The Rake Gets Ravished

The Rake Gets Ravished

The Duke Hunt #2

By Sophie Jordan

★★★★★

🖤🖤🖤🤍🤍

The owner of London’s most popular gaming hell, wealthy and powerful Silas Masters is feared by men and desired by women—except Mercy Kittinger. When the blackguard wins her family home in a game of cards, Mercy steals into Silas’s rooms, intent on destroying the proof. But things don’t go to plan...

She would have her way with him...

Caught in the act, Mercy must be bold to save herself... even if it means seducing the dangerous rogue and then disappearing with the dawn, debt voucher in hand. Safe at home and determined to settle back into her quiet, uneventful life, Mercy burns at the memory of her night spent ravishing the most compelling man she’d ever met. Thank goodness she’ll never see him again!

He didn't see her coming...

No one trifles with Silas Masters. Even if he could forget the dark-haired seductress who undid him, he can’t allow anyone to steal from him. He will hunt down the sultry woman who haunts his dreams and show her just how sweet payback can be.

The Plot

Mercy Kittenger has taken care of her two siblings since their parents died. So when her brother loses their land & home in a London gambling den, she will do anything to get it back…including stealing the papers back! When she is caught by Silas Masters in his office, she decides to seduce him to distract him from her true purpose. After an amazing night together, he pieces the puzzle together and decides to visit her home to confront her. He says he will stay until they are sure she isn’t with child, but working the farm and spending time together, their feelings get deeper!

I thought this plot was quite genius! Mercy and Silas’s paths NEVER would have crossed if she hadn’t had to dig them out of the hole her brother made. Neither were completely content with their lives but weren’t sure what was missing until fate pushed them together. I thought the side plots (her sister’ drama and her brothers lack of concern hid family) were woven in perfectly and helped the characters develop love for each other, not distract from them.

The Heroine

Mercy has a lot of responsibility running the farm, taking care of the house and her wastrel brother and fanciful sister. Until Silas, she didn’t realize how alone she felt or how much she needed a man to take care of her and to help at the farm and raising her siblings.

The Hero

Silas, growing up in the East End, had a hard, troubled childhood, but he made something of himself. He was feeling discontent when Mercy showed up in his room. I was pleased that he wasn’t a ‘rogue’ in the way we usually see; he didn’t have tons of casual liaisons but preferred longer term relationships. He was so sweet to Mercy and helped her around the farm and such without be a dominate male.

The Steam

The opening scene when Mercy, a virgin, skillfully seduces Silas! There is a also a pretty spicy scene at the inn. 

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which pleased me greatly as I really didn't care for the first book in this series. The country setting also made it feel like a truly unique story and it was hard not to cheer for Mercy and Silas!

Tropes

Historical Romance, Country Life, East End London, Gamma Hero, Illegitimate Hero, Spinster Heroine, Working Heroine, Bluestocking Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Aggressive Heroine, Forced Proximity