A Rake of His Own

Stariel #5

by A.J. Lancaster

Marius Valstar doesn’t know which is worse: the dead body in his greenhouse or the naked fae prince on his desk.

The only rakes of interest to Marius are garden tools. Not fae princes. Certainly not the arrogant, selfish fae prince he has the misfortune to have a history with.

But when Prince Rakken turns up naked and bleeding in Marius’s college the same day a body appears in his greenhouse, scruples must take second place to solving a murder that could unravel the delicate balance between humans and fae.

Marius’s own developing magical powers are more hindrance than help – as is Rakken’s bloodied past. Forced to work together, they must forge an uneasy alliance if they are to track down the killer. But how can Marius trust the man who represents everything he’s trying to avoid?

A Rake of His Own is a steamy m/m gaslamp fantasy featuring a melodramatic fae prince, a beleaguered botanist, and an enemies-to-lovers romance. It occurs chronologically after the events of The Stariel Quartet, but can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Fae, Audiobook, Magic

437 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2022

About the author

AJ Lancaster lives in New Zealand and writes romantic, whimsical fantasy in a house containing two ridiculous cats and many plants.

https://www.instagram.com/a.j.lancaster/

https://www.facebook.com/lancasterwri...

https://twitter.com/lancasterwrites

Reviews

[Alexia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was both hilarious and heartwarming. I found myself giggling throughout, thoroughly enjoying every moment. While some frustrating instances made me want to bang my head against a wall, the author skillfully crafted a world filled with positive vibes.

Marius was the ultimate cinnamon roll, and I felt the urge to hug him whenever he was in pain. His journey toward believing in love and learning to love himself again was well-executed, and I appreciated the author's decision not to rush this important process.

On the flip side, Rakken often tested my patience; at times, I wanted to strangle him. His character was harder to warm up to, especially with his inflated ego. However, I did manage to come to terms with him—if not completely warm up, at least I learned to tolerate him like one would an annoying sibling. I commend the author for creating such a complex character, even if he was frustrating.

Their relationship was filled with ups and downs and didn’t start on the best footing. However, witnessing its development and the love they had for each other brought a genuine smile to my face. Everything Rakken did for Marius in secret showcased how deeply he had fallen first and how much he truly adored him. Similarly, Marius, being the only person (besides his twin) to see Rakken for who he was, demonstrated that he loved Rakken from the beginning, albeit too scared to admit it—something I completely understand, given his past with John.

In conclusion, this was a delightful experience, and I’m thrilled that I took the time to read it.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice addition to the Stariel quartet, and I'm so happy Marius got his own book!

It was also...a lot spicier than I remember the Stariel quartet being, which this being a m/m romance written by a woman always gives me a little pause. This comment does not apply to Rake, but to a trend of predominantly straight women writing m/m romance for straight women—while there might be some exploration of identity going on, to ME, it feels like a lot of times there is an element of fetishization, particularly when the writer is from a majority group (white women) writing about a marginalized group (gay men). Not always, obviously, but enough to have my spidey senses tingle.

I'm saying this because I deleted and blocked a comment on my review where the person lambasted me for revealing my great prejudice (of straight white women writing outside their identity, I guess??) and tell me that it's not about who wrote it but how it was written. Look folks, write what you want, but also understand that if that if you are not a part of the community you are writing about, expect criticism. Also, I loved Rake, but I was surprised at the spice level because the previous quartet was more on the closed-door side of things and was a m/f romance.

Lots of plants, lots of humor both subtle and overt, and I'm thrilled to note that this title is not just a pun, it is a triple entendre. Love it.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book #5 of an m/f series that is marketed as a m/m standalone. I personally feel that it would be a lot better with having read the first 4 books because the MC’s, Marius and Rakken, apparently had SUBSTANTIAL PAGE TIME and it appears a lot of their early chemistry and core interactions occur in the first 4 books.

I tried to go back and catch up on their moments together but THERE ARE MANY. In books 1-4 Marius’s name features 1600+ times and Rakken’s 1300+ times! If it was just one book I’d read it for the back story but the 4 books together have a cumulative page count of 1680pages and as promising as it all sounds I wasn’t captivated enough by the writing to start from the beginning.

I’m a real sucker for all those subtle early interactions, building tension and chemistry and the deliciousness of a slow burn. I think without having read the previous books the romance felt flat for me.

Same can be said for the world building and plot, I felt it was quite weak and maybe that’s because I didn’t have the earlier books to build it from. In saying that this is a 400+ word book so there is plenty of time for the world to be explained and there are a lot of interactions with previous characters so in theory I should have loved this, but unfortunately I just found I wasn’t particularly interested.

Lovely book club discussions were had over this book and I wish it had engaged me more but sadly it fell into the meh category.

[Mhor · Rating 5 out of 5]

ETA.

Read it and loved it. The vulnerability of both characters had my heart in their hands.


“We’re not enemies, Prince Melodramatic. We’re just… I don’t know, antagonistic acquaintances.”
“Now, why does that feel like a demotion?” Rakken said”


“This wasn’t the last time. Not yet. His chest tightened. He would be all right; he had gone into this with his eyes open. They would be… friends, and it would be fine. He would not be the broken-hearted wreck that John had left him”


“Oh, Rake, Marius thought, his heart squeezing as blinding realisation hit him. You love so rarely, and still everyone you love eventually leaves you in some way”


========
I was so hoping that Marius would get his own story. King of Faerie definitely indicated he needed more focus. Can’t wait to read it!

[Gaby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is 100% not suited to be read as a standalone. Both MCs have had tons of interactions in the previous books that are not only referenced constantly but also form the foundation of their entire dynamic. This made the first 40% of the book extremely confusing. I couldn’t care less about the other characters mentioned or whatever happened before, and nothing was happening in this book that made me want to ship these two guys together.

Marius was way too self-deprecating. I get that he’s insecure because of things that happened in earlier books and how they affected his confidence, but it’s really not fun to be in his head the whole time while he keeps making negative remarks about himself.

Rake felt like the stereotypical tall, dark, handsome fae who’s not into relationships and acts rude and mysterious toward his love interest.

As for the plot, the murder mystery ended up feeling anticlimactic once the reveal came. The love declarations were also extremely random, and nothing in this book convinced me that their relationship was going to work.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I would love the story of Rake and Marius. And I did! Rake is so prickly and Marius so uncertain. In the original series, you could see them dancing around each other and in this book you finally get them collaborating and having sexy times and falling in love. All while solving a murder mystery. It is so incredibly good.

I just want more of them!

[A. _____ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through King of Faerie and I already want to read this book ♥️

—

Oh my heart! RTC.

[Chelsea]

OKAY I'MA DROP THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT OUT OF LOVE.
Because even though this has been advertised as "standalone", I deeply feel it is not...
Maybe it's a me thing, but I'm so fucking confused by the lore, that it's not fair on our MC's because I spend every 5 seconds being like "wait, wtf is that? wait, what happened?"
and it's really distracting me from our baby bois 😭😭😭😭😭

Even though there is 4 m/f before, I feel they are necessary to feel more investment in these MC's. I love them when they're on page, and they have a great chemistry, but I feel like something is missing. I need the easter eggs. I need to understand who the 56738340 side characters and shit are.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Reread December 2023 This was such a delightful experience to come back and reread and to revisit this world. This series is such a warm comfort read for me and I forgot just how much I loved this world and all these characters.

Marius and Rake continue to have the most perfect snarky dynamic and everytime theres a "Prince Melodramatic" moment I just absolutely die. I really enjoyed this stand alone story and what it allowed for exploring more of the dynamics of the fae world alongside a murder mystery. It's just so fun.

I had planned to read this at a sedate pace but then immediately went headfirst down the rabbit hole and binged the audiobook. The narrator did a great job with this production.

If you enjoy a bit of a "he fell first but they fell harder" dynamic this will be a fun time and every time Rake was forced to show his soft emotional underbelly I wanted to scream.

This will always be a top comfort read for me and I will be returning to this many times in the future.

Original Read March 2023 This book had come up as a recommended read for me and I nearly started it as a stand alone not planning on reading the stories prior, as they did not appear necessary to overall story comprehension. I am so glad that I changed my mind and delayed reading this one and started from book 1 so I could go into it with a fuller appreciation of the world building, characters and dynamics.

This book was such an immensely satisfying conclusion to storyline of Marius and Rake and I’m so glad it exists because without it I would have felt like something was missing from the main storyline. I secretly hope to see more stories with these two because I don’t think I could ever get tired of their dynamic.

This was my favourite book of the whole series and for me has a heap of reread potential and bought the series as a whole to being a 5🌟 read.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*** stars


This book was not good. I wouldn’t recommend it. At least not when reading it as the spin-off standalone it is marketed as. You are not only missing out on the whole world building the previous 4-book same-couple MF series provided but you also miss out on the dynamic’s build up between the two main characters, Rakken, a fairy prince and Marius, a human telepath. Both are important side-characters, mentioned over a thousand times each before their book even starts.

Top it off with the mystery not being captivating enough to make up for their romance not romancing enough and you have this book. And be totally lost. Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t all bad and the book had its beautiful moments, just not enough.

“Go to sleep, starling,” Rakken said. “The world will be just as complicated in the morning.”

“What are you doing?”
“Seducing you with increasingly less subtlety.”

“There is very little I would not do for you, Marius Valstar.”

***************
Stariel Series

Book 1 - The Lord of Stariel
Book 2 - The Prince of Secrets
Book 3 - The Court of Mortals
Book 4 - The King of Faerie

Book 5 - A Rake of his Own - 2.5 stars *as a standalone

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifth (and last?) in a series. I haven't read any of the earlier books, so am in a position to say that this works as a standalone, with clear enough references to prior events that I got the gist of almost all of them and was enjoying myself more than enough to let the rest go.

A Rake of His Own has, hands down, some of the funniest chapter titles I've ever happened across: "A Frustrating Prologue"; "Mild Kidnapping, for His Own Good"; "Yet More Traipsing Back and Forth"; "Even More Terrible Fae Turn Up"; "Finally, Some Progress" ... you get the idea. Much of the dialogue between the MCs, Rakken (i.e., the Rake of the title) and Marius is equally tart, and I liked them together, though I have Concerns when a quasi-immortal couples up with a mortal -- the looming grief always preys on me and I wish it would be acknowledged, at least.*

But that's not actually why I'm calling this 4 (4.5, really) stars rather than 5. The non-romance part of the plot is a murder mystery. I solved it about halfway through, and I promise I am absolute crap at that, I almost never figure out who the killer is. To be fair, there are two killers, but I didn't find the murderous-magical-plant twist convincing even in the context of the world the book establishes, though I can see in retrospect how AJL set up the possibility. Just too OTT for a book that otherwise feels levelheaded and grounded despite being a fantasy, I think.

The other reason this doesn't quite hit 5 stars for me is that the register of Rake's speech & thoughts is so inconsistent. He doesn't use contractions, for example, for that old-timey / otherwordly / formal effect (why do writers bother with this?), but he also uses words like "ego" and "sappy," and the effect is jarring. (What is Freud doing in this universe, by the way?) Obviously people code-switch all the time, but Rake's oscillations don't work like that -- there's no change in context that would make them plausible. (Suppose for example that he spoke more formally to Marius but dropped into a relatively colloquial register when talking to Thistlefel the helichaun, or to the mortal police.)

Overall, though, I had a grand time -- enough that if I were at all inclined to read f/m romance I would snap up the first four books. 4.5 stars.

---
* S.P. Wayne's Winter Wolf trilogy is the only time I've ever seen that done. Sometimes I wonder if being old, relative to most romance writers, is what makes the difference here: at a certain point in life you've [a] lost enough people to have that reality in the back of your mind at all times, and [b] lost enough people to know that immortality would be a curse, not a blessing.)

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals, so 4.5 stars rounded up.

A.J. Lancaster’s  Stariel  series is (according to its blurb) a romantic cozy fantasy series about fae, magical estates, and complicated families. The series is set in a Victorian-ish AU in a world where the Mortal and Faerie worlds have recently begun to reconnect after a three-hundred-year separation, and the first four books form a quartet featuring the same central couple. The fifth one, A Rake of His Own, is the one m/m story in the set, featuring two characters who have been dancing around each other throughout, and who finally get their HEA here. The blurb indicates that this story is a standalone, and it does work as one – the main plotline is separate from the overarching storylines that run throughout the quartet, and although references are made to key events, the author includes enough information here for the newcomer to be able to make sense of everything without lots of info-dumping. I was able to follow and enjoy the story without having read or listened to the earlier books, but if you’re someone who dislikes jumping into a series part way through, I have it on good authority that they are well worth reading, too. (Although reviews indicate the change of narrator for the fourth book didn’t go down well with listeners.)

Marius Valstar has recently returned to university to complete his doctorate following the death of his father (who despised Marius for being weak and for being queer – which is unacceptable in the Mortal realm) and his sister Hetta’s being chosen as the new Lord of Stariel. He’s a quiet, bookish type, a botanist who is happiest when playing around in the dirt in his greenhouse, cultivating plants and cataloguing specimens; he’s also still smarting over the end of his love affair with a man who dumped him as soon as it became clear he wasn’t going to inherit the Stariel Estate and then tried to blackmail him and ruin his family. That experience has, naturally, deeply affected Marius’ sense of self-worth (which was never strong to begin with), and soured him on the whole idea of love, especially for someone like him.

That was three months earlier, and Marius has been out of sorts ever since. Not that he’s pining; no, he’s been keeping himself to himself because he’s struggling to control his newly awakened telepathic abilities, which are growing more powerful at an alarming rate. Being around people is exhausting because he doesn’t know how to shut out all the voices clamouring in his head – and that’s the reason for his hermit-like existence for the past few months. It’s nothing at all to do with maddening, arrogant fae princes who are too handsome for their own good.

When the story begins, Marius is settling in with a book before bed when a familiar scent wafts through his rooms, followed, seconds later, by an equally familiar – and very naked – fae prince. Stunned, Marius can do little but gawp at all that wild hair, taut muscle and, er… everything – so it takes him a second or two to realise that Rakken is covered in blood. Marius sets about cleaning him up and tries to find out how and why he’s there, but Rakken is typically tight-lipped and won’t tell him anything. Fae cannot lie, but Rakken has being incredibly (and infuriatingly) economical with the truth down to an art form. Marius is becoming increasingly frustrated at Rakken’s refusal to answer any questions when Rakken, suddenly angry, tells Marius that someone is performing dark magic near his greenhouse. He’s on the point of dashing out the door to investigate when Marius suggests he should probably put some clothes on first.

When they arrive at the greenhouse, it’s to find the place is a mess – wilting plants, torn stems, broken glass… and a dead body next to one of the work benches. The dead man is Dr. Martin Vane, a colleague of Marius’ who shared his interest in the magical properties of plants, although why he should have been in Marius’ greenhouse, Marius has no idea. Stunned, he takes in the damage, while Rakken discovers what looks like the murder weapon, a dryad blade, together with another victim, a small lowfae, crushed beneath Vane’s body. Angrily, Rakken asserts that a burst of dark magic at full moon, combined with the deaths of a mortal and a fae cannot be coincidental.

These events kick off an interesting and well-executed mystery, with Marius and Rakken deciding to join forces to uncover the truth behind the murders, but the focus of the book really is the development of their relationship from what Marius terms “antagonistic acquaintances” to something much more. Marius hasn’t forgotten Rakken’s rejection and is determined never to allow it to happen again, but even though he knows Rakken is a cocky, smug git, he also knows he’s fiercely intelligent and loyal, with his own code of ethics and sense of justice which, while they may not be the same as his, are nonetheless ones Rakken lives by. He also knows Rakken will not lie to him; despite the prince’s talent for obfuscation, Marius knows that when Rakken makes a promise, he will fulfil it to the best of his (considerable) ability.

The story is told almost entirely in Marius’ PoV (there are a couple of chapters from Rakken’s which seemed an odd choice), and the author does a good job of showing that Rakken is very much smitten with Marius – and doesn’t want to be. I’d certainly go with Marius description of them as antagonists rather than enemies; for all that they snipe and jibe (their verbal sparring is excellent and Marius definitely gives as good as he gets) there’s a real sense of mutual respect between them. Marius admires Rakken’s strength, his conviction and his intelligence, while Rakken clearly enjoys Marius’ wit and humour, and appreciates his compassion and lively mind. For Marius, this is something of a revelation – Rakken, despite his powerful magical abilities, never belittles him or talks down to him; he treats him as an equal and listens to what he has to say, which is something he’s never really had a great deal of experience with. They both have good reasons for trying to resist the pull of the attraction between them; Marius doesn’t want to open himself up to hurt again, and Rakken doesn’t believe in love – that he’s capable of it or that he deserves it. The slow reveal of Rakken’s backstory, his flaws and his vulnerability is well done, and I really liked Marius’ narrative voice; he’s sweet and funny but is no pushover, and his struggle to understand and control his telepathic powers is well portrayed. His romance with Rakken is full of lovely sexual tension and banter-as-foreplay; of course we all know the ‘let’s shag and get it out of our systems’ thing never works, but it’s fun listening to them try ;)

“Performed by Nicholas Boulton” should be enough to tell you all you need to know about the narration! It’s well-paced, clearly enunciated and well-characterised, with clear and distinctive voices for both leads and the various secondary characters. His interpretations of both Marius and Rakken are superb, but his Rakken steals the show, his rich, velvety tones conveying just the right mixture of vitality, arrogance and vulnerability, knee-weakening sexiness and affection in his interactions with Marius, and a real sense of ‘someone-you-don’t-want-to-cross’ when he’s determined on a course of action. Marius’ voice has a lighter tone overall, and Mr. Boulton captures his waspish, dry humour perfectly. While Marius is less sure of himself than Rakken, he doesn’t let his Prince Melodramatic get away with anything, and is more than up to Rakken’s weight in the snarkery stakes. It’s a beautifully judged performance all round, and added considerably to my enjoyment of the story.

I would definitely recommend A Rake of His Own to anyone in the market for a gaslamp romance with an enemies-to-lovers/opposites-attract vibe featuring a hot fae prince and a nerdy, stubborn mortal! Nicholas Boulton’s wonderful narration is the icing on an already tasty cake; the worldbuilding is strong and consistent, the characterisation is excellent, and the writing is intelligent and assured. If A.J. Lancaster writes any more m/m fantasy novels, I’ll definitely be picking them up.

This review originally appeared at AudioGals.

[ChellesOfBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thank you to the author for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Initial Thoughts
As a huge fan of the Stariel quartet by this author, I was eager to sign up for an ARC of A Rake of His Own, especially since it followed Marius and Rakken - two of my favourite characters from the previous books.

What's great about this book?
- It was wonderful to get another take on this world. Although in previous books, we started to get different POVs throughout (especially in books 3 & 4), it was refreshing to take the established world AJ Lancaster had developed focusing on Hetta and Wyn in the Stariel quartet, and look at it through another lens. Marius' POV is what the reader gets for the majority of this read, and he's so different from the former main characters. I really appreciated the voice he gave to this world. It's not often that someone so anxious and harbouring self-worth insecurities get to lead a story such as this. I enjoyed having a protagonist that felt a little more relatable. Marius isn't naturally brave and bold like his sister Hetta, or diplomatically stoic like Wyn. And coupled with the fact that he's partnered with an endlessly charming, self-confident fae for this book, I came to love Marius even more - something I didn't think I could do, given how much I squawked over his parts in the latter two books of the previous series. The growth into his telepathic abilities and getting to see him navigate (keyword: bluster, mostly) them was everything I hoped for, given all the questions I had about them coming into this book.
- I appreciated the mystery aspect a great deal. Whilst it still dealt with Prydein/Faerie politics, A Rake of His Own is different in that it follows a murder mystery. I found the twists and turns, the potential murderers and the overall guessing game captivating. Whilst I had guessed it was between the two people standing at the end of the investigation, I wasn't 100% sure who the killer was or how it played out until revealed - which I was very satisfied with. The author cleverly tied in the botany of this novel into the murder, and I did like this twist a great deal.
- I had a feeling this novel would have more time spent in Faerie in comparison to the others, and this was an aspect I absolutely adored. Not only did I like the contrast between Hetta/Wyn and Marius/Rake's relationships ( with Wyn finding himself more at home in Stariel among humans, and Marius getting into a relationship with a Fae that has active loyalties and connection to the Spires, but also the location change and learning more about Faerie through Marius' experience was something I realised I wished to have happened more. The foreignness of it, despite being a well-established world, was once again refreshing to read.
- Rake and Marius' relationship also is a big deal in this storyline. I enjoyed the development into lovers and the understanding that came between them the longer they spent together. The first half of this book is better on the romance front. I really enjoyed the building tension. Their banter has always been top notch, and it continued to be so throughout, and I liked when it softened with their growing emotions too. This is definitely steamier than the other books by this author, which I appreciated as it remained classy and in theme with this particular world. The navigation of time-appropriate homophobia was a nice touch, and whilst some people have an issue with women authors writing M/M romances, I think AJ Lancaster told Rake and Marius' love story in a believable way, and showcased love as love, regardless of gender.

Things I didn't quite enjoy
- That being said, I did find their romance to falter a little towards the end. The main reason for my small loss of interest came from the repetitive thought process of Marius' previous hurt in love. The continuous comparison to his disastrous experience with John grew old, and I did find his final obstacle with admitting his feelings for Rake logical but slightly a letdown.
- I also would have loved more told from Rakken's perspective. The couple of moments we do get are so wonderful that I was a little disappointed with how fleeting they were. I do thoroughly enjoy Rakken as a character, so getting to see his thoughts (both through Marius' gift and those POVs) was something I was eager for.

Final thoughts
This was a fantastic read and so worth spending the time catching up on the series previously before entering this book. Whilst the author insists this can be read as a standalone, and I do agree to a point, coming into this fifth novel in this world with the knowledge of the quartet would lead to a more enriching experience. I really enjoyed this, and I cannot wait for more written but this talented author.

[Ditte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5

“We’re not enemies, Prince Melodramatic. We’re just… I don’t know, antagonistic acquaintances.”

Marius is a botany nerd who can read minds and who has to work with the infuriating fae prince Rakken who's too arrogant for his own good when one of Marius' colleagues is murdered. These two have great banter and do enemies-to-lovers so well.

I loved this book. I haven't read the previous 4 in the series but this one works as a standalone. I really enjoyed the audiobook, I thought the narrator was great.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really a misstep for the author to market this book as a stand alone.

The two characters in this book apparently had four books worth of moments and build up and slow burn. But to just jump into this book- you miss all of that. It felt like there was no romance, it jumped from attraction straight to love.

The world building and politics and Marius’s powers are never explained. If you are going to call your book a stand alone, you need to explain all that and not assume the reader already knows it from previous books.

I did like the writing style and what bits of the world I understood and I think I would have enjoyed this book had I read the series. But I have no desire to go back and read 1500 pages. This could have been a good book, but sort of ruined by the author telling readers they can read this without reading books 1-4.

Mostly I liked Thistlefell the little fairy pet cat dog ferret thing.

[Terrible Timy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Queen's Book Asylum.

After finishing The King of Faerie (the fourth book in the Stariel series), I was super hyped for this 5th book, A Rake of His Own, which also works as a standalone. I would have been super disappointed if I couldn’t find out what happens with Marius and Prince Rakken. I daresay I was more invested in them than Hetta and Wyn. Sure, they are cute, and I loved their story, but boy did I need more of Marius and Rake. So, the first chance I got, I put my hands on the audiobook version, which is narrated by Nicholas Boulton, who did an excellent job on this one.

We are a couple of months after the events concluded in The King of Faerie, and Marius is back at the University, minding his own business, far away from politics, and that damned insufferable fae prince, Rake. When said prince shows up out of the blue, injured. And if that wasn’t enough trouble, on the same night a murder happens in Marius’ greenhouse. Which turns out to be a double murder as both a human and a low fae die. There is nothing else for it, Rake and Marius have to work together to find out who is behind the murders and try not to strangle each other while they are at it.

Their relationship is… shall we say, complicated. While in some ways they are polar opposites, in other ways they are very similar. Rake has all of the self-confidence, grace, charm, and ruthlessness when it comes to dealing with problems. Marius is more of an introvert, he is more interested in studying and research, has no self-confidence, and has a gentle heart. But they both are intelligent, curious, have trust issues, and feel like outsiders at times in their families. Especially their siblings got elevated over them and while they don’t exactly resent that turn of fate, they still have to come to terms with it. And they also have sharp tongues they are not afraid to use on each other – as it turns out, both figuratively and metaphorically.

I certainly expected and wanted a romance plotline, but I did not see all the steamyness coming. Which is certainly not a complaint, I might add. I apparently did need some good M/M romance in my reading life and who would have thought that? Looks like I have to revisit my choices, methinks. On the other hand, I really shouldn’t be surprised, since one of my favorite bookish couples is Diago and Miquel from T. Frohock‘s Los Nefilim series. And that’s not even a romance series. Anyway. I loved the dynamics between Rake and Marius, their interactions, and how they found a way to each other. I also enjoyed their banter and had a very hard time keeping a straight face while listening in public. These two made me laugh with their sharp wit, and snort in frustration when they did something stupid. And they also kept me awake way longer into the night than I (and my beauty sleep time) would have liked.

But besides the romance, there is also a mystery plotline, balancing each other well. Probably would have liked a bit more meat on the mystery bits, but that’s pretty much my only complaint. The romance while prominent, doesn’t get in the way of the investigation, and it’s fun to chase after clues (both in Mortal and Faerie) while we get a deeper look into both Marius and Raken, getting to know them better and have a better understanding of their characters, which I really appreciated. That, and the little snippets we’ve got about how Hetta and Wyn were doing since we’ve last seen them.

All in all, I think A Rake of His Own was my favorite book in the series. These two grew on me more than I could have imagined and I’m 100% sure I’ll reread this one repeatedly whenever I’ll need a bit of lift me up. I will also make sure to keep an eye out for any upcoming books from A.J. Lancaster, who just got herself on my favorite authors’ list. The Stariel series had been the perfect escape and warm hug I needed this year. And while the first Stariel book, The Lord of Stariel filled a Downton Abbey-shaped hole in my heart, the fifth book, A Rake of His Own left a Marius and Rake-shaped one in its place.

[Melanie Harding-Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Rake of His Own has all the things I loved about Stariel: Fae! Wittiness! Banter! Family! Delightful fantasy creatures! Drama and tension! Plus the added bonus of being steamy, enemies to lovers M/M. It's like catnip. The UST between Marius and Rakken almost stole the show in The King of Faerie and now we get a whole giant of a book of it! AJ Lancaster is one of the few authors I've read who will have me smiling the whole damn way through a book and this is no exception, even when I'm smiling because the two sexy morons can't sort themselves out. Loved this from start to finish.

[Sharade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious.
Review to come!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

I loved A Rake of His Own and I couldn’t help but smile while I was reading it. It is a standalone gay gaslamp fantasy set after AJ Lancaster’s The Stariel Quartet. Botanist Marius isn’t having a great day when the fae prince Rakken who previously rejected him turns up bloody (and nude) in his apartment while a colleague ends up murdered in his greenhouse. Forced together by circumstance, they decide to investigate and track down the killer.

I haven’t read The Stariel Quartet, so I can attest that this is indeed a standalone and can be read without any prior knowledge of the series. The main characters here, however, seem to be intricately tied to the events of the main series so spoilers are plentiful if you do plan on reading the quartet. Given that Rake is set in a previously established work, the world definitely feels rich in lore and mythology with the characters fully immersed without leaving readers lost. It is well written with an engrossing mystery that allows the characters to shine through. I did think though that the final reveal wasn’t as satisfying as I was expecting.

The book is first and foremost a romance, and I loved the “antagonistic acquaintances”-to-lovers dynamic between Marius and Rakken. Both men are charming but have issues and are deluding themselves into thinking what is apparent from the get go—they want each other. One man has been hurt in the past while society tells him his desires are wrong; the other refuses to be vulnerable nor to believe himself capable of loving and being loved. Their interactions are all thinly veiled flirtations and a twisted kind of foreplay that really got me going. When they finally get together, the spice is steamy but not over the top.

A Rake of His Own is a charming and steamy fantasy romance between two men who affectionately call themselves “antagonistic acquaintances”.

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Starless One]

I am agog
I am aghast
Is Marius in love at last

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifth book in series but should work as a standalone, gaslamp fantasy/romance, investigator husbands, great mystery, loved it so much. Note that the first four books in this series focus on a single MF couple. I read them as they were published and loved loved loved them. It was a very nice surprise to see this MM book come out. There are many references to the prior happenings, but I do think this could work as a standalone. Anyone who reads it an enjoys it has a good chance of enjoying the first four books also if they're up for an MF series.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

FINALLY!! Ah I loved this book SO MUCH. Even though it can be read as a standalone I highly recommend reading the other books in this series first. The slow burn is so much more exquisite!!

I‘m obsessed with the arrogant fae prince x insecure mortal scholar combo. But of course there‘s more than meets the eye - Rake is sometimes (very surprisingly) insecure as well and Marius is much stronger than previously assumed.

Even though the focus is on their relationship, there‘s also a really good plot as well (fae/human murder mystery).

Honestly obsessed with this couple.

[Jyanx · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of the series so far. The main characters have my favorite sort of connection, and I love thier banter. Marius has been my favorite character. I love the way his mind works, and I understand why he was holding back.

[Rachael A · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was offered an ARC in exchange for an honest review I eagerly accepted as I greatly enjoyed the previous 4 Stariel books. While it’s not totally necessary to have read them before reading this it will increase your enjoyment of this book and the glimpses of characters from those books.

This somewhat standalone story focuses on Marius and Rake and their investigation of a series of murders while trying to come to grips with Marius’ telepathy and what this might mean for the two of them. The POV on occasion switches without warning which can be, deliberately, a little confusing, mirroring Marius’ own shaky grip on his ability and his confusion as to whose thoughts he’s actually hearing, as a device it works really well.

You get a much better understanding of both Rake’s character and Marius’ and the development of their relationship is well done and rather sweet and funny in turn.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the original Stariel books and if you haven’t yet had that pleasure that you go back and start with The Lord of Stariel and find out what you’ve been missing out on.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

5 stars

A Rake of His Own is the fifth book in the Stariel series, which takes place in a world where, within the past two years, the fae courts have decided to make themselves known by returning to the mortal world. This is a clever little murder mystery that can be read as a standalone (as I did, having not read any of the other books in the series) with excellent world building and easy, seamless introductions to other characters. There are no clumsy expositional dumps; the book is content to give you just enough to figure out how everyone is related without giving you their backstories, which I appreciate. It also adds to the eclectic, whimsical, found family aspect of Marius’ family, of people embracing with open hearts any lost or wounded soul … which is good, because Marius is going to need all that support if he’s going to be so foolish as to fall in love with Rakken.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Cindaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

3/17/2024 I cannot stop listening to this. I listened twice in a row and then read/listened to the original four so I could listen to this again. I freakin love Nicholas Boulton's voice, and how he portrays Rake and Marius is perfection. Completely does justice to this delicious story.

2/21/2023 oh goodness I love this book. This was a reread; I swear I left a review after my initial read but the field is blank so idk. Anyway Marius and Rakken stole my heart in the King of Faerie and I couldn't WAIT for the rest of their story. I'm so glad AJ wrote it and I loooove it. I love Wyn (so much!) and Hetta too but Marius and Rake have a different dynamic and it's great.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long, eeeeh on the ending, but fuck if I don’t want more stories from this world.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very immersive, comfortable gaslit fantasy, a mm romance between a diffident telepathic botanist and an arrogant fae prince (who is now his relative by marriage).

This book is supposedly a standalone, and nominally book 5 in series, with the first 4 books being tightly connected. I read the first book The Lord of Stariel which I enjoyed very much, got the second book The Prince of Secrets which I quit half way through (because it was so slow and I did not care any more about the established couple) and I did not even try the third and fourth books. And I am not sure if I agree if the book really is a standalone. If I had not read the first book I might be hopelessly lost, even in worldbuilding details nevermind who these people are. As it was, having read 1.5 of the previous books, a lot of plot and previous character interactions I had no clue about. I powered through anyway and enjoyed it but I am not sure if it is workable as a true standalone and starting point for the series.

Cozy is a really hard quality define but this has it in spades (rakefuls more appropriately.. I adore the rake motif in the book layout, awww, should have been included also in the cover, maybe it is and I missed it?). And while cozy is not on itself a satisfying enough quality for everything I read, sometimes I just want a really cozy book and this worked really well at that.

But there were some issues I could not help noticing: namely the relationship being a bit wishful thinking and Rakken is kind of a shallow character - the fantasy hot bad-boy who becomes automatically great boyfriend material. There is an attempt at giving him depth, or maybe redeeming him from actions in previous novels which does not really work for me and that I thought was a bit cheesy namely the incident of presumably rape in his past, to explain a murder he committed in previous books. They talk about it during a few pages, explained in a scene, references (previous to that) in dreams and all done, cinnamon roll established, extra depth. Sorry, did not quite work for me. The resolution to the mystery also did not quite work for me Marius' telepathy powers supposedly ilibating people, not that he wanted to use them consciously, and honestly a murderous giant succulent monster? facepalm.... Harder to explain and probably just subjective because I do not like overly long books, but the descriptions, inner monologues, dialogues could have been tighter - on the first third of the book, I was finding myself almost stop paying attention the long dialogue, the reading momentum gone...

But while some things could have been better (in my modest opinion, obviously), it did not detract from that readable cozy quality this book has - and that is not that easy to find as one would think! But I think readers do need to start by The Lord of Stariel, which is at least as good, and IMO even better.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, so enjoyable. Now that the main quartet is over with, all of that world- and character-building could just go into this lovely story. The pairing of Rake and Marius was perfect - the charming, all powerful, overbearing fae Prince and shy, closeted (but very smart) academic Marius Valstar have a LOT to figure out, and all of the romance beats are pretty spot on.

Then there is a botanical murder mystery which requires Rakken's protection of Marius AND Marius' research capabilities and ties to the faelands. This was done rather more creditably and believably than I would have expected, it's rather a tall order. But Lancaster knows how to make her writing make sense and not have plot points feel contrived and arranged solely for the author's convenience.

Plus we got a bit of a check-in with what's been happening at FallingStar/ with the larger Valstar clan, which of course was fun.

I will continue to keep an eye out for what Lancaster puts out into the world - she does good world-building AND real, breathing characters and it's such a pleasure. Between them, she and Victoria Goddard have made me re-evaluate my ideas of the quality of work that independent authors put out. This is impeccably written and edited, as were her previous books.

If I do a re-read of any of these books, I think it's this one I'd reach for first- the adventure is a little smaller but it has way more room for heart. And LOOK at that lovely cover! Cheers to my library for actually buying physical copies and putting them on the shelf, where I found, recognized, and devoured them.

[Olga Godim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
That was a good book and deeply emotional. It is #5 in the Stariel series. I enjoyed the other books of the series, but this one was different. Unlike all the other books, the focus here was not on Hetta and Wyn but on Hetta's brother Marius and Wyn's brother Rakken. People familiar with the series know who I'm talking about: both characters appeared in the other books.
Marius is an anxiety-riddled human man, a botanist, and a homosexual. His insecurities run deep. His father always despised his sexual preferences, and even though his father is dead, and his other relatives don't care - they love Marius for his kindness and compassion and for his sharp scientific mind - Marius's tendency to hide who he is has long become second nature. Of course, homosexuality is illegal in his country at this time, so his fear of discovery is justified. Furthermore, his vulnerability is rooted in his conviction that he is flawed, that he is unworthy of love.
Rakken, on the other hand is a fae sorcerer, sharp, abrasive, cynical, full of himself As a prince of the fae, he has responsibility for his Faeland and a duty to his sister, the Queen. None of those include a love affair with a mortal man Marius.
The attraction between the two is mutual and strong, exacerbated by a powerful sexual desire, but both Rakken and Marius resist the pull, each for reasons of his own. It took them both the entire novel to finally find a way to each other's heart, to accept their own unlikely choices of a life partner.
Their dancing around their mutual temptation is complicated by a murder mystery. Someone is killing botanists at the university where Marius works. If both Marius and Rakken don't discover the murderer, Marius could be next.
Multiple political and personal interests intertwine in this story, as Marius and Rakken search for the killer. The narrative is complex and multilayered, the characters believable (besides being fae, of course), and the tension is high throughout. I would've given this book a higher rating if not for the pervasive smut. The homosexual characters don't repel me - I don't give a fig about their sexual inclinations - but their coupling on the page does. I prefer my stories clean, and the other books of the series gave me the impression that I could expect a less explicit content.
Otherwise, a darn good yarn.