Rakes and Roses was not the typical Historical Romance I love and I'm used to ... and that's not a bad thing at all. I very much enjoyed the twists the author incorporated to the main story of dashing boy meets headstrong girl. From their first meeting to their budding relationship, everything was not what I expected opening this book. I appreciated the redemption arc of Harry's character being forefront, and I got intrigued and captivated by it right from the beginning. I kept turning the pages, repeating to myself that it wasn't quite the development I was used to in these kinds of reads. And I found his journey quite realistic, with some bumps in the road.
The story deals with some pretty sobering themes as alcohol addiction and abusive marriage among other things. However, I found myself bursting with laughter at some occasions : "Were comfort his only concern, he might wear a nightshirt every day for the rest of his life" and the knitting thing ... haha .
Such an uplifting read as a whole !
Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for giving the opportunity of reviewing this book

My first proper romance after so long! And mind you, I've actually enjoyed it very much. I liked the innocence of it with a tinge of sexuality. The flow of the story was simple, not as dramatic yet exciting especially towards the end. I do, however, felt that the prose was a little too 'English' for me as it's long winded at some point with Harry and Sabrina's thoughts go round and round. In a way to elaborate or clarify the situation but it did felt a little too much for me at times. Other than that, it was a prim and proper regency romance novel.

The story itself was quite relatable such as abusive marriages, women empowerment, alcoholics and gamblers. Though it's set in regency era, it's still relevant now hence I can empathise the situation they were in. Also most romance novels nowadays are filled with sex plots to make the chemistry happens but I find that proper ones do too. This novel proves it with both Sabrina and Harry having so much attraction to each other without the usual sex before marriage plots. I liked that the innocence of it has been preserved here.

Kilpack’s Lady Sabrina, the heroine of Rakes and Roses, is not a naïve beauty on the cusp of breaking into society: instead, she is the illegitimate daughter of an Earl who has been through an abusive marriage and a miscarriage, who by legal loopholes after becoming a widow inherited everything belonging to her deceased husband. And Lady Sabrina is a wise investor of this fortune, but she has a big secret. One of her major investments is done behind an elusive disguise: supporting rakish men of London in getting back on their feet.

And our hero, Harry Stillman, is the quintessential early nineteenth-century rake: a gambler, a drunk and a womaniser who owes a lot of money to some dangerous people. Cut off from any inheritance by his uncle unless he makes a good marriage, Stillman is squandering his time around London’s underbelly and eventually finds himself broken and bruised in an alleyway when he cannot pay a particularly dangerous creditor.

Here is where Sabrina finds him, and out of compassion, takes him to her house, Rose Haven, to recover. What follows is a tale of redemption: Harry learning he can change, and Sabrina that men are better than the abusive husband she had to endure.

What I enjoyed most about this novel (which was a lovely, uplifting read and a wonderful way to spend a cosy evening!) is the fact that it is the heroine who is doing the saving. And she is perfectly aware of the constraints placed on her gender, telling the novel’s hero, Harrison Stillman, “Men pat us on the head and complement our stitching while denying us education and occupation that would free us to make decisions toward our own best interest.”

Kilpack has done a great job of making Lady Sabrina have agency without being anachronistic. Sabrina as a character offers an interesting insight into a woman in the early nineteenth century and her position in society, particularly as an illegitimate daughter trying to find her footing and acceptance in society. She is thirty-two years old, determined and strong, with business skills and intelligence.

Besides this, Sabrina is not swooning into the arms of Harry – she is cautious, maintaining a distance to the point of being unfriendly to begin with, in a way that kind of reminded me of Belle and the Beast getting to know each other from when they can’t stand each other to begin with in Beauty and the Beast. Harry, as a rake finding his way to being reformed, is also not trying to seduce his rescuer: instead, he is trying to redeem himself by proving he can become friends with a woman rather than use and discard her.

What follows is an enjoyable and uplifting romance (a great bit of escapism in the current chaos!) that flouts convention – one which I spent a great evening curled up with. It is Book 3 in the Mayfield Family trilogy, but I think you could read it as a standalone novel too.

Josi's writing never fails to wrap me up in a happy little book bubble. Rakes and Roses is no exception.

The love story takes a backseat to Harry's redemption. In a genre that is flooded with romance, this was a really nice change of pace. Harry is essentially an addict. He's addicted to alcohol, gambling, and general carousing. His uncle offers him a way out of this lifestyle, but Harry is not at all interested in reforming his ways. About a year later, Harry hits a personal low and owes thousands of pounds to what we would now call a loan shark. He's burned bridges with family and friends and gets one last opportunity to change his ways. As with most who struggle, Harry has highs and lows and ultimately has to decide for himself to change his life.

Rakes and Roses is a clean regency and an easy read.

Thank you, @shadowmountainpub and @netgalley for the advanced copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

A story of survival, helping others, recovering from bad choices, and danger. A great read
Sabrina has escaped a very abusive marriage through the sudden death of her husband. Left with wealth and independence she determines too help others caught in bad situations focusing on the young men, rakes, who are old enough too get in terrible trouble and easily trapped in a downward spiral. Harrison or Harry is one such rake. Living beyond his means, gambling away all his income, and hoping for one big win to set him free from his mounting debts. Add a mysterious Lord Damion there to aid others but with requirements of changes in behavior. Mix in a reprehensible money lender not above using force and searching for Lord Damion to stop him and you have a great story. This book has intrigue, danger, trying to right injustice, helping others, and so much more. Ii had a hard time putting it down. I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rakes and Roses by Josi S. Kilpack

Published by Shadow Mountain Publishing May 05, 2020

Genre: Mystery, Drama, Romance

Pages: 322

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

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Story Notes

Josi S. Kilpack brings readers her third installment of the Mayfield Family Romances – a story that shows the consequences of living for oneself without care for the harm actions may cause and how redemption comes at a high cost.

Although this is the third book in the series, this is only the second book I’ve read by Ms. Kilpack. I really enjoyed “Daisies and Devotion” and was glad to be offered this book to review as well. She focuses this story on Harry Stillman, a gambling rogue of the worst sort and Lady Sabrina, a rich young widow with a secret no one can know. Harry has been living as he pleased his entire life and that has led him to be deeply in debt to a lender with no patience for repayment excuses. His only hope is to convince his uncle to lend him the funds he needs to stave off the lender’s henchmen who love to take a pound of flesh until payment is made. But when his uncle makes it clear that no more money will be given him, Harry must consider selling his inheritance – the family estate. His uncle does offer him a solution: apply to the mysterious Lord Damion for help. Lord Damion is known about London as a purchaser of debts in order to help men get back on the straight and narrow. Harry agrees to meet with him and is bewildered when the man communicates only through notes rather than face to face. Lord Damion offers up his terms and Harry agrees without delay. But he cannot help but ponder the oddness of the manner of meeting. As he returns to his rooms, Harry is set upon by his original lenders men and left gravely injured. Enter Lady Sabrina, widow of Lord Carlisle, who finds Harry in the alley the men abandoned him in. She takes him to her country estate and offers to house him until he is recovered if he will follow her rules. Harry is happy to agree to all but one of them, to give up drink. But Lady Sabrina is more determined than he counted on and threatens to deliver Harry back to his enemies if he doesn’t agree. So begins the rebirth of Harry Stillman. A man who has been so used to getting whatever he wanted all his life is sure to suffer when everything he wants is taken away. Harry must deal with his demons if he has any hope of reclaiming his life. Sabrina knows the kind of man Harry is and is not willing to give him an inch when it comes to following her rules. But she can’t help but be drawn to him in spite of her best efforts not to be. She has an incredible secret she must hide and not even this charming rogue will make her give it up. But as their stories become more intertwined, danger will be coming for both of them. Can Harry set aside his selfish way of existence for the chance at winning Sabrina’s heart? Can Sabrina risk letting Harry into her heart or will she hold onto her convictions to never let a man close to her again? Their decisions will mean the difference between love and loneliness for both of them. I enjoyed this book fairly well. It had a good plot and pacing with intriguing characters you wanted to cheer for. I really despised Harry at the beginning and although he changed a lot, I still felt like there will more he will have to do in the future to make up for the destruction he has caused. I was sure he would continue in his plans for amends so that made me okay with the ending. Sabrina was a wonderful character who wanted to help others become better than they thought possible. She made it her mission to reach out to the most dissolute of men and offer them a chance at making a new life for themselves. Her secretive manner of meeting with clients added an element of mystery to the story and gave her an excellent addition of depth. I liked how Ms. Kilpack didn’t shy away from telling the roughest parts of a story of this kind and was very clear in her condemnation of Harry’s vices. No quarter was given for his continuation in them and I really appreciated that in this story. I also liked the development of the relationship between Harry and Sabrina. They each inspired the other to be more honest and better people, which made their relationship natural and expected. I hope that Ms. Kilpack will add further to this series as I would like to read more about these wonderful characters. I will certainly be recommending this book to others in the hope they will enjoy it as I did.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Shadow Mountain Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

I really liked the growth each character takes in this book. Lady Sabrina has several issues that could have broken a lesser person. But she finds a way to help others because of her experiences. Harry Stillman is a ne'er do well that is given a second chance by Lord Damian...A.K.A Lady Sabrina. He resists at first, but then the growth he experiences is wonderful to read. I really enjoyed this book.

What do you think of when you hear the word “rake”? Do you think of a rogue, face and heart scarred, but with a devilishly attractive smile? Do you think angry thoughts, with words like “cad” and “bounder” (and maybe some unprintable ones) flashing through your mind? Or maybe you think of the gardening tool that sits in your shed? Regardless, rakes are tricky creatures, capable of evoking a passionate response. Josi S. Kilpack’s latest novel, Rakes and Roses, tells a story of the transforming power of mercy and love, one that's reminiscent of the beloved legend of Beauty and her Beast.

Born the illegitimate daughter of a duke in a society where that detail matters greatly, Sabrina Carlisle has gotten used to turning a brave face to the world. When an older, titled man proposes, Sabrina accepts, happy to finally have peace and security. Her dreams are shattered soon after the wedding. Abusive physically and verbally, her husband makes her life a living hell. Unable to leave him permanently, she seeks reprieve one fateful night during a tense dinner party. While hiding in the bushes outside, Sabrina prays that no one notices her. Her prayer isn’t answered…but not in the way she fears.

Young, handsome, and reckless, Harry Stillman is already in training to be a rogue. When he takes a moonlight stroll in his host's gardens with a beautiful woman on his arm, he doesn’t expect to see a face staring out at him with terror from the local flora. Steering his companion away from her is a small mercy -- but returning to find out what the mysterious woman was afraid of is true kindness, a small act Sabrina never forgets.

Years pass; Sabrina and Harry find themselves in vastly different circumstances. Sabrina’s husband is dead and fear is no longer her constant companion. Harry, no longer carefree and wealthy, spends sleepless nights drinking and gambling. Consequences catch up to him in the form of thuggish moneylenders...but then the unexpected happens. An unknown person going only by the name “Lord Damion” offers him a chance at freedom. When Sabrina (through her pseudonym) finds the opportunity to save Harry from being killed by moneylenders or from drowning in his addiction, she jumps at the chance. The only question is—does he want to be rescued, as she did years ago?

Rakes and Roses stands out from others in its genre for a variety of reasons. The first happens immediately with Sabrina’s page-one panic attack, brought on by anxiety over her husband's abuse. Each year brings statistics of more and more people around the world experiencing anxiety and depression, so I admire Josi Kilpack for addressing this through her heroine. Additionally, Harry's struggle with addiction is (realistically) not easy or pretty. Many of us read Regencies because they’re free from modern issues we face daily, but Kilpack includes and handles the topics of anxiety, abuse, and addiction in a sensitive and hope-filled way.

Something unique that didn’t work for me as a reader was the huge plot point of Lord Damion. The idea of Lord Damion as the nom de plume of Sabrina was intriguing, but how he/she operated asked me to suspend my disbelief a little too far for historical fiction. I can believe in a mysterious entity who helps people who are down-on-their-luck during the Regency era; however, I have trouble believing in a phantom-like entity, traceable yet somehow not, who finds and convinces addicts to sign very tight, and (to me) confusing, contracts. It’s not very realistic for this genre, and because it wasn’t, I had trouble staying immersed in the story.

The final genre twist to mention is Sabrina and Harry’s relationship. First of all, she’s older than him by a few years! I’ve never seen this done in a Regency book to date, and I absolutely love this detail. Because of Sabrina’s terrible past experience and decision to help others in the future, Harry's redemption became one of the main - if not the main - focus of Rakes and Roses. I don’t usually find that heroes in romance novels have much of the spotlight (besides being attractive and witty, of course), so this was refreshing.

In a world destabilized by COVID-19, there’s comfort in reading a story where love triumphs over anything, and where kindness and compassion can transform any broken life into something beautiful. Whether you’re new to the Mayfield Family series as I was or you’ve been a fan for years, I recommend Rakes and Roses for your next quarantine read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. And thank you to Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose for inviting me to participate in this blog tour.

Unlike most romance readers, I loathe the reformed rake trope and find it both tired and unrealistic (although I understand most people don’t read romance for realism, so there’s that). But with Rakes and Roses, Josi S. Kilpack creates a realistic portrayal of a reformed rake, leading to a satisfying happy ending.

I love that Harry’s arc begins with him hitting rock bottom, and sees the heroine helping care for his injuries and wean him off alcohol. There is definitely the risk of this being something where he depends on her to stay clean, but that’s not the case as Harry does develop into a competent human being by the end.

I also like that, while exploring a reversal of roles, wiry Sabrina having the money and power to have him in his care, it doesn’t neglect to give her a past as well. She’s a bit older and she dealt with a horrible first marriage. While she helps him heal, he helps her to come out of her shell a bit more.

I enjoyed this book as much as the previous two, perhaps even more for the older heroine with a past and the growth of the hero I did not expect to like. I think if you’ve liked the series so far, you’ll love this one, and would also recommend it to fans of sweet romances.

Romance, clean; Period; series, but stand alone read
I think this is my favorite of all of this series. I know some readers may fault Harry's strength as a character, but I loved it! I loved how he was brought to his knees, how Lord Damion plays a part, and Lady Sabrina. Loved all the staff, the mystery surrounding Lord Damion and Harry's creditors.
Saving Harry, Harry's recovery, and his rebirth as a new 'man', able to overcome his weaknesses, the person responsible for betraying him, so many twists and turns, but Lady Sabrina's tough love, kind care, and her growing feelings for this reborn man who softens her heart towards gentleman again (does she need a man?) as he values her for her and for herself, without guile, repairing her hurt heart and helping her 'live' again without fear, reprisals, and with hope for a future that isn't alone was a lovely read.

Despite being a handsome and charming, Harry Stillman also a gambler and a drunk. He has bet and lost everything, aside from what remained of his estate. Now a dangerous lender by the name Malcolm is after his life and his rich uncle has cut him off financially. When his friend tells him about Lord Damion, Harry has no choice but to except his terms to reform his life and pay off the debt or give up his estate for way less than market value. Before Lord Damion can pay off his debts, Malcolm and his men corner him and beat him senselessly. He’s left in the alley where the widowed Lady Sabrina finds him. She remembers the kindness he once showed her years ago when she was stuck in a abusive marriage and brings him to her country estate to heal. As they become friends, Sabrina finds herself falling for the man he‘s becoming, but she has a secret. Can she keep her secret from Harry? Can Harry turn his life around for the better? Will Harry ever be free of Malcolm’s threatens?
I appreciated how we got a little prologue from Sabrina’s point of view, showing her and Harry’s first, albeit brief, meeting. It made her actions later on make so much sense. It also could help the readers sympathize with Harry when we meet him again as the gambler and drunk. His little act of kindness went a long way!
I really felt for Sabrina. My heart went out to her. All her life, she’s been longing to find acceptance and love, and has been spurn from it at almost every step. I also understood despite being lonely now, why she’d be reluctant to let another man have power over her again. And yet, she also doesn’t let what happened to her make her bitter and cold. She instead tries to gives back and help those who are down on their luck, who are suffering, and it’s really commendable. I really admired her.
I came to really like Harry. Kilpack did a brilliant job showing how a gambler thinks and how a drunk craves a drink. And I liked how she blended his guilt and shame into it, showing us how he’s aware how far he’s fallen and therefore is capable of change. And once he fully committed to turning his life around, I liked how he stuck to it. As he replaced his bad habits with good ones, I really enjoyed his playful personality that emerged.
Their romance was sweet. He chases away her loneliness and she helps free him of his vices. While I wasn’t swept away by their romance, I did want them to find happiness. I also really liked how the normal gender roles were flipped, with her being in the independent one due to her wealth and status in society and him is the dependent one down on his luck, that’s not something I’ve seen in historical romances yet. Though they’re feelings for each other developed over two weeks, I liked how they gave each other four months to ensure the feelings were real and that Harry truly had reformed his life. The only complaint I had was that I wish we could’ve seen Harry and Sabrina navigating their intimate relationship. But seeing as this is a clean romance, that aspect of their relationship was brushed over.
Despite that minor complaint, I enjoyed this unique take on historical romance. Definitely recommend.

Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.

Josi Kilpack is a wonderful writer and always includes deep insights into character and motivations. I didn’t think I’d care for this story as much as the other ones in this series because we’ve encountered Harry in previous books. He was a jerk. When I started the book, I did not care at all if Harry made a love match—especially with Sabrina because, in my opinion, she was too good for him.

But then Josi’s writing led me to slowly come to like him. Harry grew on me. I could see the why behind his bad behavior. And Sabrina absolutely brought out the best in him. Together, they wove a believable tale of romance that begins slow and grows over time into something lasting.

Romance aside, I loved Sabrina’s character. Her early years were difficult and filled with heartbreak, but she grew into a determined woman who who refuses to settle for less than she deserves. She’s capable and clever, good and wise, and inspires others to become their best selves. (Kind of like a regency era Oprah.)

This is a great story with twists to keep it interesting. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys regency romance with character depth and growth. I give it 5 stars.

Lady Sabrina Carlisle was married to Richard and expecting a baby. She was happy that he had not beat her once she became pregnant. But close together she lost the baby and Richard died suddenly.

Sabrina is the illegitimate daughter of Duke of Angelsey. When her mother passed away, she went to live in the duke’s house. Now, her half brother is the current duke and they are quite close. He depends upon her to act as hostess for him.

Harry Stillman is addicted to gambling and drink. His Uncle Elliott has tried many times to help him with his debts, but each time he gambles it all away. He has even taken to selling off acres of his estate to pay his debts. Uncle Elliott has offered him an inheritance if he marries a genteel bride and changes his ways. He refuses to do so.

Sabrina is a person who cares for others. She secretly and anonymously goes by the name of Lord Damien. She helps people gets themselves out of debt and back on the right path. They must also write letters of apology to those they have harmed. But these people must prove that they truly want to change before she will help them. Thus, when Harry hits rock bottom and the money lenders are going to kill him if he doesn’t pay them, working through her attorney, Harry comes to Lord Damien for help. But the night he agrees to her help, he is severely beaten by a money lender. Sabrina finds him in the street and brings him home for her housekeeper to nurse back to health.

As Harry goes through the throes of withdrawal, he tends to be begging and whiney. As things get better, he wants to know about Sabrina. Attracted to one another, Sabrina feels she will never marry again and Harry doesn’t seem to know “what he wants to do when he grows up.”

This entire book was a turn-off to me. I found Harry to be a total waster and Sabrina, even with what she went through in her marriage, to be uninteresting. This book was quite dull which is a shame because having read/reviewed/enjoyed two other books by this author, I was looking forward to a good read but was disappointed.

Copy provided by NetGalley and Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the third installment of the Mayfield family series and it's my favorite one of the series. I loved the characters in this book. Harry isn't a great person at first, but that made watching him grow and change ever more enjoyable. I also loved watching Sabrina overcome her past and learn to be happy again.

(4.5 stars) - Redeemed Love 

[Book 3 in the Mayfield Family series is capable of standing alone, but reading the first 2 books will give you a fuller understanding of Uncle Elliot's "deal", along with Harry's character & the rest of the family dynamic - and they're really good, too!] 

Between alcohol, loose women & gambling debts, Harry has pretty much hit rock bottom. 

After his life is nearly brutally ended by "debt collectors", an offer is made that he can't afford to refuse.  It's effectively a chance at "redemption that he doesn't deserve for a debt he can't repay". 

Sabrina wasn't able to change her husband, but maybe she can use what he couldn't take with him to break the cycle of abuse in the lives of others. 

I love conversion stories!  Harry is certainly a prodigal son initially. With Sabrina's help, he begins to want to be a better person. The relationship that develops between the two & their amusing exchanges are quite enjoyable.

Sabrina begins to find her own healing and redemption thru helping Harry with his. The happiness that she had come to believe was closed to her begins to seem possible after all.

The story was entertaining & heart-warming - a fitting conclusion to a delightful trilogy. 

*Clean romance level:  sweet kisses, nothing graphic

In a time when gender roles were very strict, a businesswoman and a man who enjoyed knitting will find their way to each other.

Rakes and Roses is the third book in the Mayfield Family Series but can be read as a standalone. It is a clean, romantic and uplifting historical romance set in England, in the early 1800s.

This is my first book by this author, and I enjoyed her rich and articulated writing style.

Lady Sabrina, an affluent widow, knew Mr. Harry Stilman from a brief encounter they had several years before. She would have forgotten him but for the fact that he was kind when she needed it most.

Suddenly, their situations were reversed. Harry was wounded and left to die in the gutter, and Sabrina was his only chance of surviving.

While the romance builds, the author explores complex themes like domestic abuse, alcohol addiction, gambling, loss, and the role of women in society.

All is done positively, focusing on the ability to overcome traumas and redeem vices with dedication and a little help of faith and friends.

Harry was a rake, but more by circumstance than disposition. He was sweet, loyal, and determined once he chose his path. Sabrina was kind and strong but had built a thick wall around her heart after her terrible first marriage.

Despite being a clean romance, the author managed to convey the deep connection and sensual tension between the couple.

There are some adorable side characters, in special the housekeeper Therese and Sabrina's loyal solicitor, Mr. Gordon. I thought they would make a lovely couple themselves.

If you like an uplifting story with a sweet yet flawed hero and a strong and independent heroine, this book is for you.

** This review will be published on https://lureviewsbooks.wordpress.com on 05/12/2020 as part of the books' blog tour. **

I'll say it once, and then i'll say it a million times again. I LOVE villainous redemption arcs! I was hoping so much for Harry's story and I finally got it. Harry is quite an unlikeable character when we meet him, and has fallen far from his dysfunctional though upper class upbringing. He has spent the last several years drinking, gambling and womanizing in excess to avoid his feelings and run away from his problems. Lady Sabrina has gotten the biggest break of her life and lives as widow who finally has power in her life with opportunities usually presented to men.

I loved the roll reversal in this book with Sabrina holding the control in the relationship and Harry pushing to change the course of his entire life before its too late. Both are influenced by their pasts but pushing forward to create a brighter future. I liked that both Sabrina and Harry had darker pasts that seemed more realistic in this time period. There was believable chemistry and I loved the push and pull of opposites that really made this one a lot of fun. This one has to be my very favorite of all three books! I definitely would read them in order, even though you could technically read them as stand alones.

So glad and grateful to have received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I would definitely recommend this to a proper romance loving audience .

Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man's world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have. Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he's a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an ally. When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust.
This is the third book in the series & is easily read on its own. I found it to be a well written book, that started off slowly but the pace did increase but not until well over half way through. It also took me some time to get to like both Harry & Sabrina but eventually I did like them but didn't love them. The one thing I did love was how things resolved in the end, I wish the majority of the book had been as good as the ending
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I love Josi Kilpack’s books, and I really, really wanted to love Rakes and Roses, but it fell kinda flat. To call it a romance would be a mischaracterization. It’s a redemption story with a romance on the side. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Kilpack. While it was certainly a different plot than usually seen in regency romance, I had a hard time connecting with the story. Sabrina was pregnant while suffering from a cruel and abusive husband, that much was clear in the opening chapter. She's halfway through her pregnancy when she says the wrong thing and angers her husband. Next time we see her, she's widowed and has no child. That is a huge loss for any woman and yet there was hardly anything more about the pregnancy and nothing on how she lost the child. Did Richard cause the miscarriage?

When we first meet Harry, he's as low as he can sink. Drunk and gambling away his huge winnings sets him up as a man with many demons. He's given a chance when Sabrina finds him in the alley and brings him to her country estate to heal after a horrific beating by an evil moneylender when Harry couldn't repay the debt. The plot moved slowly until about the 3/4 point and it does pick up from there, but I still didn't like Harry that much. I didn't feel any deep connection between Sabrina and Harry besides one shared kiss. Not sure if I'll be picking up any more books by this author.