Book Review

NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE
by Sarah MacLean

Genre: Historical Romance, England
Sensuality: HOT
Setting: 1823 England

2010 Historical Romance of the Year Nominee

RT Rating

MacLean has penned a fast-paced, funny tale with a marvelous cast of characters who captivate and enchant. This book should come with a warning: Once you start, you won't want to put it down!

At 28, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell is dissatisfied with her staid life. She craves adventure and she wants it now! So she creates a list of nine things a proper lady should never do and enlists Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston, to help her.

Ralston agrees, with a caveat: If she launches his sister into society, he'll help her experience life, learn to drink in a tavern, fence in a men's club and live on the wild side. This is all well and good, until Ralston and Callie begin falling in love. After compromising her, he insists on marriage, but Callie isn't so sure he'll make a good husband, especially when she has to stop him from dueling. Will she be able to teach a rake to love and get to continue her grand adventures? (AVON, Apr., 432 pp., $7.99)

Reviewed By: Jill Brager

Publisher: AVON

Published: April 2010

Reader Rating

4.5 Stars

Average Rating: 4.5 Stars
(3 ratings)

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Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Submitted by Robin in PA on March 30, 2011 - 8:31pm.

When her sister's engagement is announced, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell decides that she will no longer be the "passive" sister.  Callie has always followed society's rules.  Now she has made a list of nine rules she wants to break (drink scotch, dance every dance at a ball, kiss someone passionately), but she may need some help with some of them.  So, she approaches Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston, and asks him for a kiss.  Gabriel is shocked by the request, but agrees on one condition...Cassie must help his new-found sister enter society. 

I loved this book.  It was so much fun.  Callie and Gabriel are both wonderful characters.  Callie has adored Gabriel from afar for years and doesn't think he would ever notice her.  Gabe is a cynic who doesn't believe in love.  But getting to know Callie while trying to keep her out of trouble, makes him see her in a different light. 

Another plus for this book is interesting secondary characters.  I understand the next book in the series is about Gabriel's twin brother, Nick.  I hope Cassie's brother will also have a book in the future.  My rating: 5 Stars.

Nine Rules To Break When Romancing A Rake

Submitted by mlacroix on June 8, 2010 - 9:52pm.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I really fell for Calpurnia because I know how she felt being ignored by everyone. It touched me deeply that Gabriel would help her and at last find the love that he had always denied existed. This book could have taken place in today's society and been just as relevant. I'm hoping that Ms MacLean is going to have a book for Calpurnia's brother and Gabriel's sister and brother

Love This Girl!

Submitted by Jomarie63 on May 16, 2010 - 12:52pm.

This book was refreshing, fun and emotional. You can't help but fall in love with the hero, of course, but Callie is brave and smart and more beautiful than she knows. To watch her go from Spinster Seating to being the belle of the ball was delightful. As the hero begins to lose his heart to her she seems to transform into the beauty the reader knew she always was. The love scenes were hot, the emotion tender, and the book left me very satisfied.