To Catch a Rake (The Rake's Handbook) by Sally Orr on February 2nd 2016
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George Drexel is chased by ladies who desire to have their initials inscribed in future editions of his scandalous handbook, The Rake's Field Guide. Meta Russell, however, is furious when initials similar to her sister's is included, resulting in the cancellation of her sister's engagement.
To help Meta and get revenge, her friends pen their own field guide about London's rakes and include the initials "G.D." The scandal damages George's reputation and hinders his abilities as an engineer to obtain public contracts. So George sets out to convince Meta to destroy all copies of the ladies field guide. Quickly learning how hotheaded and passionate Meta can be, George must prove just how persuasive a true rake can be.
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~~Reviewed by Monique~~
Sally Orr writes the most charismatic rake in this deliciously sensual and witty book! George Drexel is ambitious; he is involved in the construction of a tunnel under the Thames. He has also written The Rake’s Handbook: Including Field Guide, a fictionalised account, which supposedly mentions the initials of ladies who behave naughtily. When there is talk of a second edition, George is displeased; it could be detrimental to his budding engineering career were it to happen. Mrs. Meta Russell’s sister Lily has just been jilted by the fiancé she adores because someone thinks her initials were mentioned in the Field Guide. Meta, a young widow who takes care of her young siblings, takes it upon herself to rectify the situation. Meta will see Mr. Drexel herself, and to her horror she finds him very appealing, and long-forgotten erotic feelings resurface in the rake’s mere presence.
In TO CATCH A RAKE, Ms. Orr has created some of the most extraordinarily appealing and seductive characters, and I fell under George Drexel’s magnetic spell, just as much as Meta. George is absolutely irresistible: confident, handsome, charming, and a true rake. Meta is a fascinating woman: young, beautiful, she dedicates her life to the well-being of her siblings and charitable causes. She has no wish to marry again for a specific reason, but try as she might, she cannot help herself but being enthralled by George. The romance between Meta and George is the epitome of classy and elegant sensuality; it is an erotic pas de deux between George and Meta, and most of the seduction happens mostly through conversations, barely noticeable gestures, and those heart-melting winks! Sally Orr has thoroughly mastered the art of exquisite, sensual subtlety.
The extensive research done by the author on engineering and architecture, mostly the Thames Tunnel, pays off; I believe I found it as exciting as Meta. The descriptions, the retelling of the construction, the myriad details make for totally absorbing reading. I also loved that real historical figures participate in the narrative. Sally Orr truly possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the Regency era, which enriches the book instead of dragging it down. TO CATCH A RAKE is superbly written, respectful of the era’s language, the dialogues are deliciously witty; and even the secondary characters are so well fleshed out, they jump off the page, such as Mr. Cole, Meta’s man of business, whom I could picture as if in Technicolor!
And aside from all this magnificence, apart from the smouldering passion and romance, there are a few parallel stories, which are as captivating as the wickedly divine main romance.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.
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