Eh? Sumner is so hit or miss. This was spicy and about the right length, I just wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t love the heroine, she was a bit cold.

I really enjoyed this novella! It was so good. I loved the pining hero aspect and how he’s always had a crush on the heroine. This is short and sweet and really delivers on the spice! And is filled with so many great quotes and passages, as per usual with Tracy’s books. (this is the only book I’ve read in this series, and it can be read as a complete stand-alone)

A great short read. I loved the story and can't wait to read the next encounter with this crazy trio of brothers. It will take your breath away!

A fun, quick regency romance novella setting up for the other brothers in the series. I wish it was longer and had more character development though as it was a bit too quick to be believable.

First book after exhausting finals, should have picked up a better book! Still prefer the early ones in the series! I dont think this books is for you to skip some books, too lazy to read others, bye
Thanks netgalley for the arc., Thoughts and opinion are mine.

This is a fun novella. While I think this book could have been extended to a full length novel, it doesn't suffer from being a shorter story. It sets out what it means to do which is provide a kind-of second chance romance. Cort, the second son of a Duke, had loved Alexandra Mountbatten since he was a wee lad. However, she was five years older than he was. She ended up marrying a viscount and Cort went off to war. They meet up again with Alexandra being a widow (don't worry, she didn't kill her husband) and Cort being old enough that their age gap doesn't matter.

There were a few chapters that had scene changes where the third person limited perspective is also changed and I was a bit confused because it was taking place a few hours or days later. I had to orient myself and sometimes look back on "wait a minute, are we in a ballroom? how did that happen?"

But otherwise, I liked this book and thought it sweet. There is pining and quippy dialogue back and forth. It is a mild spice with the intimate scenes having enough vagueness for me not to say it is explicit but enough detail that you won't be lost in what is happening.

A good solid novella.

I love Sumner's books. They feel so fresh, and surprisingly modern for Regency era stories. This one was much shorter than I expected and didn't have quite enough of the low moment where all looks lost. But a fun romp nonetheless!

Okay but I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
Friends to Lovers
Older woman
Childhood crush

Cortland and Alexandra are adorable. Cortland has had a crush on Alex FOREVER but since he is 5 years younger Alexandra never noticed or realized that one of the three neighbor boys was in love with her. Cortland is asked by his brother to oversee maintenance on the home they spent time in as children next to Alexandra's house, this is how he comes to meet her again. This is a short story but so much happens and none of it feels rushed. I highly recommend this one.

Another great novella from Tracy Sumner! This has an older widowed heroine and younger male hero; which is not usually seen in the historical age gap books. Cort has had a crush on Alexandra since childhood while she found him to be a pest. When they meet again years later, Alexandra sees him in a new light. These characters have pretty instant chemistry and struggle to keep away from each other. Alex propositions Cort to show her some intimacy lessons since she ended up being in a loveless marriage. This novella was spicy and their chemistry was undeniable. There was a touch of "instalove" but you kinda have to do that in a novella. This really is a story about rediscovering relationships and second chances. I'm really looking forward to Knox and Damien's stories.

Tracy Sumner is a one click purchase for me. I've never been disappointed with her writing. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Kiss the Rake Hello by Tracy Sumner is Everything Good

After a lousy first marriage, Alexandra is happy to be a widow and simply enjoy the benefits of that life. Along comes Cortland DeWitt, who has been in love with Alexandra since childhood; but, is fighting his demons from Waterloo. Can Alexandra help him past the nightmares and injuries he sustains? Can Courtland convince her to opening her heart is worthwhile? Find out in this fantastic novel!

I'll be honest it took me a little while to get my head around this book and for me to I guess sort of understand the era and the characters and how it all came together. Once I'd done that admittedly much later into the book than maybe what I'm used too I really enjoyed it and thought it was a really lovely read.

This was a short, sharp and steamy historical romance novella that follows widow Alexandra who has recently spotted Cort, a childhood frenemy who recently returned home after fighting in Waterloo. Alex loves her newfound freedom since losing her husband. From what I can gather they weren’t a love match but I wouldn’t say she was uncaring.
Cort had a childhood crush on Alex and continuously got on her nerves, especially due to their 4 year age gap so he was that much younger and childish than she was.
After their reunion as adults, Cort is injured and they begin a beneficial friendship if you’d say. But it soon becomes more when Cort says he has loved her since childhood and this reunion has reignited it.
This was a short and romantic novella perfect for a quick read or even is you’re looking for an introduction into historical/regency romance.
Thank you for the eARC!

Kiss the Rake Hello is a sweet story! I really enjoyed Alexandra and Cort. Oh, Cort... he is a dream!!
I enjoyed this novella, and if I had one complaint was that it isn't a full novel! I really liked the chemistry between Alex and Cort and wanted more!
The writing is a little maudlin and dialogue a little dramatic, but some may like that a little more than I did and while it took maybe a little from the read, I still really liked the novella!
Tracy Sumner really created a couple that is so wonderful to read their story, if you like a weeknight read in one sitting this is perfect. It is very entertaining, romantic and wish was a full novel instead of a novella!

This was a great story about renewed love.
This review may contain spoilers.
This book was a shorter length story, like a novella. It is about a woman who is widowed. She grew up in a village outside of London. Her parents were of the minor nobility. They were killed when she was young and she spent most of her time in the stables. She was raised by tutors, governesses and the household servants. The stable master was also a sucessful farrier and taught her the trade along with two of his sons. She was always more concerned with the stablea than ballrooms and in her first Seasin, she married one of her suitors. It was not a happy marriage. She stayed for a time at her husbands estates, but moved back when her husband died during a hunt. He only married her for her dowry and they did not have any children. She always suspected her husband was more interested with men, because he did not have any rumors of being a womanizer and they only had marital relations three times a year. The heroine was a widow and the member of a group of widows who appreciated their freedoms.
The hero was raised on a neighboring estate. He was about 4 years younger than the hero. He fell in love with the heroine when he was ten years old and never grew out of it. He is a twin, but the younger twin and his older twin is the Duke. They also have a younger brother who is one year younger. They look so close that they would switch places all the times. They also had to take the same classes in order for them not to play tricks on the teachers. The hero was in the Napoleonic wars. He signed up shortly after blowing up a laboratory at Oxford. And he blew up the laboratory by accident shortly after he learned the heroine had gotten married.
The hero was known as a proficient lover with many satisfied women. He never made a connection with anyone since he was 15 and tried to kiss the heroine.
The hero returns to the village when his horse turns up lame. The heroine sees him and doesnt recognize him at first. But she does notice how handsome he is and when she finds out who he is she thinks very erotic thoughts. The hero is returning to the village to oversee some repairs to the ducal estate. One night, the heroine is surprised to find her servants have brought boody and injured man to her home. He suffered a fall from his horse and is unconscious. She immediately recognizes him as the second son and is attracted to him again
This story was short, but all the important parts are covered. The characters have a good rapport. Their back story is told in spurts. I can't tell anymore about the story because I have already given most of the spoilers. But there is still plenty of story left. I enjoyed reading this book. I give it 5 stars and recommend reading.

I really enjoyed this novella, and finding out that there was a multi-author series surrounding the main character that I can read next! (The Wicked Widows).

I love "I've always loved you" stories, and in this one it's the hero that has been in love with the heroine since he was 10. Cort reconnects with Alex after returning from the war and her being widowed. He's injured on her land, and she helps him get healthy. Alex decides to ask Cort to help her discover what she missed with her former husband. He discovers he's still in love with her.

Both of them being in love so quickly was a bit much, but I liked the characters enough to still give it at least a 4.5 star rating. Tracy Sumner writes some great books and I will keep reading on.

I received an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

A fun, tantalisingly desire sparkling, quick read!
A fortuitous opportunity pulls them magnetically back into each other's orbit years later.
Cort, stuck in the want for change between rogue and mechanical engineer, haunted by memories as an officer of the King’s Dragoon Guards, and tortured by his childhood infatuation and love for the older girl next door. While, Alexandra has always been oblivious to the tempest of Cort's true feelings for her as children, being her teasing nemesis five years her junior. Yet, having suffered two years of a passionless marriage and seeing her once pesky torment all grown up, attraction unexpectedly flares hot and causes her to want like never before. Can a second chance romance be in the offering now age is no longer a barrier?

For a quick read this enticing tale just keeps giving and wraps you up in the moment so completely. To the point you rather wish you had longer to wallow in the wealth of tormented emotions, smouldering, sexually charged desires and the soul deep, rattling intensity of the love that rises up and starts to mutually flare between them.
Sumner has this heart pounding ability to make you feel and breathe the emotions of her characters. Rich with intellect, originality and longing so palpable it strums and sings from the page regardless of the length of the tale. The only problem is, you can't help being intrigued and in love with them, you always want more!
With a a tantalising snapshot of the remaining troublesome DeWitt brother trio, in Damien and Knox, I will definitely being hunting out their tales in the future too!

Can I have more please? I did not want the romance between Cort and Alexa to end. I have been reading historical romance since I was 15 and I have never once seen an older female lead - typically the dashing rake is older so this was refreshing. I loved the second chance and enemies to lovers trope. I hope this becomes a series so we can see what they're up to as their friends fall in love.

“I want more than being your safe bet. And maybe, just maybe, I deserve it.”

Folks…I’m mad. Wanna know why…I'll tell ya! Tracy Sumner has released a new novella called “Kiss the Rake Hello” as part of the Wicked Widows series and well….I absolutely love it! Why is this a problem? It's short and captivating and now that I've read it…d*amn it… I want MORE. MORE of these amazingly wonderful characters she's created. More of the delicious war hero who is gorgeous, and charming and just a bit of a lothario.

Courtland Dewitt is just the right amount of tortured soul, rake and cinnamon roll. He's more than a snack…honey…he's the whole meal. Court has a swagger ya’ll that captures your attention immediately…and that's BEFORE he utters a word. Woo weee! Despite his roguish ways…there's only been one to hold his heart and he's always loved HER. ALWAYS…and now that circumstances are right…maybe..just maybe he can get her to love him the way he loves her.

I need MORE of Lady Alexandra Amberly, the wicked widow who's been denied passion and freedom and is now ready to ask for what she wants…even if that means seeking help from her childhood tormentor. More of her boldness. MORE y'all of this wonderful new world that Tracy has developed with supporting characters whose stories I'm sure are yet to come that I can’t wait to explore…

Frankly put…I need MORE of this wonderful story that's had me read it three times because I hated for it to end. Kiss the Rake Hello will grab your heart by the strings and pull tight. All you gotta do is hold on and enjoy the ride.

Tropes: (small) age gap, childhood "friends", hero loves first, twins, widow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🔥

I enjoyed this new addition to the Wicked Widows league series. I'm not sure it was my favorite, but I sped through this and was entertained, what more could I ask for!

Thank you for the early copy for review.

What a lovely short story! Cort has been in love with Alex since he was 10 and she was 15. Alex has no idea, but has just recently became widowed after an unhappy marriage. When these 2 meet up again, the fireworks start! I am so looking forward to the stories about Cort’s brothers. 5 stars.