clear her father's name. In disguise as a servant, Bryony infiltrates the home of her father's business partner to find proof of his guilt ... or innocence.

Download or read book A Relentless Rake written by Anna Harrington and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2022-03-29 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Un-put-downable... This may be Harrington's best yet." —Publisher's Weekly STARRED Review For fans of Grace Burrowes, Sarah Maclean, and Bridgerton, USA Today bestselling author Anna Harrington brings you a sexy feminist historical romance with: An unapologetic rake attempting to cover up his past A rule-following heroine unafraid to speak her mind Thrilling action and mystery Passionate attraction that overrides their deepest resistance Notorious rake Alexander Sinclair, Earl of St James, takes pride in displaying his sins. When he's tasked by the Home Office with finding the men who attempted to assassinate the prime minister, his hunt leads him to Olivia Everett, a most proper schoolmistress who wants nothing to do with a profligate nobleman like him. Unknown to her, Olivia's brother Henry has been working with the revolutionary group planning to overthrow the government. Shocked and hoping to save her brother, Olivia agrees to help the persuasive earl. But the closer they get to uncovering the villains, the more Alec and Olivia will need to trust each other. Praise for Anna Harrington: "As steamy as it is luscious. My favorite kind of historical!"—Grace Burrowes, New York Times bestselling author, for Dukes Are Forever "A touching and tempestuous romance, with all the ingredients Regency fans adore."—Gaelen Foley, New York Times bestselling author, for Dukes Are Forever "Harrington is a rising star...plenty of both love and danger."—Booklist STARRED Review for An Inconvenient Duke

Download or read book Rake written by Scott Phillips and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2013-06-01 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Celebrity and crime pay off big time for an American sociopath in Paris in “one of the great joys in new noir fiction” (Los Angeles Review of Books). Dr. Crandall Taylor—or rather the actor who plays him—is enjoying a cushy new life in the City of the Lights where his now–cancelled American soap opera has become a prime time retro cult hit. This newfound stardom isn’t wasted on him. Anxious to keep his brutal past a secret from fans, he’s enjoying all the fruits that fame has to offer: adulation, entrée into the trendiest clubs, and sex. What he really wants is to fund a feature film. Crandall uses his charm and intellect to draw into his narcissistic web four women: a horny network executive; an internet porn star; a bookish university student with a nasty bent; and the fetching starlet wife of an arms dealer. Crandall accepts both the crime lord’s cash and his beautiful wife’s advances. Big mistake. Now Crandall must channel his violent, megalomaniacal dark side just to stay alive—and on the run. From the national bestselling author of The Ice Harvest comes “an ingeniously twisty old–school noir along the lines of James M. Cain” (Spinetingler Magazine). With it, the “mad, bad, and dangerous to know . . . quintessential American huckster . . . and in Phillip’s sly, deft hands we find ourselves sinking down eagerly with him, glorying in the beautiful muck” (Edgar Award–winning author Megan Abbott).

Download or read book Wild Wild Rake written by Janna MacGregor and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 2020-02-25 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wild, Wild Rake, the next sweeping, emotional, witty, and sharp romance in the Cavensham Heiresses series from beloved author Janna MacGregor. Her first marriage was an epic fail. Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband. Arrogant, selfish, and cruel, it’s a blessing when she’s widowed and left to raise her son all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen. She’s lived these past ten years with no desire to remarry—that is, until Mr. Devan Farris comes to town. Can he convince her to take another chance at happily ever after? Devan Farris—charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian—is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs; he’s not one to trod on a woman’s independent nature and keen sense of convictions. But she’ll have nothing to do with a vicar with a wild reputation—even though he’s never given his heart and body to another. If only he could find a way to show Avalon who he really is on the inside—a good, true soul looking for its other half. But how can prove that he wants to love and care for her. . .until death do they part? Praise for the Cavensham Heiresses series “Full-bodied romance...with intelligence and heart.”—New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell “Sparkling...MacGregor brings England’s Regency era to life.” —Publishers Weekly

Download or read book The Spinster and the Rake written by Eva Devon and published by Entangled: Amara. This book was released on 2021-02-09 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The marriage game is afoot in this clever blend of My Fair Lady meets Pride and Prejudice with a twist! Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair and petting his dog, a fiery battle of wits ensues—leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught. Of course, that’s precisely when Edward’s aunt walks in, and introduces Miss Georgiana Bly...the future Duchess of Thornfield. Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke and learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights are spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her. As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade? Each book in the Never a Wallflower series is STANDALONE: * The Spinster and the Rake * Much Ado About Dukes * The Duke's Secret Cinderella

Download or read book The Lawrence Browne Affair written by Cat Sebastian and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An earl hiding from his future . . . Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down. A swindler haunted by his past . . . Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl. Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives? Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.

Download or read book The Soldier s Scoundrel written by Cat Sebastian and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-09-20 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A scoundrel who lives in the shadows Jack Turner grew up in the darkness of London's slums, born into a life of crime and willing to do anything to keep his belly full and his siblings safe. Now he uses the tricks and schemes of the underworld to help those who need the kind of assistance only a scoundrel can provide. His distrust of the nobility runs deep and his services do not extend to the gorgeous high-born soldier who personifies everything Jack will never be. A soldier untarnished by vice After the chaos of war, Oliver Rivington craves the safe predictability of a gentleman's life-one that doesn't include sparring with a ne'er-do-well who flouts the law at every turn. But Jack tempts Oliver like no other man has before. Soon his yearning for the unapologetic criminal is only matched by Jack's pleasure in watching his genteel polish crumble every time they're together. Two men only meant for each other

Download or read book The Rake s Daughter written by Anne Gracie and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-07-26 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An earl is forced to play matchmaker for the daughters of a rake in a smart and witty new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Scoundrel’s Daughter. Recently returned to England, Leo, the new Earl of Salcott, discovers he's been thrust into the role of guardian to an heiress, the daughter of a notorious rake. Even worse, his wealthy ward has brought her half-sister, the beautiful but penniless Isobel, with her. Leo must find Clarissa a suitable husband, but her illegitimate half sister, Izzy, is quite another matter. Her lowly birth makes her quite unacceptable in London’s aristocratic circles. However, the girls are devoted to each other and despite the risk of scandal if Izzy’s parentage is discovered, they refuse to be separated. To Leo’s frustration, nothing will convince them otherwise. Even worse, sparks fly every time Leo and Izzy interact. Called away to his country estate, Leo instructs the young ladies to stay quietly at home. But when he returns, he's infuriated to discover that Izzy and Clarissa have launched themselves into society — with tremendous success! There's no going back. Now Leo must enter society to protect Clarissa from fortune hunters, and try not to be driven mad by the sharp-witted, rebellious, and intoxicating Izzy.

Download or read book The Art of Taming a Rake written by Nicole Jordan and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2016-01-26 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sparks abound in this sizzling new Legendary Lovers tale from New York Times bestselling author Nicole Jordan, in which a seductive rakehell must woo his spirited but love-shy bride while unmasking a mysterious assailant. Despite his notorious reputation, Quinn Wilde, Earl of Traherne, has mostly honorable intentions. So when beautiful Venetia Stratham boldly enters a gentlemen’s club, demanding that Quinn stop courting her sister, he does what any bachelor would do: He kisses her. With her sharp wit, intoxicating passion, and surprising vulnerability, Venetia is irresistible—except for all this nonsense about threatening to shoot Quinn. But when clandestine enemies make an actual attempt on the earl’s life, Venetia is implicated. To save her good name, Quinn does what any true gentleman must do: He proposes. Thus Venetia finds herself wed to arrogant, wickedly sensual Quinn, whose devilish ways are as legendary as his rumored skills as a lover. Yet vexingly, her body rebels against her vow to remain immune to his many charms. If only she could reform the infuriating nobleman—without diminishing his undeniable allure. As Venetia discovers that a true rake is hard to tame, Quinn faces an even greater challenge: winning his wife’s fragile trust . . . while defending both their lives. Praise for The Art of Taming a Rake “A sweet and tender romance with a perfect blend of adventure and mystery . . . The repartee between the two protagonists—both of whom are struggling to stay detached—is engaging verbal foreplay that captures the heat of their physical attraction. . . . Readers will yearn for the lovers to at last be able to devote their sincere and thoughtful attention to each other.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[Jordan] adds just the right amount of danger and a large amount of passion in this well-written love story.”—RT Book Reviews “Both sensuous and emotional, this story is a true pleasure.”—BookPage “Jordan spices up the plot of her Regency romance with an intriguing thread of danger, but longtime fans of this best-selling author needn’t worry about a lack of potent passion, since Jordan also serves up plenty of the lushly sensual love scenes for which she is famous.”—Booklist

Download or read book Rake s Progress written by Rachel Johnson and published by Knopf. This book was released on 2021 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The true story of how Rachel Johnson - born into one of Britain's most famous political families - tries and fails to get elected in the 2019 hard-fought effort to stop Brexit, running against her older brother, Boris, and what she learns in the process about politics, ambition, family, marriage, and winning and losing"--