Quickie Book Review-A Beginner's Guide To Rakes

A Beginner's Guide To Rakes
Scandalous Brides (1)
Suzanne Enoch
St Martins
Paperback
Published October 2011
339 Pages
Regency Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0-312-53451-6
Authors Website

Synopsis 
All of London is abuzz with the return of the utterly alluring, recently widowed Diane Benchley. Will she remarry? What will she do with her late husband’s fortune? Society is shocked by her announcement—at the Grand Ball, of all places!—that she plans to open an exclusive gentleman’s gaming club in the family mansion. But no one is more stunned than the Marquis of Haybury, Oliver Warren.

Years ago, Oliver and Diane shared a private indiscretion. Now Diane threatens to reveal Oliver’s most ungentlemanly secrets…unless he agrees to help her. A notorious gambler—and rake—Oliver is overqualified to educate Diane in the ways and means of running her establishment. But striking a deal with Diane might just be the biggest risk Oliver has ever taken. This time, the only thing he has to lose is his heart…

My Review

 
It has been quite some time since I have read Suzanne Enoch, and I bought this book about a year ago, and its been on my shelf collecting dust, so since there have been a few books come into this series, I thought I would try reading the first installment, before I got the others. In the past I have come to love Enoch's writing and her powerful ability of storytelling, but I am sad to say I was disappointed in A Beginner's Guide To Rakes. For some reason I had the hardest time getting into the story, and by the time I was halfway, I wanted to finish it just to find out what happens, but I ended up skimming a bit (which is the worst, just so I could get through it). I think the biggest issue I had was the heroine in this story. I didn't like her at any part of the book. Usually I don't have such a difficult time with heroines, but there was something so hard about her character. I felt like there was so much harshness in the way she treats Oliver.  You see how they both make mistakes when they first have their affair before they see each other again in London. I also understand how hurt she could be, but at the same time I wanted to shake some good common sense into her. She frustrated me to no end, and I couldn't help but have some serious issues with her. Oliver I liked from the first page, and I loved how patient he was with her, and never took what she said to him to heart. Even though there was a good solid story outline, and it had the same characteristics that I have come to admire in this author, I never could get fully into the story, and trust me I did try quite a bit. I do plan on trying the second one in the series, hoping it will be much better, because I don't want to give up on this author that I have loved in the past.

My Grade
2.5 Blossoms

Heat Rating
Warm

Other Books In Series
Taming An Impossible Rogue
Rules To Catch a Devilish Duke
The Handbook To Handling His Lordship