The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes
Reviews
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎.5
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒.5
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧.5
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes is the first book in the latest of her books that she is working on, and when I saw the second book being raved about on Instagram, I realized how much
First Line
The wedding hadn't happened yet, and already the marriage was a disaster.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Kieran Ransome
A scandalous Rake, loves his women, and feels restricted when his parents are forcing him to get married while blackmailing him and his brother.
The Heroine: Celeste Killburn
Daughter of a self made man. She is being put in the position to save her family and get them recognized by the ton by encouraging a match with a Lord she despises.
Summary
In the The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes is a story of mutual longing and relatable circumstances to find a way to live life before both of our main protagonists are forced into unloveable marriages set forth by their parents. Both Kieran and Celeste have known each other for years. Celeste is the sister of Kieran's best friend. When it becomes apparent that they mutual interests, they both enter a daring arrangement. Where Celeste will show Kieran around at certain "Ton" themed events to make him seem respectable so that he can gain a match among the Ton as he has a history of being a rake and not appealing to certain levels of the marriage mart in higher society. And where Celeste can experience a sense of freedom while he shows her the true daring nights in London in the gardens and the gambling hells. What neither of them expected was that they would form a stronger attachment than just their sexual chemistry. Even though they know what they have is forbidden, they can resist the temptation...but will they find a way to their happily ever after or have to sacrifice each other for those they love?
What I Loved
This book was truly so wonderful and there is something about Eva Leigh that just pulls me into her stories and most especially the narrations she has for her audiobooks is what is worth listening to over physically reading her books. I absolutely adored everything about this one and its a story that will really dig deep into the heart and tangle with your emotions but while delivering some endearing fun sexy scenes to keep you fascinating and itching for more. Even though Eva Leigh tends to write more modern themes in her historical romances, they just click for me. She really balances them out so well that they don't overwhelm the reader with the modern scenes if you are looking for more authenticity in your historicals., I can tell you, you can trust this author to deliver what you seek.
I appreciated the dynamic that we see happen between this couple. The way in which they have common ground, and goals to move forward with and the way in which they learn to appreciate each other in the small moments not just the larger more impactful ways. And the sense of forbidden fruit really drew me in. There is something that gravitates me to a couple when there is a forbidden feel to their relationship. And that they are keeping it a secret is so wonderful. The author really balances it out so well so that its not super intense and has a sense of fun to their interactions. And the reveal at the end was perfectly executed by the author, honestly, the ending gets a five-star rating for me. What happens with the brother makes sense and even though I struggled with his naivety with what was happening with his sister, what he does when he does learn the truth had him becoming redeemed for me.
What I Struggled With
There wasn't anything super noticeable about what I struggled with, it didn't quite make it to a five star rating but is a solid enjoyable read that I had a blast with.
Narration
Zara Hampton is such a "dream" to listen to, she really makes historical regencies and victorian era romances come alive in just her voice alone. The way that she narrates this one, she tackles relatability of the characters just right.
Overall View
The Good Girl's Guide to Rake is a sexy scandalous romance that will curl your toes in the adventures, passions and challenges this pair comes across and works together to triumph in!
Favorite Quote(s)
“Ever since my father made his fortune,” she said softly, “I’ve been forced into a box. Celeste the Keeper of the Kilburns’ Honor. Celeste the Respectable. It’s so exhausting, being in that box. No one asking who I am, who I want to be. No one truly seeing me. But,” she went on in a low, urgent voice, “I see that you’re a kind and generous man. For whatever my opinion’s worth, I see that in you."
That’s the trouble with hearts. They involve themselves, whether we want them to or not.
“We’re not always who the world believes us to be.”
“So long as no one’s harmed in its getting,” he said, his voice low, “we ought to be free to find our joy where we can. God knows that in this life, none of it’s guaranteed.”
“I’m . . . a little afraid.” She pressed her forehead to his chest as she shivered. “Not of the pain, but what it might mean if I truly did set myself free.” “I swear to you that if you fall, I’ll catch you. But I know that you aren’t going to fall. You’ll soar.”
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Historical Romance
Time Eera: Victorian Era in England
Character Types: Rake, Cinnamon Roll, Bluestocking heroine
Themes: Dirty Talking, Gambling Hells, Wager
Tropes: Forbidden Love, Fake Relationship, Best Friend's Sister
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can do either, they are written that you can read as standalones if needed.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes. --these are some fun sexy scenes with some dirty talking and some neck fetish that is delightful but not crazy amount of steam. But higher level than what you normally see in historical's
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
Narrators:
Zara Hampton-Brown
I loved this so much. Kieran and Celeste are just so perfect for each other. I did want him to punch her intended but I still throughly enjoyed what he did instead. I received an arc through netgalley.
Eva Leigh has not done me wrong yet! She’s 3 for 3 with the books I’ve read from her which has made her become one of my favorite historical romance authors. There’s just something about the way she writes her men that has me cheesing every time. I loved Keiran and Celeste’s relationship and watching it transform. It’s the love for me. When a romance novel makes you feel the compatibility and the love?! Yeah that’s my crack. Inject it! Also you know I love simps, like give me the world please and thanks. This story isn’t new or unique in any way but I still ate it up. I’m so excited to read the next in series and might even anticipate the second chance romance that is coming with ykw. Let me stop playing in Miss Eva’s face and start the other books that I have by her.
This is my first Eva Leigh novel and oh boy did I love this one. Kieran Ransome needs a respectable lady and Celeste needs someone to be wicked with. Match made in heaven. Kieran Ransome is my favorite book boyfriend of 2022. This man y’all. He writes poetry, has a dirty mouth (god I love that in a historical romance), and supported Celeste so wholeheartedly. He’s just…so dreamy. I LOVED his relationship with Finn. It was so sweet to see their bond on paper! Celeste is such a GREAT heroine! She tries so hard to resist Kieran, but in the end, respectability isn’t as important as making Kieran hers. Their late night rendezvous were absolutely delicious. And I’m not joking when I say the dirty talk was just….so good. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! Thank you to Netgalley for an E-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
I loved this! It had everything I look for in historical romance: an intelligent leading lady, a swoon-worthy love interest, and top-notch banter. Leigh's writing was charming and witty and had you falling in love with Celeste and Kieran from their very first interaction. I couldn't get enough of the two of them. They had such a playful dynamic but were also able to be vulnerable and be their most authentic selves together without fear of judgment. It was so sweet to see. Not only that, but they had insane chemistry. It was so believable that these two were meant to be together. This was my first book by Leigh, but it definitely won't be my last, and I can't wait for the next installment!
