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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first Sarah MacLean, and it won’t be my last :) thoroughly enjoyable story about a near-spinster wallflower. Finished sweetly
we are Lady Calpurnia stans first and humans second!
I absolutely loved this book!! It had everything I could have asked for and more.
Lady Calpurnia was a self-confident, yes, but the Marquess of Ralston got rid of that now didn't he? ;)
Also I loved the list, yes, it was a little eccentric sounding at first a little out there but never the less I loved it!!
Lady Calpurnia was a self-confident, yes, but the Marquess of Ralston got rid of that now didn't he? ;)
Also I loved the list, yes, it was a little eccentric sounding at first a little out there but never the less I loved it!!
So good and so much fun!! I fell in love with the characters, it was fast paced, and it had hot makeouts and more!
I *think* this is a re-read but it's been YEARS. Sarah MacLean debuted in the historical romance genre with a bang! This book is so swoony and has the best tropes.
Callie is a confirmed on-the-shelf spinster with no hope of marriage. When her younger sister gets engaged, she snaps and creates a list of must dos. This list includes things like gambling, drinking whiskey in a tavern, and kissing her crush, Lord Ralston. Ralston has his own issues and needs Callie's help. He has a surprise sister from Italy that needs Callie's guidance in polite society. Can she gain some adventure while maintaining her reputation? Will Ralston be able to see past the spinster outside of Callie and fall for her as she has for him?
This book was so fun to read! It is a true ode to historical romance. You can tell that Sarah MacLean has such a love for the genre and writes for that audience. Callie is a character that you love to root for. She's a bit of a rule breaker but also yearns for love. Ralston is the perfect, flawed hero. He feels like he will never fall in love, but, of course, Callie is here to change his mind.
If I had one negative for this book, it's the lack of set up for the next books in the series. I could have left this family and been completely content. I would have loved the build up for the next books in the series.
The second best part of this book, besides the HEA, is the letter to the readers where Sarah MacLean describes her love for the genre and readers of the genre. I highly recommend her podcast, Fated Mates for all romance lovers.
Callie is a confirmed on-the-shelf spinster with no hope of marriage. When her younger sister gets engaged, she snaps and creates a list of must dos. This list includes things like gambling, drinking whiskey in a tavern, and kissing her crush, Lord Ralston. Ralston has his own issues and needs Callie's help. He has a surprise sister from Italy that needs Callie's guidance in polite society. Can she gain some adventure while maintaining her reputation? Will Ralston be able to see past the spinster outside of Callie and fall for her as she has for him?
This book was so fun to read! It is a true ode to historical romance. You can tell that Sarah MacLean has such a love for the genre and writes for that audience. Callie is a character that you love to root for. She's a bit of a rule breaker but also yearns for love. Ralston is the perfect, flawed hero. He feels like he will never fall in love, but, of course, Callie is here to change his mind.
If I had one negative for this book, it's the lack of set up for the next books in the series. I could have left this family and been completely content. I would have loved the build up for the next books in the series.
The second best part of this book, besides the HEA, is the letter to the readers where Sarah MacLean describes her love for the genre and readers of the genre. I highly recommend her podcast, Fated Mates for all romance lovers.
Creo que esta autora no es del todo para mí, porque todo lo que he leído de ella me ha parecido que está bien, pero no me parece tan increíblemente maravilloso como dicen otras personas.
En esta ocasión tenemos a Calpurnia, una chica que siempre ha seguido las normas y sigue soltera a pesar de eso. Un día decide que ya tiene una edad (28 años) y hace una lista de cosas que hacer para divertirse. Y también para conquistar a su amor platónico, Gabriel St John, del que lleva años enamorada, pero que él no le da ni la hora porque ella no es del tipo de chicas que le llaman la atención.
Los personajes no me han terminado de convencer, porque los he visto como muy planos y sosos (para mi gusto).
Es que me ha parecido todo un tanto plano.
En esta ocasión tenemos a Calpurnia, una chica que siempre ha seguido las normas y sigue soltera a pesar de eso. Un día decide que ya tiene una edad (28 años) y hace una lista de cosas que hacer para divertirse. Y también para conquistar a su amor platónico, Gabriel St John, del que lleva años enamorada, pero que él no le da ni la hora porque ella no es del tipo de chicas que le llaman la atención.
Los personajes no me han terminado de convencer, porque los he visto como muy planos y sosos (para mi gusto).
Es que me ha parecido todo un tanto plano.
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.
9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is the first book in the Love by Numbers series and oh my, what a delightful treat it was.
A sizzling romance? Check!
A unique cast of memorable characters? Check!
A relatable and fun heroine? Check!
A sinfully handsome love interest? Check!
A good blend of humor and drama? Check!
London's most dazzling ballrooms and theatres? Check!
Equallly passionate and emotional scenes? Check!
This list could go on and on, I feel like I've picked every dessert on the menu and I devoured them all one after the other. To my delight, this book had almost all of the elements I enjoy in a historical romance.
The journey with Callie, also known as Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, was thrilling. Callie is the eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Allendale. At 28-years-old, Callie knew to society she was labeled as the spinster, especially with a younger sister whi is now engaged to a Duke she is enamored with.
However, Callie is growing bored of the traditional life London's society expects her to follow. Not when she, a hopeless romantic, had been dreaming of the heroes in her books and the adventures she could experience.
The clock is ticking and it was about time that Callie discards the 28 years of perfect behavior. Callie plans to lead a rakish life, for why would men of her society get to enjoy the pleasures of life while women are confined to their homes, busying themselves with needlework or landing a suitor.
Callie wanted a taste of what a rake life could be.
Which leads us to Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston, a rake of the highest caliber.
Callie is familiar with the notorious rake, for she have witnessed him in a scandalous scene during a ball years ago. She was fascinated by him and have heard many gossips of his scandals. It also makes him the perfect partner of her plans.
Callie and Gabriel reach to a mutual agreement at some point. She must educate his newly discovered half-sister, Julianna, the ways of London's society and to prepare her to make her entrance during the social season, while Gabriel must grant Callie one of her wishes: to experience a kiss for the first time.
“Never doubt how beautiful you are, Callie. For your beauty has quite ruined me for all others. And, frankly, I rather wish I’d found you years ago.”
Callie and Gabriel had such an incredible chemistry between them. They compliment each other wonderfully.
There was a lot of miscommunication that I found to be a tad annoying, but their other interactions made up for it, they were humorous, heartfelt, emotional, and wicked.
She chuckled. If only others knew that Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, proper, well-behaved spinster, entertained deep-seated and certainly unladylike thoughts about fictional heroes. She sighed again with self-deprecation. She was well aware of how silly she was, dreaming of the heroes in her books. It was a terrible habit, and one she had harbored for far too long.
I loved Callie as a heroine and found her quite relatable being that I am too a hopeless romantic. I deeply felt for her especially with how one feels that they feel like they have been catering to everyone's whims except their own whether they're family and friends but there is a whole world out there that they had not experienced yet. I deeply relate to that fear of missing out.
Gabriel was a fantastic hero and love interest for a rake. He was charming and sensual, and I would say he is slowly becoming a feminist thanks to Callie's influence.
The banter between them was so entertaining! I loved every scene they were in together.
I also loved all the secondary characters and I am glad to see that the other two books in the series follows some of these characters. I am excited and curious to see where their story takes them.
It was easy to immerse myself into this book and I would not put it down if I did not have to.
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.
9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is the first book in the Love by Numbers series and oh my, what a delightful treat it was.
A sizzling romance? Check!
A unique cast of memorable characters? Check!
A relatable and fun heroine? Check!
A sinfully handsome love interest? Check!
A good blend of humor and drama? Check!
London's most dazzling ballrooms and theatres? Check!
Equallly passionate and emotional scenes? Check!
This list could go on and on, I feel like I've picked every dessert on the menu and I devoured them all one after the other. To my delight, this book had almost all of the elements I enjoy in a historical romance.
The journey with Callie, also known as Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, was thrilling. Callie is the eldest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Allendale. At 28-years-old, Callie knew to society she was labeled as the spinster, especially with a younger sister whi is now engaged to a Duke she is enamored with.
However, Callie is growing bored of the traditional life London's society expects her to follow. Not when she, a hopeless romantic, had been dreaming of the heroes in her books and the adventures she could experience.
The clock is ticking and it was about time that Callie discards the 28 years of perfect behavior. Callie plans to lead a rakish life, for why would men of her society get to enjoy the pleasures of life while women are confined to their homes, busying themselves with needlework or landing a suitor.
Callie wanted a taste of what a rake life could be.
Which leads us to Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston, a rake of the highest caliber.
Callie is familiar with the notorious rake, for she have witnessed him in a scandalous scene during a ball years ago. She was fascinated by him and have heard many gossips of his scandals. It also makes him the perfect partner of her plans.
Callie and Gabriel reach to a mutual agreement at some point. She must educate his newly discovered half-sister, Julianna, the ways of London's society and to prepare her to make her entrance during the social season, while Gabriel must grant Callie one of her wishes: to experience a kiss for the first time.
“Never doubt how beautiful you are, Callie. For your beauty has quite ruined me for all others. And, frankly, I rather wish I’d found you years ago.”
Callie and Gabriel had such an incredible chemistry between them. They compliment each other wonderfully.
There was a lot of miscommunication that I found to be a tad annoying, but their other interactions made up for it, they were humorous, heartfelt, emotional, and wicked.
She chuckled. If only others knew that Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, proper, well-behaved spinster, entertained deep-seated and certainly unladylike thoughts about fictional heroes. She sighed again with self-deprecation. She was well aware of how silly she was, dreaming of the heroes in her books. It was a terrible habit, and one she had harbored for far too long.
I loved Callie as a heroine and found her quite relatable being that I am too a hopeless romantic. I deeply felt for her especially with how one feels that they feel like they have been catering to everyone's whims except their own whether they're family and friends but there is a whole world out there that they had not experienced yet. I deeply relate to that fear of missing out.
Gabriel was a fantastic hero and love interest for a rake. He was charming and sensual, and I would say he is slowly becoming a feminist thanks to Callie's influence.
The banter between them was so entertaining! I loved every scene they were in together.
I also loved all the secondary characters and I am glad to see that the other two books in the series follows some of these characters. I am excited and curious to see where their story takes them.
It was easy to immerse myself into this book and I would not put it down if I did not have to.