Josi S. Kilpack’s third book in her Proper Regency Romance Series, Rakes and Roses, is so good I couldn’t put it down! I definitely didn’t get to bed early reading this one. I loved the characters and their connection to each other. Sabrina’s commitment to helping others and doing good as well as her ability to recognize all of her blessings after her hardships is inspiring. I also really enjoyed seeing Harry the rake have a change of heart and mind. I loved the sweet and clean love story and the ending was wonderful!

I enjoyed the mysterious Lord Damion's goal of rescuing young noblemen from themselves and the moneylenders they had fallen prey to. He met with them in person yet remained shrouded in secrecy.

Harry, the rake, lived quite a dissolute life. I was replused by him and by his lifestyle. He truly lived up to the moniker. Though once charming, his drunkenness and gambling had taken over his life. I was at least halfway through the story before I began to warm up to him.

I did feel bad for Sabrina and for the neglect and abuse she had experienced throughout her life. The fact that she was unable to trust men made perfect sense. I did like her, though she was a bit overbearing at times.

The beginning of the story especially had a bit of violence. The abuse that Sabrina had experienced at the hand of her husband was mentioned a fair amount. Nothing is described in more than a PG manner - but there was a lot of it.

The budding romance between Harry and Sabrina did appear to be more physical attraction at first, though it did seem believable, if not a little rushed. I confess to having been a little confused by the passage of time of some of the events. Some seemed like they happened sooner than made sense and others seemed as if they had taken place weeks later - for me discover it had only been days.

While the story was mostly enjoyable (outside the previously mentioned violence), I found it was difficult to be completely engaged and my mind wandered.

3.5 Stars
It’s not often that the hero of a book has fallen so far from grace, they have to claw and climb their way back. Yet, that’s exactly the hero Josi S. Kilpack created in Rakes and Roses.

Harry Stillman gambles in an attempt to save his home and drinks to numb the pain of losses that are stacking up. He owes one man a lot of money but is offered a way out through Lord Damion.

Though I enjoyed the story, this wasn’t my favorite in the series. Harry has so much to redeem himself for, it was tough to believe Lady Sabrina, who is older and wealthier than Harry as well as endured an abusive marriage, would fall for this man. Yet, stranger things have happened.

This story focuses mostly on Harry’s story of change and redemption, and I missed more of the character development lacking in Sabrina.



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

While we see a glimpse in the prologue of the caring man that Harry Stillman could be, we are introduced to him in chapter one when he is at the lowest of the lows that is of his own making through drinking and gambling. Lady Sabrina is introduced to us as a battered wife who is hiding in a rose bush in fear of her brutal husband.

As a 32 year old widow, I like that Sabrina is an older more mature heroine. While she has had many benefits in her upbringing, she is very much aware of what her life could have been like as the illegitimate daughter of a Duke. She now wants to use her position for something good.

Even if we cannot personally identify with Harry’s struggles of drunkenness and gambling, there are a number of things we can learn from it in this book.

Whether positive or negative, the words that we say can greatly affect another person. Harry’s father’s words tore him down but Sabrina’s words helped lift him up.

We also have to be careful not to become an enabler for other people. Feeding in to their vices is not helping them in any way.

I usually have a hard time liking a rake. Especially one who has put themselves so far into the gutter because of things they did. I liked that this story showed what could happen if someone believed in them and extended them mercy and grace. No matter what we have done, we all need this in our life.

I have enjoyed this series and this book. All the stories are centered around an Uncle who is trying to save all his nieces and nephews from their wayward ways by giving them their inheritance if they make a good marriage match. This third book was about Harry, an alcoholic playboy and gambler. He is basically ruined by all his debts and attacked by people who he owes money to. 
Switch over to Lady Sabrina, she is a wealthy widower with a few philanthropic secrets up her sleeves. She comes across an injured and beaten Harry and decides to save him and help him recover at her home. 
The first half of the story is more of a story of Harry fighting his demons and all that. The second half of the story, my favorite part, was all the interaction and banter between Harry and Sabrina. I really liked how the story played out and how it ended. 
This isn’t a typical regency story but it was still good and I think people who have read the first two books in series will enjoy this one as well although it could be read as a stand alone, too.

A Delightful Regency Period Novel
From the desk of Gwendalyn G. Anderson:

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

What happens when a heroine rescuing the hero, in a Regency Novel ?

Rakes and Roses is the third installment in the Mayfield Family Romances by the wonderful author, Josi S. Kilpack
Lady Sabrina Carlisle, the illegitimate daughter of a duke, has survived a hellish marriage, she endured brutality at the hands of her husband Ritchard.
Widowed and financial independent, thirty-two year old Sabrina is determined to use her wealth to rescue the the what society would call the unredeemable. Sabrina disguises herself and uses the alias of Lord Damion, she helps settle debts of some rakish men of the ton.

Privileged, Harry Stillman, has hit bottom, a gambler, hiding from his creditors and and a menacing predatory moneylender. Harry is offered an incredible opportunity to settle all his unpaid debts.
When a mysterious Lord Daimon offers to pay all his creditors in exchange for Harry to completely change his life. Harry will need to use all of his strength, if he wants to keep his the family estate or it be forfeited to a mere sum of £500. Harry must rise above his addiction vices, and become a notable worthy man.

This a wonderfully magnetic, uplifting tale that brings two unlikely people together. Sabrina and Harry, both struggle with letting go, and moving forward.
The author uses some unusual plot elements to a Regency time period novel. Dedicated Regency era readers will be delighted by, or some will struggle with.
Sabrina and Harry’s friendship that blossoms into something more. The expressive signature writing of, Josi S. Kilpack uplifting plot lines show through, making this heartwarming stellar book. Well developed characters that you will be taken in by.
Overall I enjoyed this engaging storyline and I was captivated with the absorbing characters. A swift paced book that addresses notable struggles, along with the ability to overcome challenges
A delightful book, with an awe-inspiring profound clear message.

This rather unique Regency romance story, in which the roles of hero and heroine are reversed, grabbed and kept my attention from prologue to epilogue! The exciting plot flows at a fitting pace, and the characters are well-developed and memorable. The romance develops slowly and sweetly, and difficult topics are handled gently and gracefully in this emotionally-rich read. Inspirational themes of redemption and forgiveness permeate the story. This enjoyable narrative is the third book in the Mayfield Family series, but works well as a stand-alone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book in e-book form from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I have recently read two wonderful proper romances by this particular publisher and I was eager to read another. The cover is beautiful and I thought the premise sounded interesting.

I haven’t read the other books in the series but from what other reviewers had said, they could each be read as standalone books and I would agree. I didn’t feel lost or anything picking up the third book.

To say that I was looking forward to this one is an understatement, I love sweet or clean romances and have had a run of good luck lately.

Summary
A standalone novel in the Mayfield Family series with an unusual premise and an uplifting ending.


Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man’s world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have.

Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he’s a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an alley.

When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust. But Lady Sabrina needs to keep Harry at a distance, even if he is becoming the kind of man worthy of her heart. After all, she is keeping a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything she’s so carefully built.

Review
So this book started out promising for me. I wasn’t necessarily a fan of Harry or even Lady Sabrina for that matter but I thought that their circumstances provided an interesting catalyst for a romance later on in the novel. For me Lady Sabrina being in an abusive relationship was sad and when the book started out with her distressed about her husband’s treatment of her, I was worried I would never be able to relate to her.

But only a chapter or two later proved that her circumstance changed—as well as Harry. We find Harry six years after his initial meeting with Lady Sabrina and he is basically at rock bottom with both his drinking and gambling addiction. I thought the focus of the story was going to be more about Lady Sabrina and Harry falling in love but what I got was more a tale of addiction and redemption. The romance doesn’t really come about until the very end of the story and even then the chemistry between Harry and Lady Sabrina still feels lukewarm at best.

This story is very much a Christian story, I have absolutely no problem with that being a Catholic, but it might come unexpectedly to some people so I wanted to make sure readers knew that this novel definitely has a strong faith aspect to it.

I didn’t mind the redemption aspects of the story but I thought it was a stretch to include romance in this one. In my opinion the story didn’t really need the romantic element, Harry’s story would have been fine on it’s own. I simply didn’t feel any chemistry between Harry and Lady Sabrina and for much of the novel I felt that Harry had a lot of issues to sort through and he just didn’t seem like a suitable match for anyone let alone Lady Sabrina. But as the story goes on Harry does find redemption and love but again, I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters enough to fully believe it and buy into their love.

I think this one would be better labeled as Christian fiction rather than Christian romance or clean romance in my opinion. If you enjoy stories about finding God’s grace and righting mistakes in life, then this will be a novel that you will enjoy quite a bit. I liked it but I didn’t love it in the way that I had hoped.

Book Info and Rating
E-copy, 320 pages
Expected publication: February 2nd 2021 by Shadow Mountain (first published May 5th 2020)
ISBN 1629727350 (ISBN13: 9781629727356)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Shadow Mountain in partnership with Austen Prose blog tour, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 3 stars
Genre: Christian fiction, historical fiction

This story is unique and filled with dynamic characters that are sure to not only charm you but have you in their corner cheering them on. A story that flips convention on its head by the heroine coming to the rescue of the hero.

Lady Sabrina has known her fair share of the hard knocks of life, yet she continues to rise above her circumstances and make something out of her life. She has learned the hard way that she can not depend on a man to provide for her. Lady Sabrina has a big heart and wants to make a difference in the world around her, and as unlikely and uncommon as it may be, she found a way to do just that.

I have to admit that I was irritated with Harry on more than one occasion. He has a hard head, he is not one that learns his lesson the first time or often third time for that matter. Of course if a character gets under your skin enough to upset you, then you know the author has done a great job in making that character real!

There were a few chapters in my humble opinion seemed to be bogged down with information dumping. A few things that could have been cut out that would have tightened the story and the reader not miss anything. Keeping in mind that the copy I read was the ARC (advanced reader copy) and those things could be changed in the finial version. With that said, as a whole I did enjoy the story!

(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

Although this is a sweet inspirational romance, I’m not sure it’s suitable for the younger reader, as there are some fairly heavy themes in here too, including (past) spousal abuse and (on-page) recovery from addiction, to both gambling and alcohol, with withdrawal sickness thoroughly detailed. Please be aware of these possible triggers if you choose to read.

With an ugly marriage in her past, Lady Sabrina masquerades as Lord Damian, who offers a conditional salvation to young men of the Ton who’ve fallen too far. Harry is one such; he’s gambled and drunk his way to the depths of London’s underbelly and is now utterly desperate, in hiding from one of the capital’s more ruthless moneylenders. Lord Damian’s offer is a lifeline he dimly recognises he doesn’t deserve, but before he can take it up, he’s caught and beaten to within an inch of his life.

Rescued by Lady Sabrina, he’s nursed back to health in her household. There’s an age gap of five years between them (she is the elder) and he quickly finds himself looking up to her as a model citizen, the kind of person he wants to be. But not before going through the absolute misery of withdrawal from severe alcohol addiction, while trapped in bed with a broken leg.

There’s one thing that really struck me as strange about the premise of this story from the beginning, and that is; why would a formerly abused wife, now an independently wealthy widow in charge of her own finances and her destiny, direct her charitable efforts towards men? Men who have got into trouble that’s entirely their own fault, wasting every opportunity they’ve been given and generally behaving horribly? Why wouldn’t she want to help women, battered wives and children, orphans, the poor, war veterans, and any number of people who are infinitely more deserving of charity? It honestly made no logical sense to me. She left her maid’s mother in a workhouse when the woman was dying! I honestly hated Sabrina a little bit when I realised that. For the amount she used to pay off Harry’s debts, she could have helped dozens, maybe hundreds, to find a better life. Considering her background, her choice of who to help made absolutely no sense. Maybe if she’d had a brother sucked in and victimised I might have bought into it, but she was the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. Helping former mistresses and other by-blows would have made much more sense.

Sabrina is automatically a sympathetic figure because we first meet her at a low point, but honestly, as the story went on I found myself liking her less and less. She was self-righteous and judgemental, not to mention extremely elitist in who she chose to aid. And Harry, after making a brief appearance as a sweet young man early on, then shows as a self-centred, spoiled pig. He at least manages to improve once he sobers up, but it’s basically because he’s been ‘scared straight’. He still spends plenty of time trying to figure out how to carry on exactly as he has been, careless of who might be affected. I just didn’t really like either of them, and with Sabrina’s illogical and misguided choices for her charitable endeavours, the whole book really didn’t hit any good notes for me. I can’t give it more than two stars.

Rakes and rogues are not my favorite type of hero in the Regency genre, but this author did a wonderful job of exploring the redemption of a young man from a life of dissolution. The lifetime of choices Harry made in response to his harsh upbringing and negative experiences eventually brought him to rock bottom, where he was more than desperate to escape his debts and dangerous lenders. The second chance he receives might have been wasted, but Lady Sabrina rescues him in more ways than one. The transformation of Harry was the most fascinating part of the book for me, and even though I wasn't really feeling the romantic chemistry, I loved his friendship with Sabrina and her housekeeper Therese. I think because Harry was in such an early state of transformation, it was hard for me to trust him and his feelings of attraction. Maybe a longer timeline on the latter side of his sobriety would have helped me, but I think the pacing of the plot was right with respect to the intrigue of Sabrina's secret and Lord Damion's involvement. I thought the ending was done rather well and appreciated how Harry's character came full circle. This is the third book in the series but can easily be read on its own or out of order.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Can a notorious rake reform and become a better person? Lady Sabrina was married to an evil man who beat her. One evening a mysterious young man helped her when she was in fear of her husband. Little did she know she would repay his kindness years later. After a miscarriage and her husband’s early death, she is able to become an independent business woman with her inheritance and live life on her own terms. She is happy with her life and getting to help out those around her, but she wishes that she could have found love and a family of her own.

Harry Stillman is a gambler, drinker, and womanizer who can’t keep himself from the pull of the gambler’s den. His rich uncle has cast him off, and he has hit rock bottom with no money, great debt, and only the selling of his estate left. He learns of the mysterious Lord Damion who will loan him the money to pay off his debts if he will work towards being a better man. It’s one last chance that he’s happy to take, but he is beat up by thugs after meeting with Lord Damion. Lady Sabrina finds him after the attack, and realizes it’s the man who helped her in the past. She takes him home to nurse him back to health. Will Harry be able to change? Will Lady Sabrina be able to keep her independence and her secrets?

I loved this novel. I have talked about previously on this blog that Regency historical romance books are my comfort reads, especially during these trying times. Rakes and Roses is also a clean Regency romance, which I enjoy. I really love the focus on romance without throwing in a lot of gratuitous steamy sex scenes. Rakes and Roses had great main characters in Lady Sabrina and Harry Stillman. I loved how Lady Sabrina was able to take her life in her own hands and have success as a woman during a time when that was not typical. I also loved that she felt a great desire to help other people. I loved the chemistry between her and Harry. They were intellectually matched. Harry had a journey to go on as he hit rock bottom and I loved how he realized how much he had hurt those he loved. The story was very interesting and unique to any other Regency romance I have read.

I also loved discovering that it is part of a Trilogy. I need to find the other books in this trilogy! They are all linked by the fact that Harry’s uncle will only give him money if he settles down and finds a wife. This is a pact he has made with all of his nephews.

Favorite Quotes:
“The only people who cannot change are those who are unwilling to face the pain behind the poor choices they have made.”

“Would it be possible for someone to truly see her, know her, and understand her?”

“I am wearing a nightshirt and knitting. Dignity is no longer an option.”

“It was perhaps the first time he understood that sacrifice was giving up something good and immediate for something better and long-term.”

Overall, Rakes and Roses is a heartwarming story of redemption with great characters and chemistry. I loved it!

Book Source: Review copy from Shadow Mountain Publishing for being a part of the Blog Tour. Thank-you!

An endearing and captivating twist on normal regency plots. I love that the heroine is the rescuer in this story! Lady Sabrina perfectly captures the essence of all that I would expect in a respectful, graceful lady. She has risen above horrific circumstances and finds herself in a position to help others. Harry is the rake that you hate to love but love him you do. Two wounded hearts find a way to save one another in truly delightful, redemptive tale that will warm your heart and leave a smile on your face.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

Surprisingly Rakes and Roses was a fun and lighthearted read, even while the plot took on some heavy subjects. Reading about addiction and an immoral lifestyle are not topics I usually choose to read. I still enjoyed seeing Cousin Harry's redemption from his horrible behavior in the previous two books. The reason I've given it four stars is because I felt his "change" was very shallow and a little too pretty. The Harry we get to know in the beginning of the book is a completely different person than the one at the end-and not in the sense that he changed, but as in a whole new character replaced him halfway through. It felt very juvenile and fake. I wasn't reading the book to share someone's redemption journey though, so this was only a minor aggravation.

I have never read previous books by this author but I definitely will after reading this charming book! I loved her style of writing and the story was so engaging from start to finish. I really liked Sabrina and the detailed and developed romance between her and Henry. It was a beautiful book and exactly what I hoped it would be - sometimes it is hard to find a great romance story to capture your imagination but Rakes and Roses really delivered!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I love this series about the Mayfield Family. I was especially looking forward to Harry Stillman's story because he's such a mess--he's in a lot of debt due to his gambling, he's become an alcoholic and he's a rake. Needless to say, he's not thrilled with his uncle's "marriage campaign" which requires him to find a wife in order to receive his inheritance. Harry has borrowed money from a very horrible man (think Regency loan shark) in order to pay his debts because his uncle has cut him off financially--a little tough love hoping it would prompt Harry to change his ways. With no way to pay off the debt Harry hits rock bottom.

Lady Sabrina lives a life of solitude of her own making. She prefers it that way since the death of her abusive husband, and I don't blame her after all she suffered at his hands. She acts as hostess for her unmarried brother during the season and tends to the multitude of roses in the garden of her home. When she comes upon a severely beaten man (Harry) she brings him to her secluded home to have his injuries tended to.

I loved this unusual love story. Harry is grateful to have been rescued and have been tended to, but he's not prepared for Sabrina's strict rules, and he thinks he can charm her to get what he wants, like he's done so many times with other women. Those other women weren't Sabrina and she's not budging. As Harry recuperates and they start playing chess together after dinner, Harry manages to discover things about Sabrina and she in turn helps Harry discover and face truths about himself.

Harry was an easy character to dislike at first. He gambled and wouldn't stop even when he was ahead, he drank a lot which clouded his judgement (and not just about gambling), and he acted so ungrateful towards Sabrina when she wouldn't let him have more than a glass of sherry at night. I loved that Sabrina stood her ground. I loved how Josi Kilpack got these two characters together and how they each discovered things about themselves. Harry had to face painful things from his past that had lead to his self-destructive behavior, and Sabrina had to learn to risk opening her heart again. I also loved Sabrina's staff and how they were part of her family.

This is part of the Mayfield Family series but I feel each one works as a standalone. Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for my complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I absolutely love Josi’s writing style. I have yet to find a book of hers that I didn’t adore. This novel did not disappoint. If you loved the two previous books in this series, you will love this one as well. I fell in love with Lady Sabrina at the start, but was reluctant to like Mr. Stillman after hearing references of his debauchery in previous books. Of course, as their friendship blossoms everything changes.

I have been wanting to read a novel by Josi S. Kilpack for a while, and reading this one has certainly whet my appetite for more. To begin with, I loved the original premise. Lady Sabrina has found a way to put her wealth to good use, by rescuing and reforming men who have succumbed to dissolution and debt—although doing so in a man’s world requires a certain amount of subterfuge. It wouldn’t do to let these men know they’re being rescued by a woman! In fact, it wouldn’t do much for her reputation to let anyone know her dealings. She could be viewed as eccentric in once sense—and certainly would have been in her own time—and yet I could easily imagine just such a woman having really existed.

If anyone needs rescuing, it’s Harry Stillman, which is where the second thing I loved comes in. I’ve never come across an author of Regency romance who has dealt with the kind of dissolute living that was common at the time in such a forthright way. We get to see Harry at his worst, but we also get to experience the kind of thinking that has kept him trapped there—the cycle of desperation and addiction that only digs him in deeper. And we get to experience the consequences with him too. Nor does Kilpack make it an easy road to recovery for her hero or sentimentalise his situation in order to elicit the reader’s sympathy. Quite simply, he reaps what he has sown, and yet I found myself silently willing his recovery.

I enjoyed watching the change in Sabrina and Harry’s relationship as Harry’s recovery progressed, and I enjoyed experiencing the gradual deepening of their emotional connection and the complications that came along with it. In other words, Regency lovers, make sure you’ve checked out Josi S. Kilpack!

This was a beautifully written book of redemption. The first two chapters were hard to read, they were written so well you felt the desperation and the hurt of both characters to your very core. I was a little worried about how dark the book was going to get, but it never once felt heavy like that, the author handled the lowest lows and the darkness of life with a layer of hope and love. I instantly loved Lady Sabrina and the direction her goodness took the book. Harry Stillman could have easily been a character I hated, but the author wrote him with such raw vulnerability that you fiercely want him to succeed. I was so invested in Harry's growth there was a moment when his growth shown through and I felt Lady Sabrina's response was out of character, I had forgot for a moment that she was just as broken. That moment made the story more real to me, they were both broken in different ways and their combined growth made the story honest and empathetic. I loved Daisies and Devotion so much I wasn't sure if I could love any of the books in the series as much, but they just keep getting better!

Rating: 3.5 stars

I've read several books from the Proper Romance series, namely Edenbrooke, Blackmoore (both by Julianne Donaldson), and I've also read Lakeshire Park by Megan Walker. I loved all of them (and then some). This book definitely had the elements of a clean regency romance (i.e. the slow burn romance, witty dialogue, to name a few) and that made it pretty enjoyable.

Initially, going in, from the title alone, the term 'rake' was a bit too boorish for my liking and I didn't think I'd like Harry as much as I actually did. Sabrina was also a very enjoyable character, considering that she had a headstrong spirit and was in general, way ahead of her times. I won't spoil anything about this book, but I feel like people who enjoyed books like Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers or even The Princess Bride (on some level) would enjoy this one too.

It was really interesting seeing two different characters (with different circumstances) growing together and finding solace in one another. The relationship growth between these characters was organic and didn't seem forced or even rushed, which is often something that a lot of books get wrong.

Whilst this book flourished in its execution of romantic development, I feel like it would have been way better if I could get a glimpse of their backgrounds/back-stories. That way I would feel like I can fully immerse myself, get invested/feel empathetic about these characters. This is something that makes me as a reader, connect with characters more and root for them (and by extension, make their stories much more memorable). That is the one factor that made me rate this book a 3 instead of 4.

This is my first read by Josi S. Kilpack, and I feel like this is a great light summer/feel-good read and I recommend it for those looking for a good escape. Right after I finish this book, I'm going to go on a Josi. S. Kilpack book "stalkathon" (dunno if that could be considered as a legit word) and one-by-one read her other books.