Best Books of 2015

The clock is ticking down to 2016, and with it comes a slew of books I cannot wait to read. But before I dive into what’s coming, it’s time to take a look back at the books of 2015. I read 169 books this year, some great, some incredible, and (fortunately) only a few that I don’t care to revisit. I tried 65 new (to me) authors, and once again found some amazing authors whose books I cannot do without (Lilah Pace is now an autobuy author and I will definitely be glomming up Jeanette Murray and Amanda Weaver’s backlists). And finally, I participated in my sixth A to Z Reading Challenge, a fun challenge that usually leads me to at least a couple of books I might not have moved to the top of my TBR pile otherwise.

I read a number of excellent books this year, but I did manage to narrow the list down so I could spotlight the best of the best that I read in 2015:

Top Fifteen Books of 2015
Top Re-Reads of 2015

My Top Fifteen Books of 2015

Note: My picks weren’t all published in 2015 (two are even January 2016 releases), but all were new-to-me reads for the year.
Also note: The books are alphabetized by title as I love them all equally

1. Asking for It (Asking for It, Book 1) by Lilah Pace
My Review | Buy Link

2. Begging for It (Asking for It, Book 2) by Lilah Pace
My Review | Buy Link

3. Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy, Book 1) by J.R. Ward
My Review | Buy Link






4. The Deal (Off-Campus, Book 1) by Elle Kennedy
My Review | Buy Link






5. Dearest Rogue (Maiden Lane, Book 8) by Elizabeth Hoyt
My Review | Buy Link






6. Grave Phantoms (Roaring Twenties, Book 3) by Jenn Bennett
My Review | Buy Link






7. Ink and Bone (The Great Library, Book 1) by Rachel Caine
My Review | Buy Link






8. Obsession in Death (In Death, Book 40) by J.D. Robb
My Review | Buy Link






9. Off the Clock (Pleasure Principle, Book 1) by Roni Loren
My Review | Buy Link (*2016 release*)






10. Playing Knotty by Elia Winters
My Review | Buy Link






11. Rock Chick (Rock Chick, Book 1) by Kristen Ashley
My Mini-Review | Buy Link




12. Rock Chick Redemption (Rock Chick, Book 3) by Kristen Ashley
My Mini-Review | Buy Link




13. The Score (Off-Campus, Book 3) by Elle Kennedy
My Review | Buy Link (*2016 release*)






14. Shards of Hope (Psy-Changeling, Book 14) by Nalini Singh
My Review | Buy Link






15. This Book Will Change Your Life by Amanda Weaver
My Review | Buy Link

My Top Re-Reads of 2015

1. Aidan & Ethan (Seeking Redemption, Book 1) by Cameron Dane
Buy Link






2. Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, Book 3) by Lisa Kleypas
Buy Link






3. Festive in Death (In Death, Book 39) by J.D. Robb
My Review | Buy Link






4. Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling, Book 1) by Nalini Singh
My Review | Buy Link

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Review: Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas

Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas
Series: Travis Family, Book 4
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780312605377
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Lisa Kleypas Reading Order

Wedding planner Avery Crosslin may be a rising star in Houston society, but she doesn't believe in love-at least not for herself. When she meets wealthy bachelor Joe Travis and mistakes him for a wedding photographer, she has no intention of letting him sweep her off her feet. But Joe is a man who goes after what he wants, and Avery can't resist the temptation of a sexy southern charmer and a hot summer evening.

After a one night stand, however, Avery is determined to keep it from happening again. A man like Joe can only mean trouble for a woman like her, and she can't afford distractions. She's been hired to plan the wedding of the year-a make-or-break event.

But complications start piling up fast, putting the wedding in jeopardy, especially when shocking secrets of the bride come to light. And as Joe makes it clear that he's not going to give up easily, Avery is forced to confront the insecurities and beliefs that stem from a past she would do anything to forget.

The situation reaches a breaking point, and Avery faces the toughest choice of her life. Only by putting her career on the line and risking everything-including her well-guarded heart-will she find out what matters most.

Whether you’re being swept off to a house party in nineteenth century England or find yourself being rescued from a scorpion at a modern-day Texas wedding, there’s simply nothing like diving into a Lisa Kleypas novel. Brown-Eyed Girl is the latest of Ms. Kleypas’s stories to make me fall in love with her writing. The effervescent charm of Brown-Eyed Girl and its endearing characters make the fourth Travis Family novel a truly addictive read.

Ms. Kleypas writes some of the best heroes in romance and Joe Travis is no exception. He’s smart, caring, sexy-as-sin, funny, and patient to boot. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Joe, for he’s full of charm, sensuality, and innate goodness, and somehow Ms. Kleypas manages to make him the perfect hero without him ever seeming like a cardboard Prince Charming. When he sets his sights on Avery… Man, what I wouldn’t give to be her. But Avery doesn’t make things easy on Joe. She’s his match in every way, a hardworking, intelligent businesswoman with a lot of love to give. But Avery was hurt and humiliated in the past, first by her father and then by the man she had planned to marry. Though she’s undeniably strong, Avery is also deeply vulnerable and fears putting herself out there, making the walls she has put up around her heart a mile high and three miles deep. I adored Avery, and Ms. Kleypas does a great job of showing why she’s reticent to get involved with Joe in spite of – or perhaps because of – the fact that he’s nearly perfect. Joe isn’t a saint and his patience isn’t infinite, but his determination to win Avery over is enough to create some cracks in her emotional armor. It isn’t easy for Avery to overcome the ghosts of her past, but her burgeoning relationship with Joe is worth the fight. When the two of them share the page, sparks fly and there is an underlying sweetness to their romance that made me happily sigh.

A cast of lively secondary characters makes Brown-Eyed Girl even more fun to read. Though this book can be read as a standalone, readers who fell in love with Joe’s siblings and in-laws in Sugar Daddy, Blue-Eyed Devil, and Smooth Talking Stranger will be pleased to know that the Travis family members plays strong supporting roles in Joe and Avery’s story. Watching Avery and Joe interact with their loved ones is almost as much fun as watching their love story unfold.

There’s a lot to love about Brown-Eyed Girl and fans old and new of the Travis Family series are in for a treat. Joe and Avery’s romance is sweet, sensual, and just plain fun. I had a blast reading Brown-Eyed Girl and I hope Ms. Kleypas returns to the Travis family at least once more, for there’s a certain cousin of Joe’s whose story I am simply dying to read.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
Series: Friday Harbor, Book 2
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance (with paranormal elements)
Release Date: February 28, 2012
ISBN: 9780312605889
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Lisa Kleypas Reading Order

Glass artist Lucy Marinn has the two things in life she’s always wanted: the ability to do what she loves for a living and the love of a trustworthy man. Then her boyfriend gives her the worst sort of surprise: he’s been cheating on Lucy with her sister, Alice, and he wants Lucy out of their house so Alice can move in. Stunned and burned by betrayal, the last thing Lucy wants is to jump into another relationship. However, fate isn’t content to let Lucy hide herself away with her glass and Lucy soon crosses paths with vineyard owner Sam Nolan. Sam’s sexy as hell, but commitment shy — not the best prospect for someone like Lucy. But the longer Lucy and Sam are around one another, the fewer reasons they can think of to be apart. Can two people scarred by their pasts bring themselves to take a chance on love?

Starting a Lisa Kleypas book is like been greeted by an old friend; it’s both comforting and joyful. In Rainshadow Road, Ms. Kleypas returns to the world of Friday Harbor that she introduced to readers in Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. The life Ms. Kleypas imbues her novels with comes through in the details about Friday Harbor, Sam’s vineyard, and Lucy’s glasswork. I felt like I was walking alongside Sam and Lucy all throughout Rainshadow Road.

Lucy and Sam are undoubtedly the heart of Rainshadow Road. Lucy has gotten the short end of the stick her entire life and her boyfriend’s betrayal is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. My heart broke for Lucy, who is such a likeable, intelligent heroine that you can’t help but adore her. She deserved to find happiness, and it’s no surprise that she does so with Sam. For all that he’s a ladies’ man, what’s truly appealing about Sam is not his sex appeal, but his caring heart and utter geekiness. The further into the story I got, the more layers I discovered Sam had, which was wonderful. As a pair, he and Lucy are fantastic and it was easy to cheer for them to get together.

Rainshadow Road is the second Friday Harbor book, but you don’t have to have read Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor to enjoy Lucy and Sam’s book. However, fans of the first book will be delighted to see how Mark, Maggie, and little Holly have grown and changed over the past year. In Rainshadow Road, Ms. Kleypas also delves further into the character of Alex Nolan — whose story I am dying for — and introduces two new wonderful characters, Zoë and Justine, who I can’t wait to read more about.

There were only two things that kept Rainshadow Road from being a perfect read for me, and I feel they’re important enough to be mentioned. First is Alice, Lucy’s sister. Though I won’t provide spoilers, I was disappointed that at one point, Ms. Kleypas seemed to be making excuses for the woman’s poor behavior, when all along Lucy had been frustrated by the fact that everyone made excuses for Alice’s actions. The second factor was the slight paranormal element to Rainshadow Road — it didn’t work for me. Ms. Kleypas has included paranormal elements in her books before, but they’ve always felt organic. In Rainshadow Road, the paranormal scenes felt forced and slightly awkward, which was very disappointing. Yet, even taking these two points into account, Rainshadow Road was a great story and I could not put it down.

Lisa Kleypas is a master storyteller and the fantastic characters she has created will keep me coming back to Rainshadow Road again and again. I love the Friday Harbor series and I cannot wait to read Dream Lake!




Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

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End of the Year Roundup

Well, 2010 was an interesting year in Reading Land, so I figured an end of the year roundup might be fun.

Number of books I read: 283 (a few were re-reads or audio books - list here)
Number of new-to-me authors whose books I read: 117 (list and quick opinions here)
Challenges I participated in: A to Z Reading Challenge (list here)

Now comes the fun part - taking stock and picking the best of the best :)

Favorite authors of 2010: Cameron Dane and Riley Shane

Favorite new-to-me authors of 2010: Cherise Sinclair and Dee Tenorio

My Top Ten Books of 2010
Note: Not necessarily all published in 2010 but all were new-to-me reads
Also note: The books are alphabetized by author - love them all equally

1. Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3) by Ilona Andrews
Buy Link

2. Something New (Foster Siblings/Coleman, Florida Series, Book 2) by Cameron Dane
My Review | Buy Link

3. Quinn's Hart by Cassandra Gold
My Review | Buy Link

4. Love in the Afternoon (The Hathaways, Book 5) by Lisa Kleypas
My Review | Buy Link

5. A Vintage Affair by Josh Lanyon
My Review | Buy Link

6. The Taste of Magick by Riley Shane
Buy Link

7. Club Shadowlands (Masters of Shadowlands, Book 1) by Cherise Sinclair
My Review | Buy Link

8. Master of the Mountain (Mountain Masters, Book 1) by Cherise Sinclair
My Review | Buy Link

9. Burn for Me (Rancho Del Cielo, Book 3) by Dee Tenorio
My Review | Buy Link

10. Blonde with a Wand (Babes on Brooms, Book 1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
My Review | Buy Link

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The Shelf of Awesome

Many people have what they refer to as a “keeper shelf.” If someone asked me to put all my “keepers” on one shelf, I’d first have to search Guinness World Records for the longest shelf. While reorganizing my bookcases today, I did, however, put together a “Shelf of Awesome.”

What the hell is that, you wonder? The Shelf of Awesome is a shelf of books that, in brief, inspire me. No, you won’t find any “inspirational” books on The Shelf of Awesome. By inspire I mean these books are the ones that always inspire me to write, to read, to imagine, to love, to smile, and to find happiness. I’ll even let you in on a little secret: not all the books on The Shelf of Awesome are favorites of mine and some of my favorites aren’t on the shelf.

Since The Shelf of Awesome is an actual shelf, no ebooks made the cut. Perhaps one day I’ll put together an electronic version of the shelf, but for now, you’ll find what’s on my Shelf of Awesome below.

And please, do let me know – do you have a similar shelf? What books have or would make the cut and why?


Favorite Book of All-Time
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster


These Are Classics for a Reason
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell


The First
You can never forget your first romance novel. Or, in my case, novels:

The Calhoun Women (Courting Catherine, A Man for Amanda, For the Love of Lilah, and Suzanna’s Surrender) by Nora Roberts


The Comfort Reads
The books I always return to:

Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
Weddings Can Be Murder by Christie Craig
He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan
The King’s Pleasure by Shannon Drake
The Bride by Julie Garwood
The Legend MacKinnon by Donna Kauffman
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward


It’s Not Always the Book
These are the books that, while I love them, actually aren’t my favorite books of the authors in question. These are the books that make the shelf because they’ve come to symbolize an author and/or series that inspires (see above definition) me:

Sounds to Die By by Nikki Duncan
Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Somebody Killed His Editor by Josh Lanyon
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb


Books Mean Love
Or at least they do when your closest friends also happen to be avid readers. These books make the shelf not because of the stories or the authors that wrote them, but the people who gave them to me:

The Eleventh Sheep by Kyle Mewburn and Claire Richards
Mansfield Park and Mummies: Monster Mayhem, Matrimony, Ancient Curses, True Love, and Other Dire Delights by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian
Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

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My Top 16 Romance List: In Memory of Kathleen Windsor

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a wonderful idea. To quote: "On October 16, in honor of the birth date of Kathleen Winsor, author of Forever Amber, please consider posting your top 16 romance novels. Thanks to Maili for idea. If the thought of 'all time' faves daunts you, just post what strikes you as 16 of your faves on that day — no commitment to keep the list in perpetuity."

This list was hard to come up with, as I have read so many wonderful romances that have stuck with me over the years. But in honor of Kathleen Windsor, here is a list of 16 of my absolute favorites (with the reasons why), alphabetized by the author's last name:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Austen’s novels are a treasure trove, but I forced myself to limit myself to picking just one gem. To perhaps my own surprise, I picked Pride and Prejudice. Though I love this book, I tend to list Persuasion or Northanger Abbey as my favorites. So why did I pick this particular classic? Because the love story never fails to grab me. Darcy and Lizzie’s road to love is filled with obstacles, mostly of their own making, but how can you not fall in love with two bickering souls who are so imperfectly perfect for one another?

2. Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell: Though all of Campbell’s books are fantastic, her debut novel, Claiming the Courtesan, remains my favorite. Need proof? I own four copies of the book. Claiming the Courtesan is dark, no doubt about it. Justin is borderline villain for the first portion of the book, but not only does his behavior fit with the time period and his station, I was drawn to him even in his worst hour. His redemption and love for Verity comes through in the end, through no small amount of struggle on both their parts. This book is simply stunning and I loved it.

3. The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter: The hero’s an ass, the heroine is stubborn, and the battle between them is nearly worthy of Kate and Petruchio. So why do I love this book? I haven’t the foggiest, but there’s something about it that always makes me grab it for another read. The insatiable need to re-read this book, despite the flaws of all characters involved, earns The Sherbrooke Bride a place on this list.

4. Aidan & Ethan by Cameron Dane: There is nothing better than a well-written reunion romance and Aidan & Ethan tops my list as the best. Its heroes are devastatingly sexy and their road to happily ever after not an easy one. Past wounds must be dealt with and overcome and I could not put this book down until I saw that happen. In the increasingly popular subgenre of male/male romance, this book is unquestioningly my favorite so far.

5. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: It’s a fantastic romance with 19th century social commentary in the backdrop. Though there are elements of Darcy and Elizabeth in John Thornton and Margaret Hale, North and South is no Pride and Prejudice (although if you like one, you will likely like the other). I fell for Thornton and Margaret’s arguing their way into love in this timeless classic.

6. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood: Garwood has a way of making me laugh, sigh, and fall in love with her characters, so it’s hard to pick just one of her books for this list. This book did all of the above, and has whisked me away for countless hours of entertainment with every read.

7. Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon: For me, there is no picking one favorite with Kenyon; quite frankly it was hard enough to limit the number to two. Dance with the Devil is unforgettable to me, with its angry, distant hero who reluctantly falls in love with the one woman (or rather nymph) who is utterly perfect for him. I dare anyone to forget the bread scene (and most likely only those who have read the book will know what I am referring to).

8. Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon: She’s a sweet, average, voluptuous heroine who’s been dumped by her jerkoff ex. He’s a drop-dead gorgeous Were-Hunter who thinks she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Vane and Bride’s romance is one of the most tender, wonderful romances I’ve ever read and I never fail to think of it without smiling.

9. Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas: And when he was bad, he was very, very bad. And when he was wicked he was better. Sebastian St. Vincent is one of the sexiest rakes in romance history. So who better for him to fall in love with than a quietly lovely, shy, intelligent heroine who stutters and that men don’t look twice at? This book, along with Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, is my go-to for comfort reads. It’s wonderfully written and has everything you could ask for in a perfect romance novel.

10. Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor: Technically I’m picking three Kenyon books, as MacGregor and Kenyon are one in the same, but Born in Sin is one of my favorite historical romances and has to be on this list. Sin is a hero whose heart has been bruised and battered to the point he considers it dead. Good thing Caledonia convinces him otherwise. This book broke my heart and put it back together again, and there’s a scene in here every bit as unforgettable as the bread scene in Dance with the Devil.

11. The Flavor of Summer by Lyra Marlowe: This book grabbed my attention from the first and didn’t let go. Ariel and David are two of the sweetest characters I’ve ever come across and their story was a gorgeously written story of love and acceptance. I don’t know one person I’ve recommended this story to that hasn’t loved it.

12. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn: The handsome, kind hero and the intelligent, ordinary-looking wallflower *sigh* It’s so hard for me to name the reasons why I love this story, other than the talent of Quinn and the innate likeability of Penelope and Colin. The best way I can put it is that Romancing Mr. Bridgerton simply sparkles.

13. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts: I picked up my first Nora Roberts novel when I was 12 and I’ve been a fan ever since. Like Austen and Garwood, it’s darn near impossible to pick just one favorite, but I had to go with Sea Swept. It’s sexy, heartbreaking, and utterly unforgettable, simple as that.

14. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh: I love, love, LOVE Singh’s Psy-Changeling series and Branded by Fire is one of my favorites. Mercy and Riley are both strong, dominant protagonists and they are perfectly matched with one another. They burn up the page, both in bed and out, and the book itself was fascinating from the first page to the last.

15. Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart: In the beginning of the story, Peter wouldn’t think twice about killing Genevieve; he’s that cold and, as an agent, it’s his duty to protect mankind, even if that means sacrificing one innocent. And yet they fall in love anyway. I love that Stuart’s heroes aren’t nice and her heroines are humanly strong (in other words, untrained civilians do not suddenly act like superheroes). Cold as Ice is fascinating, compelling, and, in my case, in need of a replacement after so many re-reads.

16. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward: If ever a hero needed to find happiness, it’d be Zsadist. I fell in love with the scarred former blood slave in Ward’s first Black Dagger Brotherhood book, Dark Lover, and with his heroine in the second, Lover Eternal. Lover Awakened is a punch-you-in-the-gut kind of tale with the hardships both Zsadist and Bella face, but that makes the payoff with their love story is all the more worth it. I remember practically scaring a bookstore clerk with my enthusiasm when I bought the book and in the intervening 3+ years since I first read it, that enthusiasm has yet to wane.

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Lisa Kleypas Book Order

Click here to jump to a particular series:

The Wallflowers (Historical)
The Hathaways (Historical)
Cold-Hearted Rake Quartet (Historical)
Bow Street Runners (Historical)
The Gamblers (Historical)
Capitol Theatre (Historical)
Vallerands (Historical)
Stokehurst (Historical)
Berkeley-Faulkner (Historical)
Stand Alones (Historical)
Travis Family (Contemporary)
Friday Harbor (Contemporary)

The Wallflowers

0.5) Again the Magic
John and Aline
Gideon and Olivia

1) Secrets of a Summer Night
Simon and Annabelle

2) It Happened One Autumn
Marcus and Lillian

3) Devil in Winter
Sebastian and Evangeline

4) Scandal in Spring
Matthew and Daisy

5) A Wallflower Christmas
Rafe and Hannah
My Review

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The Hathaways

Note: This series stands on its own, but characters from the Wallflower series play strong supporting roles in Mine Till Midnight

1) Mine Till Midnight
Amelia and Cam

2) Seduce Me at Sunrise
Win and Merripen

2.5) A Hathaway Wedding

3) Tempt Me at Twilight
Poppy and Harry
My Review

4) Married by Morning
Leo and Catherine
My Review

5) Love in the Afternoon
Beatrix and Christopher
My Review


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Cold-Hearted Rake Quartet

Cold-Hearted Rake (available 10/27/15)
Devon and Kathleen


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Bow Street Runners

1) Someone to Watch Over Me
Grant and Vivien

2) Lady Sophia's Lover
Ross and Sophia

3) Worth Any Price
Nick and Charlotte


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The Gamblers

1) Then Came You
Alex and Lily

2) Dreaming of You
Derek and Sara

3) "Against the Odds" (in the Where's My Hero? anthology)
Jake and Lydia
Note: Also loosely connected to the Bow Street trilogy


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Capitol Theatre

1) Somewhere I'll Find You
Damon and Julia

2) Because You're Mine
Logan and Madeline

3) "I Will" (in the Wish List anthology)
Andrew and Caroline


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Vallerands

1) When Strangers Marry
Max and Lysette

2) Only With Your Love
Justin and Celia


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Stokehurst

1) Midnight Angel
Lucas and Anastasia

2) Prince of Dreams
Nikki and Emma


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Berkeley-Faulkner

1) Where Passion Leads
Randall and Rosalie

2) Forever My Love
Alec and Mira

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Stand Alones

Love Come to Me
Heath and Lucinda

"Surrender" (in the Gifts of Love anthology)
Jason and Laura

"Promises" (in the Three Weddings and a Kiss anthology)
Eric and Lidian

Suddenly You
Jack and Amanda

Where Dreams Begin
Zachary and Holly

Stranger in My Arms
Hunter and Lara


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Travis Family

1) Sugar Daddy
Gage Travis and Liberty Jones

2) Blue-Eyed Devil
Hardy Cates and Haven Travis

3) Smooth Talking Stranger
Jack Travis and Ella Varner

4) Brown-Eyed Girl
Joe Travis and Avery Crosslin
My Review


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Friday Harbor

1) Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
Mark Nolan and Maggie Conroy
My Review

2) Rainshadow Road
Sam Nolan and Lucy Marinn
My Review

3) Dream Lake
Alex Nolan and Zoe Hoffman

4) Crystal Cove
Jason Black and Justine Hoffman
My Review


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Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information books that have not yet been included to this list.

http://www.lisakleypas.com/

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I’ll Take That Rake

Seductive, smoldering, sensual…a rake is one of the easiest characters to find in historical romance, and I, for one, am happy about that. There’s nothing I love more than a jaded seducer meeting his match, whether it’s with an innocent debutante, a bookish spinster, or an experienced widow. But the term rake seems to be too liberally applied – sometimes it seems as if almost every hero who isn’t noticeably awkward is referred to as a rake. To me it feels like the term “rake” should only apply to only the most elite of the sensual heroes. Granted, in the universe of each book, the rake in question might be the only one to whom the term applies. But in my head, the place where all historicals set within a certain two hundred year period get mushed together, I’m often tripping over rakes right and left.

Don’t get me wrong – as I said before I love a rakish hero. But unlike having the plethora of dukes, earls, and viscounts in novels (which I also love even though there couldn’t possibly have been even a fraction of that number running around), I don’t think just any hero should be termed a rake. They’re the bad boys of romance – the ones the good girls want even though they know they shouldn’t. The ones with seemingly untouchable hearts who can only be tamed by the right woman – that’s what makes their stories so exciting. To me, the true rakes are the darkly seductive types, like Sebastian St. Vincent in Lisa Kleypas’s Devil in Winter. Jaded players like the Earl of Mayne in Eloisa James’s Pleasure for Pleasure. And the smoldering tempters like John Grayston, Viscount Rochdale in Candice Hern’s upcoming Lady Be Bad. These are the rakes that deserve the title, and no, because I hate book-bashing I won’t list the ones I think do not.


So for this week I leave you with these questions:
Do you love a rakish hero?
Do you think the description is too liberally applied?
And, most importantly, who are your favorite rakes?

And for those of you who’re fans of the non-rakes, never fear. They’ll get love in my next post :)

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