Wild, Wild Rake, the next sweeping, emotional, witty, and sharp romance in the Cavensham Heiresses series from beloved author Janna MacGregor. Her first marriage was an epic fail. Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband. Arrogant, selfish, and cruel, it’s a blessing when she’s widowed and left to raise her son all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: … can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen. She’s lived these past ten years with no desire to remarry–that is, until Mr. Devan Farris comes to town.
Can he convince her to take another chance at happily ever after?
Devan Farris–charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian–is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs; he’s not one to trod on a woman’s independent nature and keen sense of convictions. But she’ll have nothing to do with a vicar with a wild reputation–even though he’s never given his heart and body to another. If only he could find a way to show Avalon who he really is on the inside–a good, true soul looking for its other half. But how can prove that he wants to love and care for her. . .until death do they part?
Praise for the Cavensham Heiresses series
“Full-bodied romance…with intelligence and heart.”–New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell
“Sparkling…MacGregor brings England’s Regency era to life.” —Publishers Weekly
more
I really liked these characters. Avalon and Devan are so good together but both are looking at each other through the past. Devan was mad at her because she jilted his best friend. He didn’t know the circumstances. Avalon didn’t think much of Devan because of his reputation. She didn’t know the true person. Once they could look past preconceived notions, they found very likeable people. Avalon survived her first marriage and was never going to let a man have any kind of hold over her ever again. Devan is making her rethink that. Can they find common ground?
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-19d
Young Avalon is happily envisioning her future, married to a beloved distant cousin. Her dreams are shattered when her parents announce that she’s to marry Marquess Warwyk. When Avalon balks, she is threatened with never seeing her younger sister again. Heartbroken, she marries the cruel lord, who is only too eager to tell her that he despises her. Warwyk has a mistress, one he’s totally devoted to, and one he would have happily married, had he not been forced to marry Avalon. When Avalon becomes pregnant, Warwyk sends her away, and installs his mistress in his home. This humiliating scene is witnessed by Warwyk’s mistress, as well as his two friends, Gavin and Devan.
Devan Farris and Avalon have somewhat of a history, as Devan is a dear friend of the cousin Avalon hoped to marry. Not knowing the true circumstances, Devan has always resented Avalon for jilting his friend, he thinks, to marry a titled lord. Devan is the fourth son of an earl, and while he would have preferred to be a soldier, he was forced into becoming a clergyman. It seems that being a vicar has not tamed Devan, as he has a rakish reputation, which he revels in. He has cleverly (so he thinks) dubbed Avalon as “Lady Warlock,” a name which has continued to haunt her.
Ten years have passed. Avalon has made a comfortable life for herself and her son, with her younger sister now also living in her household. Warwyk died about a year after their marriage, never having any desire to even touch his son and heir. Avalon lavishes love to her son and to her sister, but presents a calm and icy façade to the rest of the world. She is passionately devoted to her charity of helping unfortunate women, and the only flaw in her life is her son’s guardian, Gavin Farris, who seems determined to send her son off to school, and to stick his nose into her business. When Gavin installs his brother, Devan, as the new vicar of Avalon’s village, she knows that things can only get worse.
At this point, I was telling myself that I was really, really going to hate this story. I’m not a fan of enemies to lovers, as I don’t like all the bickering and sniping. I also was already not fond of Devan, as the man who has a biting wit and says hurtful things, yet hides it behind a charming exterior is not my idea of a hero. And what’s up with a vicar being a rake? But, I read on…
OK – I admit it. I was wrong, so very wrong. From this point on, WILD WILD RAKE really takes off to become a wonderful and emotionally touching romance. There is initial conflict between Avalon and Devan, but it soon becomes clear that he’s not leaving. It also becomes apparent that he has a genuine calling and is a gifted clergyman. He develops a wonderful friendship with Avalon’s son, and soon, even she can see the kind of man he truly is. As Avalon slowly lets a little of her guard down, Devan begins to see the awesome and strong woman she is.
Devan and Avalon embark on a stumbling journey to love that has to overcome their own misconceptions, her insecurities, and a vindictive rejected young lady. There are some surprising twists in the story, especially Avalon’s relationship with her late husband’s mistress, as well as the truth about Devan’s reputation as a WILD WILD RAKE. I ended up loving this well plotted, well written, passionate romance, as well as its stellar hero and heroine, and I give it my wholehearted recommendation.
Wild, Wild Rake is the 6th book in Janna MacGregor’s The Cavensham Heiresses series. I have not read any of the book from the series, and I still enjoyed this as a stand alone perfectly well. I WILL definitely go back and read the rest – I really enjoyed this regency period.
Lady Avalon Warwyck is a widow, and happily so as she was married to a nasty and cruel man, and was also raising her son Thane by herself. Avalon is an amazing heroine and helps fallen women become businesswomen.
Avalon crosses paths with the handsome vicar Devan Harris who has quite the reputation and was sent by her son’s guardian to spy on Avalon. But Avalon is an independent, strong woman, who doesn’t need to rely on anyone and keeps her guard to prevent being hurt again.
As we get to know Avalon and Devon more, we realize that their attraction for each other is definitely one for the books! I highly enjoyed this swoony read and the amazing development of their story. Loved it!
Seeing another side of Devin…Widowed Lady Avalon Warwyk was not happy that Devin Farris has been appointed as the new vicar. Devin was there at her most humiliating moment of her life. When Devin starts working in the parish and tutoring her son, Avalon starts to see a new side to Devin. I received a free copy of this eBook from the publisher. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I really liked Devin after we were able to see past his facade, He is really a sweet and honest man. Avalon is a strong woman who has made a good life with purpose in her parish. She was very admirable about how she rose above the hurt of her first marriage. I really like this sweet and sometimes steamy romance. I also like how Devin utilizes the Song of Solomon. I also like that each chapter starts with a quote, which some are biblical and some are fictional. I enjoyed reading this book.
One description of Wild, Wild Rake by Janna MacGregor calls it a sweeping, emotional, witty, and sharp romance. It is just that! Wild, Wild Rake is the sixth and final book in author MacGregor’s Cavensham Heiresses series. It was the first book in the series I had read and in fact the first book I had read by this author, but it won’t be the last. Each story works as a standalone, but I enjoyed Wild, Wild Rake so much that I intend to read the entire Cavensham Heiresses series and am looking forward to her new series.
It’s a sweet romance, but with depth, action, danger, a well-developed plot and an eye-opening look into life in this time and what usually happened to fallen women – or women unlucky enough to be forced into a loveless, miserable excuse for a marriage as Lady Avalon Warwyk was. It’s a story full of compelling characters with interesting backstories and depth.
Lady Avalon Warwyk and Vicar Devan Farris are a charming, delightful pair. Avalon is not as weak and beaten down as you might expect her to be after marriage to a cruel, selfish man. She is in fact strong and formidable, helping fallen women become businesswomen, and raising a son into a fine young man. Devan isn’t what you might expect him to be, either. His reputation as a wild, wild rake isn’t quite accurate. He’s actually a strong, caring man. It was fun watching the friction and attraction bounce between the two of them as they learned more and more about each other, and as they faced very real danger together.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Wild, Wild Rake via NetGalley. I was not required to provide a review and all opinions are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
I enjoyed this book. I found this read interesting but if I’m honest my attention did sometimes wander as this slow burning story unfolded. I simply adored Devan. He was a wonderful character and . As for Avalon, I thought she was ok but some of her behaviors were very annoying to me. However, as things progressed I did warm up to her. I did like the whole “Things aren’t always as the appear” angle a lot. In all I felt that this was a very good read.
The second times the charm for our unlucky heroine…
When your confidence has been knocked, it’s hard to gain it back again. It’s amazing how quickly you start to doubt yourself and your abilities when someone attacks your core. That core could be the one thing you “thought” was your shining light. It could also be the one thing you are most leaves you the most vulnerable. Reading Wild, Wild Rake was like a revisit to my own vulnerabilities. I know what it’s like to have my shining light dimmed and my vulnerabilities exposed. I guess I just needed a reminder like Avalon did, that I am loved and admired by the people that count…family.
I really enjoyed reading Wild, Wild Rake but admit to struggling a little with parts of the story. Avalon’s history is not at all pleasant and at our first introduction, I was heartbroken with what she was living through. I even admit to disliking Devan for a wee while there even with his attempts to check on Avalon’s welfare. I know that the beauty of a romance is that we will eventually get to a happy place, but these initial horrors always leave me bereft that there is no hope.
Geez, it absolutely cracks me up that I can so easily forget that romance stories always leave me happy. I suffer every heartbreak, attack and humiliation like it’s the bloody end of the world. But, then, this is proof of a good story, in my opinion. Obviously, if I can forget so easily, the author has done a good job.
I absolutely loved the growth shown in both Avalon and Devan. Avalon needs to let the barriers down so people who are trying to help can do so without feeling the bite of her icy demeanour. Devan needs to be true to himself and fight for what he truly believes in. Both Devan and Avalon also needed to communicate their thoughts and feelings a little more, not just with each other, but their loved ones.
Wild, Wild Rake was surprisingly passionate and sexy. Yes, the title has wild and rake in it but, we’re talking about a Vicar. Wild and Rake are not the words I automatically think of attached to a Vicar, let alone passionate or sexy. I’m Catholic so it’s hard for me to even think a man of God in these ways. I even admit to trying to forget the church side of things and think of Devan as a very good man who likes to help people. (I’m such a shocker!!)
My favourite part of this story was definitely Devan’s devotion to Avalon’s happiness. While I appreciated this devotion, I was quickly becoming frustrated with Avalon’s doubts. Sure, I get where she was coming from and all the doubts she had, but it was OBVIOUS Devan loved her. I’m glad that neither of them gave up or even considered walking away.
If you’re looking for a good historical romance, where second time’s the charm for this unlucky heroine, I highly recommend giving Wild, Wild Rake a try. You will not be disappointed with the hero, he absolutely deserves the title of hero and wears his cape…I mean vestments, well.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
This was a well written, entertaining book. Avalon is raising her son after her husband passed away and has no interest in remarrying. Devan is sent to town as vicar and Avalon’s son’s guardian asks him to report back about what Avalon is doing. I enjoyed this book and would read other books by this author.
Second Chance Romance
Forced into an unhappy marriage at 17, even after she becomes a widow, Avalon closes off her heart to personal happiness instead she lives for her son and charity work. She is dismayed to learn that her nemesis Devan Farris (best friend of the man she was forced to jilt as a young girl) is to be the new vicar in her home parish. Over a period of time each learns to appreciate the other and Devan learns the truth about Avalon’s past. Unforeseen circumstances lead to a hasty marriage but all is not plain sailing due to Avalon’s insecurity/self doubt. I loved the character of Avalon and how she had managed to make a life for herself despite the lies told about her and whilst I didn’t like Devan’s treatment of her in the early part of the book, he redeemed himself after he fell in love with her. Recommended read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 Stars
Lady Avalon Warwyk never did love her husband Richard, he was arrogant, selfish, cruel & in love with someone else.It’s a blessing when he dies of a fever & she’s left to raise her son Thane all by herself. Finally, Avalon can live freely and do the work she loves: helping fallen women become businesswomen.
Devan Farris—charming vicar, reputed rake, and the brother of Avalon’s son’s guardian—is reluctantly sent to town to keep tabs on Avalon and her son. Devan wishes he didn’t have to meddle in her affairs.
This is the sixth book in the series & is easily read on its own but characters from earlier books do make cameo appearances & of course we’d met both Devan & Avalon in earlier books. I loved how their verbal encounters went from squabbles to confessions. I also loved how their attraction grew & how they became friends whilst all the time falling in love. It was a well written book that flowed well. It was slightly uneven in pace going from a saunter to a mad dash but I actually enjoyed that as life isn’t always lived a breakneck speed. Oh Devan who wasn’t anything like his reputation, strong, kind, loyal & loving. Avalon hadn’t had the best of lives but hadn’t wallowed in self pity but had made a fruitful life for herself. I loved the wrong assumptions & misunderstandings also their insecurities & how they worked to resolve them. A lovely read that had me enthralled from cover to cover
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Wild, Wild Rake is the 6th installment in Janna MacGregor’s The Cavensham Heiresses series and it lives up to the reputation of the previous books. Avalon and Devan were briefly introduced in Rogue Most Wanted and it was clear they were not friends. Avalon abruptly threw over Devan’s close friend William Cavensham, and he has still not forgiven her.
Avalon was forced into a marriage of convenience with a man who, to show his derision for her, would ridicule her in front of his friends. He went as far as having his mistress live in his home and sent Avalon to live in the country. When her husband dies, she vows to never again live under the thumb of a man. She is happy to stay in the country and raise her son and help other women have a second chance at life.
Devan, being the younger son of a duke, becomes a vicar. Unfortunately, his brother pulls the strings of which parishes he is sent to work, and Devan can’t complain as this is his form of income. He is sent to the parish where Avalon lives to spy on her and determine how she is managing her son’s funds and the estate at Warwyck Hall.
Avalon and Devan are distrusting at first, based on their reputations and previous interactions. She seems cold and mysteriously helps women start new lives (where is she getting the funds?). He is known as a notorious rake in London. Both reputations are far from reality. Sparks fly (bad and good!) as they spend time together while Devan learns about the management of Warwyck Hall.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it! Ms. MacGregor’s prose immerses you in the story and you can “see” what is happening. The witty banter between the main characters was great and had me laughing. It was wonderful to see these two caring, loving souls come together.
I happily read an ARC I received from NetGalley and the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wild, Wild Rake is the sixth book in author Janna MacGregor’s “The Cavensham Heiress” series. Although sixth in the series, I do believe this book could easily stand alone. This is actually the first book I’ve had the pleasure of reading from Ms. MacGregor and I’m hooked! Going back to read the rest of the series!
Lady Avalon Warwyck did not have a happy marriage. Her parents forced her to marry a man for the benefit of the family who treated her cruelly, humiliated her, and flaunted his mistress in front of her. The only good to come from her disastrous marriage is her son. Nine years have passed since her husband’s death and Avalon has no desire to allow another man to control her life again…
Devan Farris is the youngest brother of the Earl of Larkton. A dutiful Vicar, who has a reputation for being a consummate flirt, a rake, and always on the lookout for an heiress to marry. Devan and Avalon have not gotten along ever since she jilted his best friend and married her husband, Richard Warwyck.
What an absolutely fabulous story and couple! Not being familiar with this series, I was a little concerned I might be lost considering this was the 6th book in the series. I’m happy to say I had no issues keeping up with the storyline and the mentioning of characters from past books. But I will say it made me very curious to read the past books and plan on reading the entire series as soon as possible!
From the moment I met Avalon, I liked her! She had a disastrous marriage and she was not raised with loving parents, but she is a loving, devoted mother who is committed to her family and community. Her work helping women with questionable reputations to make a new life for themselves, made me admire her for giving back after all she endured. I understood her reluctance to trust and felt if she would get to know the real Devan they would be perfect for each other. Oh my Devan, what a fabulous hero! Although Devan has a wicked reputation, all is not as it seems. He’s a caring, loving, giving man with honor and integrity and I’ll admit I fell for him! Both Avalon and Devan have misconceptions about the other and I enjoyed watching them discover the truth and see their friendship eventually grow into love.
Ms. MacGregor did a fantastic job with this story and couple. I enjoyed her style of writing and felt the story flowed well. Fabulous secondary characters along with our main hero and heroine made this an extremely enjoyable read. I’ll definitely be reading and reviewing the previous books in this series and look forward to seeing what Janna MacGregor has in store for us next. Highly Recommend this book and happy to have another author to read and follow!
Wild, Wild Rake is the 6th book in Janna MacGregor’s delightful The Cavensham Heiresses series. I’ve read the 4th and 5th books and absolutely loved them, so I was eager to get my hands on this one. If you haven’t read any of the preceding books, never fear, as they stand alone perfectly well. Like me, you WILL want to go back and read any that you’ve missed. When reading I highlight passages that I particularly like; I swear half of this book is highlighted on my Kindle!
Lady Avalon Warwyck is a widow raising her son Thane by herself. Ten years after losing her husband, she’s glad to be rid of him; he was an incredibly cruel, nasty man to her. Avalon has a mission in life – she helps fallen women become businesswomen. Her son’s guardian sends his brother, the Vicar Devan Farris, to spy on Avalon; the guardian wants to know how she’s paying for the work she’s doing for these fallen women, and to see if Thane is ready to go off to Eton. Avalon is not happy to see Devan; he saw her at her lowest ten years ago, and he refers to her as Lady Warlock. He has quite the reputation as a rake, but he’s got a bit of a secret about that… Devan refuses to spy on Avalon, but he’s happy to tutor Thane and determine if he should go to Eton. Though Avalon is terrified of being hurt again, she can’t help but be drawn to the handsome-as-sin vicar.
Our heroine and hero in this story were absolutely fascinating! Avon was betrayed by her husband and he treated her like dirt, so she was afraid to give her heart to any man. In the ten years since her husband died, she became an independent, strong woman, but she was still haunted by her past. She felt great attraction to Devan, but just knew that she would end up being hurt again. And then there’s Devan…he’s moved up close to the top of my favorite heroes ever list! He was a handsome charmer, but was a genuine good and decent man. There wasn’t insta-love here, thank goodness. Avalon and Devan were friends first before their attraction began to really grow. Though he had a reputation of being a wild rake, he was actually saving himself for the woman he would fall in love with and marry! ~Sigh!~ The supporting characters here were also wonderful: Young Thane (growing up way too quickly for Avalon’s taste), Penelope (who was trying to entrap Devan), Avalon’s younger sister Sophia, and Avalon’s extremely unlikely ally in her mission to help the fallen women. This is truly one of those books that had me giggling at one moment, taking an ice bath at others, and then tearing up feeling Avalon’s heartache and Devan’s kindness. Please don’t miss this one!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Wild, Wild Rake is a compelling regency novel of betrayal, loss, trust and love.
The widow, Lady Avalon, is a shrewd businesswoman. Some would say or perceive an ice princess. The only good thing to come from her failed marriage is her son.
When the handsome vicar, Devan Farris, is sent by his brother, to keep an eye on Lady Avalon’s finances, Lady Avalon takes a burn to his interference.
Try as she might to get him to move on to another community that may need him, Devan is steadfast in his determination to stay. As each day passes, his attraction grows for Lady Avalon despite her lack of attention toward him.
As Lady Avalon gets to know the kind heart of the vicar, she tries to avoid her feelings, fearing that her independence will once again be shattered by a man.
This is my first Janna MacGregor novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and its characters! Written extremely well.
I loved this story from start to finish. It grabbed me early and never let go. It was emotional, with great main characters and other people in it that included Avalon’s son Thane, her sister Sophie just to mention a few.
It was a story that had great sorrow in Avalon’s case but also some joys as well. Just none of them had included any men in her life because every man had betrayed her in the past. Her father (and mother) had basically sold her for their benefit. It went downhill from there with no one really looking out for her. No one especially no man protected her. It sets a good foundation for part of the story and her fight to no longer be manipulated. There is one surprise when it comes to a woman Mary who did stand up for her at an important moment. Mary added so much to the story too although maybe not a “heroine” that you would usually expect.
Ah, Devin. At first I thought he was so cruel to call Avalon, Lady Warlock. And it definitely puts her back up, time after time. It also leads to some interesting clashes. He has quite the wicked sense of humor along with a caring heart. He does have something in common with Avalon and that he also refuses to be manipulated by others. His brother is one of those that tries to do that and he does have a certain amount of leverage because of his powerful elder position. He loves Devon but he sure tries to bend him to his way of doing things. I have to admit I didn’t like him at first but time shows that there is more to him than just that.
Hang onto your seat because there is plenty of surprises, twists and turns in the story. There is also some scripture mentioned in the story, Song of Solomon being the main one.
For me, this story was a winner that ended on a sweet H.E.A.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
The good character and storyline development made this book a very enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more from this author!
Poor Lady Avalon, her first husband was a jerk of the highest grade and the only good thing to come from their marriage was her son, Thane. Unfortunately, upon her husband’s death he leaves a friend of his as overseer to the estate, its funds and Thane’s future. Devan is sent to by his brother as vicar to the town where Avalon resides in order that Devan might spy on Avalon and learn where she is getting the funds to continue her good deeds.
Avalon and Devan have crossed paths in the past as he was a friend of her late husband and gave her the nickname of Lady Warlock. Avalon tries to persuade Devan to leave her town, but is unsuccessful. Before long, she realizes that Devan is really a very good vicar and he is also deals really well with teaching Thane. As the two begin to grow closer together, they must deal with Thane trying to get them to marry and with an enamored young lady trying to tear them apart. I thought that this book was well written and true to the period it was written in. It was well written and I enjoyed reading it.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publishers and I am freely and honestly giving my thoughts and opinions on what I read.
I have been on a historical romance kick for the past few months so when I was offered a chance to read an advanced review copy of this book I jumped on it. With this being book 6 of the series I initially worried I might be lost jumping into an established series, but I had no trouble at all as this was a complete standalone.
I really felt for Avalon. She is forced to marry at the tender age of 17 to a man she doesn’t love and who doesn’t love her. In fact he treats her abhorrently, cruelly, callously flaunting his mistress in front of her. The strength, tenacity and perseverance she displays throughout the story with whatever was thrown at her made me love her.
Devan was in deed a wild, wild rake. At first, I was not on board with this man being a Vicar and having the reputation he did with women. I mean, he’s the Pastor of the church, leading a flock of parishioners, giving them spiritual guidance and assisting families. But once we get more acquainted with him, I grew to really love him. I think I loved him the most in this story.
The more time these two spent together, the more I liked them. I really loved the fact that they spoke to each other honestly and didn’t keep secrets or try to be manipulative, even through they started out as enemies. After all, Devan was sent to spy on Lady Warwyk, so why should she trust him at all?
With this being my first read of Ms. MacGregor, I was impressed with her writing style. The story flowed smoothly for me and I really was enraptured in the story. Along with the main storyline, there are a few side stories that I was very invested in. I was so happy with the ending of this book, and I really wish there was more to read! I need to go now and look up all the other books in this series. There were a few key side characters that I hope have their own stories in this series, or will have at some point.
If you’re looking for a story with a dashing hero – I mean, isn’t that why we read historical romance? This book definitely has one with Devan. There’s passion and intrigue, redemption and forgiveness. And drama! A perfection concoction for historical romance! A truly entertaining story!
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Wild, Wild Rake is a delightful addition to author Janna MacGregor’s Cavensham Heiresses series. The two main characters, Lady Avalon and Vicar Devan Farris are very likeable and I was rooting for them to have a HEA from the beginning of the story. I really liked the interesting surprises throughout the storyline. The secondary characters added much to the story, especially Mary Bolen. I applaud Ms. MacGregor for providing this most excellent entertainment.
Janna MacGregor’s writing shines in this story. She depicts how a brilliant writer brings characters to life. Through the words you can see the care she takes in her creativity of characters and plot. If you have been following along with this series you will know that each one is unique in its own way. Avalon and Devan’s journey to love is no different. Avalon has learned to be fearless and strong because of her life experiences. This has empowered her to do good for others. Devan took on a career he didn’t really want, for the love of his older brother. This did not stop him from being brilliant at what he did. These are two people who had been circling in each other’s orbit for many years, but armored themselves against each other with disdain. It takes a major crisis for them to see each other as they truly are. This is a story that will inspire and delight you.