The Rake and the Rose was a nice period slow-burn, fake dating romance. Rose is a pamphlet writer (journalist) looking to delve into the English underbelly to uncover what a Rake's life was like. Alexander is the protective Lord who doesn't want Rose to get caught up in the ways of the rakes in the wrong ways. This was a good slow burn, tension filled romance.

Book 3 in this series was a fantastic addition and I was happy that some characters from the previous books made appearances. A quick and entertaining read..
Many thanks to Entangled Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Alexander & Rose are a wonderful romance for the ages. This is so close to a second chance romance though the first chance was that of missed opportunity, too young to know the way. Years have past and though Alex vowed to stay away as his rakish ways could only corrupt, he’s never been far. Always in the shadows taking care of Rose and her brother Harry, his best friend. Separated by class and circumstance, a tale as old as time itself. But with the guidance of friends that love finds a way, these two make their way through with some shenanigans of disguise along the way. Their tale is that of passion, excitement and learning to believe in oneself. I have greatly enjoyed this series and it was such fun to see James & Lily again and have them be instrumental in connecting these two. A beautiful story.

The Rake and the Rose is the third installment in Eva Devon’s Once Upon a Wallflower series and it is a wonderfully charming addition! Devon’s writing is really sweet and evocative. Through clear intensions and well developed characters, Devon’s story shines. I found this novel to be a sweet and quick read. This series embraces the feeling of a fairytale with out the magic, through class differences, through dreams, and through love.

This novel is easily read as a stand alone, and a lovely sensual romance with a hero who would do anything for his heroine. I really enjoyed watching Rose and Alexander fall in love with each other. Their romance is one that slowly builds as they truly learn who the other is and how they treat each other. It is always lovely watching a heroine learn that the hero is not the rake she assumed he was. I really enjoyed that the hero is absolutely smitten with the heroine and that he will do anything to keep her safe.

Eva Devon is definitely a historical romance author who should be on your radar if she is not. I am also easily charmed by her stories and her romances are always full of sensuality and chemistry.

Thank you so much to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and options are my own.

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I cannot form words of how much i loved this book, the way the slow burn develops, chef kiss, and it had me so hooked and i loved it and i need 50 books more.

This was a lovely story, a good slow burn that still had a decent bit of spice, and a nice quick read that I was in need of between longer books. It checked off all of my favorite historical romance tropes for me and is why I really enjoy this particular author's work.

"The Rake and the Rose" by Eva Devon is a delightful historical romance that captivated me from start to finish. The characters are well-developed, and the chemistry between the protagonists adds a satisfying layer to the story. Devon skillfully weaves a tale of love, passion, and societal expectations in a way that keeps the reader engaged. The historical setting is vividly depicted, and the author's attention to detail enhances the overall experience. If you enjoy regency romances with a perfect blend of charm and sensuality, "The Rake and the Rose" is a must-read.

I loved both Rose and Alexander from the start. From their internal monologue and the way they described one another I knew it was going to be a good romance. Good banter, good spice, and a quick read. I loved the hidden feelings but how it was not just one sided. This romance explored some aspects of life during this time period that is only talked about but never experienced by the characters. Rose was in for an eye-opening experience, and I loved how Alexander was there to protect and help her. I do think them being childhood friends really helped their relationship.

Thank you @netgalley and @entangled_publishing for the gifted copy.

This is book three in the Once Upon a Wallflower series, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
The Rake and the Rose was a bit of a slow burn, but I really liked Rose and Alexander. This was a nice conclusion to this series, and it was wonderful getting cameos from the characters in the first two books.

Overall, this series as a whole was lovely, and I highly recommend it. They are all quick and satisfying reads.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was the next book in the Once upon a Wallflower series. This one was better than the second one but the book at times was a slow read. It is a pretty solid read and addition to the series.

I read the first book of this series and enjoyed it, so I was eager to get to this one.

I liked Rose and Alexander. She's crunchy and hardened. He's charming and soft. Both of them are much more than they appear. They have a tangled background and there are a good amount of secrets.

Plot wise, it was okay. Their history was interesting and weighed heavily on each of their minds. Annnnnnd this is where I got a little bored. I wanted a bit more of their HEA and the triumph of them getting together. Instead, that felt rushed at the end.

Overall, these characters were easy to root for, yet I wanted more for them.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Eva Devon always has a masterful way with words and this book is no exception. The words flowed seamlessly making it a quick and enjoyable read. I love how Rose is a strong and opinionated young woman. I also love how Alexander loved Rose but was torn between that and his promise to her brother. The poems and readings were a great addition to the story.

The Rake and the Rose by Eva Devon

Published: October 30, 2023
Entangled: Amara
Pages: 195
Genre: Historical Romance
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Eva Devon, USA Today bestselling author, was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey's Mallory novella, The Present. A romance addict was born. She devoured every single Lindsey novel within a few months and moved on to contemporary and paranormal with gusto. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males and the heroines who tame them.

I love how Eva weaves a story. It perfectly balances history, romance, spice, humor, and drama.

I enjoyed the character development. I love how Devon writes her female characters. It’s beautiful! I found the way this story unfolded to be enchanting.

I have enjoyed this series. The stories flow nicely, and the books are the perfect length for an afternoon.

Rose's family was ruined by her rake of a father. Her and her brothers friend, Alexander seems like he is going down the path of a rake. But Rose asks for help which he gives. He has always been behind the scenes helping people, Alexander and Rose have suppressed their feelings for each other. She could never marry a rake. But what if her perception of Alexander is wrong? She could miss out on the love of her life.

I enjoyed most of the Eva Devon historical romances I've read, but this one was a slight disappointment.

Rose and her brother Harry went through something traumatic as children, sure, but they had such extreme reactions to it. Harry becomes a vicar and goes on miles-long walks every day, Rose becomes the 19th-century version of a social justice warrior. As such, she's interested in infiltrating the world of the society rakes, to warn women away from them and prevent young men from going down the same road. Enter Alex, who has known Rose and her brother since they were all children. He's one of society's biggest rakes and Rose forces him into helping her.

The main problem with this story is that Alex actually isn't a rake, no matter how many times Rose throws that word in his face. He just goes to salons to find literary talents to support, as a way of doing penance for what happened in the past. On top of that, it's impossible not to see that Rose and Harry keep punishing Alex in some way or other for something that he actually had absolutely no role in.

Maybe this could've been better if Rose (and her brother) had done some much-needed groveling that the end of the story, but everything wrapped up far too quickly and cleanly to make sense.

Cute premise, lots of fun banter! Eva Devon knows how to write a romantic hero. I enjoyed and look forward to more by this author. Thank you to net galley for the chance to read this ARC.

The third book in the Once Upon a Wallflower series, Rose Digby and rake Alexander Markby, the sixth Earl of Derby is her brother’s closest friend's story. The story is well written with a good storyline that held my interest. I enjoyed seeing them get their happy ending. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The Rake and the Rose by Eva Devon

To me this is a story of pain suppressed and the energy refocused on avoiding pain in the future and in so doing preventing those in pain from enjoying life. It is a story of an almost fated love sidelined for years and almost lost for good. It is a story of the disparity between social stations, expectations of those within the various levels to behave a certain way, and the pain that often caused. It had manipulative people, caring kind people, fearful people, people who thought they knew the truth and really didn’t, and a good man that hid his goodness from others. It also had “rake” in many variations repeated over and over and the main person it was used to describe seemed almost more saintly than rakish.

I never really figured out how old Rose, Harry, and Alexander were supposed to be. Rose, at times, seemed more like she was sixteen than in her twenties but she could probably not have achieved what she had if she wasn’t older than her maturity level seemed to be. Alexander was more than he let on to others and I would have liked to see more of him in other situations. Harry was misguided and protective but did harm in his righteousness – wondering if he gets a book and who he will end up with. I felt both Harry and Rose, though from a lower social level, seemed rather priggish at times and not easy to cotton to making me wonder how they were friends with Alexander at all.

I think that the people I liked the best might have been Evelyn Turnbridge, a Cyprian, or perhaps Lily. Those two seemed to have a better handle on life than the main characters. I am guessing that Harry will have his story told next and though I can’t see him with Evelyn…it might be interesting. My questions at the end, besides the ages of the characters and the time between eviction of the Digby’s and Rose meeting up with Alexander again had to do with whether or not an heir had been born to any of the characters in the books of this series written so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled-Amara for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

I love hisorical fiction and this "new to me author" didn't disappoint. Reading about Rose and Alexander's adventure was lively fun read. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the Wallflower series.

I am a big fan of Romance books and I found this one to be a very enjoyable read. I will be looking for more books from this author.