Review - A Rake's Guide to Pleasure

Title: A Rake's Guide to Pleasure
Author: Victoria Dahl
Publishing Date: 2008
Genre: Historical
Rating: B
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a free copy at last year's RT Book Convention.

Emma Jensen takes her leave of the country to head to London. She makes the acquaintance of an old family friend by portraying herself as a young eccentric widow who enjoys gambling. In reality, Emma desperately needs the money to live on so she can live independently from an ardent suitor from her past. In London she catches the eye of Somerhart, a Duke who has the reputation of quite the womanizer. In truth though, Somerhart is anything but a rake. He was once spurned very publicly by his lady love and has been extremely cautious of women since.

I found A Rake's Guide to Pleasure to be a pleasant read. I found both Emma and Somerhart likable characters. Emma can be impulsive and reckless at times, but her overall disposition is a sweet and caring woman. Somerhart is a confident man on the outside, but inside he feels less than worthy. By the end of the story he comes into his own, though. I liked that even though things were rough between him and Emma at the end. He doesn't give up and goes after the girl. Overall, I found this book to be an entertaining read, a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.