The Rake by Suzanne Enoch

Book Description:
Three determined young ladies vow to give three of London's worst rakes their comeuppance - but when these rogues turn the tables, who truly learns a lesson in love?

Once upon a time, the notorious Viscount Dare charmed Lady Georgiana Halley out of her innocence - to win a wager, no less! - and now he must pay dearly. The, plan is simple: She will use every seductive wile she knows to win Dare's heart...and then break it. But his smoldering gaze once again tempts Georgiana to give in to desire - and when he astonishes her with a marriage proposal, she wonders: Is he playing yet another game...or could it truly be love this time?

An apt title for this enjoyable Regency romance that has somewhat of an unorthodox relationship between the hero and hero. A misalliance from six years ago still haunts Lady Georgiana who thinks she is teaching the same man a lesson by getting him to fall in love with her.  But it all backfires.  Who falls for who, or rather, who's been in love for the past six years? A fun and sexy romp, but I admit, I was taken aback to find out the man in question - our hero, Lord Dare, had taken Georgiana's virginity so many years ago! What a rake!  I hadn't read the book blurb, so I was completely unprepared and was a bit put off and didn't like him at first.  There are scoundrels and then there are scoundrels!

But he grew on me, he is pretty charming and handsome and sexy and basically irresistible.  But I wanted to know what happened that night?  Why did he leave her?  And why didn't he do the honorable thing and propose marriage to her?  And most importantly, what's he going to do to make it up to her?  All we know is he did it on a bet that he could get her to give him one of her stockings.  Which she did, though he never told anyone how.  Everyone believes he tried to kiss her and she got angry with him and that is why they have been arch enemies ever since.  Now it's payback time and Georgiana is convinced she is doing Dare's latest conquest, Miss Whats-her-name, a favor.  In a convoluted sense of logic, Georgiana thinks that if Dare has his heart broken, he'll make a better husband to someone else before they get their heart broken by him?  Get it?

The story progresses and Georgiana begins to be "nice" to him.  Part of her plan to get him to fall in love with her. She also moves in with him.   No, no, it's not what you think.  He has two elderly aunts and Georgiana uses them as a ruse by making it look like she's moving in to take care of them and keep them company when really the more she's around him, the more likely he is to fall for her.  A far fetched plot device, but it serves it's purpose.  Little does Georgiana know the aunts are hatching their own little scheme to hook Georgiana and Dare up together as well!  He's suspicious at first of the whole thing and is convinced she's setting him up for some horrible retribution.  This is the girl he debauched after all.  The girl that got away, the girl he wished things had turned out differently with.  Gradually they develop a sort of wary truce and he begins to take her out and escort to her to balls and places.  She gets to know him again and the rest of his family.  He has several brothers and before Georgiana knows it, she's falling for him again and feeling like part of the family!

But.. but this can't be!  She's doing all of this so Miss Whats-her-name can marry him - isn't she? What about her plan to break his heart?  Before long both Georgiana and Dare have no eyes for anyone else, but it all goes terribly wrong.  They spend the night together again, she leaves him another stocking and an awful note and - leaves him!  Grrr!  What was she thinking?  She goes back to live with her own aunt (who is a duchess) and Dare goes after her, irate and - in love!  By the end of the book, another monkey wrench gets thrown into the whole brouhaha regarding Miss Whats-her-name, some even more totally implausible series of events take place and Georgiana and Dare finally team up together to insure their happily ever after ending!

Despite some very outlandish doings this was a delightful romance.  Funny and sexy like a screwball comedy with heat. Nothing too deep or melodramatic.  The author could have turned it into an angsty mess at one point, but I'm so glad she didn't! I really loved this romance and I am definitely reading some more by this new to me author!  At last, another humorous series of historicals I can look forward to!  I highly recommend this frothy regency!

4/5

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