The historical romance genre has a bad rap sometimes. Contemporary authors today are throwing away the “traditional“ historical romance for updated versions.
Gone is the Regency speak, for the most part. While the stories do follow the overall rules of Regency romance, the authors have broken the boundaries and made the stories fun, witty, and in many instances, steamy, so that you enjoy the story completely.
This author is new to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this romp across the country in a humorous prank gone wrong.
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How to Ruin a Rake by Kate Pearce
Publisher: Kensington
Publication date: September 29, 2026
ISBN-13: 978-1496755162
OVERVIEW:
Lady Allegra Musgrove has resigned herself to never marrying. Creating a scandal worked out well for her sister, Carenza, now happily wed after advertising for a no-strings-attached arrangement with a willing gentleman from the ton. But the fallout has landed squarely on poor Allegra, who is ordered to leave London for her family home in the countryside.
Sometimes, though, fate comes knocking—or, in Allegra’s case, a rake who abducts her as part of a men’s club drunken wager!
Furious, Allegra quickly takes charge when their speeding carriage overturns and her masked captor is revealed: Lord Max Devereux, a notorious ne’er-do-well who pays his way out of trouble and beds women with impunity.
Suddenly sober, Max wants to forget the whole debacle and return Allegra to the city. Obviously, Allegra is aware that there could be no one worse to be stuck with in the middle of nowhere than such a rake, especially one so . . . experienced. Or . . . could there be no one better?
How to Ruin a Rake by Kate Pearce Review
When the story starts with a prank gone wrong and a scandal in the making, you know it is going to be a fun romp.
Pearce, who writes in many different genres in the contemporary romance scene, captures your attention with this witty jaunt. The main characters are delightful and work so well together.
As they try to protect each other while navigating the complexity of getting Allegra back home undetected, the story brings in plenty of antics and issues. The secondary characters are perfectly placed and not overdone, which keeps the story balanced and flowing smoothly.
This author is new to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this romp across the country in a humorous prank gone wrong. This story is witty, fun, and entertaining. There is just enough steam, and the HEA is well deserved. How to Ruin a Rake is a great choice for a great story.
4 STARS!!
Disclaimer: Affiliate Links have been included – Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest, and your opinions may differ.
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.