Rogue Rules
When a young lady is ruined, her friends vow none of them will ever be ensnared by a scoundrel again. They will resist every gentleman’s charms even—and especially—if it means gaining a reputation for being impossible to woo. It will take extraordinary rogues to break their rules…
From USA Today Bestselling Author Darcy Burke, author of The Untouchables and Phoenix Club series, comes your next Regency romance must-read Rogue Rules.
As the Earl Likes
Heir to a dukedom, Clive Halifax, Earl of Shefford, is weary of fixing his father’s scandalous messes and watching his mother suffer for them. Sheff vows to live as the Lothario everyone believes him to be, never to wed. However, his parents will not stop insisting he marry, so he chooses the most inappropriate bride he can find and pays her to be his fake betrothed for the remainder of the Season.
Josephine Harker lives at the edge of Society with a mother who runs a gaming club and an artist father who flits about the ton. She just wants the ability to choose her own path instead of what society dictates—or what her parents think is best for her. When Shefford, a notorious rake, proposes a faux engagement along with a substantial sum, she cannot refuse.
Dangerously captivated by one another from the outset, their attraction explodes into a searing passion they can’t deny. But the last thing Jo wants is to risk her heart on a rogue who can’t see he’s much more than his reputation—or that there is such a thing as true love.
Review:
Fake engagement–or is it a engagement of convenience?–for the win!
I really liked Sheff and Jo’s story. Though he clearly didn’t really think through the implications of his I-need-a-fake-engagement-to-get-my-parents-off-my-back-Jo-will-be-perfect-since-she’s-not-in-the-ton plan, it was so satisfying to watch him (probably? It was pretty close, though) fall first here.
Both Sheff and Jo come from families whose parents offer abysmal matrimonial examples–Sheff is convinced he’s his father 2.0 and therefore incapable of falling in love and being faithful; Jo is sure that the life of a spinster is her life goal. So while denying that they’re falling in love–neither of them wants that, obviously!–they both had a lot of work to do on themselves. Jo had to decide what she really wanted for her future and find the courage to start on that path; Sheff needed to come to terms with how what he thought had happened with his parents’ relationship colored his perception of himself.
Watching them figure out their lives *and* fall in love was beyond satisfying–and I loved the way that Ms Burke brought them back together for their climax. I didn’t see it coming, and it was so fun!
Sheff and Jo’s story *could* work as a standalone, but why would you? Both our MCs have wonderful friend groups who both show up here and have their own wonderful stories–so why not read them all? 😉
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.