The Spinster and the Rake

The Spinster and the Rake is a wonderful beginning to what is sure to be a fabulous series. The story follows Georgiana and Edward, a pair pushed into a betrothal because of a steamy encounter in Edward’s library.

Georgiana was comfortable with the idea of being a spinster, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels for Edward. She determines to learn all she can about being a future Duchess and wife while Edward grows accustomed to the idea that he will no longer have the quiet, solitary, ordered life he desires. But Edward never expected to feel so strongly for this unique woman who has captured his heart. Can these two very different people from very different social circles find common ground and give in to their feelings?

I love Georgiana! She’s curious, intelligent, and unafraid to speak her mind. She is a woman ahead of her time, and, like Edward, she dislikes the unrealistic dictates of the ton. I love her gumption and her ability to stay true to herself regardless of the societal pressures that she faces.

I also like how Georgiana makes Edward think and reevaluate how he acts and how he judges others. She also makes him think about how his actions affect others. Edward is not used to being challenged, and he likes that Georgiana is unafraid to question him. He listens to Georgiana and tries so hard to please her, which says so much about his feelings. He’s not one to share his feelings, but his actions and thoughtfulness often show how much he cares for his betrothed.

I also love that the couple shares many interests. Some of my favorite parts of the novel were when Georgiana and Edward discussed politics and literature. They are both intellectuals, and their discussions of Shakespeare and other authors were fantastic. Sharp, astute, and curious, Georgiana and Edward are lovers of learning, and this shared passion is one of my favorite parts of the novel. Plus, their romance is swoon-tastic!

Georgiana and Edward have great chemistry, and I love that they have such a deep admiration for each other, even though they frustrate each other at times. It’s amazing to see them at their most vulnerable and the complete acceptance and respect they gain from each other because of their honesty and truth. Neither sees this vulnerability and openness as a weakness. In fact, it’s the opposite. The more open and honest they are, no matter the topic, the more they seem to respect and admire each other. I think they also fall deeper in love. They are two people who never felt truly accepted and understood by society who found it in each other.

At one point in the story, Edward shares a passion of his, and it is something that he’s never shared with another. This is such a touching scene, and it really says something about his feelings for Georgiana. He trusts and accepts her and wants to share himself completely with her. Edward lets his guard down around very few people, and seeing him do this with Georgiana is powerful.

This is a fantastic romance with great characters and a lovely romance. I think readers who enjoy historical romance will love the book! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Entangled: Amara, and Eva Devon for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught. So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s Aunt Agatha walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield. Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading, now her days are spent locked away with a dour duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess.
It’s been awhile since I read one of the author’s books & after reading this engrossing page turner I need to hunt out more of them. I loved Georgiana who was a breath of fresh air & rose to every challenge with a smile on her face. I also loved Edward who was a very private flawed man who held a tight rein on himself. I found it very touching when he told Georgiana about his childhood & his fears & how he copes & once again she rose to the challenge. He also tried his best to be the man she wanted, even playing bowls to please her. Their verbal banter was a delight & the chemistry between simmered then sizzled. A lovely romance with a charming epilogue to round off the story (I love an epilogue)
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A glowing romance with a hint of Pride and Prejudice

Frothy at first sight, this romance soon reveals a deeper, more significant story about a man who struggles daily with an approach to life that is easily misunderstood and maligned.

Moments after escaping one marriage trap, Edward finds himself apparently caught in another. Georgiana feels equally trapped by the events that quickly spiraled out of control. These two agree to wed to save both their reputations and family names, but neither is confident that a true partnership can develop.

As their relationship deepens, we see a side of Edward that not only explains his eccentricities but also allows us to sympathize with his rare situation even as we contemplate the larger picture of what life was like back in a time where neurodiversity was almost completely misunderstood.

This story has more than a few passing similarities to the seminal Austen romance, which makes it somewhat predictable at times. However, it is rescued by its well-developed characters and forthright approach to what surely was a difficult situation in 1795, the year in which this book is set.

I enjoyed this delightful story very much, and look forward to reading more from this author. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Edward Stanhope, Duke of Thornfield is known for his icy control and arrogance, nobody knows just how hard that control is for him.
Miss Georgiana Bly comes from a loving but slightly strange family. She has no thoughts of marriage, and likes to hide away from crowds.
Our characters seem to come from two very different worlds, but now they must find a way to find some happiness together. She must learn a lot to be worthy of her new life, but so must he.
A very emotional story with unusual characters that will fascinate you from the first to the last page.
I loved it.

“The Spinster and the Rake” by Eva Devon
Yes, I loved this story. There is never a dull moment as this story unfolds. Follow the adventures as two people from diverse levels of society learn their lessons borne out of love. Because I so enjoyed this story, I think that everyone else will too. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. This review is my honest opinion.

Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Thornfield, prefers routine in his life and his own company to that of other people. His idiosyncrasies have given him a reputation for being cold which suits him just fine. But when his attempt to find solitude in his private library is thwarted by the strange woman sitting in his chair, their encounter devolves into a battle of wills and ends in a fiery kiss. Unfortunately, his aunt, along with several other houseguests, chooses that moment to enter his private domain and by the end of the night Edward finds himself toasting his engagement to Miss Georgiana Bly.

With no dowry and a family that is barely among the gentry, Georgiana never expected to marry and was content with her books. She’s wholly unprepared to become a duchess and now must spend nearly every moment with the surly duke and his aunt learning as much as she can about her new role. She finds herself surprisingly attracted to the duke and he seems to return that desire, however unwittingly, but as the date of their forced wedding draws nearer, it becomes apparent that connection may not be enough to create a peaceful union.

This book had to grow on me quite a bit. My first impression of the heroine was not a positive one; even if she thought Edward to be a servant, despite evidence to the contrary, her behavior towards him was rather unbearably arrogant and rude. Especially given her own station and her familiarity with people looking down on her, I would’ve expected better and this just made her come off as shrewish. I found the duke’s idiosyncrasies to be achingly relatable and his neurodiverse traits made him interesting and unique, especially in a historical. He had no idea how to communicate effectively with Georgiana, but he kept trying and I loved that. I also came to appreciate Georgiana’s tenacity and her eventual support and understanding of Edward while she also pushed him to grow as a person.

There was clear physical chemistry between Edward and Georgiana, but I loved that they actually worked to learn each other’s love languages and develop a true relationship beyond that physical connection. I liked that these main characters both had issues to overcome individually as well. There was clear influence from Pride and Prejudice here, resulting in an opportunity for Edward to show himself to be quite a good man. The quiet romance between Georgiana’s sister, Elizabeth, and Edward’s best friend, the Earl of Montrose, was quite cute, but I thought Georgiana did let Edward down a bit in this sequence. The writing was rather clunky in places, there were some plot points introduced that went unresolved and a couple of scenes which were a bit over-the-top, but overall, this was an entertaining read with adorably awkward main characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspot.com/2021/01/arc-review-of-spinster-and-rake-by-eva.html

This was the first book I’ve read by Eva Devon and it was an absolutely marvelous introduction to her. The writing was excellent, the story was excellently plotted and delivered, and the characters were absolutely perfect. I totally adored our flawed hero who did everything in his power to change himself, to make himself ‘acceptable’ for his lady. We definitely see his life-long struggle with fitting in and coping with what definitely has to be Asperger’s/autism.

Edward Stanhope, the Duke of Thornfield, is known for being icy and uncaring. That isn’t exactly the case – he just doesn’t pick up on subtle social cues such as facial expressions, he is hypersensitive to sounds and crowds, and likes things in a certain order. Luckily, he had loving parents – and then a loving aunt – who helped him develop coping mechanisms. I loved watching him learn to cope with his very unexpected new wife. He was such a lovely man.

Edward’s Aunt Agatha knows it is time for him to marry and she has arranged a house party filled with eligible debutantes to see if any pique his interest. (NOTE: For a loving understanding aunt, this seems like a really bad thing to do to him.) After one of those debutantes makes a particularly blatant attempt to trap him into marriage, he escapes to his ‘special’ room with his ‘special’ chair in order to calm himself before having to deal with the crowded ballroom that evening. He has to have the time to himself or he won’t be able to function at the ball. Yet, when he arrives in HIS room, someone is sitting in HIS chair. He has to make her leave – he has to have his time. He orders her to leave and, mistaking him for a servant, she refuses. He tells her he’ll kiss her if she doesn’t leave – and she dares him. He thinks the threat will scare her away – and she thinks no servant would do such a thing. They were both wrong. And the kiss – OMGoodness – sparks flew. Unfortunately, the door also opened and the kiss was witnessed. They don’t even know each other’s names – and now they are to marry.

Miss Georgiana Bly is a spinster – and intends to remain one. Her family is genteel, but only just barely. She isn’t comfortable dancing and has a terrible tendency to say exactly what she thinks. She is much, much more comfortable in a library – among books wherever they are. So, when she finds a small nook of a room filled with so many lovely books – and the most comfortable chair ever – she settles in for a nice evening of reading while her parents and sisters are dancing at the ball. Imagine the impertinence of a servant coming in and actually ordering her to leave! Well, she won’t have it. How dare he threaten her with a kiss! Then he does – kiss her.

I loved seeing the growth of the two main characters. He was the most honorable man and did his best to make his marriage work. I loved watching him go from believing she had deliberately trapped him into marriage to loving her beyond measure. I also loved watching her move from the hurt his seeming indifference caused her – to learning about and understanding his difficulties. Then, to put the icing on the cake, there is the most delightful epilogue.

I can definitely recommend this book and I do so look forward to my next read by this new-to-me author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When the Duke is found in a compromising situation with Miss Georgiana Bly he is honour bound to marry her, even though she is not of his station and he is convinced that she engineered the whole thing. Women are always throwing themselves at him but usually he sees such machinations coming; for some reason with this bold young lady who talks back at him, rather than with deference, he feels more like kissing her than avoiding her! Georgiana is convinced that the rude man in ill-fitting clothes who wants her to vacate the small private study in which she has hidden herself, is a servant and is dismayed when she discovers that is not the case. Now she must study to become a duchess and hope that she can find some kindness in the distant, arrogant man who is to become her husband.
Hopefully the errors and typos in the unfinished proof that I read will have been corrected by the time of publication.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.