Romancing the Rake

By: Nichole Van

Narrated by: Rosie Akerman

Lady Sophronia Sorrow considers herself an unlikely heroine. Why, just her name alone proves this. Sophronia Sorrow sounds like a girl from a Gothic penny novel - the foolish miss who falls prey to a rake and becomes an object lesson for the true heroine to avoid. No, despite her mawkish name, Sophie refuses to spend her life invisible and unwanted, relegated to the margin of the text. Despite her eccentric, bluestocking ways, there must be a place where she is wanted. If only she could uncover the identity of her natural father, perhaps she would belong there?

But one thing Sophie knows for sure - unlike that foolhardy miss in a novel, she will not succumb to a rake. No matter how thoroughly the rakish Lord Rafe Gilbert may tempt her.

Lord Rafe Gilbert longs for freedom - freedom from his controlling father, freedom to live his life as he chooses. He knows playing the rake keeps his autocratic father in check, but Rafe longs to determine his own destiny. Case in point, he fell in love with Lady Sophie years ago, but his father’s threats and his mother’s health prevent him from pursuing Lady Sophie in earnest. So when Fate thrusts Sophie into his path, Rafe knows he must turn her away and distance himself. But doing the right thing has never been so impossibly difficult.

Sophie and Rafe soon find themselves on a journey together from London to a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Along the way, can two kindred souls heal from past hurts and seize a second chance to write a love story of their own?

©2020 Nichole Van (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Good story needs better narration

I wanted to read Rafe’s story after reading the Thistle Muir series by this author, but did not like the Scottish accent for Lord Rafe’s lines. Couldn’t follow the conversation in some places. Needs the other narrator to redo this story. Other than this pesky issue, story was good, as like the others from Nicole Van.

great storyline!

love this storyline. this is book 2 and it's a nice love story thats not a sex in a week book. really like the mystery too and how it ties into book 1.cant wait to hear book 3

Lovely Storytelling

I loved everything about this book and the voice artist. Forbidden love, mystery, danger, biology. What's not to love?

Kisses only historical romance

Listened to this for the 3rd time. Loved it even more this time than the first. Sophie and Rafe are perfection!


It is hard for me to convey how much I am loving this series.

This is the second in the Brotherhood of the Black Tartan. It could be read as a standalone book, since the parts that pertain to the first book are restated in this one. I recommend reading them in order though. The stories are so good.

This one starts off in such a humorous way! I love an intelligent male lead, but when you add an intelligent female lead also, I'm done! This was so witty! I loved Sophie and Rafe's intellectual conversations as well as the chemistry and romance of the story. There are twists and turns in their relationship as well as in the ongoing thread that connects the books and brotherhood. I'm so glad I am finally listening to these!

This is told in dual person third person point of view. There is a single audiobook narrator. She does a fabulous job on this book as she did in the previous one.

As I listened, I can not be sure if there were author's notes included in the ebook/print copy. I know other books by Nichole Van contain those but sadly aren't available when listening.

Excellent Story and Narration

The narration is wonderful as is the story itself. The only mishap is with the recording. Through the audio there are about a dozen instances when the text is repeated much like a skipping record. I though at first I had mistakenly swiped at the screen but it happened again and again so I tested it and it was in fact how the finished recording is. It doesn’t take away from the study or narration. It’s just an FYI to the listener .