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Glory and the Rake
AN UNSUITABLE JOB FOR A LADY! Miss Glory Sutton has two annoyances in her life. One: the precious spa she's determined to renovate keeps getting damaged by vandals. Two: the arrogant Duke of Westfield - the man assigned to help her find the perpetrators. Oberon has no interest in this independent, troublesome woman! And Glory couldn't be less interested in the enigmatic rogue! As they get drawn deeper into the mysteries of the spa, they too must reveal their secrets in order to uncover the truth. And then, perhaps, the legend of the waters will come true!
380 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2011
About the author
Deborah Simmons
157 books204 followersDeborah Simmons is the author of twenty-five historical romances and novellas, published by Avon, Berkley, and Harlequin.
A native midwesterner, Simmons graduated cum laude from Wittenberg University and was a journalist before turning to fiction. Her first book, Heart's Masquerade, was published by Avon in 1989 and was followed by a number of Harlequin Historicals, including a USA Today Bestselling anthology. Her 2003 release, A Man of Many Talents, was a launch title for Berkley's Sensation imprint.
Two of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America's annual RITA competition for excellence: The Gentleman Thief in 2001 and A Lady of Distinction in 2005.
Simmons has sold two million books in North America, and her work has been translated and published in twenty-four foreign countries, including illustrated editions in Japan. She is a member of RWA, Novelists Inc., and the Author's Guild.
"I like to think of my stories as adventures," Simmons says. Most take place in Regency or Medieval England, such as her popular series on the thirteen century de Burgh family. But no matter what the setting, you'll find interesting characters, romance, humor, and mystery.
A native midwesterner, Simmons graduated cum laude from Wittenberg University and was a journalist before turning to fiction. Her first book, Heart's Masquerade, was published by Avon in 1989 and was followed by a number of Harlequin Historicals, including a USA Today Bestselling anthology. Her 2003 release, A Man of Many Talents, was a launch title for Berkley's Sensation imprint.
Two of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America's annual RITA competition for excellence: The Gentleman Thief in 2001 and A Lady of Distinction in 2005.
Simmons has sold two million books in North America, and her work has been translated and published in twenty-four foreign countries, including illustrated editions in Japan. She is a member of RWA, Novelists Inc., and the Author's Guild.
"I like to think of my stories as adventures," Simmons says. Most take place in Regency or Medieval England, such as her popular series on the thirteen century de Burgh family. But no matter what the setting, you'll find interesting characters, romance, humor, and mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 22, 2014
Ho letto questo libro solo perché aveva la stessa copertina del nostro eh eh Motivo frivolo, lo so. Ora, non è un libro meraviglioso, la Simmons ne ha fatti di migliori e di molto, ma l'idea di partenza è interessantissima, una ragazza che vuole riportare in auge una SPA,o meglio una stazione termale in epoca regency! Peccato poi che questo spunto moderno e imprenditoriale nel libro venga quasi completamente sorvolato e si indaghi semplicisticamente su un tesoro nascosto di non ben definita natura.....
January 10, 2022
Good story with interesting twist.
July 4, 2023
A nice little mystery, though I thought it was too long, could have concluded a bit earlier.
June 19, 2018
Normally I love Deborah Simmons but I confess I was disappointed with this one. So our spirited heroine Glory decides to re-open the pump room that has been in her family for years. Someone however doesn't want this to happen and she is plagued with vandalism and accidents. Duke Westfield , standing in for the local magistrate is on hand to help solve the mystery and fall in love.
So let's start with the positives - The heroine Glory - She's strong, capable and feisty. The plot - I liked the mystery plot it was unique and interesting. The history/back story involving Elizabeth I and John Dee - Long been fascinated with Dr. Dee and found the snippets of history here really added something.
The negatives - The hero Oberon. Oberon. Seriously? Stupid name. Also he was not a Rake or anything even close to one as the title suggests. This book is very very low on the passion quota - we get a few stolen kisses but that's it - no bodice ripping here -it's more Austen in tone which is a departure from most of the other Deborah Simmons novels I've read - Not necessarily a bad thing in general, but here it didn't help a romance that was already heavily overshadowed by a far more interesting plot. Another trope this employs is the use of "magic" - here the waters of the spring are supposed to make couples fall madly in love. Meh. The villain of the piece is only introduced late on and with these kind of mystery plots its much more fun to have to guess who the villain is rather than having someone brought in at the last minute. I also hated the final outcome of what the Queen's gift really is. Oberon's matchmaking mama also annoyed me.
This is far from the worst Regency romance out there - other than his stupid name the hero is OK, the heroine is strong and the plot keeps the pages turning, the romance however is dull and this is probably my least favourite Deborah Simmons novel to date.
So let's start with the positives - The heroine Glory - She's strong, capable and feisty. The plot - I liked the mystery plot it was unique and interesting. The history/back story involving Elizabeth I and John Dee - Long been fascinated with Dr. Dee and found the snippets of history here really added something.
The negatives - The hero Oberon. Oberon. Seriously? Stupid name. Also he was not a Rake or anything even close to one as the title suggests. This book is very very low on the passion quota - we get a few stolen kisses but that's it - no bodice ripping here -it's more Austen in tone which is a departure from most of the other Deborah Simmons novels I've read - Not necessarily a bad thing in general, but here it didn't help a romance that was already heavily overshadowed by a far more interesting plot. Another trope this employs is the use of "magic" - here the waters of the spring are supposed to make couples fall madly in love. Meh. The villain of the piece is only introduced late on and with these kind of mystery plots its much more fun to have to guess who the villain is rather than having someone brought in at the last minute. I also hated the final outcome of what the Queen's gift really is. Oberon's matchmaking mama also annoyed me.
This is far from the worst Regency romance out there - other than his stupid name the hero is OK, the heroine is strong and the plot keeps the pages turning, the romance however is dull and this is probably my least favourite Deborah Simmons novel to date.
January 5, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
Whether Queen’s Well is magical for romance or cursed is of little consequence if Glory Sutton fails to reopen the long closed spa. Another little issue is “The Queen’s Gift” that some people make light of and others are deadly serious about. The elusive culprit keeps everyone on edge, but not all for the same reason. The Dowager Duchess is not so much concerned about Queen’s Well reopening as she is about the continual mishaps messing up her plans for her son, Oberon Makepeace, the Duke of Westfield.
“Girlish nonsense” is not for Glory Sutton. She’s the glue that keeps her family together. She sees to the finances, manages the household, and does her best to raise her younger brother Thad. Little unnerves her. She is confident and in control then along come Oberon who makes her unease and stirs up feeling she knows are impossible to give in to. He is a duke of the realm and she is a person of no nobility and moreover trying her best to be a woman of trades—if she could just get the spa open.
Oberon, emotionally turned off since his father’s death some years ago, has all but abandoned his family other than seeing they have a grand life style. His mother, not above machinations to get what she wants, sets in to stir up her son’s emotions, in hopes of his becoming a true son to her again and also give her grandchildren. Oberon, intelligent with keen instincts, is not ignorant of her scheming. His commitments and obligations in London have sharpened his skills in ferreting out secrets, in gauging people’s words, and in testing them for loyalty. He is a master at protecting himself emotionally and physically. Yet he can be witty and charming when it suits his needs.
Glory’s dream to reopen Queen’s Well, once called Aquae Philtri (water of love) seems doomed. As she and the acting magistrate, The Duke of Westfield work together to get to the source of the vandalism, housebreaking, and attempted murder, neither plans for the “magic” of the Queen’s Well waters having any influence on them. The awakening of love with lots of misgiving gets mixed in with danger, and an intriguing back-story that grips the reader’s imagination.
A few of the secondary characters enliven the plot. Thad and his unsavory friends from London, Glory’s Aunt Phillida with her insistence that the well is cursed, gives Glory cause for concern rather than giving her solid support. Randolph Petit, the duchess’s fellow conspirator, is the duchess’s cousin and friend who gives her his unconditional support even though he grumbles at times. He does have a sort of sympathy for Oberon, but not enough to thwart the duchess’s plan. Other characters like Dr. Tibold, Miss Thorpe, the reverend’s daughter, touch the main character’s lives. However, the people in the back-story—long dead—are the ones that keep the mystery and suspense bubbling. Moreover, they bring some twists and surprises to the plot that gives a “rightness” to things—some that have waited a long time to be acknowledged.
Glory and the Rake entertains in true Regency style while giving the reader a special tidbit that involves “The Queen’s Gift”—captivating reading.
Whether Queen’s Well is magical for romance or cursed is of little consequence if Glory Sutton fails to reopen the long closed spa. Another little issue is “The Queen’s Gift” that some people make light of and others are deadly serious about. The elusive culprit keeps everyone on edge, but not all for the same reason. The Dowager Duchess is not so much concerned about Queen’s Well reopening as she is about the continual mishaps messing up her plans for her son, Oberon Makepeace, the Duke of Westfield.
“Girlish nonsense” is not for Glory Sutton. She’s the glue that keeps her family together. She sees to the finances, manages the household, and does her best to raise her younger brother Thad. Little unnerves her. She is confident and in control then along come Oberon who makes her unease and stirs up feeling she knows are impossible to give in to. He is a duke of the realm and she is a person of no nobility and moreover trying her best to be a woman of trades—if she could just get the spa open.
Oberon, emotionally turned off since his father’s death some years ago, has all but abandoned his family other than seeing they have a grand life style. His mother, not above machinations to get what she wants, sets in to stir up her son’s emotions, in hopes of his becoming a true son to her again and also give her grandchildren. Oberon, intelligent with keen instincts, is not ignorant of her scheming. His commitments and obligations in London have sharpened his skills in ferreting out secrets, in gauging people’s words, and in testing them for loyalty. He is a master at protecting himself emotionally and physically. Yet he can be witty and charming when it suits his needs.
Glory’s dream to reopen Queen’s Well, once called Aquae Philtri (water of love) seems doomed. As she and the acting magistrate, The Duke of Westfield work together to get to the source of the vandalism, housebreaking, and attempted murder, neither plans for the “magic” of the Queen’s Well waters having any influence on them. The awakening of love with lots of misgiving gets mixed in with danger, and an intriguing back-story that grips the reader’s imagination.
A few of the secondary characters enliven the plot. Thad and his unsavory friends from London, Glory’s Aunt Phillida with her insistence that the well is cursed, gives Glory cause for concern rather than giving her solid support. Randolph Petit, the duchess’s fellow conspirator, is the duchess’s cousin and friend who gives her his unconditional support even though he grumbles at times. He does have a sort of sympathy for Oberon, but not enough to thwart the duchess’s plan. Other characters like Dr. Tibold, Miss Thorpe, the reverend’s daughter, touch the main character’s lives. However, the people in the back-story—long dead—are the ones that keep the mystery and suspense bubbling. Moreover, they bring some twists and surprises to the plot that gives a “rightness” to things—some that have waited a long time to be acknowledged.
Glory and the Rake entertains in true Regency style while giving the reader a special tidbit that involves “The Queen’s Gift”—captivating reading.
January 22, 2017
Relecture à l'occasion de sa réédition
Une romance historique "old school Harlequin" qui ne plaira pas à toutes. Personnellement, j'adore Deborah Simmons et j'ai retrouvé avec ce livre ce qui fait que j'aime ce qu'elle écrit: personnages sympathiques, histoire toute simple et mignonne. Et qui dit "old school Harlequin", dit 0 scène hot.
Une romance historique "old school Harlequin" qui ne plaira pas à toutes. Personnellement, j'adore Deborah Simmons et j'ai retrouvé avec ce livre ce qui fait que j'aime ce qu'elle écrit: personnages sympathiques, histoire toute simple et mignonne. Et qui dit "old school Harlequin", dit 0 scène hot.
July 11, 2012
Love Deborah! She does Romance the right way. I do miss the old writing, but her new style is just as great. Characters are solid and there is no cat and mouse. AWESOME!
February 24, 2016
Entertaining story about a old-style spa that two siblings are trying to renovate and some shenanigans around it.
Many layers of problems and a good romance.
Many layers of problems and a good romance.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews