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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
You know when you find an author and their writing just clicks with you? Well that’s Emily Sullivan and I. After reading her debut novel (the predecessor to this one) earlier this year I knew we were a reader-author combo that was meant to be. This book did not let me down.
This book is definitely different than A Rogue to Remember. That one was very heavy in action plot whereas this one is a slower build. I still really enjoyed it. It was like drinking a hot latte, you know when you’re slowly sipping at the beginning because you’ll burn your tongue but you know it’s going to be good so you keep drinking it and then all of a sudden you can really enjoy it so you inhale it? Yeah, it’s like that. The Rebel and the Rake is such an entertaining story that pulls a lot of reverse historical romance tropes off and feels so modern.
Loves:
-Sylvia is the definition of a character arc! I adored watching her come to life over the course of the book. The hints of her at the beginning were perfect. I loved her backstory and her gumption. The fierceness of her friendship with Georgiana felt so real. Sure she had her flaws and wasn’t perfect, but that’s what I loved about her. I thought that her whole character was well developed and her backstory matched up perfectly with who she was. Can we be friends, Sylvia?? Also, we love a woman who initiates intimacy!!!
-Rafe! After meeting him in the first book I was truly excited to come to him next! His dedication to service and wanting to be a part of reform was endearing. I have a soft spot for characters like that. Once again, his backstory and character arc trajectory were perfectly aligned and made for an incredibly compelling character. His journey to finding himself from his past was beautiful and I loved how he listened, learned, and changed. And this man is so adorable in love, like a cute little puppy.
-The modernity of this book was off the charts and it was plausible--read the author’s note at the end if you don’t believe me. I always like reading about this time in history (1890-1910) because there’s a whole lot of change and very charged political atmospheres. While it’s subdued due to the book’s isolation in a Scottish castle, the elements that are brought in and the level to which they are discussed make this political science/history college major happy! LOVE IT!
-The end of the story too! I’m not going to spoil anything but it was the type of ending you always want in a book. It ties things up nicely so that you’re not upset with plot holes. It gives the characters room to breathe after the climax so you can see how that changed them. This ending was everything I wanted. Plus the epilogue! 10000/10 amazing!
-While the plot did feel slow to start I appreciated the careful crafting of the setting and characters at the beginning when I was in the faster parts of the book. I enjoy when there’s a mystery in a romance especially with characters on slightly different ends and this did it. It was like a romantic game of Clue.
Meh:
-So it was a little slow to start and I could easily see this as a turnoff point for many readers. Like I said, it isn’t as fast as Sullivan’s first novel, but I knew it was going to explode at some point and it did! It just took a little while to get there and if you’re not a big character driven plot book this could be an issue.
-Sylvia and Rafe’s beginning of their interest in each other felt a little weird and their connection took a little longer for me to believe than I wanted. I liked that they were both mutually into each other and I like a slow burn, I just wanted some more interaction between the two characters for them to get a good pining for each other beyond what there was.
Long Story Short:
I adored this novel. I begged for this novel (just a little). This book fulfilled my hopes that I had for it when I first saw its publishing and after reading A Rogue To Remember. The discussions of classism and sexism were beautifully handled and brought an additional layer of complexity to the story that I enjoyed. Sylvia and Rafe were well developed with compelling character arcs and the side characters were also treated with great care as well. I love the way that Sullivan can take important topics and isolate them while crafting a moving romance is superb. I just need her to never stop reading books because I never want to stop reading her books. Definitely recommend this book, especially if you’ve read Evie Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women series! This book would be the perfect match for you!
Thank you Forever for my e-ARC copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.
This book is definitely different than A Rogue to Remember. That one was very heavy in action plot whereas this one is a slower build. I still really enjoyed it. It was like drinking a hot latte, you know when you’re slowly sipping at the beginning because you’ll burn your tongue but you know it’s going to be good so you keep drinking it and then all of a sudden you can really enjoy it so you inhale it? Yeah, it’s like that. The Rebel and the Rake is such an entertaining story that pulls a lot of reverse historical romance tropes off and feels so modern.
Loves:
-Sylvia is the definition of a character arc! I adored watching her come to life over the course of the book. The hints of her at the beginning were perfect. I loved her backstory and her gumption. The fierceness of her friendship with Georgiana felt so real. Sure she had her flaws and wasn’t perfect, but that’s what I loved about her. I thought that her whole character was well developed and her backstory matched up perfectly with who she was. Can we be friends, Sylvia?? Also, we love a woman who initiates intimacy!!!
-Rafe! After meeting him in the first book I was truly excited to come to him next! His dedication to service and wanting to be a part of reform was endearing. I have a soft spot for characters like that. Once again, his backstory and character arc trajectory were perfectly aligned and made for an incredibly compelling character. His journey to finding himself from his past was beautiful and I loved how he listened, learned, and changed. And this man is so adorable in love, like a cute little puppy.
-The modernity of this book was off the charts and it was plausible--read the author’s note at the end if you don’t believe me. I always like reading about this time in history (1890-1910) because there’s a whole lot of change and very charged political atmospheres. While it’s subdued due to the book’s isolation in a Scottish castle, the elements that are brought in and the level to which they are discussed make this political science/history college major happy! LOVE IT!
-The end of the story too! I’m not going to spoil anything but it was the type of ending you always want in a book. It ties things up nicely so that you’re not upset with plot holes. It gives the characters room to breathe after the climax so you can see how that changed them. This ending was everything I wanted. Plus the epilogue! 10000/10 amazing!
-While the plot did feel slow to start I appreciated the careful crafting of the setting and characters at the beginning when I was in the faster parts of the book. I enjoy when there’s a mystery in a romance especially with characters on slightly different ends and this did it. It was like a romantic game of Clue.
Meh:
-So it was a little slow to start and I could easily see this as a turnoff point for many readers. Like I said, it isn’t as fast as Sullivan’s first novel, but I knew it was going to explode at some point and it did! It just took a little while to get there and if you’re not a big character driven plot book this could be an issue.
-Sylvia and Rafe’s beginning of their interest in each other felt a little weird and their connection took a little longer for me to believe than I wanted. I liked that they were both mutually into each other and I like a slow burn, I just wanted some more interaction between the two characters for them to get a good pining for each other beyond what there was.
Long Story Short:
I adored this novel. I begged for this novel (just a little). This book fulfilled my hopes that I had for it when I first saw its publishing and after reading A Rogue To Remember. The discussions of classism and sexism were beautifully handled and brought an additional layer of complexity to the story that I enjoyed. Sylvia and Rafe were well developed with compelling character arcs and the side characters were also treated with great care as well. I love the way that Sullivan can take important topics and isolate them while crafting a moving romance is superb. I just need her to never stop reading books because I never want to stop reading her books. Definitely recommend this book, especially if you’ve read Evie Dunmore’s League of Extraordinary Women series! This book would be the perfect match for you!
Thank you Forever for my e-ARC copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think it was Sandra Brown who said “If your hero is a firefighter, your heroine had better be an arsonist!" Well howdy does this book embody that, and it absolutely catches fire.
Rafe is a spy, and Sylvia just so happens to be the thief he's been hired to catch. And I was enthralled from page one. I really enjoyed the first in this series, and this one is even better. The writing is rich and funny, and the romance between these two is just crackling. The mystery is engaging without being too convoluted, and the romance remains the central driver all throughout.
Some tropes to expect:
-house party
-agent of the crown (with some healthy skepticism about imperialism)
-Bluestocking, lady's companion heroine
-experiences heroine (with absolutely zero slut-shaming)
-ROPES
-FIRE steaminess.
I'm really excited to keep my eye on Emily Sullivan. If you like Sarah MacLean or Erica Ridley, I absolutely recommend you pick this one up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC.
Rafe is a spy, and Sylvia just so happens to be the thief he's been hired to catch. And I was enthralled from page one. I really enjoyed the first in this series, and this one is even better. The writing is rich and funny, and the romance between these two is just crackling. The mystery is engaging without being too convoluted, and the romance remains the central driver all throughout.
Some tropes to expect:
-house party
-agent of the crown (with some healthy skepticism about imperialism)
-Bluestocking, lady's companion heroine
-experiences heroine (with absolutely zero slut-shaming)
-ROPES
-FIRE steaminess.
I'm really excited to keep my eye on Emily Sullivan. If you like Sarah MacLean or Erica Ridley, I absolutely recommend you pick this one up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I rated this a 3.5 because the book itself is well constructed: the pacing is solid, the characters are three dimensional, there is a strong sense of historical place, the trope of bluestocking/rake is played with in a fun, unique way (is the titular rake really just a shallow playboy aristocrat, or is it a front? what secrets, ambitions, & passions hide behind a spinster secretary's professional demeanor?), and I appreciated the questions about morality, empire building, and complicity explored here - in historical romance, when we are introduced to a spy (whatever era) he is always presented as a noble character, sacrificing for Crown and country - but just what is he actually serving? My favorite quote from the book is the first prickling of conscience for Rafe, our MMC:
"It isn’t gentlemanly. As if empire-building ever could be. The nagging suspicion that had begun last spring surfaced again. The suspicion that perhaps he wasn’t on the right side anymore. That perhaps there had never been one at all. Just men like Gerard locked away in their fancy clubs, carving up the world with gilded knives."
Other things I enjoyed about this book include:
-The MMC in reading glasses. It's cute, every time it happens in a book and also cute in real life.
-Complex female relationships, including a close yet strained friendship that motivates many of our FMC's decisions.
-A question of women's roles in society, and what sacrifice looks like. The costs of both rebellion and submission to one's livelihood, independence, dignity, and spirit.
There is a lot right with this book, and nothing wrong with it per se, so why the 3.5 instead of a hire rating? I just. . . didn't enjoy it that much. You know how some books grab you, speak to you? This one, which sounds like it was written in a lab specifically for me, was just sort of. . . ok, emotionally. Will I recommend it in the future? Heartily! It's well written in every sense! Will I ever read it again, or purchase it for myself after returning it to the library? Nope.
So I dinged a few points to reflect my personal enjoyment, but really a three or below feels unfair to the actual craft on display, so I settled on a 3.5 - and will be reading the 3rd book, which one assumes is going to star the literal wounded national hero Henry and the recently widowed viscountess Georgiana, who have some sort of past they refuse to explain to their friends.
"It isn’t gentlemanly. As if empire-building ever could be. The nagging suspicion that had begun last spring surfaced again. The suspicion that perhaps he wasn’t on the right side anymore. That perhaps there had never been one at all. Just men like Gerard locked away in their fancy clubs, carving up the world with gilded knives."
Other things I enjoyed about this book include:
-The MMC in reading glasses. It's cute, every time it happens in a book and also cute in real life.
-Complex female relationships, including a close yet strained friendship that motivates many of our FMC's decisions.
-A question of women's roles in society, and what sacrifice looks like. The costs of both rebellion and submission to one's livelihood, independence, dignity, and spirit.
There is a lot right with this book, and nothing wrong with it per se, so why the 3.5 instead of a hire rating? I just. . . didn't enjoy it that much. You know how some books grab you, speak to you? This one, which sounds like it was written in a lab specifically for me, was just sort of. . . ok, emotionally. Will I recommend it in the future? Heartily! It's well written in every sense! Will I ever read it again, or purchase it for myself after returning it to the library? Nope.
So I dinged a few points to reflect my personal enjoyment, but really a three or below feels unfair to the actual craft on display, so I settled on a 3.5 - and will be reading the 3rd book, which one assumes is going to star the literal wounded national hero Henry and the recently widowed viscountess Georgiana, who have some sort of past they refuse to explain to their friends.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved the first in this series, and the sequel found new ways to amp up the intrigue and excitement. Here, we don't have enemies by personality. However, Sylvia and Rafe have accidentally landed on different sides of a bit of light espionage. Rafe's been called in to use his skills as an agent of the Crown to uncover the thief who stole an envelope containing "highly sensitive" political documents from a powerful man in Scotland during his house party. Sylvia was blackmailed into taking the envelope lest her past as a radical women's rights agitator ruin her much-needed position as a lady's companion, and worse, tarnish the reputation of her friend, who will answer to a wrathful husband. As Rafe hunts a thief, Sylvia fears exposure, and an attraction grows between them somewhere in the space that isn't taken up by all their secrets.
This book offers the anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist atmosphere I demand from all books. I would like to send Sylvia to coach several more lukewarm feminist heroines until they also come out raging socialists with several cogent, accurate critiques of government, class systems, and gender roles. The way Sylvia challenges Rafe is top tier, and I like the way she sets clear expectations for what she wants in a partner.
Despite my firm support for the messaging of this book, I didn't find the romance as magical as its predecessor. For Rafe, it's love/attraction at first sight, a concept that baffles this ace reader whenever it comes up. For Sylvia, the attraction's there, if not the heart-eyes. While I anticipated a huge fallout from the revelation of their roles in the current drama and the deeper secrets of their pasts, it came earlier than I expected, ushering in a full-blown emotional disaster between them for the latter portion of the book. Much angst. I found I lost a lot of interest once that shift took place, which is just a matter of personal preference.
I highly recommend this series. While the tropes and pacing of this one weren't my exact cup of tea, I still appreciated what it had to say and eagerly await the next installment. Thanks to Forever for my copy to read and review!
This book offers the anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist atmosphere I demand from all books. I would like to send Sylvia to coach several more lukewarm feminist heroines until they also come out raging socialists with several cogent, accurate critiques of government, class systems, and gender roles. The way Sylvia challenges Rafe is top tier, and I like the way she sets clear expectations for what she wants in a partner.
Despite my firm support for the messaging of this book, I didn't find the romance as magical as its predecessor. For Rafe, it's love/attraction at first sight, a concept that baffles this ace reader whenever it comes up. For Sylvia, the attraction's there, if not the heart-eyes. While I anticipated a huge fallout from the revelation of their roles in the current drama and the deeper secrets of their pasts, it came earlier than I expected, ushering in a full-blown emotional disaster between them for the latter portion of the book. Much angst. I found I lost a lot of interest once that shift took place, which is just a matter of personal preference.
I highly recommend this series. While the tropes and pacing of this one weren't my exact cup of tea, I still appreciated what it had to say and eagerly await the next installment. Thanks to Forever for my copy to read and review!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated