Kiss The Rake Hello

Wicked Widows' League #13

by Tracy Sumner

Cortland DeWitt is the most infamous second son in England. Twin to a duke, he thankfully lost out on the ducal title by a mere three minute's grace. And he's never looked back, living his life with one rule and one rule only: no attachments.

But to Alexandra Mountbatten, the fearless woman who's known him since childhood, Cort is merely the loathsome boy next door. What happens when she realizes he's grown into an intelligent, stunning, stubborn man?

One. She. Wants.

An independent countess seeking one night of passion.

A forbidding man determined to ignore her.

A tempestuous gamble on love.

Come along on this slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, sorta second chance romp!

Please note that the heat level is red hot! If you like reading about widows who are single and looking to mingle with some of England's most notorious scoundrels, be sure to check out the Wicked Widows' League set!

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Novella, Second Chance, Regency, Historical Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2025

About the author

"Witty dialogue and steamy sensuality.”

—Publisher’s Weekly

The USA Today bestselling author's storytelling career began when she picked up a historical romance on a college beach trip, and she fondly blames LaVyrle Spencer for her obsession with the genre. She’s a recipient of the National Reader’s Choice, HOLT Medallion, Golden Leaf and MAGGIE among others. She lived in New York, Paris and Taipei before returning to NYC.

When not writing sizzling love stories about feisty heroines and their temperamental-but-entirely-lovable heroes, Tracy enjoys reading, snowboarding, college football (Go Tigers!), yoga, and travel. She loves to hear from romance readers!

Find me everywhere on social here!
https://linktr.ee/tracysumner

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m rating this for what it is; a very short story.
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this for the most part but really felt like something was missing from it. The writing style was good, and the attraction between the two mains was palpable. I liked the reverse age-gap dynamics and that he had crushed on her his whole childhood while she found him a pest. I liked when they saw each other again after so many years that there was a deep attraction.This story made me interested to read more from this author. However… it was way too insta love for me. Even if he had loved her when he was ten, they never knew each other as adults and I felt like I needed way more development for everything in this. They went from lust to love in an heartbeat and I didn’t buy it. Also the last 30% of this book was previews and ads for other books by this author, making it even shorter than I expected. So this was good for what it was, but it wasn’t really much at all.

Thank you to BookSirens for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from the beginning to the end.
The fact that he was in love with her since he was a child, is so sweet. She doesn’t recognize him when he is all grown up. It was sweet, sexy and short.
Although, I did have a trouble following up on their conversations there was a lot of internal monologue inserted to the point I forgot what they were talking about. This is something I found to be true in the second book as well.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐
1 star.

👎



DNF @ 70%.


Underwhelming.


Uninteresting main characters.

Immature main characters.

Simplistic and formulaic.

Way too thin plot.

Lots of lust but the romance was very unconvincing and lacking.

Weird pacing.

Idealized and formulaic main characters.

Another missed opportunity for a older/mature widow.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

UGHHHHH HE LOVED HER FROM CHILDHOOD. HIS PAIN. HIS LOVE FOR HER. HIS EVERYTHING. I just needed more on her and how she fell for him then it would have been perfect!

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the three wicked widows novellas I’ve read recently, this one was just right! One was too long, one was too short, but this one was pretty perfect for what I wanted.

[girlwithhearteyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

What a delightful novella!

Cort (the MMC) was a pest to Alexandra (the FMC) when they were childhood neighbours, because he was infatuated even though she was 5 years older. They cross paths again when she returns to her childhood home as a widow, and Alex is *thirsty* for the mysterious hunk. 😂

I really liked how this story flipped some of the usual tropes in a historical romance. The pacing was great, and the yearning and chemistry were top notch — I was giggling and nawwwwing over so many passages.

The falling in love was a bit quick (on Alex’s part anyway), but I didn’t mark the book down too much for that, as the story felt surprisingly full and emotionally satisfying for only ~100 pages.

Tracy Sumner is a new to me author, and I’ll definitely be checking out her other books.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, well-written, steamy read by Tracy Sumner, and a great addition to this series. This novella includes a few of my fave tropes--older MFC/younger MMC, a bit of enemies to lovers, and a MMC who is a mix of an academic and a rake plus former military. I loved Cort! I only wish this was longer; I really wanted more scenes between the MC's before the final act.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

[Jo Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet novella is a second chance love story between a couple who knew each other as young children and haven't seen each other in years. Cort DeWitt fell in love with Alexa Mountbatten, five years his senior, but she never knew. Life has been difficult for both of them since they last met, but after being thrown together again a spark is kindled, and passion builds, but is it enough to overcome the past?

I received an ARC for free, but I give my honest opinion voluntarily.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cortland DeWitt is the most infamous second son in England. Twin to a duke, he thankfully lost out on the ducal title by a mere three minute's grace. And he's never looked back, living his life with one rule and one rule only: no attachments. But to Alexandra Mountbatten, the fearless woman who's known him since childhood, Cort is merely the loathsome boy next door.
A quick but captivating read. I loved both Cort & Alex the chemistry between them was electric. He’s younger than her & has been in love with her for a decade – a lovely twist! then she meets him again after her husband dies & sees Cort in a completely different light. A very well written entertaining, enjoyable read which I devoured in a sitting
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short, sweet, and steamy historical romance novella and a great addition to The Widow Rules series. It follows Alexandra Mountbatten and Cortland DeWitt as they reconnect and find love.

Alex and Cort knew each other as children. Alex always saw him as the annoying younger boy next door, not realizing Cort teased and tormented her because he was in love with Alex even then. Now adults who haven’t seen each other in years, Alex is newly widowed while Cort has recently returned from war. Deeply attracted to Cort and now a widow with a bit of freedom, Alex asks Cort to teach her about intimacy, something she never learned in her marriage.

Though it’s a short novella, the story touches upon some serious issues like PTSD, the aftereffects of war, the gender inequities women faced, and more. Cort’s time at Waterloo changed him, and he still struggles with PTSD, and Alex has interests that she can’t fully embrace because of societal dictates. Luckily, they find a lot of support in each other.

Alex and Cort are fantastic together, and Cort most definitely teaches his long-time love about intimacy. I swear, Sumner writes the most swoon-tastic kissing scenes, and her romances are always super steamy. I loved Cort and the fact that he had pined for Alex for so many years. And Alex is great too. She was totally oblivious to Cort’s feelings when they were younger, but now that they are older, she is smitten too. And their five-year age gap doesn’t seem so large now that they’re adults.

Overall, this is another fun and romantic read by Tracy Sumner, and I’m thankful to have received an advanced copy of the story. All thoughts are my own.

[Amanda books_ergo_sum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this standalone novella in one sitting with a big dumb grin on my face. The writing was perfect and it squeezed my heart to bits.

The set up: a re-meeting between a widowed beauty and her childhood neighbour—who’s been crushing on her so hard his entire life that he can barely function.

I loved that he was younger, loved that he was a nerdy rake, loved how they were both hot and knew it, and I love love LOVED how absolutely stupidly in love he was. Seriously, his big feels were making him such an idiot 😂

It was short, it was steamy, it was a great time. 10/10 would recommend.

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying I edited this book, but that has no effect on my review. I loved it from the beginning; it pulled me in and made me want to know what would happen to these intriguing characters. This is the story of Alexandra Mountbatten, the recent widow of Viscount Amberly, and Cortland deWitt, the grown man who was once the annoying boy who made her life miserable when they were kids. She is a few years older than Cort and always viewed him as a child, even when he tried to kiss her as a teenager. We learn that Cort has always been secretly in love with Alex, and although Alex dismissed his affections years ago, she is highly attracted to him as an adult. As a widow, she has much more freedom than she ever had as a young woman, so she propositions Cort to provide her with some ‘knowledge’ she failed to obtain during her loveless marriage.

As usual, there were some wonderful comparisons and descriptions, like this one: “With as little direction as rubbish wafting about in a stormy gust.” And I loved this: “That deliciously dawdling length of silk trailing down his chest, leading her attention into murky waters.”

Alex is a horsewoman and has always been so. She helps with the horses, even though it’s not her place to do so, and is frowned upon by society. This is something Cort remembers fondly about her. She feels she made a mistake in her first marriage and now, “She wanted to bet on a winning horse this time.”

I think one of the funniest things I read was when Alex discovered that Cortland was a brilliant engineer. “If these illustrations were his, Cortland DeWitt’s brain was as sturdy as his shoulders. Blast. Everyone knew mindless men were easier to control.”
I Ioved this story and look forward to reading the stories of Cort’s brothers, Knox, the eldest and the duke, and Damien, the youngest.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely short and very sweet story, and really hot! A quick read that I enjoyed immensely. Quite surprised how good it was. 4☆

[Dorianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Tracy Sumner for providing this free copy for an honest review!

I loved the premise of this story. Younger guy/older woman, man falls first, second chance, and learning about intimacy are some of my favourite tropes. I love novellas in general and this one did not disappoint. The characters were well-developed for such a short story. The spice was great and came at just the right moment.
The writing felt a little off at times, but maybe it was just Too Much for my bilingual brain.
I am definitely going to look into the author’s other books!

[Melinda Greathouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth novella I’ve read in the Wicked Widows League series. Cort and Alex were delightful together. I loved that Cort had pined for Alex for years, and that Alex was mostly clueless. They made for an incredibly satisfying match. My only complaint is that I wish their story had been longer! I’m looking forward to reading about Cort’s brothers now, too.

I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest review.

[i_hype_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved! A sweet, fierce romp that had me swooning. RTC

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

They meet again after having lived a lifetime of experience and pain. Rediscovery of each other and rekindling of love progresses into what was meant to be. A short, steamy and complete story to enjoy.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Alexandra Mountbatton returns to her childhood home after being widowed after only a few years of marriage. She meets Cortland DeWitt, the second son, twin brother of a Duke. Cortland and his two brothers were childhood playmates of hers before he went off to war and she into society. Of course he has loved her since he was a child. She didn’t know because he was older than her.

I’m giving five stars to this novella (under 100 pages). It is hard to give background, motivations, build characters and create passion all within a short novel. This story shows Sumner is up to the challenge. If it were a longer novel I would expect much more to give the same rating. This is great fun for a story that can be read in an hour. And I will be on the lookout for the brother stories coming out in the future. Thank you to Tracy Sumner and Victoria Editing for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Florence Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't. Put. It. Down. This short and spicy regency romance was perfectly paced, from the first look to the epilogue. A delightful second chance story about two people who have to overcome their shared history and their own scars in order to come together, it completely wrapped me up.

Wintry Widow Alexandra has never experienced the warmth of family, let alone any affection from her late husband. But when she sees Courtland DeWitt, all grown up from the little boy who used to torment her, Alexandra finds herself full of feelings and desires she can hardly recognize.

For a novella, this story is packed with tons of complexity. I loved the war trauma in Cortland's past along with the isolation Alexandra has always felt. Character arcs resolved along with the relationship. I already mentioned the pacing, but I absolutely loved it. The scenes moved quickly without lagging in long periods of the couple being apart. When I say I couldn't put it down, I mean it because it just fired right along.

This was my first in the series and I am excited to get my hands on more!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

So romantic and steamy.

[Dalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Mary Gallo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story about renewed love.
This review may contain spoilers.
This book was a shorter length story, like a novella. It is about a woman who is widowed. She grew up in a village outside of London. Her parents were of the minor nobility. They were killed when she was young and she spent most of her time in the stables. She was raised by tutors, governesses and the household servants. The stable master was also a sucessful farrier and taught her the trade along with two of his sons. She was always more concerned with the stablea than ballrooms and in her first Seasin, she married one of her suitors. It was not a happy marriage. She stayed for a time at her husbands estates, but moved back when her husband died during a hunt. He only married her for her dowry and they did not have any children. She always suspected her husband was more interested with men, because he did not have any rumors of being a womanizer and they only had marital relations three times a year. The heroine was a widow and the member of a group of widows who appreciated their freedoms.
The hero was raised on a neighboring estate. He was about 4 years younger than the hero. He fell in love with the heroine when he was ten years old and never grew out of it. He is a twin, but the younger twin and his older twin is the Duke. They also have a younger brother who is one year younger. They look so close that they would switch places all the times. They also had to take the same classes in order for them not to play tricks on the teachers. The hero was in the Napoleonic wars. He signed up shortly after blowing up a laboratory at Oxford. And he blew up the laboratory by accident shortly after he learned the heroine had gotten married.
The hero was known as a proficient lover with many satisfied women. He never made a connection with anyone since he was 15 and tried to kiss the heroine.
The hero returns to the village when his horse turns up lame. The heroine sees him and doesnt recognize him at first. But she does notice how handsome he is and when she finds out who he is she thinks very erotic thoughts. The hero is returning to the village to oversee some repairs to the ducal estate. One night, the heroine is surprised to find her servants have brought boody and injured man to her home. He suffered a fall from his horse and is unconscious. She immediately recognizes him as the second son and is attracted to him again
This story was short, but all the important parts are covered. The characters have a good rapport. Their back story is told in spurts. I can't tell anymore about the story because I have already given most of the spoilers. But there is still plenty of story left. I enjoyed reading this book. I give it 5 stars and recommend reading.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, tantalisingly desire sparkling, quick read!
A fortuitous opportunity pulls them magnetically back into each other's orbit years later.
Cort, stuck in the want for change between rogue and mechanical engineer, haunted by memories as an officer of the King’s Dragoon Guards, and tortured by his childhood infatuation and love for the older girl next door. While, Alexandra has always been oblivious to the tempest of Cort's true feelings for her as children, being her teasing nemesis five years her junior. Yet, having suffered two years of a passionless marriage and seeing her once pesky torment all grown up, attraction unexpectedly flares hot and causes her to want like never before. Can a second chance romance be in the offering now age is no longer a barrier?

For a quick read this enticing tale just keeps giving and wraps you up in the moment so completely. To the point you rather wish you had longer to wallow in the wealth of tormented emotions, smouldering, sexually charged desires and the soul deep, rattling intensity of the love that rises up and starts to mutually flare between them.
Sumner has this heart pounding ability to make you feel and breathe the emotions of her characters. Rich with intellect, originality and longing so palpable it strums and sings from the page regardless of the length of the tale. The only problem is, you can't help being intrigued and in love with them, you always want more!
With a a tantalising snapshot of the remaining troublesome DeWitt brother trio, in Damien and Knox, I will definitely being hunting out their tales in the future too!

~I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own~

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I really, really liked this lovely little novella from Tracy Sumner. Lots of short phrasing which I associate with her writing, but was not overdone (sometimes in her books I feel like the style rather takes over the story).

Three brothers, with lots of love between them - which is one of the big themes of Tracy Sumner's work. The rackety long lasting deep love that is usually rather awkwardly expressed between men.

I was slightly confused for a moment as I associate the name DeWitt with the also wonderful Mia Vincy. However! Once I had navigated that little mishap (my own daftness), I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Cort DeWitt has loved Alexandra Mountbatten since he was 10 years old. She unfortunately did not notice this - understandably - as he was 5 years younger than her, and went off to school. He has never forgotten her, despite his scampy best efforts.

They meet again when she is widowed and he is back from a traumatic time in the army, and at Waterloo. He's now extremely very very gorgeous, and that five year age gap is much less of a yawning divide.

Definitely read! And there are going to be books about his brothers which I will be looking out for, avidly!

Received an ARC from Booksirens.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is “almost.” Almost finished. Almost plotted. Almost a good read. It comes close, but it reads like a rough draft needing a ruthless edit. The plot is interesting, the characters less so. This is not because of the length (98 pages), but because of the choices the writer made regarding what to include, what to leave out. Ninety-eight pages can pack a lot of power, or they can be an excuse not to flesh out the plotlines and main characters.

Alexandra (“Alex”) Mountbatten Rashing, the widowed Viscountess Amberly, is a bit clueless, for all that the writer tells us she’s intelligent and quick-witted. She does not demonstrate either trait here. Cortland (“Cort”) DeWitt, twin to Knox, the Duke of Herschel, is the man who, ten or so years ago, had a massive crush on Alexandra, five years his senior. Both, of course, are beautiful people. She’s a beauty who eschews another marriage, and he is a handsome rake with a reputation for pleasuring women for one night only.

The plot is thin to the point of emaciation. Cort has never forgotten the only woman to capture his heart. Alex remembers him, too, as a terrible brat who—with his two brothers—bedeviled her when they were children. The DeWitt brothers (Cort, Knox, and Damien) “had been a thorn in her side.” They’d played unwanted pranks on her and her memories are not particularly pleasant. However…when she glimpses the now grownup Cort, she lusts all over herself because he is a gorgeous hunk of man. She is in the throes of lust and can’t help herself. He ignores her. But as soon as he’s home by himself…he lusts after her, too. That’s the story. They lust after each other, decide to follow through on all this lusting, then decide this lust must be love and find themselves in an HEA.

Good heavens! Ninety-eight pages of this, and “this” could have been condensed to perhaps twenty pages. What fills the pages up are:
1) Excruciating backward glimpses in time, flashbacks that tell how they felt, what they did, who did what to whom;
2) Lusting, rutting, hungering, devouring, more lusting, still more lusting, lots of sex…BUT…no romance.
That’s it.

There is indeed a great deal of lusting followed quickly by a great deal of sex. Some conversations between the two are interesting, but most of the time, there’s little need for conversation. I don’t mind lust or sex, but I want romance to go along with it. These two had a shared past, but not a long one, and only for a while during childhood. There was time for attraction (on his part, at least), but not a true friendship. Neither of them knew each other. When they meet again many years later, they fall heavily into lust, attracted to each other’s beauty.

Our hero, Cort, does have a riding accident and Alex gets to nurse him back to health for a day, after which he retreats and beats himself up for leaving her because even taking himself in hand (ahem!), he’s unable to allay the lust that is flooding him. Neither can she. She’s felt that certain part of his anatomy and wants more. Of course, they jump into sex. But again, there’s no romance.

An even bigger problem than the lack of romance is the writer’s style. I’ve read other books by Ms. Sumner and enjoyed them. This book reads like a (very) rough draft. There are many dependent clauses laying about, and incomplete sentences flood the pages. I counted more than twenty on one page alone. Here are some examples:
 “When anyone who knew them understood Cort had Knox by a solid two inches in height.” All the writer needed to do was remove the “When.” Then, it would be a complete sentence: “Anyone who knew them understood Cort had Knox by a solid two inches in height.”
 “In the kitchen.”
 “When you should be in bed.”
 “When she wished to know the man.”
 “Had been asked to stay.”
 “An encounter with an established expiration date.”
 “A rule of the Widow’s League, in fact.”

It often seems as if there are more of these dependent clauses/phrases/incomplete sentences than completed ones. Incomplete sentences, dependent clauses and phrases without verbs can be useful tools. They draw attention to something important. They help make a dialogue move quickly. They make a reader pause to consider a point the writer is making…BUT…page after page after page of these hacked-up quasi-sentences are wearying and annoying to slog through, and they invite speedreading.

There are some errors. For instance:
 A pleural noun should be used: “…two folded sheet of foolscap…” should be, “…two folded sheets of foolscap.”
 The pleural form of a noun should be used: “…through corrected lens he noted…” This should read, “…through corrected lenses he noted…” If there were just one lens, then “…a corrected lens…” would be fine, but the writer is telling us about a pair of spectacles so, two lenses.
 An adjective is used instead of a pronoun: “His blinked, then he threw his head back.” This should read, “He blinked…”
Punctuation errors are egregious in places. I’d recommend a thorough rereading of the Chicago Manual of Style regarding comma usage…or a proofreader.

I rated this book 2.5 stars and rounded down. It feels rushed. More than the story itself, I loved its potential. So much could have been done with this—it has good bones. A boy crushes on a girl just blooming into womanhood and thinks about her off and on for years. She doesn’t think about him at all because he was a huge nuisance. How fascinating would it have been to watch the two renew their relationship, laugh together about the shared moments of their childhood, then realize that they are sharing more than fleeting childhood memories. It would have been interesting to watch them tell one another about their lives, to discuss what had happened, and to begin to feel an inescapable attraction. Further, it would have been so good to see them overcome each other’s beauty and get to know the persons behind the lovely exteriors. Then, lust would be appropriate, and an HEA could have been earned, not simply fallen into. But…that’s not how the story is written. It’s about sex and not much else, certainly not romance.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cortland has a reputation in London as one of the city’s most scandalous Rakes but he has never forgotten Alexandra, the smart and fearless neighbor from childhood. She is five years older them him and a widow who had been stuck in loveless marriage. When Cortland’s horse throws him, it is Alexandra who comes to his rescue and helps him recover. The two are deeply attracted to one another and when Alexandra asks for a kiss, how can Cortland refuse.
This is a short novella at just under 100 pages, so it cannot and should not be compared to longer stories. The writing is tight as to have a full story contained in such few pages. I really liked both Cortland and Alexandra. I loved Cortlands love of his brother and Alexandra’s independence. I liked that while he had always been in love with her, she had to find her feelings for him. The pair had excellent chemistry. While I would have enjoyed having these characters for longer, I don’t feel there was much missing.
Thank you to Tracy Sumner for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ffion Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, sharp and steamy historical romance novella that follows widow Alexandra who has recently spotted Cort, a childhood frenemy who recently returned home after fighting in Waterloo. Alex loves her newfound freedom since losing her husband. From what I can gather they weren’t a love match but I wouldn’t say she was uncaring.
Cort had a childhood crush on Alex and continuously got on her nerves, especially due to their 4 year age gap so he was that much younger and childish than she was.
After their reunion as adults, Cort is injured and they begin a beneficial friendship if you’d say. But it soon becomes more when Cort says he has loved her since childhood and this reunion has reignited it.
This was a short and romantic novella perfect for a quick read or even is you’re looking for an introduction into historical/regency romance.
Thank you for the eARC!

[Tina Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only recently discovered Tracy Sumner and she’s become one of my favourite HR authors. I always jump at the chance to read her books and am steadily working my way through all of them.

She always writes the perfect balance of an interesting story and steamy interludes. I can’t quite pinpoint it but her stories always engage me and I just have to keep reading until I’m finished. This makes for some looong nights and chores being left undone. Lol.

In this particular book, Cort loved Alexandra when he was a teenager and when they meet again, many years later, he finds he is still in love with her. Alexandra, to her surprise, find she reacts warmly towards Cort. They are both older and much wiser having experienced life in different ways but now they have a new chance at living a happy life together.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiss the Rake Hello is the thirteenth book in the Wicked Widows' League series.

Cortland DeWitt is the second son by three minutes saving him from the responsibility of being groomed as the next duke unlike his twin brother. Alexandra Mountbatten has known him since childhood. He was the pesky boy next door. Court has "loved" her since he was a boy.

Now they are both older with each having experiences and pain. As they get to know one another again, they find that there is much to learn about the other.

This was a quick afternoon read with a bit of a twist. Alexandra is older than Courtland which is unusual since it typically the other way around. Sumner does not disappoint in this steamy and fun new story.

I received an ARC from BookSirens for an unbiased review.

[Jocelynereadsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tracy Sumner never disappoints. Her writing is fun and charming, I find the chapter heads in her novels such a delightful treat and create a playful tone that can be carried throughout her novels. Kiss the Rake Hello is the thirteenth installment in the Wicked Widow's League series that is being written be a variety of indie historical romance authors. Sumner's novella is a sweet, second chance novel that is a very quick read but a really lovely introduction to her writing if you have never read her before. This series is full of quick reads that do not need to be read in order but give you a really lovely introduction to new authors or charming stories from favorites.

I would definitely recommend checking out this story and this series, I have so far been truly delighted with each one!

Thank you so much to Tracy Sumner for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.