ABOUT THE BOOK
He’s not the marrying kind…
The Duke of Rathmore is not the sort of man to indulge in a happily ever after. Chase gave up on love, and even affection, a long time ago. He spends his days managing his dukedom and his nights in far less wholesome pleasures. Which is why he can’t believe his luck when a spring storm lands him on the doorstep of the Moorish family. The Honorable Thomas Moorish has five stunning daughters, each more delectable than the last. And most beautiful of all, the eldest, Miss Ophelia.
She’s certain love is the answer…
After the death of her mother, Ophelia has spent much of her youth helping to raise her four younger sisters. At nearly two and twenty, she’s yet to have a season or even any romance of her own. But what she’s lacked in real life excitement, Ophelia’s imagined through the pages of all her favorite books. And when a handsome duke lands on her door, she’s certain this is her chance for a real-life fairytale. Except after their magical first kiss, everything goes wrong. She knows the plot and he isn’t following it. Instead of asking for her hand, Rathmore gives her a polite but cold, thank you. And rather than professing his love, he announces he’ll leave first thing the next morning. The man’s not her prince at all but a complete rogue.
Ophelia’s tempted to give up romancing this rake. But he hints at a past filled with so much hurt, she’s certain if she broke through that hard heart, she’d find a man in desperate need of her affection.
Is it possible he is the one who needs to be saved?
MY REVIEW
I’ve come across Ms. Andresen’s name many times when reading historical romances so I picked up my first in A Rake’s Ruin series. Who wouldn’t love an indecent duke who happens to be in danger of falling in love?
First of all, this book was much shorter than I expected at a mere 174 pages, but it packed in enough character development to meet Ophelia’s family and future rogues to be led to ruin.
Ophelia is a strong young woman being the eldest of 5 sisters and raising them without a mother and no opportunity to have her season in London due to her father having to work to provide for his family. She knows what she wants which is a fairy tale with a great love. What she gets is a handsome duke who may have entirely different intentions.
Chase, The Duke of Rathmore, hates the sea and is rethinking his plan to attend a party near the sea filled with debauchery and indecency. He’s become bored with his rogue life and during a stormy night seeks refuge at a home filled with a father and his five daughters. It’s one daughter he is drawn to, but she’s not like other women who throw themselves at him. She’s innocent, yet headstrong. He wanted to leave her alone, but she bewitched him and made him think illogically. So the kiss he gave her in the library was as far as he planned to go until he wanted more.
I wasn’t sure I liked Chase at first. After all, he wasn’t called the indecent duke for nothing and he seemed a bit predator-like at the beginning. But he showed his more gentlemanly side when he protected Ophelia and her sister Juliet from the indecent lords who were also stranded in the town. I loved the way Ophelia dressed the lords down by telling them she would shoot them if they touched her sisters. Ophelia seemed a bit naive about wanting her fairy tale life, but Chase seemed to resign himself to giving her just that as he convinces Ophelia of his noble intentions of marrying her.
The lords who are mentioned in this book will have some interesting stories of their own so I can’t wait to find out how they are bitten by the love bug. As for Ophelia’s father and sisters, they need to learn to keep a secret for heaven’s sake.
If you enjoy a quick historical romantic read with heat and instalove, give this book a try.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today Bestselling Author, Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics. It was inevitable that at the age of 18, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.
Follow Tammy on her website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
