Review: Taming the Rake (Lords in Love #2) by Erica Ridley

          

Print Length: 198 pages

Publisher:  Webmotion (March 24, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: All her life, Miss Gladys Bell was a wallflower whose parents despaired of her ever attracting a suitor. Then she met the man of her dreams, who said she was the woman of his. One passionate night later, Gladys awaits a marriage proposal that never comes. Reuben Medford, the ton’s most notorious rake, doesn’t even remember her name.

Thanks to his cold-hearted callousness, Gladys lost her reputation, her dowry, and her chance at love. But now she’s back, and bent on revenge. He’s trifled with the wrong woman: This wallflower has thorns. Once Gladys holds that damnable rake’s arrogant, fickle heart in her hands… She’ll crush it, just as he did to her.

This time, he’ll remember her name.

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Normally I enjoy this author a lot more than I did with this story. I find her work to be amusing and entertaining, and while this story did have those elements in places, there was a lot more that needed to be hashed out in order for this one to really hit the mark for me. 

To begin with, poor Gladys. You couldn't help but sympathize with her plight. She was a wallflower who, despite being on the marriage mart for four years, only had one marriage proposal, and her suitor made it very clear that he didn't actually want to marry her; no, he wanted the piece of land that made up her dowry. So, of course, when she is crushed against a notorious rake in the dark, and he tells her he has been waiting for her, she assumes that he, in fact, meant her, and it wasn't a case of mistaken identity. So she allows him to kiss her and ruin her hairstyle. In fact, she not only goes back into the ballroom with leaves in her hair (and why did no one oust here, there, and then), but she goes so far as to deny the marriage proposal of the other man believing that Medford will come for her. But of course, he doesn't, and she is ruined. Cast out by her family with nothing to her name and no means of acquiring a suitable position. So she soon resorts to working at a brothel. 

Fast forward five years, and she is now not only a well-known courtesan (although not well known enough apparently for Medford to know of her even though they both reside in London and his acquaintances know of her), but she has saved enough money to "retire" from her profession as well. She also seems to have absolutely no trauma in regard to her past and the things she was forced to endure in order to survive. A little unrealistic, but I'll go with it. Mainly because she is also heck bent on revenge against Medford for ruining her life and costing her everything. 

So I was excited to see him get what was coming to him, especially since the first time he sees her after five years? He once again accosts her in the dark (the same dark gardens as before, ironically), kisses her senseless, and still has no idea who she is, showing that while she has changed in their years apart, he has not. 

And sure, the author tries to pretty it up by explaining that he believes that he is damaged goods, with an uncle who berated him and made him feel worthless, but in reality? There is no real reason for him to feel that way. If it weren't for the fact that he is never seen in the company of the same woman twice, he would be just like any other character. He enjoys his solitude. He enjoys reading historical tomes, so what? He has no mental or physical impediment that would make him unsuitable, only the ones he has stupidly imposed upon himself based on his interests and what his uncle has told him about his character.

Together, these two have an interesting chemistry. I enjoyed the way that Gladys kept him on his toes, forcing him to do ordinary things with her while still keeping their encounters to an hour or less, depending on his treatment of her. However, I really wish he would think before he opened his mouth as that could have saved them both a lot of heartache and headache. 

Overall, I do believe that people will enjoy this one.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                     The Marquess and the Runaway Lady is available on Amazon.com