The Heart of a Rake: Regency Historical Romance

by Abigail Bridges

Their primary goal in Society is just to have fun. Until two four-year-olds—and the possibility of economic ruin—change everything.

Lord Mark Rydell is a rakehell known for entertaining the widows and lonely wives of the ton, with no interest in marriage. A veteran of the Peninsular War, he is rumored to have been involved in more than a few boxing matches and duels, most arising from his sarcastic wit and lack of respect for all things Society. He has a mistress, the controlling interest in a gaming hell, and no desire to change any of it.

Lady Judith Lovelace, now the dowager countess of Sculthorpe, has turned her widowhood into an ongoing party. Thirty-eight and dedicated to making the best of her beauty and stamina while they last, she is determined to entertain as many of the young blades of Society as possible. Her only other focus is her three sons, whom she adores with her whole heart.

So when her devious stepson pointedly introduces her to the charming Lord Mark Rydell, Judith knew some wicked scheme was afoot. She remains suspicious even as she’s inexplicably drawn to the handsome rogue’s clever wit. She knows he has secrets—what man doesn’t? So does she.

But it will be her stepson’s secrets that threaten everything they hold dear. As their lives unravel, Mark and Judith join forces to prevent the impending ruin, even if it means all the secrets will be brought into the light.

Tropes You'll Rake Meets His MatchMerry Widow / Mature HeroinePartners in CrisisSecrets & ScandalRedemption of a RogueFamily Intrigue / Devious StepsonChildren Raise the Stakes
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The Silver Vixens
Book 1 - The Heart of a Rake
Book 2 - The Mind of a Widow
Book 3 - The Soul of a Lord

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 29, 2026

About the author

Abigail Bridges wrote her first historical romance, titled The Belle of the Ball, when she was thirteen. It was, of course, horrid. But it firmly established her love of all things Regency, a mild obsession with Georgette Heyer, and a determination to become a writer.

After a master’s degree in English and years of being paid to write and edit other types of material, she has returned to her first love. She is busily binge-reading all her favorite authors, resuming her study of the history and culture of the Regency era, and plotting like a madwoman. She does all this in a small cottage near Birmingham, Alabama.

Reviews

[Cassandra]

I was excited going into this book. I like trying new authors and reading stories about older women. Especially an older woman that isn't just being a widow but living her life. She is the best part of this book. She is loving, caring, a kind mother, vibrant, and just the right amount of promiscuous. Mark was fine, a family man but never cruel in this book. He has trauma from the war and he is trying to work through it.

I just found the writing a bit dry for my taste. It was still very proper and had modern sensibilities thrown in (her sister in law and son) without fully exploring what that meant in its time. It was kind of just there. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention but for a rake and vixen, this was not very spicy on page.

2/6

[Anonymous 5]

This historical romance was everything I love: witty, dramatic, and full of messy people trying very hard not to fall in love. I had so much fun with Mark and Judith from the start because neither of them is interested in pretending to be respectable. They’re older, experienced, a little reckless, and completely aware of Society’s hypocrisy, which made their chemistry feel refreshing compared to the usual innocent debutante stories.
Mark is the classic charming rogue, but there’s more depth to him than expected. Beneath all the sarcasm, gambling, and scandal, he’s clearly carrying the weight of his past. Judith absolutely stole the book for me, though. A thirty-eight-year-old widow who openly enjoys her freedom, her beauty, and her social life. She felt confident, funny, and emotionally real in a way I don’t always see in historical romances.
What surprised me most was how quickly the story shifted from flirtation and banter into something more serious. The family secrets, the threat of ruin, and especially the involvement of the children gave the story real emotional stakes. Watching Mark and Judith slowly become partners instead of just co-conspirators was honestly my favorite part. The romance felt mature and believable, and I loved that both characters had already lived full lives before finding each other.
If you enjoy historical romances with older characters, scandalous reputations, sharp dialogue, and a love story built on mutual understanding rather than innocence, this is definitely worth picking up. 
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review. 

[Caro]

I chose this book primarily because of the author. I recently finished one of her other books - ‘To stop a scoundrel’ - and thoroughly enjoyed it. It had depth, great story building and smart characters that fell in love because they admired each other’s character and strong personality.
This book is quite different. It is basically all about sex; who is having sex with whom or who has had sex with whom. Let me clarify: The first two chapters introduce both the male main character and the female main character, both in bed with their respective lovers. When they meet in the next chapter the FMC tries to pick up the MMC at a ball, right under the nose of her stepson, who leaves and they then talk about the number of bed partners. After that the MMC talks to his mother about possibly having sex with the FMC. And that was just the beginning of the book. So when the MMC’s former mistress gets murdered, there are a lot of bed partners to suspect.
I have to admit: all of this was rather unexpected. I liked the trope of a second chance at love, and a blended family is original in the regency era. But despite that this book failed to keep me interested. I did enjoy the author’s writing style in the ‘Ashton Park’ series so I think I’m going to recommend those books and will continue with the second book in that series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews]

The Rake and the Merry Widow
Judith and Mark feel surprisingly well-matched from the start. Both are content to take life as it comes—she embraces her independence and enjoys the attention of the ton’s younger set, while he fully leans into his reputation as a rake. Marriage is the last thing either of them wants.
That balance shifts when Judith’s stepson makes financial choices that threaten her family’s stability. In trying to untangle the situation, she turns to Mark—initially believing he may be part of the problem. It doesn’t take long for the truth to come out, and once it does, the two are forced into an uneasy partnership.
What follows is a gradual shift from mutual wariness to something much harder to ignore. Their attraction builds naturally, but it never feels simple. Secrets linger on both sides, and the complications surrounding them add tension without overwhelming the story.
I enjoyed the dynamic between Judith and Mark—there’s something refreshing about two characters who are a bit older, a bit more set in their ways, and not easily swept off their feet. Watching them navigate both the external crisis and their growing connection kept the story engaging.
I look forward to reading more from Abigail Bridges.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis]

We have Lady Judith Lovelace, now the dowager countess of Sculthorpe, has turned her widowhood into an ongoing party!
But Judith has carved her place in the Ton for over twenty years and no upstart will challenge her or her sons!
Her stepson made some foolish mistakes but she will help clean them up and teach him a lesson he will never forget!
We also have Lord Mark Rydell second son and war veteran and a keeper of secrets!
But Judith also has secrets and standards but she is foremost a beautiful intelligent Dowager with loads of experience on protecting what is hers!
When she understands with the help of Mark who and what the adversaries are she will gain the aid of the prince himself if needed!
Mark and Judith have chemistry and she protects and accepts his secrets! But maybe one too many may prevent them from a future!
There is a brief stop over at the Lyons Den for one of the Rydell brothers! If you have not read any of the other stories then yes it would be a bit confusing! Fortunately I have so Bravo well done! The appearance of beautiful children is also a win!
I received an ARC copy from Netgalley for my unbiased review!

[Janet]

Lord Mark Rydell is a rakehell, a veteran of the Peninsular War, he is rumoured to have been involved in more than a few boxing matches and duels. He has a mistress, the controlling interest in a gaming hell, and no desire to change any of it. Lady Judith Lovelace, now the dowager countess of Sculthorpe, thirty-eight and dedicated to making the best of her beauty and stamina while they last, she is determined to entertain as many of the young blades of Society as possible. Her only other focus is her three sons, whom she adores with her whole heart. So when her devious stepson pointedly introduces her to the charming Lord Mark Rydell, Judith knew some wicked scheme was afoot.
The start of a new series & I wondered if I would enjoy it as Regency Merry Widows aren’t my favourite for a heroine but I did enjoy it. I liked both Mark & Judith & enjoyed their story. I felt the book started slowly but the pace gradually ramped up, especially with the secrets & intrigue. The chemistry sizzled & the banter was witty. An interesting romance which I enjoyed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

[Sonia]

I wasn't really sure how to rate this book. There was lots of promise but things just never got off the ground. Judith and Mark had the makings of a good couple. She was a relatively young widow and he was a former soldier. Both of them had been occupied with meaningless relationships and needed to become more grounded for the sake of their children.
Some modern themes were lightly touched upon--same-sex relationships and STDs. I believe that this is the first time I've read about a couple having a frank discussion about former partners and the potential transmission of the pox. It was therefore understandable that the romantic aspects of this book were relatively tame.
The character of Judith was the best part of this book. She was smart and resourceful. Unfortunately, it felt like she was too busy helping others and was therefore destined for life on the backburner.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

[Coralie]

( 3.5 stars )

“These men are our family and find themselves unable to combat Atkinson on their own. But they are men. I believe you and I have other resources at our disposal.”

An older lady and widower being the most beautiful and most coveted woman in the ton? sign me tf innn 😌
This romance was a really fun read, the male and female love interests have great chemistry. I also really enjoyed the general plot, our heroine truly shined on all fronts!

I can’t wait for the other books of this series, and I really hope that the author will write Daphne’s book someday 🥺

thank you to netgalley + dragonblade for this advanced copy ◡̈

[Margaret]

Lady Judith Lovelace, Dowager Countess of Sculthorpe, has raised two stepsons and raising her own three sons. A strong woman at thirty-six and a widow for two years, she rules her own life. She has her pick of the young rakes, until she catches the eye of Lord Rydell. In his thirties, he had a reputation as a rake before he left for the military, but he's changed. Murder and blackmail bring them together to solve the crimes and to face their growing attraction to each other. More secrets than I expected. Interesting characters give a lot of depth to the book.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from Netgalley.

[Nancy]

Thank you NetGalley. Lord Mark Rydell is a rake but he thinks of it as helping widows but he has an actress that has been his only mistress and they have a little girl that looks just like him. He becomes interested in a widowed duchess and breaks it off with his Mistress. Someone has killed thee mistress after he was there. It takes some time but the person who killed her is found. Judith, the duchess and Mark have found their families are marked for ruin until Mark and Judith found out. They worked together with other to expose the plot.

[Amy]

A promiscuous widow, Judith, meets rake, Mark, at a ball. Neither wants to marry while they both feel the attraction to each other. When her family is on the edge of financial ruin, Judith turns to Mark to help her to fix the situation. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

[PollyAnna Joy]

Mark & Judith

So sweet. 😍 Both Mark and Judith are old enough that they are very aware of more than I thought possible...especially since someone is attempting to ruin both their families.

[Sven]

This was a good romance between two rather cynical protagonists who are and have lived life to their fullest. I liked the plot, the characters and the story line.

[Isa Prior]

I love how she doesn't care what the world thinks of her, after she lost her late husband.
Now she simply lives her life. I loved reading this.