Cold-Hearted Rake

De: Lisa Kleypas

Narrado por: Mary Jane Wells

Lisa Kleypas is back with a stunning new historical romance!

Readers have long waited for the return of New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas to historical romance—and now she's back with her most breathtaking yet.

A twist of fate . . .

Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities . . . and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house . . . along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.

A clash of wills . . .

Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny—and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains:

Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she's ever known?

Fun, heartwarming and brilliantly narrated by MJW!

If you could sum up Cold-Hearted Rake in three words, what would they be?

Fun, Heartwarming, complex

What was one of the most memorable moments of Cold-Hearted Rake?

There are just too many memorable moments in this story, from the initial meeting of the two, their slow-burning attraction, but the time he told her he loves her and was giving her time to accept that love and would be faithful to her from that moment on, that was such a memorable speech and moment.

Which scene was your favorite?

This one:
“Time is what I'm giving you," he said, staring down at her. His hand curved beneath her chin, compelling her to look at him. "There's only one way for me to prove that I will love you and be faithful to you for the rest of my life. And that's by loving you and being faithful to you for the rest of my life. Even if you don't want me. Even if you choose not to be with me. I'm giving you all the time I have left. I vow to you that from this moment on, I will never touch another woman, or give my heart to anyone but you. If I have to wait sixty years, not a minute will have been wasted- because I'll have spent all of them loving you.”

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Devon holding Kathleen as she cries for the first time was heart wrenching.

Any additional comments?

I adored the narration! From now on, I'm on a lookout for Mary Jane Wells's narration :)

I Thoroughly Enjoy Her Humour

This may not have been the strongest storyline ever, but I love her humour and her writing. .

West's social comment about workers gave me the chillls:
“I’ve heard that hat making drives people mad,” Pandora remarked. “Which I don’t understand, because it doesn’t seem tedious enough to do that.”
“It isn’t the job that drives them mad,” West said. “It’s the mercury solution they use to smooth the felt. After repeated exposure, it addles the brain. Hence the term ‘mad as a hatter.’ ”
“Then why is it used, if it is harmful to the workers?” Pandora asked.
“Because there are always more workers,” West said cynically.

The narration was wonderful.
I've already pre-ordered the next book in the series, Marrying Winterbourne.

Still the best historical romance writer out there

Where does Cold-Hearted Rake rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 50--around 39 or 40

Who was your favorite character and why?

Devon or his brother...maybe the twin with issues.

What about Mary Jane Wells’s performance did you like?

Everything--good different voices, not overdone

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Book's not that good, but...Mourning in Hampshire.

Any additional comments?

I have read a bizillion historical romances. Lisa K hits all the highlights of the genre. 1. She always has great historical details and explains what is going on in the era. 2. Her humor is really clever. 3. hot romance. Other elements are a plus such as great camaraderie and deep insights into the human condition, but I can do without them if the above 3 are in place. This was a decent story that satisfied my basic needs in a romance novel. I haven't quite finished it; I figure it is the first of a new series.

Yes!

One of the reasons I love historical romance is that the story and characters are fully developed. The steamy scenes add to the story rather than become the entire plot of the book. Well done, Lisa!

Great

If you could sum up Cold-Hearted Rake in three words, what would they be?

The story was fluid, it really had a growth and arc for the characters. It started in one place and ended in on a completely different place. It was a fantastic ride.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how the main characters were so flawed. Some flaws they knew about and claimed, and others they had no idea about and the reader was only privy to through the interactions with secondary characters.

What about Mary Jane Wells’s performance did you like?

Her voice was magical.