Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Photo by Yoonsuh Park on Unsplash
Synopsis:
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen’s club. Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing.
But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile. If she’s not careful, she’ll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love…
Don’t judge a book by its title.
“It’s a shame that women are not able to even try the experiences that men so take for granted.”
I have to admit that even though I read this book and absolutely loved it, I wasn’t planning on writing a review. Why? Because I was embarrassed. I was ashamed to let people know that I read a bodice ripper. I’m a “serious” reader, I’m a feminist, so I couldn’t let people know about my guilty pleasures.
But I kept buying MacLean’s novels, one after the other, and devouring them in quick succession. As the books piled up, I realized that it was stupid to be embarrassed. Just because they’re not “serious literature”—insert British accent here—doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be able to enjoy them. Clearly these books are entertaining; I couldn’t put them down. So why shouldn’t I write about them? We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and I’ve been unemployed for more than a year. So, I’m going to read my damn romance novels and write about them on my website. I’ve gone mad with power!
I digress.
I came across this book a few months ago when I was browsing on Goodreads. A friend of mine had started reading it, and I was intrigued by the title. At the time, I had just finished a several pretty intense books, and while I enjoyed them, I needed a break, so I ordered this book from my library. Given the visceral dislike I had of the Bridgerton series, I figured this would go the same way, but I trust my friend’s taste in books. And this one was unexpectedly amazing.
First off, I loved the character of Callie. I found her to be intensely relatable. Every woman at one point in her life has felt uncomfortable in her own skin, or overlooked and ignored. I love that MacLean not only gives Callie these traits, but also the chutzpah to go out and start living her life on her terms. And I love that Callie decides the way to do that is to compile a list of activities she’s never had the courage to do (I’m all about making lists).
Is it realistic that she disguises herself as a man so she can sneak into a club and try her hand at fencing? No, but I didn’t come here for realism. I came here for a fun, spicy romance, and by George, I got one.
I don’t know a ton about historical romance, but I guess the “shy wallflower meets dashing rake” is a pretty common pairing. In any event, MacLean does a good job subverting this trope. Callie is no mere shrinking violet, she’s a woman on a mission; she’s mad as hell and she isn’t going to take it anymore.
It took me a little longer to warm up to Gabriel, Callie’s love interest. I mean I love sexy hunk o’ man meat as much as the next person, but I wasn’t a huge fan of how possessive he was. However, I did appreciate that Callie called him out on it every single time.
In the end, this book was pretty much all about how Callie got her groove back. Of course it does end with a happily-ever-after with her man (it’s still a romance novel), but it was amazing to see her transform from stifled wallflower to confident adventurer. And the chemistry between the two was off-the-charts.
This was everything I wanted the Bridgerton books to be, so if you enjoyed the Netflix series, I highly recommend you pick up this book instead. And then everything else that Sarah MacLean has ever written.
“I’ve spent twenty-eight years doing what everyone around me expected me to do…being what everyone around me has expected me to be. And it’s horrid to be someone else’s vision of yourself.”
This is an open-door romance, meaning the sex scenes are explicit.