Wild, Wild Rake – TLC Book Tour
Wild, Wild Rake (The Cavensham Heiresses Volume 6) by Janna MacGregor
St. Martin’s Paperbacks – February 25, 2020
*eARC provided by TLC Book Tours & the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I’ve realized over the last year that historical romance is a comfort read for me! The start of this year has not been the most stellar, so I appreciate a good historical romance that can capture my attention. Some escapist reading does the soul good. So, I was thrilled when TLC Book Tours and St. Martin’s Paperback reached out to me about Janna MacGregor’s Wild, Wild Rake . This is the first book I’ve read from MacGregor and it did not disappoint!
About the Book
Her first marriage was an epic fail.
Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband. Arrogant, selfish, and cruel, it’s a blessing when she’s widowed and left to raise her son all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen. She’s lived these past ten years with no desire to remarry?that is, until Mr. Devan Farris comes to town.
Can he convince her to take another chance at happily ever after?
Devan Farris–charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian–is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs; he’s not one to trod on a woman’s independent nature and keen sense of convictions. But she’ll have nothing to do with a vicar with a wild reputation–even though he’s never given his heart and body to another. If only he could find a way to show Avalon who he really is on the inside–a good, true soul looking for its other half. But how can he prove that he wants to love and care for her. . .until death do they part?
My Thoughts
Something I’ve realized that I love about historical romance, and romance more generally, is that although the synopsis creates a sense of conflict and light heartedness there’s typically a lot of depth behind it. I loved that MacGregor created characters that seemed fully fleshed out and understandable.
I felt like Avalon and Devan’s characters were interesting and real despite that facade of regency era romance. Avalon experienced a brief but abusive marriage and her parents were social climbers. After the death of her parents and husband, Avalon has clawed out a home of her own within a kind village and has set up a sort of underground railroad for women wanting to get out of prostitution and away from abusive partners. Avalon has a number of reasons for her high walls and chilly demeanor. While Devan’s rakishness is a cover for his hope of finding a woman to love and call his wife forever. Both of them have to let down their walls to find their happiness and I thought the author did an excellent job!
I devoured this book in two days so it thoroughly held my attention! I thought the pacing was good (though it always astonishes me with the plot of a book takes places over only a few weeks… seems unrealistic at times but is consistent with the genre). This can be read as a standalone, thankfully, but I have a feeling I’ll be going back and reading the first five books now that I’ve been introduced to this series and author!
Purchase Links (not affiliated with Bookish Bliss and Beauty)
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She is the author of the Cavensham Heiresses series, which begins with The Bad Luck Bride. Janna credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs.
Thank you for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours