I can tell that this is an earlier work of James's. It's a good read, but not quite as strong as some of her other stories.I thought the letters at the start of the story were a little excessive. I would also have liked to see a little more during the ending scene when they confess their love for each other.However, I loved the setting and characters. James does witty and sarcastic so well and she's only gotten better with time. Read this in an anthology some time ago - still think of it as EJ as her best. The space constraint keeps the focus tight on the relationship and dynamic between heroine and hero. Yet, EJ still somehow manages to give a whimsical feel to some of it, something that is uniquely her, exasperating to read but also delicious to experience. We don't get to know very much of the hero which is a little bit of a shame, but his smouldering rakish perfection jumps off the page and makes up for that. We get to know a lot more about the heroine, but I'm conflicted about her - I admire her audacity and can't believe her willingness to accept risk, and somehow despite being party to her intimate thoughts, I still felt a bit distant from her. Anyway, quibbles. A great, lush, hot read, rich with detail and intensity. Highly recommended in whatever format you can get your hands on.
What do You think about To Wed A Rake (2005)?
A wicked novella about a cheating rake who gets a comeuppance from his country fiancee.
—Chelly
