9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Love By Numbers #1

by Sarah MacLean

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00713DN2Q

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried - and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss - to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St John, the Marquess of Ralston - charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all - the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Adult

433 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 30, 2010

About the author

New York Times, Washington Post & USA Today bestseller Sarah MacLean is the author of historical romance novels. Translated into more than twenty-five languages, the books that make up “The MacLeaniverse” are beloved by readers worldwide.

In addition to her novels, Sarah is a leading advocate for the romance genre, speaking widely on its place as a feminist text and a cultural bellwether. A columnist for the New York Times, the Washington Post and Bustle, she is the co-host of the weekly romance podcast, Fated Mates. A Rhode Island native, Sarah now lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Eastofoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything single thing I love about romance novels:

• a kill me now s.o.b alpha hero (be still my pitter pattering heart :D)
• an amazing heroine who is (brace yourself now) **shock** normal
• biting humor
• great repartee
• story focus on h/h 99.9% of the time (a rare breed of book)
• originality for something that's been done 36 gazillion times
• superb tension building
• unpredictability where you’re expecting the predictable (aka bug-eyed scenes)
• chilling meanness
• sex-a-licious scenes
• page turning writing that plastered a smile on my face from start to finito
• crying moments that had me actually reaching for the Kleenex box to the point that I’d get mad too because I couldn’t see to read for how watery my eyes were
• sigh worthy Cinderella moments (yeah what about it, everybody likes Cinderella and the prince who sweeps her off her feet :p)

I love this book! It’s been a while I haven’t had an OMG-crack-open-the-address-book-and-call-all-the-friends-to-tell-them-about-this-gem. It’s such a simple story too. Why can’t more authors do the same?! Here’s the basic story lowdown: Calpurnia Hartwell is an on the shelf spinster who’s been in love with the King of Hotnicity Gabriel, Marquess of Ralston, for a good 10 years. Unrequited love at its finest. Gabe’s a screw society skirt chaser but he has to turn over a new leaf to ensure his half-sister’s success with the ton. He asks Callie to help him out because she’s so upstanding. Callie’s in heaven/hell. The reader is on cloud nine :D

This story reminded me of those great romance writers who have a particular talent to put out amazing reads and get on your auto-buy list. There’s some of Lisa Kleypas’ sparkling storytelling and hot sex scenes, some way out of left field steam scenes à la Suzanne Enoch, a very hard to find arrogant but you-can’t-help-falling-in-love-with-him-yourself hero like only Anna Campbell can write (FYI: if you liked Campbell’s Duke of Kylemore you’re going to adore the Marquess of Ralston), biting humor and choice verbal sparring like only Loretta Chase can do and a splash of Julia Quinn’s laugh out loud humor with bittersweet moments of seriousness interspersed throughout the novel. With a dash here and a pinch there of all these authors’ trademarks, Sarah MacLean has made some memorable characters that will leave you with a parched throat because you haven’t swallowed (or blinked for that matter) once in the past 10 minutes you’ve been reading and holding your breath. When you do regain those abilities you’ll be trying to catch your breath as you sing the “OMG” song ;)

Both the h/h are brilliantly constructed so you can empathize as well as sympathize with them. Callie isn’t the “diamond of the first water” and she’s not some independent blue stocking either. She’s just a normal woman with normal woman insecurities and desires who’d really like to find love. How many women can’t say the same thing you know. You could just feel her pain while shaking your head and saying “I'm with ya sister”. You just don’t get that kind of depth where the author plucks the heart strings not because of something tragic but because of the everyday stuff. Then there’s Gabriel :D His arrogance and do-it-because-I-said-so attitude really could have made him a close relative of Anna Campbell’s Duke of Kylemore and his cold and calculated aloofness reminded me of Katie MacAlister’s Drake Vireo –two oozer of sex heroes if ever there was one. What’s fabulous about our man Gabe is that he’s soooo arrogant but then he gets all confused and unsure of himself because he screws up big time ---who can’t find a few men like that in everyday life ;D Oh yeah, and this guy’s a whisperer. Good lord he whispers against her lips, her ears, her hair –just gives you the shivers :D

As for the other characters, there’s the witchy gossipists of the ton or the well-meaning family member who feels compelled to tell you for the umpteenth time that you basically have no life. You just cringe along with Callie as she goes through all this politely excusing herself to go cry and ask herself ‘why is it always me’ :( To be clear, Callie is no crier for no reason. I hate whiny woe is me heroines and MacLean did a superb job of not turning her into one of those. When she cried you bawled right along with her. It’s very emotional without it being painfully tragic or dramatic. There are also the characters who are so freakin’ mean they rile you up nice and good (lol!) It’s the kind of story that I think everyone can relate to on some level whether you’ve felt like her or know someone who has. When an author can take you away like that, for me they’ve written some mighty fine keeper shelf material.

A brief word about the ending: it’s put a cramp in your cheeks beautiful. Of course with that comes the anger because you finished it too fast like an idiot and didn’t savor the read like you should’ve :-o Ah, the good book :)

Just one little qualm: seems that the art department at Avon thought they were doing the art design for “The Mediterranean Lover’s Sex Kitten” or something –what the???! That is not Callie or Ralston at all. Whatsamatter with these people? Don’t they think the reader looks at that??!

This is the kind of book you’re still reading at 3am with the book light on all the while whispering, “just one more page – geeze I’m almost done the chapter – ok just a few pages of chapter 33”, even when you have to be up by 6am or, even better, when you wake up at 6am and your first thought as you pat around for your glasses is “Where’s that book! I can get in just a few pages before I go to work” suddenly finding yourself with 10 minutes to boot it out of bed but still torn to read :D It sucks you in and glues itself to your fingers. Bad book! (lol!)

Very, very, very, very few authors make auto-buy for me after just one book. Well, it would appear that I have found a new one to add to that select group –now, why doesn’t MacLean have a damn backlist already! Pick. Up. This. Book. Today. :D

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

parts of this were really sweet and swoony but ultimately the hero and heroine brought the story down a star or two

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated because.... I've been asked by the lovely Jessie Edwards, one of the fabulous ladies in charge of the Avon Addicts program, to choose my favorite Avon romance. Is she kidding?? She must be joking! Just one???

*sigh*

Anyway, to refresh my memory, I reread a few of my old Avon reviews and I've decided to repost this review in hopes that anyone not familiar with the Love by Numbers series will give it a go. Yes, it's that good.

So, my favorite Avon romance...

Well, there are a few books that instantly came to mind - Again the Magic with the physically and emotionally scarred Aline, and John, the man who loved her, by Lisa Kleypas; Whisper Falls starring good girl Tessa who falls for the bad, bad boy, Lucky Romo, by Toni Blake; Flowers from the Storm with Christian, one of the most tormented heroes I've read, and Maddy, the woman who saves him - and he saves her right back, by Laura Kinsale; (review links can be found below) and this one... Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean. Well... I've picked Nine Rules, and here's why...

It's because if I could choose to be any heroine from a historical romance, I'd want to be Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, and here's why...

I find I’m at a loss for words when trying to describe the wide range of emotions this book evoked in me, except to say that it made me laugh, cry, sigh, gasp, and hope for a happily ever after for the hero and heroine more than I have in any other book I’ve read in a very long time. And, this is the first book in which I’ve found myself more invested in the heroine’s happiness than the hero’s.

The prologue had my heart breaking for a young woman’s shattered – albeit it brief – fairytale fantasy, and her so very low self esteem. But that said, this is one of those books that made me wish that I were the heroine. Not just so I could live happily ever after, but for the kind of person she was. I loved her for her goodness, her kindness and compassion. I adored her for her sense of humor, her generosity and her selflessness, but most of all; it was her strength, her courage to live, rather than sit on-the-shelf collecting dust as society dictated that all "self respecting" spinsters should. It’s for all of these reasons that I wish I were Callie.

It took me awhile to fall in love with Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston, but it did happen. I mean, how could it not? Take a gander at that step back… again, I ask... How could I not fall for him?? The look on his face speaks volumes as to his passionate nature, his need… his hunger for this unusual woman who was nothing like society expected her to be. She was daring, witty, refined, and intelligent and she’d managed to work her way under his skin, and before he knew what happened, into his heart. His reputation was no secret - he was known by all as a rake and a libertine, so when he became aware of her plan to experience the same kinds of things that gentlemen are allowed to experience, I wasn’t terribly surprised when he offered to facilitate her in her quest to check each item off of her list, whilst risking utter ruination!

I’m always impressed by other readers who include quotes in their reviews. Me? I’m too engrossed in the book to make myself stop long enough to make notes, but this book demanded that I do exactly that — twice. This first quote I’ll share is from the prologue and had me sobbing. My ever faithful Goodreads friends, Catherine and Rane, were there to help me through this tear-jerking scene as I posted it on my status update:

She pushed aside a devastating pang of sorrow as the truth coursed through her. She would never have the magnificent Marquess of Ralston, nor anyone like him. She felt an acute certainty that the things he had said to her earlier were not the truth but instead the lies of an inveterate seducer carefully chosen to appease her and send her blithely off, easing his dark tryst with his ravishing beauty. He hadn't believed a word of it. No, she was not Calpurnia, Empress of Rome. She was plain old Callie. And she always would be.

Seriously, when read in context, with the entire prologue, that was one of those most heartbreaking moments from any book I can recall.

Now, the second quote/snippet I have for you is the moment in which I finally became invested in seeing Callie and Gabriel’s happily ever after come to pass, and knowing I could believe in it.



This is yet another gut wrenching scene and takes place when Callie finds out about a wager that had been placed between Gabriel and Oxford as to whether or not Oxford would be able to convince Callie to marry him. Of course, this is a romance novel so we, the readers, already know who’s going to end up the winner, but when Callie gets wind of it, she’s humiliated and thinks she’s nothing more than something for men to wager over. Gabriel had proposed to her and she’d accepted, but now, even though the bet was for 2,000£, she suddenly felt so very worthless. So she has demanded that Gabriel stay away from her, and she’s fled the ball where this scene takes place. Oxford, well into his cups, has some unflattering things to say about Callie in front of Gabriel and Benedick, Callie’s brother:

“Certainly, the best thing about spinsters is that they’re eager for a toss, but you can’t really mean to tell me you need to resort to one as plain and uninspiring as that one. Although, it did appear she was more than willing to lift her skirts for you…and I suppose that is something.”

Benedick stiffened, and fury, hot and quick, coursed through Ralston at the words, so demeaning and unpleasant, directed at the woman he planned to make his wife. Because there was absolutely no question that Callie was going to be his wife.

Drunk or no, Oxford would pay for his words.

Reaching out, Ralston grabbed Oxford by the lapels of his topcoat and slammed him against the stone wall that marked one edge of the balcony. The force of the blow took the breath out of the baron, and, gasping for air, he slumped to the ground, clutching his chest.

Ralston looked down his long, elegant nose at the vile creature at his feet and said, “You just impugned the honor of my future marchioness. Choose your seconds. I will see you at dawn.”

Leaving Oxford sputtering on the ground, Ralston spun on one elegant heel to face Benedick. “When I am done with him, I am coming for your sister. And, if you intend to keep me from her, you had better have an army at your side.”



So, Gabriel had been slowly working his way into my heart, but it was his actions and his words in defense of Callie that sealed the deal for me.

The bottom line – this was my first Sarah MacLean read and it most assuredly will not be my last. I’m anxiously awaiting the October 26th release of the second book in this series, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord. It’s Gabriel’s brother, Nicholas St. John’s story, and will undoubtedly be every bit as wonderful as this book was.

So tell me, what's YOUR favorite AVON romance?? Have you read any of my top 4?

If you're interested in reading why I loved the other books so much, here are my reviews:

My Review of Again the Magic

My Review of Whisper Falls

My Review of Flowers from the Storm

[Emmy B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Welcome to one of the worst historical romances (not-at-all-historically-accurate-barely-disguised-porn-books) I have ever read. Welcome to the land of cliches, to the Kingdom of the One Dimension, the Empire of Clumsy World-building. This nirvana of terribleness is somehow a well-regarded, best-selling novel.



Do you want some of Sarah Maclean's success? Well, it shouldn't be too hard. If you know nothing about history, can barely put a sentence together and don't feel like writing well-rounded characters you're pretty much half-way there.



Here's the recipe for a popular hist-rom novel for the 21st century, or what I like to call 5 Writing Rules to Break to A Million Dollars Make.

Rule Number 1

Consistency Or The Schrödinger's Plain Regency Heroine

Is she fat and plain? Is she voluptuous and beautiful? The author wants your sympathy, but also wants her heroine plausibly desirable to an extremely horny rake, so this is where the Schrödinger's Regency heroine comes in. She is both trollishly hideous, so no man wants her and she is desperate to be kissed, and at the same time also Jessica Rabbit levels of hot, so that a man who can have any poontang he wants (and does have it) cannot keep his breeches buttoned in her presence. The trick here is to write her as if you were completely unaware that language has any meaning at all, and therefore you can and should claim she is both a deformed ogre and a luscious babe liberally all over the place. Be bold! You've got this!

Rule Number 2

Good World Building Or Regency World Schmegency World

Who needs rules and consistency? Not you, that's who!



This technique is called "Not Giving a Shit" and it goes like so: In the title of this novel, the author introduces you to the idea of rules, which the heroine wishes to break. The title is supposed to hint at something illicit and forbidden and therefore exciting. And I know what you're thinking. Rules work on the basis of consequences, so if you get caught something bad should happen, right? And it should be difficult to get away with it, so there's a sense of danger, which makes the getting away with it as exciting as the title promises. Right?

Well, no, because how are you going to churn out fifty of these suckers a year if you are going to bother about these little technicalities? Look, if you want to be serious about this business, you have to focus on what's important.

Emilia, I hear you say, we can't just have no consequences whatsoever in this novel. People are going to call our bullshit.

No, I tell you, they certainly won't. Trust me. You know how in Regency England men went about in really tight pantaloons and waistcoats? And you know how I said previously that our heroine is full-figured? And do you know what one of the rules she wants to break is? That's right, she wants to go into a gentleman's club, and so does go there, dressed as a gentleman. Don't worry, this world is full of morons, nobody spots her, she manages to have sex in that club and it's a-okay. Because this is a world full of imbeciles. And that is also, by the way, what the author clearly thinks her readers are.

Rule Number 3

No False Advertising Or Rake Schmake

Next, make sure you’ve got the word “rake” in the title.

Oh, you're worried nobody is going to buy a novel about a rake, because rakes went around whoring and gambling and acquiring debts and STDs and who wants that? That's not sexy, right?

But I'll let you in on a little open secret in the industry. When a book has "rake" in the title, it's sort of like when supermarkets tell you that something costs £49.99 so your brain doesn't think you're about to spend £50 on some nonsense you don't even need.

In short, it's a cheap fucking trick.

Always remember: words mean nothing.

Rule Number 4

Clear Genre Descriptor Or Romance or Porn?

You’re worried that to write a good romance requires hours of work to create two characters who are compatible and who spark on the page, and credible conflicts which they must overcome and which the reader will find delightful to read, so that by the end they- Nah, stop it, you nerd. Just stuff your novel with endless, anachronistic sex.

Look at this little gem of a novel. There's a time and place for everything except for the protagonists of this here little porno for whom the time is always and the place is everywhere. Carriages, gentlemen’s clubs, any room in any house they happen to have a conversation in… Did you know that in Regency England you could be a respectable unmarried young woman who has sex in a gentleman's club and then go about the world as if nothing happened? No? Well, that is why you have not yet reached Sarah MacLean levels of book-selling success. But don't worry, we'll get you there.

Rule Number 5

Stick the Landing Or The I Love You Paradox

So you're nearing the end of your novel. You have disregarded history and logic and linguistics. Your brain is tired and you have no plot and no characters and somehow you have to end things with a bang. I know, this is the tricky part, but bear with me. You see, you're not the only one. If you break all these writing rules it is absolutely inevitable that you will end up at this point, where you have nothing to build conflict out of and therefore nothing to create a satisfying resolution with.

So romance writers of the world have come up with this neat little thing, where they go ahead and pretend that the heroine thinks the hero doesn't really love her. See where this is going? It's literally the ending of 99% of all romance novels and it never gets old.

So the heroine, who has been content spreading her legs for the hero pretty much everywhere and all the time, gets a proposal of marriage from him, right, and she says no! And then, when the hero goes mad with grief and heartbreak, you write some ten or so pages of them chewing their nails and drinking and brooding and fighting with whatever side-character-like props you have erected to hint at your next novel, before they agree that they do love each other, and there you go, you're done.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. ugh. The romance. Was so cute.

I really loved the premise how Callie made this list she wanted to do because she was a spinster and was tired of not living her life. It was fun watching her try to achieve her list and how Ralston is always roped into her antics. Their romance was just so adorable. I also loved how close Callie was with both her sister and her brother. I just couldn't get enough of this book and highly recommend it!

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread/listened to audiobook May'2022

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this 5 star romance.

Original rating/review April'2010

5+ stars – Historical Romance

What a wonderful, charming, sexy, entertaining, sweet, funny, emotional, steamy, and well-written regency romance with an utterly lovable, quirky, plump, Plain Jane, wallflower, spinster heroine and a sexy-as-sin, tarnished-heart-of-gold rogue hero to die for!

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is a truly delightful read with everything I love in a historical romance: an engaging story, witty dialogue, humor, drama, emotion, smokin’ hot love scenes, an endearing heroine, and a deliciously sexy rake hero reformed by love.

Sarah MacLean has earned a place on my author auto-buy list, and I can’t wait for Nick’s story, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, to come out! Big 5 stars!

[Nalini Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the "on the shelf" heroine who decides to do all the things ladies aren't supposed to do (smoke a cheroot, gamble, attend a duel...), and the scandalous hero who gets caught up in her rule-breaking (until he actually helps her do some of the things on her list). Totally recommended!

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was rich with depth and with characters that I was interested in reading about. Callie was tired of being trapped by society's expectations, and the box she'd been put into, and decided to claim some happiness for herself. I liked that Gabriel liked her for who she was. He was drawn to her, even though she didn't fit society's ideas of beauty. She became the one woman he couldn't resist, and it wasn't hard for me to believe that was the case as I read this story.

I think Ms. MacLean did a great job of writing this novel, that was recognizably full of honest and real emotions. Normally, I don't care for the Regency hoyden, who gallivants around town doing things that women just didn't do. But, this book wasn't quite like that. Callie was a woman of her times. But, she was a woman who was trying to claim some happiness for herself. She never felt anachronistic in her morals. She was just tired of trying to live up to others' expectations. So, despite this being a theme I'm far from fond of, I wasn't bothered by Callie's hijinks. I really liked and felt for Callie. Some readers complained about it constantly being repeated that she was plain and plump. I didn't really see that. I think that it was mentioned as much as necessary, especially considering that's the box that Callie had been put into. I felt for her, seeing how insensitive people were in their treatment of her. It felt authentic. Women are often treated in such a fashion, when they don't fit into the mode that society defines for them. If you're not married, don't have a man, or a boyfriend, then what's wrong with you? You must be flawed somehow. You have no purpose in life. Sadly, that's still the case.

This was a very sexy book. There are some pretty spicy scenes, and they are quite well-done. The chemistry between Gabriel and Callie felt authentic. I could see why they were attracted to each other, and why they fell for each other. Those love scenes really kept me on the edge as I read.

I liked Gabriel a lot. Although he was a rake, he showed himself to be fairly admirable in his behavior. There were some lines that he knew he shouldn't be crossing with Callie, but the way this book was written, you could see that he couldn't resist his feelings for Callie. I didn't find Gabriel especially tortured. But, I don't guess all heroes have to be. He did have some baggage with his mother running off and leaving him, and you could see how that affected him, making him afraid to give his heart to a woman. But, with Callie, it was natural for him. He couldn't hold that back from her.

I liked Nick, Benedick, and Juliana a lot. I hope that Ms. McLean writes stories for them as well.

Reading Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake was a very pleasant experience. It wasn't a particularly dark romance (which is my favorite), but it was nuanced and had an intensity between Callie and Gabriel that made it a fairly compelling read. I think Ms. MacLean is a very good writer, and it's clear she makes an effort to write a high quality historical romance that manages to entertain but also has an underlying message. She treats important elements of historical romance with respect, but writes a story that is fun, sensual, and engaging, and she earned my respect for doing so. She's definitely going on my to-read list.

[EmBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

Not only am I a shallow person who sometimes picks books because of their lovely covers, but I’m also a shallow person who picks books because of their fun titles. I saw the book titles of this series and I was sold! Aren’t they fun?

Callie doesn’t like the way her life turned out. She’s tired of being a spinster and she is longing for an adventure, so she made a list of scandalous things to do which is completely inappropriate for a lady.

This book got me laughing out loud. It’s so fun and so cute. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time I was reading it. It’s ridiculous! It was so fun watching the heroine trying to complete her list and how each item put her in an awkward situation with the hero. I loved her relationship with her sister and brother and how close she was to them. And the romance was just so cute!! Read this book! it’s gonna make your day!

[Grecia Robles · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 5 Muy enamorada del Libertino STARS ****

PopSugar 2019: 13. Una relectura de tu libro favorito

- Creo que te he amado durante toda mi vida.
Los ojos azules de Gabriel brillaron bajo la luz plateada de la luna
-Y yo te amaré durante el resto de mi vida emperatriz

.

Este es uno de mis libros favoritos en histórica y de la vida y en esta relectura los disfruté MÁS Y volví a quedar Verdadera y Locamente enamorada de Gabriel

Comencé esta lectura por recomendación y me dijeron que me iba a encantar y a enamorar de Gabriel, Gracias Viri eres una vidente porque así sucedió desde las primeras páginas ya estaba encantada con este libro, me hizo reír, llorar, suspirar y enamorarme en cada capítulo AMO ESTE LIBRO



La historia es sumamente romántica, divertida, refrescante, con una protagonista encantadora y que te enternece y que te dan ganas de abrazarla y consolarla, que quiere dejar de ser invisible y por primera vez sentirse viva, así que hace una lista de una serie de cosas que para esa época sería un escándalo y mancharía la reputación de una respetable dama de sociedad, pero más sin embargo ella se arriesga y sin darse cuenta va cumpliendo todos los puntos de la lista con la ayuda de ese granuja libertino del que lleva enamorada por casi una década.



Como toda buena historia, tiene que tener personajes memorables que te lleguen al corazón, y aquí los encontramos y es que los dos me encantaron y que eran una pareja que enamora y tan inmperfectamente perfectos el uno del otro

Callie con esa timidez e inocencia, pero a la vez con esas ganas de vivir y tener aventuras, quererse sentir amada y aceptada como es pero que a sus veintiocho años se siente una solterona que ya se le pasó el tren y por si fuera poco se siente menospreciada fea sin ningún atractivo, pero ella es inteligente, intrépida, sarcástica y tan tan linda que yo adoré a Lady Calpurnia.

Gabriel Es DELICIOSO su mera presencia te calienta las venas, hace que se te caigan las enaguas y que exploten tus ovarios y es PERFECCIÓN PURA, es el tipo de protagonistas que a mi me gustan Sexy, hot, GURL lo necesito en mi cama digo en mi vida. #Diositoescuchamisruegos Than.. This girl is on fire



OMG OMG OMG!!! Ese Sexy y pícaro marqués escaló rápidamente en mi lista de novios perfectos, es imposible no amarlo. Es un seductor nato me mantuvo embobada en todo el libro.

—Te amo. Amo tu extravagante nombre, tu hermosa cara y tu mente despierta; tu ridícula lista y tu inclinación por la aventura, algo que, imagino, sí será la causa real de mi muerte. Y tenía intención de decírtelo mucho antes de que me alcanzaran en el brazo

La manera como se va dando la relación de Gabriel y Callie fue lo mejor de todo, me encanta este tipo de amores, Gabriel tan cerrado al amor pero como ella poco a poco se va metiendo en su corazón hasta que él reconoce que la ama uff de verdad que este libro es simplemente perfecto y yo no quería que se acabara.
Por cierto las escenas hot entre Callie y Gabriel estuvieron bastante incendiarias y me encantaron.

Los personajes secundarios también me encantaron fueron el complemento perfecto para la historia pero mi favorito es el hermano de Callie Benedick me hubiera encantado que tuviera su libro pero al parecer no tiene SUFRO!! Porque es un personaje que tiene mucho potencial para enamorar.

[Sarah MacLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

once again, don't take my word for it. ;)

[Vinaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine Rules to Follow When Writing a (Regency) Romance:

1. Read Georgette Heyer: This one is self-evident. (If it's not, read this)

2. Spinster on the shelf: Make sure your heroine is never the belle of the ball. Young, vibrant beautiful ladies are, of course, infinitely less interesting than pale, passive, middle-aged women who somehow mysteriously retain the fresh bloom of youth and the ability to attract rich, handsome men who are being desperately pursued by 17 and 18-year olds. Right.

3. The handsome, titled rake: Your hero cannot be a man of moderate tastes and self-control. Where's the fun in that? Be sure to create a handsome, irresistible man-whore who has bedded hundreds of women and is, in all probability suffering from a severe case of syphilis. But the title, of course, will subsidise a multitude of sins. Quel amour!

4. Using Cant: You have to gammon your readers with some fustian about a bluestocking who turns into a diamond of the first water and sets her cap at a Corinthian, resulting in some cork-brained adventures. (But it's still okay to use apologize instead of apologise, realize instead of realise, and so on... we're sure the Americans learnt these (mis)spellings from the Brits!)

5. Hoyden-ish behaviour: Despite being brought up in a society renowned for the rigidity of its rules and mores, make sure your heroine almost never wears a corset, rides astride, wears men's clothes, freely uses swear words such as 'damn' and somehow still fails to incur the attention or wrath of society.

6. A makeover: The spinster on the shelf must always get an opportunity to re-invent herself and dazzle all comers. For this purpose, you will need 1) a French modiste 2) a stunning gown 3) feminine lingerie 4) a devoted abigail with magic hands and 5) a beautiful face and lush figure that have so far been hidden under dowdy clothes for some unknown reason.

7. A Special Ball: If it didn't happen in a ballroom, it ain't worth talking about! All major scenes, but ESPECIALLY the makeover, must be accompanied by a ball. Preferably the Season's biggest one. Said ball must be rife with passion, drama and, of course, the waltz. (Who gives a shit about the quadrilles and the country dances, bring on the cabaret waltz!)

8. The Big Misunderstanding: The path of true love is never smooth. Huh, what did you think this was, real life? Can't have no Happily Ever After without the Big Misunderstanding. Generally, the BM involves a wager of some sort. What else do these gambling rakes have to do apart from waste their blunt wagering on their women? Alternatively, it could involve abduction by the evil dandy, but it's more fun to see the hero and heroine make an ass of themselves. (No, not arse, darling, ASS!)

9. And last, but most importantly, EXHIBITIONIST SEX: For some reason, it appears almost mandatory in Regency romances for the hero and heroine to have sex or almost-sex in places where it would be easy for other members of the public to walk in on them. Like an unlocked fencing room in a men's club. Or a garden adjoining a ballroom. Or an alcove in a museum. Or, of course, the ubiquitous carriage. It's like nobody in Regency England's ever heard of a bed! Also, Regency romances are the perfect illustration of Big Stick in Little Hole syndrome, since the heroine is always a virgin, the man is always well-hung and yet the first time they have sex is magical, with only some minor, fast-vanishing pain. Obviously practice makes perfect doesn't apply to Regency sex.


Epilogue: I actually liked this book; it was funny in parts, did not read like bad Georgette Heyer fan fiction, and even the sex scene was a little goose-bump-inducing... the first time. After that, well, jeez, I know how it's done, skip it already! There was a big discussion going on over at Jillian's review about the actual romance quotient of graphic sex scenes, so I'm not going to get on that soapbox here.

I've had a love-hate relationship with historical romances for a while now, but I'm pleased to report that Nine Rules falls on the like side of the scale; if you're a fan of historical romances, I would recommend you put this on the top of your list!

[D.G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, please know that I’m picky. For a romance to grab me, it has to have a compelling plot, interesting characters and internal consistency. This last quality is what I called when the elements of the story come together to form a cohesive whole. If one of those elements is missing, I start having problems with the book.

Nine Rules has a compelling central plot – a wallflower who decides to eschew convention and her reputation to do things she always wanted to do because she wants to live instead of merely existing. Those nine things have nothing to do with ‘romancing a rake’ so the title is a total misnomer.

After a promising beginning when the heroine realizes she wants to be passive no more, the book becomes very predictable and it falters in the other two areas (characters and consistency.) The characters are likeable but they are cookie cutter historical romance, people you’ve seen over and over in similar stories: the plain but voluptuous wallflower, the rake, the fortune hunter, the badly dressed Mama, the gorgeous mistress, a couple of beautiful and lively sisters (one of the hero’s, one the heroine’s), etc. The characters spew historical romance clichés one after the other so it’s no wonder I had trouble differentiating from others of their ilk:
Hero: I’ve never met a woman like her before!
Heroine: It won’t fit!

Worse, the book has lapses in logic that defy the imagination – the heroine is described as voluptuous but is able to pass as a man by binding her breasts with scraps of linen (!?!) After doing the deed, the ‘smart’ heroine doesn’t worry for a second about the possibility of being pregnant and when the hero brings it up, she tells the hero that the risk is small (what the heck does she know?) There’s never a cohesive explanation as to why she’s a wallflower – she’s rich, titled, engaging and generously endowed so she has a few things going on for her…it amazed me that no man seemed interested in a fortune attached to a pair of large breasts.

All in all, this is not the worst historical romance book I’ve read but I expect to forget everything about it in the next few weeks.

[MelissaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake was an utterly charming and wonderful read! I was very impressed with the story and the characters. I loved the heroine, I really felt emotionally connected to her and wanted her to get the love and life she longed for with the handsome rogue hero.

Lady Calpernia Hartwell is an on the shelf spinster at 28 years old. She believes herself plain and thinks her opportunity to have a husband and children is over. Seeing her young sister fall in love brings Callie to the realization that she wants more out of life that sitting in the spinster section of the ballroom. She makes a list of nine daring things she wants to try because they are forbidden things that only men do or will cause her ruination. But she figures what's the point of a perfect reputation when she will never be married, so she impulsively heads out to complete the first thing on the list - a kiss. Callie goes to Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston because she has secretly been infatuated with him for years.

Gabriel is quite surprised to see the proper Callie appear in his bed chamber one night. She reluctantly asks him for a kiss which he agrees to for a price - he needs a respectable sponsor like her to help introduce his newly found half-sister into society. So begins the relationship between Gabriel and Callie as she helps prepare his sister to enter society. Callie is still working on her list so she is always landing on situations where Gabriel needs to help save her reputation. He is intrigued by this new daring and passionate side to Callie and decides to help her with her list. Callie finds herself falling more for Gabriel as she gets to know him but she knows he will never fall for a plain wallflower like her.

This was a very romantic and wonderful story! I loved the charming story and characters. The writing pulled me into the story and kept me on the edge of my seat as I watched Callie spread her wings and find the life and love she wanted, while Gabriel fell harder for Callie every time they were together. The sexual tension was very hot! The love scenes were sexy too.

I enjoyed this book very much and would highly recommend it to historical romance fans looking for a great romance!

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED

"I love you. I love your extravagant name and your beautiful face and your brilliant mind and your ridiculous list and your taste for adventure, which I imagine is very likely going to be the actual cause of my death. And I very much wanted to be able to tell you all that before you were shot in a field."



Even though the plot is very predictable, I really enjoyed Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. It's another winner and delightfully penned by the very talented Ms. MacLean.

London, England April 1823
Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston and a rake of the highest caliber, is in for a surprise. His brother Nick is telling him that they have a sister. A half sister, as it is. Since her father is of common birth, the ton won't accept Juliana easily. Ralston needs someone with an impeccable character to introduce his half sister into society. Well, Gabriel found someone. Lady Calpurnia (Callie) Hartwell, proper and well-behaved spinster. She is twenty-eight years old and she has the most pristine reputation of any member of the ton. However, that is about to change. Callie doesn't want to be passive and plain and unadventurous anymore. Therefore, she creates the infamous list…

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

1. Kiss someone--passionately
2. Smoke cheroot and drink scotch
3. Ride astride
4. Fence
5. Attend a duel
6. Fire a pistol
7. Gamble (at a gentleman's club)
8. Dance every dance at a ball
9. Be considered beautiful. Just once.

Yes, Callie, you're in for a surprise. Your wishes shall be fulfilled…

In a whisper, she announced, "I came to ask you to kiss me." Ralston will kiss her. For a price. And the story takes it from there.

As expected I loved the dialogue. It's witty and very entertaining. Further, I appreciated the fact that Ms. Maclean portrayed another average-looking heroine. Again, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and I loved to see our hero falling for Callie. And he fell very hard eventually. Throughout the story, Ralston's feelings changed and he really saw her as beautiful. He realized that there was nothing about her that was plain or unassuming. Ultimately, Ralston was the man to let her loose from her cage.

Despite my issues with Gabriel, I have to admit that he was very sexy. His tempting words and his deep and sensual voice sealed the deal for me. Some wicked glances, some hot kissing and touching and somehow I fell for him too. The love scenes are deliciously well-written--very sensual and passionate.

What didn't work for me
The conflicts the wager was extremely predictable and the plot were too predictable--just too convenient for my liking. I would have loved to see more and better relationship development as well. Further, Ralston is very reluctant to accept his feelings resp. his love for Callie, and after some time I felt kinda worn out.

After completing her list, Callie seems to be in dire need to create another one. It is very short though.

"My new list only has one item." "That sounds like a very dangerous list." "Oh, it is," she agreed happily. "It's very dangerous. Particularly to your reputation." Now he was curious. "What is the item?"
"To reform a rake."(...)"Done."

[Mwanamali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very meh. It started out promisingly. A young wallflower, Callie, stumbles into a dashing rogue who makes her feel daring although briefly. Fast forward ten years later, she ends up bored at a ball and sneaks off to hide in her brother's man cave. Or whatever the equivalent of a man cave is in regency romance.

Her brother tempts her to take scotch and she decides nah, too much too soon. While leaving, she accidentally eavesdrops on her younger sister and the new husband-to-be who are discussing her miserable spinster situation. The oblivious brother-in-law calls her passive and all those years of boredom and being overlooked overwhelm our dear sweet MC.

She then writes down 9 rules she will have to break so as to feel adventurous and whatnot. The things were a boring combination of what ladies shouldn't do and what men take for granted. Like gamblling and riding a horse astride.

It was all just so tedious. Callie would be in one part defiant and in the next spineless. Sometimes it felt exhausting rooting for her. Her mother was presented to be some kind of obstacle but that challenge is never really faced. In some instances, it's like they forgot the existence of the list.

The story grew even more disappointing when it trickled down to romance tropes. Callie got some kind of spiritual makeover when she finaly realised that yeah she's the gorgeous woman she never thought she was; Callie is a reactive flushing wanton virgin who makes the rake believe in love again; the eventual chaotic conflict that makes the main couple break up and they get back together due to either nosy or well-meaning friends orchestrating events to getting them together.

While I wasn't looking for anything groundbreaking, I wasn't entertained enough to make up for it.

[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely enchanting, lovely, witty, funny, emotional, and a billion similar epithets :) I really loved it <3

The style of writing is great, much to my liking, the dialogue is witty and funny, and the characters believable and loveable <3 I only wish Sarah MacLean had more books so I could enjoy her writing some more :)

The first chapter had me giggling and squealing all over hahah Callie is trying to hide in the bushes during a ball because her mother forced her to wear the ugliest dress ever made in mankind XD and of course there she meets Ralston <3 It was lovely and funny :)
The second chapter is 10 years after that (yes, 10!!). Callie is dissapointed in life, watching her younger sister get engaged, while she remains a spinster (oh that is such a dreadful word). Anyway, one night she decides to live her life, be free and do what she would like to do if she were not confined by society and the fact that she is a woman. So she goes to Ralston to do the first thing on her list - get kissed, passionately. And so it begins <3

I just loved them, such a great couple, she did not dissolve into tears on every little thing, even that one time when I really though should do it, she was strong and got in his face hehehehe he deserved it XD Gabriel was *sigh* so lovely, their chemistry was incredible, every conversation filled with tension, and he's so freaking good at creating it <3 no wonder she went musshy all the time near him looool

A great book, and I highly recommend it for all the lovers of historicals, it is very well written :)

Can't wait for Nick's story <3 <3 <3

[Hulya Kara Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. It was quite sensational. 😜😜😜

@Seda: My dear friend, thank you so much for recommending this book to me. I cannot wait to read the other books in this series. Probably very soon. 😋

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Loved it! For the last few years I've drifted away from reading historicals, but with all the rave reviews regarding this book I thought I had to take the plunge and see what all the fuss was about. And all those glowing reviews are not wrong, IMO--this was one delicious read!

I absolutely adored the heroine in this book--and I'm not one who usually falls for the heroine. But there was something so real, likable and relatable about the character of Lady Calpurnia "Callie' Hartwell, the 28 year old plain, bland, slightly plump, passive, play-by-the-rules spinster. When Callie realized she was tired of being thought of as 'passive' and decided to be more adventurous in her life (to the extreme, at times) and break some rules, that's when the book became un-put-down-able. Her nine rules that she wanted to break started out with "kiss someone--passionately". And she knew just who she wanted to kiss--the man who had been on her mind for the past 10 years, the man she'd longed for, renowned rake Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston.

Oh my...Ralston...or Gabriel--however Callie thought of him, he was quite the hero. Wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, seductive, experienced, adventurous, funny, rule breaking--and so, out of Callie's league (or so she thinks). And determined not to fall in love--ever. I loved how he called Callie "Empress" and "lovely" I loved, loved, loved these two as a couple. They had such a spark whenever they were together--their scenes, their dialogue...it was awesome. After Callie broke her first rule with Ralston (such chemistry they had!), she knew he was the one she wanted to break all the rules with!

And the rules Callie wanted to break! Or I should say the adventures she wanted to have--
*Kiss someone--passionately (the start of something big for Callie and Gabriel)
*Smoke a cheroot and drink scotch (funny)
*Ride astride (turned out to be quite sexy)
*Fence (funny...then passionate)
*Attend a duel (suspenseful and near tragic)
*Fire a pistol (humorous)
*Gamble at a gentleman's club (hot, hot, hot)
*Dance every dance at a ball (Callie comes into her own)
*Be considered beautiful--just once. (you've always been beautiful, Callie)

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, except to say that Callie (with Gabriel's help) goes about breaking some rules and having some daring adventures, falls for Gabriel and wishes that he could love her as much as she loves him, but something in his past stands in his way. And Callie's opinion of herself causes her not to hope for the impossible. But seeing the impossible slowly become possible is what made this book so enjoyable. I was thoroughly engaged in this story, was dying for Callie to get all that she longed for, and was hoping that Gabriel wouldn't inadvertently hurt Callie and dash all her dreams. The chemistry between Callie and Gabriel was off the charts--and not just the sexual chemistry. These two were so good together--I felt like they each 'got' the other one--they completed each other.

And yes, the love scenes were quite hot for a non-erotica. There's plenty of foreplay, but only a few actual sex scenes. Which was perfectly fine--this book was so wonderfully written, the characters so alive, that it didn't need a whole lot of sex scenes to sell the story. I totally believed in Callie and Gabriel's romance, and the big payoff was worth the wait. Spicy hot and passionate.

I also enjoyed the supporting characters in this book. Callie's younger, more beautiful sister Mari, her older brother Benedick; Gabriel's twin brother Nick and his 'just discovered' sister Julianna (who Callie was 'tutoring' for her debut into society)--all these characters who interacted with Callie and Gabriel helped to make it a fuller, richer story.

This book made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me sigh. It brought out all the emotions. And when a book can do that for me, it's a winner. What a wonderful job Sarah MacLean did--I did not want this story to end. I hope that we see a lot more of Callie and Gabriel (they may be my favorite couple this year) in the next book, Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord. That's one historical that will be an auto-buy for me! 5 stars

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you just NEED a book like this, and I was definitely in the mood for some mind candy of the genre! Doesn't really re-invent the historical-romance wheel, but has a sweet sensibility about it that doesn't make you feel skeevy when you're reading REALLY naughty bits (which this one does very well!) Typical wallflower/rake setup, I just really enjoyed the style of writing, it was easy and breezy and made me keep reading even when I wanted to slap the heroine upside the head a few times for her self-esteem issues. The hero was totally yummy, and that gets me through. There was nothing dark or nasty about his rakedom, there was actually something sweet about it.

Eloisa James is my total kryptonite in this area, so the fact she front blurbed it really sold me, and I'm glad I did! I think this is a first novel, so I'll definitely be picking up the next by the author!

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one. I do love the books where these Rakes suddenly find themselves "in love". Something they promised they would never do!! I liked that Callie was normal. She wasn't super slim. She wasn't overtly beautiful. She was normal.

“Love isn't one-sided and selfish. It is full and generous and life-altering in the best of ways. Love does not destroy, Gabriel.It creates.”

It was a terrifying feeling. And if it was love, he wanted none of it.”

[Warda · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY EMOTIONS!!! 😭

[Océano de libros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calpurnia Hartwell es una solterona consumida y ya no quiere sentirse como alguien insulso, sin nada en la vida por eso es que crea una lista de objetivos que quiere conseguir y es ahí donde se termina cruzando con el inigualable Gabriel St. John, Marqués de Ralston.
Siguen sin dejarme de gustar los libros de Sarah, cada uno tiene su punto especial, éste en concreto primero de la serie “Love by numbers” ha sido un plus. Me he pasado el tiempo bastante divertido con esta pareja con tan buena química, tanto Callie como Gabriel son especiales a su manera y para nada aburridos. La lista es una buena manera de engancharnos en la lectura y en el afán de Callie por lograr sus objetivos y qué es lo que le depara cada uno.
Gabriel es una buena pareja y la autora crea situaciones de lo más divertidas y otras emocionantes que te hacen pasar páginas como cohetes.
El resto de los personajes también tienen su parte tanto Nick, Juliana y Leighton (que aparece en contadas ocasiones) me dejan con ganas para leer su novela correspondiente.
En conclusión esta primera novela de la serie ha sido muy buena, demasiado entretenida diría yo, así que voy a por la siguiente.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the inside cover of this book!

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written March 12, 2015

4 1/2 Stars - Simply Splendid! A very well done audio edition of a lovely historical

Just my second HR by Sarah MacLean but I have a good feeling.



Everything I want in a good 'Regency'...
I have a weak heart for those wonderful spinster romances with older heroines. Yeah, I'm not kidding they touch my heart every time.

A fantastic 13 hrs audiobook narrated in the very best way by Carolyn Morris. Highly recommended!

***********************************************************

London 1823

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell is the 27 years old spinster sister who always has followed the rules. She is still unmarried without any more hopes for a husband. When her ten years younger sister is celebrating her engagement is Callie reaching a point. She makes a wicked un-lady like 'wish and must do' list.

To dance every dance, to be kissed at midnight she need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like the wicked dangerous, Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston, a well known charming rake.

“Kisses should not leave you satisfied. They should leave you wanting.”

Is there anything more beautiful and hopeful than when the abadoned woman in the corner, a genuine overlooked 'old' wallflower, at last gets attention? It is like a heartbreaking romantic romances dream.

One day she, the plain girl, gets the honor of dancing the waltz with him (you know HIM —"The Man...we all want") and in the end, after a lots of turns and struggling, she actually wins the most coveted, handsome and naughtiest, nobleman in the London ballrooms.

"Callie," he said, his voice thick with warning as she set her free hand to the second button on his coat.
"What if I want the rogue, Gabriel?" the question was soft and sweet.
"What are you saying?"
~ ~
“Give me a taste of scandal.”

Gosh! I just love those moments. I love to think about all these good romance-books I still have to enjoy. Sarah MacLean knows how to do it. So does Carolyn Morris.

***********************************************************

9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Duke had it all.
Funny, romantic and steaming smexy with a good dialogue, easy to like MC's and a big amusing cast of second characters. Add a good storyline with nine naughty rules. ~ Nothing was over and done before it was over and done. I wasn't sure until the last page.

I LIKE - An Adorable Awesome Audiobook...Always

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-Rakes!-We-Need-Them-Stars

- It doesn’t feel as great on a re-read.
- As most debut novels, this one suffers from over-plotting.
- It went on and on about things that could have easily been curtailed.
- But all said and done, Gabriel was a dream.
- Callie could have shown a bit more spine.
- Why do we not have a Benedick book?

5-Wonderful-Stars

What I Loved
- Reading this, one would never guess this was a debut novel. Ms MacLean has knocked it out of the park.
- The title of this book is amazing. I love a good rhyme any day of the week and this one kept popping up on my radar.
- The prose is exceptional, the reader feels every emotion the characters are exhibiting.
- The chemistry between everyone is individualistic without infringing on the central plotline.
- The plot itself is unique even though the rake & spinster trope has been used pretty often.
- The writing is refreshing, the characters are amazing & the sexual chemistry is sizzling & endearing and totally aw-worthy.
- The story moves at a dedicated pace and never once is the reader bored.
- What was distinctive was that Callie & Gabriel have their own stories running parallelly and the intersection is the romance without seeming like there are separate silos, every character has its place in this plot blending seamlessly to make sense of the unfolding events.

The Hero
- How do you not love Gabriel St. John the notorious rake with a positively angelic name?
- I have a particular weakness for marquesses, so that is a point in his favour.
- Gabriel was deliciously complex and hardened to emotions due to his mother's horrible behaviour and abandonment he is supremely caring and protective of his siblings even though he shows it in a controlling manner.
- A pianist, who plays with a lot of emotions, he keeps denying his feelings for Callie but protects her in her shenanigans, his outrage at the White's betting challenge was so alpha I swooned, but all this paradoxical behaviour is never irritating or resistive, always adorable, the reader feels for him!
- His development arc from irritated to amused to indulgent to confused to honour-bound to downright ideal was superb.

The Heroine
Oh, how lovely Callie is. I am very critical of heroines in general but there was nothing wrong with her, okay, apart from keeping herself on the shelf for 10 bloody long years but you know what, it made sense.
- A shy girl named after a dazzling empress, her love for the Shakespearean whirlwind romances, confined by her mother's overbearing and demotivating behaviour coupled with a need to see Callie put in horrendous dresses, what else would she do than retreat into a shell.
- What was pleasing was the fact that she put herself out there, and took action, not once did I feel pity for her. She opened herself up to new experiences, and showed courage in expressing her love!
- A special shout out to Callie for dealing with Gabriel's ex-mistress situation with the utmost composure. You go, girl!
- Her attempting to fulfil items on her list was so funny and damn sight adorable. Be considered beautiful. Just once. broke my heart! A poster child for self-development & acceptance, Callie is a wonderful, wonderful wonderful heroine.

My Recommendation
A gripping, moving page-turner of a debut. I have read every single novel penned by Sarah MacLean. Highly recommended for a read and then a re-read.

[Topastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Originally read April 2019. Reread December 2019 & May 2020. Its safe to say I'm obsessed with this book. I only wish Carolyn Morris narrated more historical romance books.*

This was my first Sarah Maclean book and I absolutely adored it. Calpurnia and Gabriel stole my heart and the audio book was fantastic. I can't wait to read more from Sarah Maclean.

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH!!! Loved it!

The title of this book had me pondering what a "rake" means. A man who is morally loose. Simply put- a womanizer. I wonder if the slang word- 'ho' comes from men being called, rakes?

Callie is a total rule follower. She’s a 28 years old unmarried women who is feeling unsatisfied with her proper life. Her brother challenged her to break some of her rules. Her younger sister is newly engaged and going to live the life that Callie has always dreamed of. Callie begins to ponder, ”What if…”

Callie’s list of things she wants to do in her lifetime:
1. Kiss someone – passionately
2. Smoke cheroot and drink scotch
3. Ride astride
4. Fence
5. Attend a duel
6. Fire a pistol
7. Gamble (at a gentleman’s club)
8. Dance every dance at a ball
9. Be considered beautiful. Just once.

Gabriel’s a gentleman that Callie has had her eye on for 10 years. He's a powerful man who's a ladies’ man. His twin brother, Nick, and him learn they have a half sister, Julianna. To introduce Julianna into the society properly they will need a society woman to teach her the proper way of doing things.

Callie and Gabriel strike a deal that starts with her getting to cross off #1 on her list in exchange for her help in getting Julianna ready to be introduce into society.

"Love isn't one-sided and selfish. It is full and generous and life-altering in the best of ways. Love does not destroy. It creates." -Callie

SERIES:

Each book focuses on a different sibling. Book 1- Gabriel. Book 2- Nicholas. Book 3- Julianna.

185th book of 2013

[Seda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neden kolay kolay historical beğenmediğimi bu kitabı 2. kez okuyunca hatırladım. Hiçbir kitap bunun yerini tutamıyor benim için. Yazarın diğer kitapları bile bu kadar güzel gelmiyor.

Calpurnia’ya aşığım, hayranım. Gelmiş geçmiş en eğlenceli, cesur, gözü kara ve en romantik historical karakteri. Listesinde yazanları yaparken çok eğlendim. Toplumun baskısından dolayı kendini yalnız hissetmesi ve 10 yıldır Gabriel’i hayran hayran uzaktan izlemesi çok hüzünlü ve romantikti.

Gabriel ise ufak tefek bocalamalarıyla bile gönlümün efendisi ♥️♥️ Aşık olduğunu geç anlasa bile karşısındakine çok değer verdiğini, kaybetmek istemediğini anlaması bana yetti. Hele Calpurnia’ya ‘imparatoriçem’ demesi... Hızla maddenin katı halinden, sıvı haline dönüştürüyor okuyanı. Hem sahipleniyor, hem karşısındakine verdiği değeri anlatıp Callie’yi yüceltiyor.

Ana karakterler dışında Benedick ve Nicholas’ı da çok sevdim. İkisinin de kardeşleriyle diyalogları çok eğlenceliydi. Herkesin gözünü korkutan Gabriel’e, Nick’in korkusuzca cevap vermesi çok zevkliydi. Aynı zamanda ele avuca sığmayan Callie’nin en büyük destekçisi abisi Benedick oldu. Juliana ise bu kitapta saklı bir cevher. Esas muhteşemliği kendi kitabında anlatılıyor.

Kitabın en sevdiğim yanı her şey tozpembe olmasa da yaşanan sorunlar çok uzatılmamıştı. Hem konuya hareket katmış hem de kısa zamanda çözülmüştü. Erkek karakterin gereksiz ezikliği ya da aşkını kabullenmemek için kıza yaptığı eziyetler, kız karakterin gereğinden uzun inadı ya da saçma sapan kıskançlık oyunları yoktu.

Historical okumayı seven herkesin kesin okuması gereken, sevmeyenlerin de bir şans vermesini tavsiye ettiğim bir kitap. Benim için tek kötü yanı, bundan sonra kitap beğenmez oldum.

📚“Ah, Calliecik. Senin de beyaz atlı prensin gelecek.”
“Anne, bağışla beni ama geleceğini sanmıyorum.”
“Ah, gelecek. Hiç beklemediğin bir anda.”
“Beklemekten yoruldum. Sanırım bu yüzden dikkatimi bir kara şövalyeye çevirdim.”

📚”Size bir tavsiyede bulunabilir miyim. On sekiz yaşımdayken, böyle bir adamla karşılaşmıştım. Dimitri cömertti, nazikti ve muhteşem bir aşıktı. Ona aşık olmam kaçınılmazdı. Bu bildiğim her şeyden öte bir aşktı... Efsaneviydi. Hayatım boyunca sevebileceğim tek erkekti. Ama karşılığında beni sevmedi. Sevemedi. Bu tür bir duygu besleyecek biri değildi. Bu yüzden kalbimi kırdı.”
“Ne oldu?”
“Yunanistan’ı terk ettim. Ralston sizin Dimitri’niz. Kalbinize sahip çıkın.”
“Yeniden şansınız olsa... Onu aşksız kabul eder miydiniz?”
“Hayır. Onu tek taraflı sürdüremeyecek kadar çok seviyordum.”

📚”Ah Callie, ağlama. Benim için ağlama imparatoriçe. Buna değmem.”
“Senin için ağlamıyorum. Aşka inanmaya fırsatı olmamış o küçük çocuk için ağlıyorum. Ve belli ki aşkı hiç tatmamış baban için. Çünkü onunki takıntıymış, aşk değil. Aşk tek taraflı ya da bencil değildir. Büyüktür, cömerttir ve hayatı en güzel şekillerde değiştirir. Aşk yıkmaz Gabriel. İnşa eder.”

📚”Ona bir aptal olduğumu söyle. Dün gece, onu kaybetmenin korkunç gerçeğiyle yüzleşince... Sahip olduğum en değerli şeyin o olduğunu fark ettiğimi... Küstahlığım ve inadım yüzünden uzun zamandır kalbimde olanı göremediğimi... Ne yaptım ben?”
“Ne olacak, gidip aşık olmuşsun.”

**********************************************
İlk okuma:
Ah Gabriel ah... bu adam yüzünden hayattan soğudum. Gerçek olamayacak kadar mükemmel 😃

Okuduğum en iyi historical romandı kesinlikle. Kitabı okurken çok eğlendim, Calpurnia ve Gabriel' e bayıldım. İkisi de zeki karakterlerdi, aralarındaki diyaloglar çok keyifliydi. Bitmesin diye yavaş yavaş okudum, bazı yerlerini geri dönüp tekrar okumak istedim.

Kesinlikle historical sevenlere, sevmeyenlere okumasını tavsiye ederim. Gerçi Gabriel'i kimse tanımasın, kimse sevmesin de isteyebilirim 😍

[Zoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

MY GOD WHAT A PAINFUL READ.

I stayed up until 3am to finish this book, NOT because I loved it, but because I just cannot bear to have to come back to this book again. I knew if I had stopped, it would be another month before I could pick up the book again.

What makes this book so painful, is not that it is a bad book. On the contrary, it was a well-written romance with all the right ingredients to make a romance good. The writing is superb. Ms. Sarah MacLean I am sorry that I am giving this book such a low rating. I think you write beautifully.

But for the love of God, what a pathetic heroine. I despise Callie.

Imagine a woman, who did not believe that she was beautiful, fancied that she fell in love with a man who gave her a few nice words and fantasized about him for 10 years. Now firmly on the shelf, she thought oh let me live a little. I will do that with a list of things I would like to do to save myself from my boring aristocratic life with evening gowns and balls. And oh what a poor dear I am because I am so prim and proer and nobody notices me because I am not pretty enough and all that I am worth is to be a spinster and secretly dream about the man who does not even remember having met me. This, is Callie.

And that is not all. Callie listed kissing and decided to get that kiss from said fantasy man, Gabriel St. John. Their entire "relationship" is basically Callie wanting Gabriel to love her and Gabriel was just alone for the ride. What is one more woman to him? It is not that he had never done it before. And seriously, if a woman wants to lay her dignity at the feet of a man, who is he to say no?

For the life of me, I cannot imagine why would ANY woman do such a thing. A man tells his brother behind doors that he thinks you are plain, missish and passive. And he is not interested in you and he is not to blame if you find him attractive. Door opens and it is revealed that you have overheard the conversation. You are hurt and angry. And...............................you let him have oral sex with you right afterwards??

I am sorry this type of ugly duckling turn swan because of a man story just pisses me off. I love the writing and how the story was built up, the tension, the feel of historical romance. Sarah MacLean did well. But the characterization of Callie made me cringe from the beginning to the end. This "oh I am so ugly and he would never love me" sense of inferiority infuriates me to no end.

And th list. Jesus Christ, another bored high-born lady seeking "adventures". Do something useful, help the orphans, visit the sick. You are a spinster, ok, I get it. Do you have to be selfish too?

UGH the frustration I experienced reading this book was beyond words. Everything about Callie rubs me the wrong way. I hardly noticed anyone else. A cad that Gabriel St. John was, I liked him much better than Callie. I even felt sorry for him being stuck with a character like her. The only good thing I can say about Callie is that she is at least not a shrew. She is just a very bored, plain, missish, passive woman who realized she was well past her prime and wanted to "go out with a bang", so to speak. And that she did.

My rating is overly harsh but it truly reflects my feeling toward the character of Callie. Everything else about the book was good.