A Rake, His Patron, & Their Muse

Regency Menage #1

by Nicola Davidson

London playwright and notorious rake Lennox Townsend is renowned for bold melodrama and bolder pleasures. When he loses interest in both, his shy yet devoted patron Lord Jonathan Grant escorts him to a country boarding house managed by repressed widow, Mrs. Viola Prescott. The trio soon surrender to sizzling—and forbidden—passion, made sweeter as each share their deepest secrets and find acceptance of their true self. Yet cold reality is ever ready to intrude, and they know happiness is fleeting. Or is it?

This MMF erotic Regency romance contains explicit sex scenes, strong language, and enthusiastically consensual BDSM play. It was previously published in the anthology Rake I’d Like to F…

CW: infertility, death of family members discussed

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Novella, Erotica, Historical, Historical Fiction, Menage

138 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2022

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Nicola Davidson worked for many years in media and government communications, but hasn't looked back since she decided writing erotic historical romance was infinitely more fun. When not chained to a computer, she can be found ambling along one of New Zealand’s beautiful beaches, cheering on the All Blacks rugby team, history geeking on the internet, or daydreaming. If this includes dessert—even better!
Her books have appeared in USA Today, NPR, and Entertainment Weekly.
Keep up with Nicola’s news on Twitter (@NicolaMDavidson) Facebook (Nicola Davidson – Author) Instagram (nicoladauthor) or her website www.nicola-davidson.com

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐💫
3½ stars.





➕ What I liked :



Curvy/full-figured heroine. 👍

Tall and curvy/full-figured heroine. 👍


“Older” heroine. (35)👏👍


Older woman and younger man/men romance.

Widow heroine.

Funny side characters.
(The four elderly and mischievous and naughty "Brigands".)


Kind of a confident curvy/full-figured heroine.
(But….. The heroine was really only a somewhat confident curvy/full-figured heroine that was happy with her curves….. many things she did and said contradicted her outward confidence.... which was 👎😕)




No pregnancy or babies at the end of the book.
(And the only discussion the main characters had about kids was that they were sure that they did Not want any kids.
The heroine was barren…. But she did not miss not being able to have kids.)

Both the heroine and both the heroes stood up to the bad people in their life and more or less put them in their place.

Somewhat interesting main characters but…

Some parts of the story were interesting.

One of the heroes was rather sweet (Lord Jonathan).


There was a little variation in the character description/visual appearance/character choice of the heroes… one was lean and tallish…. The other was very tall and big and hulking.











➖ What I disliked:


A little too anachronistic in many places.


The heroines contradicting personality.
(In some places she was very confident in her body and her sexuality and proud of her dancing days etc. ..… in others she was not so confident about either her body and other things.
And her confidence in her body felt more like it was false bravado or/and fake confidence because of how she talks about herself and about her plumpness etc.
And in some places she was a yes person to her in-laws and then all of a sudden she stands up to them and puts them in their place (like she should because they were horrible) but it is contradicting and does not add up to a confident and bold woman like she is suppose to come across as.




Believability/plausibility issues‎ etc.
(That the heroine was not more self-assured and confident and bold with her background with being on stage and dancing and dancing in a sensual/seductive way in very revealing clothing and/or almost nude sometimes and being popular/wanted and admired by many men.
She also had many lovers when she was in her troupe and a dancer.
Not one of them said anything derogatory or bad about her body or did anything to her to make her anything but confident in her body… quite the opposite.
And that includes her late husband… which intensely pursued her (for many different reasons) and it seems more or less like he pestered and persuaded her to marry him.

Her late husband was a jerk and a loser… and he mocked her for being barren and was eventually unfaithful to her… But it was never mentioned or hinted at that her late husband said anything bad about her body...quite the opposite and he also thought he could “cure” the heroine of being barren.

The heroine was not a naive woman or ignorant about men or the world… she was worldly and experienced and not in a desperate situation or anything like that…. She had her dancing and money from that and friends and lovers in her troupe and lived a good life… so why did she fall for the BS from her late husband?
It does not seem like she ever loved him or really truly wanted him or to marry him…. So why did she fall for his BS and also marry him?)




There was a little too much insta-lust and insta-love…. And the romantic build up and chemistry was rushed and also lacked depth…. Even for a novella…. Especially about the romantic build up and chemistry with the heroine and the two heroes… it was a little better between the two heroes.


The story was rushed and a little disjointed in some places… even for a novella.

The characters were kind of interesting in some parts but lacked some depth.


Repetitive.

Cringey.


There was a little variation in the character description/visual appearance/character choice of the heroes and that was good….. But they were still rather formulaic…. Because they were both handsome/very handsome and tall/tallish and very tall and muscular/very muscular.

One of the heroes was a little too self-consious and was not confident. (Lord Jonathan)

The heroine talks rather negatively about her age (the heroine is 35…. but she sometimes kind of talks about herself like she is at least double that age.)


The steam was not bad but rather rushed.



➖ 😒👎 The book-cover does not have very good representation for the heroine and one of the heroes (Lord Jonathan).
The heroine is described as a curvy/plump /full-figured heroine……. The cover shows a slender woman on the cover…. Not at all like the heroine is described/portrayed in the book.
And one of the heroes (Lord Jonathan) also does not have good representation… he is described and portrayed like a big and hulking and muscular hero that is also very tall… the man on the cover does not look big/hulking etc.

[emtee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as part of the Rake I'd Like to F... anthology

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

A shifting interplay of dominance and submission swirled at the center of the beautiful dynamic between Lennox, Jon and Viola, and the three fit together like pieces of a puzzle, not just sexually, but emotionally as well.

In addition to being incredibly hot, this story had an underlying theme of longing for, and then finding, acceptance, which made the story satisfying on a deeper level.

Fuck me. Own me. Love me. Let me please you both.

I needed a bold man. A brave one. But also…unconventional. A man who wouldn’t clip my wings, but be the breeze on which I soared. I see that part of myself in you, my dear. Do not fall prey to the false or staid again. Embrace your true self. Be free.

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun, happy, enthusiastically consensual poly romance.

I really loved the 4 elderly and very naughty "Brigands": Timothy & Gillian Talbot and Piers Vincent & Reuben Calder. These two couples were so much fun and I wish we had there stories too!!

[kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lennox Townsend and his patron, Lord Jonathan Grant, head out to a quiet country boarding house to write—there they meet widow Mrs. Viola Prescott, a former dancer. After introductions, they proceed to get down and dirty.

1. I don't dislike erotica (I say, about to go on a tear) but man did this not work for me.

2. I want to be clear that it wasn't any of the specific elements included. Just in case it seems like I'm just "anti-" something—that's not quite it.

3. It's partly that the setting (a country boarding house in "regency times") is terribly, terribly misused. Like: the characters have a threesome in a moving carriage on their way back to the boarding house after a day looking at some Roman ruins. And then complain when "only six people" gossip about it??? And this is right after Viola goes ahead and kisses Jon right out in the middle of a afternoon party, and with tongue (the text helpfully describes), and I'm just like: WHY? Why is this set in a period that you are going to completely ignore for the sake of explicit, kinky sex?

4. I ... couldn't really understand Viola at all: she's a woman who is so uber-confident in her body and her sexuality that she delights and dreams of dancing nearly nude in front of a huge (almost mistyped "hung" heh) audience—not my thing but I judge not the yums of others—but she's also trapped under the thumb of her family-in-law to the point of servitude. And there's a little hand-wavey "but the money" thing, but.... really? REALLY?

5. I get that confessing your particular fantasies might be difficult to do to new partners, but that was just one more additional thing thrown into this little novella that was too many things.

6. Reader, by the end I was skimming the sex scenes. Me! The One Who Brings Up the Boners! And had Davidson just set out to write a short thing about three people falling into some sex and negotiating the sex, that would have been fine. But no! The sex ALSO had to be the Sex of TRUE LOVE and so between the turgid emotion was the turgid erections and the whiplash between the two was too much.

[Rellim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sexy & little bit kinky polyamorous (MMF) stand alone novella. I liked that Lennox and Jon had known each other for a bit, but didn’t get together until they met Viola. Each of them was integral to the happiness of others and to the success of their group as a whole.

Huge theme of finding what really makes you happy and tossing off societal judgement and expectations. This was a lovely mix of discovering themselves, each other, and what they could be together.

Fun read.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read 23 books of Nicola Davidson since 2017. I always considered her one of my favorites.

I really loved her books at the beginning. I think because they were so different from the normal Regency books I was reading at the time. Over the years, I think I've gotten to be a better reader than I used to be at the beginning and her books don’t seem as good to me anymore. She does have some good stories and hot sex but the last several I've been reading were just okay and super short.

this is one of those books. Interesting and just okay.

[Shiny Ruins · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This had no business being so good. I liked how it read like the old Harlequin romance novels of old, but just dirtier.

It weaved the attitudes of the time and was faithful to the period too.

[Pollyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent. Perfect balance of intimacy and emotion, Nicola is incredibly talented at making you invested in characters and writing excellent chemistry between the characters. Even though i think the climax is a bit rushed, it was an extremely enjoyable read just for the characters and their dynamics

[susana ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Alie TE · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, spicy, quick read. Historical enough to Bridge the gap (hehe) till a certain show returns. Even had its own carriage scene.

[Unapologetic Termagant]

In da clerb, we all fam.

[♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

- FMC: Viola
- MMC's: Lennox, Jon
- POVs Included: Multiple POVs (Lennox, Jon, Viola)

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SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)

Lennox is a renowned playwright and rake. Jon is his loyal patron with a sweet demeanor despite being a tall imposing man. And Viola is a former dancer who is now forced to work at a boarding house owned by her late husband's family after he died and left her nothing due to his gambling debts.

Together they find an attraction, passion, and love for each other. And as they each reveal secrets about themselves, they fall in love even more.

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REVIEW:

So I've come to really enjoy historical menages. For some reason they just work for me. Even if they are extremely unrealistic in terms of acceptance about poly relationships, I still love them.

I came across this one and it's a new-to-me author. But I have several of her books on my TBR, so I thought I'd try it.

Unfortunately it was just okay. But there were a few things that just weren't for me. And a few other issues I had with it.

Firstly, the whole BDSM twist just isn't for me. I'm not a fan of heavy BDSM with sirs and madams and whatnot. I have said it in my other reviews, but I'll say it again. To me, this whole kink just makes sex feel cold and transactional to me. I'm not a fan of it. I know others like it, but it's not for me. I'm more about passion and uncontrollable urges as opposed to controlled scenes (unless it's a CNC scene lol).

But that wasn't my only issue.

I also found Viola to be a little too forward and bold for my tastes. The way she approached Lennox and Jon just felt unrealistic and a little desperate to me. She actually outright asks Lennox what it would take to bed him the very first conversation they have. Ugh. That was really pathetic to me.

I loved Jon. He was so sweet and I actually loved his submissive tendencies. It's just the whole master/sir thing that weren't for me. I thought he was super sweet and I really liked him.

Lennox was a mixed bag. I found him to be a little flaky and unpredictable as far as how he would react in various situations. I wasn't a huge fan of him.

Together they had a few good steamy scenes. But mostly I found the sex to be a little boring. It just wasn't written in a way that worked for me.

Overall it was just middle of the road for me. Not sure if I'd read more from this author at this point. I don't know...

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is far outside of my preferred genre so I’m going to try my best to remain objective. I picked this up because of there being a tall plus size main character and it being a poly romance. That’s my vibe and what I want more of.

The book is incredibly spicy in terms of sexual fluidity and openess to it. I’d say this is 80% sexual tension, 15% sex, and 5% outward plot. If that is something you prefer, I think you’ll like this. If you’re looking for a lot of sex, maybe not because there’s three scenes and relatively mild from what I’ve heard that spice readers like. But it is queer and I like that the author did try to throw in elements of connection for them beyond sexual attraction but it is overwhelmingly motivated by lust. Instant love, instant love, totally brazen. Again, if that’s your preferred type of story, this is for you. Plus it is short so you can read it in a few hours.

I also liked that these characters were all equals. I do think if it was longer there could have been more added tension and friction, but everything meld together so easily. Again, probably because of the nature of the book. But so often with mmf books I pick up, it is so unbalanced in one way or another. Usually the woman is left out, or has to give up a lot to be with them. In this, although instant attraction, they are all balanced in that attraction. Is it a mind blowing chemistry? No. But again, at least there is consideration for each character and their role.

I do think the writing is really good in terms of form, and think with a little more development to the plot it could shine more. Some stuff is cheesy, but it adds a light hearted tone and made me laugh a few times. It was a little uncomfortable with the group of elders being so open in terms of their sex lives, and the sex lives (or lack thereof) of others. It is interesting because it shows that even as you age, you can still have those desires and be young that way. But it was a little too forward and just uncomfortable for my personal taste. Maybe a little thinly veiled comment here or there but the outright discussion of it had me clutching my pearls.

All in all, it wasn’t for me. I’d rate it a 2.5 in terms of how I feel about it but I think for the correct audience it is a solid 3.

Rep: Bi MMCs, Tall Plus size MC, MLM SCs, poly.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox is a playwright who has writer's block. Lord Jonathan is his patron who suggests a change of scenery. They leave London and go to a boarding house in the country managed by Viola, a former actress now the widow of a lord. They are all attracted to one another. Will anything come of those attractions? Will Lennox's writer's block end?

I enjoyed this story a lot! Viola is rollicking. She is not shy. Jon is shy and has secrets that he is afraid to divulge. Lennox takes the lead and the other two follow creating a scandal that culminates at the garden party Viola's in-laws are hosting. It is a good scandal for the three of them and is hot, hot, hot! I loved it all. I loved when they finally all open up about their lives and wants.

I loved the Brigands who live at the boarding house. They are elderly but have a good time. When everything blows up, I loved that the Brigands chose a side. They were full of encouragement.

I look forward to the rest of the series. I also plan to read more books by Ms. Davidson. I had a good time.

[Wendy Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy, fast, and satisfyingly decadent

The Rake, His Patron, and Their Muse is a delightfully quick and steamy MMF read that wastes no time getting to the good stuff—yet still manages to pack in chemistry, power dynamics, and a touch of emotional depth.

The tension between the characters is palpable, and the dynamic is fresh and compelling, especially with the layered MMF arrangement. It’s not just hot (though yes, it’s very spicy 🔥)—there’s a subtle exploration of trust, desire, and unspoken longing underneath the surface. The author does a great job of balancing all three characters without anyone feeling like a third wheel.

I’m giving it 4 stars mainly because I wanted more—a little more backstory, a little more emotional build-up. But for a short, seductive escape that delivers on heat and chemistry? This one hits the mark.

[AlexOrVirginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for this steamy little novella. I’ve been in the mood for a regency romance and this was EXACTLY what I needed to help a bit of a CC2 reread slump.

Plot: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice : 🔥🔥🔥🔥 ; it’s a sauna in here

This was a very quick read and such a chewing gum for the eyes story. No deep plots, no hidden agendas, just good writing and a good time and delivers exactly what it advertises.

Our trio of characters are decently fleshed out for such a short work and while the relationships progress rather quickly everyone is pretty open and on board with knowing that.

A minor thing is that everyone is pretty cavalier about sex and sexual situations which, let’s be real, may not be suuuppeeerrrr historically accurate for regency England, but I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying myself.

[mk meow · Rating 3 out of 5]

5🌶️

MMF.

MMC1, a playwright known for his scripts and orgies. He's a Dom.

MMC2, his sunshiney sweet patron, youngest brother of a duke. He's actually a child of an affair and his family doesn't like him. He also wants badly to be a sub.

FMC, a former erotic dancer, now widowed and working at BIL's boarding house as a maid bc her husband was a gambler.

1&2 go to the boarding house to help with writer's block. They meet F, and she is egged into propositioning 1. Then they catch 2 watching.

[Elizabeth Lively · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola Davidson has expertly written this short story about three people unfulfilled, forsaken, and uninspired. These three needed each other to realize love and happiness. Great supporting characters, too.

Tender affection, sensual pain and passion, and exhibition fuel steamy and explicit MMF intimacy. Every page and orifice is filled with rich details. . .sucking, licking, fingering, flogging, and CUDDLES 😘

[Angela Harriman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual but definitely steamy

It wasn't difficult to get right into this story. I couldn't put it down. I love the main characters and how they interact with each other. The sex is hot and steamy. The only complaint I have is it left something unfinished and ended a bit too quickly. Needs another chapter or so to wrap up the unanswered questions. But I would still read it again.

[Melinda Greathouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and sexy read from Nicola Davidson. It was very insta-love, and while I expected that from a novella, I’d have liked to have seen more character development and more time invested in the relationship. I liked that the “villains” got put in their places, and the secondary characters, the brigands, were delightful.

[Natalie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

September 2025
Kindle edition

The characters were fun, it was mostly sex or trying to gear towards sex, with shitty family/Ton clutching their pearls and harping away. They all deserved better. Not sure on the reverend accidentally spilling the truth. Glad they got a HEA. MFM. The little old group were the best bit.

[Nicole Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

an absolutely wonderful, steamy, sweet, and super fun polyamorous historical romance novella!!! the dynamic between our three main characters is perfect, and i love them all so much. definitely pick this up if you'd like to read a spicy & sweet polyamorous historical romance.

[KC Marie Pandell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously filthy, probably shouldn’t read it in public (or do. I did)
Very graphic sexual scenes, which is delightful if that’s your thing. You love the main characters right away, and you root for them the whole time.

[Donna Nalbandian Woerner Homschek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!!!

A story of second chances for all three of them whose pasts and lives were secrets. I enjoyed this story the first time I read in an anthology that I had to read it again.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i loved this one just as much if not more than the first one. jon is the sweetest little service sub and i love him so much.

viola gets to live her dreams, and lennox gets to write more plays while being hot and fun.

and the brigands get to be hilarious and kind. it’s wonderful.

[J.T. Kingsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saucy and Bossy

I read the second book in this series first, but the first is just as good as the second, so enjoy in whatever order you chose. Hopefully Nicola keeps adding stories to this world.

[Cyn's Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful historical erotic romance! Really interesting main characters, the side characters were a hoot, which is always nice, and some villainous relatives to stir things up. A great start to a series, I loved it. Borrowed from KU.

[Julie ambrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rake , his patron and their muse

A historical mmf story which is very graphic and steamy in its story .
A shy lord who needs to be dominated a playwright who is dominant and lost his way in his writing and a once actress make up this steamy threesome .

[Mariah Wamby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up.

This was spicy as hell and a lot of fun.
I enjoyed watching all of the characters learn to trust one another and voice their desires and fears. Def want to check out the others in this series.

[Richard Burlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

At about 25% into this book I was ready to give up as the introduction was daft and off putting, then followed by repetitions of the same internal angst. Although the book remained daft it did start to come alive once the three main characters came together and interacted fully.