I received an EARC from Netgalley and the publisher, and I was so excited to read this book as I loved the first two.
Rose Digby has become a pamphlet writing reformer ( we met her in the previous book)
The origin story for the relationship between Alexander, the Earl of Derby is actually a sad one. Alexander, Rose and her brother were childhood friends, but when Rose's family was evicted from the late Earl's estate, Alexander could do nothing, and he was heartbroken. We readers know he is a really caring man who supports artists, writers, and even Rose and her brother, unbeknownst to them. Our story, and what a story it is, begins when Rose asks Alexander for his help. What He does from then on is very clever, though he feels guilty for breaking a promise to his friend, Rose's brother, who I hope gets his story.
I highly recommend this entire series.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

This is a continuation of the Once Upon a Wallflower series by Eva Devon, and is the romance of two characters that were background/secondary characters from earlier on in the series - journalist/pamphlet writer Rose Digby who wrote the love story of the Duke and Duchess of Ashbridge, from book 2, and Alexander Markby, the Earl of Derby.

Rose and her brother grew up with Alex, on the Derby estate as children. But they were separated abruptly when the previous Earl threw the Digbys out because of the licentious behaviour of their artist father. His descent into sin and debauchery not only lead to them losing their home, but caused a downward spiral for the entire family with the loss of their finances, home, security, and reputation, with the father eventually dying in an asylum, and their mother suffering and eventually dying as well, leaving the Digby siblings learning to cope independently, with a disgust of all things rakish and immoral. They each follow a path working against immorality and to try to expose the evils of debauchery, with the brother Harry studying to become a vicar, and Rose writing pamphlets exposing the ills of rakishness and debauchery.

Alex was also very affected by his father's decision to evict the Digbys. He was very close to them, and appeared to have a childhood crush on Rose, but his relationship with them was crushed by his father, who threatened to ruin them further if Alex continued to have any relationship with them. The Digby children were ignorant of this threat, and Rose always felt abandoned by Alex.

When Alex became the Earl, he secretly continued to follow and help the Digby siblings, including secretly supporting Rose as she pursued her writing, and paying for Harry's education, while also engaging in supporting other artists so that many could pursue their art without the worries of being homeless, starving, etc. He also reestablished a friendship with Harry, but was warned away from rose by Harry, who did not trust Alex. Everyone presumed Alex is a carefree rake, because of his pursuit of the pleasures of life, but no one bothers to delve deeper and see Alex for the good man that he is, who just loves life and wants to enjoy the beauty of it, but never acts in ways that would intentionally do harm to others, unlike other rakes.

Rose, however, was thwarted in her attempts to investigate a private club, and secretly engages Alex's help to gain entry, disguising herself to be his mistress so she can speak to other courtesans and get an idea of the lifestyle. Alex felt backed into a corner, knowing that nothing would stop Rose from her goal, and at least if she were with him, he could protect her, but was also now forced to lie to his friend Harry. Also, he never stopped loving Rose, but now was being driven mad by being near the object of his desires.

I loved Alex from even Book 2, where he appeared to be the bon vivant friend who loves people, seems to be a good friend, and is far more observant then people likely give him for. He obviously enjoys the joys and beauty of life, but is judged by others for being a rake, and obviously many do not bother seeing more than just the superficial about Alex. Including his so-called friends Harry and Rose. I really did not find myself liking either of the Digbys very much because of how judgemental and dismissive they are of Alex, despite their willingness, especially Rose, to essentially use him. Then so quickly turn on him and reject him. I really felt he was poorly treated by the Digbys. Sure they suffered as children because of their father's behaviour, but as adults, they became quite judgemental, and sanctimonious making them blind to many things including the true nature of people, such as Alex.

So ultimately, I found myself not liking Rose and her brother, and how they made Alex feel. I generally liked the story and Alex as a character, but I feel that Rose and Harry, while they did come around, really need to redeem themselves to earn his love considering how disrespectfully and poorly they treated him.

3.5 stars out of 5

I love Eva Devon books, including the two prior books in this series. I loved Alexander, the Earl of Derby. I hated the Digbys! They were selfish horrible bitter prigs. In my opinion there was nothing redeeming about Rose and I truly never understood what he loved about her. All she did was insult & belittle him based on her assumptions. I don't care if she thought he abandoned her, if she really loved him, like she thought, then what the actual ..... At least her brother apologized and sounded contrite.

Thank you to Entangled: Amara and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book (I do appreciate Devon books). All opinions are my own.

Book 3 in the Once Upon a Wallflower Series opens with the words “I could marry your sister…” followed by a confirmed rake rightfully getting socked in the jaw by the sister’s brother. A promising start to an enchanting story where said rake promises to leave his best friend’s sister alone and then proceeds to break his word.

The story revolves around Alexander Markby, the sixth Earl of Derby, and Rose Digby, a writer who advocates for the rights of the impoverished and downtrodden. While Alex and Rose share a desire to help people, they have very different approaches to achieving their goals. Alex uses his wealth and prestige to support artists and their work, while Rose writes pamphlets to raise awareness about social issues.

When Rose wants to infiltrate an exclusive club to expose the nefarious behavior of certain members of the upper classes, she turns to Alex for help. He reluctantly agrees, but only because he wants to protect her. As Rose delves deeper into the club’s inner workings, she realizes that her preconceived notions about the upper classes and Alex in particular may not be entirely accurate.

While I generally enjoy Eva Devon’s books, I struggled with this one. Rose is portrayed as cruel and insensitive towards Alex, constantly insulting and belittling him. Alex, on the other hand, is a generous and kind-hearted person who secretly helps Rose and her brother pursue their dreams over the years after their family was thrown off his family’s estate. Despite Alex’s unwavering support, Rose remains stubbornly opposed to the idea of being with him other than as a tool for her research.

Ultimately, while the book had its moments of charm and the poetry and readings were lovely, it was not my favorite of Ms. Devon’s works. That being said, I appreciated the author’s depiction of the need for a feminine movement in the Regency era.

In conclusion, if you’re a fan of historical romance novels and enjoy stories with strong heroines and a touch of social commentary, you may enjoy The Rake and the Rose. While the repetitive nature of the story and the treatment of certain characters may be frustrating, the book still manages to deliver a satisfying HEA.

Thank you to Ms. Devon for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectations of a positive review.

This is the third installment, and sadly I didn’t read the first two, but I wasn’t a bit lost.. maybe in some characters from before.

This story centers around Rose and Alexander. They have a secret sort of love for each other that comes to light further on as the story progresses. Alexander comes off as a rake who tends to be known, but really he’s has a heart of gold that he hides to himself and uses towards his affection for Rose. Rose is strong willed and committed to what she believes in. She makes a really good female lead. She tends to come off really judgmental and self opinionated, but we’ll makes up for it when she lets her walls down for Alexander.

All in all, it was a great read that swept into another century that I loved.

This story was a real page turner for me, one that I could not put down . Unpredictable and heartbreaking at times , this is a story where class differences and cruel aristocrats were at work destroying a family and causing heartbreak to their own heir. Alexander is now the Earl of Derby, who has tried to right the wrongs of his father, and protect the woman he has loved since childhood. She sees him now as nothing but a privileged rake, falsely accusing him of being no better than his father. A beautiful story of hope and healing!

I love Eva Devon and the way she crafts her stories and characters. We get visits from past characters as we watch these new characters grow and realize the faults of their past.

This book was a miss for me.

I never connected to the couple and found the plot corny and unbelievable.
In short, I was bored and distracted by the amount of times the word “rake” was used (89) and the times the rose/thorn analogy was used (5).

I definitely enjoyed The Duke and the Dressmaker, book 2 in this series, much more than this one.

A standalone in the Once Upon a Wallflower series, The Rake and the Rose is a historical romance with an unsuspecting heroine. This is a fun edition in the series. I throughly enjoyed Alexander, and his passion to help artists and he's a rake with a heart.

This story was a true slow-burn, with very little romantic moments. There are easter eggs from the previous books in this love story.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy.

He watched his father toss his friends’ family out of their home into poverty. When He became the earl, Alexander Markby did everything he could to help to help his friends. He worked in secret knowing they would not accept his charity. He is also patron of several artists and writers. He is a rake, but he is kind, caring, and generous. Rose Digby was Alexander’s friend when they were younger, but she feels he abandoned her and her brother, and wants nothing to do with him. That is until she sees him exit a Pleasure house from which she has been ejected. Rose writes pamphlets about the ill-behaved rakes of society, and reform for women and children. She wants Alexander’s help to infiltrate the brothel for research for an article. Reluctantly, he agrees. He loves Rose, and will do anything to protect her. Now they need to get her ready to enter the world she rages about. This is a story of discovery, redemption, and forgiveness. Rose starts the story as a judgement termagant. The things that she sees and experiences help her to learn more than how badly some men (rakes) behave. She finds that almost everyone suffers loss and disappointment, but that how they handle it is personal. She meets new and interesting people, learns that life is poetry, and finds love with Alexander.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I wasn't aware when I requested this book that it was the third one in a series. They all are stand-alone books, however, so I do think this one is approach able on its own merits. I was able to recognize other characters who were likely the protagonists of the first two, and given my general enjoyment of this book I'll likely go back and check them out!

I liked the general story given here. Rose, in particular, was an interesting leading lady. I liked how fiercely she fought for things and what she believed. At the same time, there were moments when I became frustrated with her insistence that Alexander was a terrible rake. Given the other information she had about him, at times it felt like she was willfully holding on to her negative opinion in the face of other evidence.

Their love story was sweet, however, when it happened, and I enjoyed how neatly this book worked its way through its plot. It manages to accomplish quite a lot despite its fairly short page count.

Readers of this series and general fans of romantic historical fiction should definitely give this one a shot!

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of Eva Devon's The Rake and the Rise via Netgalley and voluntarily read and reviewed the story. This is part of her Once Upon a Wallflower series. Alexander Markby, sixth Earl of Derby is supposedly a rake, doing rakish things...but he has a hidden agenda. Rose Digby, longtime friend of Alexander is an activist trying to save rakes, courtesans and any and all she thinks need redemption and help. Her infatuation for Alex is given an opportunity to bloom when she asks him to escort her to the underworld of the ladies so she can assist them escape that work and world. A great read!

Alexander, Harry and Rose were childhood friends. Harry and Roses father was an artist and lived on the estate with their mother. Alex was the only son of the Earl of Derby. Life was great for the three friends till Harry’s and Roses father fell into drink, gambling and ruined everything. Alex’s father threw the family off the estate not caring that they had nothing and nowhere to go. He forbids Alex from having anything to do with them. Now Alexander is the Earl of Digby and Harry is his best friend. After a promise made to Harry, he had not seen or spoken to Rose in years. Alex spends his life trying to help others and undue some of the evil his father did. Alex has always loved Rose and feels he is unworthy of her. He was not able to stand up to his father and save her. Harry has devoted his life to being a Vicar, a life without gossip. While his sister Rose is now a writer of pamphlets to try and help others avoid the path their father took. She knows that Alex is a rake and has had a number of things written about him in the gossip sheets. He left her after both him and her brother went away to school. Never answering her letters or calling on her. She sees him as the rest of society does, just what he wants them to see and think. When she needs to get into an exclusive gentleman's club to write about what rakes do there she turns to Alex for help. Never thinking what might happen being close to him again. To gain entrance to the clubs she will have to act the part of his mistress! All three of our characters have so much to learn, teach and rethink what they feel about others. This is a very powerful story of what being judgmental of others can cause so much hurt and misunderstanding. Both Alex and Rose will give into the passion between but not without hurt and pain for both. It is an emotional read and much heavier than the first two books. I loved revisiting some of the special couples from the other books, plus Alex’s grandmother is a peach. This is a story you will not forget and may reread again, it's so good. I would suggest you read the books in order it makes the stories better. I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it. I hope you don’t miss this series it is wonderful.

There's something about a Regency romance that is just comforting, you know there are going to be ups and downs, twists and turns, and sometimes even a couple of flips, but you also know there will be a happy ending, and you know that no matter how many obstacles our characters face they will overcome them.

Overall another spectacular book by the incomparable Eva Devon that I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read. This book, this entire series is a must-read for lovers of this genre.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another entertaining book from Eva Devon.
I had a bit of a hard time connecting with Rose because she seemed a bit ‘modern’ to me, but that’s something that a lot of historical romance writers are doing now. The story is easy to read and I absolutely adore Alexander. He is an amazing character and it was really nice to know him and his motivations for doing all the things he does.
All the characters are well developed and Eva’s pen is impeccable as usual. I enjoyed the witty dialogs a lot and the bit of aghast.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sadly, for me this series seems to lose a bit of entertainment value with each book. Book 1 The Beast and the Bookseller was an exceptionally entertaining story, book 2 The Duke and the Dressmaker was still decent but lost that "something" that made book 1 so good. This latest entry was barely a 4 Star book since it was more like 3.5 and I rounded up. The heroine is unlikeable for a goodly part of the novel, the hero seems to be a bit unable to come up with anything that resembles a plan and plus they both engage in my most hated "I am not good enough" which makes me want to scream it has been used so much. So while I may sound like I detested the book I did not but I was disappointed in comparison to the other books in the series so far. I hope the next release has a bit more thought into the story but I must admit I was glad to see this one did not have pages upon pages of filler sex.

I have been provided with a review copy of The Rake and the Rose from NetGalley for an impartial review. This book was just so easy to get lost in. I completely got lost in the story and I just loved getting to see these new characters come together. I just absolutely love this story and I just didn’t want to put it down. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

A short sweet story of the love between Rose Digby and Alexander, the Earl of Derby. They grew up together as children until the day that Alexander's father threw Rose and her family out of their house due to the despicable actions of her father. As they aged and Alex came into the title, he honored the memories of his friends by ensuring they had the support they needed to be able to establish a decent life for themselves. Alex and Rose's brother, Harry Digby however, made a vow that Alex would stay away from Rose. When Rose and Alex are reunited after years, the feelings and attraction they had for each other reemerges. Alex and Rose decide to work together to help Rose gain research so that she can write an article that she feels will benefit people who are like her and those who have no support from others. Will Alex and Rose be able to walk away from each other after their ruse is over? Will he be able to marry someone from society knowing he does not love her but it is what's expected of him? Another great read by Eva Devon that is quick and easy to read with a HEA.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Entangled and I am voluntarily leaving a review

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5 (4.5/5)
The Rake and the Rose had all the tropes I love from brother's best friend, to he falls first, and a strong female lead. I really enjoyed getting to know both these characters and their interactions with each other and I was quite sad with how short the story was in the sense that I didn't really get to see the main characters while they were actually a couple as I really enjoyed their moments together in the beginning. This is why my rating is a 4.5 as I would've liked them to have more conflict with their surrounding environment to push them together more...maybe I'm just sad I didn't get enough moments with the main characters haha.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy!

Rose Digby values her hard won independence, and makes a living writing pamphlets and articles condemning vices and trying to help those affected. Alexander, the Earl of Derby, uses his riches to help aspiring artists of all types so they can bring beauty to the world. Alex has always loved Rose, but was unable to help her family when his father had them removed from the Derby estate due to her father’s actions. Rose resents Alex for his seeming indifference in the past, and can only see the rake persona he presents to the ton. Emotional story of how the hurts from the past can influence one’s future and one’s outlook on life. Can Rose let go of the pain and resentment she harbors and accept Alex as he is? Can Alex prove his love for Rose and enable her to see his true self?
I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.