I received this book for free from St. Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Wild, Wild Rake by Janna MacGregor Also in this series: The Good, the Bad, and the Duke
Series: The Cavensham Heiresses #6
Published by St. Martin's Paperbacks on February 25, 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Regency Era
Pages: 353
Format: eARC
Source: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN: 1250296013
Her first marriage was an epic failure.
Lady Avalon Warwyck 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 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?
I have to say that the more that I end up reading Janna MacGregor the more that I become even more impressed. I don’t say that too often about regency historical authors anymore, but Janna MacGregor really wowed me in this book and honestly I LEAST expected it to happen to be honest. Especially with how my reading has been of late, I really thought that this would be a slow as snail read but I read this one in one sitting and just couldn’t get enough of it. So what made this book so delicious? So many factors but I think what really did it for me was the characters overall.
Our story takes us with a heart breaking prologue, that has you fighting for the heroine. Lady Avalon Warwyck is married at the very beginning of the story, and is humiliated by her husband in front of his mistress and one of his friends sees this humiliation and ever since Avalon has tormented him so that he could never see such vulnerability from her ever again. But now her husband is dead and she has a son she is raising on her own. But her son’s guardian is determined to interfere into how she raises her son and sends none other than the wild rake ” Devan Farris” who is rumored to be wildly experience and a vicar of all things. When he settles in the same town as she is, she doesn’t know what to make of him. But the more and more they interact, she feels something primal for a man she has never experienced and she soon sees more to Devan than the “rumored rake” ….she sees the tender, spiritually intune and kind man that makes her heart beat faster.
Wild Wild Rake was such a delightful suprise and I totally needed a book just like this to get me back into reading. I am not fully there, but this book definitely helped in so many ways. I was able to relax for a couple of hours with this glorious book and it was simply breathtaking in so many ways. Now at first I was a little bit worried with the angst that was “at first” present within the story. But as it progresssed, the angst softened into playful banter and sensual promise of what these two were building together. I just loved seeing the depths behind these characters. Devan and Avalon really shine in this book. We see both their strengths and vulnerabilities. We see their courage, their sense of honor and their vibrant passion. And I loved Avalon’s son. He was so adorable and so in need of a strong father figure and a bit of a matchmaker.
I will say that this author keeps winning my heart the more that I read her books and I am not sure I ever want to stop reading her stories. She pens such beautiful heartwarming tales that wrap you up in a warm blanket. I will say that seeing a vicar for the hero is something I am really loving more in romance. I love seeing the spiritual side to a man’s strength. And we see this in Devan. Now it doesn’t override the story or even the character of Devan, but it is a part of who he is and I loved seeing that. And seeing a male virgin is always a delight. We just don’t get enough of those in romance….and him waiting for the right woman to share a life with before becoming intimate with one *sigh* purely romantic in every way. This man is husband material for sure. And in all honesty I loved Devon more than the heroine, mostly because of how careful he is with Avalon. He understands her and is so patient with her (she has quite a bit of emotional baggage) and he doesn’t overcome her, just accepts and loves her for who she is.
Overall I found Wild Wild Rake to be a stunning and heartwarmingly rich romance that extends its beauty to the reader in such delightful ways.
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