Question: This is the last entry in a 25 stop blog tour and since I've done something unique at every site, you're getting a doozy. If you've been following along, you'll know that I've revealed all I can about 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake. It's funny, it's sexy, and it's probably the best thing I've ever written. The reviews have been great and I hope you pick up the book. But in the meantime, I'm going to give you an extra special multiple choice.
What's the hardest thing about being a writer?
A. Sitting down and doing it every day. "It" being creating words out of nothing, wrenching emotions when you'd rather be napping, your 107th torrid love scene, and of course, laughter. A lot of laughter when you're not sure if you can even find your sense of humor.
B. Constantly growing. In creative fields, it really is true that if you're not learning, you're losing ground. If you're not pushing forward to try new things, experiment new ways, you're growing stale and boring. Well, it's really hard to start over new and fresh when you're going on 50 books.
C. Hard? What's hard? I make stuff up and write it down. It's not always great stuff, but it's good. And I'm getting better. So btttthhhh on hard.
D. Writing 25 unique blogs about each book. Because frankly, the promo can suck.
Answer: All of the above! Even C! Yeah, my job is joyous, awful, crazy easy, and insanely difficult. But it's what I was born to do. I tell stories and hopefully, people read and love them. But even if they don't, I'll still be telling them even if it's to myself. Hope you all love 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake as much as I did writing it. Because with that book, I had a BLAST!
Series: Rakes and Rogues #1
Author: Jade Lee
Published: May 5/15 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Length: 384pgs
Genre: historical romance
Shelf: review
Rating: ★★★★
Back Cover Blurb:
Mellie Smithson is trapped in the country with no suitors and no prospects on the horizon except, perhaps, the exasperating—although admittedly handsome—guest of her father. She's looking for any excuse to go to London to meet more eligible men.
Trevor has a problem…
Trevor Anaedsley's grandfather has cut off his funds until such time as he gets engaged. Trevor escapes to the country—ostensibly to visit his old tutor, Mr. Smithson, but actually to duck his creditors—where he meets Smithson's lovely daughter, Mellie. The obvious solution is suddenly before him—but the lady has ideas of her own, and Trevor's going to have to measure up…
Excerpt:
She surged forward, having no need to fake the desperation in her voice. “Stop it! Ronnie, stop it now!” And when he didn’t hear her, she said the words she’d never thought she’d utter in her entire life. “My love!”
That got his attention. His fist was raised, but he looked to her, his eyes alight with excitement. “Mellie!”
She flung herself forward. Dropping to her knees, she slid in the mud, coming to a stop just where she’d intended—right beside Trevor’s head. Ronnie reached for her, but she pushed him away as she wrapped herself around the fallen lord.
“Stay away, you brute!” she practically spit at her cousin. Then she used her cloak to dab at the blood on Trevor’s face. “My love, my love, are you alive? Oh God, someone fetch a doctor! Please, someone!”
Her words were ten times more dramatic than were needed, but she’d learned that the best way to deliver a message to her cousin was in the most theatrical tone possible. So she cradled Trevor in her arms and crooned like any heroine in the most lurid gothic romance.
Trevor’s face was indeed a battered mess, but not so unrecognizable that she didn’t see the gleam of appreciation in his eyes or the mischievous smile that pulled at his swollen lip.
“Are you an angel?” he asked. “Have I died?”
The man was lying in the mud, his ankle nearly snapped in half. His face oozed from a myriad of cuts, and yet he still had the wherewithal to give the crowd a good show. It was enough to make her contemplate dropping him in the mud. She didn’t, of course, but she hoped her glare would suffice.
Meanwhile, Ronnie just stood there poised, his fist still raised as he gaped. “Mellie?”
She looked up, shooting a venomous look at his bloodied fist. “Do you mean to trounce me as well? Lay me out in the mud and the shite like last week’s garbage?”
“What?” Ronnie took a moment to understand while she gestured with her chin toward his fist. Then he abruptly gasped and shook out his hand, dropping it helplessly to his side. “But I won. This was an affaire d’honor.”
“Congratulations,” she mocked. “You beat a man half your weight.”
“Hey!” muttered Trevor. “I’m not that small.”
“Oh shut up. I’m making a point.” Then she turned her attention to her cousin. Best make the situation absolutely clear. “You were right, Ronnie. You have made everything so clear to me. I could never love a brute like you. It’s him I want. A man of elegance, not violence.”
She watched her cousin absorb her words, his mind obviously working slowly, and no wonder. Certainly, Ronnie was an accomplished fighter, but he’d never in his life been called a brute. He was a poet, for God’s sake. And his father was wont to call him a useless fribble with no starch whatsoever. Of course, both appellations were completely wrong, but truth didn’t matter here. Not when he’d wanted drama. And so she stretched the truth—she outright broke it—and she felt no remorse.
“I love Trevor,” she said loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“Since when?” her cousin demanded.
Since never. She had a thorough disgust of them both. Especially as Trevor began to speak in a quavering voice.
“Oh, to finally hear those words, now in the moments before I expire. My life is complete.”
“You’re not dying,” she hissed. Unless he was hurt more than he appeared. The thought shot her with alarm until he started speaking again.
“I am dying!” he cried. “Kiss me, my love. Kiss me, and mayhap your love will keep me tethered to this mortal coil.”
“I will not,” she said between clenched teeth.
He pitched his voice to a plaintive wail. “Then I shall die for sure!”
Damnation on all bloody, arrogant, ridiculous men! One glance about her showed that the crowd was hanging on his every word. She didn’t really care until she looked at Ronnie’s face. He wasn’t stupid. He could see that Trevor wasn’t really hurt. It wouldn’t take him long to remember that she’d never spoken of Trevor with anything but disdain. And from there it was a small step to realizing that this entire display was a sham. So she had to do something quickly. Something that he’d never forget, even if he did suspect the lie.
So she did it. She kissed Trevor.
My Review:
What a unique heroine! Lee has created someone that I didn’t just enjoy reading about, but who I truly wanted to be. Teaming up with her hero of the hour, you have a rather unique couple. The way in which they work together because they both claim that they want the same thing made me giggle more than once. I mean, it’s a romance, so we know how it will end, but the journey makes it so worthwhile.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It was plain and simply fun. It’s a great beginning to Lee’s new series. This may have been my first novel by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.
And be sure to enter this fantastic tour wide giveaway!
I read a lot of romance in the summer, and this looks like a book that I would like. I especially like historical romance. Thank you for the review. New follower on Feedly, looking forward to your posts.
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