The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh is the first book in the Last Chance Scoundrels series. It follows Kieran Ransome, a third son who is about to be cut off by his family if he can't find a respectable wife. Kieran needs a guide back into polite society and asks Celeste Kilburn, his best friend's sister, if she can help him rehabilitate his image. Celeste agrees with the condition that he shows her the scandalous side of London.

Eva Leigh never fails to deliver romances packed with rompy fun, delicious steam, and compelling characters—and this. book is no different! Kieran quickly realizes that Celeste is nothing like he's assumed her to be, and his devotion to helping secure her independence makes him a truly swoon-worthy romance hero. Add in some eyeliner and a gift for poetry, and Kieran easily stole both my heart and Celeste's. Meanwhile, Celeste worked so well as a heroine for me. I loved how bold she was, how unashamed she was in regards to wanting to explore her sexual side, and her devotion to those she cared about.

This was a strong series start from Leigh, and it has me eager to dive into the next book!

In this sexy and entertaining historical romance, Kieran and Celeste make a bargain that will open new doors for them both, but they don’t expect to fall in love in the process.

Eva Leigh is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical romance authors, and although I’m not sure anything will beat Waiting for a Scot Like You, I really, really enjoyed this one. Kieran’s mouth was SO dirty, and I was kind of obsessed with it? And him? The way he talked to Celeste during certain scenes had me grinning from ear to ear. The overall plot for this one was so good, and I was excited to watch Kieran and Celeste get their happy ending! Eva Leigh is a phenomenal writer, and I would highly recommend this book!

Content warning for sexual content.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh!

the dirty talk was A+ in this book - which you dont always get from a historical romance, so i super appreciated that! Celeste and Kieran were a phenomenal pair and i was rooting for them from the start!! Cannot wait for more from this author.

This was pretty cute. It had a good plot too, not just the romance aspect, which I always appreciate.

This was my first time reading Eva Leigh and it was an absolute blast from start to finish. I’m a sucker for a good “rake helps a proper lady do very improper activities” romance and this one hit all of my buttons. The chemistry was hot hot hot and who could ever resist a poet who has quite a way with words. I cannot wait to dive into Eva Leigh's next book!

Eva Leigh's books made me a historical romance reader so I couldn't wait for her newest release! Eva's romances are so approachable, feminist, and fun to read, and The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes is no exception. The premise of this book is that scoundrel must marry a respectable woman or he will be cut off from his family money. Our hero, Kieran, finds a guide in Celeste, a supposedly upstanding woman, and they quickly realize they are in for more than they bargained for. I just loved seeing these two try to pretend that they weren't falling for each other and eventually admit their feelings. A perfect read for fans of Tessa Dare!

Eva Leigh’s The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes is fun historical romance with a not-so-proper heroine and a rakish hero with a poet’s soul. I enjoyed the chemistry between the couple, and seeing the heroine Celeste take control of her life and body was a joy. Unfortunately, I didn’t love the set-up of the series, as laid out in the opening chapters, so this book was a slow start for me. Still, I think historical romance fans will love this book, especially if they want to root for a wallflower having fun.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. These are my opinions.
I really enjoyed this book. Kieran's parents give him an ultimatum, get married within a year, or they will disown him. He asks his best friend Dom's sister Celeste to help him navigate the ton. She is a paragon of virtue having been poor as a child. She agrees to help, if he will show her the scandalous side of London. She disguises herself as "Salome", to not be recognized. The interaction between the two is wonderful. I would highly recommend anyone who likes romance novels with twists and turns on the way to a HEA read this book.

I'll admit that this book had a lot of things going for me right from the get-go. First off: Eva Leigh is always going to be a must-read histrom author for me, no question, but the fact that this was also based around the trope of the two leads making a deal wherein the rake has to become more civilized and the respectable lady gets her taste of impropriety in the process? Utter catnip. Beyond that, Leigh is just so skilled at writing all of the tension that ultimately culminates in equally-hot... well, culmination. I was pleasantly surprised by the conflict resolution, and honestly, my kingdom for more romance novels where the last chapter is basically just the couple head-over-heels in love and going to town on one another. Those will never not be a highlight for me. I'm already looking forward to Finn's book (and half-wondering if Dom's book is going to be second-chance romance with Willa too!).

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Good girl and her brother's rake best friend agree to introduce each other to their respective worlds as a mutually beneficial deal while ignoring the fact that they've secretly been into each other for a while AND learning things about themselves along the way?? Hello sign me up immediately every time, please and thank you.

Kieran is hot. Celeste is hot. Kieran is a poet so he's sensitive and ✨good with words✨ if you catch my drift. I also just...love a histrom hero with an angsty backstory. And Celeste! She is just here to live a little before marrying a guy she really doesn't want to, and who could blame her for that?? She commits to their nighttime adventures tho, and I love her journey.

This is just spicy and scandalous and fun, with some great moments of emotional connection and some interesting sibling dynamics. ALSO Ms. Bev herself makes a cameo as a gambling hell owner, which?? Iconic??? More famous-writers-having-cameos-in-books, please.

I'm fully here for the vibes and excited for the next book in the series.

Pros: I lived for the spicy scenes but the emotional connection really backed them up
Cons: I wish we'd gotten to see Celeste and Dom together a bit more
CW: sexual content, cursing, toxic family relationships

This is more of a me problem than a book problem. When it started off I was really confused I thought I had miss some information but I didn't. I also just didn't like Kieran or Celeste and just wasn't interested in anything happening.

I wrote about this book, The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes, in a column for SELF magazine in Feb 2022. The topic was "romance novels to read while waiting for Bridgerton."

This was so good! I loved that this was mostly from a male perspective and that Ransom was so emotionally available and vulnerable. Such a breath of fresh air from traditional historical romances!

This was a steamy read, with a rake trying to reform himself, and a "good girl" trying to go bad. An enjoyable read.

Once Kieran Ransome and his brother convince a friend, Dominic Kilburn, to jilt their sister at the altar, all three men are threatened to be cut off from their families, and more importantly the family money, unless they marry a woman of unimpeachable character. Celeste Kilburn is used to behaving herself as her father and brother depend on her impending engagement to a future Marquess to raise their family’s social standing beyond humble trade beginnings. Then Kieran asks Celeste to introduce him to appropriate high-society women eligible for marriage, and Celeste agrees but only if Kieran will be her guide to the underbelly of London before her engagement is announced. Their clandestine activities and Celeste’s newfound freedom build an intimacy they didn’t expect, but once Celeste’s nocturnal entertainments are discovered by her future betrothed, her spotless reputation is threatened. Kieran must come up with a plan that will save them both.

Verdict The first installment in the “Last Chance Scoundrels” series is off to a wickedly fun start, with plenty of disguises, sneaky exploits, and explosive sex. Fans of Joanna Shupe, Sophie Jordan and Megan Frampton won’t want to miss this.

Eva Leigh’s new series Last Chance Scoundrels started with The Good Girl’s Guide to Rake. And what a way to start a serious. From the first paragraph I was hooked. In fact you might be forgiven if you thought the story would be about Willa and Dom, but no. It is about Kieran and Celeste Kilburn. Two souls who are both pushed aside and their dreams and talents minimized by their respective parents. They come together after Kieran and his brother Finn encourage Dom to leave their sister at the altar. It was a knuckleheaded and thoughtless maneuver which leads the parental units to force them to find brides or be financially cut off. Kieran makes a deal with Celeste, she helps him find a bride and she gets to fulfill her scandalous bucket list before settling down to a respectable marriage which should be beneficial to her family.

Aided by Celeste’s maid, Kieran and Celeste embarked on their journey, at first it was to such places at a gaming hall. As the story progressed, Kieran began taking Celeste (and her alter ego) to outings that were near and dear to her heart such as setting up a charity in her old neighborhood. He listened to her and wanted to become a better person. What tugged at my heart was Celeste taking on the weight of her family and being resigned to marry an arrogant unredeemable scoundrel and his harridan of a mother. Celeste was also doing this at the sacrifice of her heart, which is lost to Kieran.

Kieran might be a knucklehead and a rogue, but he was very protective of those who he loved, such as his brother Finn, Celeste and even a misguided desire to protect his sister at the beginning of the book. Ms. Leigh’s words weave humor, heart and heat into her story. And steam, there is definitely steam and attraction that burns out the pages. Overall, the story is well-rounded, about two wounded but strong characters who found their souls and heart become intertwined. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for the rest of the series. What a wonderful way to start a new series.

I received an ARC of the Good Girl’s Guide to Raked by Eva Leigh and read the book voluntarily.

I really loved the first time Kieran and Celeste meet each other but lost the plot a little when Celeste asks Kieran to escort her to gaming hells. I mean what was the point of it? Was it just meant to be rebellion? The reasoning for that would have made the book more interesting. I enjoyed the chemistry between Kieran and Celeste and loved how Kieran supported Celeste through everything. This is book 1 from the “Last Chance Scoundrels” series and I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series about their siblings.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh is the first book in the series Last Chance Scoundrels. Though the story line of Rake turns bad girl used is one that has been utilized by multiple writers Ms. Leigh does this one justice. First off, the hero is not a titled Viscount or the likes, but a third son living a life of pretense. Kieran Ransome after an unintentional scandal is given an ultimatum by his father to make a respectable marriage or be cut off. So, he enlists the aid of aid of Celeste Kilburn; his best friend's sister, who is society’s darling to make him respectable and move amongst those types of young ladies.

This is a tricky bargain as Celeste wants to learn and enjoy all things that are not respectable. She is tired of being the above reproach perfect young lady and wishes for adventure and all manners of corruptions. Together these embark in some rollicking good times of discovery, learning, indulgence and most importantly an ignited attraction. She finds out he is not a rogue, and he learns she’s not a paragon but is constrained by needs and appearances. The spare who is overlooked by his parents, unless he is causing problems, has much more to recommend him for than Celeste thought, but since she must marry in a way to cement her family's place in society can love be enough? You’ll have to decide my literary friends. This review was given on the ARC copy received from the Publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion, happy reading!

I thought this was a blast! I always enjoy this trope, and Leigh handled it well. She's becoming an author I recommend regularly,

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes</a> is the first book in the new historical romance Last Chance Scoundrels series by Eva Leigh.</strong> This was my first experience with this author but, I know it will not be my last. This book was so addictive! It had everything that I love - strong characters, strong banter, and strong chemistry. It had me hook, line, and sinker. </p>

Kieran Ransome is the third son within his family so he doesn't really have any responsibilities. He normally enjoys a life of leisure and sin using the allowance he receives from his parents. When the allowance is suddenly cut off with the stipulation that he must marry within the next twelve months, he turns to one of the best women he knows - his best friend Dom's little sister Celeste. Together they work out a plan - she will help him get back into the good graces of society so that he can find a wife - and he will take Celeste to the darker parts of town allowing her to be free.

I loved Kieran and Celeste as individual characters. Kieran is a rake and he knows it. He doesn't pretend to be anyone else and it is honestly so attractive. For the most part, he plays with all his cards on the table. There is a more sensitive side to him that is slowly revealed the more time he spends with Celeste. Celeste and her family were not always wealthy and the pressure is on her to remain a good girl and marry well so that they will fully be accepted into society. So when this opportunity arises with Kieran, she doesn't hesitate. She explores and grows and finds out who she is truly meant to be. I really enjoyed the character growth throughout for Celeste.

The idea of Kieran and Celeste is teased right from the beginning but, neither thinks it can go anywhere because of the fact that he is best friends with her older brother. That doesn't stop them from bantering though. Or teasing each other. Or having dirty conversations with each other. Oh so dirty! These two are such a good pairing. They bring out new sides to each other - the sides that they try to hide from the rest of society. I loved their midnight outings which often paralleled to something much less sinful during the day. They were just so wickedly good together!

The ultimatum regarding the allowance money wasn't just put towards Kieran but also to his brother Finn and their best friend Dom. All three of these men are scoundrels but they are also the best of friends. I imagine that there will be at least two more stories in the Last Chance Scoundrels where Finn and Dom are searching to find their happily ever after before they officially lose everything. There is tease for the next pairing in The Good Girl's Guide To Rakes and I can tell its gonna be good. Hint: it involves one of our wealthy rake gentleman and a smart, opinionate bluestocking of a woman. And boy is there chemistry and tension between them!