Swing by on Wednesday, August 8th for Manda Collins’ Guest Post and a chance to win How to Romance a Rake.

My rating: 4 of 5 flames
***Quick Note:  If you read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, it may spoil something for you. But on the other hand, it will also let you know what happened to Juliet before the characters in the book know. Just an FYI for you guys.***
I found I quite enjoyed this book. Juliet Shelby hasn’t danced at a ball, she’s a self-confirmed Wallflower, and she’s even been dubbed by one of the other debutantes as one of the “Ugly Ducklings.”  The “Ugly Ducklings” include Juliet, and her two cousins. Not one of the girls is ugly, of course, but that doesn’t stop the mean gossips. No one knows what happened, or why she limps, but they have no problem speculating and making rude comments.
At one particularly trying ball, Juliet tries to find a peaceful place to sit down and avoid everyone else, but the Mean Girls Ladies Amelia and Felicia are in there gossiping about her. She overhears all, is completely humiliated, and then Lord Deveril comes to her defense! She was amazed and awed that he, the perfect Lord Deveril, would come to her aid. Then he asks the unthinkable- might he teach her to dance?
Alec has spent his life fixing his family’s reputation-his father had been known as Devil Deveril, and for good reason. One of the things Alec figures he should do is find a bride. He’s been thinking of proposing to Lady Madeline (Juliet’s cousin), yet it’s Juliet who he can’t get off his mind.
After Juliet’s injury, the one thing she used to overcome the horror and trauma was her music. She plays the piano beautifully and even composes her own music (secretly of course). So when she finds out her friend and music teacher Ana has gone missing, Juliet must find out what happened.
Alec is surprisingly protective and supportive of Juliet, and one thing I really enjoyed was their romance. It was sweet, and sexy, and so wonderful. I couldn’t believe how evil Juliet’s mother was, and I was shocked at the twist at the end.  The bad guy was bad all right, but man, her mom was just as bad.  And her father?! He didn’t even know!!! (<---I can’t tell you without a huge spoiler).
But the ending and action were fantastic. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

***ARC courtesy of the author