Led Astray by a Rake (Husband Hunters Club, Book 1)

by Sara Bennett

Book Overview

The hunt is on for the perfect husband . . . Beneath Livy Monteith's icy blonde exterior beats a passionate heart, a heart that will not abide by society's rules. No, Livy will simply not marry the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061336912
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: Avon
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Led Astray by a Rake

Olivia Monteith may appear to be an icy blond but in reality she is a fiery woman who does not want to follow the path her parents want her to. She refuses to marry the man her parents have chosen for her, though no one will listen to her. She has set her cap on the one man everyone disdains, Lord Dominic Lacey "Wicked Nic" has been the man in her heart ever since the tragedy that befell her family, and he acted as her friend. But, even her friends in Miss Debenham's Finishing School that make up the Husband Hinters Club are stunned by her choice. The problem may come when the unmovable force of Olivia meets the stubborn Wicked Nic. Will she get what she wants in the end? And if she does, might there be consequences that she never dreamed of? Nic is going to do everything he can to keep Olivia away from him. Whether his heart is in it or not, he is determined to keep her from being ruined. He doesn't count on just how stubborn, and desirable, she has become though. Led Astray By A Rake was another strong story from Sara Bennett and an intriguing start at a new trilogy. Ms. Bennett does not write the normal historical, all of her stories have at least a few twists and turns, making them more enjoyable. Led Astray By A Rake is no different and kept my attention throughout the story. I look forward to reading the escapades of the rest of the Husband Hunters Club. If you enjoy historical romances by the likes of Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas than you will like Sara Bennett and you need to pick up Led Astray By A Rake. Tanya Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Led Astray by a Rake by Sara Bennett

"Led Astray by a Rake" is a delightfully sinful historical by Sara Bennett. It has luscious sex, family secrets, and a hero that's both tortured and gallant at the same time. Livy is an icy blonde who burns to be a little bad. Watching her friends fall in love and marry happily has made her determined to get the man she wants...Wicked Nic. Nic knows Livy is absolutely the last woman he could consider marrying, but spending time with her brings him a measure of peace at the same time her beauty seduces his sensual soul. When he inadvertently 'ruins' her, he finds himself surprised to realize the thought of marrying her is not distasteful at all...quite the opposite in fact. I didn't guess the family secret until the author revealed it even though, looking back, there were plenty of clues. That's always so much fun. The pull between these two is absolutely electric and there's even a secondary romance between the upper staff that adds to the plot and its denouement. "Led Astray by a Rake" is a lush historical with a bit of mystery, a bit of wickedness, and more than one subplot. Quite a fun way to spend the afternoon!

Good Start to the Husband Hunter's Club

Right away I enjoyed the premise of Led Astray by a Rake; four debutantes fresh from finishing school are going to take the fine art of marriage and courtship into their own hands. They organize a husband Hunting Club formed solely so they may chose their husband, instead of their parents choosing one for them. Livy knows who she wants to marry, in fact she has known since she was ten. Lord Dominic Lacey is the man for her despite his reputation as Wicked Nic. She proposes to him within the first few chapters, her rehearsed speech is both sweet and logical and she absolutely stuns Nic. Nic is not searching for a bride. He enjoys his carefree ways and even though he and Livy have known each other for years and have been friends he recognizes that she is essentially an innocent, and too good for the likes of him. Livy is not to be dissuaded though and she is quick to rethink her strategy when her antics do not have the desired results. She has help from an unexpected source but is also hindered from her goal by her very overprotective parents. Livy's parents have lost a daughter already and they are worried about Livy leaving them too. Therefore, they have the perfect husband picked out for Livy, a respectable, boring but condescending fellow in the village. Livy has some set backs on her campaign to win Nic but she also scores some great victories too. She is a wonderful strategist and tactician. Nic barely stands a chance against her because he is truly torn between his desire to be with Livy and his equal longing to protect her from his sordid reputation and secrets too. This novel was fresh and romantic. Livy is sweet but with enough zest to keep the reader from being bored. She is really the star of this novel. Nic is interesting but he could have been a bit more on the wicked side. He is almost tame with Livy. Still this is an entertaining novel and I eagerly await the stories of Livy's other friends as they go on their husband hunt.

terrific early Victorian romance

In 1837 recent Miss Debenham's Finishing School graduate Miss Lucille Monteith knows she must marry a respectable suitor, but the only man she desires is the unacceptable Lord Dominic "Wicked Nic" Lacey, who proposed to her when she was ten. Olivia swears the scandalous Wicked Nic hides his caring soul from the world, but admits to herself that she may be biased by her feelings and her childhood memories of a kindhearted friend. Dominic conceals a horrific secret that if revealed would destroy him because his Livy would hate him; thus he avoids her as the Wicked Nic. Still as servants matchmake the pair in that subtle manipulation those under the stairs can do, they fall in love, but each risks their respective heart, she her family's wrath if he stays true to form and he his soul if he reveals what he knows and must tell her. The first Husband Hunters Club is a terrific early Victorian romance starring a wonderful young lady and a male rake with incredible layers of depth that only his beloved and his caring servant seem to see underneath his façade. In many ways on surface the lead couple steps out of the nineteenth century romance prototype, but deep Dominic with his secret provides the freshness to a strong opening act. Fans will not be led astray by an author with Sara Bennett's talent that shines through in this fine historical. Harriet Klausner