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A review by readfrenzy
The Rake by L.J. Shen
4.0
I had an itch for a planned pregnancy romance, and The Rake scratched it quite nicely.
Belle has fertility issues that make it necessary for her to get pregnant as soon as possible if she ever wants to have a child.The problem is that she is allergic to relationships, and she is also financially unstable. Enter Devon Whitehall, a wealthy Marquis. He is a well-known womanizer for whom marriage or even relationships are out of the question. However, he is interested in producing an heir to pass on his royal title. It’s a match made in Heaven.
Belle has a deep distrust of men that goes back to some pivotal events in her teenage years. She works overtime to push men away and squash the possibility of any romantic feelings. Despite her hostile behavior, Devon is enchanted by her. On the one hand, I really felt for Belle and understood the reason for her volatility. On the other hand, I kept wondering why Devon was so attracted to her when she treated him poorly. It is difficult to sympathize with her at times. Even so, I enjoyed the magnetic attraction between Devon and Belle and rooted for them to be a real couple.
Devon’s relationship with his dysfunctional royal family is like a juicy soap opera that I wanted to enjoy with a bowl of popcorn. Some developments towards the end seem rushed and haphazardly thrown together, but all’s well that ends well.
I liked the dangerous mystery element. It creates a little extra excitement. I admit I didn’t understand how Belle could treat the health and safety of her and her baby so cavalierly when her pregnancy was high risk though.
The audiobook is wonderful, with Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell turning in fantastic performances—with British accents no less. Arden is particularly emotional in his portrayal of Devon. I highly recommend it.
Recommended for fans of:
Planned pregnancies
British aristocracy
Mystery
Belle has fertility issues that make it necessary for her to get pregnant as soon as possible if she ever wants to have a child.The problem is that she is allergic to relationships, and she is also financially unstable. Enter Devon Whitehall, a wealthy Marquis. He is a well-known womanizer for whom marriage or even relationships are out of the question. However, he is interested in producing an heir to pass on his royal title. It’s a match made in Heaven.
Belle has a deep distrust of men that goes back to some pivotal events in her teenage years. She works overtime to push men away and squash the possibility of any romantic feelings. Despite her hostile behavior, Devon is enchanted by her. On the one hand, I really felt for Belle and understood the reason for her volatility. On the other hand, I kept wondering why Devon was so attracted to her when she treated him poorly. It is difficult to sympathize with her at times. Even so, I enjoyed the magnetic attraction between Devon and Belle and rooted for them to be a real couple.
Devon’s relationship with his dysfunctional royal family is like a juicy soap opera that I wanted to enjoy with a bowl of popcorn. Some developments towards the end seem rushed and haphazardly thrown together, but all’s well that ends well.
I liked the dangerous mystery element. It creates a little extra excitement. I admit I didn’t understand how Belle could treat the health and safety of her and her baby so cavalierly when her pregnancy was high risk though.
The audiobook is wonderful, with Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell turning in fantastic performances—with British accents no less. Arden is particularly emotional in his portrayal of Devon. I highly recommend it.
Recommended for fans of:
Planned pregnancies
British aristocracy
Mystery