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The Rake (Davenport Family #2)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 2,470 ratings · 142 reviews

The story was first published as a Signet Super Regency under the title THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER. With minor revisions, it was published as a Signet historical romance in 1998.

The Rake

It was predicted that Reginald Davenport, disinherited and disgraced, would come to a violent end. But fate has given him one final chance to redeem himself, by taking his place as the righ...more

Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Published April 1st 1998 by Topaz (first published September 5th 1989)

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Dec 04, 2009 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: angsty-read, bad-boy-rake-or-rogue, bbw-heroine, beauty-is-in-the-eye, career-woman, fallen-from-grace, favorites, flawed-hero, flawed-heroine, historical-romance, owned-copy, regency, addiction, aar-top-100-romance

Another example of how romantic fiction is not fluff. This book was deep as the ocean. I loved how this book brought together two people who had been hurt or damaged by life, and helped them to find peace and love.

The Rake is an excellent portrayal of a person suffering from alcoholism. And coming from a family where both side has members who were alcoholics, I can testify to this. Reggie reminded me of a few of my uncles. They could have been better men had they not been under the influence of...more

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May 21, 2013 Buggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hist-rom, addicted, delightfully-roguish, regency, shelf-13

Based on all the glowing reviews and accolades that THE RAKE received I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this regency romance. And I guess because I’d heard so many good things I was a little surprised at well, frankly how dull this was. Even with Putney’s great writing, attention to detail and a reprobate bad boy as our hero this was a bit of a grind to get through.

My main issue was the tedious and repetitive descriptions of the day to day activities taking place at the estat...more Based on all the glowing reviews and accolades that THE RAKE received I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this regency romance. And I guess because I’d heard so many good things I was a little surprised at well, frankly how dull this was. Even with Putney’s great writing, attention to detail and a reprobate bad boy as our hero this was a bit of a grind to get through.

My main issue was the tedious and repetitive descriptions of the day to day activities taking place at the estate. Sure I appreciate the research that must have gone into the time period and it was interesting to a degree but it was also too much. I kept waiting for something, anything to happen but it was just endless talk and dinners and details of farm life. The steam factor was also very low and even at the end I still felt like Reggie and Alys were more friends than lovers and don’t even get me started on the “letting you go because you’re too good for me” trope.

This really should have been titled “The Alcoholic” because Reggie is a very successful one, as a rake however he fails. We are told (continuously) about his rakish behaviour but he doesn’t often exhibit any. He’s basically just a drunk who makes questionable decisions while drunk. All his other choices are ethical and kinda heroic. He just allows people to think the worst of him, adding to his disgraced reputation which for whatever reason he seems to covet.

I will say though that it was refreshing to have an alcoholic as the leading man and I found the sections where he’s craving a drink and bargaining with himself (just one, I can stop any time) very well done. It does get a little preachy but Bill W would be proud.

Ayls Weston is running from her past, masquerading as a man in order to maintain her position as the (successful) estate manager of Strickland manor. All that’s about to change however when Reginald Davenport comes home, taking his place as the rightful master of his family estate. After extensive (see tedious) exploration of the grounds, Reggie decides to keep Alys on as steward and over time the pair realize they have much in common. Reggie is also on the run, trying to escape several decades’ worth of drink and debauchery in London which as of late has been causing him to experience blackouts. He just needs a rest, and Strickland will be perfect. When a fire destroys the steward house Alys and her wards move into the big house and a romance that could save them both takes hold.

First published in 1989 (THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER) stands up well by todays romance standards and I would consider it a must read for the genre, especially since I seem to be in the minority with my feelings. Cheers
360jb35(less)

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Mar 06, 2009 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2009, genre-historical, steam-warm

What a GREAT historcial regency-era romance. The passion, desire and tension is taught between the hero/heroine, but in a typical 90's style regecy romances there was very little bedroom action. But I swear I didn't miss it as the romance and tension was so good.

The story centers around Alys, a 30-year old spinster working as a land manager at a country Estate. And Reggie, a wealthy commoner who takes ownership of the estate where Alys works and is shocked to discover a woman running the proper...more

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May 08, 2012 Zumbagirl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adorable-dog, angsty, big-misunderstanding-big-separation, childhood-tragedy, forgiveness, hero-adores-heroine, secrets, spinster-rake, strong-secondary-characters, two-love-stories, substance-abuse-issues, hidden-identity

I'm glad I finally gave MJP a chance, always heard good things about this book and it was excellent. Seemed a little on the long side and took me a while to finish. I'd given up on angst and stress in my reading for April, but decided to try something a little more heavy - this was - and did well.

The hero, Reginald Davenport or Reggie, has a serious drinking problem. He realizes it but is not sure what to do. This may seem like a very negative thing, as it is, but somehow the way the author wro...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Jana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I had an impulse to hold the hem of this story and to let it walk me around. That is the child in me talking, needing comfort, something/somebody to look upon. In the world of reading, in the genre of HR, you won’t find a better book to admire, to get fascinated with, to mold your opinions around its moods and pace. It’s a very grown-up, exceptionally adult and mature masterpiece.

It made me dry my tears with my fingertips, trying to swallow without the burn in my throat. The understanding of th...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Miranda Davis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: keeper

I tried to enjoy this slowly, in modest servings over time to make it last like a bag of cookies. But come on, this is sooo great I couldn't put it down. Damn you, Mary Jo Putney! Wonderful heroine capable on a dozen levels (as a guardian of young people and female steward of an estate she runs successfully, obscuring the fact she's a she to absentee owners). She's got spine and intelligence but is unaware of her own attractiveness. (The hero's mojo goes Schwing the first time they meet even tho...more I tried to enjoy this slowly, in modest servings over time to make it last like a bag of cookies. But come on, this is sooo great I couldn't put it down. Damn you, Mary Jo Putney! Wonderful heroine capable on a dozen levels (as a guardian of young people and female steward of an estate she runs successfully, obscuring the fact she's a she to absentee owners). She's got spine and intelligence but is unaware of her own attractiveness. (The hero's mojo goes Schwing the first time they meet even though she's wearing the dreaded breeches.) In other words, she's hands-down terrific without irking me senseless. I'm rooting for her from the get-go.

The rake is a dissipated Corinthian on the verge of making a new start in the country after he comes into possession of the property he should've had all along. He's so bad he's good, and not the reprobate he's reputed to be. (But he drinks too much and it's having its effect.) Best of all, they are wonderful, witty and challenging together. Greaaaat chemistry.

Loved it though, for me, it got seriously bogged down in a 12-steppy/Al-Anon/Let go and let God part where Reggie spirals to the bottom and finds his way to sobriety with support from a sponsor-ish godfather. It was all an intrinsic part of his character's evolution, just too much for me after a while. (I guess I prefer less wallow.) I could have understood the devastation of his alcoholism without the extended Oprah moments. That said, aspects of each character are revealed over the course of the story, and in such a way that I felt more and more for him and her, hoping they'd find happiness. Maybe all the detail helped me feel that way, so what do I know?

Best, side-splitting concept: the sacrificial penguin. Everyone is anxious about Reggie, holed up in his study by himself, but out of everyone there, Alys is the one sent into the study to check on him. Reggie, who is extremely droll, refers to her as the sacrificial penguin. (I won't explain and ruin the fun for you.) There were many, many equally funny things throughout. You must read this.

This maybe MJP's best. Her other novels are uneven, some good, some disappointing to me. This is flat-out terrific. I'll be re-reading this in the future in rotation with my other favorites.

I detest 'she's in breeches!' plots but love this story, go figure. When it works, it just works. Alys wears breeches a bit but it's not a disguise and the hero relishes what her breeches disclose from the outset. So it's not the be-all and end-all of the plot, thank God.

No wonder it won so many accolades.(less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Nath rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012, romance, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4.5/5 (B+)

It's been a while since I last read a book by Ms Putney and while it was enjoyable, it didn't really wow me. As a result, I haven't really kept up with her new releases and as such, The Rake wasn't on my radar... until I read Hilcia's commentary :) Luckily for me, The Rake being a reprint, I was able to easily find a copy and good thing too, since it was such an enjoyable read!

What I really liked about The Rake was how well-developed it was. The book is quite thick and Ms Putney really...more 4.5/5 (B+)

It's been a while since I last read a book by Ms Putney and while it was enjoyable, it didn't really wow me. As a result, I haven't really kept up with her new releases and as such, The Rake wasn't on my radar... until I read Hilcia's commentary :) Luckily for me, The Rake being a reprint, I was able to easily find a copy and good thing too, since it was such an enjoyable read!

What I really liked about The Rake was how well-developed it was. The book is quite thick and Ms Putney really utilizes all these pages to flesh out the characters and establish a relationship between Reggie and Alys. I felt that was refreshing because in a lot of romance books lately, the romance seems rushed and the characters, superficial ^_^; However, in this case, we really got to know the characters and more importantly, they got to know each other :)

Personally, my favorite character in The Rake was Reggie. He is most assuredly a rake, but what makes him so likable is that he's honest about it and assumes the responsibilities and consequences it entails. I also liked his sense of honor... He probably doesn't see it as such, but Reggie has definite ideas on what he will do and what he won't and most of the time, it puts him in the good guys column LOL. Also if he'd been allowed to follow his dreams - to go into the army, I reckon Reggie wouldn't be such a different man :) Something else that I found interesting was Reggie's restlessness at the beginning of the story. How he was growing tired of his lifestyle... I think at 37 years old, it makes sense right? :) In most historical romances, a rake ceased being one when it comes time to settle down, get a wife and some heirs. However, Reggie no longer has such obligations and still, he's growing restless. I really liked that he had questions and doubts about his lifestyle even before he met Alys; I liked that for once, it wasn't a woman or family that made a rake change. Instead, it was the rake himself! I also liked our heroine, Alys :) Mostly because she was so unusual for her time, not only being an estate manager, but being competent as well! Although I think it would have been more fun to see here more at work. At the beginning of the book, she's a bit mad because she feels she has to prove herself again, even though she's been estate manager for four years now. The thing is, there was no concrete examples of that throughout the book. Once Reggie showed up, you don't see any tenants coming to complain about her or cause any problems. In addition, I think she pales a little in comparison to Reggie. She does have an interesting background story, but the character herself, I didn't feel like I got a good sense of who she was.

I did enjoy the romance in The Rake. I really liked that they didn't fall into bed right away. Reggie is attracted by Alys, but he doesn't want to screw things up - her being his estate manager and all. First, I liked that Reggie kept her on for her competence. She's proven herself and the books show the result and there was no doubt for him. I also liked that he was mindful of her reputation. All in all, because we got to see the attraction grow while the relationship was established and friendship bloomed, I really could believe that Reggie and Alys fell in love with each other :) Also, I believed the romance worked because of the honesty between Reggie and Alys. That was really lovely and refreshing. One thing though is I wished Alys had more trust in Reggie. I know she was in charge of 3 youngsters and therefore, cannot help but worry about Reggie's reputation... and a few times, I felt she got caught up with it. It was okay when she first met Reggie, but once she got to know him, I feel she should have trusted him a lot more...

As I mentioned, The Rake is quite a thick book and therefore a lot of things happened. Some of it was mundane, related to the estate, which was fun to see. I loved that Reggie had always wanted to wash sheep when he was younger and this time, did not miss the opportunity LOL. A lot of what happened was also more personal and was meant to really flesh out the characters. I liked that Ms Putney addressed Reggie's problems with alcohol. Obviously, back in those time, people were not aware of alcoholism which is exactly where Reggie was heading for. So that was very interesting. What worked less for me though is that his father and godfather just happened to struggle with alcoholism as well. I know it can run in a family, but I would have liked to see Reggie deal with it on his own. I think that in The Rake, Ms Putney tried her best to balance the different aspects of the story and I really enjoyed the mundane stuff and the more personal issues and conflicts. However, I think she failed a bit when it came to the intrigue that was related to Alys' identity. Some of it was just too predictable and she did a great job at the build-up, but when it happened, it was a bit anti-climatic, which was unfortunate.

Overall, The Rake was a really good read and I can see why Ms Putney won a RITA with The Rake. If she has more books like this one, I'll definitively be reading more of her in the near future :)(less)

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Apr 01, 2009 Corrine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-uk-historical, plain-prim-plus-size-or-spinster, excons-and-or-recovering-addicts

I put off reading this book for seven months because I was really afraid that the hero being an alcoholic would drag the book down, but MJP reminded me of one fact that I had forgotten: addicts are typically very charismatic. And Reggie's charm really kept this book afloat.

I struggled with how to rate this book: I wanted to give it five, but there were a few things that got on my nerves - although I think it's because I just read an MJP title a few weeks ago, and the same thing that annoyed me a...more

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Aug 21, 2009 Edna Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, historical-romance

The Rake has been on my to-read list for a long time. I first heard about this book at the amazon forums. It was a title I saw on quite a few people's top 5 favorite historical romances.

What made this one unique was the topic of alcoholism. Reggie, the hero, suffers from the disease and like many others have said, it was a realistic account. Alys, the steward at the estate, is a woman who ran away from past. She was the perfect counterpart to Reggie and being a friend to him, helping and unders...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Alissa Baxter rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Rake features a very strong female character, Alys, who is quite an unconventional woman in the context of 19th century Regency England. The Rake, which was rewritten and expanded by the author from an earlier edition entitled The Rake and the Reformer, was a groundbreaking book in Regency romance fiction as it features alcoholism - a theme not usually touched upon within romance novels.

Reginald Davenport battles with his alcoholism throughout the book, and Mary Jo Putney features Alys in t...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical-romance

I read this concurrently with Frederica by Georgette Heyer, and I must admit, there were times when I was a bit confused about some of the details since the principal characters shared some key traits--and in the case of the male love interests, age too!--but the plots, while both concerned with some sort of redemption, were definitely different. I like to think of Frederica as The Rake written with a farce in mind, and The Rake as Frederica with darker undertones, and not quite so noble a hero....more I read this concurrently with Frederica by Georgette Heyer, and I must admit, there were times when I was a bit confused about some of the details since the principal characters shared some key traits--and in the case of the male love interests, age too!--but the plots, while both concerned with some sort of redemption, were definitely different. I like to think of Frederica as The Rake written with a farce in mind, and The Rake as Frederica with darker undertones, and not quite so noble a hero. It made for an amusing reading exercise, to say the least.

Anyway, to get to the nitty gritty, there were plenty of things I liked about and very much appreciated in The Rake. I loved how the author lavishes so much attention on the handling of an estate in the Regency period, down to the everyday matters. While visiting the drawing rooms of London is always welcome, getting a sense of the country in this era was refreshing. I'm betraying how little I've ventured in terms of Regency romance novels, aren't I?

I also like how the author doesn't shy away from discussing alcoholism and the whole process of recovery. Speaking as someone who's been having some personal stuff going on lately, it really got to me, how hope is really quite powerful. It's made me a little more optimistic about my situation, which--to be frank--I wasn't expecting from a romance novel.

And that's where I had a bit of a problem. To me, Reggie's presence overpowered the book; his voice was so strong, his character so well-drawn, that he overpowered Alys. Instead of rooting for her, I kept getting irritated by the way she was misunderstanding almost everything that Reggie did. While I sympathized with her and liked her very much in the beginning, as the book progressed, it became increasingly difficult for me to do so, in light of the circumstances she escaped. There were some moments that, while necessary to the plot, were much too melodramatic for my taste (Blakeford, anyone?), and I felt that the ending was a bit rushed, and that Alys's self-esteem problems were resolved much too quickly.

Regardless, I'd say that I enjoyed reading The Rake, not only for the rich detail, the compassionate portrayal of alcoholism, and but also some expertly handled romantic tension (and humour). (less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

"The Rake", by Mary Jo Putney, features an unusual historical romance story line. The title character is not just a self-indulgent pleasure-seeker, he is a true alcoholic. He suffers blackouts with loss of memory, violent mood swings, and depression. Reginald Davenport, trapped by his heritage, and unbeknownst to him, denied his true birthright, loses his family at a young age. Forced into a regimented education, treated with cruelty and disdain, Reggie learns how to protect himself from others....more "The Rake", by Mary Jo Putney, features an unusual historical romance story line. The title character is not just a self-indulgent pleasure-seeker, he is a true alcoholic. He suffers blackouts with loss of memory, violent mood swings, and depression. Reginald Davenport, trapped by his heritage, and unbeknownst to him, denied his true birthright, loses his family at a young age. Forced into a regimented education, treated with cruelty and disdain, Reggie learns how to protect himself from others. Keenly intelligent, capable, and sharp of wit, Reggie rebels against his societal limitations by engaging in wild behavior and excessive drinking. Closing in on age forty, Reggie is a man who seems fated to meet an early, unfortunate death. A chance at redemption comes when his cousin helps him to regain his childhood home, which had been unrightfully withheld from Reggie by the uncle who was his guardian. Arriving at Strickland, his ancestral estate, Reggie is shocked to find that the extremely competent steward of the property is a woman. Not just any woman, but a tall, intriguing, intelligent woman. Lady Alys Weston is not a classic beauty, but she has a unique loveliness all her own. As kind as she is keen, Alys is unlike any other woman Reggie has ever met. She finds him to be equally captivating, and even though she sees the signs of dissipation from his roguish ways, Alys senses that there is much more to Reggie than his appearance indicates. The two form a good working relationship, with attraction simmering just below the surface. Alys has three wards in her care, a young lady blooming into womanhood and the girl's two younger brothers. As they all spend time together, sharing meals and other activities, Reggie enjoys his makeshift "family". He throws himself into the care and operation of the estate, about which he is extremely knowledgeable. He and Alys have great mutual respect, and each begins to yearn for the possibility of a life together. However, Reggie's drinking still threatens to win the battle for his soul, and there are other dark forces at work. Alys has secrets of her own, and she and Reggie have common enemies. Will Reggie conquer his own demons and vanquish the threats to his newfound family happiness? Can Alys face her past and embrace her future? Mary Jo Putney paints a revealing portrait of a man struggling with alcohol addiction and the effects his disease has on those around him. As with many who suffer with alcoholism, it is also a condition shared with other family members. In Reggie's case, his father was also an alcoholic, something that Reggie had blocked out along with other unpleasant memories. I applaud Mary Jo Putney for showing the complexities of the alcoholic personality. Reggie is not the usual romantic hero, but he is ultimately quite worthy.

Review Copy Gratis Kensington Books
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Jul 19, 2012 Nicky Penttila rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Rake (revised from The Rake and the Reformer) has two of the best characters I've read: Reggie, who is fighting to recover from alcoholism, and Lady Alys, whose actions show that empathy is a strength. Their internal growth is powerful, and believable, and painful, and wonderful. It has solid history, strong secondary characters who get their own time in the sun, kids, dogs, cats, and horses.

The only reason I gave this 4 stars is some of the plotting. I gave a pass to the setup, which I thou...more

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May 29, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

THE RAKE by Mary Jo Putney is an exciting historical romance set during the Regency era. What a wonderful story of love,romance,passion,alcoholism,secrets,danger,betrayal,mistrust,and love. “The Rake” is the story of Reginald Davenport,a disowned heir,whose cousin has given him his rightful place as the heir of Strickland,his ancestral home. And Lady Alys Weston,who masquerades as a man in order to get the job as Strictland’s estate manager.But when the heir of Strickland arrives on their doorst...more

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May 27, 2012 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 2012-challenge, appealing-characteristic-story, historical, romance, part-of-a-series

Okay, I have to preface this with the fact that Mary Jo Putney is not one of my go-to authors. I like her well enough but she's not usually the person I pick up first to read. However, the re-write on this book caused me to sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting.
It has the well-used trope that Lady Alys Weston is masquerading as a man to make it in the world. However, I loved that Putney didn't have her dressing like a male. Nope (this is fairly early in the book, so it's not a spoiler...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Zeek rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: hist-rom, romance

Reggie, The hero has a drinking problem AND he’s a notorious womanizer. Lo and behold when he meets Alys, the heroine and the reformer to his reformee- he wants to change.

Although this is the biggest fantasy/fallacy pet peeve out there for me in romance, (in other words, the dream that our love can actually change a man), I went along with it because hey, that's why i read romance- to get away from reality. But I will give that it doesnt always work for me, if it feels too implausable.

The reaso...more

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May 17, 2010 Crista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star, historical, favorites, tear-jerkers

After being an avid romance reader for the past 15 years, this is the first book I've ever reviewed. I felt compelled to review this book because it is quite simply the best that I've ever read,...(and I've read a lot!).

Reggie Davenport is the quintessential rake. He is a womanizer, gambler, fighter, and an alcoholic. He is, in essence, on a spiral downward and is basically drinking himself to death. That's Reggie on the outside. On the inside Reggie is a kind, considerate, unselfish, humorous,...more

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Mar 09, 2012 heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read a fair bit of romance. It's where I lodge when I am tired or cranky. This one ended up in my pile because my mom gave it to me. I really enjoy sharing books with my mom, although our tastes are more of a venn diagram than a complete clone. She said that it was meatier and more thought-provoking than she usually read.

That's because it's about an alcoholic and his extremely competent female estate manager. Alys, the female lead, reminded me a bit of Heyer's Venetia, which is a plus. She is...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

The Rake is Reggie Davenport, a man nearly at the end of his rope, drowning in alcohol, and headed for death. He is a rake in the truest sense of the word, and not in the lovable roguish sense so often implied in the romance genre, as if being a rake is really a good thing. He's an alcoholic. He has killed people. He often wakes up and doesn't even remember what terrible things he has done.

And then there's Alys, working as a steward in a man's world, getting away with it only because her employe...more The Rake is Reggie Davenport, a man nearly at the end of his rope, drowning in alcohol, and headed for death. He is a rake in the truest sense of the word, and not in the lovable roguish sense so often implied in the romance genre, as if being a rake is really a good thing. He's an alcoholic. He has killed people. He often wakes up and doesn't even remember what terrible things he has done.

And then there's Alys, working as a steward in a man's world, getting away with it only because her employer hadn't visited the estate in years. She's been running away from her past, and from things that have hurt her, but is also trying to make a life for herself.

I like this book because it took a few romance novel cliches and turned them inside out, making them oddly believable. The rake changes, but not because of Alys. Oh, she's part of the inspiration, but truthfully a very small part. He changes for himself, and in truth, that's the only way a person can change. The idea that love can conquer all may have a certain fantasy appeal, but love isn't some external force. It comes from within, and a person has to love himself before he can love anyone else.

In this book, two people were thrown together, and they were attracted to one another, but not in that overblown love at first sight, my body thrums with uncontrollable passion everytime I'm near you nonsense. They simply each find the other attractive. Then they spend time together. He does selfless things for her. She does selfless things for him. In short, they love each other throw their actions and deeds.

If you're looking for that lazy weekend passionate romance that boils your blood, this isn't it. The only sex in it is understated and barely there. This is a love story. It's about a man fighting for his own soul against a disease (alcoholism) that has hurt so many, both directly and indirectly.

The only reason I gave this 4 stars, instead of 5, and it was close, is that I had some trouble connecting with Alys. I don't know why, and it may just be one of those things, because I can't say she was a bad or weak character. I did find her decision to run away at the age of 18 to be a little over the top, and her self-esteem problems to be believable but at the same time, difficult to believe. (Yes, I know, I just contradicted myself.)

But despite that hiccup, this was a very good book, and i recommend it.(less)

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Aug 01, 2009 Juliana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, 2009-reads, 2009-jul-reads, best-romance-books, best-romance-heroes-ever, best-romance-heroines-ever, 5-stars, hr-hero-alcoholic, 0-own-in-dead-tree-form, hr-big-secrets-surprises, hr-class-difference, all-time-favorite-romances, favorite-books-of-all-time, 0-to-reread, 4-to-5-stars

Absolutely utterly fantastic!! Wow - a definite reread. Completely distracted me from my homework, but it was just so wonderful. I was glad to read a good Putney book after finding her most recent release pretty weak. The Rake, however, is not weak at all, but rather completely 100% great!!!

One of the greatest things about this book was that it tackled the very serious issue of alcoholism extremely well, dealt with it compassionately, and portrayed it very vividly/starkly. I *never* get emotiona...more

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May 05, 2011 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Vicki by: Renee

'The Rake' by Mary Jo Putney is one of those books that I didn't want to put down and didn't want it to end. It is a traditional romance with beautifully complex characters and relationships and if that is your cup of tea, you'll love this book.

'The Rake' is full of appealing characters - none more so than the Rake himself, Reggie Davenport. Talk about oozing sex appeal - whoa! But quite aside from his mandatory handsomeness, Reggie is also a very troubled man battling demons of his past and co...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 2012-challenge, appealing-characteristic-character, historical, romance

I love that this has the woman masquerading as a man but she gives it up within the first fifth of the book. There are no tight-fitting pants that make the hero wonder about his sexuality, blah, blah, blah. Just a woman who is trying to provide a life for herself and her three wards, one mature and very beautiful nineteen-year-old girl and two boys. Her charade is discovered when the Earl of Wargrave decides to do the decent thing and give his cousin's inheritance to his cousin, Reginald Davenpo...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Sara Ramsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, my-book-club

My book club read this book last week, so I'm a bit late to the party (the party having started...oh, twenty years ago, when THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER was originally released :). I really loved reading it, and it was a great book for book club because it prompted a lot of discussion about the characters' journeys and emotional arcs. I highly recommend this book, particularly if you like unconventional heroines (which I do) and reformed rakes (who doesn't?). All of the characters are wonderful, a...more My book club read this book last week, so I'm a bit late to the party (the party having started...oh, twenty years ago, when THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER was originally released :). I really loved reading it, and it was a great book for book club because it prompted a lot of discussion about the characters' journeys and emotional arcs. I highly recommend this book, particularly if you like unconventional heroines (which I do) and reformed rakes (who doesn't?). All of the characters are wonderful, and the hero's development ranks in the very top of all the heroes I've read in recent memory.

However, my one teensy little issue with it, and the reason my 5-star rating is probably more like 4.5, is because the hero's emotional journey is so intense and so wonderful and so almost life-affirming that the love story and the heroine's growth feels like a secondary plot. After finishing, I wasn't even sure that the heroine *did* grow all that much.

I lied -- my second issue with it (not so teensy) is that her barriers to growth/old emotional wounds were resolved pretty neatly. (minor not really spoiler: (view spoiler))

But Reggie's wounds, and particularly his alcoholism, were rough and messy and complicated, with lots of small steps forward and back - all of which made my heart break for him, but also made him stand out as the sole main character when I recall the book a couple of weeks later.

So...if you like to read romance because you like breaking your heart over/falling in love with the hero, this one is perfect. If you like to see your heroine struggle through major issues, this isn't quite as satisfying...but together, they make a compelling couple, and I love that they build a friendship before falling into instalust. And if you're looking for a romance to read for a book club, this one is great -- not all of my book club reads romance, but they all enjoyed this one and it was a good 'gateway drug' for some of them :)(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Kinga rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Rake, huh?
More like ‘The Alcoholic’ but that probably wouldn’t make a good title for a bodice ripper and supermarkets wouldn’t stock it.

This must be the first historical romance written along the lines of 12 steps of AA clubs. You can see it in its structure but I am not admonishing Putney for using it. It provided a good frame for an exciting novel which would get more stars from me if the heroine’s secret and at the same time her reason for hiding from the world for a decade weren’t so ut...more

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Sep 08, 2012 wordgirl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So this book started out great for me. It was definitely a roller coaster emotionally, especially to see Reggie's struggle to overcome his addiction. I liked the wards, the development of a relationship over time, how capable Alys was at her job, that she had feelings for Reggie but was not some love-sick girl. However, some time toward the end of the book, something fell flat for me. First, when Reggie and Alys first become intimate, it was such a 180 for me in terms of how Alys was feeling - I...more

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Dec 15, 2012 HankLover rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, historical-romance, simply-sweet, heroine-beauty-in-the-eye, animal-s-featured-in-story

I liked it, but didn't love it.

I guess I expected a book about an alcoholic Rake to be a bit more angsty, but overall, it was pretty tame, imo. Yes, his alcoholism is touched upon, but not to a great extent. If you really want to read a good story about a man overcoming alcoholism, read "A Candle in the Dark" by Megan Chance. Heart-breaking. I guess that's what I found lacking here. My heart didn't break for Reggie.

It was also too sweet for me. On two occasions it was alluded to and highly glos...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Violette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review-2012, own, romance, read-in-2012

Mary Jo Putney sure got me out of my reading funk with this gem!

The story centers on Reggie Davenport, who is a rake in every sense of the word. He likes his behavior scandalous, his women wanton, and his drink a-plenty. Unfortunately, unlike other casual drinkers, alcohol has become quite a problem for Reggie and has lead to black outs, as well as regrettable behavior.

The female lead is Alys Weston, strong, stubborn, and with a hint of self-esteem issues. What makes Alys so unique is that she'...more

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Apr 04, 2012 steph rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to steph by: everything I know about love I learned from romance novels

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, favorites, e-book

THIS WAS FANTASTIC. FANTASTIC. FANTASTIC. FANTASTIC. I kept telling myself last night I would only read a little bit longer before going to bed but next thing I knew it was after midnight and I had read the whole book. BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. I loved both Reggie and Alys. This story is about Alys, a 30-year old spinster working as a land manager at a country estate who has her own secrets and fears and desires she's keeping bottled up inside. And then there's Reggie, a wealthy commoner who was once...more

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Sep 16, 2008 Sherri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very charming story that delves into the trauma that alcoholism can wreak on one's self, family, and friends. It had a good balance of lighthearted banter and the depth of flawed characters. I really enjoyed this book!

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Jun 08, 2013 Marsha Huddleston rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I love this book. The heroine is a tall, intelligent woman who is unsure of her desirability, yet has the courage to make her own way in the world, and the dark, dissolute hero was shaped by circumstances into something he would not have been if his life had developed differently. The unusual element in this novel is the realization that the hard-drinking lifestyle of the hero is serious alcoholism -- the only time I've ever seen it addressed in this genre. The development of their attraction an...more

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About Mary Jo Putney

She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably...more She writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.

Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.

While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.

Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.

A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.

Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.(less)

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