The Spinster and the rake was a fast paced, fun read. I really enjoyed Edward’s character-especially because I could relate to his dislike of crowds and desire to control things around him. Georgiana was very brave and book smart which was a lot of fun.

I really loved how these two brought out new aspects on each other. They had great banter and arguments but you could feel the chemistry between them. 

There was a Pride and Prejudice vibe for sure. Several scenes and lines felt almost verbatim from the movie. It was fun to look for the nods to P&P while reading. 

This book was easy to visualize and read. The pacing was fast and overall this was a really enjoying read!

I have just finished watching Bridgerton on Netflix and after reading the blurb on this book, thought that this was a similar title to dive into while I await for the next season. I was a bit disappointed, this is not the witty, romantic equivalent it claims to be. The storyline does have a lot of potential—I really wish the author would have latched on and delved deep into character's, as I felt she barely grazed the surface of who they are and where they stand in society. I was immediately drawn to our heroine Georgianna. She was fiery, middle class, and of course loved to read. When she is forced into a  marriage because her bravado is a bit too much for the Duke of Thornfield I am right there alongside our girl as she fights her way to learn about the society she really doesn't care at all about. 
Unfortunately, that is where my love affair ends. We don't see struggle in society, we don't hear the whispers, we don't see the crushing realization that Georgianna's desire to live a lonely, sheltered life in a bookstore has come to a VERY sudden end. 
Honestly, there is barely a plot until you are almost 3/4 of the way through the novel. The tension that the author built up in the first few chapters between the Duke and Georgianna fizzle just as quickly as they start, more of a lighting of a match rather than the slow burn of the woodpile. There is a number of repetitive "he's so great" "she's so smart" comments, but the emotion was flat, those repetitive moments make their impact feel forced rather than truthful. We really don't get much of a plot either as they are both amiable to the marriage in order to "do their duty" and "help their family" so the marriage itself wasn't an obstacle; and neither was the physicality of the couple either -- there was no tension and for Georgianna to be portrayed as a strong, independent thinker, I thought her a bit to eager to be deflowered. In short, there was no character development - they both remained unchanged.
I also was unsure how old Georgianna was supposed to be. In the first chapters, it is mentioned that she is not even out in society yet, however, she is attending this grand ball—women in the time period were usually making their entrance into society around the age of 16, so if she hasn't done so yet, perhaps because her older sister is still unmarried, she could be 16-17 years old at the oldest, or even younger. That also then made me question how old the Duke is, since he seems quite overbearing, due to take a wife, and overall his character seemed far older than Georgianna; and yet he seemed too childlike in other instances. 
That brings me to the first substantial plot point of the Duke's childhood; it was too easy solved and glossed over, following the second plot point being an even easier and even more amiable solution to that as well. For those of you who want a quick read, that doesn't require much thought, and is predictable even beyond the genre's scope of thematic needs, then I would recommend to add this to your shelves. That being said, I will not be back for book two. Originally I thought one star, but decided on two stars for the strong beginning.

Ooooh!!! I love a book that gets right into the action from the first chapter!

A matter of mistaken identity finds our icy Duke engaged to a local woman at the edge of genteel respectability when they are found kissing at his ball. Though Thornfield my have the countenance of a block of ice, his sense of honour and duty will not allow him to ignore his responsibilities. This finds our un-likely soon-to-be duchess Georgiana busy learning all the things she will need to know to become a proper and respectable duchess.

Our Duke and Duchess may seem like and unlikely paring, but add some  shared interest, honesty and mutual respect and these two are electric. When our icy duke shares his true self and Georgiana accepts all of him, my heart melted!! 

I was captured by immediately by our arrogant Duke and our bookish and barely gentry heroine. They have sparks from the beginning and continue to challenge and bring out the best parts of each other, even when they don’t know it, throughout the whole story! This book had all the great elements from Pride and Prejudice and My Fair Lady to make it a must read! 

The only thing that had me confused was the labeling of Georgiana as a spinster. She had older sisters, that were not considered spinsters, I feel she was more a wallflower or a bluestocking…

The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon is scheduled to release February 9th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
 
#TheSpinsterandtheRake #EvaDevon #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

**I received an ARC on NetGalley, all opinions are my own.**

This book was pretty cute! Let's start with what I loved: autism rep (implied), different social classes trope, and fun antics throughout! This book was clearly very inspired by Pride and Prejudice- there are many similarities, but it didn't take away overall from the plot. I didn't love that the heroine was portrayed as having social anxiety, only for that to disappear as soon as she becomes betrothed to the Duke.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I don't think it did anything particularly groundbreaking. I would pick up another book by this author again!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This romance novel is now on my top list of favorite romances.  It has everything I love like the historical details.  I learned something new.  I learned a new name - Aphra Behn.  I found myself googling names and looking up the definitions of new words.

This was the first time I read a romance novel by a new to me author Eva Devon.

Highly recommended for fans of the Pride and Prejudice novel and My Fair Lady.

I received a free copy for an honest review. This book was decent. The timeline seemed to skip forward without notice which made things sort of confusing at times. The characters were decent but didn’t make you love them. There was a lot of politics that didn’t really add to the story line. I think there were some missed opportunities for the characters to grow and interact in the ton.

"Only that a pair of muddy breeches can  lead to remarkable things." The Duke of Thornfield is the almighty powerful and arrogant Duke. Georgiana is barely genteel.  Georgiana is intelligent and sassy to the dukes cold arrogance. Beginning with an accidental meeting this is the delightful story of their romance.  I loved the growth of the duke throughout the book. This is also a story of patience and  understanding of people's differences.

I couldn't put the book down!! I was actually reading it while I was working, that's how amazing this read was! If you have watched and loved Bridgerton on Netflix, this book is definitely for you! It has small glimmers of 50 Shades of Grey woven in and it's perfect. The characters are relatable, loveable and seem so real. Also, small confession, I didn't read the first book in this series, but I was more than able to follow the story, and I'll be going back to read the first one.

Miss Georgiana Bly prefers quiet reading spaces to large ballrooms, sitting alone than engaging in social gossip, and has accepted her fate as a spinster until one night, hiding away from the dancing nearby, she runs into Edward Stanhope, the cold Duke of Thornfield. Soon, they find themselves engaged in a passionate kiss that is seen by the Duke's relative. The Duke, knowing that if he fails to marry Georgiana she will be ruined, announces their engagement to the crowd. 

Two different people who see the world differently and come from staunchly different backgrounds, Edward and Georgiana are bound to argue, but attraction drives them to make the inevitable marriage work. I loved that this romance worked through the issues in the marriage through communication and boundaries. The steam was just right without feeling gratuitous. I appreciated the Pride and Prejudice themes -- Miss Bly is from a humble family with minimal connections to higher society, and the Duke is a refined, ultra-wealthy man who frowns upon the Bly family's eagerness to marry up. The chemistry was authentic and rarely felt cheesy. 

Highly recommend this romance!  

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Spinster and the Rake.   The meeting of two people of different levels of society whose paths normally wouldn't cross.  Georgiana being someone who would rather spend her time in the library than amongst groups of people ends up meeting Edward, who turns out to be a Duke.  Edward would also rather hide away in his library when parties are held in his home.  A kiss ends up with them becoming engaged to be married although not knowing each other previously.  That kiss leaves them both sensing lingering sensations about the other and wondering if they'll they be happy in their marriage.  But he is known for being cold and rude.    Georgiana is a strong confident woman, mostly and hopes she can change him.  I really enjoyed this book.  It's well written and the story pulled me in.

The Spinster and the Rake is a wonderful beginning to what is sure to be a fabulous series. The story follows Georgiana and Edward, a pair pushed into a betrothal because of a steamy encounter in Edward’s library.

Georgiana was comfortable with the idea of being a spinster, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels for Edward. She determines to learn all she can about being a future Duchess and wife while Edward grows accustomed to the idea that he will no longer have the quiet, solitary, ordered life he desires. But Edward never expected to feel so strongly for this unique woman who has captured his heart. Can these two very different people from very different social circles find common ground and give in to their feelings?

I love Georgiana! She’s curious, intelligent, and unafraid to speak her mind. She is a woman ahead of her time, and, like Edward, she dislikes the unrealistic dictates of the ton. I love her gumption and her ability to stay true to herself regardless of the societal pressures that she faces.

I also like how Georgiana makes Edward think and reevaluate how he acts and how he judges others. She also makes him think about how his actions affect others. Edward is not used to being challenged, and he likes that Georgiana is unafraid to question him. He listens to Georgiana and tries so hard to please her, which says so much about his feelings. He’s not one to share his feelings, but his actions and thoughtfulness often show how much he cares for his betrothed.

I also love that the couple shares many interests. Some of my favorite parts of the novel were when Georgiana and Edward discussed politics and literature. They are both intellectuals, and their discussions of Shakespeare and other authors were fantastic. Sharp, astute, and curious, Georgiana and Edward are lovers of learning, and this shared passion is one of my favorite parts of the novel. Plus, their romance is swoon-tastic!

Georgiana and Edward have great chemistry, and I love that they have such a deep admiration for each other, even though they frustrate each other at times. It’s so amazing to see them at their most vulnerable and the complete acceptance and respect they gain from each other because of their honesty and truth. Neither sees this vulnerability and openness as a weakness. In fact, it’s the opposite. The more open and honest they are, no matter the topic, the more they seem to respect and admire each other. I think they also fall deeper in love. They are two people who never felt truly accepted and understood by society who found it in each other.

At one point in the story, Edward shares a passion of his, and it is something that he’s never shared with another. This is such a touching scene, and it really says something about his feelings for Georgiana. He trusts and accepts her and wants to share himself completely with her. Edward lets his guard down around very few people, and seeing him do this with Georgiana is really powerful.

This is a fantastic romance with great characters and a lovely romance. I think readers who enjoy historical romance will love the book! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Entangled: Amara, and Eva Devon for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC via NetGalley from the publisher for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this book. Georgiana and Edward are set up as the kind of heroine and LI I root for. There was a bit of mistaken identity and miscommunication at the beginning of their meet-cute. And then it sort of fell apart for me. I think the pacing is what was the most off. I wanted more with them getting together rather than the issues once they were already married. I also felt slightly uncomfortable with Georgiana trying to change Edward so much, especially as it is implied that he either has Asperger's or maybe autism. There's only so much that could be done regarding this in a historical novel. But Georgiana also didn't know anything until Edward told her at his racetrack. I think a more authentic way to go about this would have been for Georgiana to have started noticing his ticks or his hatred of loud noises/crowds/physical touch. I'm adding an extra star for the wonderful character of Aunt Agatha and the cute relationship with Georgiana's sister and Edward's best friend!

"If you must train me to be a better duchess, I must train you to be a better man."

Miss Georgiana Bly can’t bear the thought of having to deal with those attending the ball at the Duke of Thornfield’s residence. Hiding away in a library is more to her liking…until a grumpy bear of a man dares to intrude into her sanctuary…how was she supposed to know he was soon to be her future husband…

Edward Stanhope, Duke of Thornfield, has had enough of young ladies throwing themselves at him in the hopes of becoming his duchess. Eager to hide away, Edward goes into his private domain only to discover someone is sitting in his chair, and no matter how much he huffs and puffs, she won’t be budged…until he dares her to allow him a kiss…but that one kiss is only the beginning of what becomes a battle of wills between one very grump of a duke and the opinionated mistress that will tame him…

The Spinster and the Rake is an enjoyable regency romance. I’m still trying to figure out what it was about these characters that just didn’t quite click for me, and when that happens, it’s difficult for me to do a proper review. Overall, the author did a fun twist on the My Fair Lady storyline, and I would recommend to fans of this genre.


**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

This was a fantastic read. It is only my second one of Eva Devon's books before, but you can bet I've got her on my TBR pile now. 

The spinster, one Miss Georgiana Bly, has no more desire to be trapped in the parson's noose than any self-respecting rake. Only she's not a rake. But she is caught in the arms of the Duke of Thornfield, she is well and truly snared. 

This "marriage of convenience" is less about convenience and more about two people being put into a situation they do not wish to be in. Edward exhibits signs of someone on the autism spectrum (this is MY thought and not from the writer.) He is a very interesting character. He is cold but not because he is mean.

Georgiana is a blunder of a duchess but she gives it her best. 

I would have liked to have seen more of Georgiana's interactions with the ton as she learned how to be a duchess worthy of her own self esteem. Also how she managed her erstwhile Duke was very fun.

Definitely going to read more of Eva Devon's work.

Neither of them wanted to get married, much less to each other, yet Georgiana and Edward find themselves engaged after a battle of wills that got out of hand. She is unprepared and intimidated of becoming a Duchess and he is certain that she planed the compromise somehow. And I'm standing by the side hooked from the first page.
They fit so well together yet it took them a bit to realize that they can find more in each other than the sizzling air between them whenever these two would find themselves alone together. It was great to see these two discover that their connection went beyond their instant physical connection and how they developed a deep understanding of one another.
I also weirdly enjoyed their misunderstandings, probably because they were based on perfectly reasonable assumptions they had made about each other and how they learned to communicate better.
What I loved best about this story were the two main characters, the author wrote them so well-rounded and realistic, that it was a joy to follow their story. 
Edward especially is (positively) different to any other romantic hero I've ever read about. He reads like he is on the spectrum and as people with invisible disabilities and mental illnesses existed throughout history, I appreciated this character a lot. This book did a great job portraying how someones life who is on the spectrum could've looked like if they lived in 1795 and the right vocabulary and the proper guidance on how to cope is just not there.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Eva Devon, and I was pleasantly surprised.  The characters were fully developed. At first I thought the Duke of Thornfield, Edward, was going to be a typical duke who is distant because he sees himself as better than others until he meets the love interest. As we get to know Edward it becomes clear that he does it to protect himself and that he struggles with what people think is normal behavior. Today we would have a name for what he struggled with, but I enjoyed seeing a character who wasn't perfect. Georgiana was a bookish woman from a much lower background and I liked that she was accepting and open. She also had a sense of humor which I appreciate in a novel. 

The reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five stars is that I felt like the characters both needed to live up to the other's high standard and they didn't really listen to each other. Edward and Georgiana both thought the other needed something from them that wasn't what the other person was saying they needed. So while the romance was real and didn't feel forced, I did feel like they didn't grow as much, in my opinion, as was intended. 

The book was a light easy read and I'm happy to have immersed myself in the story. The characters were flawed like real people and the romance was believable. I will be looking for other books in the series in the future and reading more from the author.

I loved Georgiana and Edward! I don't think that Georgiana was really a spinster, however, so that title was misleading, but I loved the quick pace, the passion, the way she stood up to him, and the way he softened for her!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the characters in this book but had a hard time settling into the story.  Their connection was hard to feel and the plot was good, but never quite grabbed me enough to keep me invested deeply.  It was a sweet story with a lot of redemption and learning from both people.

Firstly, thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. 
I haven't read a ton (no pun intended!) of Regency era romances, just the usual Jane Austen novels and the Bridgerton series. So disclaimer, I am no expert.
I could definitely see where this book was trying to go. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but there was no spark for me--like something was missing. If you're looking for a quick historical romance to fill the time and read some smut, it's a good choice. Not so much if you want a hard-hitting, slow burn, deep romance. 
Like others have said, it was a nice touch giving Edward an autism spectrum spin that's unusual for the time. His arc was fine but could be more fleshed out. I am a sucker for animal rescuing so I appreciated his horses.
I just did not find myself caring about any characters. Georgiana had some "not like the other girls" syndrome going on that I wasn't fond of. With both of them, we got more explaining than showing when it came to the romantic tension. Scenes just seemed to fly by without fully finishing and their romance just didn't feel the most believable to me. 
Overall, it's a totally fine book, but didn't do all that much for me. Quick easy read that I'm sure many will enjoy!
(Obviously this is an early copy and I hope editing will fix this, but if I had to read the words "gaped, cocked his head, botheration" one more time I was going to throw my kindle!)

Thanks for the read!

I believe I've discovered the conundrum for modern authors writing regency romance. You see, the modern romance reader is going to expect mild smut from their romance book. But if you are writing a book set in the regency period, and you are specifically writing about lords and ladies, it's improper for them to have sex before marriage. (I think this is a little weird, because the modern reader isn't necessarily going to see it like that. Obviously an actual regency reader would have viewed it as a sin, but we are generally past that, but I digress.) So if your female character has sex before marriage she isn't a proper lady. So basically, you need your romantic couple to be married before the very end so that they can have sex. But you still need some type of storyline. So the solution is that our characters get somehow "trapped" into marriage (usually by acting on urges by kissing and getting caught), but they are still at odds somehow, and not in love yet (or at the very least haven't admitted it to each other). So the sexual tension can be resolved and give readers smut, while the romantic tension will be the plotline that carries the book to its end. 

But this solution in and of itself runs into a few different problems. For one, there actually has to be romantic tension, which was one of my problems with  The Viscount Who Loved Me. I believe that this book did do a good enough job with the romantic tension.

The other main issue is just that I've read this three times and I'm already bored with it. I don't have issues with reading tropes over and over again (as my ao3 history with a ridiculous amount of soulmate aus can attest), but this particular trope is so completely uninteresting to me. I can't say for sure, possibly I just prefer a slow burn. It's also possible that I'm not a huge fan of the roguish rake man character that usually accompanies it.

Anyway, now that I've delved into the genre issue, let's actually get into this particular book. Up front, I have to say that if you are interested in reading a regency romance, I would certainly recommend The Spinster and the Rake. It's not the Pride and Prejudice that it wishes it was, but it is what The Viscount Who Loved Me wishes it was. So here's my thoughts on the book overall. 

Representation: From the beginning, I thought that Edward read as neurodivergent. He was not merely a regular introvert, he found it painful sometimes to be in crowds. He didn't quite know how to read people properly. As we went on, it became more evident but I couldn't figure out if it was on purpose or not. Turns out it was! I thought it was a pleasant addition to the story. As a NT, I can't speak specifically to how well it was done, but I did think it was quite nice to have a neurodivergent male hero.

Banter: Solid. Would have even liked more of it, especially in the library scene at the beginning (touched on later), but I really liked the "bowls" scene. Favorite line goes to "If you must train me to be a better duchess, I must train you to be a better man."

Character Arcs: The execution of Edward's character arc was not necessarily excellent. But it was there and I liked it.  But the only thing sexier than a man who admits to his mistakes, is a man who ALSO buys you a bookstore.  Same with the development of their relationship overall. It didn't feel entirely natural, but it was obviously there, where both of them were growing and learning to overcome their assumptions and learn more about each other. 

Writing: This is where I found the most issue. When I read the description, I didn't assume that the library exchange would be so incredibly quick. I would have much preferred the opportunity to stay in that scene for longer, because I think if it had been longer, it could have even better set the stage for their romance. The first few chapters also just felt extremely info-dump-y, with way too much telling instead of showing. Instead of showing us that both our heroes are introverted, it is shoved in our faces in a blatant manner. Instead of showing us the tension between them, we instead got, "He was compelled...Anytime she was in his presence, he wished to consume her and to be consumed." It just doesn't quite do it for me.

Conclusion after this self-indulgent, overly-long review? If you want a sexy regency romance, this is one I would recommend. I found some issues with the writing, but I did still enjoy it. Personally, I think I'd better just stick to contemporary romance because I seem to like it much better.