Lady Glory Brightley was dreading her sister’s house party—until she discovers an early guest mired in a bog. She pulls the Earl of Keswick free—and then goes to great lengths to hide her limp from him. Is it too much to ask, just once, to be seen and treated as everyone else?Keswick has come to Gloucestershire to hide—from an overzealous debutante, from his father, perhaps even from himself. … himself. He bonds with Lady Glory as a fellow misfit—her limp is nothing compared to the wounds he hides. They pledge to see each other through the choppy waters of the party, but he never expected to be caught up by this sprite of a girl—with her quick wit, stunningly fine seat on a horse and giving heart.
Not that he could ever pursue such inclinations. For no true lady could want a man with his reputation and entanglements. Who could love a man who is nothing but a rakehell?
He’s about to find out.
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Deb Marlowe’s writing is so lush and compelling that I always enjoy sinking into her latest. And her characters are wonderful–multi-faceted with intriguing secrets that keep you reading. I just love this one.
I love romance novels that don’t have cookie cutter heroines and heroes, and Deb Marlowe delivers that and more in this sweet romance book! Yes, the heroine has a disability, but she also has wit and inner strength in spades. Great character ARC in the book as well as believable, slow building passion.
Lady Glory Brightly is not your average debutante, in fact she would be overjoyed to never step foot in London. Injured as a child, she has a severe limp and has suffered from the cruelty of her peers. She longs to stay in the country with her horses, for in the saddle she feels whole, but her sister Hope, Lady Tensford has gone to great lengths to launch Glory, starting with a house party before taking her to London. Grace dreads the party, but when she meets and saves Colm Newland, the Earl of Keswick and his boots, she thinks she has found an ally.
Colm is at the party to escape so many things; his father, a marriage minded debutante hellbent on trapping him and his own demons. He finds a kindred spirit in Glory and their friendship develops into something much deeper, but when the demons he is running from catch up with him, he pushes Glory away to save her. Glory knows why Colm has pushed her away, but she will not let Colm sacrifice himself to protect her, she comes up with a plan to save him and just maybe herself as well.
This was a very well written story with lots of emotion, wonderful characters, secrets, pain, some angst, a sweet, slow burn romance and finally a hard-won HEA. This is the second book in the series, but can absolutely be read as a stand-alone with no problems. I am happy to recommend this book and am looking forward to the next installment.
3.5 stars. I loved Glory and her transformation, she became so much more, changing into a strong young woman. My heart broke for Keswick. He had been emotionally abused by his bully of a father. Actually there was another bully after Keswick. But Keswick grew as they got closer to a very hard won HEA. I did want to like this book, the writing is very smooth, but it was just too steamy for me.
It was nice to see Hope and Tensford again; their HEA is in the first book in the series. And Miss Munroe is the set up for book 3.
I did not think the bullies got their just desserts, which lost half star. And lost another star for steaminess.
“Nothing But a Rakehell”, is book #2 in Deb Marlowe’s Series of Unconventional Courtships. This is a story of true caring and respect born of friendship between two people with opposite upbringings. Showcasing what happens when you look past the façade a person has built around themselves. A romance with elements of sweetness combined with tenacious loyalty that ultimately leads to triumph over vindictiveness. Who doesn’t love that in a story? This was my first book by the author and it will definitely not be my last.
Complex Characters and Witty Banter Make This a Page Turner
What a surprisingly delightful story! The author was able to weave in humor and witty banter throughout, even though she dealt with much heavier and even darker themes. She brilliantly showed how the heroine suffered both mentally and physically because of her lameness. She took on, mentally and emotionally, the slights she had received from society (and even family) over the years. She so wants to be seen as just a normal girl that she attempts to hide her disability from the hero. I loved his initial reaction when he found out; his response was “negligible,” to use a word the heroine thought when it happened. I wasn’t wild about his secondary response, which was to be insulted that she didn’t trust him to react well. The man has secrets of his own, which are only hinted at in the beginning. By the book’s title, and his own admission, we know the hero is considered a rake, but the author has drawn him as a far more complex one than we usually see in Regency romance. This was a book that I kept reading even though I should have done other things. That’s the highest compliment I can give a book! The complex, believable, vulnerable, and genuinely decent characters made it a page-turner, along with the author’s sensitivity to the characters’ vulnerabilities. And, seriously, I loved the banter between the hero and heroine. How much fun it would have been to hang out with them at that house party! Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Due to a childhood injury Lady Glory Brightly walks with a severe limp. She prefers the country to London due to the cruelty of her peers. However her sister Hope, Lady Tensford has decided to launch Glory into society with a house party.
Glory is dreading her sister’s party and socialising with her peers until she meets Colm, Earl of Keswick who is trying to escape his father, a marriage minded debutante and his own demons. He finds a kindred spirit in Glory and soon friendship turns into attraction until Colm’s demons catch up with him. Colm pushes Glory away to save her and she must come up with a plan to save him and possibly herself.
I loved this book!! I could not put it down!!
Lady Glory is different that most of the other ladies I’ve had as female leads in a historical romance.
I love how we see how growth in this book, and its she who saves the male lead.
We do see some growth in the male lead too, he does help in her growth at first, but really, nothing would have happened if it wasn’t for Lady Glory.
But, OMG, the plot twists that happen in this book kept me stuck to it until the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wonderfully written story about Glory and Keswick.
As a young girl, Glory survived a terrible accident when a horse trampled her lower leg. Nobody thought she would ever walk again, but Glory proves otherwise. Her mutilated lower leg makes dancing nearly impossible, but she still tries when her sister throws a house party.
Keswick takes no responsibility for anything, chases everything wearing a skirt and avoids anything that provokes an expectation. Until a young woman chases him and wants to put him in a situation where he has to marry her. He escapes London and goes to the house party earlier.
It’s Glory who saves him when he’s stuck in the mud. It is Glory who saves him from an uncertain future. It is Glory who saves him from his closed heart. It is Glory who saves him from his father’s manipulations.
And it is Kenwick who saves her from living alone.
A beautiful story in which the son of an Earl tries to stay out of the clutches of his father who does not see his happiness. Where an Earl’s daughter sees no future than moving in with her sister and being part of the household but will never know a household for herself. Where Glory grows above herself when she gets to know love through a broken man.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Enjoyable regency romance in which a woman with disability finds love unexpectedly at a house party. I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Earl of Keswick is a rake and when a young lady starts to relentlessly pursue him he decides to go to the country party of his friend where he meets Lady Glory who rides a horse like the wind. What he does not know is she has a limp and tries to hide it from him as best she can because she does not want to see the pity in his eyes. What starts out as a friendship soon turns into more but he does not want to marry because his father tries to take away everything he has ever cared for. Enjoyed this suspenseful romance with great characters.
Lady Glory Brightley was dreading her sister’s house party where she would have to endure embarrassing and disrespectful treatment for the limp she feels compelled to hide. But she discovers a guest has gotten himself stuck in a bog. The Earl of Keswick is here to hide out from various things that plague him. He recognizes the limp she tries to hide from him, comparing it to his own wounds which may be even deeper. But the two of them bond regardless over their very imperfection. Lady Glory actually was empowered by her disability to be better and try harder to overcome the perceived weakness. If Keswick stopped overthinking the issue of his own unworthiness, he might just find that Lady Glory has already accepted him as he is and has an open heart waiting for him.
This was a good story line. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and was delighted to see Glory grow in her confidence and assurance, evidenced by their relationship as they start out friends who can count on each other. She had so much going for her beyond a physical disability which she grew beyond. The author did a great job at making these characters come alive as people the reader could truly care about. Grab your copy and see what else their story promises.
The first book in the A Series of Unconventional Courtships a well written story with a very good storyline, it held my interest throughout. Lady Glory Brightley and the Earl of Keswick’s story of two damaged people who together make each other whole, I liked their first meeting. This is the first book in this series that I have read, I have now bought the first book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He just needs her strong will.
Colm and Glory’s first meeting was grand and showcased Glory wonderfully. Glory has a lot of self-doubt due to a limp. What she did not know was that Colm was plagued with the same doubts and fears. When Colm first heard about her leg he dealt with it well. I really liked these characters and I liked the ending what Glory did was just right. This was an entertaining book to read. I hope you check it out. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
A very touching love story of Kes, Earl of Keswick and Lady Glory Brightly. Each bears wounds that expose them to ridicule. Hers is physical, his is emotional. Together at her sister and brother-in-law’s house party in Gloucester, they make a pledge to help each other face the crowd. He may be a
rakehell, but Glory sees the man underneath. I love this book. It’s a keeper.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout.
Wonderful! Glory and Kes both thought they weren’t lovable; Glory because of a leg injury when she was young, and Kes because of his rakehell reputation and the darkness within. They meet at a house party thrown by her sister and his close friend. They make a pact to help each other navigate the pitfalls of the party. This book is fraught with emotional introspection, trust issues, manipulation and societal prejudice. Glory’s character blossoms into a steadfast, loyal, complete woman; while Kes learns that vulnerability does not always equate to weakness. The villians in this story are determined to get their own way, by any means necessary, leaving the reader to wonder at their cruelty. This is a well written, lengthy story that will take you on emotional highs and lows, as it winds its way to a most fulfilling conclusion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love a tale of two broken souls who find peace and acceptance in each other. This book weaved the sweetest of love stories around the couple’s burgeoning trust. The story was fresh, captivating, and inspiring. This book moved me to tears at some points and smiles at others.
Colm, Lord Keswick, is damaged goods. He’s an infamous rakehell. His past holds tragic, haunting secrets. His nemesis, who appears later in the book, is positively Machiavellian. Although revered as this outlandish rake, he is very fragile. His fragility hidden behind explosive strength is what broke my heart. He is so visceral. Lady Glory Brightley has a permanent leg injury that holds all her vitality back. She has spunk and an all-encompassing zest for life. She is so tired of being pitied or being the butt of jokes; she hides her indomitable spirit. These are two devastatingly broken people. Although slow to trust, the couple finds an intimate connection that breaks down the walls they had so carefully constructed around their hearts. The journey their love took was organic; I felt in my gut that they were right together. I could feel the pull of the connection between them. The heat and passion of their love were undeniable. I thought I was right there with them, fighting for their happily ever after. I authentically cared about these characters and their fate.
This was a haunting, sensual, tragic, hopeful story. My emotions were all over the place! The couple’s attraction was undeniable. The plot moved fast; I barely had room to breathe between the plethora of emotions infused within the pages. The thoughtful actions Glory did for Keswick brought me to my knees! I have never read two more souls deserving of unconditional love.
This book goes through many trials yet has such a positive vein running through it. Just like finding this book, love can come from the most unexpected of places. The characters and story would not leave my mind long after I finished reading. Anyone who faces emotional or physical challenges will relate to this charismatic love story. This is a book I will remember for a long time.
I received an ARC of this book through Booksprout. This is my honest, voluntary opinion.
Oh, I enjoyed this book so much!
Faced with ridicule from her peers, Lady Glory is dreading her season, and her sister’s house party that precedes it. A damaged leg should not be a cause of such obvious disdain. So she resolves to spend as much time with her beloved horse Poppy as possible before the trials begin. But then she encounters a guest in a predicament, and all her plans change, because he doesn’t see her as others do. Maybe this house party won’t be as bad as she thinks.
Running from London to the country is all Lord Keswick can think to do…pursued by a determined female who wants to marry him of all things. No one should want to marry a notorious rakehell, should they? But when he encounters Lady Glory, he starts to feel that being a rakehell may be in his past.
A wonderful cast of characters!
I love Deb’s latest, both for its realistic portrayal of the disabled heroine and what she had to face in society, but also for its great dialogue and appealing characters.
Nothing But a Rakehell (A Series of Unconventional Courtships Book 2) by Deb Marlowe is another outstanding sweet Regency Historical Romance. While, book 2 it can be read as a standalone. Book 1, “Love Me, Lord Tender”.
Follow, Lady Glory Brightley, sister of Lady Hope, now Lady Tensford, and the Earl of Keswick, Lord Tensford’s friend. Set in Gloucestershire, at a house party.
A tale of coming of age, second chances, secrets, disability,
finding an inner strength to reach for your desires, running from your demons and learning to face your demons. Fantastic read!!
Ms. Marlowe did a wonderful job with Lady Glory’s disability. I could easily relate to Lady Glory’s disability as I have a disability myself. I loved how Ms. Marlowe managed to convene to her readers the issues people have with disabilities, how they can overcome and deal with they disability, instead of being bitter Lady Glory has a inner strength. I also loved the relationship between Lady Glory and the Earl of Keswick. Watching them grow from friends to a couple was heartwarming and compelling.
WOW! I can hardly wait to read the next adventure. Well done, Deb Marlowe!!
Rating: 5
Heat rating: Sweet
Reviewer: AprilR