Taming the Rake

Five years ago, Rueben Medford mistook Gladys Bell for his assignation in the garden. She thought it meant he was attracted to her and would propose. Not so. The rake more or less abandoned her, not knowing what his actions would cost her. That night, Gladys lost everything, reputation, dowry, family, and home. Gladys made her way as best she could and has come to the Marrywell May Day Matchmaker Festival, not for a match, but for revenge. I liked the main characters in this story. Neither of them had been the family favorite, but their answering behavior was completely different. Their second meeting develops interestingly with a sandglass keeping time. What happens when Rueben learns all the truth of their history? Does Gladys get the revenge she seeks? Interesting, well-written, nicely paced, a good read.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC of this book.

I love Regency romance. So many rules. Nobody followed them if all the little trysts are any example. But everyone was affected by them, often very negatively and for the rest of their lives. Many of the rules were cold, cruel, uncompromising. No three strikes or second chances. Mess up once and that’s it – you’re out. Who cares how you make a living, or if you go on living. And this is from not just society but your own family. Consequences and punishment were swift and irrevocable. Of course most of these rules applied to women only. Being a rake was kind of a charming thing for a man but get caught accidentally in the garden unchaperoned with a man and that’s the end for a woman. You’re ruined, fallen, you no longer exist. And if someone holds a grudge against you and lies about what caused your downfall it doesn’t matter; they will be believed and you will be shunned. Or erased. And the reason I love Regency romance is because talented authors like Erica Ridley take these dark, dreadful, dreary circumstances and turn them into immensely entertaining stories for us to enjoy!

This unforgiving environment is the one Gladys Bell has grown up in. She’s not drop-dead gorgeous like her younger sister and her marriage prospects are slim, as her mother never hesitates to point out. She’s not old by today’s standards but in Regency eyes she’s practically an old maid. She’s never received a marriage proposal and this is her last chance; if she doesn’t get married now her dowry will pass to her sister and she’ll become the spinster sister who never leaves home. Which is actually more appealing to Gladys than marrying someone she doesn’t love and who doesn’t love her. Her father is trying to arrange a match for her with a man only interested in the property Gladys would bring to the union, but she has reached legal age and does not have to give her consent.

What happens next would make a very funny rom com in today’s world. Not so much for Gladys though. More like the dashing of all her hopes and the ruin of her life.

A (supremely handsome of course) young man approaches her at the ball, tells her she is the woman of his dreams and invites her to meet him in the garden. She’s amazed, mesmerized, charmed – hopeful. A little kissing goes on and there is quite the instant attraction. Only problem is that the young man is Reuben, the most notorious rake in the ton, and he mistakes Gladys for a married woman he is to meet for a secret assignation. He is so taken with the sparks and fire between them that he pays no attention when Gladys tells him her name. Agrees to meet her in the morning at the hotel. He thinks to continue what they started; she thinks for him to ask her father for her hand. Pretty funny case of mistaken identity in this century; not so much in that one. Reuben has figured out his mistake but has no idea who this young woman was and marriage isn’t in his plans anyway. No harm done in his mind. But there is harm. A lot of harm. Gladys waits and waits and waits and waits, and of course there’s a nasty neighbor who saw her come out of the garden and tells all who will listen. Her family immediately cast her out. The potential suitor isn’t even a possibility now. She’s dishonored and shamed the family. Her sister seems slightly regretful but, hey, she needs to get married herself. And her mother and father never look back.

We don’t see the horrible details of Gladys’ immediate struggle when thrown out but meet up with her again five years later. She has done what she needed to to survive and is now a very successful courtesan to the upper crust (she knows all about the ton, right?). She plans to retire after doing one more thing, the thing that has kept her going all these years. And that is to exact her revenge – Revenge with a capital “R” – on that young man who broke her heart, who ruined her life. She is going to reel him in and then discard him and leave him broken just as he did her.

Once Gladys and Reuben meet again and we’re back in mistaken identify land this story becomes utterly charming. Reuben has been going merrily along, ever the rake. Well, not that merrily as he is haunted by that young woman he just can’t forget. He never even considers that Gladys could be her. Gladys, for her part, is single-minded. She knows exactly who Reuben is and what she is going to do, but darn it, she is starting to like him. We learn that while yes, he is a rake, he is a rake with a gigantic inferiority complex, who thinks no one ever could or will like, much less love, him so being a rake is all his life will be, and we start to like him too.

Gladys and Reuben are characters you will love from the start, even when you don’t like them or disapprove of what they are doing. Taming the Rake is funny, witty, surprising, sweet, heartbreaking, sexy and yes, hopeful. You will be transported to the time and beautiful locations they find themselves in. The dialogue is bright and fresh and just snaps and will keep you turning pages, wondering how they will ever avert disaster and get to that HEA.

Thanks to oh so talented author Erica Ridley for providing an advance copy of Taming the Rake. I am voluntarily leaving this review; all opinions are my own. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story in the Lords in Love series.

A mistaken encounter changes the life of Gladys and haunts Reuben. Years later Gladys plans to get revenge only it doesn’t go as well as she’d hoped! I enjoyed their interactions and the fire they had between them.