A Rake's Redemption

The Six #4

by Susannah Carleton

Could he be tamed?

Theo Middleford, the Viscount Dunnley, is an unabashed rake—and quite a good one, as the ladies he entertains would attest. But his lifestyle is becoming somewhat dangerous—as proven when he finds himself leaping two stories to escape a compromising situation. The time to marry has arrived, and conveniently, so has the Season. But can he find a wife with the warmth of a friend and the fire of a mistress?

No stranger to Lord Dunnley, Lady Sarah Mallory cannot imagine why his mere proximity at this Season's events makes her stomach flutter. It requires all her will just to keep from trembling when his arm encircles her for a waltz. And her efforts are not lost on Dunnley, newly intrigued by the Welsh beauty. Could her gentle demeanor hide a passionate nature? And could his passionate nature hide a weakness for one compelling woman? Both are determined to find out...

Genres: Regency, Romance, Clean Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 2, 2004

About the author

Susannah Carleton discovered Regency romances at the ripe old age of 33 and promptly fell in love, since life among the ton in Regency England is such a diverting change from that of an engineer. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, and when she isn't reading or writing or reviewing books, she loves to knit.

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo Middleford, Viscount Dunnley has a reputation as a rake. Sure he has a healthy appreciation for the pleasures that women can provide, but he never dallies with innocents or married women. After an incident with a so-called widow, he decides to give up willing widows which means he needs to find a wife. He wants a wife who is not just a hostess or a "brood-mare," but someone who will be a friend and companion as well as a lover. He doesn't have far to look, being fond of the new wives of his cousin George and George's friend Elston. Theo decides to look more closely at Beth and Karla's friends and decides to pursue Lady Sarah Mallory, the reserved Welsh beauty. He understands that Sarah's musical talent shows that she has a passionate nature underneath her reserve. Already in her second Season, Sarah vows to find a husband before the end of the Season, which is a rather daunting task for someone who is shy. When Dunnley begins to pay attention to her, Sarah feels nervous and quivery and doesn't understand why she feels so disconcerted around him. Sarah also receives attention, of the wrong sort from "Nasty Ned" Simpson, which makes her afraid. Dunnley is all that is kind and considerate, helping rescue Sarah from unwanted attention. Dunnley feels he can better protect Sarah if they are married or at least betrothed, but the problem is breaking down Sarah's reserve and convincing her they belong together. This is a sweet romance story that's a little on the short side. I liked Sarah and could relate to her reserve, but sometimes the author made Sarah a bit too melodramatic with her reactions. I was also confused as to how the cool, reserved Sarah of previous books turned into the shy, nervous Sarah of this book. I wouldn't label Dunnley as a rake. He behaves more like his cousins than a typical Regency rake. He's someone I could see any sensible girl falling in love with. I like the way the relationship between Dunnley and Sarah develops. I think it's very realistic. I loved the family reunion scene though it was kind of long and unnecessary. This is a quick read and the kind of book that makes you feel warm and happy inside. It isn't entirely necessary to have read the previous books in the series, but it would help.

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average plot despite a somewhat interesting lead male character. But the heroine was so bland. No one can be that innocent, that sheltered especially after going thru the Season once before. I kinda needed to read it since the plot as it was, is inserted into the plot of the next book of the Six series. One one redeeming thing in this one : the viscount. Otherwise very average.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's a really stupid summary of the book.

[Loraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really couldn't get behind the heroine here. When words make you swoon... *shakes her head*

[Lauretta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this after hearing a NPR article on the romance novel industry. The program piqued my curiosity, so I decided to read a few romance novels to see what they were about