Bronwyn Scott has gone to the top of my auto-buy list thanks to this book! The stakes were high, the romance was swoony, and I felt every emotion bleed off the page. Truly excellent historical romance!

He's old enough to be her father...

Caine is jaded, a rake a non-titled, non-heir, spy. He's 38 and likes his women spicy. like the opera singer he's diddling. Lady Mary is twenty, half his age and clever and poised for one so young. Caine is old enough to be her father. I really did not like that he was a rake. Ew. Gross. The ton was rampant with STD's. I really liked Lady Mary, who inadvertently courts trouble with Caine's interest. Add in Caine has one year to wed after he is granted a title (Marquess is unlikely for spying, it should have been lower, like baron).

Lady Mary Kimber is coming upon her third season due to the high expectations set by her desperate father, who wants nothing short of a Duke for a son in law. After being left on the dance floor by the infamous rake, Caine Parkhurst, she becomes the talk of the town, and her parents decide to wed her to a villain. Caine, a newly made marquess, must marry within the year to secure his title, something for which he has little care. Caine’s thoughts are preoccupied by his missing brother and the political scandal he must decipher as a secret spy for the crown. When his mind and heart discover Mary’s dynamism and depth, he becomes a changed man and a rake no longer.

This book is short but meaningful and addicting. I became thoroughly involved in Mary and Caine’s dimensional love story. To be totally honest, I am not a big fan of spy subplots, and even though these sections were not my favorite parts of the book, I found this text to be a true escape despite my hesitation to spies.

The strength of this book is in the chemistry and in the two main characters’ relationship. I cherished their intimate conversations, and I love the way that Scott showed them both to be far more than what meets the eye. This book also contains some classic romance tropes that are a true delight, such as intimacy lessons, steamy carriage scenes, “touch her and die,” and the classic rake who becomes a wife loyalist. If you are looking for a quick romance that gives you the best of that “old school romance” feeling, this is a perfect choice for you.

This was my first book by Bronwyn Scott, but it will not be my last. I am excited to explore her substantial catalog!

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Many thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity! As always, these are my opinions alone.

How to Court a Rake by Bronwyn Scott, book one in the Wed Within a Year series, is a wonderful, emotional, heartwarming romance with a bit of espionage and a mystery. This series follows the Parkhurst brothers, who work for their grandfather as Crown operatives, known as the Four Horsemen working in the shadows to keep their country safe. These men are seen by the ton as rakes; well known for their outlandish behavior. After successful missions, the King bestowed titles on the brothers, with a stipulation that the titles would only become heredity if they marry within a year. Caine is reluctant to marry, ; believing his work for the Crown makes it dangerous to have a family. Lady Mary Kimber tries hard to be the daughter her parents want and marry well. Having been passed over by two dukes who chose to marry others, she is on track to becoming a wallflower.

Caine and Mary meet at a ball where he becomes intrigued with her and impressed with her intelligence and wit. When duty calls, he leaves her in the middle of a dance; giving her reputation another blow. Caine feels guilty about the fallout and decides paying attention to her will stir up interest and possibly draw the attention of a more suitable husband. Making matters worse, Mary's father is a person of interest in Caine's latest investigation. Courting her will give him opportunities for his investigation.

Mary is being forced by her father to marry a cruel man, but things become complicated when Caine discovers a connection between this man and his investigation. When Mary meets the man her father wants her to marry, her instincts tell her she's in trouble. Things become worse when Mary stands up for herself, with Caine's support, against her father's plan. Proposing a fake courtship, their charade leads to unexpected feelings and the possibility of a forever love.

The story has two epilogues: The first tells a bit about Caine and Mary's future and leads into the next book; Kieran's story. The second epilogue suggests a possible explanation as to what happened to Stepan, the fourth Horseman and missing brother. I can't wait for them.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #Harlequin #HowToCourtARake

This looks like a fun series. Book One is a great setup with a wild adventure with intrigue and sadness for the Four Horsemen. Then you add in Mary who is a dutiful and proper daughter. I like how she struggles with being the good girl, given how her father treats her. Caine is dreamy! He's A rake with moral fiber. There story is filled with wit and emotional depth. This was a joy to read!

Caine Parkhurst is the eldest of 4 sons known as the Four Horseman who are known in society as rakes in an effort to distract from the investigative work they provide to the British government. Caine meets Lady Mary Kimber at a ton event and after he leaves her on the ballroom floor in the middle of a dance, she becomes fodder for gossip in the newspapers. When they meet again, Caine asks Mary for another dance in an attempt to repair the damage he caused to her reputation. The couple share conversation and a kiss while they are alone in the library they entered to avoid be seen together while walking in the garden. In the process of investigating matters for the crown, Caine suspects Mary’s father and the Duke he wants as a prospective spouse for Mary, to be guilty of committing crimes which may have lead to the death/disappearance of one of his brothers. To Court a Rake is a fast paced, well written romance with elements of intrigue and mystery. Bronwyn Scott is a new author for me and I am looking forward to reading more of her stories.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily writing a review.

LOVED, LOVED How to Court a Rake!. This was a new author read for me and I was hooked. the hero had all feels and a no BS attitude which only encouraged the heroine and brought out the best of her. There may have been a spot of trouble along the way to their HEA, but it was a page turner to the end. Free ARC for honest review from NetGalley.

Newly titled marquess Caine must marry within a year—a task complicated by his reluctance to involve a wife in his secret career as a spy. Lady Mary, desperate to avoid an arranged marriage, proposes a fake courtship—but their charade leads to unexpected feelings.

This book is fun overall but has some darker elements. Caine and Mary have strong chemistry. I enjoyed their relationship.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Terrific start to the new series. Caine and his brothers are known to Society as the Four Horsemen. They are rakes, well known for their outlandish behavior. Society doesn't know that these men are Crown operatives working in the shadows to keep their country safe. The King awards the men with titles, but they must marry within a year if they want to keep those titles.

Lady Mary tries hard to be the daughter her parents want and marry well. However, having been passed over by two dukes who chose to marry others, she is on track to becoming a wallflower. If she doesn't find a husband soon, her father will find one for her.

Caine and Mary meet at a ball where she impresses him with her intelligence and wit. However, when duty calls, and he leaves her in the middle of a dance, her reputation takes another hit. Caine feels guilty about the fallout and decides paying attention to her will stir up interest and maybe draw the attention of a more suitable husband. Complicating matters, Mary's father is a person of interest in Caine's latest investigation, and courting her will give him opportunities for his investigation.

I enjoyed seeing Caine and Mary's relationship develop. Caine doesn't plan to marry - he feels his work for the Crown makes it dangerous to have a family. However, Mary gets under his skin in ways he didn't expect. Caine has a rakish reputation, but underneath, he is an honorable man. I loved Caine's protectiveness as he got to know Mary. The opera scene was fantastic.

Caine intrigued Mary from the moment she met him. She didn't expect to trust him as quickly as she did, especially after he left her on the dance floor. I liked how they conspired to help each other. Caine will pretend to court her, while her presence will help protect him from matchmaking mamas. I loved seeing them get to know each other. It's evident that they are developing feelings for each other along with their growing attraction. When Mary meets the man her father wants her to marry, her instincts tell her she's in trouble.

Matters get complicated when Caine discovers a connection between Mary's suitor and his investigation. The action intensifies as Mary stands up for herself, with Caine's support, against her father's plan. But has Mary jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire when she learns the truth about Caine? The ending was a nail-biter, with Mary in danger. The final confrontation was intense, with some questions answered but others left open. I loved seeing Caine finally admit his feelings.

The story has two epilogues. The first shows what is in store for Caine and Mary's future and leads into the next book. This is Kieran's story, and continues the search for answers. The second epilogue may explain what happened to Stepan, the fourth brother and Horseman. I can't wait to read it.

This is one delicious story that is so very hard to put down! Mary is a woman trying hard to be obedient to her parents and marry well. Unfortunately she has been rejected by two Dukes in favor of others. Caine is a “Rake” but is also working for the Crown, unbeknownst to the ton, who vilify him. It was interesting to watch how Mary come into her own, fighting her father’s wish to marry a cruel duke by going to a Rake! I have to say with a father like hers, it would have done what she did as well! And her mother ought to have been ashamed! I loved Caine’s protectiveness and watching him squirm under his own “selfless” tendencies, only to realize maybe they weren’t so selfless after all. This author does a wonderful job of pushing all your emotional buttons: pain, loss, fear, anger, and , of course, love. I especially loved NO crass language and the spicy sex scenes were done so very well as to not feel uncomfortable reading them. I believe this is the first story I have read of hers(other than in anthologies) and it will NOT be the last. Wonderfully well plotted, no dragging, chemistry between characters very believable and swoon worthy! I really enjoyed this! I received this story for free and these are my own views

As the grandson of the Earl of Sandmore, Caine Parkhurst and three brothers work for their grandfather as operatives known as the Four Horsemen. But the ton see them as rakes – a cover the brothers are happy to cultivate. Caine meets Lady Mary Kimber, the daughter of the Earl of Carys, while attending a ball, seeking information about a traitor. Normally, he would avoid an “innocent” like the plague, but she intrigues him, so much so he asks her to dance and then ends up humiliating her by leaving in the middle of the dance. His reason for leaving was not voluntarily, his grandfather ordered the brothers to go to Wapping to catch a traitor set on sabotaging a ship sailing to Greece. During this mission his younger brother Stepan goes missing and leads directly to Caine being bestowed the title of Marquess of Barrow and lesser titles for his brothers. Titles that will only become hereditary if they marry within a year, a condition Caine has no intention of honoring. Caine is heartbroken over the loss of Stepan, but he isn’t ready to believe he is dead and there is still a traitor to find. This brings him back to Lady Mary, as her father may be assisting the traitor. He never expected to like her so much and when she suggests he court her to stall her father’s plans to marry her off, he is more than happy to comply. But he never planned on falling in love and knows that she will probably hate him once she realizes his reason for seeking her out. A HEA seems unlikely, but one never knows when love is involved.

After years of being a dutiful daughter and a perfect debutante, yet still being passed over by two dukes, her parents have decided that enough is enough and have told Mary that if she doesn’t find an acceptable husband this season, they will arrange a marriage for her. When her path crosses with Caine something inside her rebels and she allows herself to be bold, but it backfires when he leaves her on the dancefloor, damaging her already fragile reputation. But when he calls on her the next day to make amends, she never imagined that her live was about to change and her heart will never be the same.

This was the start to a new series and if this book is anything to go by, I am all in! I enjoyed this book so much, it has wonderful characters, a bit of espionage, a mystery, some steamyish love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, a bit of action, a really nasty villain, heartache, a hard-won HEA and not one by TWO epilogues. I am looking forward to the next book and would happily recommend this book to my fellow HR lovers!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

I enjoyed this historical romance. It was my first read from this author. I could tell there were some characters who (I bet) appear in past or future books, but nothing impeded my ability to enjoy this story on its own. I liked the blend of intrigue/suspense elements with the romance. And I always love the combination of a prim and proper heroine with a rakish hero. There were some surprisingly dark elements (2x attempted SA of the FMC) which I wasn't necessarily expecting, so just noting in case that is helpful to other readers . I really enjoyed the romance and would recommend this to other fans of the genre!

I had such a great time reading this. While the beginning 20% was slower to start, and contained many references to events from previous books, it was helpful to have this context in order to better understand the character motivations and development. From the 20% mark on,, the pacing picked up and I was fully invested in the story. I love a romance with stakes and tension and this one both in perfect dosages! The political plot line helps to drive these characters together, even if it comes to a head when the secrets are revealed.

Lady Mary Kimber and Caine Parkhurst are great characters, fully developed and nuanced, with wonderful chemistry and delicious banter. Lady Mary's reputation has been singed by two broken engagements, and her current season is not going as planned. Caine initially perceives her as aloof and commonplace, but quickly realizes that he has seriously underestimated her intelligence and wit after the pair trade ballroom barbs. The unifying theme in To Court a Rake centers around agency and freedom. What choice is the right one for Lady Mary? Will she be forced into marriage with a dangerous duke in order to satisfy her father's debts? Is Caine's offer of protection and marriage done out of obligation or from a place of love and care? Who is the safer choice: the mysterious duke who issues thinly veiled threats, or the undercover agent of the Crown with a rakish reputation? What does Caine put at risk by marrying? Is it just his heart or will the unseen threat of his enemies never disappear? What is worth risking for love?

Great pacing, great character development, engaging story, and high stakes. All the things I love in a romance. Minor complaint is that the final chapter goes by a touch too quickly (and glosses over that *ahem" dead body). I absolutely devoured this. And I am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series. THAT EPILOGUE.

Incredible. I could not put it down. I was swept away with the mystery and Mary and Caine’s love story! It didn’t not feel rushed or angsty! It was a wonderfully written regency romance! 10/10 would recommend if you love historical romances!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bronwyn Scott, and Harlequin publishing for the chance to read this ARC!

Falling for the daughter while investigating the father. Forced into marriage.

A solid series starter following four brothers and showcases romance and intrigue. The writing was a little modern for the aimed for time, but I still found this an enjoyable read and look forward to reading the next titles in the series.



Thank you to Harlequin Historical and NetGalley for the DRC

Rake and spy Caine must marry within the year. Mary is being forced by her father to marry a cruel man. While investigating her father, Caine discovers how attracted he is to his daughter. What are they willing to do about their mutual attraction? I look forward to reading the next book in this series about four brothers. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin Historical for my honest review.

This book was a solid 3. The characters were quite nicely developed, but the premise and language was quite modern. There was plenty of romance, intrigue and thrilling elements.

#netgalley # HowtoCourtaRake