3.5⭐ 2.5🌶️
There is nothing better than a good yummy Regency Romance.
We have a vicar's daughter mixed up with an duke's son who both have different ideas of what they want their future to look like. Weather it was the rain soaked see thru dress scene in the cabin, or being slayed out on a garden bench I was hooked! Look forward to reading more by April Moran.

Lucien, Earl of Ashcroft and one of the notorious three Rakehells of Mayfair, indulged in all the vices that come with the title. But when his father gives him an ultimatum--marry a suitable woman and find a new vicar for one of their estates, Lucien’s carefree lifestyle is threatened. Who better to assist with at least one of those tasks than the lovely Miss Charlotte Windsor? The orphaned daughter of the former vicar, Charlotte is a woman of strong opinions and determination. She’s also entirely too accomplished at innocently driving Lucien mad with desire.
This is the first full length book I’ve read by the author & it won’t be the last. I loved both Lucien & Charlotte, their banter was delicious, the chemistry sizzled & they brought out the best in each other. Charlotte was coping admirably in binging up her younger sister, eking out her small inheritance, doing jobs around the village to help them survive whereas Lucien was living a life to please only himself, arrogant, lazy & self centred. I loved how Lucien in particular grew & matured into a loving, caring man & by the end he deserved Charlotte’s love. A very good series opener
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Rakehell redemption, signed me up. Were Lucien and his friends rakes? Hell yeah they were and I loved it. Sometimes you need a story like this one. Lucien is caring and kind underneath it all and therein lies a great story. There’s a scene in the book that totally affects Lucien and you can see from that scene how he totally changes. You’ll have to read to see his transformation. The love-dislike relationship is superbly written. April can spin a tale and I just kept reading in basically one sitting. I don’t think my review is doing this book justice so let me just say – get it, read it, enjoy it.

Looking forward to the other Rakehell’s stories.

3.5⭐️
Lucien, Earl of Ashcroft and heir to a dukedom, is enjoying his responsibility-free life when his father orders him to A) get married and B) choose a new vicar for the family's country estate. Lucien of course doesn't want to do either of these things, as he prefers to spend his time drinking, whoring and gambling with his two best-friends and fellow "Rakehells of Mayfair". Lucien leaves for the country to choose a new vicar as soon as possible, hoping that doing so will put his father forget about getting married.

Here he meets Charlotte, daughter of the estate's previous vicar. He basically blackmails here into helping him interview candidates, but also instantly wants her. Charlotte for her part thinks Lucien is handsome but also morally despicable (she's right). The two proceed to have a back and forth where they're physically attracted to each other but Charlotte refuses to fully give in due to morals and not wanting to be used, and Lucien tries to find different ways he can convince her to let him use her.

This story was fun but I just didn't fully believe in the relationship between Charlotte and Lucien. They never have a single meaningful conversation in this entire book. They never once talk about what they want for their lives or their likes and dislikes, how they like to pass the time. Their connection is purely physical. We also don't ever get background on either of their lives the book starts. So we're expected to believe that this man-child who has a literal pact with his friends that they never marry, solely so they can go on being fuckboys forever, just forgets that entire life the moment he sees Charlotte.

We're also never given an explanation as to why Lucien refuses to marry. I guess he just didn't want to stop partying? But surely, there are men in the ton who have wives at home and still go out carousing all night so... that reasoning doesn't really hold up. Lucien easily couldn't found a marriage of convenience to get his father off his back and proceed as he had before. He also seems to think that his father will just forget about him getting married? Like...what? Does Lucien not know how inheritance works? This man grew up as the heir to a dukedom and yet thinks his father will just forget that he's unwed and has no heir?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte lives in a small cottage raising her younger sister Faith after their father passed away.
Earl Lucien Ashcroft comes to the estate forced by his father to find a wife and do his diligence with responsibilities.
Lucien is a rake hell living only for his own pursuits in London and cannot wait to return.
He becomes infatuated with Charlotte and the dance between innocence and experience begins.
Sexually graphic scenes in their romantic relationship.

Wow! Amazing book. Highly recommend.

Perfect for the tension that was present throughout which is quite difficult to execute normally.

This one is just not for me. The hero at the beginning is basically the worst person ever. He’s lazy, doesn’t want to work, lots of misogyny and he blackmails the heroine with her living conditions to use her. He’s just not for me.

Dragonblade, how I love you. I adore the concept of a rake-turned gentleman, and this did not fail my expectations.