Eva Leigh's books are always different. Her characters are not the Dukes but others, sometimes nobility, sometimes the working class. That lends to stories that catch my attention because it's not the same ole thing. This one is no exception. It's about a working class family who's become one of the nouveau riche in London trying to get a foothold in Society who looks down on those who work for their money. On the other side you have three young men who are rakes who have finally been called to task by their families. They have to shape up or be disinherited. This is the premise of the series. Bad boys who have to find respectable wives or be left to support themselves. What fun, I love seeing bad boys have to figure out how to behave.

Kieran Ransome, third son, and Finn Ransome, second son of the Earl of Wingrave, and their best friend Dominic Kilburn are the bad boys. Dom is the son of a Titan of Industry, Ned Kilburn whose roots are on the docks of London. Ned has made a name and fortune for his family but are not easily accepted into the Ton. Dom was about to marry his best friends' little sister, when his friends talked him out of it as Dom didn't feel he was worthy of her. This brings everything to a head with their parents. Celeste Kilburn is Dom's sister and her Dad has decided it's up to her to bring the family into acceptance. She must marry a titled gentleman, Earl Mountfort, heir to a Marquess. She's been towing the line, looking and acting the perfect society miss. But inside she's torn up and wants to kick up her heels and be herself.

Kieran decides to go to Celeste and beg for help, to gain entry into polite society. She's the only respectable miss he knows. Celeste sees an opportunity and makes him a deal. She'll help him get invited to society events to meet marriageable ladies, if he takes her on some adventures to the dark side of London in disguise. And so the deal is struck. This requires they spend some time together and so starts the journey into falling in love. Kieran finds Celeste fearless and big hearted, while Celeste finds Kieran protective and giving.

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

England - 1818

The Ransome brothers, Finn and Kieran, and their friend Dominic (Dom) Kilburn are in big trouble with their respective parents. Finn and Kieran helped Dom escape before his wedding ceremony to their sister, Willa, when Dom made it clear to them that he doesn't deserve their sister, and he'll make her life miserable. The Earl of Wingrave, the Ransome men's father, their mother, and Dom's father, former longshoreman, and now a wealthy business owner, Ned Kilburn, have given their sons an ultimatum. They must each marry within a year, or be cut off from all allowances.

Kieran, a well known rake, is at a loss when it comes to meeting the right woman to marry. His past shenanigans have kept him on the outskirts of civility, so he is never invited to ton affairs any longer. In a last ditch effort to clean up his reputation, he enlists the help of Dom's sister, Celeste. He hopes she will get him on the road to acceptance, even though the last thing he wants is a wife.

Celeste Kilburn has known the dark side of life as her father scrabbled and fought his way out of penury. Her heart is still with the poor, but Ned Kilburn wants his daughter out in society, and he wants her to marry a title. Celeste has her own ideas, though, and she has made a deal with roguish Kieran Ransome that she will help him fit back into society if he takes her to gaming clubs, or places more exciting than teas and balls. What could go wrong?

Accompanying a disguised Celeste into the very places he should be avoiding is eye-opening to Kieran as he observes her behavior. She is clearly enjoying the role of a flirtatious tart. Kieran is also enjoying seeing the normally obedient daughter of Ned Kilburn come out of her shell. And her beauty is overwhelming him. But Kieran is pretty sure that Ned and Dom would not like him courting Celeste.

Celeste is thoroughly enjoying herself. However, with her father's dreams of her marrying a lord, with one very boring one on the verge of asking for her hand, Celeste knows her time is limited. Plus, how can she ignore the fact that Kieran is getting under her skin?

An enjoyable and page turning tale, THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO RAKES has both humor and poignancy. Kieran has seen what a bad marriage is after observing his own parents, and Celeste simply doesn't have the heart to forget her family's past, or the people they left behind in the tenements.

After the disaster at the wedding of his best friend and sister Kieran, his brother Finn and the best friend that left his sister at the altar... their collective parents hand down an ultimatum: all 3 of them must be married to suitable upstanding women within a year or all 3 of them will lose everything and be disinherited. Kieran having never planned to marry as a 3rd son is naturally horrified by this. However he’s the only one to immediately take action by enlisting the services of the only young lady he knows of impeccable character who could help him with his task. Because his reputation would not exactly have him welcomed anywhere near a woman his parents would approve. Celeste, is just the woman for the job, she’s also his best friend’s younger sister. Who agrees to help him clean up his image in exchange for helping her to have a little fun before she gets married. What could possible go wrong, right?

It’s obvious what does in fact happen as this is how romances work... two unlikely people work on some sort of task together they don’t think they are suited to each other but over the course of their time together they fall for each other. Of course they can’t be together for reasons... (in this the reasons being that Celeste’s father wants her married to a man with a title). Yet somehow despite everything they end up together in the end happily ever after blah blah blah.

What keeps you interested is of course the characters I really liked Celeste and Kieran. The way his family treated him was awful and for what reason? His parents sucked and hated each other why not at least be nice to all of their children? They give their love to the oldest and only girl but leave the other two to fend for themselves and wonder why they ended up the way they did while constantly putting them down and just assuming things. Celeste’s father wasn’t any better what with his dreams of better for his family finally coming true only for him to be obsessed with climbing the social ladder. Happiness for his daughter? Who cares about that if she can marry a man with a title because that literally makes everything perfect. Anywho I liked Celeste and Kieran’s secret nighttime adventures.

So of course romance has to have conflict and that being Lord Montford who already planned to make Celeste his wife. Him being the man with a title her father approved of. He was not quite the person he seemed to be and I was curious how Celeste and Kieran would find their way out of that situation. Kieran’s little plot was rather inventive and I was happy that at least Celeste’s father eventually came to understand the pressure he had been putting on her. What good is a life of luxury when there’s no love or happiness? Something Celeste and her brother have to contend with.

Twas a good read and I can’t wait to see what happens to Finn in the next one. Since only one of the three actually took the assignment seriously and I get why Dom isn’t that interested in any of it after the wedding. But I’m interested to know more about Finn.

Eva Leigh is a fantastic author and has quickly become one of my new favorites. I love a romance when the hero and heroine enter in to some sort of agreement. Especially when part of the agreement is the heroine wanting to do something naughty! So much fun! A great couple!

"My God," he breathed, delighted to his marrow, "no one has any idea, do they? About who you truly are." "No idea at all," she agreed placidly.

That sums up our heroine Celeste Kilburn. She is unlike any historical heroine I've read lately and I loved her. I resonated with her secret potty mouth and her inner monologue/thoughts that she sometimes censored because "adulting." And as bold and brash as she is because of her past, she was also a woman of two worlds, belonging fully to neither. She can't return to her old life where she lacked for most things nor does she fully fit into her new life where she lacks for nothing. Rather she gives bits of herself to everyone but all of herself to only one....

"None of us are precisely who people believe us to be." 

Our hero, Kieran Ransome hides who he is, embracing the role of "rake" that society has placed upon him. When Kieran needs Celeste's help finding a respectable wife, she agrees only if she can benefit from this arrangement too. And so begin their scandalous, nighttime escapades to some unique places I've not seen before in HR. I don't want to say too much about Kieran or his "secret" but I can tell you he has a thing for her neck and dirty talk which provided for some enticing scenes later on. Did I mention that Kieran is Celeste's brother's best friend? I mean, if you're into that kind of thing. 

This book is the first in the Last Chance Scoundrels series. I can't wait to read the next two books. Eva Leigh released the details and cover for book two and I can only hope/bribe Eva who the heroine of the last book will be. The first chapter of this book grabs you with a completely different couple than Celeste and Kieran, but whose actions trigger this entire series. 

Thank you Eva Leigh and Avon for an ARC of The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes. PS I ordered my own signed copy as soon as I finished my ARC because I know this series is going to rock my world.

Kieran Ransome's parents have given him an ultimatum due to his most recent public antics. He must marry a woman of high repute within the year or else be cut off, him his brother and best friend as well.

Kieran, who isn't allowed or invited anywhere near where polite females convene, asks his best friend's sister to help get him in to some places, in order for him get more invitations.

Celeste who is drowning under her obligations to her family- grasps at the chance Kieran, her secret crush, gives her. But in return for making him respectable in the eyes of polite society he must show her a good time or take her to all the unrespectable places. A last hurrah before she has to marry a horribly dull man that has a title.

Oh the fun they have - 🔥🔥🔥

When he catches feelings and tries to claim her as his own that titled gentleman had already found a way to entrap her by exposing what she has been doing.

I totally fell for Kieran so many secret facets hidden that he was forced to hide since he was a man and being a sensitive poet is not what a 2nd or 3rd son of a title is. But these two who completely weren't expecting the depths of what they got, her adventurousness and his vulnerability.🥺

Read if you like:
💌 Dating my brother's best friend but regency lol jk was it?
🌹 Secret Crush
💌 Neck fetish - surprisingly hot - Casteel did that too - hot

✨I would definitely like to read Finn and Dom's love stories as they have to find their respectable wives before their year is up as well

Thank you avonbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes, book 1 in Eva Leigh’s new Last Chance Scoundrels series, is my first book by Leigh. I love romances where characters agree to help each other achieve goals. And while they spend time together working toward those goals, they grow closer and discover/develop a connection or mutual attraction. Even better, when characters discover that what they are searching for is unexpectedly right there for the taking with that person if they are brave enough to take the chance to fight for what they want. I love Leigh’s enchanting use of language, vivid description, spellbinding storytelling, meticulous worldbuilding, and spirited and relatable characters that she skillfully develops and evolves organically within the novel’s progression. The scenes with Celeste and Kieran sharing their worlds have so much complexity and emotion as they reveal themselves to each other, discovering truths of who they are or could be.

Kieran Ransome’s parents issue an ultimatum for him to find a respectable wife or be disinherited after he causes a massive scandal. How can he when’s unaccepted in respectable society? Carrying the weight of her family’s social status as nouveau riche, society darling Celeste Kilburn feels trapped in a gilded cage from which she longs to escape and experience the adventure and excitement denied to young women of spotless reputations beloved by the ton. She’s desperate to experience more of life before an impending engagement to a stuffy earl her father is forcing on her to satisfy his social-climbing and approval-seeking desires. So, when Kieran requests her help, Celeste agrees to introduce him to the proper social circles so he can find a wife if he shows her London’s scandalous side. Kieran escorts Celeste disguised as “Salome” to wild fêtes, rowdy gaming hells, and sensual art salons while she affords him access to proper teas, musical recitals, and garden parties. Spending time together frees the sparks of their initial attraction to blossom from desire into deeper emotions they cannot deny or ignore. Unfortunately, someone discovers their midnight adventures, jeopardizing Celeste’s reputation and freedom. Kieran will save Celeste—his love—even if he is not respectable enough to deserve her.

Fearless, intelligent, adventurous, still connected to where she came from, Celeste seeks freedom to make her own choices. Kieran is attracted to Celeste but fights it believing he’s wrong for his best friend’s younger sister. Celeste, too, is attracted to him and has had a crush on him for years. To the world, Kieran is an inveterate scoundrel, rogue, younger son with little to offer. But Celeste sees the parts he hides from the world—a man of depth who’s perceptive, generous, wise.

With compelling characters, an absorbing story, sweet and sexy banter, a bit of angst, and steamy and sizzling hot love scenes, The Good Girls Guides to Rakes is a mesmerizing and profound romance in which Leigh insightfully explores how our families don’t see us for who we are and instead put us into boxes, trapping us in roles that don’t fit. She also explores the lack of agency and independence that young women have and its impact on their identity and happiness. I love every word and highly recommend it for steamy historical romance fans that like arrangements or deals between heroes and heroines.

Have you ever read a the first chapter of a book and it instantly made you regret that you didn’t wait for the entire series to come out first because you want to read all of the books NOW? Well, that was my experience when being instantly immersed into this story and getting a peek at future books. I am very excited- but, I digress…

Kieran is an unabashed rake and Celeste is a girl who bites her tongue and does her duty all while longing for the freedom to decide her own path. The two come together over a deal to help Kieran become more respectable and Celeste to experience a bit of a wild time before she must marry.

Watching these two aid one another in their individual endeavors was entertaining and the pacing of the story kept my interest. If there were ever two people who absolutely belonged together, it would be Kieran and Celeste.

Kieran had an absolutely brilliant character arc. At the beginning of the story he was a total scoundrel and by the end he was such a compassionate human being. There was so much depth to his character and an abundance of growth over the course of the novel that made this read highly enjoyable.

I am looking forward to the rest of the series and highly recommend it to any reader who loves a great romance between two people who compliment one another beautifully.


Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m inspired to poetry… more like bawdy limericks after Leigh’s latest.

This first in the Last Chance Scoundrels series sets the stage for lovely trio of books that continues in the London Leigh’s created. There’s plenty of homages to previous series, as well as surprise cameo by the infamous, and incomparable lady, Beverly Jenkins. I definitely think this story is perfect if you want heroes who empower women and women who aren’t afraid to embrace that offer, seeking what they desire.

We have on end the rakehell, Kieran Ransome. Third son, whose known about town for his hedonistic tendencies and inability to stop flirting for five seconds. Of course, after a particular bad decision he’s faced with the ultimatum of shaping up his image and marrying. The only recourse he sees is to employ the help his best friend’s younger sister, Celeste. Her impeachable, respectable image will gain him entrance back into polite society and in front of debutantes.

Of course Celeste isn’t going to agree without getting something in return. Every good girl wants to be bad, Celeste is no exception. She’ll help Ransome, only if he takes her on excursions to experience the same events and locales he enjoys freely as a man. Cue all the private time and falling in love while doing things deemed inappropriate by society.

This book is tropey goodness all packaged up for my enjoyment. Ransome is also a poet and there is poetry not to mention a lovely lyrical way that Ransome speaks. Is internal thoughts are truly matching to how I believe poets work. Emotions so vibrant and vivid. Celeste is the perfect foil, a beautiful young woman tired of being in a cage and seeking an opportunity to feel alive. What better way than a young rakehell who despises having to change who is and would love to share his experiences even if he thinks otherwise.

Overall, Leigh’s latest was a nice escape from my daily duties of figuring out dinner and household chores. I can’t wait to see what happens with Finn’s story, Kieran’s older brother. Not to mention the stage being set for our last scoundrel, Dom. I highly encourage those who love a good Bridgerton story get in on this series.

~ Landra

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This book is set in London, England. Dom, Finn and Kieran characters are great. This book will keep your attention from the first page. This book is in stores for $8.99 (USD). I enjoyed the writing style of this book. I would recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. This is book 1 in this new series. The family relationships is good, and the romance is steamy.

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes is everything I want an historical romance to be: charming, funny, feminist, sexy, romantic, and angsty enough to keep Act III from being dull without sending my blood pressure to alarmingly high levels.

Three-sentence summary: Society believes Kieran Ransome is an irreverent rake, the third son of an earl whose disregard for propriety reaches a boiling point at his sister's wedding. Celeste Kilburn is a darling of the ton despite being nouveau riche, but under her demure facade hides a quick wit, sharp mind, and a thirst for adventure. When Kieran and Celeste strike a bargain to help one another achieve their social goals before the Season ends, neither is prepared for the sparks between them to ignite into a conflagration with the potential to burn down the futures they thought they'd live -- or the people they thought they were.

TGGGtR highlights Leigh's signature dexterity with found family, deep feeling, and easy-to-love protagonists. There's a touch of world-building lag at the start of the novel, but that's both necessary and expected in a first-in-series (there are two more rakes in need of wives, and we learn their circumstances in chapters 1 and 2. I also hope/suspect a certain Ransome sister will get her own novel as part of the series). Kieran's brother Finn and their friend Dom are germane enough to the plot of this book that opening with a focus on the trio is simply good narrative logic, and as a bonus, I already can't wait to see them again in subsequent series installments.

In short, Eva Leigh does it again!

3.5 ⭐️

My second book by Eva Leigh and while I don't think it was as memorable as [book:Waiting for a Scot Like You|53487119], this was quick fun. It had the best friend's sister trope: the hero is a rake in want of a reputable wife, and the heroine wants to explore the darker sides of society before marrying herself to a lord. They help each other with their respective missions and of course, they catch feelings.

I was totally intrigued in the beginning though, where the heroine's brother was supposed to marry the hero's sister but he then jilted her at the altar. Now that was the story I unexpectedly wanted and I could already feel the angst, it was great. Can't wait to see what Eva Leigh has in store for us next!

This was my first Eva Leigh, but it will definitely not be my last. After helping his best friend hilt his sister, Kieran, his brother Finn, and his best friend Dominic are being forced to marry by their parents. They must marry a respectable woman or los their inheritance. Kieran immediately takes this to heart and makes a deal with Dominic’s sister, Celeste. Celeste will introduce him to polite society and he can find a wife and he will show her the other side of Lonson’s society.

I loved how quickly Celeste and Kieran became each other’s person. Celeste always encouraged Kieran even when his family didn’t. He encouraged Celeste to be herself and not just a member of “polite” society. I love books with found family and these two seem to be that.

This was steamy! I really enjoyed it and didn’t want to stop reading! I hope there will be more books on this series!

Kieran Ransome has been given an ultimatum by his parents: reform, marry or you’ll get nothing. Long shunned from the social circles he needs to be a part of in order to find a respectable bride, he enlists the only proper person he knows to help: Celeste Kilburn, his best friend's younger sister. While she agrees to help, it is on her terms: she’ll introduce him and get him welcomed in polite society, but he must show her the side of London no proper miss knows. The two walk a fine line of musicales and teas alongside gaming hells and scandalous parties; as they do, their desire for one another grows.

Leigh has crafted a steamy, character driven romance. I fell in love with both Kieran and Celeste, rooting for them to come together and quickly! But beyond making likable characters, Leigh did well making me despise some of the others. Needless to say, I will be actively looking out for the next in the Last Chance Scoundrels series.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy (ARC).

At first glance the plot is a much used rake being cut off if he doesn't reform. Kieran is a typical London playboy, enjoying wine, women, and song. What makes this book stand out is the female characters request. Celeste is out of her mind asking to roll around London's underbelly, even in a disguise. How no one noticed who she was is a miracle. These experiences are the fun part, how these 2 go about reforming and tasting life outside the Ton.

Kieran and Celeste's story in The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh, book one in Last Chance Scoundrels, is sizzling, emotional, and entertaining, as rules are broken and rakes reformed. Kieran Ransome created an unintended scandal. Now his father has issued an ultimatum: make a respectable marriage within a year or be cut off financially. Kieran is up first, and he's much more a soft-hearted rascal than a troublesome rogue. That's not how his parents see him though, and they only have time and affection for their heir - not the spares. Kieran only knows one miss accepted by society, his best friend's sister, Celeste Kilburn and hopes she will help him gain acceptance in respectable circles. Celeste's father's trade money may have opened some doors, but she's under pressure to keep up a sterling reputation and marry to cement the family's place in society. While in society Celeste appears to be a respectable and proper young lady who abides by the rules, but she is quite tired of this "role" that's been put on her shoulders by her family. When Kieran requests Celeste help, to present him to society as a respectable man and a reformed rake, Celeste is happy to help. In exchange, she wants to satisfy her taste for freedom, for adventure, and not have to worry about keeping a spotless reputation; especially before she has to accept a respectable proposal and marry.

Their time together allows for the growth of a friendship, while they attempt to deny their magnetic attraction and sizzling chemistry; until neither is able to ignore it any longer. The fact that they inspire each other to speak up for what they want in their lives, him writing his poetry and she her charity work, adds another layer to this story and their relationship.

Ms. Leigh wrote a wonderful story filled with parental pressure, respect, passion and romance that should not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with respect, strong chemistry, wonderful banter, and amusing secondary characters giving Kieran and Celeste a chance for a happy future together. I highly recommend The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Received an advanced copy from the publisher.

I had such a good time with this book! I loved a heroine seizing control of her life, a hero who wasn't overprotective or doing things "for her own good," and I'm a sucker for brother's best friend (when done well). Leigh also sets up the rest of the series really well with the framing device of the three bachelors must get their shit together and get married to respectable women within the year. One down, two to go (and we've already had our preview of the next book's couple... and I'm here for it).

Eva Leigh is the absolute QUEEN of steamy historical romance. The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes left me smiling and a little dehydrated, if I'm honest. Kieren and Celeste's chemistry was absolutely combustible, and I loved how they truly saw one another and could be themselves, wholly and completely.

Regency romances, especially older romances, can sometimes take a one-dimensional approach to the virginal heroine, but Leigh completely subverts that with a heroine who quotes scandalous books and knows exactly what she wants, which is to break out of the subdued, proper mold her family expects her to fill.

I cannot praise Eva Leigh enough. I absolutely devour each and every book she writes.

I usually don’t read a lot of historical romance. In fact, I could not begin to remember the last one I’ve read. However, when I saw the synopsis of The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes I decided I’d give the genre a try. I’m happy to say I enjoyed it, and I sped through this book in less than 24 hours! I loved both the hero and the heroine and I will definitely be picking up the second in the series when it comes out as well to see what happens to some of the other characters.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for my ARC!

What an interesting beginning, it immediately drew me in. I always put the blurb out of my mind after I sign-up, so when I began reading I had to double-check who this book was about.

After his latest stunt results in scandal, Kiernan Ransome is given an ultimatum, settle down and find a respectable wife or be cut off. But his rakish reputation has kept him from mingling with most of polite society. He knows one respectable woman, Celeste Kilburn. His friend's sister.

Celeste is beloved by influential members of the ton. But having to keep a spotless reputation, especially at the urging of her father leaves her feeling suffocated. It doesn't help that he keeps encouraging an engagement with a stuffy earl she doesn't really like. So when Kiernan approaches her for help gaining entrance into social events, she agrees to help but she wants something in return. To be shown the scandalous parts of London.

Between all the proper and "improper "activities their attraction for one another grows. Until someone discovers what Celeste has been up to and threatens to expose her. Kiernan can only focus on saving the woman he loves.

Thanks so much to the author, Avon, and NetGalley for this ARC to review