Well I accidentally read the Author’s Note and somewhat spoiled the story; I spent most of it trying to figure out if I was right about the mystery (and I was correct as the big reveal at the end showed). I definitely enjoyed the reforming of the rake storyline, but all the secrets that Isabel held were a lot. Also the unholy amount of betrayal happening left and right was a bit much too. ( )

Fuck this book. It was on sale and Smart Bitches Trashy Books rec'd it for character driven romance. By the halfway point I was hate-reading it and it only got worse. It is some BULLSHIT and a stunning example of why I avoid mainstream m/f romance.

The writing is engaging, which is why I pushed through my initial hesitations. The duke is presented as a bad person, because he has sex parties. Come on. There's nothing wrong with a consensual sex party. (There's a ton wrong with disrespecting women because they had sex with you, which he and everyone else spend the entire book doing, plus loads of sexism and classism. Historical values can bite me, many authors are capable of writing historicals about people who aren't shitty.) Then he spent the next chunk of the book insulting the heroine and telling her to mind her place and threatening to keep her away from the children she's raised every time she disagrees with him--and he never, ever gets his comeuppance. The only thing he apologizes for in the entire book is not recognizing her fuckability the minute he saw her. She spends a couple chapters wondering why she's attracted to him, which like, I DO NOT KNOW, he's a complete tool who never redeems himself. Like, he's nice to some kids and does some push ups and that's supposed to make up for being shitty to her for literally the entire book? He forbids this nice doctor (who later ACTUALLY DIAGNOSES HIM with a broken heart like this is the worst Star War?!) who's respectfully interested in her from pursuing a relationship with her, and that's supposed to be a plus? Oh, and then he tells her about how, AS AN ADULT, he saw his dad rape a servant and did nothing to stop him, and she's all, "You poor baby." Fuck that!

The children are obnoxious. I actually like children and these ones were insufferable. Abigail's betrayal is completely nonsensical and out of the blue. Which then is blamed on Isabel, he viciously turns on her, and that's also supposed to be ok because then he wants her back? Again, no apologies for calling her a traitorous bitch, throwing her onto the street, and keeping her from the kids! In fact, he says, "Promise me you'll never leave me again." HOLY SHIT DUDE. I lost track of the number of times the duke thought about all the threesomes he's had with women--oh yeah, women can get with each other, but only so men can watch/bang them. Once they start sleeping together, he mentions that he's "taking precautions" not to knock her up, which he has explicitly not done in every sex scene.

Then holy shit at the end the heroine and a sympathetic male side character are revealed to have been plantation owners in the Caribbean. Nbd, just perpetrators of one of the worst acts of violence in the history of humanity! WHAT A GREAT ROMANCE HEROINE AM I RIGHT

Fuck this book. ( )

The Duke of Sunderford, Adam Fairfax, is better known to the “ton” as Sinful Sunny. In The Duke Who Ravished Me he has earned this reputation through a number of debauched entertainments which he holds in his home.

While in the middle of just such an entertainment his enjoyment is interrupted by the arrival of visitors. He is very disgruntled when he has to put aside the pleasures of the two young ladies he’s playing with in order to find out what is going on.

His Uncle Abel apparently has claimed a heart condition. He no longer feels able to continue as guardian and has sent the children from his home in Cornwall on a several days journey to London.

Twins Patience and Prudence are two charming little girls, but who in their right mind would send them to live as wards with a bachelor of Adams reputation? But Uncle Abel wants them to be settled before his health worsens.

Isabel Finch, the governess to the young girls, is clearly a gentlewoman. She has taken care of the children for several years while they were with Uncle Abel. She is determined to protect them from the Duke’s debauchery.

Everything Is Not As It Seems

Throwing a couple of innocent children into the lap of a libertine is one way of attempting to reform him. I think it is clear that this is the reason why Uncle Abel sent the children in the first place.

I found it interesting that the Duke felt that the governess to be entirely without charm when first they met. It soon becomes apparent that she not only has charms, but they are exactly the sort he likes.

There were some interesting twists and turns in this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were interesting and very well written. The girls were charming and entirely adorable.

This is the fourth in the Rebellious Brides series, which includes Spy Fall, A License To Wed, and From London With Love, though works very well as a standalone novel. I will be happy to read more from Diana Quincy.

Reviewed for LnkToMi iRead in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review. ( )

The rake's rehabilitation!

At the heart of this story are the laws in the 1800's to do with guardianship and the care of children. But that's just the segue into this regency romp that had me laughing ... and gasping!
Adam Fairfax, the Duke of Sunderford (Sinful Sunny to readers of the gossip sheets) is an outrageous, although oft times endearing, rake who has thrown his energies into the most dissipating activities one could imagine. All that comes to a rather screeching halt the night he is made aware of his guardianship of two seven year old girls, and by way of inclusion, their rather formidable governess right in the middle of a very risqué event at his home. The efforts of his butler to inform Sunny of his suddenly changed status from a 'Duke with no ties' to a 'guardian' is vastly amusing.
Of course the governess, Isobel Finch, is a prune of a woman, disapproving and constrained ... or is she?
As Sunny comes to know 'Finch' his misconceptions are dealt a blow, as is his heart.
Our hearts are struck a blow as we see how Sunny embarked upon the path he fully embraced.
This pilgrim's progress, of renowned libertine to man of heart and conscience, is rather delicious and I really enjoyed it.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

As two children and their governess show up at the Dukes estate, they proceed to turn his life upside down and on the right track. Heartwarming and romantic, Quincy gives a detailed story with some surprises that comes full circle.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review ( )