Oh man this woman needs to write some epilogues. ( )

I wish some of the plot points had been tightened up, with some further consideration there were surely alternatives to get to similar ends that would have been a bit more buyable. But I'm giving it four stars anyway because the page by page writing was good. The H & h both grew as people, and their relationship developed over time, and they each had a friend who was an interesting sidekick. This was my first book from Enoch, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. ( )

This book was enjoyable. Diane is a young fiercely independent widow intent on stirring scandal. After her deceased past husband left her penniless from her gambling, she decides to open a gentleman's club so that others gambling will work in her favor. In the process, she ends up hiring a cast of girls with no where else to go. In order to fund the project, she needs help, and blackmails the man who broke her heart a few years ago - the Marquis of Haybury, Oliver Warren.

Oliver is also fiercely independent and not used to not being in control. When Diane re-enters his life, he's forced to confront old feelings. Diane keeps him on his toes with with outlandish behavior and demands, but it's the unexpectedness and her determination which draws him to her.

When Diane's brother-in-law threatens to ruin her club, Oliver and Diane find themselves no longer adversaries and instead teammates on a battle to save the club they have both invested heavily in.


Audiobooks note: I found the voice of "Jenny" to be quite annoying

Romance: 3
Heroine: 3/5
Hero: 3.5/5
Steaminess: 3.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Accessory Characters: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5 ( )

This is only my second Suzanne Enoch book, and I realize she's writes witty, fun romances. This one, however, just didn't grab me. Who knows why? I liked it, but I'll probably not read it again. ( )

In The Beginner's Guide to Rakes, we get one character not usually seen in the regency romance world and one which is a fresh take on an old standby. Lady Diane Benchley is widowed and through a bit of work moved herself from poverty to if not riches, at least a comfortableness that she hadn't enjoyed for most of her marriage. Her grand venture to take her late husband's family home in London and turn it into a Gentleman's club not only hits a snag, but sets the gossips' tongues to wagging. The one man who can help, the Marquis of Haybury, Oliver Warren, had loved, and ran away from, Diane two years ago, and he has his own demons to expel.

This duo is fascinating in their depth of character and the ways in which they work to avoid, and yet be close to, each other. Sometimes the machinations got a little, well, old fashioned, and a times you wished the characters would just talk to each other, but in spite of that, the characters and their story held my interest and kept me turning the pages well past midnight.

I loved the honestly these two brought to the tale, as well as the unique, and sequel-inducing, setting the author has created. Several of the secondary characters will get their own stories, no doubt, and I look forward to reading them as well. ( )