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The Infamous Rake
Dilys Byrn had been an inexperienced, easily infatuated young girl when she fell head over heels in love with handsome and dashing Lord Travis Gallant. But Dilys had reached the reasonable age of marriage now, and should have had enough good sense to forget the man who had become the most notorious rake in London.
Yet while the most eligible gentleman of the ton courted her, Dilys courted scandal by clinging to her impossible dream of love--even though she knew how slim the chances were of that dream coming true... and how dangerous it would be if it did.
Yet while the most eligible gentleman of the ton courted her, Dilys courted scandal by clinging to her impossible dream of love--even though she knew how slim the chances were of that dream coming true... and how dangerous it would be if it did.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 6, 1990
20 people want to read
About the author
Norma Lee Clark
20 books6 followersPseudonym: Megan O'Connor
Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Clark began her career in show business with the Pittsburgh Children’s Theater and later acted at the Rochester Arena Theater. In the late 1940s, she moved to New York to take the female lead in the Buck Rogers TV series, “Captain Video and His Video Ranger,” which ran 1949 to 1955.
Her marriage to lighting designer David Clark ended in divorce.
She is survived by husband, Dimitri Vassilopoulos, her two daughters, Megan Clark and Emily Carvajal, and two grandchildren.
Born in Jefferson City, Missouri, Clark began her career in show business with the Pittsburgh Children’s Theater and later acted at the Rochester Arena Theater. In the late 1940s, she moved to New York to take the female lead in the Buck Rogers TV series, “Captain Video and His Video Ranger,” which ran 1949 to 1955.
Her marriage to lighting designer David Clark ended in divorce.
She is survived by husband, Dimitri Vassilopoulos, her two daughters, Megan Clark and Emily Carvajal, and two grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 26, 2014
Not quite 3 stars.
As long as she could remember, Dilys Byrn had loved to write. She had kept a diary since she could first pick up a pen. Also, there was never a time that she hadn't love Lord Travis Gallant. It did not matter that he was ten years older than her. She would wait and, in the meantime, grow up.
In the interim, at the tender age of fifteen, Dilly wrote a book about Travis's exploits. Things she overheard from women who visited her gossipy sister-in-law, Caroline. Secrets and tittle-tattle she wasn't suppose to be aware of. It was very obviously a plot device.
For the most part, Ms. Clark's characters were well-developed and I had strong feelings towards Dilys's journey to find herself. The author's strength was found in the wordplay. I would have rated THE INFAMOUS RAKE lower except for this.
Dilys was to have her come-out ball sponsored by her sister, Georgeanne. Travis saw her for the first time in a long while.
"Who the dev- I mean, who are you?"
"Dilys."
"Dilys?"
"Your cousin, Dilys Bryn. I have expected you have forgotten me?"
"Well, yes, I suppose I had. Besides, you were only a child-"
"Yes, I grew up, you see, just as you did."
.........
"Will you stand up with me?"
"Do you dance, Travis?"
"I detest dancing," he replied grimly.
"Then, no, thank you. I intend to be very gay and I should be quite depressed to be dancing with someone who detests it." Really, he was quite odious, and she wished she did not love him.
The story was a traditional Regency i.e. 'a clean romance' but I expected there to be more passion. Travis had some serious self-hatred that he needed to get past. Let me blunt. He was a cad. He was so opinionated, so winning and so very, very selfish. It was hard to like the guy and even harder to understand why Dilly loved him but she loved him nonetheless.
And then there was the shrewish sister-in-law, Caroline. She was 'Obnoxious with a capital O'. I just couldn't understand why everyone put up with her. She grated on my last nerve.
I also had issues because the story meandered a bit. It was less well-paced in the second half; the all-important chemistry development between Travis and Dilly was lost amongst Caroline's constant intrusion and the hero's lack of decisiveness. He failed to muster tenacity and a backbone until the very end.
Definitely consider reading this romance if you are a fan of Ms. Clark (as I am). Or if you love conversation with plenty of quips and banter. I will continue to search for and read her other stories hoping I can find one as good as A PERFECT MATCH: so far, my personal favorite of all of her stories.
As long as she could remember, Dilys Byrn had loved to write. She had kept a diary since she could first pick up a pen. Also, there was never a time that she hadn't love Lord Travis Gallant. It did not matter that he was ten years older than her. She would wait and, in the meantime, grow up.
In the interim, at the tender age of fifteen, Dilly wrote a book about Travis's exploits. Things she overheard from women who visited her gossipy sister-in-law, Caroline. Secrets and tittle-tattle she wasn't suppose to be aware of. It was very obviously a plot device.
For the most part, Ms. Clark's characters were well-developed and I had strong feelings towards Dilys's journey to find herself. The author's strength was found in the wordplay. I would have rated THE INFAMOUS RAKE lower except for this.
Dilys was to have her come-out ball sponsored by her sister, Georgeanne. Travis saw her for the first time in a long while.
"Who the dev- I mean, who are you?"
"Dilys."
"Dilys?"
"Your cousin, Dilys Bryn. I have expected you have forgotten me?"
"Well, yes, I suppose I had. Besides, you were only a child-"
"Yes, I grew up, you see, just as you did."
.........
"Will you stand up with me?"
"Do you dance, Travis?"
"I detest dancing," he replied grimly.
"Then, no, thank you. I intend to be very gay and I should be quite depressed to be dancing with someone who detests it." Really, he was quite odious, and she wished she did not love him.
The story was a traditional Regency i.e. 'a clean romance' but I expected there to be more passion. Travis had some serious self-hatred that he needed to get past. Let me blunt. He was a cad. He was so opinionated, so winning and so very, very selfish. It was hard to like the guy and even harder to understand why Dilly loved him but she loved him nonetheless.
And then there was the shrewish sister-in-law, Caroline. She was 'Obnoxious with a capital O'. I just couldn't understand why everyone put up with her. She grated on my last nerve.
I also had issues because the story meandered a bit. It was less well-paced in the second half; the all-important chemistry development between Travis and Dilly was lost amongst Caroline's constant intrusion and the hero's lack of decisiveness. He failed to muster tenacity and a backbone until the very end.
Definitely consider reading this romance if you are a fan of Ms. Clark (as I am). Or if you love conversation with plenty of quips and banter. I will continue to search for and read her other stories hoping I can find one as good as A PERFECT MATCH: so far, my personal favorite of all of her stories.
September 11, 2007
Dilys Byrn had been in love with Travis Gallant since she was a young girl. He was in love with her adopted sister. She thought she'd never see him again. But when things changed and he came back into her life, she loved him more than ever.
I liked this book. The characters were good. My main complaint was the old story of the debutante who also writes a novel that takes London by storm, fears losing her anonymity, and gets found out. That's overdone, I think.
I liked this book. The characters were good. My main complaint was the old story of the debutante who also writes a novel that takes London by storm, fears losing her anonymity, and gets found out. That's overdone, I think.
October 16, 2013
clarification, the hateful other woman is the vicious sister in law of the heroine. This was a really good and different Signet, the story starts with the heroine at 8 and her story is told until she is of age..... it had angst... yeah!... and drama and hateful character who you hope get what is coming to them.... really enjoyed this one!
September 25, 2009
Regency
October 14, 2009
A light regency concoction - purely meant to entertain using the tried and true rake and the not quite beautiful innocent "miss" from the schoolroom.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews