A Rake's Guide to Pleasure

- Victoria Dahl -

I think my new favorite things about Victoria Dahl's historicals is that she finds a way to put the protagonists on a level playing field. Despite the disparity between the genders during this time period and despite the socioeconomic inequalities, Emma and Hart are drawn to each other both in spite of and because of their fears and insecurities. Emma fears being discovered before she can make the money she needs to survive. Hart fears being made a fool of again. They both fear the lack of control that their fierce attraction to each other results in and this above all else comes the closest to bringing them to equal footing with each other.

My other favorite new thing about Victoria Dahl's books is the way she writes angsty, tortured men like nobody's business. Turns out I am a total sucker for the type, and she does an excellent job creating men who for one reason or another feel they have to deny themselves something - in Hart's case, excessive passion and emotion in order to avoid another humiliation.

Hart was really the yummiest hero. I was a fan after meeting him in his sister's book, and now even more so :)