Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

ISBN: 9780061852053
ISBN10: 0061852058
Imprint: Avon
On Sale: 15/03/2010
Format: Paperback
Pages: 432
Price $10.99
Ages: 18 and Up

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 so 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 . . .

Of all the books I've read, the "historical romance" genre is usually not high on my list. There is a certain stigma attached to the idea, probably stemming from the number of times I mocked my mom for reading "mush". From this day on, I will mock no more! (Ok, I probably will a little though all in fun but I won't hesitate to delve into another ;-)

Nine Rules... has everything it needs to cook up romance: dashing men, innocent ladies (anxious to lose their innocence), conflict, heartache, and no lack of blush-worthy love scenes. It was a blast to explore Callie's list as she marked each item off.  The "Ride Astride" adventure for Callie was particularly fun to read :-o There was one scene that I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for the author's explanation of the situation but I was sadly left hanging....though my own wicked imagination surely did a decent job of making up for it. There are a few activities on Callie's list that I wouldn't mind trying out myself, given the opportunity (firing a pistol, for one).

There were times when I had to laugh at the predictable cheesiness that popped up but overall I very much enjoyed this book. In fact, I devoured it! Several times I had to close the book and fan myself with it....especially as I sat at my desk, reading at work. Not the ideal place for such steamy reading. And now, like a drug-sick addict (though not quite as dire), I anxiously await the second book from Sarah MacLean due out next month, Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord.