Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

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

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

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

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

After ten years of being a wallflower and now considered a spinster, Callie wants to live. She is tired of leading a passive life, she wants excitement and adventure. So she creates a list. But she needs a little help with certain "to do items", she goes for help to the one person she knows will be able to provide her with the experience she needs. Gabriel, the Marquess of Ralston has a rakish reputation, but he is in need of help with his half-sister. So they device a plan: he will help her if she helps him introduce his sister into society. And so the adventure begins...

Here's a book a stayed up to the wee hours of the morning to finish reading. I couldn't help it, I was hooked right from the first chapter. I loved it all! The setting, the way the author describes the surround and the characters' feeling was simply amazing. Just the way described a certain material for a dress had me thinking of it, imagining it...I don't think I ever did that before.

The characters are amazing. The main characters, Callie and Ralston were so different from each, a wallflower and a rake, but they were perfect for each other. She craved adventure and passion and he needed tender loving care. They balanced each other out. Their chemistry was wonderful, and there certainly were a few very hot scenes.

Not only were the main ones interesting the secondary characters were nothing the sneeze at either, Ralston twin brother Nick who restores old statues and has a scar across his face (you just know there will be a story behind that!), their half-sister Juliana who grew up in Italy who has a strong personality but needs to be loved by her brothers, and then there's Benedick, Callie's brother, there wasn't too much of him in the book (in my opinion), but it seems to me that he's "hero" material.

I loved it! If you're looking for a heart warming, funny and steamy read you will love Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (5/5) Historical Romance; Published: Avon (3/2010); Format: E-book for Kindle; New Author; Series: # 1, St. John; Favorite Reads 2010; Books 2010 (52);