The Rake and the Reformer

Reginald Davenport is the exact opposite of the typical romance hero: villain of a previous book in the series, he's an alcoholic, a gambler and a rake who is offered one last chance to atone for his past mistakes when he retires to Strickland. The first surprise awaiting him there is that the skilful manager of his new estate is a woman, Alys Weston, strangely beautiful and very competent.Alys is afraid to lose her position as Strickland's manager when the new master settles on the estate, seemingly for good. But Reggie, although intrigued by this woman who dresses in pantaloons and supervises the estate in a masterful way, doesn't dismiss her, and he quickly treats her as his equal. It's not just her managerial skills that fascinate Reggie, but also her uncommon beauty. She's taller than the average woman and her eyes don't match, but what she sees as flaws makes her even more beautiful in the eyes of her new master.The unusual relationship that develops between them keeps the reader enthralled from start to finish. If Reggie's reputation as a rake followed him to Strickland, Alys doesn't let it destabilise her. She fears for her wards at first, especially the lovely and innocent Meredith, but Reggie is quick to reassure her that he has no interest in the young woman. Indeed, his fantasies are set on Alys herself.One aspect of the book that was particularly interesting is Reggie's fight against his addiction to alcohol. There are several powerful scenes that show how far alcohol can lead, and without any voyeurism or overboard drama, Mary Jo Putney draws her hero's journey through this delicate part of his life, as well as Alys' influence on his behaviour.Alys' character is as complicated as her male counterpart's. She hides a background and a life that Reggie doesn't suspect, but can her secrets compromise the future of any relationship that might settle between them?Once again, Mary Jo Putney draws three-dimensional characters whose attitude takes root in their tumultuous past. The world she pictures in her novels is never black and white, and The Rake is no exception to her outstanding writing-style.

The other review I wrote of this book got mangled almost beyond recognition, so I'm going to post a better one.I only discovered Mary Jo Putney earlier this year, and bought a few of her earlier books to get me started. Since I noticed that The Rake is a sequel to The Diabolical Baron, I read the latter first; found it enjoyable but nothing wildly out of the ordinary. I was thus not expecting too much when I realised that the villain of 'Baron' was the hero of The Rake. But I realised very quickly that I underestimated Putney.She doesn't try to force anyone to like Reggie; it's clear from the outset that he is a drunk and a gambler, and that he doesn't see anything wrong in sponging off his cousin, the Earl. But we also learn fairly early on that his behaviour has been shaped by circumstances. Put into the *right* circumstances, he begins to mend his ways.Alys is a wonderful heroine, and her first meeting with Reggie is a terrific read. She knows he wants her - and, of course, her very unorthodox position as his farm manager, dressing in trousers most of the time, won't give him any illusions about her virtue. But she insists that she's not that kind of woman... and gradually, they become friends.Reggie is an alcoholic, as becomes clear, and Putney pulls no punches as to its effect on his behaviour. Like some of her other books, this one contains harrowing scenes. And yet these are enlivened by flashes of humour; Reggie, when he's sober, is a delightful and witty person.I just loved this book from start to finish. And now that I've written about it, I want to go and read it again!

You know what they say, "Reformed rakes make the best of husbands." Reggie makes a great rake, but even better is his struggle to reform. The way the author writes this book adds realism and credibility. While most romance books prefer to not broach serious topics like alchoholism (usually they get a bit dark and depressing), Ms. Putney does an excellent job at entwining it with the romance. I liked this book very much. The heroine isn't bad, but the hero is delightfully complex, and just this side of delectable. The whole book was utterly realistic until the end, which I thought was a bit stretching reality, but that's really the most I can find to complain about. This book was absoloutly wonderful. I'd recommend this to someone that wants a romance with realistic characters and a good plot. This author's writing is very good.