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Lord of the Rakes
All of London knows Phillip Montcalm’s name. It’s on the lips of a different lady every night…...
So it’s no wonder he’s called the Lord of the Rakes. Rumor has it he’s the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms …and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
So it’s no wonder he’s called the Lord of the Rakes. Rumor has it he’s the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms …and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 4, 2014
About the author
Darcie Wilde
15 books537 followersDarcie Wilde is a pseudonym for Sarah Zettel, author of mysteries, science fiction, romance and Young Adult fiction, including the New York Times Notable Book Fool’s War and the bestselling Rosalind Thorne mysteries A Useful Woman. She also writes under the names Delia James, Sarah Zettel, Jennifer Hawkins C. L. Anderson and Marissa Day.
Darcie writes her classically styled (not to mention stylish) mysteries as well as adventurous romances from a university town in a certain northern-midwestern state that has been known to bear some passing resemblance to a mitten. When not writing, she’s reading, cooking, hiking, swimming, climbing things, embroidering other things, raising her rapidly growing son and trying to convince her cat — Buffy the Vermin Slayer — not to do any further damage to the furniture.
Darcie writes her classically styled (not to mention stylish) mysteries as well as adventurous romances from a university town in a certain northern-midwestern state that has been known to bear some passing resemblance to a mitten. When not writing, she’s reading, cooking, hiking, swimming, climbing things, embroidering other things, raising her rapidly growing son and trying to convince her cat — Buffy the Vermin Slayer — not to do any further damage to the furniture.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 12, 2019
Setting: Regency England
Steam Factor: Hot
Lady Caroline Delamarre is suddenly a heiress and now free of her overbearing, overprotective brother.
As she now decides to savour life to the fullest, she goes to London to stay with friends and there is no better way to also start her new life then in the arms of Phillip Montcalm.
Ahhh..but Phillip is better known as the lord of Rakes, and he has bedded too many women to count.
Well..truth be told, he is a bit tired of the game...until he meets Caroline.
To Phillip she is like no other woman he has met.
Caroline is a delicious combination of naivete and a sensuality all wrapped up, and is a woman willing and eager to play out their fantasies as master and mistress.
She is also a woman who equals him in creativity and fire.
As Caroline and Phillip begin falling in love, they must find a way to escape the past or they will have no future together.
Ok...my thoughts here on this one.
Straight out-"Not My Cuppa" This isn't for the faint of heart and is more for those readers who are more adventurous and savour the explicit.
Alas...I am not one of them.
Not just because of the content, I found it without a plot of any kind and way too much angst between the couple.
I did finish it..barely.
And so rightly goes on my "Fluff-Sex-And-Not-Much-Else Shelf.
But hey, dosen't mean it wont be a treasure for another reader..just not this one.
Steam Factor: Hot
Lady Caroline Delamarre is suddenly a heiress and now free of her overbearing, overprotective brother.
As she now decides to savour life to the fullest, she goes to London to stay with friends and there is no better way to also start her new life then in the arms of Phillip Montcalm.
Ahhh..but Phillip is better known as the lord of Rakes, and he has bedded too many women to count.
Well..truth be told, he is a bit tired of the game...until he meets Caroline.
To Phillip she is like no other woman he has met.
Caroline is a delicious combination of naivete and a sensuality all wrapped up, and is a woman willing and eager to play out their fantasies as master and mistress.
She is also a woman who equals him in creativity and fire.
As Caroline and Phillip begin falling in love, they must find a way to escape the past or they will have no future together.
Ok...my thoughts here on this one.
Straight out-"Not My Cuppa" This isn't for the faint of heart and is more for those readers who are more adventurous and savour the explicit.
Alas...I am not one of them.
Not just because of the content, I found it without a plot of any kind and way too much angst between the couple.
I did finish it..barely.
And so rightly goes on my "Fluff-Sex-And-Not-Much-Else Shelf.
But hey, dosen't mean it wont be a treasure for another reader..just not this one.
March 8, 2014
I first received a copy of this book in the mail as a lovely surprise. I had not heard of the book or the author, but I've been on a historical romance kick lately so I was willing to give it a try. I got a pleasant surprise though it sat me back on my heels a few times when the story didn't act like I thought it would.
Normally, I would move into the summary and then discuss my impressions, but I'm going to tackle this review a bit differently. I'm going to blend my summary with my impressions.
Many times a book claims to be about a rake or has that in the title and it turns out that the character is not anything of the sort. I think the term 'rake' meant something of a harsher nature back in the day than it does now. It's more romanticized these days I think like we do with our gentleman thieves, mercenary soldiers, mafia dons, gang leaders, MC bikers, etc. I hear it and I picture a bad boy character- the bad boy who just needs the right woman to save him. I muse on this because of the direction this book took my thoughts.
The rake in this story, Phillip Montcalm, by the societal rules of the day, was indeed a true rake. He stopped short of seducing virgins and the very young ladies, the unavailable or ravishing the unwilling, but he truly went about his business with the ladies delving into sensual delights keeping stuff strictly physical. He had a reputation and even a title given by society because of it, 'Lord of the Rakes'. He doesn't flaunt his behavior, he acts the gentleman in public and comes from a noble family so he is still received by Society's hostesses, but he is watched warily by the mamas and papas of young innocent daughters. He does no real worthwhile things, but is fairly typical of the rich, idle sons of the nobility. What really floored me was that his actions were condoned and encouraged by his own father who was chair-bound due to a hunting accident so lived vicariously through Phillip. As Phillip's story was revealed in the book, his behavior started to make sense and it made sense why he is a rake just waiting for reform. He has just been pitched to the curve by a cheating lover so he is ripe for a new conquest and his eyes settle on the amber gowned beauty, Lady Caroline Delamarre with the seeking eyes.
That leads me to the other main character, Lady Caroline Delamarre. Caroline has grown up hidden away and repressed on her family's country estate because it is thought that she has the same unstable nature as her mother. Her mother went through bouts of illness and depression so her father's methods were to keep her quietly away from others. Caroline is given some freedoms in that she is allowed to form a friendship with the girl living nearby and attend parties and such hosted by the family, but for the most part she is kept almost as locked away as her mother before she died. After her father dies, her brother continues with the father's wishes and refuses to change things. Caroline desperately wants to get away. She wants a normal life, but her brother not only refuses to let her have a Season in London, but he now brings around only his friends who all smack their lips to get a rich wife with the right bloodlines. The suppression she lived under even if it was not overtly cruel felt as such to a strong, feeling, vibrant woman. Caroline's side of the story with her family history, her brother's overbearing behavior and her mother's shadowy past that brought on her being tucked away has a gothic tone to it. There is a tragic feel so that when Caroline made her bid for freedom, I applauded her.
Caroline doesn't just escape to London on the pretext of attending her friend's wedding. She takes her coming of age trust money that she received through her mother and set up her own household which is not the thing for a young heiress. The real shocker was that she is planning to get up an affair. She is determined to seduce the notorious Lord of the Rakes. Caro has no intention of getting married. She will be free. She has seen what marriage did for her family. There was no happy, loving home for any of them. She acknowledges that there can be love for some like her friend, Fiona and her family, but she's not taking that chance on her own life. She will be free and she will always be in charge. Thus, she will do the seducing and she will end the affair when she leaves to travel the Continent. And her plans come to fruition so that it is not long before she is experiencing the sensual delights with Phillip.
For all their plans to maintain emotional distance or even thoughts of breaking it off even as they explored things between each other, neither of them achieved that for very long.
He reached out one warm infinitely welcome hand and caressed the curve of her jaw, letting his finger tips linger under her chin.
"I want to kiss you, Caroline, hard, on your mouth and throat. I want to do such things as will have you crying out in your delight and begging for more. And you know you will beg before I am finished with you. But I cannot say any of those things. I vowed that I would not take advantage of any passion we have fostered between us. I would be rational. I would be reasonable. But seeing you here, so proud and so beautiful..."
Abruptly Phillip stood and strode across the room, as if he needed to put as much distance between the two of them as possible.
"God, Caroline!" he cried. "Either send me away or bid me to come to you, because I cannot stand this politisse anymore."
Caroline's heart hammered so hard she shook from the force of its beating. She pictured herself sending him away. She should. She must. She had to find her poise, her control again.
But she could not shape those words.
"Come to me, Phillip." p.179 Lord of the Rakes
The relationship is such that both know the score going in. They both have coping mechanisms which amount to the need to be in charge. Phillip's past experiences leave him as a dominant in the bedroom playing sexual games. I'm not convinced that he is a natural at it so much as he needs it to maintain distance in his relationships. Caroline batters right through his walls just as forceful as he is. She plays the games with him, but has no intention of letting anyone have complete charge of her. Much of the story is spent in the bedroom with these too. It lingers and describes so that I felt like I was there right along with these too. This one should definitely be classified as more like historical erotic romance because of the sensual nature of this story. Caroline may be a virgin and technically an innocent when they start, but her nature and maturity are such that she doesn't get shy or coy. She knows what she wants and she goes for it. It was much more believable therefore when she and Phillip come together. She starts out as a defiant need to take the town by storm and revel in her freedom, but then she sees the real man behind the mask. See, that's the thing. They both see each other rather well and like what they see, but their issues make them fight it.
The romantic in me loved the way that what they had together changed Phillip for the better. He is in the middle of an actual relationship long before he recognizes it as such. His eyes are opened about the time his eyes are opened to a lot of things particularly about his family. I loved that. Caro actually becomes the harder sell because of her fears. If there is a true villain of the story, it is her dead father. He has a lot to be accountable for the way he controlled his household even beyond the grave. The man had me fired up even more than her brother did. Phillip's father affected me the same way. He ruined Phillip's life until Caro saved him. The other villains were small potatoes compared to these two.
So in the end, this is a very sensual and passionate read, but it is also a redemptive romance too. This one has nice historical elements to it and it is definitely romantic, but I would recommend it for those who don't mind the moderate heat level to their romance.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review.
Normally, I would move into the summary and then discuss my impressions, but I'm going to tackle this review a bit differently. I'm going to blend my summary with my impressions.
Many times a book claims to be about a rake or has that in the title and it turns out that the character is not anything of the sort. I think the term 'rake' meant something of a harsher nature back in the day than it does now. It's more romanticized these days I think like we do with our gentleman thieves, mercenary soldiers, mafia dons, gang leaders, MC bikers, etc. I hear it and I picture a bad boy character- the bad boy who just needs the right woman to save him. I muse on this because of the direction this book took my thoughts.
The rake in this story, Phillip Montcalm, by the societal rules of the day, was indeed a true rake. He stopped short of seducing virgins and the very young ladies, the unavailable or ravishing the unwilling, but he truly went about his business with the ladies delving into sensual delights keeping stuff strictly physical. He had a reputation and even a title given by society because of it, 'Lord of the Rakes'. He doesn't flaunt his behavior, he acts the gentleman in public and comes from a noble family so he is still received by Society's hostesses, but he is watched warily by the mamas and papas of young innocent daughters. He does no real worthwhile things, but is fairly typical of the rich, idle sons of the nobility. What really floored me was that his actions were condoned and encouraged by his own father who was chair-bound due to a hunting accident so lived vicariously through Phillip. As Phillip's story was revealed in the book, his behavior started to make sense and it made sense why he is a rake just waiting for reform. He has just been pitched to the curve by a cheating lover so he is ripe for a new conquest and his eyes settle on the amber gowned beauty, Lady Caroline Delamarre with the seeking eyes.
That leads me to the other main character, Lady Caroline Delamarre. Caroline has grown up hidden away and repressed on her family's country estate because it is thought that she has the same unstable nature as her mother. Her mother went through bouts of illness and depression so her father's methods were to keep her quietly away from others. Caroline is given some freedoms in that she is allowed to form a friendship with the girl living nearby and attend parties and such hosted by the family, but for the most part she is kept almost as locked away as her mother before she died. After her father dies, her brother continues with the father's wishes and refuses to change things. Caroline desperately wants to get away. She wants a normal life, but her brother not only refuses to let her have a Season in London, but he now brings around only his friends who all smack their lips to get a rich wife with the right bloodlines. The suppression she lived under even if it was not overtly cruel felt as such to a strong, feeling, vibrant woman. Caroline's side of the story with her family history, her brother's overbearing behavior and her mother's shadowy past that brought on her being tucked away has a gothic tone to it. There is a tragic feel so that when Caroline made her bid for freedom, I applauded her.
Caroline doesn't just escape to London on the pretext of attending her friend's wedding. She takes her coming of age trust money that she received through her mother and set up her own household which is not the thing for a young heiress. The real shocker was that she is planning to get up an affair. She is determined to seduce the notorious Lord of the Rakes. Caro has no intention of getting married. She will be free. She has seen what marriage did for her family. There was no happy, loving home for any of them. She acknowledges that there can be love for some like her friend, Fiona and her family, but she's not taking that chance on her own life. She will be free and she will always be in charge. Thus, she will do the seducing and she will end the affair when she leaves to travel the Continent. And her plans come to fruition so that it is not long before she is experiencing the sensual delights with Phillip.
For all their plans to maintain emotional distance or even thoughts of breaking it off even as they explored things between each other, neither of them achieved that for very long.
He reached out one warm infinitely welcome hand and caressed the curve of her jaw, letting his finger tips linger under her chin.
"I want to kiss you, Caroline, hard, on your mouth and throat. I want to do such things as will have you crying out in your delight and begging for more. And you know you will beg before I am finished with you. But I cannot say any of those things. I vowed that I would not take advantage of any passion we have fostered between us. I would be rational. I would be reasonable. But seeing you here, so proud and so beautiful..."
Abruptly Phillip stood and strode across the room, as if he needed to put as much distance between the two of them as possible.
"God, Caroline!" he cried. "Either send me away or bid me to come to you, because I cannot stand this politisse anymore."
Caroline's heart hammered so hard she shook from the force of its beating. She pictured herself sending him away. She should. She must. She had to find her poise, her control again.
But she could not shape those words.
"Come to me, Phillip." p.179 Lord of the Rakes
The relationship is such that both know the score going in. They both have coping mechanisms which amount to the need to be in charge. Phillip's past experiences leave him as a dominant in the bedroom playing sexual games. I'm not convinced that he is a natural at it so much as he needs it to maintain distance in his relationships. Caroline batters right through his walls just as forceful as he is. She plays the games with him, but has no intention of letting anyone have complete charge of her. Much of the story is spent in the bedroom with these too. It lingers and describes so that I felt like I was there right along with these too. This one should definitely be classified as more like historical erotic romance because of the sensual nature of this story. Caroline may be a virgin and technically an innocent when they start, but her nature and maturity are such that she doesn't get shy or coy. She knows what she wants and she goes for it. It was much more believable therefore when she and Phillip come together. She starts out as a defiant need to take the town by storm and revel in her freedom, but then she sees the real man behind the mask. See, that's the thing. They both see each other rather well and like what they see, but their issues make them fight it.
The romantic in me loved the way that what they had together changed Phillip for the better. He is in the middle of an actual relationship long before he recognizes it as such. His eyes are opened about the time his eyes are opened to a lot of things particularly about his family. I loved that. Caro actually becomes the harder sell because of her fears. If there is a true villain of the story, it is her dead father. He has a lot to be accountable for the way he controlled his household even beyond the grave. The man had me fired up even more than her brother did. Phillip's father affected me the same way. He ruined Phillip's life until Caro saved him. The other villains were small potatoes compared to these two.
So in the end, this is a very sensual and passionate read, but it is also a redemptive romance too. This one has nice historical elements to it and it is definitely romantic, but I would recommend it for those who don't mind the moderate heat level to their romance.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2016
Originally Posted: http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
Lord of the Rakes: Sex, Romance, Madness and Morality
Disclosure: E-Galley provided by Publisher via NetGalley.com for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions expressed herein are my own unless otherwise noted.
Anyone who went through my school’s high school English curriculum cannot help but notice a nod to LORD OF THE FLIES in this title. Is there a relationship? I don’t think so, although one could point to being the ruling class of Victorian England and their tendency to turn on each other as they do in this story being similar to the children in the earlier classic. But other than that, I don’t see a contextual reference and it’s been a few years since I was forced to read LORD OF THE FLIES in school so I can’t really put a fine point on it.
I couldn’t find a date referenced in the story, but McAdam roads were referenced making it no earlier than the late 1820s.
However, like another story about the Victorian period, THE YELLOW WALLPAPER, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman (free for kindle) it does deal with the position of women as almost non-entities during the period and how easily one could be at the mercy of one’s family/father/brother/husband. In this story, Caroline’s mother suffered from bouts of depression followed by periods of mania. Her father decided she was mad and confined her to home, although perhaps this was also a bit of revenge. It’s interesting, and telling, that the father, and then her brother, confine Caroline to the country and local surrounds, allotting her very little freedom. The reasoning was the madness would have been passed down to her. NOT TO HIM. Although, he seems the madder of the two. Also of interest is that insanity is referred to as a failing of morals and constitution.
The story is novel, complex and exciting in its plot line. The catch with imprisoning a girl in the country is that when she finally gets free she’s quite likely to have a little wildness stored up like giving me a box of my favorite candy when I go off my diet. And, with her mother and father as examples, with her independence, she wants no attachment to a man. Pity the whole falling in love thing then. We are such complicated creatures, wanting one thing, and finding all those pesky emotions getting in our way.
Both main characters, Phillip and Caroline, are deeply and richly scribed. I feel like I would know them if I came across them in contemporary society. Phillip is particularly unusual in the depth of his character and his personal growth. Caroline is perhaps the more usual of the two even with her unconventional decisions.
I also enjoyed the way the living spaces were described. At one point, in a private home during a concert, I felt I could reach out with my senses and touch the potted plants.
The intimacy is scorching hot. Caroline is descried as curvy, but perhaps with those years in the country and no debut (I assume), she has no real issue with whether she is too curvy. Phillip seems to like her body an awful lot. And their physical encounters are well detailed, not vulgar, and feel right for the time period (not that the act has changed). I could have used my own Baroque fan to cool down.
So, newly independent, and naive in the ways of love, she embarks on this physical relationship with Phillip. That’s not a spoiler – it is in the blurb. He’s a little into BDSM, maybe BDSM-lite. But he wants her obedience in the bedroom and introduces it in their first encounter. My feeling is that no matter how horny she was this would have turned her off.
So, at this point in the story the BDSM feels gratuitous. It gets a little more developed and mixed into the expectations placed on him by his father, who is disabled and seems to live through him. There’s a lot of internal monologue the characters use to argue with themselves. The issues here became somewhat muddled. Even struggling for her independence, maybe Caroline’s years of obedience to her father and brother made her less of a rebel than the character would have liked to believe. But through Phillip’s growth it feels a little more justified by the end.
Caroline comes off as less able to rail against the machine. More realistic than some books perhaps, wherein a heroine is really independent, Caroline is still at the mercy of men all around.
While still a steamy romance, bordering on erotica, the book is also a historical social commentary showing us the past and the fragility of the rights we experience today.
Lord of the Rakes: Sex, Romance, Madness and Morality
Disclosure: E-Galley provided by Publisher via NetGalley.com for review purposes. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions expressed herein are my own unless otherwise noted.
Anyone who went through my school’s high school English curriculum cannot help but notice a nod to LORD OF THE FLIES in this title. Is there a relationship? I don’t think so, although one could point to being the ruling class of Victorian England and their tendency to turn on each other as they do in this story being similar to the children in the earlier classic. But other than that, I don’t see a contextual reference and it’s been a few years since I was forced to read LORD OF THE FLIES in school so I can’t really put a fine point on it.
I couldn’t find a date referenced in the story, but McAdam roads were referenced making it no earlier than the late 1820s.
However, like another story about the Victorian period, THE YELLOW WALLPAPER, By Charlotte Perkins Gilman (free for kindle) it does deal with the position of women as almost non-entities during the period and how easily one could be at the mercy of one’s family/father/brother/husband. In this story, Caroline’s mother suffered from bouts of depression followed by periods of mania. Her father decided she was mad and confined her to home, although perhaps this was also a bit of revenge. It’s interesting, and telling, that the father, and then her brother, confine Caroline to the country and local surrounds, allotting her very little freedom. The reasoning was the madness would have been passed down to her. NOT TO HIM. Although, he seems the madder of the two. Also of interest is that insanity is referred to as a failing of morals and constitution.
The story is novel, complex and exciting in its plot line. The catch with imprisoning a girl in the country is that when she finally gets free she’s quite likely to have a little wildness stored up like giving me a box of my favorite candy when I go off my diet. And, with her mother and father as examples, with her independence, she wants no attachment to a man. Pity the whole falling in love thing then. We are such complicated creatures, wanting one thing, and finding all those pesky emotions getting in our way.
Both main characters, Phillip and Caroline, are deeply and richly scribed. I feel like I would know them if I came across them in contemporary society. Phillip is particularly unusual in the depth of his character and his personal growth. Caroline is perhaps the more usual of the two even with her unconventional decisions.
I also enjoyed the way the living spaces were described. At one point, in a private home during a concert, I felt I could reach out with my senses and touch the potted plants.
The intimacy is scorching hot. Caroline is descried as curvy, but perhaps with those years in the country and no debut (I assume), she has no real issue with whether she is too curvy. Phillip seems to like her body an awful lot. And their physical encounters are well detailed, not vulgar, and feel right for the time period (not that the act has changed). I could have used my own Baroque fan to cool down.
So, newly independent, and naive in the ways of love, she embarks on this physical relationship with Phillip. That’s not a spoiler – it is in the blurb. He’s a little into BDSM, maybe BDSM-lite. But he wants her obedience in the bedroom and introduces it in their first encounter. My feeling is that no matter how horny she was this would have turned her off.
So, at this point in the story the BDSM feels gratuitous. It gets a little more developed and mixed into the expectations placed on him by his father, who is disabled and seems to live through him. There’s a lot of internal monologue the characters use to argue with themselves. The issues here became somewhat muddled. Even struggling for her independence, maybe Caroline’s years of obedience to her father and brother made her less of a rebel than the character would have liked to believe. But through Phillip’s growth it feels a little more justified by the end.
Caroline comes off as less able to rail against the machine. More realistic than some books perhaps, wherein a heroine is really independent, Caroline is still at the mercy of men all around.
While still a steamy romance, bordering on erotica, the book is also a historical social commentary showing us the past and the fragility of the rights we experience today.
June 1, 2021
Just okay. Nothing special.
January 22, 2015
3.5
I found this book pleasantly surprising. Lady Caroline Delamarre leaves the restraining walls of her country home and heads to London. Thanks to a trust left from her mother, Caroline has the funds to care for herself. For the first time in forever, she’s free. She’s away from the overbearing eye of her brother and able to take life on how she chooses. And she chooses Phillip Montcalm, the Lord of the Rakes.
Phillip Montcalm, born a second son, knows his reputation with ladies and he’s rather bored with it. While making pleasantries at a season ball, he meets eyes with the Lady Caroline and his interest in piqued. He’s charming, smooth, and suave – not to mention, a dominating lover. From secret meetings in the garden to late night encounters, they begin a quiet affair.
This story takes us from sexual intimacy to emotional intimacy. Caroline doesn’t want any attachments and Phillip is the perfect one for this. She comes from the country where her late father and brother basically held her (like her mother before her) captive, dictating her every move. She grew up not wanting anything to do with love or marriage after seeing what it did to her mother. And Caroline leaves the first chance she’s able. It’s a tale of sexual awakening and growth – and not just from Caroline. Phillip also realizes that the life he leads is pretty meaningless and just maybe he wants a little bit more stability. Two people who don’t believe in love…you can see where this is going.
There was a great line where a friend of Caroline’s was explaining how everyone needs something to love in their life – even if it’s not a person. “But everyone needs something. There has to be that connection, that focus, to bind one to others. It’s the lifeline of the heart. Without it, we’re all adrift.”
A few minor issues: the pacing seemed off to me. We spent the first half of the book describing one ball, but then when Caroline’s brother comes to London to collect her, it’s summed up in a chapter. The beginning went on, while the ending was abrupt. Also, I noticed that the author misspelled Caroline in the beginning, but that’s more the editor’s problem.
There are secrets, lies, and betrayal all told with a beautiful London backdrop. Fancy parties, operas, ball gowns and cravats. Just a pure fun, steamy read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be seen here on my blog.
I found this book pleasantly surprising. Lady Caroline Delamarre leaves the restraining walls of her country home and heads to London. Thanks to a trust left from her mother, Caroline has the funds to care for herself. For the first time in forever, she’s free. She’s away from the overbearing eye of her brother and able to take life on how she chooses. And she chooses Phillip Montcalm, the Lord of the Rakes.
Phillip Montcalm, born a second son, knows his reputation with ladies and he’s rather bored with it. While making pleasantries at a season ball, he meets eyes with the Lady Caroline and his interest in piqued. He’s charming, smooth, and suave – not to mention, a dominating lover. From secret meetings in the garden to late night encounters, they begin a quiet affair.
This story takes us from sexual intimacy to emotional intimacy. Caroline doesn’t want any attachments and Phillip is the perfect one for this. She comes from the country where her late father and brother basically held her (like her mother before her) captive, dictating her every move. She grew up not wanting anything to do with love or marriage after seeing what it did to her mother. And Caroline leaves the first chance she’s able. It’s a tale of sexual awakening and growth – and not just from Caroline. Phillip also realizes that the life he leads is pretty meaningless and just maybe he wants a little bit more stability. Two people who don’t believe in love…you can see where this is going.
There was a great line where a friend of Caroline’s was explaining how everyone needs something to love in their life – even if it’s not a person. “But everyone needs something. There has to be that connection, that focus, to bind one to others. It’s the lifeline of the heart. Without it, we’re all adrift.”
A few minor issues: the pacing seemed off to me. We spent the first half of the book describing one ball, but then when Caroline’s brother comes to London to collect her, it’s summed up in a chapter. The beginning went on, while the ending was abrupt. Also, I noticed that the author misspelled Caroline in the beginning, but that’s more the editor’s problem.
There are secrets, lies, and betrayal all told with a beautiful London backdrop. Fancy parties, operas, ball gowns and cravats. Just a pure fun, steamy read.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be seen here on my blog.
February 5, 2014
I am conflicted about this book, but I’ll start off by telling you everything that I felt was done right.
Lady Caroline has grown up in the country. Her father — and after his death, her brother — never let her go to London, claiming that she didn’t have the constitution or moral character to handle city life. Her mother, you see, used to be a lovely socialite, but at some point she became ill, and was confined to rest, and given medication, and she never really left the house again. Her mother told Caroline many stories about London, and Caroline grew up wishing to be free, to escape the house and do whatever she wants.
The story opens after Caroline has received a letter that her trust fund is doing quite well. The trust fund that she was not aware of. Her mother had an inheritance, and left it to Caroline, but her father (and then brother) kept it a secret from her so that she wouldn’t go off and do crazy things with her independence. Since her choices are to either stay trapped or run away, Caroline runs away to London.
She plans to stay in town only for a few weeks, to be a bridesmaid to her friend, and then to run off to France so that her brother can’t force her back home or marry her off. Marriage would mean the loss of her freedom, so she is definitely not into that. She tells her friend that, since she never plans to marry, she might take a lover. It’s not like she’s overly concerned about her reputation.
Philip Montcalm is a second son, and is known as the Lord of the Rakes, because he takes a lot of lovers. As his story opens, he’s just been jilted, and he’s feeling rather dissatisfied with his lifestyle. His father gives him plenty of money, but the balls and the gambling are feeling a bit tedious.
Caroline and Philip meet during one of the longest ballroom scenes I’ve ever read. They make eyes at each other, and then Caroline sends him a note to meet her outside! Once they’re tucked away on a park bench, they talk of seduction, and they kiss, and it’s pretty spectacular for both of them.
I really liked the premise. A girl kept away from society by her ill-tempered father and brother finally gets a shot at freedom! Oh the fun she could have! Given that she had so little society experience (she’d been to some country house parties and listened to gossip), I was surprised at how quickly she sought out a man, and then at how bluntly she stated her intentions. It wasn’t quite the shy, blushing, innuendo-laden conversation that I was expecting.
But then. Philip comes to her house the next night and takes her virginity while he has her begging and calling him Master.
I don’t read Dom/sub books, they’re not my thing. So this could just be my ignorance speaking, but I was really surprised that a reasonably sheltered sexual novice would so quickly go along with that type of game. Maybe I’m placing too much importance on her virginity, but it just seemed like such a leap.
During their next encounter, in an empty room during a musical performance, Philip calls Caroline wicked, and has her tell him all about her wicked thoughts while he takes her up against a wall. Again, I didn’t think she would be so comfortable with that sort of language. But maybe Philip is just that overwhelming, and maybe I’m just an ignorant prude. I won’t even bother wondering how calling sexual thoughts “wicked” affects the psychology of a newly sexual woman, because maybe it’s all just games, and maybe wicked is a good thing, and she certainly doesn’t seem ashamed anyway.
My last thought on the matter is that I expected a little more explanation about why Philip needed to be in control so much. His lifestyle is pretty much him doing whatever he wants, and aside from his father telling him to be a “real man,” I didn’t pick up any other clues. Like I said, this isn’t my genre of books, so I don’t know if the Dom thing is supposed to be explained, somehow related to the non-sexual part of his life, or if it’s just a regular personality type.
The romance progresses backwards, from sex to emotional intimacy, but I found it believable. The writing was beautiful, and the resolution was sweet. If I hadn’t been so thrown off by the “call me Master” stuff, I might have swooned. If you don’t mind kinky sex mixed in with your Regency novel, then you should really enjoy this. I’m on the fence, so I give it a straight B.
This review was originally posted on Red Hot Books at: http://redhotbooks.com/2014/02/review...
Lady Caroline has grown up in the country. Her father — and after his death, her brother — never let her go to London, claiming that she didn’t have the constitution or moral character to handle city life. Her mother, you see, used to be a lovely socialite, but at some point she became ill, and was confined to rest, and given medication, and she never really left the house again. Her mother told Caroline many stories about London, and Caroline grew up wishing to be free, to escape the house and do whatever she wants.
The story opens after Caroline has received a letter that her trust fund is doing quite well. The trust fund that she was not aware of. Her mother had an inheritance, and left it to Caroline, but her father (and then brother) kept it a secret from her so that she wouldn’t go off and do crazy things with her independence. Since her choices are to either stay trapped or run away, Caroline runs away to London.
She plans to stay in town only for a few weeks, to be a bridesmaid to her friend, and then to run off to France so that her brother can’t force her back home or marry her off. Marriage would mean the loss of her freedom, so she is definitely not into that. She tells her friend that, since she never plans to marry, she might take a lover. It’s not like she’s overly concerned about her reputation.
Philip Montcalm is a second son, and is known as the Lord of the Rakes, because he takes a lot of lovers. As his story opens, he’s just been jilted, and he’s feeling rather dissatisfied with his lifestyle. His father gives him plenty of money, but the balls and the gambling are feeling a bit tedious.
Caroline and Philip meet during one of the longest ballroom scenes I’ve ever read. They make eyes at each other, and then Caroline sends him a note to meet her outside! Once they’re tucked away on a park bench, they talk of seduction, and they kiss, and it’s pretty spectacular for both of them.
I really liked the premise. A girl kept away from society by her ill-tempered father and brother finally gets a shot at freedom! Oh the fun she could have! Given that she had so little society experience (she’d been to some country house parties and listened to gossip), I was surprised at how quickly she sought out a man, and then at how bluntly she stated her intentions. It wasn’t quite the shy, blushing, innuendo-laden conversation that I was expecting.
But then. Philip comes to her house the next night and takes her virginity while he has her begging and calling him Master.
I don’t read Dom/sub books, they’re not my thing. So this could just be my ignorance speaking, but I was really surprised that a reasonably sheltered sexual novice would so quickly go along with that type of game. Maybe I’m placing too much importance on her virginity, but it just seemed like such a leap.
During their next encounter, in an empty room during a musical performance, Philip calls Caroline wicked, and has her tell him all about her wicked thoughts while he takes her up against a wall. Again, I didn’t think she would be so comfortable with that sort of language. But maybe Philip is just that overwhelming, and maybe I’m just an ignorant prude. I won’t even bother wondering how calling sexual thoughts “wicked” affects the psychology of a newly sexual woman, because maybe it’s all just games, and maybe wicked is a good thing, and she certainly doesn’t seem ashamed anyway.
My last thought on the matter is that I expected a little more explanation about why Philip needed to be in control so much. His lifestyle is pretty much him doing whatever he wants, and aside from his father telling him to be a “real man,” I didn’t pick up any other clues. Like I said, this isn’t my genre of books, so I don’t know if the Dom thing is supposed to be explained, somehow related to the non-sexual part of his life, or if it’s just a regular personality type.
The romance progresses backwards, from sex to emotional intimacy, but I found it believable. The writing was beautiful, and the resolution was sweet. If I hadn’t been so thrown off by the “call me Master” stuff, I might have swooned. If you don’t mind kinky sex mixed in with your Regency novel, then you should really enjoy this. I’m on the fence, so I give it a straight B.
This review was originally posted on Red Hot Books at: http://redhotbooks.com/2014/02/review...
June 6, 2014
Though this was my first experience with a Darcie Wilde book, it most definitely won’t be my last! From sizzling, steamy romance to witty, fun dialogue, this book is uber enjoyable! It’s most definitely not your typical historical romance!
We meet our hero, Phillip Montague, and learn that he is, among other things, the second son and a rake in the truest of forms, but that certainly doesn’t mean that he is without boundaries. Hiding deep secrets, he makes sure to keep himself in Society’s good graces, while putting on the mask everyone expects him to wear. After all, if they are looking more at his behavior than his true character, they are less likely to see the “real” Phillip. All is going well until inside a crowded ballroom, he lays eyes on……
Our Heroine, Lady Caroline Delamarre, out for her first season due to her overbearing and over protective father and older brother. Sheltered due to her (now deceased) mother’s unstable mental condition Caroline longs for nothing more than the freedom to experience life. When Caroline learns she is an heiress, she wastes no time finding a man she wants to experience life with. So when she finally gets to London, she seeks out none other than, The Lord of the Rakes. She’s not looking to settle down. She has no plans to marry now that she finally has her freedom. She simply wants to have a good time before buying her own cottage in the country and living independently and as she chooses. And who better to help her achieve that goal than Phillip?
But as these two spend time together, they find that they might just be meant for each other. Throw in a crazy ex-lover, a scheming potential suitor, a deceitful, untrusting brother, and a father who is half-mad and you’ve got yourself one heck of a story! Can Caroline and Phillip trust each other enough to share their pasts and secrets and learn to love and relinquish control to each other?
This book is HOT and will keep you enthralled from start to finish! If you’re looking for a historical romance with a twist and a bit of dominance in it, the Lord of the Rakes is for you! From the moment Caroline and Phillip interact, they have quite the sexual chemistry and reading as their relationship shifts from sexual to emotional is rather entertaining. They both state what they want from the beginning but as their feeling change, each of them becomes more vulnerable, which makes their characters so enjoyable! I loved this book and certainly will look for more by Ms. Wilde. This book is quite unique and it stand out from the crowd!
Rating: 4.5
Heat Rating: Hot
Reviewed by: AprilP
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
We meet our hero, Phillip Montague, and learn that he is, among other things, the second son and a rake in the truest of forms, but that certainly doesn’t mean that he is without boundaries. Hiding deep secrets, he makes sure to keep himself in Society’s good graces, while putting on the mask everyone expects him to wear. After all, if they are looking more at his behavior than his true character, they are less likely to see the “real” Phillip. All is going well until inside a crowded ballroom, he lays eyes on……
Our Heroine, Lady Caroline Delamarre, out for her first season due to her overbearing and over protective father and older brother. Sheltered due to her (now deceased) mother’s unstable mental condition Caroline longs for nothing more than the freedom to experience life. When Caroline learns she is an heiress, she wastes no time finding a man she wants to experience life with. So when she finally gets to London, she seeks out none other than, The Lord of the Rakes. She’s not looking to settle down. She has no plans to marry now that she finally has her freedom. She simply wants to have a good time before buying her own cottage in the country and living independently and as she chooses. And who better to help her achieve that goal than Phillip?
But as these two spend time together, they find that they might just be meant for each other. Throw in a crazy ex-lover, a scheming potential suitor, a deceitful, untrusting brother, and a father who is half-mad and you’ve got yourself one heck of a story! Can Caroline and Phillip trust each other enough to share their pasts and secrets and learn to love and relinquish control to each other?
This book is HOT and will keep you enthralled from start to finish! If you’re looking for a historical romance with a twist and a bit of dominance in it, the Lord of the Rakes is for you! From the moment Caroline and Phillip interact, they have quite the sexual chemistry and reading as their relationship shifts from sexual to emotional is rather entertaining. They both state what they want from the beginning but as their feeling change, each of them becomes more vulnerable, which makes their characters so enjoyable! I loved this book and certainly will look for more by Ms. Wilde. This book is quite unique and it stand out from the crowd!
Rating: 4.5
Heat Rating: Hot
Reviewed by: AprilP
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
April 8, 2021
This is a stunning debut, filled with emotional depth, fascinating characters, and a multi-layered story by newcomer Darcie Wilde. I recently heard about this book through Madeline Hunter's USA Today "Romance Unlaced" column and, as I appreciate and love Hunter’s own stories and writing, I suspected it would be good; it was better.
At first, the premise of the novel sounds simple, even trivial if you will, but it is anything but.
Lady Caroline Delamarre, a virginal heiress and the daughter of an earl, and Philip Montcalm, a dissipated rake and the son of a marquis, are not quite what they seem. There is so much more going on and things are not quite what you think.
At first, the premise of the novel sounds simple, even trivial if you will, but it is anything but.
Lady Caroline Delamarre, a virginal heiress and the daughter of an earl, and Philip Montcalm, a dissipated rake and the son of a marquis, are not quite what they seem. There is so much more going on and things are not quite what you think.
February 5, 2017
I am always on the lookout for new to me HR authors, so when a co-worker suggested this book and told me it was good (and quite racy!) naturally I had to read it! And she was NOT kidding on the racy part! Whew! It was definitely on the erotic historical romance side, which was fine with me! Phillip is your typical rake who isn't looking to fall in love, but Caroline is unlike most HR heroines. She has run away from home (and her controlling brother) and has decided to live freely. No rules, no expectations... just to live as she wishes. I admire her for doing so in a time where society would shun her if they knew she was living in such a way if they found out. Phillip may be your typical rake, but I really loved him. He wants to do right by Caroline and it's so much more than just simple seduction. Caroline craves love and affection, not having had it since her mother passed, but she also never wants to be under a man's thumb again. Her heart is truly at war with her mind over Phillip and while she's afraid to love him, she also doesn't want to lose him. I am super excited to start the next book in this series and hope we get to see a glimpse of Caro and Phillip!
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 18, 2020Gave up at 40%. Toward the beginning of the book, Caroline meets annoying friend of brother at ball. Friend is shocked that she is not in the country.
Gabriel tells Philip that he arranged for Philip to have a meeting with his mistress Eugenia at the ball, not knowing that Philip and Eugenia have broken it off. Philip tells him. Gabriel is shocked.
At 40%-ish, Philip and Gabriel meet. Philip tells Gabriel that he met with Eugenia at the ball. Gabriel is surprised. Then he tells Philip that he arranged for Philip to have a meeting with Eugenia at the ball, not knowing that Philip and Eugenia have broken it off. Philip tells him. Gabriel is shocked.
Caroline meets annoying friend of brother at ball. Friend is shocked that she is not in the country.
It's as if the entire plot up until 40-ish percent was added on later and then no one went back and edited.
Gabriel tells Philip that he arranged for Philip to have a meeting with his mistress Eugenia at the ball, not knowing that Philip and Eugenia have broken it off. Philip tells him. Gabriel is shocked.
At 40%-ish, Philip and Gabriel meet. Philip tells Gabriel that he met with Eugenia at the ball. Gabriel is surprised. Then he tells Philip that he arranged for Philip to have a meeting with Eugenia at the ball, not knowing that Philip and Eugenia have broken it off. Philip tells him. Gabriel is shocked.
Caroline meets annoying friend of brother at ball. Friend is shocked that she is not in the country.
It's as if the entire plot up until 40-ish percent was added on later and then no one went back and edited.
January 31, 2018
I love it, I love it, I love it
A five star rating is not high enough. I loved this story from beginning to end. Fast paced, sizzling sex and a powerful love story. There was not one thing to dislike about this book. Ms. Wilde, you never let me down. Please keep writing books with the same template. Your servant and number 1 fan.
A five star rating is not high enough. I loved this story from beginning to end. Fast paced, sizzling sex and a powerful love story. There was not one thing to dislike about this book. Ms. Wilde, you never let me down. Please keep writing books with the same template. Your servant and number 1 fan.
Read
April 17, 2021DNF on page 52 (~16%). I like her more recent Rosalind Thorne mystery series; it feels like character development and dialogue have progressed a good bit between this book and that series. This was a weird mix of good technical writing with obnoxiously over-the-top cheese factor—but maybe the soap opera tone was a deliberate choice?
April 9, 2021
This is much more my idea of a good erotic HR. Still a good story but with a lot of hot and messy sex.
September 25, 2021
A reverse of the tale - he wants marriage, she does not. A romp of a tale.
February 27, 2014
Darcie Wildes new romance, Lord of the Rakes is set in the Regency era and adheres to some rules of the ton, while flouting others. Readers who are looking for a steamy romance between a sheltered young woman, gaining her independence and a man who is known for his sexual exploits will find this one right up their alley. Wilde uses beautiful prose and elaborate descriptions to engage the reader and keep them turning the pages. Her characters are fiery and full of surprises, but will Caroline let Phillip be her master or is their dalliance only a passing fling?
What I liked:
When I started reading this book, I was fully expecting a regular Regency romance. But I was quite surprised to find that Darcie Wilde had different ideas for this book. I loved the overall premise of the book, sheltered young woman finally gets her independence and decides to have some fun. Disenchanted rake is bored with his life of gaming and women and wants to find a purpose in his life. I could definitely see where this one was going and I liked the direction. Imagine my surprise when said rake asks said young woman to call him master. Was this a Regency or a master/sub relationship gearing up here? I would have to say it was a bit of both.
Wilde sets the reader up with the idea that heroine, Caroline has been kept away from London by her father and her brother possibly because of a trust fund she has only recently become away of. Caroline is young and beautiful and she has lived on mother's stories of her social life in London and she wants to experience it for herself. In the process she intends to leave for France and never marry if she can help it. In the ton, reputation means everything but to Caroline is means very little, so the idea of taking a lover doesn't bother her. In fact she wants it very much. I thought maybe the fact that an innocent would choose to take a lover almost on a whim was perhaps a little far fetched but I went with it and found that Wilde made it seem more realistic the more I read.
Phillip is widely known as a rake. He spends every night with a different woman. I could totally understand why he might be bored after a while. It might be a different woman, but it was still the same game. It was sort of expected from a second son, but it was getting out of hand and Phillip was beginning to think his life had become quite meaningless. I thought Wilde did an exceptional job with this character. His dominant behavior was certainly a surprise but not unbelievable. He was in a sense looking for something in his life he could control and his pleasure became that thing.
Once I got over the initial shock of finding a wee bit of dominant/submissive behavior in this book, I enjoyed where the author took it. She didn't add so much of it that it could be termed erotica, but she kind of whetted the appetite of the reader. Readers who are not used to that sort of thing may have found it uncharacteristic for the genre, but it may certainly have opened their eyes to the possibilities. I liked the brush with BDSM without all the entanglements.
This romance kind of started backwards, but realistically that's how most of them do in the real world. Sex first, questions later. I thought the fact that they couldn't seem to stay away from each other was very telling. Obviously both of them had something the other craved or needed. They satisfied each other and in turn I think they satisfied the reader as a couple. Wilde does good job with this one and I am interested to see where she might take readers next.
What I didn't like:
I liked this book, there were parts of it that were intriguing and thought provoking, but there were also parts where I felt the story was a little unrealistic to be set in the Regency period. The ton is very rigid and those who did not adhere to the unspoken rules were often ostracized. I just felt that Caroline's lack of concern over her reputation was not in keeping with the rules of the game for this kind of book. Might just be a personal thing, some movement within the confines of the Regency period is fine.
Bottom Line:
This was a surprising novel and it was well written. Just a minor issue that is probably just a peeve of mine, doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of this book. It will certainly open up the eyes of some readers and perhaps help them broaden their reading horizons. A good book, from an author I want to read again.
What I liked:
When I started reading this book, I was fully expecting a regular Regency romance. But I was quite surprised to find that Darcie Wilde had different ideas for this book. I loved the overall premise of the book, sheltered young woman finally gets her independence and decides to have some fun. Disenchanted rake is bored with his life of gaming and women and wants to find a purpose in his life. I could definitely see where this one was going and I liked the direction. Imagine my surprise when said rake asks said young woman to call him master. Was this a Regency or a master/sub relationship gearing up here? I would have to say it was a bit of both.
Wilde sets the reader up with the idea that heroine, Caroline has been kept away from London by her father and her brother possibly because of a trust fund she has only recently become away of. Caroline is young and beautiful and she has lived on mother's stories of her social life in London and she wants to experience it for herself. In the process she intends to leave for France and never marry if she can help it. In the ton, reputation means everything but to Caroline is means very little, so the idea of taking a lover doesn't bother her. In fact she wants it very much. I thought maybe the fact that an innocent would choose to take a lover almost on a whim was perhaps a little far fetched but I went with it and found that Wilde made it seem more realistic the more I read.
Phillip is widely known as a rake. He spends every night with a different woman. I could totally understand why he might be bored after a while. It might be a different woman, but it was still the same game. It was sort of expected from a second son, but it was getting out of hand and Phillip was beginning to think his life had become quite meaningless. I thought Wilde did an exceptional job with this character. His dominant behavior was certainly a surprise but not unbelievable. He was in a sense looking for something in his life he could control and his pleasure became that thing.
Once I got over the initial shock of finding a wee bit of dominant/submissive behavior in this book, I enjoyed where the author took it. She didn't add so much of it that it could be termed erotica, but she kind of whetted the appetite of the reader. Readers who are not used to that sort of thing may have found it uncharacteristic for the genre, but it may certainly have opened their eyes to the possibilities. I liked the brush with BDSM without all the entanglements.
This romance kind of started backwards, but realistically that's how most of them do in the real world. Sex first, questions later. I thought the fact that they couldn't seem to stay away from each other was very telling. Obviously both of them had something the other craved or needed. They satisfied each other and in turn I think they satisfied the reader as a couple. Wilde does good job with this one and I am interested to see where she might take readers next.
What I didn't like:
I liked this book, there were parts of it that were intriguing and thought provoking, but there were also parts where I felt the story was a little unrealistic to be set in the Regency period. The ton is very rigid and those who did not adhere to the unspoken rules were often ostracized. I just felt that Caroline's lack of concern over her reputation was not in keeping with the rules of the game for this kind of book. Might just be a personal thing, some movement within the confines of the Regency period is fine.
Bottom Line:
This was a surprising novel and it was well written. Just a minor issue that is probably just a peeve of mine, doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of this book. It will certainly open up the eyes of some readers and perhaps help them broaden their reading horizons. A good book, from an author I want to read again.
July 29, 2014
Let me say this first:
This book was better than A Million Guilty Pleasures and let me tell you why:
A Million Guilty Pleasures, and this book basically have the same plot/story line, both have this:
And boy did it have a lot!!!
Both made me do this:
But the main difference between the 2 is that A Million Guilty Pleasures was a modern version of a romance, which included a whole lot of cursing, love and hate relationships, hot and steamy sex, drama, and doing stupid stuff to save your guts.
Where as Lord of the Rakes was a historical romance novel, which included less-no cursing, still hot and steamy sex (but not that much as modern romances), a little drama, poofy dresses c:, and the writing style was actually better.
-sigh- :)
And the last thing I wanted to discuss about comparing these 2 books before I start the actual review are the covers:
This is for A Million Guilty Pleasures as you can clearly see.
And this is for Lord of the Rakes, I have no idea which cover looks better, but they both look awesome :)
Ok, enough comparisons, let me get on with the review now :)
In this hot and sexy novel we have Phillip Montcalm.
Phillip is a one night kind of guy, he has a different lady every night, giving them the pleasure that the lady desires, and just giving himself a day to forget, which makes him a jerk.....
Anyway, he is called my another name, and that name is..... the Lord of the Rakes!!! Ooooooh I get it now ;) Duuuhhh!!!!
Well, Phillip is known for being the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer. See????? Told you!!!
And this fiery newcomer happens to be (new to independence and London) the gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre!!!!
She wants to make the most of her life. And of course when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for.
Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
Ok, I'm not going to lie, but throughout the book I was annoyed, because basically the setting of this book was a bed, mixed with drama. :( I mean if tat would've happened to me, i would've been like this:
You see??? I think that's pretty straightforward, but if she would've said no, then there wouldn't be this book, which makes sense :)
Recommend for: people who like to read hot and steamy sex books :)
Yup, that's pretty much all I can give you without spoiling it for you :)
This book was better than A Million Guilty Pleasures and let me tell you why:
A Million Guilty Pleasures, and this book basically have the same plot/story line, both have this:
And boy did it have a lot!!!
Both made me do this:
But the main difference between the 2 is that A Million Guilty Pleasures was a modern version of a romance, which included a whole lot of cursing, love and hate relationships, hot and steamy sex, drama, and doing stupid stuff to save your guts.
Where as Lord of the Rakes was a historical romance novel, which included less-no cursing, still hot and steamy sex (but not that much as modern romances), a little drama, poofy dresses c:, and the writing style was actually better.
-sigh- :)And the last thing I wanted to discuss about comparing these 2 books before I start the actual review are the covers:
This is for A Million Guilty Pleasures as you can clearly see.
And this is for Lord of the Rakes, I have no idea which cover looks better, but they both look awesome :)
Ok, enough comparisons, let me get on with the review now :)
In this hot and sexy novel we have Phillip Montcalm.
Phillip is a one night kind of guy, he has a different lady every night, giving them the pleasure that the lady desires, and just giving himself a day to forget, which makes him a jerk.....
Anyway, he is called my another name, and that name is..... the Lord of the Rakes!!! Ooooooh I get it now ;) Duuuhhh!!!!
Well, Phillip is known for being the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer. See????? Told you!!!
And this fiery newcomer happens to be (new to independence and London) the gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre!!!!
She wants to make the most of her life. And of course when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for.
Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
Ok, I'm not going to lie, but throughout the book I was annoyed, because basically the setting of this book was a bed, mixed with drama. :( I mean if tat would've happened to me, i would've been like this:
You see??? I think that's pretty straightforward, but if she would've said no, then there wouldn't be this book, which makes sense :)
Recommend for: people who like to read hot and steamy sex books :)
Yup, that's pretty much all I can give you without spoiling it for you :)
March 22, 2014
Lord of the Rakes was the first book I’ve read by Darcie Wilde, but it will not be the last as I will watch for any new releases from this author. This is a well written, very spicy, hot historical romance. I was very pleasantly surprised with this read. This book was tantalizing and a different pace than a normal sweet romance, although it is exciting and definitely worth it.
The hero is, Phillip Montcalm, a true to form second son among the ton of society, and a rake in the truest sense. He does have some morals and keeps away from virgins or any lady unwilling to take part in his care free giving life. He likes his ladies willing to divulge in delights of the flesh but not of the heart. Therefore he became known as the Lord of the Rakes. From a very noble family he is received by the ton and cream of society and publically maintains being a gentleman. A cheating lover results in the hero taking a second look at his bored and predictable mundane life. Deciding to find a new lover he begins a search for something of a change and out of the ordinary.
Who does he see across a crowded room, Lady Caroline Delamarre. This particular lady has been, more or less, surviving in the country. Caroline’s mother suffered depression and was kept away from all society by her husband and son, Caroline’s father and brother. Caroline was allowed small freedoms and did go to local parties and had local friends, but she really craved something more. With the death of her parents her brother refuses to allow her to become part of society in town. Now she is allowed only to be around her brothers’ friends, of which she has no plans to make a match with. She was however; very sure she did not want anyone dictating her life forever or deciding what she would be allowed to do or not do.
She discovers she has money left by her mother and escapes, more or less, and sets up her own household in town.
She is a strong outgoing person and decides she would much rather have lovers than an overbearing husband as her mother had. With this plan she will always be in charge and if she decides to end an affair she will when she wishes. So, when she meets Phillip’s eyes across the ballroom, she takes the initiative, and she goes after what she wants. From that moment meetings between the two are very different than what would be expected in society.
The romance and steamy love scenes are great and the book moves along at a great pace without any boredom. The hero and heroine each have what the other needs which turns out to be a lot more than what is apparent in the beginning.
All of London knows Phillip Montcalm’s name. It’s on the lips of a different lady every night…
So it’s no wonder he’s called the Lord of the Rakes. Rumor has it he’s the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms…and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
The hero is, Phillip Montcalm, a true to form second son among the ton of society, and a rake in the truest sense. He does have some morals and keeps away from virgins or any lady unwilling to take part in his care free giving life. He likes his ladies willing to divulge in delights of the flesh but not of the heart. Therefore he became known as the Lord of the Rakes. From a very noble family he is received by the ton and cream of society and publically maintains being a gentleman. A cheating lover results in the hero taking a second look at his bored and predictable mundane life. Deciding to find a new lover he begins a search for something of a change and out of the ordinary.
Who does he see across a crowded room, Lady Caroline Delamarre. This particular lady has been, more or less, surviving in the country. Caroline’s mother suffered depression and was kept away from all society by her husband and son, Caroline’s father and brother. Caroline was allowed small freedoms and did go to local parties and had local friends, but she really craved something more. With the death of her parents her brother refuses to allow her to become part of society in town. Now she is allowed only to be around her brothers’ friends, of which she has no plans to make a match with. She was however; very sure she did not want anyone dictating her life forever or deciding what she would be allowed to do or not do.
She discovers she has money left by her mother and escapes, more or less, and sets up her own household in town.
She is a strong outgoing person and decides she would much rather have lovers than an overbearing husband as her mother had. With this plan she will always be in charge and if she decides to end an affair she will when she wishes. So, when she meets Phillip’s eyes across the ballroom, she takes the initiative, and she goes after what she wants. From that moment meetings between the two are very different than what would be expected in society.
The romance and steamy love scenes are great and the book moves along at a great pace without any boredom. The hero and heroine each have what the other needs which turns out to be a lot more than what is apparent in the beginning.
All of London knows Phillip Montcalm’s name. It’s on the lips of a different lady every night…
So it’s no wonder he’s called the Lord of the Rakes. Rumor has it he’s the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms…and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
February 18, 2014
Book received as part of the first reads program for an honest review.
Lady Caroline Delmarre is finally free! Thanks to a trust left to her by her mother. Caroline has been trapped in her country home a veritable prisoner thanks to her farther's belief that she had a week constitution and would make poor decisions in a social setting to only be further imprisoned after her farthers death by her brother.
Caroline's father and brother believed her to be like her mother ,which as you read through the book it becomes evident that her mother suffered from depression, but Caroline is the furthest from suffering the same malady. Caroline has been biding her time Making sure her brother can not block her from her trust but it all comes to a head when he refuses to let her go to London with her freind Fiona , to be Fuona's maid of honor. With the help of her ladies maid and freind Fi she makes the move to London with the intent to stay just long nough t see her best freind married then be off to th continent to prevent being dragged back by her brother Jarrett.
Caroline finally starts enjoying herself in London, while attending a ball with Fiona and her fiancé James she makes eye contact with a handsome man,none other than Philip Montcalm , " the lord of the Rakes" Philips a second son has not had any responsibility ,hespendshis nights seducing, gambling and the typical rakish pursuits and encouraged by his own father to do so; however Philip is feeling bored until he sees Caroline , curvacious , dark haired with lucios lips and he can't take his eyes of her or his lustful thoughts .
Caroline is obsessed with the idea of The lord of the Raikes, has been since the first time Fiona mentioned him; having her freedom finally and with no intention of staying in England or marrying she has been entertaining having an affair; Caroline feeling empowered sends Philip a note asking him to meet her in the Gardens.
From Clamdestine meetings in gardens to sexual encounters in remote rooms at musicals Caroline and Philip engage I an affair, Philip introduces her to a ,aster submissive relationship during their sexual encounters along with some light bondage .
However for two people whos only intrest was an affair with each other, each encounter brings them closer and more emotionally connected , with both questioning their feelings. Though Caroline's heart may becoming engaged she can no allow herself to fall in love Their is still the danger of her brother , theossible loss of her income from the trust nevermind her absolute belief that marriage was what led to her mothers ailment and whenever wishes to be a prisoner again.
Enjoyable read, different then your typical historical , don't worry everyone gets their HEA they just travel,a different road getting there!
July 30, 2014
There was a lot of problems with this book but I think that the main problem for me was that this author should never have written in the romance genre. It was very clear that she was extremely uncomfortable writing romance of any kind, let alone the light BDSM romance that she was trying for. Any sex scene or even just kissing was very glossed over with the author just describing how the characters just were happy to be together not that they enjoyed the physical activities. Another problem I had was the fact that the main characters haven't even known each other a week before they start to think about loving each other, which would be fine if theyspent more than a couple hours together every other day. The author also seemed to just want to get through the story as quickly as possible. It was like she wanted to say that she had written a romance but did not actually want to do the work. I know that sounds like a personal dig at the author but it is true. Yet another problem that this book had, that is a personal pet peeve of mine, is that the time line didn't match up with the actual amount of time passed. The story says that the female lead had just arrived in London, but a little layer on it says that she has been there for the months. Also, a couple of days pass between the male and female lead meeting for the second time, but the time line says that they met each other again the next evening and yet manage to go to all of these parties, the opera, and the theater before meeting each other. Although this book started out interesting and with a promising storyline, it quickly went downhill from there. I would definitely recommend skipping this book if you like sophisticated romance.
June 12, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, maybe a bit of fluff to pass the time when I didn't want to have to "concentrate" while reading and keep track of a complicated storyline.
That IS what I got, but I also got two characters I really liked, some witty banter, and some hot and steamy scenes. Sure, there were some inconsistencies in the story and the time frame was a bit rushed, but I enjoyed this book for what it was: a fun read when I needed a break from the more serious stuff. I enjoyed it enough that I plan to read her next book with the same expectations and, hopefully, as satisfying a conclusion.
If you're looking for a long, drawn-out romantic read, this isn't for you. If your tastes lean more towards the steamy bedroom scenes, you'll like this book.
That IS what I got, but I also got two characters I really liked, some witty banter, and some hot and steamy scenes. Sure, there were some inconsistencies in the story and the time frame was a bit rushed, but I enjoyed this book for what it was: a fun read when I needed a break from the more serious stuff. I enjoyed it enough that I plan to read her next book with the same expectations and, hopefully, as satisfying a conclusion.
If you're looking for a long, drawn-out romantic read, this isn't for you. If your tastes lean more towards the steamy bedroom scenes, you'll like this book.
October 21, 2015
Torn between 2 and 3 stars. I think the last chapter knocked it back down to 2. Just - really? I'm no expert on that particular subject but I'm not quite sure that's how it works. It was so... strange.
And the super intense (light BDSM) sex scenes felt quite out of place with the rest of the story and the characters themselves. Though they were sometimes pretty hot. But sometimes they were pretty weird and didn't make a lot of sense.
And the back story was just super weird! And so overly dramatic but really just not dramatic at all. Bleh.
(I'm starting to think 2 stars was too much!)
And the super intense (light BDSM) sex scenes felt quite out of place with the rest of the story and the characters themselves. Though they were sometimes pretty hot. But sometimes they were pretty weird and didn't make a lot of sense.
And the back story was just super weird! And so overly dramatic but really just not dramatic at all. Bleh.
(I'm starting to think 2 stars was too much!)
May 12, 2014
This book was a total turn-off for me, and I actually think part of my problem was that the print was so tiny, and the spacing between the lines of text was so minute, that I had the hardest time trying to read this.
At first, I thought it was my eyes, but I read another paperback with standard (paperback sized) print and spacing, with no trouble, whatsoever.
Dear Publishers: If you want someone to read an author's story, please make it so that it is able to be physically read, in the first place.
At first, I thought it was my eyes, but I read another paperback with standard (paperback sized) print and spacing, with no trouble, whatsoever.
Dear Publishers: If you want someone to read an author's story, please make it so that it is able to be physically read, in the first place.
March 15, 2016
3.5 stars
My main problem was that I thought the 'master' bit was ridiculous - totally out of character and unnecessary to the storyline. However, I've read a lot of other first books and this one was pretty good in comparison.
A few continuity problems and several spelling/grammar errors on the Kindle, but nothing that detracted too much.
An entertaining read that was all about the relationship.
My main problem was that I thought the 'master' bit was ridiculous - totally out of character and unnecessary to the storyline. However, I've read a lot of other first books and this one was pretty good in comparison.
A few continuity problems and several spelling/grammar errors on the Kindle, but nothing that detracted too much.
An entertaining read that was all about the relationship.
April 23, 2014
There is no clear period(year) for when the story takes place. If Regency, Caroline's feminist view is too modern, without citing Wolstonecraft: "Rights of Women." which was censored at the time of publication.
January 19, 2014
Great novel. Definitely recommend to all fellow readers, as long as they're age appropriate.
Shelved as 'historical'
January 15, 2019So it’s no wonder he’s called the Lord of the Rakes. Rumor has it he’s the most dangerous seducer in the city, with quite the extensive list of conquests. Talk of his prowess as a lover and his ingenuity in the bedroom are enough to make even the most prudish of ladies succumb to temptation. But as of late, Phillip has found himself a bit bored. Until he sets his eyes on a fiery newcomer.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms …and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
New to independence and London, gorgeous heiress Lady Caroline Delamarre wants to make the most of her life. And when Phillip meets her gaze, she knows the perfect place to start: in his arms …and in his bed. But what begins as a long night of breathtaking passion leads to more than the two bargained for. Haunted by troubled pasts and inescapable family entanglements, each of them must decide if they can risk a gamble on what might be true love.
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