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elizaed's review
3.0
It got slightly better towards the end but for the most part this book didn't really feel like a romance to me. Other elements often overshadowed the relationship, and I never really cared enough about the characters. When the couple was together, it was often too dark and bleak to feel very romantic. Three stars because the writing is strong at times, but overall this just wasn't my cup of tea.
ehmannky's review against another edition
This one was on me for going in with a different expectation of the tone than I was expecting, but it was just a lot more melancholy than I thought I was getting and I just wasn't really in the mood for it.
geets88's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
cassandra67b07's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This book was a revelation and all it took was a gender swap around the character of the Rake. I mention the "character" of the rake, because, of course, the seducer of women and the man who refuses to let anyone fill the emotional holes in his soul until he meets the heroine, has been around in literature and theater for a long time. He usually meets a tragic end until modern historical romance resurrected him as something of the standard male lead/hero.
I had not read Peckham before, but I appreciated her introduction where she dedicates the book to Mary Wollstonecraft and explains why she chose to flip the script in historical romance. This allows the reader to come into the story with an understanding of why the progress of the typical romantic storyline is going to look quite a bit different.
And boy does it. Sera is a mess. Her hurts and past come spilling out as she attempts to write a memoir that will earn her enough coin to help other 'fallen' women like herself. She's an alcoholic who is drinking her pain. She's blunt about sex and often rude and dismissive to Adam who finds her fascinating and desirable anyway. I loved Peckham for letting Sera be a mess and having her actions reap realistic consequences. Sera and Adam's relationship is very rocky but also very passionate and the way that they both navigate their challenges (including a very frank and accurate discussion of birth control/pregnancy/childbirth) was realistic and emotionally wrenching.
The society of 'fallen' women was also a highlight of the book. To see these women grapple with the legal restrictions they lived under, the lack of money of their own, the biology they couldn't escape, and still have them support and love one another was one of the things that made this book very special.
Two other noteworthy items about The Rakess. The Cornwall locations are not often seen in historical romance although I remember Cornwall being a favorite for gothics at one point. The Cornish scenery, food, and customs added a lot to the story. And the second thing is THAT cover. Beautiful and I hope someone has a framed copy of the painting.
Thank you to edelwiess for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars.
I had not read Peckham before, but I appreciated her introduction where she dedicates the book to Mary Wollstonecraft and explains why she chose to flip the script in historical romance. This allows the reader to come into the story with an understanding of why the progress of the typical romantic storyline is going to look quite a bit different.
And boy does it. Sera is a mess. Her hurts and past come spilling out as she attempts to write a memoir that will earn her enough coin to help other 'fallen' women like herself. She's an alcoholic who is drinking her pain. She's blunt about sex and often rude and dismissive to Adam who finds her fascinating and desirable anyway. I loved Peckham for letting Sera be a mess and having her actions reap realistic consequences. Sera and Adam's relationship is very rocky but also very passionate and the way that they both navigate their challenges (including a very frank and accurate discussion of birth control/pregnancy/childbirth) was realistic and emotionally wrenching.
The society of 'fallen' women was also a highlight of the book. To see these women grapple with the legal restrictions they lived under, the lack of money of their own, the biology they couldn't escape, and still have them support and love one another was one of the things that made this book very special.
Two other noteworthy items about The Rakess. The Cornwall locations are not often seen in historical romance although I remember Cornwall being a favorite for gothics at one point. The Cornish scenery, food, and customs added a lot to the story. And the second thing is THAT cover. Beautiful and I hope someone has a framed copy of the painting.
Thank you to edelwiess for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - I liked it by the end, but I didn't love it.
I was actually expecting a bit more of a romp given the cover copy and the Lady Rake trope (and the cover!) so it actually took my quite a while to get into this book. Seraphina isn't carefree, she's actually fighting a drinking problem, she's facing some scary harassment for returning to her family home, and one of her friends is missing (likely in an asylum bc guess what your husband can do to you for no reason?). I read this a chapter at a time until about halfway through and I had a better handle on Sera and Adam (because they are very interesting together) and the darker tone of this book. Because a lot of this book is spent working through the awful shit that can happen to women at the hands of men. There are a lot of content warnings: slut shaming, loss of pregnancy, alcoholism/addiction, among others.
So if you need your romances on the lighter side, this probably isn't for you. But if you are looking for a grittier realism, you might like it.
I was actually expecting a bit more of a romp given the cover copy and the Lady Rake trope (and the cover!) so it actually took my quite a while to get into this book. Seraphina isn't carefree, she's actually fighting a drinking problem, she's facing some scary harassment for returning to her family home, and one of her friends is missing (likely in an asylum bc guess what your husband can do to you for no reason?). I read this a chapter at a time until about halfway through and I had a better handle on Sera and Adam (because they are very interesting together) and the darker tone of this book. Because a lot of this book is spent working through the awful shit that can happen to women at the hands of men. There are a lot of content warnings: slut shaming, loss of pregnancy, alcoholism/addiction, among others.
So if you need your romances on the lighter side, this probably isn't for you. But if you are looking for a grittier realism, you might like it.
winterreader40's review
4.0
Seraphina meets Adam while she is back home to write the memoirs of her early life and the man who ruined her. She thinks he looks like he'd be perfect for a bit of summer fun, but Adam regretfully turns her down, he has his family to think about and his job as well(he's an architect).
Adam eventually changes his mind because even though he turned her down he very much wants her. They begin fooling around, all the while people are posting flyers on her gates and leaving dead birds on her terrace trying to scare her and her loose morals out of town.
This was one of the more interesting sexual relationships I've seen in a book in the sense of while it's descriptive, penetration isn't a big part of it, it's more about all the other fun stuff you can do with a partner. The emotions from him and her pretending she has none was a fun dynamic as well.
Adam eventually changes his mind because even though he turned her down he very much wants her. They begin fooling around, all the while people are posting flyers on her gates and leaving dead birds on her terrace trying to scare her and her loose morals out of town.
This was one of the more interesting sexual relationships I've seen in a book in the sense of while it's descriptive, penetration isn't a big part of it, it's more about all the other fun stuff you can do with a partner. The emotions from him and her pretending she has none was a fun dynamic as well.
tessanne's review against another edition
4.0
Four stars for this book, mainly because it did So.Much. Having the heroine as the rake(ss) was very interesting! It really made me think about how her character behaved in comparison to most rake stories we get, though those usual stories often show less of the rather darker side of the rakes’ behavior. We actually get the story of Sera overcoming and moving past—or trying to—some of her difficulties, not just the all-too-frequent change that happens with a traditional rake story, when he seems to quickly be able to change because of his new feelings.
The one disappointment I had with this book was the sex—for being The Rakess, it was tamer than I expected, especially the pacing.
Very enjoyable read, definitely nice to have this different perspective.
The one disappointment I had with this book was the sex—for being The Rakess, it was tamer than I expected, especially the pacing.
Very enjoyable read, definitely nice to have this different perspective.
pattydsf's review
4.0
I have been reading romances since the 1970's and the changes have been incredible in the last few years. I am not sure what my teenage self would have done with this book, but I am in love.
The best review of this book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3442627380?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
The best review of this book is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3442627380?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
petersenftleben's review against another edition
5.0
ARC won in Goodreads giveaway.
As expected, this was spectacular. I loved Seraphina so much, and not only because she's the antithesis of women of her era. Some of the lines describing her hit so close to my heart, and I can't help but connect with a droll, witty, intelligent heroine who, in the beginning, sees men as good for one thing. Adam is a worthy hero, but Sera is the heart of the book, and her backstory is the deeper of the two. I also really enjoyed a little hint of a failed romance of Marianne's, Adam's sister; I hope we see more of her and her story at some point as well.
As expected, this was spectacular. I loved Seraphina so much, and not only because she's the antithesis of women of her era. Some of the lines describing her hit so close to my heart, and I can't help but connect with a droll, witty, intelligent heroine who, in the beginning, sees men as good for one thing. Adam is a worthy hero, but Sera is the heart of the book, and her backstory is the deeper of the two. I also really enjoyed a little hint of a failed romance of Marianne's, Adam's sister; I hope we see more of her and her story at some point as well.