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The Rookery Rogues #3
Beauty and the Rake
Once, she was beautiful…
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless. To save her family from debtor’s prison, she strikes a deal with the rogue who owns her father’s gambling vowels–if he excuses the debt, for two weeks, she’ll give him her body, but not her heart.
Once he was charming…
Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed. He sees the beauty within her, not the beast she believes herself to be.
Together, their love is beyond a fairy tale.
After a dangerous figure from Abigail’s past resurfaces vowing vengeance, things take a sinister turn. But Michael will stop at nothing to keep the woman he loves safe. When the stakes are high and the scars are more than skin deep, passion might be the key to a happily ever after.
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless. To save her family from debtor’s prison, she strikes a deal with the rogue who owns her father’s gambling vowels–if he excuses the debt, for two weeks, she’ll give him her body, but not her heart.
Once he was charming…
Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed. He sees the beauty within her, not the beast she believes herself to be.
Together, their love is beyond a fairy tale.
After a dangerous figure from Abigail’s past resurfaces vowing vengeance, things take a sinister turn. But Michael will stop at nothing to keep the woman he loves safe. When the stakes are high and the scars are more than skin deep, passion might be the key to a happily ever after.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2015
36 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Erica Monroe
31 books161 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe writes dark, gritty historical romance. Her current series include Gothic Brides (Regency Gothics), The Rookery Rogues (pre-Victorian gritty working class romance), and Covert Heiresses (Regency spies who are the children of a duke). She was a finalist in the published historical category for the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Romantic Suspense, and her books have been recommended reads at Fresh Fiction, Smexy Books, SBTB, and All About Romance. When she's not writing, she's drinking coffee, reading comic books, or watching televison. She lives in the suburbs of North Carolina with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. Visit Erica online at ericamonroe.com and sign up for her new release newsletter at: hyperurl.co/emnl.
Erica does not read Goodreads messages or respond to invitations. She rarely checks Goodreads.
Erica does not read Goodreads messages or respond to invitations. She rarely checks Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 86 reviews
January 10, 2018
There is most likely something wrong with me because I did not like this even a little. Something about this just doesn't work for me and on the off chance that there's somebody else like me out there in Romance Reading World, I'm sticking my head out and writing this review.
This is book 3 of Monroe's Rookery series. It's admirable that she has chosen London's poor areas and inhabitants for her stories. No fancy dress balls, dukes or earls and diamonds of the first water. Nope. We have working gals and guys, some of them ever so slightly on the shady side of life, because that's what you have to do to survive.
That's why this third story disappoints. I need realism if we're going to have stories about the lower classes and the nitty gritty of life. I don't want a policeman, son of a policeman, who lives in a large, well-decorated home with an incredible library and three employees (housekeeper, cook, and butler/footman/valet). He lives well and has money and comes from a (I believe) upper-class family. That family money thing confuses because why did his father work as a policeman if so? And the book has us sometimes believing that hero Michael lives comfortably because of family money, yet at other times the implication is that he needs to work for his money, with gambling on the side to supplement. Color me confused.
And then there's the heroine. Poor as a church mouse, working from dawn to dusk weaving textiles in a factory, yet she has all the time in the world to read books and educate herself. She's so well read and well spoken that she puts upper-class young ladies to shame. (Granted, she had to steal the books and form a "lending library" of sorts with other book thieves in the neighborhood.)
The romance doesn't work for me either. The H is, IMO, a bit of an arse. When gambling with the h's father puts the family in his debt, he takes advantage of the opportunity for the h to pay off the debt by staying with him for two weeks in his bed. Well, ick on him even if we're supposed to see that he is a tortured soul and will be redeemed by our beauty's love. And, speaking of our beauty, I wanted her to have more spine. She seems to melt whenever the H says suggestive things to her or looks at her speakingly. Yet I felt no warmth and romance in the relationship of these two. No fuzzies for me here.
So the book disappointed me. After book 2, I was looking forward to this one, feeling terrible about what had happened to this young woman at the end of the previous story. Unfortunately, book 3 doesn't make use of the possibilities this set-up provides.
This is book 3 of Monroe's Rookery series. It's admirable that she has chosen London's poor areas and inhabitants for her stories. No fancy dress balls, dukes or earls and diamonds of the first water. Nope. We have working gals and guys, some of them ever so slightly on the shady side of life, because that's what you have to do to survive.
That's why this third story disappoints. I need realism if we're going to have stories about the lower classes and the nitty gritty of life. I don't want a policeman, son of a policeman, who lives in a large, well-decorated home with an incredible library and three employees (housekeeper, cook, and butler/footman/valet). He lives well and has money and comes from a (I believe) upper-class family. That family money thing confuses because why did his father work as a policeman if so? And the book has us sometimes believing that hero Michael lives comfortably because of family money, yet at other times the implication is that he needs to work for his money, with gambling on the side to supplement. Color me confused.
And then there's the heroine. Poor as a church mouse, working from dawn to dusk weaving textiles in a factory, yet she has all the time in the world to read books and educate herself. She's so well read and well spoken that she puts upper-class young ladies to shame. (Granted, she had to steal the books and form a "lending library" of sorts with other book thieves in the neighborhood.)
The romance doesn't work for me either. The H is, IMO, a bit of an arse. When gambling with the h's father puts the family in his debt, he takes advantage of the opportunity for the h to pay off the debt by staying with him for two weeks in his bed. Well, ick on him even if we're supposed to see that he is a tortured soul and will be redeemed by our beauty's love. And, speaking of our beauty, I wanted her to have more spine. She seems to melt whenever the H says suggestive things to her or looks at her speakingly. Yet I felt no warmth and romance in the relationship of these two. No fuzzies for me here.
So the book disappointed me. After book 2, I was looking forward to this one, feeling terrible about what had happened to this young woman at the end of the previous story. Unfortunately, book 3 doesn't make use of the possibilities this set-up provides.
September 10, 2015
Unusually for historical romances set in 19th Century England, the books in Erica Monroe’s
Rookery Rogues
series take place principally in the slums and backstreets of London, and their protagonists are people from the working or middle classes. In Beauty and the Rake, the third of the series, the heroine is Abigail Vautille, a young factory worker who is no longer able to earn her living as a weaver owing to an injury to her left hand.
The sole support of her broken-down, gambling-addict father and much younger sister, Abigail worked at the factory run by the Larkers, who, in the previous book, were exposed as the heads of a wide-reaching criminal syndicate. When Abigail agreed to help her friend Poppy to expose the Larkers and bring them to justice, Abigail was captured and cruelly tortured by their hired muscle, Frank Clowes, her mangled hand now a constant reminder of her past and of the betrayal by the woman she had once regarded as her closest friend.
With no other means of earning a living and keeping her father out of debtor’s prison, Abigail has only one option open to her. All she has left to sell is herself, and while being a rich man’s mistress would be preferable to becoming a streetwalker, she is under no illusions about the step she is about to take. Heading to her father’s favourite gambling den in order to retrieve him one evening, she is aghast to discover that he has lost two hundred pounds. They have no money, so Abigail offers herself to her father’s opponent, a strikingly handsome man she does not know. She will spend the next two weeks in his bed in full payment of the debt, and after that, she hopes she will have learned enough of the courtesan’s arts to be able to attract a protector.
Inspector Michael Strickland knows he shouldn’t be in a gaming den but he’s tired of following the rules and of trying to live up to expectations he knows he can never fulfil. He can’t believe his eyes or his luck when Abigail makes her offer; her lovely face has haunted his dreams, and now here she is, offering herself to him. What Abigail can’t know is that Michael is weighed down by guilt over the fact that his carelessness led to her capture and torture; he had information about Clowes that he delayed acting upon which gave the villain the time to find and maim Abigail. Michael wants her badly – and also reasons that he’ll be doing her a favour by being her first ‘client’. He’ll treat her well and then have a word with some of the madams he knows to see if he can find her a place in one of the nicer whorehouses where she can command a higher going rate.
Not long after the bargain is struck, Strickland receives a note from Clowes, who has escaped custody, threatening Abigail’s life. He decides not to tell her – after all, she will be living in his house for the next two weeks and he will be able to protect her in person while also working to bring about the criminal’s recapture.
The story that follows is principally devoted to the slowly developing romance between Abigail and Michael. Although she is prepared to become his mistress immediately, Michael finds he doesn’t want her to come to him simply because of their bargain; he wants her to want him and the delay gives them time to get to know each other before they finally become lovers. The mystery element doesn’t really come into play until quite late on in the book, and I found Abigail’s reaction upon discovering that Michael’s actions – or lack of them – could possibly have contributed to her injuries to be rather over the top and contrived. On the positive side, however, the author’s descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of the rookeries, and of the harsh lives led by their inhabitants are very evocative, and she makes very clear that these people are as far removed from the glittering world of the ton as it’s possible to be. I have to say, though, that Abigail does not at all sound like a young woman who has grown up in the worst areas of London and who has had little to no education. I can’t imagine such a woman uttering things like: ”We are creatures of malcontent, pressed further and further back into these dark corners until eventually we shall all smother each other.” And it’s unlikely she would have been able to read or write, yet she enjoys reading essays by Swift and Voltaire’s Candide.
In her author’s note, Ms Monroe speaks of her love for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and how both Michael and Abigail possess elements of both those characters (for eagle eyed readers, there are several references in the text to certain elements of the movie version). Both are lovely to look at, yet Abigail is a bitter woman on the inside, one who has been robbed of all her choices, first by an irresponsible parent and then because her injured hand means she can no longer find honest work. And Michael, who has spent most of his life among the people of the slums, is indifferent to the hardships they face, preoccupied with his own sins and the guilt he carries for them. Gradually, they help each other to face their demons and emerge stronger as a result of their mutual love and trust.
In spite the reservations I’ve mentioned, and of the occurrence of a few modern turns of phrase and Americanisms, Beauty and the Rake is a well-written and developed romance between a pair of engaging protagonists. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for whatever Ms Monroe writes next.
The sole support of her broken-down, gambling-addict father and much younger sister, Abigail worked at the factory run by the Larkers, who, in the previous book, were exposed as the heads of a wide-reaching criminal syndicate. When Abigail agreed to help her friend Poppy to expose the Larkers and bring them to justice, Abigail was captured and cruelly tortured by their hired muscle, Frank Clowes, her mangled hand now a constant reminder of her past and of the betrayal by the woman she had once regarded as her closest friend.
With no other means of earning a living and keeping her father out of debtor’s prison, Abigail has only one option open to her. All she has left to sell is herself, and while being a rich man’s mistress would be preferable to becoming a streetwalker, she is under no illusions about the step she is about to take. Heading to her father’s favourite gambling den in order to retrieve him one evening, she is aghast to discover that he has lost two hundred pounds. They have no money, so Abigail offers herself to her father’s opponent, a strikingly handsome man she does not know. She will spend the next two weeks in his bed in full payment of the debt, and after that, she hopes she will have learned enough of the courtesan’s arts to be able to attract a protector.
Inspector Michael Strickland knows he shouldn’t be in a gaming den but he’s tired of following the rules and of trying to live up to expectations he knows he can never fulfil. He can’t believe his eyes or his luck when Abigail makes her offer; her lovely face has haunted his dreams, and now here she is, offering herself to him. What Abigail can’t know is that Michael is weighed down by guilt over the fact that his carelessness led to her capture and torture; he had information about Clowes that he delayed acting upon which gave the villain the time to find and maim Abigail. Michael wants her badly – and also reasons that he’ll be doing her a favour by being her first ‘client’. He’ll treat her well and then have a word with some of the madams he knows to see if he can find her a place in one of the nicer whorehouses where she can command a higher going rate.
Not long after the bargain is struck, Strickland receives a note from Clowes, who has escaped custody, threatening Abigail’s life. He decides not to tell her – after all, she will be living in his house for the next two weeks and he will be able to protect her in person while also working to bring about the criminal’s recapture.
The story that follows is principally devoted to the slowly developing romance between Abigail and Michael. Although she is prepared to become his mistress immediately, Michael finds he doesn’t want her to come to him simply because of their bargain; he wants her to want him and the delay gives them time to get to know each other before they finally become lovers. The mystery element doesn’t really come into play until quite late on in the book, and I found Abigail’s reaction upon discovering that Michael’s actions – or lack of them – could possibly have contributed to her injuries to be rather over the top and contrived. On the positive side, however, the author’s descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of the rookeries, and of the harsh lives led by their inhabitants are very evocative, and she makes very clear that these people are as far removed from the glittering world of the ton as it’s possible to be. I have to say, though, that Abigail does not at all sound like a young woman who has grown up in the worst areas of London and who has had little to no education. I can’t imagine such a woman uttering things like: ”We are creatures of malcontent, pressed further and further back into these dark corners until eventually we shall all smother each other.” And it’s unlikely she would have been able to read or write, yet she enjoys reading essays by Swift and Voltaire’s Candide.
In her author’s note, Ms Monroe speaks of her love for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and how both Michael and Abigail possess elements of both those characters (for eagle eyed readers, there are several references in the text to certain elements of the movie version). Both are lovely to look at, yet Abigail is a bitter woman on the inside, one who has been robbed of all her choices, first by an irresponsible parent and then because her injured hand means she can no longer find honest work. And Michael, who has spent most of his life among the people of the slums, is indifferent to the hardships they face, preoccupied with his own sins and the guilt he carries for them. Gradually, they help each other to face their demons and emerge stronger as a result of their mutual love and trust.
In spite the reservations I’ve mentioned, and of the occurrence of a few modern turns of phrase and Americanisms, Beauty and the Rake is a well-written and developed romance between a pair of engaging protagonists. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for whatever Ms Monroe writes next.
August 23, 2016
2.5 stars, sort of. God, will I ever be confident in my ratings of Erica Monroe’s books???
I mentioned before in another review how much I enjoyed Erica Monroe’s thought provoking and at times polarizing writing style. There was A LOT of that going on in Beauty and the Rake but unfortunately it didn’t all come together in the way that I wanted it to.
First off I gotta say that I think the book’s Beauty and the Beast elements were really well done. The author infused the story with thoughts about what true beauty is; how beauty can mask ugliness and that there can be beauty found in ugliness. She went even further with the idea that there is beauty and ugliness in everyone and that it is our flaws that make us who we are. Seeing beyond the surface of things and people was a main theme too, as was that love makes us better. Also the obvious references to the Disney film version were a particular delight to read.
That good stuff aside, I did have MANY issues with this book as a whole and most of them centered on...wait for it...THE HERO! Is anyone really surprised? I didn’t think so. The hero in this case was a character that had been introduced previously in Secrets in Scarlet and I gotta say, I was not impressed with him there and even less so here. Michael was, as the title obviously alludes to, a rake. And when I say rake, I mean RAKE. From the first chapter onward the man was a total asshole, and that’s being kind. He more or less bought the heroine after her poor excuse for a father lost a wager with him and was downright giddy about the whole thing. And afterward he was actually surprised that Abigail rebuffed his advances, as if no other woman on earth had ever not wanted him before. SERIOUSLY? Michael was an idiot, a louse and his sense of entitlement and obtuseness to everyone other than himself constantly made me rage. He also had a serious case of sex on the brain 24/7 which caused me further irritation as did the later insistence that Michael’s rakish persona was somehow all an act. Riiiight. Oh, did I mention he even quotes Christian Grey at one point? You know, the ‘I don’t make love, I fuck’ line? Lord, help me.
Obviously my issues with Michael bled into the main couple. The correlation of their romance just didn’t make any sense to me, even in the close quarters circumstances. It was like a switch flipped on when Abigail ceased her reasonably aimed animosity towards Michael and Michael realized Abigail was an actual human being with feelings. But being super attracted to each other and having one or two honest conversations does not equate to love, especially when there was a whole lot of TELLING me that they were bonding and falling for each other and far less showing. I wanted to FEEL the slow but sure shift of distrust to affection over the course of their time together which is one of the highlights of the BATB story but I never felt anything even remotely close to that magic. The courtship, and therefore the love story itself, was nonexistent or rang false in my opinion and since that is one of the core elements that makes the original fairytale great, it was a shame to see it so badly mishandled here.
Let me move on to something a little more positive: Abigail. A big part of Abigail’s backstory and how she came to be takes place in Secrets in Scarlet so I recommend reading that book first to get the full scope and understanding of things going on with her here. Abigail starts off with a hard, almost impenetrable exterior. Her little sister Bess was her only reason to keep going and not give up on life entirely, but Abigail virtually closed herself off to everyone and everything that had once mattered to her. She constantly saw herself as a victim and let that singular point of view guide her through every choice she made. If I can say one positive thing about Michael it’s that it was through his kind and considerate attentions that Abigail was able to release the emotions she’d locked away for so long and begin to see herself as a survivor and someone worthy of happiness. She also in turn pushed, shoved, drop kicked Michael out of his comfort zone of ignorance and forced him to see the world as it really was: cruel and often unapologetic, but still with a sense of hope for something better. Abigail was a gem and I really wish she had been given a better hero, or at least one that was in possession of a functioning brain.
As I said before, rating this book was a struggle as I didn’t much care for the plot, hero or the main couple and usually when that happens I’m tempted to dole out the dreaded 1-star of doom. However, I don’t believe this is a 1-star book. Between Abigail’s journey as a character, Erica Monroe’s evocative prose and the core BATB themes present throughout, the book did touch me on an emotional level, enough that I was inspired to write out this longish, impassioned review so that has to count for something! I didn’t hate Beauty and the Rake, but I do believe it could have been so much more than what it ultimately turned out to be. One positive final mention, the scene in the library that involves the reading of bawdy literature and sexy times, hands down one of the best love scenes I’ve ever read, BRAVA.
I mentioned before in another review how much I enjoyed Erica Monroe’s thought provoking and at times polarizing writing style. There was A LOT of that going on in Beauty and the Rake but unfortunately it didn’t all come together in the way that I wanted it to.
First off I gotta say that I think the book’s Beauty and the Beast elements were really well done. The author infused the story with thoughts about what true beauty is; how beauty can mask ugliness and that there can be beauty found in ugliness. She went even further with the idea that there is beauty and ugliness in everyone and that it is our flaws that make us who we are. Seeing beyond the surface of things and people was a main theme too, as was that love makes us better. Also the obvious references to the Disney film version were a particular delight to read.
That good stuff aside, I did have MANY issues with this book as a whole and most of them centered on...wait for it...THE HERO! Is anyone really surprised? I didn’t think so. The hero in this case was a character that had been introduced previously in Secrets in Scarlet and I gotta say, I was not impressed with him there and even less so here. Michael was, as the title obviously alludes to, a rake. And when I say rake, I mean RAKE. From the first chapter onward the man was a total asshole, and that’s being kind. He more or less bought the heroine after her poor excuse for a father lost a wager with him and was downright giddy about the whole thing. And afterward he was actually surprised that Abigail rebuffed his advances, as if no other woman on earth had ever not wanted him before. SERIOUSLY? Michael was an idiot, a louse and his sense of entitlement and obtuseness to everyone other than himself constantly made me rage. He also had a serious case of sex on the brain 24/7 which caused me further irritation as did the later insistence that Michael’s rakish persona was somehow all an act. Riiiight. Oh, did I mention he even quotes Christian Grey at one point? You know, the ‘I don’t make love, I fuck’ line? Lord, help me.
Obviously my issues with Michael bled into the main couple. The correlation of their romance just didn’t make any sense to me, even in the close quarters circumstances. It was like a switch flipped on when Abigail ceased her reasonably aimed animosity towards Michael and Michael realized Abigail was an actual human being with feelings. But being super attracted to each other and having one or two honest conversations does not equate to love, especially when there was a whole lot of TELLING me that they were bonding and falling for each other and far less showing. I wanted to FEEL the slow but sure shift of distrust to affection over the course of their time together which is one of the highlights of the BATB story but I never felt anything even remotely close to that magic. The courtship, and therefore the love story itself, was nonexistent or rang false in my opinion and since that is one of the core elements that makes the original fairytale great, it was a shame to see it so badly mishandled here.
Let me move on to something a little more positive: Abigail. A big part of Abigail’s backstory and how she came to be takes place in Secrets in Scarlet so I recommend reading that book first to get the full scope and understanding of things going on with her here. Abigail starts off with a hard, almost impenetrable exterior. Her little sister Bess was her only reason to keep going and not give up on life entirely, but Abigail virtually closed herself off to everyone and everything that had once mattered to her. She constantly saw herself as a victim and let that singular point of view guide her through every choice she made. If I can say one positive thing about Michael it’s that it was through his kind and considerate attentions that Abigail was able to release the emotions she’d locked away for so long and begin to see herself as a survivor and someone worthy of happiness. She also in turn pushed, shoved, drop kicked Michael out of his comfort zone of ignorance and forced him to see the world as it really was: cruel and often unapologetic, but still with a sense of hope for something better. Abigail was a gem and I really wish she had been given a better hero, or at least one that was in possession of a functioning brain.
As I said before, rating this book was a struggle as I didn’t much care for the plot, hero or the main couple and usually when that happens I’m tempted to dole out the dreaded 1-star of doom. However, I don’t believe this is a 1-star book. Between Abigail’s journey as a character, Erica Monroe’s evocative prose and the core BATB themes present throughout, the book did touch me on an emotional level, enough that I was inspired to write out this longish, impassioned review so that has to count for something! I didn’t hate Beauty and the Rake, but I do believe it could have been so much more than what it ultimately turned out to be. One positive final mention, the scene in the library that involves the reading of bawdy literature and sexy times, hands down one of the best love scenes I’ve ever read, BRAVA.
August 5, 2018
London 1832. Michael got promoted to Inspector in bk #2
which frankly I liked better.
Michael was a Metropolitan Policeman & Abigail kept her
family together even though her father with insufficient
funds owed gambling debts. Michael agreed to enjoying
2 wks in bed with Abigail in exchange for Michael for-
giving her sire's 200 pound debt.
I skipped ahead in this story because the H came across
as a lukewarm policeman & love interest. A variety of
lovers seemed to be his obsession. Doubtful he'd remain
faithful going forward?
which frankly I liked better.
Michael was a Metropolitan Policeman & Abigail kept her
family together even though her father with insufficient
funds owed gambling debts. Michael agreed to enjoying
2 wks in bed with Abigail in exchange for Michael for-
giving her sire's 200 pound debt.
I skipped ahead in this story because the H came across
as a lukewarm policeman & love interest. A variety of
lovers seemed to be his obsession. Doubtful he'd remain
faithful going forward?
March 31, 2019
I must admit it did take me a little while to get into this book. I found the pace a little slow at the beginning but once I got into the story I found it to be an engaging read. I wasn’t sure that I liked the character of Michael at first but he did redeem himself. He certainly found his match in Abigail, she was very forthright and feisty. I enjoyed their growing relationship and it had an action packed ending. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 16, 2015
Favorite Quote: “This must be what heaven smelled like: musty books and leather furniture.“
A poor weaver from the ghetto of Whitechapel, Abigail Vautille may not have had much, but she had her looks and her job until a madman takes it all away from her. With no means of employment and a gambling addict for a father, Abigail is faced with the prospect of prostitution or starving. When her father’s latest debts are more than she can pay, she offers herself to the man who holds her father’s markers, promising him two weeks and her virtue if he excuses the debt.
Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has used his family's good name, connections, and money to afford himself the finer things in life. Success and women have always come easy to him and he has never questioned his means until he sees Abigail again. When he rescued her from near death, he visited her everyday at the hospital, willing his strength into her. He never forgot about her and while he dreamed of her coming to his bed, it was never like this.
The more time they spend together, the more Michael realises that two weeks will never be enough time to uncover all the secrets of Abigail. But Abigail’s scars run deep and when she discovers a secret Michael has been keeping from her, she will need to decide if love is enough to forgive the past in order to secure her future.
I love retellings of classic fairy tales; Beauty and the Beast being a particular favorite of mine. Erica Monroe takes this classic and reworks it, adding a pinch of this and a shake of that to create a unique and bittersweet love story that offers up a un. Set in the 1800’s, Beauty and the Rake focuses on London’s lower and middle class. A nice change from the usual trend of historical romances playing out among the aristocrats where the idea of going hungry or cold is unfathomable. The mechanics of the story work well with the characters. Monroe’s obvious attention to detail allowing us an intimate view of the attitudes towards the lower class and the struggles that they endured day to day to survive.
Abigail Vautille and Michael Strickland were first introduced in book two-Secrets In Scarlet. Though I didn’t read the first two books of the series, I had absolutely no confusion while reading this one. Monroe doesn’t recap the series but she does give the reader just enough of the past to let us know and understand the demons that push Abigail and the part Michael played in the events that led up to Abigail's torture.
I found myself instantly smitten by the hero and heroine. Michael is a sexy alpha with a seemingly laissez faire attitude that confuses, confounds, and delights as we slowly piece together the real man behind the mask. His childhood plays a large role in his present behavior yet for all his posturing, there is a strong thread of respect, decency, and honor that exists within in him. It will just take the right person to bring it out.
“It’s easier for you this way, isn't it? If I pretend to play the game.”
Abigail tugs at our heartstrings as we can feel the despair that always surrounds her. Forced into the role of parent and provider to her sister and father at a young age then tragically disfigured. The anger, shame, and disgust she feels by having to prostitute herself out to yet save her father again is at cross purposes with her strength and pride. She has survived worse and will survive this. Michael and Abigail’s romance begins slowly and antagonistically; our hero and heroine fighting against the chemistry and their own demons from first meeting. We are privy to their every thought which makes for interesting insight into their lives.
“She was immaterial. Her life meant nothing. Her virtue meant nothing.”
I loved watching Abigail grow, not only in her sexuality but as a person. With Michael at her side, she is able to slowly let go of the anger and shame that consumes her. Michael has kept his feelings buried for so long and Abigail’s own emotional breakthrough helps to break down his walls. Watching him fall in love with Abigail is emotionally gratifying. His constant struggle between what he wants and what he feels he should do is a never ending battle that extends through much of the story. The physical scenes are very passionate and gratifying with bits of humor and naughtiness involved as Michael goes from teaching Abigail how to pleasure him to doing all he can to bring her pleasure.
‘I’m not a perfect man but around you, I become something more. “
A dynamic cast of secondary characters are all well developed and add to the familiarity and continuance of the main storyline. Their merging stays constant through the story and Ms. Laurens does well in slowly integrating them into the story and allowing their scenes to help our protagonists. I enjoyed finding the small scenes and figures that Monroe culls from the fairytale for her story. The small suspense storyline that carried over from book two is low key as we follow the hints and clues to their discover their ultimate goals.The ending comes at you fast and wraps up the storyline and subsequent sub plots in a clear and concise manner that answers all our questions and concerns. There is even a sweet epilogue (and you all know how much I love epilogues) that leave us secure in Michael and Abigail’s future.
I look forward to reading more of Ms. Monroe’s books in the future.
RATING: B+
A poor weaver from the ghetto of Whitechapel, Abigail Vautille may not have had much, but she had her looks and her job until a madman takes it all away from her. With no means of employment and a gambling addict for a father, Abigail is faced with the prospect of prostitution or starving. When her father’s latest debts are more than she can pay, she offers herself to the man who holds her father’s markers, promising him two weeks and her virtue if he excuses the debt.
Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has used his family's good name, connections, and money to afford himself the finer things in life. Success and women have always come easy to him and he has never questioned his means until he sees Abigail again. When he rescued her from near death, he visited her everyday at the hospital, willing his strength into her. He never forgot about her and while he dreamed of her coming to his bed, it was never like this.
The more time they spend together, the more Michael realises that two weeks will never be enough time to uncover all the secrets of Abigail. But Abigail’s scars run deep and when she discovers a secret Michael has been keeping from her, she will need to decide if love is enough to forgive the past in order to secure her future.
I love retellings of classic fairy tales; Beauty and the Beast being a particular favorite of mine. Erica Monroe takes this classic and reworks it, adding a pinch of this and a shake of that to create a unique and bittersweet love story that offers up a un. Set in the 1800’s, Beauty and the Rake focuses on London’s lower and middle class. A nice change from the usual trend of historical romances playing out among the aristocrats where the idea of going hungry or cold is unfathomable. The mechanics of the story work well with the characters. Monroe’s obvious attention to detail allowing us an intimate view of the attitudes towards the lower class and the struggles that they endured day to day to survive.
Abigail Vautille and Michael Strickland were first introduced in book two-Secrets In Scarlet. Though I didn’t read the first two books of the series, I had absolutely no confusion while reading this one. Monroe doesn’t recap the series but she does give the reader just enough of the past to let us know and understand the demons that push Abigail and the part Michael played in the events that led up to Abigail's torture.
I found myself instantly smitten by the hero and heroine. Michael is a sexy alpha with a seemingly laissez faire attitude that confuses, confounds, and delights as we slowly piece together the real man behind the mask. His childhood plays a large role in his present behavior yet for all his posturing, there is a strong thread of respect, decency, and honor that exists within in him. It will just take the right person to bring it out.
“It’s easier for you this way, isn't it? If I pretend to play the game.”
Abigail tugs at our heartstrings as we can feel the despair that always surrounds her. Forced into the role of parent and provider to her sister and father at a young age then tragically disfigured. The anger, shame, and disgust she feels by having to prostitute herself out to yet save her father again is at cross purposes with her strength and pride. She has survived worse and will survive this. Michael and Abigail’s romance begins slowly and antagonistically; our hero and heroine fighting against the chemistry and their own demons from first meeting. We are privy to their every thought which makes for interesting insight into their lives.
“She was immaterial. Her life meant nothing. Her virtue meant nothing.”
I loved watching Abigail grow, not only in her sexuality but as a person. With Michael at her side, she is able to slowly let go of the anger and shame that consumes her. Michael has kept his feelings buried for so long and Abigail’s own emotional breakthrough helps to break down his walls. Watching him fall in love with Abigail is emotionally gratifying. His constant struggle between what he wants and what he feels he should do is a never ending battle that extends through much of the story. The physical scenes are very passionate and gratifying with bits of humor and naughtiness involved as Michael goes from teaching Abigail how to pleasure him to doing all he can to bring her pleasure.
‘I’m not a perfect man but around you, I become something more. “
A dynamic cast of secondary characters are all well developed and add to the familiarity and continuance of the main storyline. Their merging stays constant through the story and Ms. Laurens does well in slowly integrating them into the story and allowing their scenes to help our protagonists. I enjoyed finding the small scenes and figures that Monroe culls from the fairytale for her story. The small suspense storyline that carried over from book two is low key as we follow the hints and clues to their discover their ultimate goals.The ending comes at you fast and wraps up the storyline and subsequent sub plots in a clear and concise manner that answers all our questions and concerns. There is even a sweet epilogue (and you all know how much I love epilogues) that leave us secure in Michael and Abigail’s future.
I look forward to reading more of Ms. Monroe’s books in the future.
RATING: B+
June 16, 2016
4.25 Stars
Beauty and the Rake is a great example of an impulse buy that was worth the rush. I adore Beauty and the Beast retellings and I saw this book mentioned as being on sale over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Their deal alert post helpfully linked to Redheaded Girl's fabulous review and I knew this book had to be mine. And, in a rare situation for me, I read it immediately rather than letting it languish on my e-reader.
Abigail lives in Whitechapel with her younger sister and their gambling addicted father. Her entire life was focused on getting out of the slums until her plans were thrown awry when she was captured and tortured by a serial killer. She managed to escape, but has been dealing with the physical and mental scars ever since. Now, her life is taking another difficult turn when she discovers her father is on the brink of being thrown into debtor's prison. Abigail decides to take advantage of this situation and convinces her father's opponent to forgive the debt in exchange for having her in his bed for two weeks.
Michael is an inspector for the Metropolitan police and is feeling disgruntled with his job and his life at the moment. His chance meeting with Abigail and her offer to warm his bed seems like an opportunity to escape from his unhappiness for a short amount of time. It also doesn't hurt that he is very attracted to Abigail. Beauty and the Rake follows the two weeks that Abigail and Michael interact in his house and, because this is both a romance and a Beauty and the Beast retelling, it showcases the growing relationship between these two complex individuals.
This is the third book in the Rookery Rogues series and, while I haven't read either of the prequels, I was able to dive right into the world and it didn't miss a beat. Erica Monroe does a wonderful job of providing insight into the less than savory aspects of Victorian London and the setting really comes alive. I have been trying to read more historical romances that don't focus on the aristocracy and this worked perfectly for that initiative. Abigail and Michael both come from humble beginnings and are used to working for survival and their happiness. This made it very easy to relate to them and their struggles.
What I liked the best about this book was the way that the author played with the familiar aspects of this type of story. There are plenty of references to the original fairy tale and the Disney movie to make me smile without feeling like the story was following a checklist. The connections were subtle, but fun to discover. The most fascinating part was the way that both Abigail and Michael embodied the characters of Beauty and the Beast. Abigail's scars make her feel like she is a monster while Michael feels guilty for being part of the investigation team that left her vulnerable to her captor in the first place. I love it when writers play with familiar elements of tropes and give them upgrades which is definitely what happened here.
I just had a fabulous time reading Beauty and the Rake. It was dark, romantic, and full of things that hit all my buttons. Abigail and Michael are complicated characters who definitely deserve their happy ending and it does not come easy. I will be reading more in this series and was super excited to see that I had previously purchased book one. Yeah for discovering a new to me author with a decent-sized backlist!
Beauty and the Rake is a great example of an impulse buy that was worth the rush. I adore Beauty and the Beast retellings and I saw this book mentioned as being on sale over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. Their deal alert post helpfully linked to Redheaded Girl's fabulous review and I knew this book had to be mine. And, in a rare situation for me, I read it immediately rather than letting it languish on my e-reader.
Abigail lives in Whitechapel with her younger sister and their gambling addicted father. Her entire life was focused on getting out of the slums until her plans were thrown awry when she was captured and tortured by a serial killer. She managed to escape, but has been dealing with the physical and mental scars ever since. Now, her life is taking another difficult turn when she discovers her father is on the brink of being thrown into debtor's prison. Abigail decides to take advantage of this situation and convinces her father's opponent to forgive the debt in exchange for having her in his bed for two weeks.
Michael is an inspector for the Metropolitan police and is feeling disgruntled with his job and his life at the moment. His chance meeting with Abigail and her offer to warm his bed seems like an opportunity to escape from his unhappiness for a short amount of time. It also doesn't hurt that he is very attracted to Abigail. Beauty and the Rake follows the two weeks that Abigail and Michael interact in his house and, because this is both a romance and a Beauty and the Beast retelling, it showcases the growing relationship between these two complex individuals.
This is the third book in the Rookery Rogues series and, while I haven't read either of the prequels, I was able to dive right into the world and it didn't miss a beat. Erica Monroe does a wonderful job of providing insight into the less than savory aspects of Victorian London and the setting really comes alive. I have been trying to read more historical romances that don't focus on the aristocracy and this worked perfectly for that initiative. Abigail and Michael both come from humble beginnings and are used to working for survival and their happiness. This made it very easy to relate to them and their struggles.
What I liked the best about this book was the way that the author played with the familiar aspects of this type of story. There are plenty of references to the original fairy tale and the Disney movie to make me smile without feeling like the story was following a checklist. The connections were subtle, but fun to discover. The most fascinating part was the way that both Abigail and Michael embodied the characters of Beauty and the Beast. Abigail's scars make her feel like she is a monster while Michael feels guilty for being part of the investigation team that left her vulnerable to her captor in the first place. I love it when writers play with familiar elements of tropes and give them upgrades which is definitely what happened here.
I just had a fabulous time reading Beauty and the Rake. It was dark, romantic, and full of things that hit all my buttons. Abigail and Michael are complicated characters who definitely deserve their happy ending and it does not come easy. I will be reading more in this series and was super excited to see that I had previously purchased book one. Yeah for discovering a new to me author with a decent-sized backlist!
June 29, 2015
3.5 - 4 stars
December 2, 2015
With a unique twist on the classic beauty and the beast story, this historical romance between Michael and Abigail takes us into the rough reality of life in the poor and middle class areas of London in the early 1800s. As a police inspector, Michael is used to viewing the lower denizens of London's poor with mostly indifference. The exception to that is Abigail, a woman who paid the price for his neglect when she was tortured and left for dead by a crime family that he failed to stop in time, a woman he visited in the hospital. He gave her the strength to go on, though she never saw who it was that whispered words of encouragement to her in her pain filled state. Now Abigail is forced to make a deal with Michael when her father loses 200 pounds to him in a gaming hell - let her father go to debtor's prison or spend two weeks as Michael's paramour. Knowing her only option for a future hand to mouth existence will be the prostitution trade anyway, she is determined to learn from Michael how to conduct herself accordingly. But Michael's reputation as a rake is slowly undone by his fascination and attraction to Abigail, and his determination to help her rise above her poverty stricken state. They both have things to teach the other on the path to true love, if they are able to escape the clutches of the man who destroyed Abigail once and has escaped from prison, determined to finish the job.
It's no secret that I'm a fan of Ms.Monroe, having delightfully consumed her two previous titles in the Rookery Rogues series, A Dangerous Invitation and Secrets in Scarlet (the latter being where Michael and Abigail were first introduced as characters, though with no sense at the time that they might end up together). She has the knack of putting you in the scene with her meticulous attention to detail. Her research is thorough and describes everything from the different areas of London and the class of people living there, to the types of dress, mannerisms and expectations of low and middle income level characters. Yet far from being boring, this adds much to the points of view of Abigail and Michael and is instrumental in understanding their positions in society and how they interact with each other. The fact that they are attracted to each is dismaying for Abigail who is trying hard to isolate her emotions from the acts she's expecting to perform. She's a bitter woman now, her disfigurement having resulted in the loss of her only source of income and having the burden of taking care of her young sister and her gambling addicted father. She understands what Michael wants from her and nervous as she is about it, is determined to make the best of her situation. On the other hand, Michael is, (admittedly even to himself sometimes), a bit of an ass. He doesn't see anything wrong with this deal he's made with Abigail, thinking he's doing her a favour in getting her started on the road to a lucrative courtesan career, never realizing the selfishness of his actions until he starts to see the real Abigail, the one under the damaged and curt exterior. There is a slow unfurling of sexual tension between them and it leads to some steamy and yet tender love scenes, though not in the way that Abigail or Michael originally expected upon making their bargain.
One thing that is fairly clear is that Michael and Abigail both display qualities of a beauty and a beast, Abigail in physical form and Michael in his emotional state. I really enjoyed the allusions to the Disney version of the story that were woven throughout, from Abigail having to save her father by making a deal with "a beast", the tall thin butler and round womanly housekeeper that befriend Abigail in Michael's home, the cavernous library that delights Abigail even as she finds tomes hidden in the dusty corners that would have made Belle blush, and a delightful scene in the snow complete with a fur lined cloak. I'm sure I'll think of more gems that were subtly hidden throughout the story.
Along with the sweet romance is the suspense subplot with the man who tortured Abigail, having escaped from prison and threatening mayhem and murder on those responsible for his incarceration. It's also a good excuse for Michael to explain why he's keeping Abigail close without alerting his superiors to his true reasons for having her with him. I liked how the tension was put into the story through the twists and turns of wondering when Abigail's nemesis would finally make his move.
From beginning to end this story had me enthralled and I was delighted with the final result and Michael and especially Abigail getting their happy ending. 5 stars!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Note: this review also appears as a blog post on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
It's no secret that I'm a fan of Ms.Monroe, having delightfully consumed her two previous titles in the Rookery Rogues series, A Dangerous Invitation and Secrets in Scarlet (the latter being where Michael and Abigail were first introduced as characters, though with no sense at the time that they might end up together). She has the knack of putting you in the scene with her meticulous attention to detail. Her research is thorough and describes everything from the different areas of London and the class of people living there, to the types of dress, mannerisms and expectations of low and middle income level characters. Yet far from being boring, this adds much to the points of view of Abigail and Michael and is instrumental in understanding their positions in society and how they interact with each other. The fact that they are attracted to each is dismaying for Abigail who is trying hard to isolate her emotions from the acts she's expecting to perform. She's a bitter woman now, her disfigurement having resulted in the loss of her only source of income and having the burden of taking care of her young sister and her gambling addicted father. She understands what Michael wants from her and nervous as she is about it, is determined to make the best of her situation. On the other hand, Michael is, (admittedly even to himself sometimes), a bit of an ass. He doesn't see anything wrong with this deal he's made with Abigail, thinking he's doing her a favour in getting her started on the road to a lucrative courtesan career, never realizing the selfishness of his actions until he starts to see the real Abigail, the one under the damaged and curt exterior. There is a slow unfurling of sexual tension between them and it leads to some steamy and yet tender love scenes, though not in the way that Abigail or Michael originally expected upon making their bargain.
One thing that is fairly clear is that Michael and Abigail both display qualities of a beauty and a beast, Abigail in physical form and Michael in his emotional state. I really enjoyed the allusions to the Disney version of the story that were woven throughout, from Abigail having to save her father by making a deal with "a beast", the tall thin butler and round womanly housekeeper that befriend Abigail in Michael's home, the cavernous library that delights Abigail even as she finds tomes hidden in the dusty corners that would have made Belle blush, and a delightful scene in the snow complete with a fur lined cloak. I'm sure I'll think of more gems that were subtly hidden throughout the story.
Along with the sweet romance is the suspense subplot with the man who tortured Abigail, having escaped from prison and threatening mayhem and murder on those responsible for his incarceration. It's also a good excuse for Michael to explain why he's keeping Abigail close without alerting his superiors to his true reasons for having her with him. I liked how the tension was put into the story through the twists and turns of wondering when Abigail's nemesis would finally make his move.
From beginning to end this story had me enthralled and I was delighted with the final result and Michael and especially Abigail getting their happy ending. 5 stars!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the author for review.
Note: this review also appears as a blog post on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
February 23, 2018
3.5 Stars
Wow, people really didn’t like Michael. I had a different view of him than several of the reviewers. Yes, he was a self-centered rake, etc…But, not once was he anything but sweet and generous to Abigail. It was her idea to prostitute herself out, and while he was obtuse to many things he never treated her like a prostitute or a whore. My favorite thing about him was that right from the beginning he admitted he had flaws and had made mistakes and he apologized for them and tried to be a better person.
I actually found Abigail much less likeable than him. She had such nasty resentment and bitterness. I get she has been through a lot, but she acted like a teenager blaming everyone else for her problems instead of blaming the people actually responsible. Not to mention the fact that she is an ADULT and responsible for making her own decisions. As anyone’s mom would say, “if Poppy told you to jump off a bridge, would you?” Well, Abigail would, and then she would blame Poppy for her pneumonia. She is so concerned with taking care of her young sister Bess, yet refuses several offers of help out of spite and pride.?
The Beauty and the Beast themes were well done. I thought Monroe did a nice job of picking elements from the fairy-tale and the Disney version that would work best in her story and knowing what to leave out. It’s obviously inspired by BatB but is still original.
The first book in this series was so full of action and intrigue (there was a bar fight in the 1st chapter) it really set my expectations for the series. Then the second book had a little less, but was still moving toward an end goal. Now, this third book has the least amount of adventure, 95% of it takes place inside Michael’s townhouse. The villain plays almost no role until the very end. The focus was really on the two MC’s character journeys and their developing relationship. This would have been fine if it were shorter, but 350 pages with one setting and no action is way too long. Ultimately if this book was 50-100 pages shorter it would have been closer to 5-stars.
I think most can agree that Monroe’s prose are absolutely beautiful. But, I wish she would work on her characterization a little bit. I had the same issues with the first 2 books. Her character’s motivations are often contrived and out of place. For instance, Abigail spends the whole book blaming Poppy and Knight and in the span of 60-seconds shifts all her blame and hatred to Michael for no reason (other than Monroe needed a way to get her out of the townhouse). She is mad at Michael for withholding a small truth but openly lying to her beloved sister? There are several character decisions that if you look at them too closely will fall apart. But, as a whole, Monroe is a very talented writer and I will continue to read her books.
WARNING: there is sex in this book, it is not erotica, but enough to be a steamy & hot adult romance. Please do not read if you are looking for something PG. Romance-5/5 Steaminess-4/5 Explicitness-3/5
Wow, people really didn’t like Michael. I had a different view of him than several of the reviewers. Yes, he was a self-centered rake, etc…But, not once was he anything but sweet and generous to Abigail. It was her idea to prostitute herself out, and while he was obtuse to many things he never treated her like a prostitute or a whore. My favorite thing about him was that right from the beginning he admitted he had flaws and had made mistakes and he apologized for them and tried to be a better person.
I actually found Abigail much less likeable than him. She had such nasty resentment and bitterness. I get she has been through a lot, but she acted like a teenager blaming everyone else for her problems instead of blaming the people actually responsible. Not to mention the fact that she is an ADULT and responsible for making her own decisions. As anyone’s mom would say, “if Poppy told you to jump off a bridge, would you?” Well, Abigail would, and then she would blame Poppy for her pneumonia. She is so concerned with taking care of her young sister Bess, yet refuses several offers of help out of spite and pride.?
The Beauty and the Beast themes were well done. I thought Monroe did a nice job of picking elements from the fairy-tale and the Disney version that would work best in her story and knowing what to leave out. It’s obviously inspired by BatB but is still original.
The first book in this series was so full of action and intrigue (there was a bar fight in the 1st chapter) it really set my expectations for the series. Then the second book had a little less, but was still moving toward an end goal. Now, this third book has the least amount of adventure, 95% of it takes place inside Michael’s townhouse. The villain plays almost no role until the very end. The focus was really on the two MC’s character journeys and their developing relationship. This would have been fine if it were shorter, but 350 pages with one setting and no action is way too long. Ultimately if this book was 50-100 pages shorter it would have been closer to 5-stars.
I think most can agree that Monroe’s prose are absolutely beautiful. But, I wish she would work on her characterization a little bit. I had the same issues with the first 2 books. Her character’s motivations are often contrived and out of place. For instance, Abigail spends the whole book blaming Poppy and Knight and in the span of 60-seconds shifts all her blame and hatred to Michael for no reason (other than Monroe needed a way to get her out of the townhouse). She is mad at Michael for withholding a small truth but openly lying to her beloved sister? There are several character decisions that if you look at them too closely will fall apart. But, as a whole, Monroe is a very talented writer and I will continue to read her books.
WARNING: there is sex in this book, it is not erotica, but enough to be a steamy & hot adult romance. Please do not read if you are looking for something PG. Romance-5/5 Steaminess-4/5 Explicitness-3/5
January 24, 2020
Gritty, ADULT Look at the Poor in Early Victorian England
The machine age is in full swing and the mechanical looms and weaving business is in high gear. Children are commonly used as workers because they eat less and get paid less.
Abigail💃 was one of those children. She used to crawl under the looms to pick up bits of thread and scraps of material. Her legs are crooked from the abuse as a child.
Then the horrible happens when she is nineteen. Frank Clowes👺, A gangsters debt enforcer, pushes her hand into the crashing mechanics of the loom, and it crushes and mangles her hand.
After she gets out of the hospital, she can no longer work. Her younger sister, only Nine, is doing the job of crawling under the looms, now.
Their father, addicted to gambling, is deep in debt to unscrupulous men , and Abigail's meager earnings no longer cover any of it!
He owes 200 pounds to Michael Strickland🐺🍆⛲, a London Detective.
Michael🐺🍆⛲ is a libertine, a rake, he is a user of women. With his good looks, great body, and gifts of persuasion, he has no trouble bedding all the women he wants.
He wants Abigail💃💋, she is so fair of face and voluptuous, he paid her hospital bill. Abigail💃💋 knows she can never pay her father's debt to him, but she wants to become a courtesan, that is all that is left to her to make money 💰.
Michael🐺🍆⛲ forgives the debt and gets her father banned from every gambling club in London, if she will be his woman💃💋 for two weeks! He promises to teach her every thing he knows.
Deep down, Michael🐺🍆⛲ wants Abigail💃💋 for himself, and he never wants to let her go......
ARC Provided by Hidden 💎Gems
The ebook was $4.99 in Amazon at the time of this review.
Opinions Expressed here are entirely my own.
This is an ADULT Historical Romance💕 with Crime🔪💪👊🔫 Elements. Great read!
The machine age is in full swing and the mechanical looms and weaving business is in high gear. Children are commonly used as workers because they eat less and get paid less.
Abigail💃 was one of those children. She used to crawl under the looms to pick up bits of thread and scraps of material. Her legs are crooked from the abuse as a child.
Then the horrible happens when she is nineteen. Frank Clowes👺, A gangsters debt enforcer, pushes her hand into the crashing mechanics of the loom, and it crushes and mangles her hand.
After she gets out of the hospital, she can no longer work. Her younger sister, only Nine, is doing the job of crawling under the looms, now.
Their father, addicted to gambling, is deep in debt to unscrupulous men , and Abigail's meager earnings no longer cover any of it!
He owes 200 pounds to Michael Strickland🐺🍆⛲, a London Detective.
Michael🐺🍆⛲ is a libertine, a rake, he is a user of women. With his good looks, great body, and gifts of persuasion, he has no trouble bedding all the women he wants.
He wants Abigail💃💋, she is so fair of face and voluptuous, he paid her hospital bill. Abigail💃💋 knows she can never pay her father's debt to him, but she wants to become a courtesan, that is all that is left to her to make money 💰.
Michael🐺🍆⛲ forgives the debt and gets her father banned from every gambling club in London, if she will be his woman💃💋 for two weeks! He promises to teach her every thing he knows.
Deep down, Michael🐺🍆⛲ wants Abigail💃💋 for himself, and he never wants to let her go......
ARC Provided by Hidden 💎Gems
The ebook was $4.99 in Amazon at the time of this review.
Opinions Expressed here are entirely my own.
This is an ADULT Historical Romance💕 with Crime🔪💪👊🔫 Elements. Great read!
September 21, 2016
Review written: September 21, 2016
Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Heat Rating: Between ☀☀☼☼☼ and ☀☀☀☼☼
This book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.
I was intrigued enough by A Dangerous Invitation to continue with this series. Then I missed book 2, which apparently set up this book. All in all, a mistake on my part. That said, I think I'll just stop here with this series and not continue.
I know this series is called Rookery Rogues for a reason, but when I think rogue (or even rake) and romance, I don't think utter douche with virtually no redeeming qualities. Daniel in A Dangerous Invitation was no prince but I dealt with it, kind of. Strickland, on the other hand, is so horrible that I just couldn't ever really find a way to connect with him. Seriously, this guy has no ability to sympathize, let alone empathize with others. To make matters worse, his sister actually has even less ability to do either. I mean, that's saying something right there. It isn't really his sense of entitlement, which he does have and which is laughable given his "almost in the rookeries" life. It isn't the stick up his ass or his moral superiority either. It's this belief that a woman whoring herself out to survive because it's the only thing she can do somehow wants to be a whore. I mean, really?! And then, he thinks he can teach her how to be a better whore. Yes, really!
At this point I'm just in utter awe at his cluelessness. While, he does seem to learn (thanks to Abigail completely falling apart on him), it's way too little and way too late.
Abigail is dealing with the repercussions of things done to her in the previous book of this series, so it's obvious I really should have read that first. So, I get that I'm not getting the whole picture. Besides, I think I can see where she's coming from. Forget her scars, how is she supposed to feed herself and her little sister with no way to work? I'd be pretty bitter too at the people who tortured her, the people who failed to help, and the people who got her involved in the first place. Yet everyone keeps telling her to let it go and make nice with them? Huh. Are they going to pay for her sister to eat? Are they going to keep a roof over her family's heads? Nah, didn't think so.
To make matters even worse, the police suck. I knew that already, honestly. Both historically and previously in this series, the police suck. They pretty much cause half the problems and Strickland's crew are no better because they have lost a murderer, who just happens to be the guy who tortured Abigail. While it does make it so she and Strickland have to be in the same house, it's not a shining moment.
I was disappointed that my favorite character from A Dangerous Invitation was not here (Atlas). Maybe seeing him would have helped me get over Strickland's ugliness. I'm disappointed I didn't like this more. But Strickland wasn't redeemed enough for me and my own folly in not reading book 2 both impacted my reading of this book.
This review is ©September 2016 by Monique N. and has been posted to Netgalley.
Star Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Heat Rating: Between ☀☀☼☼☼ and ☀☀☀☼☼
This book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.
I was intrigued enough by A Dangerous Invitation to continue with this series. Then I missed book 2, which apparently set up this book. All in all, a mistake on my part. That said, I think I'll just stop here with this series and not continue.
I know this series is called Rookery Rogues for a reason, but when I think rogue (or even rake) and romance, I don't think utter douche with virtually no redeeming qualities. Daniel in A Dangerous Invitation was no prince but I dealt with it, kind of. Strickland, on the other hand, is so horrible that I just couldn't ever really find a way to connect with him. Seriously, this guy has no ability to sympathize, let alone empathize with others. To make matters worse, his sister actually has even less ability to do either. I mean, that's saying something right there. It isn't really his sense of entitlement, which he does have and which is laughable given his "almost in the rookeries" life. It isn't the stick up his ass or his moral superiority either. It's this belief that a woman whoring herself out to survive because it's the only thing she can do somehow wants to be a whore. I mean, really?! And then, he thinks he can teach her how to be a better whore. Yes, really!
At this point I'm just in utter awe at his cluelessness. While, he does seem to learn (thanks to Abigail completely falling apart on him), it's way too little and way too late.
Abigail is dealing with the repercussions of things done to her in the previous book of this series, so it's obvious I really should have read that first. So, I get that I'm not getting the whole picture. Besides, I think I can see where she's coming from. Forget her scars, how is she supposed to feed herself and her little sister with no way to work? I'd be pretty bitter too at the people who tortured her, the people who failed to help, and the people who got her involved in the first place. Yet everyone keeps telling her to let it go and make nice with them? Huh. Are they going to pay for her sister to eat? Are they going to keep a roof over her family's heads? Nah, didn't think so.
To make matters even worse, the police suck. I knew that already, honestly. Both historically and previously in this series, the police suck. They pretty much cause half the problems and Strickland's crew are no better because they have lost a murderer, who just happens to be the guy who tortured Abigail. While it does make it so she and Strickland have to be in the same house, it's not a shining moment.
I was disappointed that my favorite character from A Dangerous Invitation was not here (Atlas). Maybe seeing him would have helped me get over Strickland's ugliness. I'm disappointed I didn't like this more. But Strickland wasn't redeemed enough for me and my own folly in not reading book 2 both impacted my reading of this book.
This review is ©September 2016 by Monique N. and has been posted to Netgalley.
April 30, 2015
This is the 3rd book in a series and there's a lot that happens in the 2nd book (I read the synopsis) that is related to this story including I'm guessing how Abigail was hurt.
Abigail, the heroine, worked as a weaver in a factory to support her family as her father does nothing except gamble away money he doesn't have. After a horrendous torture (read the 2nd book?) she has no resources left except prostitution (really?) to support herself & her beloved younger sister. And her father. When said father loses over 200 pounds in a night, Abigail barters away her body for 2 weeks in exchange to her father's debtor.
Michael Strickland had met Abigail in the hospital where she'd been taken after her injury/torture and had been immediately taken with her and is only too willing to agree to Abigail's proposal.
Michael is supposedly the rake but nothing in the story showed that. Quite the opposite as he behaves with utmost integrity and honor towards Abigail throughout; he refuses to debauch her when she presents herself nude to him in her bedroom when she starts crying. It's Abigail who looks for & reads salacious books in Michael's vast library.
I couldn't connect to Abigail at all. At times I felt the author was trying to make her too perfect, but instead it felt rather flat to me.
This copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Merged review:
This is the 3rd book in a series and there's a lot that happens in the 2nd book (I read the synopsis) that is related to this story including I'm guessing how Abigail was hurt.
Abigail, the heroine, worked as a weaver in a factory to support her family as her father does nothing except gamble away money he doesn't have. After a horrendous torture (read the 2nd book?) she has no resources left except prostitution (really?) to support herself & her beloved younger sister. And her father. When said father loses over 200 pounds in a night, Abigail barters away her body for 2 weeks in exchange to her father's debtor.
Michael Strickland had met Abigail in the hospital where she'd been taken after her injury/torture and had been immediately taken with her and is only too willing to agree to Abigail's proposal.
Michael is supposedly the rake but nothing in the story showed that. Quite the opposite as he behaves with utmost integrity and honor towards Abigail throughout; he refuses to debauch her when she presents herself nude to him in her bedroom when she starts crying. It's Abigail who looks for & reads salacious books in Michael's vast library.
I couldn't connect to Abigail at all. At times I felt the author was trying to make her too perfect, but instead it felt rather flat to me.
Abigail, the heroine, worked as a weaver in a factory to support her family as her father does nothing except gamble away money he doesn't have. After a horrendous torture (read the 2nd book?) she has no resources left except prostitution (really?) to support herself & her beloved younger sister. And her father. When said father loses over 200 pounds in a night, Abigail barters away her body for 2 weeks in exchange to her father's debtor.
Michael Strickland had met Abigail in the hospital where she'd been taken after her injury/torture and had been immediately taken with her and is only too willing to agree to Abigail's proposal.
Michael is supposedly the rake but nothing in the story showed that. Quite the opposite as he behaves with utmost integrity and honor towards Abigail throughout; he refuses to debauch her when she presents herself nude to him in her bedroom when she starts crying. It's Abigail who looks for & reads salacious books in Michael's vast library.
I couldn't connect to Abigail at all. At times I felt the author was trying to make her too perfect, but instead it felt rather flat to me.
This copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Merged review:
This is the 3rd book in a series and there's a lot that happens in the 2nd book (I read the synopsis) that is related to this story including I'm guessing how Abigail was hurt.
Abigail, the heroine, worked as a weaver in a factory to support her family as her father does nothing except gamble away money he doesn't have. After a horrendous torture (read the 2nd book?) she has no resources left except prostitution (really?) to support herself & her beloved younger sister. And her father. When said father loses over 200 pounds in a night, Abigail barters away her body for 2 weeks in exchange to her father's debtor.
Michael Strickland had met Abigail in the hospital where she'd been taken after her injury/torture and had been immediately taken with her and is only too willing to agree to Abigail's proposal.
Michael is supposedly the rake but nothing in the story showed that. Quite the opposite as he behaves with utmost integrity and honor towards Abigail throughout; he refuses to debauch her when she presents herself nude to him in her bedroom when she starts crying. It's Abigail who looks for & reads salacious books in Michael's vast library.
I couldn't connect to Abigail at all. At times I felt the author was trying to make her too perfect, but instead it felt rather flat to me.
April 21, 2015
*I got this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I honestly have to say that I didn’t read the first two novels by Erica Monroe in the “The Rookery Rogues” series but usually those Regency series can be read separately too. I think I was wrong about it if it comes to this book. “The Beauty and the Rake” has a story on its own but most of the characters have a lot of backstory that eventually is the storyline of the first two books and not really told in this one. I think that the reader of book 3 should know about the background of the side characters too because things would make more sense.
The story is actually rather nice. Abigail Vautille is looking for her father in one of the gaming hells one night. She was once a beautiful young woman, before things happened (storyline of book 1 or 2). She grew up in London’s rookeries, now she’s unable to work. Her father gambles, a lot. He cannot pay is debts so she offers Michael Strickland herself for two weeks instead of the 200 pounds her father owes him.
The Inspector takes the offer knowing who she is and that her predator escaped prison and is on the look for her but he doesn’t tell her. With the help of his boss he tries to make his home safe and give her nice things – like his sister’s old dresses. But Abigail has to leave her sister Bess behind with a neighbor and she’s afraid that something may happen to her. The girl doesn’t know that she is about to sell her body.
Strickland doesn’t want to get married. He’s the man for a nice affair but without any ties. But he likes her and her intelligence. She knows books. She likes to read and she doesn’t care about delicate literature. Abigail wants to feel passion and lust ….
Well I think the story is pretty predictable too but better than others even not knowing about the storyline of book 1 and 2. Even after reading the whole novel I have no real clue what happened to Abigail’s arm, only that she is afraid of what people may say about the destroyed skin and so on that’s why she always wears long gloves. I also didn’t understand the relation with Poppy for sure because it’s also a part of the first two books as it seems to me.
Nevertheless you have to like Abigail and her loyalty towards her sister and a little even towards her father. When she runs, she runs.
I liked the parts when they talked about literature – I marked a few books I want to give a closer look when I find time.
Rating: 3***
I honestly have to say that I didn’t read the first two novels by Erica Monroe in the “The Rookery Rogues” series but usually those Regency series can be read separately too. I think I was wrong about it if it comes to this book. “The Beauty and the Rake” has a story on its own but most of the characters have a lot of backstory that eventually is the storyline of the first two books and not really told in this one. I think that the reader of book 3 should know about the background of the side characters too because things would make more sense.
The story is actually rather nice. Abigail Vautille is looking for her father in one of the gaming hells one night. She was once a beautiful young woman, before things happened (storyline of book 1 or 2). She grew up in London’s rookeries, now she’s unable to work. Her father gambles, a lot. He cannot pay is debts so she offers Michael Strickland herself for two weeks instead of the 200 pounds her father owes him.
The Inspector takes the offer knowing who she is and that her predator escaped prison and is on the look for her but he doesn’t tell her. With the help of his boss he tries to make his home safe and give her nice things – like his sister’s old dresses. But Abigail has to leave her sister Bess behind with a neighbor and she’s afraid that something may happen to her. The girl doesn’t know that she is about to sell her body.
Strickland doesn’t want to get married. He’s the man for a nice affair but without any ties. But he likes her and her intelligence. She knows books. She likes to read and she doesn’t care about delicate literature. Abigail wants to feel passion and lust ….
Well I think the story is pretty predictable too but better than others even not knowing about the storyline of book 1 and 2. Even after reading the whole novel I have no real clue what happened to Abigail’s arm, only that she is afraid of what people may say about the destroyed skin and so on that’s why she always wears long gloves. I also didn’t understand the relation with Poppy for sure because it’s also a part of the first two books as it seems to me.
Nevertheless you have to like Abigail and her loyalty towards her sister and a little even towards her father. When she runs, she runs.
I liked the parts when they talked about literature – I marked a few books I want to give a closer look when I find time.
Rating: 3***
June 27, 2017
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless. To save her family from debtor's prison, she strikes a deal with Michael Strickland who owns her father's gambling vowels-if he excuses the debt, for two weeks, she'll give him her body, but not her heart. Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed. He sees the beauty within her, not the beast she believes herself to be.
Abigail moves into Michael’s house but he wants her there to protect her from Clowes the man who maimed her & who has vowed revenge.
This book is the third in the series but could be read as a standalone book. It is another engrossing story set in the darker side of nineteenth century London & is a refreshing change that there are no dukes & duchesses but people who have to work for a living, there’s also no froth to the book so if you’re expecting a light hearted romance this won’t be for you. I really like the author’s books her research into the rookeries & ordinary Londoners lives is very good & you feel like you are transported there. However I found it very hard to like Michael, I didn’t like him in Secrets in Scarlet & tried very hard to like him but failed to do so, the nearest I came to liking him was the snowball fight. Abigail has truly suffered & is a strong likeable character who throughout her life has tried to better herself by learning to read & write & improving her diction only to be maimed by Clowes. The plot is well paced leading to the climax which is very good. Both Michael & Abigail were part beauty & part beast, it took love to fully appreciate the beauty. I enjoyed the book & the author is fast becoming one of my must read authors, it was my dislike of Michael which lead to my giving it 3.75 stars
My honest review is for a special copy from the author that I voluntarily read & I also received it in the Wicked Love anthology
Abigail moves into Michael’s house but he wants her there to protect her from Clowes the man who maimed her & who has vowed revenge.
This book is the third in the series but could be read as a standalone book. It is another engrossing story set in the darker side of nineteenth century London & is a refreshing change that there are no dukes & duchesses but people who have to work for a living, there’s also no froth to the book so if you’re expecting a light hearted romance this won’t be for you. I really like the author’s books her research into the rookeries & ordinary Londoners lives is very good & you feel like you are transported there. However I found it very hard to like Michael, I didn’t like him in Secrets in Scarlet & tried very hard to like him but failed to do so, the nearest I came to liking him was the snowball fight. Abigail has truly suffered & is a strong likeable character who throughout her life has tried to better herself by learning to read & write & improving her diction only to be maimed by Clowes. The plot is well paced leading to the climax which is very good. Both Michael & Abigail were part beauty & part beast, it took love to fully appreciate the beauty. I enjoyed the book & the author is fast becoming one of my must read authors, it was my dislike of Michael which lead to my giving it 3.75 stars
My honest review is for a special copy from the author that I voluntarily read & I also received it in the Wicked Love anthology
June 17, 2015
Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
This had so much going for it. Just barely pre-Victorian/tail end of the Georgian era! Non-nobles! Slums! Delightful references to the Disney animated B&B! Other references to La Belle et La Bete! Turning other references on their heads! An exploration of where the line between “victim” and “survivor” is!
Now, I like the ballrooms and the Dukes that are so ubiquitous in historicals. I do! But I also like it when authors go beyond those walls and focus on ordinary people. The reality is, the lives of the poor in this era kinda sucked, and there’s a limit to how much depressing one can take, and I think that scares some authors off. Monroe isn’t afraid of saying “Look, this life? This life when you can’t work and there’s no social safety net and you have your nine-year-old sister as being one of the primary breadwinners in your family? THIS IS LEGIT TERRIBLE. And I can’t make these be a happy ending for everyone, but you have to trust me there will be a happy ending for Abigail. This is a fairy tale.”
Finally, the entire story is Abigail finding her way from “Victim” to “survivor.” I think there’s a number of stories that are hitting that plot point currently- we talked about The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt recently. There’s a point where each heroine has to decide that she won’t be defined by what’s happened to her. She can’t ignore it, she can’t hope it’ll go away, but it’s still only a facet of her life. If living well is the best revenge*, then Abigail wins everything.
*(I don’t always agree with that, because sometimes revenge is the best revenge)
- Redheadedgirl
This had so much going for it. Just barely pre-Victorian/tail end of the Georgian era! Non-nobles! Slums! Delightful references to the Disney animated B&B! Other references to La Belle et La Bete! Turning other references on their heads! An exploration of where the line between “victim” and “survivor” is!
Now, I like the ballrooms and the Dukes that are so ubiquitous in historicals. I do! But I also like it when authors go beyond those walls and focus on ordinary people. The reality is, the lives of the poor in this era kinda sucked, and there’s a limit to how much depressing one can take, and I think that scares some authors off. Monroe isn’t afraid of saying “Look, this life? This life when you can’t work and there’s no social safety net and you have your nine-year-old sister as being one of the primary breadwinners in your family? THIS IS LEGIT TERRIBLE. And I can’t make these be a happy ending for everyone, but you have to trust me there will be a happy ending for Abigail. This is a fairy tale.”
Finally, the entire story is Abigail finding her way from “Victim” to “survivor.” I think there’s a number of stories that are hitting that plot point currently- we talked about The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt recently. There’s a point where each heroine has to decide that she won’t be defined by what’s happened to her. She can’t ignore it, she can’t hope it’ll go away, but it’s still only a facet of her life. If living well is the best revenge*, then Abigail wins everything.
*(I don’t always agree with that, because sometimes revenge is the best revenge)
- Redheadedgirl
May 2, 2016
3.5 stars
This is the third book in the series and to fully understand the heroine - you really should really read the previous book - Secrets in Scarlet before reading this book.
I thought the book was well written, but it was not a quick read and it seemed to drag in places. That might just be me - I found myself repeatedly becoming irritated with Abigail (the heroine). She has suffered and is bitter - but she acts like everyone is to blame for her pain and acts irrationally at times. I found myself mentally shouting "build a bridge and get over it already" at her too many times to count.
Michael is a fairly decent hero - he is far from perfect, but he tries to be honorable and he is kind to Abigail.
I would recommend the book, if you have been following the series. It was ok - but for me, not a keeper.
This is the third book in the series and to fully understand the heroine - you really should really read the previous book - Secrets in Scarlet before reading this book.
I thought the book was well written, but it was not a quick read and it seemed to drag in places. That might just be me - I found myself repeatedly becoming irritated with Abigail (the heroine). She has suffered and is bitter - but she acts like everyone is to blame for her pain and acts irrationally at times. I found myself mentally shouting "build a bridge and get over it already" at her too many times to count.
Michael is a fairly decent hero - he is far from perfect, but he tries to be honorable and he is kind to Abigail.
I would recommend the book, if you have been following the series. It was ok - but for me, not a keeper.
November 9, 2015
Beauty and the Rake is a story of hardship, self loathing and love. My heart went out to Abigail for all the pain and suffering that she went through. The author did a great job with conveying the agony and the self loathing that Abigail endured. Michael's inability to accept his past and look forward to a future was troubling. The authors words perfectly captured their struggle and the ability to over come it all to finally find love. I expected Michael to spend more time with the investigation and for the storyline to include more of it but I understand why it didn't. The beauty and the beast syndrome was definitely there all over the story.
All in all it was a good book that I was able to finish in a few hours. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
All in all it was a good book that I was able to finish in a few hours. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
April 28, 2018
DOWN & DIRTY QUICKIE REVIEW!
One Sentence Summary:
She's a "Beast" with a disability, and he's a hot playboy detective who's keeping her under witness protection.
Name That Trope:
1. Beauty & the Beast Retelling/Reimagining
2. “Be My Mistress, Never Mind; Be My Guest!”
3. Sasstacular witty heroine with a tortured past
4. Carefree sexy hero with epic horny pants
5. Class divide set among the working class
6. Historical Not In A Ballroom
7. Forced proximity via temporary housemates
What part made you fangirl squeal:
* SO MANY BATB REFERENCES! A “short & stout” (teapot nursery rhyme, anyone?) housekeeper! The wardrobe shout outs! The snowball fight!
* Every scene where Abigail clapped back at Michael! I lost count of the times this super witty, super smart chick verbally slayed his ass for dinner.
* The 647 times this book emotionally fucked me up with a sentence or paragraph. Socially conscious woke shade throwing! Poignant pain poetically prosed! This book got it all, y'all.
* When Abigail walked up to Michael butt-ass nude & all dude could say was "I, ah, I did not, ah, naked."
Favorite Character:
Oh for sure, Abigail! Her emotional narrative was way more hard-hitting than Michael’s.
While both are witty and engaging characters, your heart feels most for our heroine. That's partly 'cause gal is a tough survivor, & partly because she’s heartbreaking.
How smexy was the smex?
HOT...but brief. The sex has DAAAAAMN good dialogue, but the scenes don’t last long. And yet!
We got a "Hero Catches Heroine Masturbating" scene, and for that alone the Pound Town deserves my love! Female self-pleasure AND a hero who gets a jealous, who-sexing-my-crush Rage Boner which turns into a Boner Boner? Yes, bless!
Throw in Michael’s "Say my name or I won't let you come” bed talk, and I fangirled til I couldn't fangirl anymore.
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Michael: If you continue to talk like that, I shan't be responsible for my actions.
Abigail: Men of your ilk never are.
*****
“She walked until her knees began to throb, and then she walked some more, welcoming the ache. Pain was a language she understood. Pain spoke in stops and starts, in the sudden unexpected stab, in the unnatural twist of a joint. Pain did not make false promises, nor give false hope. In its unpredictable, selfish nature, pain became a friend she could trust. There was no use making plans. Pain would creep in at the slightest provocation, without warning or due course. To win against pain, she simply must exist. Every waking moment was a victory.”
*****
Michael: You've as much right as any man to seek your pleasure. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.
Abigail: An entire society cannot be wrong.
Michael: It most certainly can.
Got any bitching to do?
Sadly, there were a couple police policing scenes that made me yawn.
And, infuriatingly enough, this book pulled the Virginal Sex Pain game! THIS IS NOT A THING, PEOPLE! For the last time, the hymen doesn't work like that. If a healthy woman’s first time having sex hurts, then she's either not aroused enough OR she's not relaxed enough.
Translation? That means hero sucks at sex!
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
Despite its occasional lulls, overall the book was a good read!
Sure, the heroine’s “beastly attributes” felt less significant than most batB retellings. But! I can see what the author was trying to do within the scope of the story. And yeah, I side-eyed the crap out of this couple's first sex scene. But! Their intimacy was amazingly beautiful and equally intense.
Guys, this historical romance took us out of the ballroom! It gave us a working class romance that explores classism, poverty, & survival. The writing was art, the characters were real, & the romance was gorgeous. GOOD READ WAS GOOD!
-------------------------------
For a more in depth, LOL-fest discussion on romance novels, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/fangirlmusings
One Sentence Summary:
She's a "Beast" with a disability, and he's a hot playboy detective who's keeping her under witness protection.
Name That Trope:
1. Beauty & the Beast Retelling/Reimagining
2. “Be My Mistress, Never Mind; Be My Guest!”
3. Sasstacular witty heroine with a tortured past
4. Carefree sexy hero with epic horny pants
5. Class divide set among the working class
6. Historical Not In A Ballroom
7. Forced proximity via temporary housemates
What part made you fangirl squeal:
* SO MANY BATB REFERENCES! A “short & stout” (teapot nursery rhyme, anyone?) housekeeper! The wardrobe shout outs! The snowball fight!
* Every scene where Abigail clapped back at Michael! I lost count of the times this super witty, super smart chick verbally slayed his ass for dinner.
* The 647 times this book emotionally fucked me up with a sentence or paragraph. Socially conscious woke shade throwing! Poignant pain poetically prosed! This book got it all, y'all.
* When Abigail walked up to Michael butt-ass nude & all dude could say was "I, ah, I did not, ah, naked."
Favorite Character:
Oh for sure, Abigail! Her emotional narrative was way more hard-hitting than Michael’s.
While both are witty and engaging characters, your heart feels most for our heroine. That's partly 'cause gal is a tough survivor, & partly because she’s heartbreaking.
How smexy was the smex?
HOT...but brief. The sex has DAAAAAMN good dialogue, but the scenes don’t last long. And yet!
We got a "Hero Catches Heroine Masturbating" scene, and for that alone the Pound Town deserves my love! Female self-pleasure AND a hero who gets a jealous, who-sexing-my-crush Rage Boner which turns into a Boner Boner? Yes, bless!
Throw in Michael’s "Say my name or I won't let you come” bed talk, and I fangirled til I couldn't fangirl anymore.
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Michael: If you continue to talk like that, I shan't be responsible for my actions.
Abigail: Men of your ilk never are.
*****
“She walked until her knees began to throb, and then she walked some more, welcoming the ache. Pain was a language she understood. Pain spoke in stops and starts, in the sudden unexpected stab, in the unnatural twist of a joint. Pain did not make false promises, nor give false hope. In its unpredictable, selfish nature, pain became a friend she could trust. There was no use making plans. Pain would creep in at the slightest provocation, without warning or due course. To win against pain, she simply must exist. Every waking moment was a victory.”
*****
Michael: You've as much right as any man to seek your pleasure. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.
Abigail: An entire society cannot be wrong.
Michael: It most certainly can.
Got any bitching to do?
Sadly, there were a couple police policing scenes that made me yawn.
And, infuriatingly enough, this book pulled the Virginal Sex Pain game! THIS IS NOT A THING, PEOPLE! For the last time, the hymen doesn't work like that. If a healthy woman’s first time having sex hurts, then she's either not aroused enough OR she's not relaxed enough.
Translation? That means hero sucks at sex!
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
Despite its occasional lulls, overall the book was a good read!
Sure, the heroine’s “beastly attributes” felt less significant than most batB retellings. But! I can see what the author was trying to do within the scope of the story. And yeah, I side-eyed the crap out of this couple's first sex scene. But! Their intimacy was amazingly beautiful and equally intense.
Guys, this historical romance took us out of the ballroom! It gave us a working class romance that explores classism, poverty, & survival. The writing was art, the characters were real, & the romance was gorgeous. GOOD READ WAS GOOD!
-------------------------------
For a more in depth, LOL-fest discussion on romance novels, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/fangirlmusings
July 10, 2017
"Beauty and the Rake" by Erica Monroe
(The Rookery Rogues Book 3)
This story takes place in the rookeries of Whitechapel and Spitalfields.
This is Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police and Abigail Vautill's story.
Abigail Vautille had been tortured when she got involved in her friend's investigation into their past employer. Today she had come to Cruikshank's gambling house to find her father. ( I have to say here that the description of the gambling hell left me with a taste of dirt and filth in my mouth! Erica Monroe describes it very well).
She found her father gambling. "Come, Papa" The unknown punter narrowed his eyes. "He owes me two hundred pounds. You can't expect me to excuse so large a debt."
She had no job, no money and had sold almost everything of value. Two hundred pounds.
Her father had killed them all with the fifty-one cards of a faro game. Her father stated he didn't have the money and other players agreed with him and they started yelling out what he owed them.
"Then something will have to be done," his opponent announced.
What could she offer him? If you excuse my father's debts, I'll spend two weeks with you. My virtue in exchange for two hundred pounds.
Michael Strickland was a newly promoted Inspector for the H-Division of the Metropolitan Police. The woman before him looked like the girl he'd visited in the London Hospital six months prior. He and another inspector had paid her bills and received not even a 'Thank you'. He had dreamed of her ever since. He now realized she was before him offering herself. " I'd say two weeks is a nice down payment" but in the end agreeing with her offer. She also wanted him also to have her father barred from ever entering another gaming hell.
Does Michael find Abigail's beauty beyond her disfigurement. Can Abigail find the good in Michael. And can Michael protect her when the villain who tortured her escapes from prison.
After reading the book I wished I had read "Secrets Scarlet" the Rookery Rogues Book 2 first. but "Beauty and the Rake" can be read as a stand alone novel.
When this book is described as a dark, gritty, sexy romantic suspense, you had better believe it. Happy Reading!
(The Rookery Rogues Book 3)
This story takes place in the rookeries of Whitechapel and Spitalfields.
This is Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police and Abigail Vautill's story.
Abigail Vautille had been tortured when she got involved in her friend's investigation into their past employer. Today she had come to Cruikshank's gambling house to find her father. ( I have to say here that the description of the gambling hell left me with a taste of dirt and filth in my mouth! Erica Monroe describes it very well).
She found her father gambling. "Come, Papa" The unknown punter narrowed his eyes. "He owes me two hundred pounds. You can't expect me to excuse so large a debt."
She had no job, no money and had sold almost everything of value. Two hundred pounds.
Her father had killed them all with the fifty-one cards of a faro game. Her father stated he didn't have the money and other players agreed with him and they started yelling out what he owed them.
"Then something will have to be done," his opponent announced.
What could she offer him? If you excuse my father's debts, I'll spend two weeks with you. My virtue in exchange for two hundred pounds.
Michael Strickland was a newly promoted Inspector for the H-Division of the Metropolitan Police. The woman before him looked like the girl he'd visited in the London Hospital six months prior. He and another inspector had paid her bills and received not even a 'Thank you'. He had dreamed of her ever since. He now realized she was before him offering herself. " I'd say two weeks is a nice down payment" but in the end agreeing with her offer. She also wanted him also to have her father barred from ever entering another gaming hell.
Does Michael find Abigail's beauty beyond her disfigurement. Can Abigail find the good in Michael. And can Michael protect her when the villain who tortured her escapes from prison.
After reading the book I wished I had read "Secrets Scarlet" the Rookery Rogues Book 2 first. but "Beauty and the Rake" can be read as a stand alone novel.
When this book is described as a dark, gritty, sexy romantic suspense, you had better believe it. Happy Reading!
December 17, 2019
unpopular opinion: i mean, like, he's not even that much of a dick? i've read about some seriously asshole heroes, and this guy doesn't even come close. i didn't take notes bc it's a romance -- who knew i was gonna have to end up defending the hero? i'm pretty sure this is literally the first time i've ever done this in my entire history of reading romances -- but i'm kind of tempted to re-read it now, just to defend his honor. yeah, he was teaching her how to be a better whore, but if she's going to become a prostitute out of necessity -- as he acknowledges multiple times, and when does he say she's doing it because she wants to? -- isn't it better if she knows how to do it right? like, it all made sense to me, and i'm seriously confused why people are so up-in-arms against him. i was actually totally gonna rate it 3.5 stars until the ending got all
melodramatic and rushed, which pissed me off.original review (before reading all the other reviews):4 stars for the romance, -1 for the rushed ending, +1 for mentioning a "moral statistics map", and -0.5 for doing exactly what strickland was always pissed about and not mentioning any details about the map. i wanted to learn about it! total: 3.5 starsalso, 19 and 28 years old? now that's what i call questionable.
melodramatic and rushed, which pissed me off.original review (before reading all the other reviews):4 stars for the romance, -1 for the rushed ending, +1 for mentioning a "moral statistics map", and -0.5 for doing exactly what strickland was always pissed about and not mentioning any details about the map. i wanted to learn about it! total: 3.5 starsalso, 19 and 28 years old? now that's what i call questionable.
November 14, 2019
Beauty and the rake is an interesting read. Abigail is a young woman who has had it rough and hard in her short life. She was the victim of a crime that resulted in a mangled hand,thereby believing that she's not beautiful. She set out to look for her father in the gaming hell only to meet him indebted to a man with a huge amount if money. Without any means of payment, she offered her body/virtue for payment. Michael is an inspector who had no business being in the gaming hell but often finds himself there. He accepted her deal to have her for two weeks as settlement for her father's debt, but along the line duty calls and he needs to protect Abigail as well as bring to books the criminal that was responsible for Abigail's torment... "I received this book from eBook discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review".
January 23, 2020
ONCE, SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL...
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless.
ONCE, HE WAS CHARMING...Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed.
This is one of the author's older romance stories. Beauty and the Rake is a dark and steamy full-length romantic suspense set in pre-Victorian working class London. The sex scenes are steamy. Although this is part of a series it reads well as a stand-alone book.
I gave this book 4.6 of 5.0 stars for story line plot and characterization.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems to read and am leaving a voluntary review.
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless.
ONCE, HE WAS CHARMING...Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed.
This is one of the author's older romance stories. Beauty and the Rake is a dark and steamy full-length romantic suspense set in pre-Victorian working class London. The sex scenes are steamy. Although this is part of a series it reads well as a stand-alone book.
I gave this book 4.6 of 5.0 stars for story line plot and characterization.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems to read and am leaving a voluntary review.
January 29, 2020
This is a very good slow burn romance. You really expect the book to jump hot and heavy into a sexual relationship between Michael and Abigail. Honestly, the book is better for the build up. There are several detailed sex scenes but the don't come until the half point of the book. If you are looking for a historical that's completely sweet than this isn't your book. If you're looking for a story were the main characters become friends and then lovers look no further. I didn't realize this was the third book in the series until I read about 25% of the book. It kept referring to past events and I realized there must be other books. Overall, though you don't need to read books one and two to enjoy this story. I did really love that there was a real relationship between Abigail and Michael and not insanta love. Sometimes that works but given the past each character brings to the table it would have felt wrong here. I'm definitely going to check out the other books in this series.
January 26, 2020
Interesting twists and turns in this piece.
This piece has marvelous characters they have such depth and the author has written them so well. I liked that our leading lady is from the Rookery it is such a nice change. Abigail is a factory working (with a father who likes to gamble). This, of course, means that Abigail must support not only herself but her younger sister too. Then things get worse and now Abigail is being forced to do something much worse than working in a factory. This is where Inspector Michael Strickland enters into the picture. Life has been hard for Abigail and I admire this character. I enjoyed reading this tale even with my love/hate relationship with Michael. This is a book I would recommend just on the fact that Abigail is so outstanding. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
This piece has marvelous characters they have such depth and the author has written them so well. I liked that our leading lady is from the Rookery it is such a nice change. Abigail is a factory working (with a father who likes to gamble). This, of course, means that Abigail must support not only herself but her younger sister too. Then things get worse and now Abigail is being forced to do something much worse than working in a factory. This is where Inspector Michael Strickland enters into the picture. Life has been hard for Abigail and I admire this character. I enjoyed reading this tale even with my love/hate relationship with Michael. This is a book I would recommend just on the fact that Abigail is so outstanding. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
November 25, 2020
I received a free ARC of this novel via Hidden Gems in exchange for a honest review. My opinion is my own.
This is the third book in the Rookery Rogues novel. It says it can be a standalone novel but I would not bill it as such. I felt rather lost for a good while but I stuck with it. The class of the male lead was rather confusing. At times he seemed upperclassish as though he worked because he wished to, not because he needed to. Other times he goes about any means to make money. I like the heroine. She is plucky, smart and hard working. All those characteristics led to a lot of confusion with the interaction of the two leads. He basically blackmails her into sharing his bed. Instead of being angry, she is overly eager and forgiving after a VERY short time. All this really rubbed me the wrong way.
This is the third book in the Rookery Rogues novel. It says it can be a standalone novel but I would not bill it as such. I felt rather lost for a good while but I stuck with it. The class of the male lead was rather confusing. At times he seemed upperclassish as though he worked because he wished to, not because he needed to. Other times he goes about any means to make money. I like the heroine. She is plucky, smart and hard working. All those characteristics led to a lot of confusion with the interaction of the two leads. He basically blackmails her into sharing his bed. Instead of being angry, she is overly eager and forgiving after a VERY short time. All this really rubbed me the wrong way.
January 20, 2020
Great rendition of the classic story! Love that the beauty is so flawed, yet vulnerable. Abigail is so desperate to pay her father's debt, that she'll sell the only thing she has of use, herself. Michael can't refuse her offer. After all, he's fantasized about her for months. Abigail doesn't realize that the man who's voice saved her from despair is the same man who just bought her for two weeks. Little does he know that his life is about to change, drastically. I loved how feisty and spirited Abigail was with Michael. Michael can't believe that Abigail sees all his flaws, and still likes him. The sexual tension between these two, is very hot! Steamy, erotic scenes, not for the faint of heart! Really enjoyed this book!
August 9, 2017
It’s rare that I enjoy a book so much when I dislike the hero for nearly 2/3rds of the book. My dislike of the character given that the author modeled the story on the Beauty and the Beast tale, and it was his personality that made him beastly for those first 2/3rds.
So much to enjoy about the book. Both characters are flawed but transform as the story moves forward. The heroine is from the rookeries, the worst of London’s tenements, and as a result is fully aware of life’s challenges. She’s strong, suborn yet vulnerable. An excellent read. 3.75/5 on the romance scale
So much to enjoy about the book. Both characters are flawed but transform as the story moves forward. The heroine is from the rookeries, the worst of London’s tenements, and as a result is fully aware of life’s challenges. She’s strong, suborn yet vulnerable. An excellent read. 3.75/5 on the romance scale
January 6, 2019
Historical romance with a little mystery/suspense, and so many lovely nods to my beloved Beauty and the Beast. (I wondered if some were intentional, and the authors note at the end proved they were. Love it!) The characters are apparently introduced in another book, but that didn’t spoil the story for me. Abigail and Michael are forces of nature in their own right, and when they come together and interact it is something to behold. Both so broken, both having so much room and potential to grow - if they’re brave enough.
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