“Reformed” “Rakes”
Love me a slutty, slutty boy
Disclaimer: obviously most historical heterosexual pairing romances have some form of rake being reformed (“reformed rakes make the best husbands!”), but these three books in particular (including one contemporary!) I thought did an interesting job subverting the rake stereotype and making it more central to the narrative! Especially the third one. Anyways. Hello! I’m done with this paragraph now.
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The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan. Peregrine Butler’s reputation precedes him; born into wealth and privilege, he has very much enjoyed his time seducing any pretty thing that winks at him, until it’s revealed he was born just outside his loving parents’ marriage, thus stripping him of his dukedom. So to reclaim some of his former glory, he must marry an heiress. Enter Imogen Bates, the impoverished vicar’s daughter, who knows his kind and sets herself the task of protecting the women of their shared small town from his advances, knowing he’s only in it for the money. Until, that is, he discovers something more than money to make life worth living.
Rating: 5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean. Sarah MacLean’s debut novel follows good girl Lady Calpurnia Hartwell as she enlists the help of the handsome, rakish Marquess of Ralston, Gabriel St. John, to school her in pleasure and excitement. But as he gives Callie permission to explore a more daring side of herself, in return she gives him a safe space to explore something he never thought to claim for his own- stability, and the love of a lifetime.
Also in exchange for giving her adventure, Callie’s tasked with helping his half sister, a recent Italian transplant to London, with her coming out, which is a whole separate, off-theme aspect that is heartwarming and fun and sets up said Italian sister for her own book later in the series.
Rating: 5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey. Fox Thornton is known for two things: avoiding responsibility and seducing ladies. It was practically a birthright, as his father spent his life seducing his way through the country to the point that Fox’s own mother winces whenever she sees her son, his spitting image. So you could say he’s got some Baggage about his sex appeal. Enter Hannah Bellinger, the naive younger sister of the retired social media scandal Piper (remember, from last week?), who finds herself back in the small Washington fishing town where she was born, hoping to gain experience in music supervision while on the film set of her long-time crush, an LA-based director. She rooms with Fox while there, having met him a year earlier while his BFF and her sister were falling in love, and they both have to overcome the expectations of those around them that have seeped into their own self image in order to let themselves fall in love and move forward.
“Reforming” “Rakes” is a big theme in Tessa Bailey’s backlist (aka, virile heroes with complexes about how everyone sees them as a piece of meat) so if this is your jam, you should also check out Fix Her Up!
Rating: 5/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Subscribe to my romance newsletter, Forced Proximity, that will deliver you 3 new romance recommendations every Friday afternoon!
