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Marlow Intrigues #5
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue
The first in an addictive Regency romance series filled with scandal, temptation and a love too powerful to be denied
Perfect for fans of Beverley Watts, Eloisa James and Bridgerton
'The perfect read for fans of Bridgerton.' Fenella Miller
Is he playing a game with her heart?
Lord Andrew Framlington is known as a rogue of the highest order, a fortune hunter, a man without honour. He plans to marry a wealthy bride to secure his future… but beneath it all, could he be longing for something more, something real?
Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.
Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.
Can Mary trust a rogue with her heart?
The first in the addictive Regency romance series, perfect for those who love STEAMY, SPICY historical and regency romance.
Perfect for fans of Beverley Watts, Eloisa James and Bridgerton
'The perfect read for fans of Bridgerton.' Fenella Miller
Is he playing a game with her heart?
Lord Andrew Framlington is known as a rogue of the highest order, a fortune hunter, a man without honour. He plans to marry a wealthy bride to secure his future… but beneath it all, could he be longing for something more, something real?
Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.
Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.
Can Mary trust a rogue with her heart?
The first in the addictive Regency romance series, perfect for those who love STEAMY, SPICY historical and regency romance.
Audible Audio
First published January 22, 2015
47 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lark
38 books151 followersJane is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance, and a Kindle top 25 bestselling author.
She began her first historical novel at sixteen, but a life full of adversity derailed her as she lives with the restrictions of Ankylosing Spondylitis.
When she finally completed a novel it was because she was determined not to reach forty still saying, I want to write.
Now Jane is writing a Regency series and contemporary, new adult, stories and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others' imaginations at last.
You might think that Jane was inspired to write by Jane Austen, especially as she lives near Bath in the United Kingdom, but you would be wrong. Jane's favourite author is Anya Seton, and the book which drew her into the bliss of falling into historical imagination was 'Katherine' a story crafted from reality.
Jane has drawn on this inspiration to discover other real-life love stories, reading memoirs and letters to capture elements of the past, and she uses them to create more realistic plots.
'Basically I love history and I am sucker for a love story. I love the feeling of falling in love; it's wonderful being able to do it time and time again in fiction.'
Jane is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, and uses this specialist understanding of people to bring her characters to life.
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April 13, 2020DNF 6%. Poorly edited - typos, mispellings, referring to heroine's half-brother as her step-brother, hero greeted a newly married duchess appropriately but then a few pages hence thought of her as a "future Duchess". Add to that several breaches of societal proprieties, repetitions of ideas, anachronistic language, a couple of strange sentences and inaccurate addresses (hero was the younger son of the Marquis of Framlington, but was erroneously referred to as Lord Framlington or Framlington, which was the title and not the family name). In addition, the main characters have failed to impress. I've got nothing against a poor hero who tries to better himself by whatever means he can. However this particular guy prostituted himself only to spend the dirty earnings on further fuelling his carefree and hedonistic lifestyle. When the money ran out, he shamelessly relied on his wealthy friends to pay his ongoing gambling debts. He decided that the well-dowered and very naive heroine will do as a bride. He even referred to her as "stupid" and I hate to say that his cruel assessment was rather accurate for she fell for him at first sight and readily bought his sleazy come-ons.
April 30, 2020
Difficult to rate. 3.5. The love was so intense, you could feel it and it was so well described. The hero was not hero like and not easy to like even if it was all explained why he was being a childish ass, the heroine was helpless and loving and suffering.
July 11, 2025
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue (Marlowe Family Secrets #1) by Jane Lark 2025
A Rake on the prowl!
Troubling tale about a young woman who’s stalked by a rogue over two seasons.
Against her better judgment Mary Marlowe (half sister to the Duke of Pembroke) is intrigued by Lord Andrew Framlington. She sees the man he is hiding behind his mask of roguishness and, somewhat against her better judgement, finally agrees to elope with him
He sees an innocent with a dowry, a woman who might prove to be his ideal, who will heal his jaundiced view on life, and maybe love him.
Unfortunately the book ends on a note of crossed messages and misunderstandings. I’m not sure of where to now for these two. They’re left on a cliff face with some hope.
A Boldwood Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
A Rake on the prowl!
Troubling tale about a young woman who’s stalked by a rogue over two seasons.
Against her better judgment Mary Marlowe (half sister to the Duke of Pembroke) is intrigued by Lord Andrew Framlington. She sees the man he is hiding behind his mask of roguishness and, somewhat against her better judgement, finally agrees to elope with him
He sees an innocent with a dowry, a woman who might prove to be his ideal, who will heal his jaundiced view on life, and maybe love him.
Unfortunately the book ends on a note of crossed messages and misunderstandings. I’m not sure of where to now for these two. They’re left on a cliff face with some hope.
A Boldwood Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
January 28, 2015
I don’t know about you, but I love reading about broken heroes/heroines and up to this point I thought no one could be more broken than Judith James’s Gabriel St. Croix from ‘Broken Wing’ but I was wrong. Jane Lark went all out and created a hero that is broken and vulnerable to a point that the lines of love and hate were inseparable. In the one hand I hated the bitter and cynical man and on the other, my heart broke for the boy who only ever wanted to be loved by someone, anyone.
I never thought that a thorough rogue from a scene in ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ would be so complex or that the author would pair him up with a most sweet and innocent of women. The complexities of this character were such that if you’re not reading between the lines you may miss the reasons behind the initial attraction between the two polar opposite characters. Their immediate attraction to each other was palpable and the chemistry charged to an umpteenth degree which literally gave me the Goosebumps and in pairing these two Jane Lark created the most heart wrenching romance you can imagine.
The heroine of this book had been introduced to us in ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ [her brother’s HEA] and we actually watched her grow right before our eyes and now at nineteen we are faced with this poised, smart, kind and infinitely beautiful woman who is adored by her huge family. Her character was almost as complex as our unlikely hero. This young woman had grown up surrounded with love and attention, yet because of the enormous size of her family, she felt lost at times and she craved one on one attention from someone, anyone. She knew that her dowry was extensive and that it would attract many but what she never expected was for a man to admit that fact to her face, and that intrigued her. The plot moved at a quick pace and I dreaded the ending. I just wanted this one to go on and on.
Seriously, if you’re like me, and you thrive on angst in your stories, this one has it in spades. If you’re searching for a tender, sweet and sensual romance, this one will melt your heart and leave you in a puddle. Must read!
This is book five in Jane Lark’s wonderful Marlowe Intrigues series and if you’ve never read this series, you better get on it. Here is the order just in case you decide to heed my advice. ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’ is Edward Marlow and Ellen’s story; ‘The Passionate Love of a Rake’ is Robert Marlow and Jane’s story; ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ is the story of Ellen’s son John and ‘The Lost Love of a Soldier’ is a prequel to ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’ and a heartbreaking story of John’s mother Ellen and his father Captain Paul Harding.
But if you’re still doubtful about this author and my recommendation, please feel free to download her two free novella’s also a part of this series as well, ‘Capturing the Earl's Love’ and 'The Desperate Love of a Lord’.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
I never thought that a thorough rogue from a scene in ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ would be so complex or that the author would pair him up with a most sweet and innocent of women. The complexities of this character were such that if you’re not reading between the lines you may miss the reasons behind the initial attraction between the two polar opposite characters. Their immediate attraction to each other was palpable and the chemistry charged to an umpteenth degree which literally gave me the Goosebumps and in pairing these two Jane Lark created the most heart wrenching romance you can imagine.
The heroine of this book had been introduced to us in ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ [her brother’s HEA] and we actually watched her grow right before our eyes and now at nineteen we are faced with this poised, smart, kind and infinitely beautiful woman who is adored by her huge family. Her character was almost as complex as our unlikely hero. This young woman had grown up surrounded with love and attention, yet because of the enormous size of her family, she felt lost at times and she craved one on one attention from someone, anyone. She knew that her dowry was extensive and that it would attract many but what she never expected was for a man to admit that fact to her face, and that intrigued her. The plot moved at a quick pace and I dreaded the ending. I just wanted this one to go on and on.
Seriously, if you’re like me, and you thrive on angst in your stories, this one has it in spades. If you’re searching for a tender, sweet and sensual romance, this one will melt your heart and leave you in a puddle. Must read!
This is book five in Jane Lark’s wonderful Marlowe Intrigues series and if you’ve never read this series, you better get on it. Here is the order just in case you decide to heed my advice. ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’ is Edward Marlow and Ellen’s story; ‘The Passionate Love of a Rake’ is Robert Marlow and Jane’s story; ‘The Scandalous Love of a Duke’ is the story of Ellen’s son John and ‘The Lost Love of a Soldier’ is a prequel to ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’ and a heartbreaking story of John’s mother Ellen and his father Captain Paul Harding.
But if you’re still doubtful about this author and my recommendation, please feel free to download her two free novella’s also a part of this series as well, ‘Capturing the Earl's Love’ and 'The Desperate Love of a Lord’.
Melanie for b2b
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
January 20, 2015
This was a very good read but it was a little too long.
More of a Romeo and Juliet read.
Drew the hero was one angst filled gentleman. He was unloved by is family. While married his mother had an a affair and Drew was the result.Drew has no idea who his father is. He is allowed to be part of the family but is hated by his mothers husband and barley tolerated by his mother. He's never felt loved by his siblings or anyone in the family. He was introduced to sex by his mothers friend at the age of fifteen. Through the years his mothers friends became a source of income for him and he lived fast and free. He becomes indebted to creditors. Drew begins to realize that his life is cold and meaningless. He decides that he needs to marry someone that has a large dowry. The story really begins from this point on. Drew see's Mary the heroine at a ball. She is beautiful and has a very large dowry from what he's been told. As he watches and begins his pursuit of Mary he realizes there is something special about her.Drew even thinks he can come to love her. She is innocent, which appeals to him after the life he has lived. He even believes and hopes that faithfulness could be part of their marriage (he makes a decision he will remain celibate until they marry). As he watches and pursues her he realizes she comes from a large family that truly loves each other, is faithful to their spouses and loyal to one another.
Mary see's Drew at the ball and finds something about him very appealing, attractive and mysterious. He asks her to dance and their story begins. Mary's Father and brother tell her to stay away from Drew.They are both very aware of the life Drew leads. Mary and Drew proceed to meet in secret. Drew's group of friends help him in his pursuit of Mary. Mary is a strong, sweet, loyal daughter and the secrets she is keeping from her family is tormenting her.
The book goes on for quite some time with their secret meetings and the battle that Mary fights on whether to give into Drew and marry him. This just dragged on way too much as far as I'm concerned. That's what the first half of the book. The second half is how they do marry (in secret) and Mary questions if Drew really loved/loves her. Her family tries to convince her to leave him and that he doesn't really love her. Drew is hurt and angry because she doesn't believe he loves her.
The book had much angst, the couple had good chemistry and it had great sexual tension. It was well written.It was a good read but a little too long.
Netgalley for an honest review.
More of a Romeo and Juliet read.
Drew the hero was one angst filled gentleman. He was unloved by is family. While married his mother had an a affair and Drew was the result.Drew has no idea who his father is. He is allowed to be part of the family but is hated by his mothers husband and barley tolerated by his mother. He's never felt loved by his siblings or anyone in the family. He was introduced to sex by his mothers friend at the age of fifteen. Through the years his mothers friends became a source of income for him and he lived fast and free. He becomes indebted to creditors. Drew begins to realize that his life is cold and meaningless. He decides that he needs to marry someone that has a large dowry. The story really begins from this point on. Drew see's Mary the heroine at a ball. She is beautiful and has a very large dowry from what he's been told. As he watches and begins his pursuit of Mary he realizes there is something special about her.Drew even thinks he can come to love her. She is innocent, which appeals to him after the life he has lived. He even believes and hopes that faithfulness could be part of their marriage (he makes a decision he will remain celibate until they marry). As he watches and pursues her he realizes she comes from a large family that truly loves each other, is faithful to their spouses and loyal to one another.
Mary see's Drew at the ball and finds something about him very appealing, attractive and mysterious. He asks her to dance and their story begins. Mary's Father and brother tell her to stay away from Drew.They are both very aware of the life Drew leads. Mary and Drew proceed to meet in secret. Drew's group of friends help him in his pursuit of Mary. Mary is a strong, sweet, loyal daughter and the secrets she is keeping from her family is tormenting her.
The book goes on for quite some time with their secret meetings and the battle that Mary fights on whether to give into Drew and marry him. This just dragged on way too much as far as I'm concerned. That's what the first half of the book. The second half is how they do marry (in secret) and Mary questions if Drew really loved/loves her. Her family tries to convince her to leave him and that he doesn't really love her. Drew is hurt and angry because she doesn't believe he loves her.
The book had much angst, the couple had good chemistry and it had great sexual tension. It was well written.It was a good read but a little too long.
Netgalley for an honest review.
July 13, 2025
The dangerous love of a rogue by Jane Lark, win Andrew Framlington sets out to find a wife with a big dowery his goal is never love but once he meets Mary Marlow all bets are off and he will do anything to win her love. Mary is from a big loving family but the sexual tension between this rogue and the new bile Mary is thick and can’t be denied although he is titled he doesn’t speak to the family that just threw luck in perseverance him and his sister Cairo has survived so the more he gets to know Mary the more alien the feelings he has for her feels. through secrets and intrigued they form a relationship with quick meetings in the dark where liberties are taken as Mary wonders if she can even trust this man she’s so staunchly tries to stay away from. she knows she has fallen under his spell and even agrees to marry him but it will be her loving family that burst their bubble of happiness something they may never get back. Let me state upfront if you do not like books that do not end in happy ever after then you will not like this book. If you like Saga then you will definitely like this book I want to say here right down this wasn’t your normal happily ever after swoon worthy romance I probably wouldn’t have read it when I downloaded the two books I thought they were two different people involved as I am not a big reader of summaries but I guess after this situation I should really start doing that. Both books are about the couple because her family convinces her he only married her for the money and their things that she is privy to with him and his friends that in her mind reinforce the notion. Will he prove to marry his love is true? If you love Romance saga’s,as I said you will love this book but be certain to download The Dangerous Love Of A Lady as well. I really loved Mary, I love the authentic style writing because not all authors are great at depicting the Regency era but I must say Miss Lark did an awesome job I’m going to read the next book and can’t wait to see what happens with Mary and Andrew as far as books go this is one I definitely recommend. #NetGalley, #BoldWoodBooks, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #JaneLark, #TheDangerousLoveOfARogue,
January 21, 2015
Heart-achingly emotional and unquestionably romantic, The Dangerous Love of a Rogue was yet another fantastic regency romance from Jane Lark. I absolutely loved this book. It broke my heart and made me smile in turn and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Neither character was a perfect person but their flaws only made them more realistic. Mary jumped to conclusions of definitely suffered from a lack of trust in Drew. But, she was also fair and kind enough to rewrite her judgments and give Drew the chance he deserved.
Drew was extremely wary and sharing his inner self would have made his attempts to prove himself to Mary a lot easier. But, he also genuinely loved her and wanted to make her happy, knowing that he would have to change his habits if he was to have the type of family he wanted. Both characters were great and I really liked them.
The romance was wonderful. There were definitely obstacles along the way but Mary and Drew never ceased loving each other. They were definitely perfect together and they had some steaming hot chemistry as well.
The plot moved quickly, keeping me hooked from start to finish. Jane Lark is simply the best as crafting realistic characters that tug at your heart, along with portraying deep emotions in a way that draws your in. Both of those characteristics were present here and ensured that this was a fabulous book. I really liked the story and the ending was perfect.
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue was a brilliant historical romance and I really loved it. Romance lovers, this is a must read.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Neither character was a perfect person but their flaws only made them more realistic. Mary jumped to conclusions of definitely suffered from a lack of trust in Drew. But, she was also fair and kind enough to rewrite her judgments and give Drew the chance he deserved.
Drew was extremely wary and sharing his inner self would have made his attempts to prove himself to Mary a lot easier. But, he also genuinely loved her and wanted to make her happy, knowing that he would have to change his habits if he was to have the type of family he wanted. Both characters were great and I really liked them.
The romance was wonderful. There were definitely obstacles along the way but Mary and Drew never ceased loving each other. They were definitely perfect together and they had some steaming hot chemistry as well.
The plot moved quickly, keeping me hooked from start to finish. Jane Lark is simply the best as crafting realistic characters that tug at your heart, along with portraying deep emotions in a way that draws your in. Both of those characteristics were present here and ensured that this was a fabulous book. I really liked the story and the ending was perfect.
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue was a brilliant historical romance and I really loved it. Romance lovers, this is a must read.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
May 2, 2025
Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
I'm slightly disappointed I can't give this book less than one star. The MMC is despicable- he's an indebted poor man who wants a rich, pure, and innocent (gag) wife who won't bore him. Reading his POV was akin to torture. The FMC - of course being innocent and pure and young and rich - finds herself completely obsessed with this rogue (though I truly don't understand why since there's little to no development between these two characters) and can't resist his manly charm (gag x2).
This whole book felt extremely misogynistic - the MMC constantly love bombing and manipulating the "fragile, pure" lady into a marriage who just cannot resist him? There's absolutely no grounds for any of it and it just made me pissed off.
I'm slightly disappointed I can't give this book less than one star. The MMC is despicable- he's an indebted poor man who wants a rich, pure, and innocent (gag) wife who won't bore him. Reading his POV was akin to torture. The FMC - of course being innocent and pure and young and rich - finds herself completely obsessed with this rogue (though I truly don't understand why since there's little to no development between these two characters) and can't resist his manly charm (gag x2).
This whole book felt extremely misogynistic - the MMC constantly love bombing and manipulating the "fragile, pure" lady into a marriage who just cannot resist him? There's absolutely no grounds for any of it and it just made me pissed off.
August 23, 2025
2.25 stars. Waste of 5 listening hours. It’s a duology, which I didn’t realize, but I’m not even invested enough for book 2. Also, Andrew? He had a terrible upbringing, and no loving family, and a horrible mother, and he’s poor. All of that is sad, yes; but as the story progressed, he started putting up a hard front with Mary’s family (who disapprove) and he made her feel unworthy and sad - and he knew it but was too much of a coward to apologize. Hopefully he has a redemption in book 2 but I ain’t gonna be finding out.
First and last Jane Lark I’ll be reading.
First and last Jane Lark I’ll be reading.
May 12, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC, in return for an honest review.
Andrew wants to get married and he sets his sights on Mary, regardless of his reputation as a fortune hunter. He is extremely arrogant, full of himself and a womanizer.
The story goes too fast, lacks details. Through the whole book, the banter and flirting are cringe worthy. He thinks everything belongs to him, even Mary.
Her brother and family warned her about him, but despite their warning, she falls for Andrew. She is too naive.
I got the impression that he pretends to love her all the time, it's hard to tell what he really feels. He wants a faithful wife, and he wants to be unfaithful. He is too forceful and handsy, playing with Mary.
The ending is extremely strange, unfulfilled and unfinished, as if the book was stopped in the middle of writing.
I did like Mary's family, their love and support for each other.
I give this book 2 stars.
Andrew wants to get married and he sets his sights on Mary, regardless of his reputation as a fortune hunter. He is extremely arrogant, full of himself and a womanizer.
The story goes too fast, lacks details. Through the whole book, the banter and flirting are cringe worthy. He thinks everything belongs to him, even Mary.
Her brother and family warned her about him, but despite their warning, she falls for Andrew. She is too naive.
I got the impression that he pretends to love her all the time, it's hard to tell what he really feels. He wants a faithful wife, and he wants to be unfaithful. He is too forceful and handsy, playing with Mary.
The ending is extremely strange, unfulfilled and unfinished, as if the book was stopped in the middle of writing.
I did like Mary's family, their love and support for each other.
I give this book 2 stars.
February 17, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley.
This is the fourth in the Marlow series and is the first book that I have read by this Author. Whilst it would have been nice to have had the back story to the series, I feel that this book can be read as a standalone.
I enjoy reading historical romances for the escapism from modern day life and this book fit the bill nicely.
Miss Mary Marlow had been warned off from getting involved with Lord Andrew Framlington, but attraction between two people can not be ignored. Mary was attracted to Drew in a big way, despite all the warnings from her family she thought she knew better as her heart was ruling her head. Drew had a reputation that could not be ignored he was a rogue of the highest order, but ignore it is what Mary did. Would she live to regret it and could he be trusted despite his reputation?
I loved the relationship between Mary and Drew, she was clearly besotted with him and he played this to his advantage. I so wanted things to work out well for them. With a great cast of secondary characters this book was a joy to read and I often found myself smiling when I picked it up.
I will be looking out for more books by this Author and will be looking at collecting the previous books in this series in due course.
This is the fourth in the Marlow series and is the first book that I have read by this Author. Whilst it would have been nice to have had the back story to the series, I feel that this book can be read as a standalone.
I enjoy reading historical romances for the escapism from modern day life and this book fit the bill nicely.
Miss Mary Marlow had been warned off from getting involved with Lord Andrew Framlington, but attraction between two people can not be ignored. Mary was attracted to Drew in a big way, despite all the warnings from her family she thought she knew better as her heart was ruling her head. Drew had a reputation that could not be ignored he was a rogue of the highest order, but ignore it is what Mary did. Would she live to regret it and could he be trusted despite his reputation?
I loved the relationship between Mary and Drew, she was clearly besotted with him and he played this to his advantage. I so wanted things to work out well for them. With a great cast of secondary characters this book was a joy to read and I often found myself smiling when I picked it up.
I will be looking out for more books by this Author and will be looking at collecting the previous books in this series in due course.
October 10, 2016
The heroine was too stupid. This story could have been one about how a young girl falls for a fortune hunter's trickery and ends up in a sad, loveless, and even abusive, marriage.
I kind of like her fall from starryeyed young girl in love to a desillusionned married woman. As for the hero, he was a selfish cad. He didn't know how to love, trust and put someone else first. His road to learning was difficult, mostly for the heroine who suffered the most through it.
So as this is not a cautionary tale but a love story, it all end well. The fortune hunter redeemed himself and saved his soul through love, the stupid girl learned how to be less stupid and stronger.
I kind of like her fall from starryeyed young girl in love to a desillusionned married woman. As for the hero, he was a selfish cad. He didn't know how to love, trust and put someone else first. His road to learning was difficult, mostly for the heroine who suffered the most through it.
So as this is not a cautionary tale but a love story, it all end well. The fortune hunter redeemed himself and saved his soul through love, the stupid girl learned how to be less stupid and stronger.
December 30, 2025
these people are HORNY. do not recommend listening to this at your boyfriends parents house while working the week between Christmas and new years.
April 8, 2015
Once again, another five star review for Jane Lark and the Marlow Intrigues series. There’re a whole lot of assumptions, pride, romance, and the original Jane Lark formula of family above everything, that makes this story another great one.
Lord Drew Framlington had a reputation of debauchery, and wasn’t one to disagree with how people saw him. He figured let them believe what they want. Who cared? He didn’t. They didn’t deserve the energy it would take to prove that he wasn’t as bad as everyone thought, even though he could be if he wanted to. The only thing Drew cared about right now, was finding a wife that could get him out of debt and help him stop living a life he was tired of.
Mary Marlow, the beautiful and genuinely good little sister of the Duke of Pembroke, was the opposite of everything Drew supposedly stood for. After one dance he decided she would be the one he would marry. Her goodness was calling out to him and the fact that her father and brother warned here away from him, made her even more appealing. Besides, he loved a good chase. As good as Drew was at this game of luring women his way, Mary was something else all together and he ended up genuinely wanting her for more than her money.
She was not like them. Miss Marlow was his best hope of fidelity and yet she would not be in love with him…and he would not be in love with her. Theirs would not be a love match…He did not know how to love, he did not even really believe in it.
Perhaps if all failed, he would follow his false-father’s path and leave her to get on with it, find a country sanctuary for himself and rooms in town for her.
But quiet words whispered in his head, she would not be false.
Deep down, he hoped so hard.
That desire was another secret he was keeping form his friends. They thought him a pleasure loving rogue. He was still, in a way, but…
God, how they’d laugh if they knew a man with his reputation hated the women he was meant to seduce. He could not stand female promiscuity anymore. Not since he’d discovered a group of women who abhorred such things.
The Pembroke women had become like idols to him.~~Drew
Drew did not come from a happy home. He did not know what it was like have a loving family and watched Mary’s with awe and longing. This was one of the many reasons he wanted to be with her. He wanted to become a part of that family and know what it felt like to be loved and supported. Mary’s family, though, were not going to make it easy. Talk about pot calling kettle black. If you’ve read the earlier books in this series, you will know what I mean.
The only person who could see right through Drew’s pride into the good man he could be…the loyal and loving man he could be, was Mary. Her family didn’t know this, but their warning her away also made him more intriguing to her and Mary was not stupid. She lost her heart to Drew with that first dance and knew that nothing good would come of it if her family did not support her decision. They were too powerful. She had to be smart about it and hope that her happiness was enough to gain her family’s support. Drew on the other hand had too much pride. Well, pride was all he had really. It was all he knew. Mary had a hard road ahead of her if she was going to help Drew get past that and learn to accept her love and love her in return.
She looked up, determination flooding her. “I will not call you Drew. I shall call you Andrew, your real name.”
His eyes widened but he did not look displeased.
He was not a devil. He was a man, a man who could make mistakes, had faults and felt fear. He was Andrew beneath Drew’s sharp edges; the rogue was simply a layer upon that, a layer that she hoped would disappear when they were wed.~~Mary
Again, the lessons will be love, respect and above all, believing in the power of family. Every single book in this series is wonderful. I love Jane Lark’s Historical Romances. Period.
Lord Drew Framlington had a reputation of debauchery, and wasn’t one to disagree with how people saw him. He figured let them believe what they want. Who cared? He didn’t. They didn’t deserve the energy it would take to prove that he wasn’t as bad as everyone thought, even though he could be if he wanted to. The only thing Drew cared about right now, was finding a wife that could get him out of debt and help him stop living a life he was tired of.
Mary Marlow, the beautiful and genuinely good little sister of the Duke of Pembroke, was the opposite of everything Drew supposedly stood for. After one dance he decided she would be the one he would marry. Her goodness was calling out to him and the fact that her father and brother warned here away from him, made her even more appealing. Besides, he loved a good chase. As good as Drew was at this game of luring women his way, Mary was something else all together and he ended up genuinely wanting her for more than her money.
She was not like them. Miss Marlow was his best hope of fidelity and yet she would not be in love with him…and he would not be in love with her. Theirs would not be a love match…He did not know how to love, he did not even really believe in it.
Perhaps if all failed, he would follow his false-father’s path and leave her to get on with it, find a country sanctuary for himself and rooms in town for her.
But quiet words whispered in his head, she would not be false.
Deep down, he hoped so hard.
That desire was another secret he was keeping form his friends. They thought him a pleasure loving rogue. He was still, in a way, but…
God, how they’d laugh if they knew a man with his reputation hated the women he was meant to seduce. He could not stand female promiscuity anymore. Not since he’d discovered a group of women who abhorred such things.
The Pembroke women had become like idols to him.~~Drew
Drew did not come from a happy home. He did not know what it was like have a loving family and watched Mary’s with awe and longing. This was one of the many reasons he wanted to be with her. He wanted to become a part of that family and know what it felt like to be loved and supported. Mary’s family, though, were not going to make it easy. Talk about pot calling kettle black. If you’ve read the earlier books in this series, you will know what I mean.
The only person who could see right through Drew’s pride into the good man he could be…the loyal and loving man he could be, was Mary. Her family didn’t know this, but their warning her away also made him more intriguing to her and Mary was not stupid. She lost her heart to Drew with that first dance and knew that nothing good would come of it if her family did not support her decision. They were too powerful. She had to be smart about it and hope that her happiness was enough to gain her family’s support. Drew on the other hand had too much pride. Well, pride was all he had really. It was all he knew. Mary had a hard road ahead of her if she was going to help Drew get past that and learn to accept her love and love her in return.
She looked up, determination flooding her. “I will not call you Drew. I shall call you Andrew, your real name.”
His eyes widened but he did not look displeased.
He was not a devil. He was a man, a man who could make mistakes, had faults and felt fear. He was Andrew beneath Drew’s sharp edges; the rogue was simply a layer upon that, a layer that she hoped would disappear when they were wed.~~Mary
Again, the lessons will be love, respect and above all, believing in the power of family. Every single book in this series is wonderful. I love Jane Lark’s Historical Romances. Period.
May 31, 2025
Good girl attracted to a bad boy.
Fans of historical romance, unlikable characters, and steamy content will enjoy The Dangerous Love of a Rogue.
The young woman's rebellion against her parents to pursue a forbidden romance creates a one-dimensional story with little opportunity to explore other themes. If you're looking for a story where steamy romance takes center stage, you will enjoy this story.
At the story's end, the characters left me little hope for an HEA.
Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #TheDangerousLoveOfARogue upoon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com
Fans of historical romance, unlikable characters, and steamy content will enjoy The Dangerous Love of a Rogue.
The young woman's rebellion against her parents to pursue a forbidden romance creates a one-dimensional story with little opportunity to explore other themes. If you're looking for a story where steamy romance takes center stage, you will enjoy this story.
At the story's end, the characters left me little hope for an HEA.
Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #TheDangerousLoveOfARogue upoon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com
February 3, 2015
In The Dangerous Love of a Rogue the fourth book of the Marlow Intrigue series we see Mary Marlow fall for the rogue, Drew Framlington. Mary of course, is the daughter of Edward and Ellen Marlow, sister to the Duke of Pembrooke, John. Drew on the other hand does not know who is father is and is Lord Framlington by name only. The product of an affair by his mother who in turn shuns him.
I do not normally read historical romance. However, I stumbled upon Jane Lark's first book in this series several months ago and I've been hooked ever since. I love being transported back in time to an era where chivalry is indeed not dead but expected and women were naive, innocent, and seen as beautiful womanly creatures to be treasured and adored. Ms. Lark's writing makes me nostalgic for simpler times when courting was taken seriously and virtues protected. She does it with style and grace weaving intriguing stories and pulling on those heartstrings.
This story though is by far my favorite of all. For beneath the romance is a story about a lost little boy who was abused and unloved. To say Drew Framlington is complicated is an understatement. Ms. Lark did this character justice by making him lovable and deplorable without apology. I wanted to hug him fiercely and smack him hard. I wanted to hold his hand in comfort and teach him what love was all about. I wanted to swiftly kick him in the shins every time he acted as a child. The reality is he really is a child. He was never taught how to love, be loved, how to respect himself, nor others. So his behavior really is understandable.
All I could think about Mary was that she was searching for something. Her life appears perfect and she's happy. Her family has loved and protected her. She was raised completely opposite of Drew. But she's lacking in her own areas. And this story is really about her coming of age. Embracing herself for who she is and wants to be. I appreciated her growth and applauded her perseverance. She is as strong as she is soft of heart.
I loved all the characters in this story. It's like a homecoming with all the characters from previous books heavily influenced in this story. We get to see everyone growing up and lives progressing. I cannot wait to see who Jane Lark is going to write about next. I'm hoping it's Drew's friend Peter.
*A copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
March 23, 2021
I had been enjoying this series, even though sometimes the heroes were just on the side of too mean for my taste, because I did like the strong feelings depicted.
These fall in love at first sight, and I can't for the life of me imagine why. He's looking for a rich wife to fund his gambling or whatever and decides she's the best after eyeing her in a ballroom for a hot minute and remembering that he really doesn't like her brother. She falls in love with him while he dances with her, even though he's nothing but annoying and presumptuous; immediately after, her brother tells her he's after her fortune, which is true, and she knows it. Yet she LOVES him. Every time they encounter each other after that, he's pestery to the point of rapey, assuming she wants him, and taking what he wants. She apparently likes this?
I literally have no idea what she sees in this hero. Maybe he's just really hot? I wonder if it would have made more sense if he'd said at least one amusing or interesting thing to her that would have a hope of catching her attention. Anyhow, I've had enough of him, DNF.
These fall in love at first sight, and I can't for the life of me imagine why. He's looking for a rich wife to fund his gambling or whatever and decides she's the best after eyeing her in a ballroom for a hot minute and remembering that he really doesn't like her brother. She falls in love with him while he dances with her, even though he's nothing but annoying and presumptuous; immediately after, her brother tells her he's after her fortune, which is true, and she knows it. Yet she LOVES him. Every time they encounter each other after that, he's pestery to the point of rapey, assuming she wants him, and taking what he wants. She apparently likes this?
I literally have no idea what she sees in this hero. Maybe he's just really hot? I wonder if it would have made more sense if he'd said at least one amusing or interesting thing to her that would have a hope of catching her attention. Anyhow, I've had enough of him, DNF.
May 31, 2025
Despite the familiarity of the 'girl falls for an unsuitable man' storyline, the author manages to dig deeper and inject realism and angst into this authentic historical tale. Drew is a likeable anti-hero who has plenty of reasons to play the obnoxious rake. The abuse he has suffered from people who should have protected him when he was young and vulnerable has left him emotionally scarred. It doesn't condone his treatment of innocent Mary, but it does explain it. Mary has the entire Marlowe clan in her corner, but her attraction to Drew makes her willing to threaten her family relationships. Mary's motivations are relatable. The cleverly drawn parallels with her mother and the cameos of family members who feature in other stories add to the richness of the tale. I like the intrinsic historical details and the engaging, vibrant characters.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 30, 2025
Lord Andrew Framlington is known as a rogue of the highest order, a fortune hunter, a man without honour. He plans to marry a wealthy bride to secure his future… but beneath it all, could he be longing for something more, something real?
Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.
Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.
Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.
Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.
February 9, 2015
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the other books in the series. I had a hard time liking the hero or understanding why the heroine would possibly be attracted to him. Apart from her he acted even worse. How a person is around their friends gives an honest look at their character, and he often acted like a total jerk when he was around his friends. She gave him far too many chances to prove himself.
By the end, Drew did redeem himself for me, but in reality he would never have been able to get to that point with Mary.
By the end, Drew did redeem himself for me, but in reality he would never have been able to get to that point with Mary.
October 1, 2016
Loved it. Loved! Tortured hero, tick. Misunderstandings, tick. True love and heaps of passion, tick, tick. Fab read.
September 23, 2025
Let me start by saying that I had zero expectations for this book, I got it for free in a libro.fm promotion. I was just looking for a fun and short romance with low to none stakes, and this was giving me those vibes. Needless to say that based on my star rating it didn’t deliver at all.
The whole narration felt slopy and rushed, there wasn’t enough material to get to know the character deeply, and their POVs felt extremely self centered. On that same note, it felt like the book only had two characters there were so little and so meaningless interactions with everyone else that no one else leave a lasting impression or add significantly to the story; the other characters feel more like plot devices than actual people (ex: whole family is the wall that keeps them apart; Andrew’s friends are his “bad influence”, his family is the source of insecurities, his younger sister is the “thing” that shows that he is not really a bad guy).
I could’ve gotten over all of that if the actual climax and conclusion of the book were satisfying, but no, it only got worse. I don’t know what the editors and author were thinking of ending the book right were they did, that is not the ending of a story, not even the ending of a chapter. Since the second everything that was building up to that moment just plummeted, all of the progress that was made on more than the first half of the book vanished into thin air. The character became incapable of showing that they care for one another, and the worse part is that that doesn’t get fixed the book ends with them in a middle of that 5 and a half chapters long argument. Yes, the only thing you get by the end on the book is just frustration. Ohhh and I haven’t mentioned the last scene, , and that’s it there is no talk or anything to give the reader hope or satisfaction, other than
There was only one scene that I really like on theory and that is when Mary’s mom gives her advice on how to deal with arguments of married couples. However, that flies over Mary’s head and she even acknowledges that it does. That advice is what I quoted below.
The whole narration felt slopy and rushed, there wasn’t enough material to get to know the character deeply, and their POVs felt extremely self centered. On that same note, it felt like the book only had two characters there were so little and so meaningless interactions with everyone else that no one else leave a lasting impression or add significantly to the story; the other characters feel more like plot devices than actual people (ex: whole family is the wall that keeps them apart; Andrew’s friends are his “bad influence”, his family is the source of insecurities, his younger sister is the “thing” that shows that he is not really a bad guy).
I could’ve gotten over all of that if the actual climax and conclusion of the book were satisfying, but no, it only got worse. I don’t know what the editors and author were thinking of ending the book right were they did, that is not the ending of a story, not even the ending of a chapter. Since the second everything that was building up to that moment just plummeted, all of the progress that was made on more than the first half of the book vanished into thin air. The character became incapable of showing that they care for one another, and the worse part is that that doesn’t get fixed the book ends with them in a middle of that 5 and a half chapters long argument. Yes, the only thing you get by the end on the book is just frustration. Ohhh and I haven’t mentioned the last scene, , and that’s it there is no talk or anything to give the reader hope or satisfaction, other than
There was only one scene that I really like on theory and that is when Mary’s mom gives her advice on how to deal with arguments of married couples. However, that flies over Mary’s head and she even acknowledges that it does. That advice is what I quoted below.
“If you argue, then seek to resolve it before you sleep rather than let it run into another day, even if it sometimes means saying sorry when you do not think you are in the wrong.
There will be disagreements at first. Arguments are natural for any couple as they come to know one another. So, you should not let them upset you too much. If you feel hurt or angry, though, you must tell him how you feel. If you do not, how is he to know? Talking to one another is the best foundation for a marriage.”
May 4, 2025
. ݁₊ ⊹ — 2.5 ⭐️ — . ݁˖ . ݁
started april 29th | finished april may 1st
ˋ°•*⁀➷ historical romance, third person pov
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ♡
the cover is so cute, i love it sm. i looked up this book on goodreads and apperantly it was already published once in 2015. i don’t know what the reason is that it’s being published again ten years later but i like the new look way more.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝♡
i’m sorry but there’s A LOT i didn’t like. okay so first of all, it was so confusing. it took me multiple chapters to even realise what the two main characters were called. this story is all about the plot which isn’t bad at all, but this is is a ROMANCE book guys. you can’t write a romance book without focusing on the characters a lot. also what’s up with that ending? like you can’t even call that an ending. the book just stopped in the middle of them playing a board game. it either should’ve ended during the wedding or should’ve been longer and show their marriage more.
⌞ 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰 ⌝ her character was so stupid i’m sorry. i feel like the author was trying to make her strong and independent but also loving but she just ended up dumb. i was 31% into the book and girl’s already like “i love him but i can’t love him why do i love him do i love him”. bro NO, just no. i checked how far i’m into the book and WHEN THIS IS GONNA BE OVER anytime she opened her mouth. and she wasn’t even annoying, she was just so naive and dumb and couldn’t make up her mind.
⌞ 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 “𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰” 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ⌝ there’s a lot that i have to say about him and none of it is good. first of all, i love a good broken mc but wtf was this. i feel like that’s what the author was trying to make him but he was just so confusing and weird, like if he had two personalities. one moment, he’s like: “i want a rich wife to pay off my debts and that’s all i am practically making a girl believe i love her and i’m gonna lie to her and then take all her money” and then he’s like: “omg mary is so gorgeous and innocent i want her to be my wife she’s so pleasent to the eye i don’t even want her for her money anymore”. like WHAT? another thing is, there is just something so weird about using like old serious kinda english while writing sex scenes or writing about a male character being attracted to a woman, i’m sorry. my brain is probably just way too used to college dark romances but it was so cringe. i also feel like all of the characters had NO life, NO brain and NO own thoughts.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ♡
i am dissapointed, i really am. this book has such a cute cover and so much potential but it feels like a badly written wattpad story.
───୨ৎ────
⤷ thank you for this arc to gemini books group and netgalley in exchange for my honest review!!
started april 29th | finished april may 1st
ˋ°•*⁀➷ historical romance, third person pov
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ♡
the cover is so cute, i love it sm. i looked up this book on goodreads and apperantly it was already published once in 2015. i don’t know what the reason is that it’s being published again ten years later but i like the new look way more.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝♡
i’m sorry but there’s A LOT i didn’t like. okay so first of all, it was so confusing. it took me multiple chapters to even realise what the two main characters were called. this story is all about the plot which isn’t bad at all, but this is is a ROMANCE book guys. you can’t write a romance book without focusing on the characters a lot. also what’s up with that ending? like you can’t even call that an ending. the book just stopped in the middle of them playing a board game. it either should’ve ended during the wedding or should’ve been longer and show their marriage more.
⌞ 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐰 ⌝ her character was so stupid i’m sorry. i feel like the author was trying to make her strong and independent but also loving but she just ended up dumb. i was 31% into the book and girl’s already like “i love him but i can’t love him why do i love him do i love him”. bro NO, just no. i checked how far i’m into the book and WHEN THIS IS GONNA BE OVER anytime she opened her mouth. and she wasn’t even annoying, she was just so naive and dumb and couldn’t make up her mind.
⌞ 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 “𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰” 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ⌝ there’s a lot that i have to say about him and none of it is good. first of all, i love a good broken mc but wtf was this. i feel like that’s what the author was trying to make him but he was just so confusing and weird, like if he had two personalities. one moment, he’s like: “i want a rich wife to pay off my debts and that’s all i am practically making a girl believe i love her and i’m gonna lie to her and then take all her money” and then he’s like: “omg mary is so gorgeous and innocent i want her to be my wife she’s so pleasent to the eye i don’t even want her for her money anymore”. like WHAT? another thing is, there is just something so weird about using like old serious kinda english while writing sex scenes or writing about a male character being attracted to a woman, i’m sorry. my brain is probably just way too used to college dark romances but it was so cringe. i also feel like all of the characters had NO life, NO brain and NO own thoughts.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ♡
i am dissapointed, i really am. this book has such a cute cover and so much potential but it feels like a badly written wattpad story.
───୨ৎ────
⤷ thank you for this arc to gemini books group and netgalley in exchange for my honest review!!
May 9, 2025
2.5 stars
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue by Jane Lark is actually the fifth book in a series called the Marlow Intrigues. I haven't read the first four and I'm not sure you have to but I might go back to check them out to see. This one did feel like a complete book however there were a number of references to other Marlowes so just be aware in case you haven't read them either.
That said, this book focuses on Miss Mary Marlow as the fmc. She is newly out and considered one of the best picks for a wife as she comes from a good family, has a good dowry, and is pretty. Mary isn't really sure what she wants though - no one is really drawing her interest at all except for one man. The one her family has warned her to stay away from. Lord Andrew Framlington.
Lord Andrew (Drew) Framlington has been watching Mary and has decided she is the lady for him. Yes, he needs her dowry but it is more than that. She's willing to stand up to him and challenge him. She's everything he wants in a wife. The challenge is that her family would never accept him so he needs to get her to accept him and be willing to go against everything she has been taught and trust in him to eventually elope. He just needs to figure out how to win her over.
I found this to be a challenging read. I'm not sure how I felt about either character - mostly because Mary seemed so wishy washy and Andrew wouldn't talk to her / tell her anything. I get Mary not wanting to disappoint her family and doubting everything when she heard what Andrew said at the ball (over a year ago) but if you ask me, John can be mad about what was said but he also seems to be a bit of a hypocrite if his background is what Andrew says it was and is exactly what he is holding against Andrew.
And Andrew needs to just sit down and talk to Mary. That might clear up a lot and while I get his past and feelings aren't necessarily comfortable subjects, until he does, things are going to be bumpy. Also, the elopement. He could have been honest with Mary about that too. I'm not sure how she would have reacted but regardless, it was shady how he went about it.
The ending of this book did throw me off a bit. I'm not sure if we are going to get more of their story in subsequent books or not but it seemed very abrupt and I was looking for more of a resolution I guess. It didn't even seem like a happy for now as they both still seem like they are in a place of "I guess we're stuck with what we've done". I think I might pick up the next book just to see what is in the next book - if anything. That said, I'm on the fence with this one and not sure where I land on the recommendation.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Dangerous Love of a Rogue by Jane Lark is actually the fifth book in a series called the Marlow Intrigues. I haven't read the first four and I'm not sure you have to but I might go back to check them out to see. This one did feel like a complete book however there were a number of references to other Marlowes so just be aware in case you haven't read them either.
That said, this book focuses on Miss Mary Marlow as the fmc. She is newly out and considered one of the best picks for a wife as she comes from a good family, has a good dowry, and is pretty. Mary isn't really sure what she wants though - no one is really drawing her interest at all except for one man. The one her family has warned her to stay away from. Lord Andrew Framlington.
Lord Andrew (Drew) Framlington has been watching Mary and has decided she is the lady for him. Yes, he needs her dowry but it is more than that. She's willing to stand up to him and challenge him. She's everything he wants in a wife. The challenge is that her family would never accept him so he needs to get her to accept him and be willing to go against everything she has been taught and trust in him to eventually elope. He just needs to figure out how to win her over.
I found this to be a challenging read. I'm not sure how I felt about either character - mostly because Mary seemed so wishy washy and Andrew wouldn't talk to her / tell her anything. I get Mary not wanting to disappoint her family and doubting everything when she heard what Andrew said at the ball (over a year ago) but if you ask me, John can be mad about what was said but he also seems to be a bit of a hypocrite if his background is what Andrew says it was and is exactly what he is holding against Andrew.
And Andrew needs to just sit down and talk to Mary. That might clear up a lot and while I get his past and feelings aren't necessarily comfortable subjects, until he does, things are going to be bumpy. Also, the elopement. He could have been honest with Mary about that too. I'm not sure how she would have reacted but regardless, it was shady how he went about it.
The ending of this book did throw me off a bit. I'm not sure if we are going to get more of their story in subsequent books or not but it seemed very abrupt and I was looking for more of a resolution I guess. It didn't even seem like a happy for now as they both still seem like they are in a place of "I guess we're stuck with what we've done". I think I might pick up the next book just to see what is in the next book - if anything. That said, I'm on the fence with this one and not sure where I land on the recommendation.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2025
As an avid Regency reader from a young age I am very familiar with the different stylistic choices when writing historical novels. Some focus on the light-hearted relationships, adding farcical misunderstandings and witty banter, some focus on family relationships and others still focus on the spice- the enticement and titillation of the forbidden within the time period.
You can usually tell what type of regency you are reading by the cover. Cartoon covers are a fun light-hearted romp, almost romantic comedy- these are your Alexandra Vashti, Martha Waters and Julia Quinn. Those that focus on family life, broadly encompassing the world have more serious covers- like Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh and Eloise James. The final ones are those that depend on the spice and steamy scenes to sell you, these usually have a half-naked couple entwined on the cover, you don't expect anything serious- Sally Vixen, Ava MacAdams and Em Brown.
Jane Lark's book manages to fall somewhere between Eloise James and Sally Vixen; yet the cover promises laughs.
I pretty much guarantee you will not laugh at The Dangerous Love of a Rogue.
The MMC is a walking red flag. Raised in the demi-monde and used to using his body to fund his lifestyle, he is now desperate for money after squandering his ill-gotten gains. He spends his time leaning on his richer friends and carousing. until he spots Mary- a sweet innocent debutante and decides he wants her because she's 'pure' and unlikely to cheat on him.
However he knows that her brother and father will not let him near her because of his reputation and so he stares at her before demanding a dance.
After that one dance she is enthralled by him, so much so that, even though they don't speak for a year, she feels like she's meant to be with him.
Cue sneaking around, Machiavellian schemes and some of the most toxic behaviour from any regency hero- even Mr Wickham would be ashamed.
The book ends, not on a HEA, or even HFN but on a WTF.
Andrew is basically your first teenage boyfriend who demands you love him more than your family and, at one point, practically says the words "If you love me, you'll sleep with me." Nothing has given me the ick faster.
And Mary is the quintessential "I can change him."
Emotionally immature and desperate hero, bland heroine, toxic relationship pretending to be romantic and the sensible family as the ones getting in the way of true love. This is like Colleen Hoover and Stephanie Meyer decided to get together and write regency.
Pass.
You can usually tell what type of regency you are reading by the cover. Cartoon covers are a fun light-hearted romp, almost romantic comedy- these are your Alexandra Vashti, Martha Waters and Julia Quinn. Those that focus on family life, broadly encompassing the world have more serious covers- like Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh and Eloise James. The final ones are those that depend on the spice and steamy scenes to sell you, these usually have a half-naked couple entwined on the cover, you don't expect anything serious- Sally Vixen, Ava MacAdams and Em Brown.
Jane Lark's book manages to fall somewhere between Eloise James and Sally Vixen; yet the cover promises laughs.
I pretty much guarantee you will not laugh at The Dangerous Love of a Rogue.
The MMC is a walking red flag. Raised in the demi-monde and used to using his body to fund his lifestyle, he is now desperate for money after squandering his ill-gotten gains. He spends his time leaning on his richer friends and carousing. until he spots Mary- a sweet innocent debutante and decides he wants her because she's 'pure' and unlikely to cheat on him.
However he knows that her brother and father will not let him near her because of his reputation and so he stares at her before demanding a dance.
After that one dance she is enthralled by him, so much so that, even though they don't speak for a year, she feels like she's meant to be with him.
Cue sneaking around, Machiavellian schemes and some of the most toxic behaviour from any regency hero- even Mr Wickham would be ashamed.
The book ends, not on a HEA, or even HFN but on a WTF.
Andrew is basically your first teenage boyfriend who demands you love him more than your family and, at one point, practically says the words "If you love me, you'll sleep with me." Nothing has given me the ick faster.
And Mary is the quintessential "I can change him."
Emotionally immature and desperate hero, bland heroine, toxic relationship pretending to be romantic and the sensible family as the ones getting in the way of true love. This is like Colleen Hoover and Stephanie Meyer decided to get together and write regency.
Pass.
May 31, 2025
Period dramas ? Literally drama in a period where even glancing to the wrong person could cause scandal? Got me there already. The book won me in the first sentence quoting Jane Austen Pride and prejudice. Is the way to my heart.
This is the story ( at least half of it) about a bastard rogue who needs to marry rich and he choses a sister of a Duke and he spends all book trying to conquer her heart and marry her. He is not marrying for love, he doesn’t believe in love. He is marrying by necessity. He is getting broke and needs to marry rich. And that is when she walked into his life.
In the beggining you are not going to like the main character neither his mission to marry a rich Lady to be far away from his world and the sins he and his family carry. He is trying to marry any girl, and she was just the one who smiled to him across the ballroom. So now he has a mission: to conquer her heart. But that’s okay he loves a challenge
He is a broken hero better say. Even if you don’t understand his way you understand his means, what moves him, and what he thrives for. Initially I thought he was a jerk trying to win a inocent heart and spend her money to sustain his desire of being free from his responsibilities as a rogue. However, he thinks this is only because of money, but we know deep down he has feelings for this girl more than he can admit and realize .
Forbidden love trope and love at the first sight trope (at least from her). And how far is she willing to go for love, she betrays her family trust, she lies for the first time, only to have his heart.
This was like a prey and predator game he chased her, she pretended she didn’t like it, but she did oooooh how much she liked to be under his eyes.
Their relationship was mainly physical, but then developed to something with love. Is what they say fake it till you make it. Drew was faking his love until he really felt love for her. Well he thought he was faking, but he was deeply in love with her.
Since their first dance he won my heart and I felt sparkles. I’m sorry, but since Mr Darcy I have become obsessed by gentleman who usually don’t follow the conventional path of manners.
I just didn’t expect to be as fast paced as it was but make sense his mission was suppose to be fast .
One of the downsides is sometimes is difficult to read or to get the meaning of the sentence due to the sentence construction or bad chosen words.
The only thing that annoyed me was that I think was unecessary to cut the book in half since it has only 200 pages. For me was a big downside.
Be carefull spoiler ahead: I know sometimes we don’t have a happily ever after but I read books to at least the main characters end happy not in a trap marriage, loveless, angry, full of miscommunication. So I didn’t agreed with the decision of cutting this original book in half, and not tell us (reviewers ) that they are going to do it so. Even though I liked the characters and the story i was upset the way the book ended.
Either way, thank you author and net galley. I enjoyed this book a lot.
This is the story ( at least half of it) about a bastard rogue who needs to marry rich and he choses a sister of a Duke and he spends all book trying to conquer her heart and marry her. He is not marrying for love, he doesn’t believe in love. He is marrying by necessity. He is getting broke and needs to marry rich. And that is when she walked into his life.
In the beggining you are not going to like the main character neither his mission to marry a rich Lady to be far away from his world and the sins he and his family carry. He is trying to marry any girl, and she was just the one who smiled to him across the ballroom. So now he has a mission: to conquer her heart. But that’s okay he loves a challenge
He is a broken hero better say. Even if you don’t understand his way you understand his means, what moves him, and what he thrives for. Initially I thought he was a jerk trying to win a inocent heart and spend her money to sustain his desire of being free from his responsibilities as a rogue. However, he thinks this is only because of money, but we know deep down he has feelings for this girl more than he can admit and realize .
Forbidden love trope and love at the first sight trope (at least from her). And how far is she willing to go for love, she betrays her family trust, she lies for the first time, only to have his heart.
This was like a prey and predator game he chased her, she pretended she didn’t like it, but she did oooooh how much she liked to be under his eyes.
Their relationship was mainly physical, but then developed to something with love. Is what they say fake it till you make it. Drew was faking his love until he really felt love for her. Well he thought he was faking, but he was deeply in love with her.
Since their first dance he won my heart and I felt sparkles. I’m sorry, but since Mr Darcy I have become obsessed by gentleman who usually don’t follow the conventional path of manners.
I just didn’t expect to be as fast paced as it was but make sense his mission was suppose to be fast .
One of the downsides is sometimes is difficult to read or to get the meaning of the sentence due to the sentence construction or bad chosen words.
The only thing that annoyed me was that I think was unecessary to cut the book in half since it has only 200 pages. For me was a big downside.
Be carefull spoiler ahead: I know sometimes we don’t have a happily ever after but I read books to at least the main characters end happy not in a trap marriage, loveless, angry, full of miscommunication. So I didn’t agreed with the decision of cutting this original book in half, and not tell us (reviewers ) that they are going to do it so. Even though I liked the characters and the story i was upset the way the book ended.
Either way, thank you author and net galley. I enjoyed this book a lot.
June 10, 2019
Lord Andrew Framlington needs desperatly to marry for a dowry. His debts are piling so he needs to resort to the one quality he possesses: his ability to seduce women. And after one dance with Miss Mary Marlow, Pembroke’s little sister, he's decided she's the one for him.
After that dance, Mary has been warned by her brother and father to stay away from him, that he's a rogue and a scoundrel and only interested in her money. But he asked her to judge him for herself and not by what she hears about him, and she cannot help but trying to do so.
So when he starts to secretly seduce her, she doesn't put much of a fight. And seduced she is. She agrees to elope with him but when they are found in a compromising position by her father and brother who accuse Drew of being a liar and a manipulator and he doesn't even try to defend himself, she starts to doubt him...
But what is done is done, and now that they are married both must try to do the best of the situation. Only Drew is very proud and doesn't really talk to her which allows for a series of misundertandings on both sides that just drives them further apart. Can a love that developed on such shaky ground be strong enough to keep them together?
I wasn't really into them until after things started to fall apart, but then they both won me over. Drew is very damaged and is used to relying on no one but himself. The only people who used to matter to him were his sister and his friends. He has to learn how to trust Mary and how to be a part of a big loving family when he has never seen or experienced that. In the end, his transformation is well worth the ride.
I got to say I love the Marlows more with every book in the series I read. And I love the little glimpses of the love between Ellen and Edward (Mary's parents) that the author gives us. And I can't wait to see what she has in store for Drew's friends and sister...
COYER Scavenger Hunt: Read a book with just half a face on the cover - 4 points
After that dance, Mary has been warned by her brother and father to stay away from him, that he's a rogue and a scoundrel and only interested in her money. But he asked her to judge him for herself and not by what she hears about him, and she cannot help but trying to do so.
So when he starts to secretly seduce her, she doesn't put much of a fight. And seduced she is. She agrees to elope with him but when they are found in a compromising position by her father and brother who accuse Drew of being a liar and a manipulator and he doesn't even try to defend himself, she starts to doubt him...
But what is done is done, and now that they are married both must try to do the best of the situation. Only Drew is very proud and doesn't really talk to her which allows for a series of misundertandings on both sides that just drives them further apart. Can a love that developed on such shaky ground be strong enough to keep them together?
I wasn't really into them until after things started to fall apart, but then they both won me over. Drew is very damaged and is used to relying on no one but himself. The only people who used to matter to him were his sister and his friends. He has to learn how to trust Mary and how to be a part of a big loving family when he has never seen or experienced that. In the end, his transformation is well worth the ride.
I got to say I love the Marlows more with every book in the series I read. And I love the little glimpses of the love between Ellen and Edward (Mary's parents) that the author gives us. And I can't wait to see what she has in store for Drew's friends and sister...
COYER Scavenger Hunt: Read a book with just half a face on the cover - 4 points
August 6, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lord Andrew Framlington is a character who has a lot of hidden baggage. He has earned his reputation as a rogue and fortune hunter. Mary Marlow is the sister of a Duke and has a large, very protective family. She is an innocent, naive young woman. When Drew shows an interest in her, it doesn't take long for her family to close in and make sure they are kept apart. Of course, there are ways and means, and their secret trysts were captivating. The attraction between them sizzles, but is it enough for Mary to go against her family and keep seeing him in secret?
There is so much for the couple to go through and get past. Mary has reasons to doubt Drew, and Drew's insecurities mean that he struggles to get Mary to see the real him. Never once did I dislike him; in fact, it was Mary who occasionally earned my ire. I know she is young and naive, but she really was too quick to listen to and believe bad things said about him. He shows her in so many ways what she means to him, especially the one that he knows he excels at, making love. Get your fans out, dear reader, because you might need them!
I could go on and on about their story, but wait, I can't! The book ENDS before we find out if the couple will have their happy ever after! I was happily reading away, and all of a sudden, the end. Fortunately, I already had a copy at the ready of the second book in the series and could continue reading. But what if I read this when it first came out, and I had to wait for the next part? I would have been so upset! So big warning...this book has a cliff hanger!
There is so much for the couple to go through and get past. Mary has reasons to doubt Drew, and Drew's insecurities mean that he struggles to get Mary to see the real him. Never once did I dislike him; in fact, it was Mary who occasionally earned my ire. I know she is young and naive, but she really was too quick to listen to and believe bad things said about him. He shows her in so many ways what she means to him, especially the one that he knows he excels at, making love. Get your fans out, dear reader, because you might need them!
I could go on and on about their story, but wait, I can't! The book ENDS before we find out if the couple will have their happy ever after! I was happily reading away, and all of a sudden, the end. Fortunately, I already had a copy at the ready of the second book in the series and could continue reading. But what if I read this when it first came out, and I had to wait for the next part? I would have been so upset! So big warning...this book has a cliff hanger!
May 28, 2025
You are whisked off to the season in Regency England where all the eligible young ladies are out to catch a beau. Some of the gentlemen are looking for a wife. Of course this results in an elaborate game where the women smile sweetly to hide their true feelings and the gentlemen try to present their most respectable side, no matter what the reality. Beneath this veneer, there are liaisons and affairs, with the married women on the look out for some excitement and a host of willing young men happy to be paid for their services. Into this mix is Milly, the innocent daughter of an aristocratic family and a prize to be won. Her family guard her honour carefully., eager to repel the insincere. Of course you soon realise that Milly's family are a close and loving unit who have nurtured her and want the best for her, as they see it.
St a Regency ball, Milly meets Lord Andrew Framlington, a handsome player who turns out to have a complicated family life and a wish to change his ways. Warned off Adam, Milly finds herself drawn to him, despite all the warnings. This story goes at a good pace and events take an unexpected turn which result in a situation which Milly had not foreseen. The rights of women on marriage are starkly shown and their finances become the property of their husbands, as it seems they do. In exchange for a respectable facade, they are placed under the control of their husbands and regarded as unable to sort out their own affairs.
In short: love regency style
Thanks to the publisher
St a Regency ball, Milly meets Lord Andrew Framlington, a handsome player who turns out to have a complicated family life and a wish to change his ways. Warned off Adam, Milly finds herself drawn to him, despite all the warnings. This story goes at a good pace and events take an unexpected turn which result in a situation which Milly had not foreseen. The rights of women on marriage are starkly shown and their finances become the property of their husbands, as it seems they do. In exchange for a respectable facade, they are placed under the control of their husbands and regarded as unable to sort out their own affairs.
In short: love regency style
Thanks to the publisher
December 4, 2025
I just finished reading The Dangerous Love of a Rogue, and I’m torn. Overall, I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars.
I came in wanting a sweeping, swoon-worthy historical romance, and in parts, the book delivers. The setting feels immersive, with a sense of aristocratic balls, societal expectations, and family duty that evokes classic Regency-era romance. The central relationship between Mary Marlow and Lord Andrew Framlington has undeniable chemistry. There are moments of longing, passion, and raw emotion that had me invested in the possibility of them overcoming obstacles.
But at the same time, I found myself hesitating to fully root for them, especially Andrew. His motivations feel suspect early on: he seems more interested in Mary’s wealth and status than in her as a person. As their relationship evolves, I never quite felt convinced of his transformation or genuine devotion. Mary, for her part, often seems too trusting, I struggled to believe that someone so guarded and cynical beforehand would so readily fall for him.
The pacing also feels uneven. There are stretches where plot advances rapidly but character growth lags behind. I wanted more depth: a chance to see Mary and Andrew’s emotions and insecurities explored more gradually, so I could understand and believe their choices. Instead, some developments feel abrupt or unearned.
I can appreciate what the book tries to do, and in small doses, it’s entertaining and emotionally charged, but it doesn’t quite come together for me. Good for a quick historical-romance read if you don’t need perfection.
I came in wanting a sweeping, swoon-worthy historical romance, and in parts, the book delivers. The setting feels immersive, with a sense of aristocratic balls, societal expectations, and family duty that evokes classic Regency-era romance. The central relationship between Mary Marlow and Lord Andrew Framlington has undeniable chemistry. There are moments of longing, passion, and raw emotion that had me invested in the possibility of them overcoming obstacles.
But at the same time, I found myself hesitating to fully root for them, especially Andrew. His motivations feel suspect early on: he seems more interested in Mary’s wealth and status than in her as a person. As their relationship evolves, I never quite felt convinced of his transformation or genuine devotion. Mary, for her part, often seems too trusting, I struggled to believe that someone so guarded and cynical beforehand would so readily fall for him.
The pacing also feels uneven. There are stretches where plot advances rapidly but character growth lags behind. I wanted more depth: a chance to see Mary and Andrew’s emotions and insecurities explored more gradually, so I could understand and believe their choices. Instead, some developments feel abrupt or unearned.
I can appreciate what the book tries to do, and in small doses, it’s entertaining and emotionally charged, but it doesn’t quite come together for me. Good for a quick historical-romance read if you don’t need perfection.
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