Series: Union of the Rakes #1
Author: Eva Leigh
Published January 31st 2020 by Mills & Boon
Goodreads Synopsis
Lady Grace Wyatt is content as a wallflower, focusing on scientific pursuits rather than the complications of society matches. But when a handsome, celebrated naturalist returns from abroad, Grace wishes, for once, to be noticed. Her solution: to create the perfect man, to act as her suitor, and help her catch his eye. Grace’s colleague, anthropologist Sebastian Holloway, is just the blank slate she requires.
To further his own research on English society, Sebastian agrees to let Grace transform him from a bespectacled, bookish academic into a dashing―albeit fake―rake. Between secret lessons on how to be a rogue and exaggerated public flirtations, Grace’s feelings for Sebastian grow from friendship into undeniable, inconvenient, real attraction. If only she hadn’t asked him to help her marry someone else…
Sebastian is in love with brilliant, beautiful Grace, but their bargain is complete, and she desires another. Yet when he’s faced with losing her forever, Sebastian will do whatever it takes to tell her the truth, even if it means risking his own future―and his heart.
Goodreads
Review
Lady Grace Wyatt may the daughter of an Earl, but she's also a wallflower, more at home at the library rather than at a society event, surrounded by more people just like her, studying to be a herpetologist (someone who studies amphibians). She's never really considered who she would marry, but knows that she must, and renowned naturalist, Mason Fredericks, seems perfect for her. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to recognise that she is a woman who could be a partner, other than in the professional sense. While talking with her friend and colleague, Sebastian Holloway, she plots the idea that is she can transform Sebastian into the perfect rake, to show that she is desirable, and could be the one. Sebastian only agrees because he is an anthropologist, and though one of his best friends is the Duke of Rotherby, he's not always been welcome in upper class society. His only problem, he is so anxious around strangers, and has also been in love with Grace since they met, but he's sure he can over come it all. Will Grace be able to convince Mason she's the one, or has the person for her been in front of her the entire time?
Eva Leigh is a favourite author of mine now. I actually read book 2, Would I Lie To The Duke?, before this one, so had met some of the characters before, but I still adored My Fake Rake. Both the main characters had wonderful voices, and it was fantastic to read their individual points of view. For Grace, she was someone who was never really at home in her own skin, with those of her own class, but was so at home in the library with Sebastian. Honestly, she's been half in love with him from the get go, but because of her own feelings around others, and Sebastian's anxiety and nervousness, she never wanted to forfeit their friendship, and lose him forever. Sebastian is the son of a rich and powerful tradesman, but has never wanted to join the family business so have been cut off. He's managing, but the friendship of the other members of the Union of Rakes - a group of five boys who met during detention one day, a la The Breakfast Club - and, of course, of Grace, mean the world. His love for her, and for his scientific endeavours, gave him the strength to overcome his shyness and adopt the roguish persona needed to manoeuvre society. To be honest, I loved basically all of this book, and it was so fantastic to see the scenes of Grace and Sebastian getting closer and closer - especially the dance scenes - and I can't think of a better ending for this story!
Dates Read:
Rating
4 Stars
