This HaBO request is from Katie Lynn, who is looking for a historical romance read on her Kindle:
I am looking for a historical novel, set in England.
The hero is known as a rake, but in actuality he is pretending to ruin women to help them get out of arranged marriages. I think this was a point of contention between the hero and the heroine, as the heroine believes the hero’s rakish behavior until she finds out the truth.
I am pretty sure that it is part of a series, but not the first book (possibly several books into the series.)
I’m rather positive the Bitchery knows this one.
This sounds like it could be Sarah MacLean’s “The Rogue Not Taken”
http://www.sarahmaclean.net/book-list#/the-rogue-not-taken/
Damn. I’m finally here in time to get a HaBO right, I know I’ve read this (but I think I skimmed through it), but I’m drawing a blank. But it won’t be difficult for someone else, because I know it’s only about a year old, year-and-a-half, max.
Damn.
Adele, you’ve got it – good job! I can’t believe it’s already 2 years old (12/15 pub date).
Now, off to sit around impatiently and wait for the 2pm HaBO…
I came to say this sounds like The Rogue Not Taken, too!
Yay! So glad I could help!
I’m not sure it’s that yet, guys. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I still have to read an excerpt or something to see if it’s correct.
Unfortunately the excerpt isn’t actual writing, just the contents (really, Avon?!) and as the book is $7 I don’t want to buy it without being sure. A scene I recall is the hero climbing out a window after one of his escapades, to escape the angry fiancé. The description from TRNT of them on a carriage ride doesn’t match up to my memory, but I could be wrong (or maybe they make a bigger deal of it in the description than it actually was)
Yep. It’s The Rogue Not Taken. It was on sale recently so I picked it up. The hero has sworn never to marry, because daddy issues, and ruins arranged marriages so the women can marry for love. The H/h meet when he is climbing out of a window while running from an enraged fiancee.
Thanks, Adele and jws, it sounds like you found it! I must have gotten it from the library, because I know I’ve read the first three from that series but don’t own them. Now to stalk it and wait for a sale!
@Katie Lynn: Have you tried looking through the Google Books preview? That always helps me!
Thanks Amanda, there actually was a chapter of the book I could read, but sadly didn’t have any scenes with the hero in it.
Hmm… I can’t say that I’ve ever read Sarah McLean, but I know I’ve read a book with the same sort of plot line as well! I haven’t read historicals in a couple years, but I ran through my favorite authors and didn’t see anything that would grab me.
I’ll ponder this some more!
@Katie Lynn – your description matches The Rogue Not Taken, but the carriage ride is definitely a big part of the book. I would describe it as an “on the road” romance. The “ruining women” aspect is mostly present in the way it colors the heroine’s perception of the hero.