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Feb 05, 2011

Eastofoz rated it:

This book has everything single thing I love about romance novels:

• a kill me now s.o.b alpha hero (be still my pitter pattering heart :D)
• an amazing heroine who is (brace yourself now) **shock** normal
• biting humor
• great repartee
• story focus on h/h 99.9% of the time (a rare breed of book)
• originality for something that's been done 36 gazillion times
• superb tension building
• unpredictability where you’re expecting the predictable More...

40 comments like (76 people liked it)

Jun 11, 2010

Shawna rated it:

5+ stars – Historical Romance

What a wonderful, charming, sexy, entertaining, sweet, funny, emotional, steamy, and well-written regency romance with an utterly lovable, quirky, plump, Plain Jane, wallflower, spinster heroine and a sexy-as-sin, tarnished-heart-of-gold rogue hero to die for!

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is a truly delightful read with everything I love in a historical romance: an engaging story, witty dialogue, humor, drama, emotion, smokin’ hot More...

25 comments like (46 people liked it)

Sep 22, 2011

Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) rated it:

There once was a ~~plain and plumpish~~ blubbery waste of space girl with tons of money called Calpurnia, who never got married even though she had some suitors. We're told she's a pragmatic girl who has dreams of marriage, house, home, and children, but she's turned everyone away because they're not the same as that handsome guy she once talked to for a couple minutes a decade ago about how her quaintly Classical name isn't really cause for eternal shame and contemplated suicide.

So in t More...

45 comments like (13 people liked it)

May 02, 2011

Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it:

I’ve always said RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN

And I’m sure Lady Calpurnia Hartwell would agree with me on that!

As a twenty-eight year old self-proclaimed spinster, Callie is feeling pretty crappy about how her life turned out. Her younger sister is engaged to be married to a duke , no less, while she’s been put away on the shelf, doomed to be alone and unloved forever.

Tired of sitting around the perimeter edges at all the balls, Callie decides to take a more a More...

42 comments like (14 people liked it)

Aug 20, 2010

Juliana rated it:

Yay!! Finally a good new release, a wonderful new author, and a fantastic shy-wallflower-heroine (4.5 stars)

Summary
"Plain" and spinsterish 28-year-old Lady Calpurnia "Callie" Hartwell is sick of being seen as an old spinster, on-the-shelf, passive, and uninteresting - and thus THE LIST is born. On this list of nine things are activities that normally-shy Callie would never have dared to even contemplate, let alone actually do (gamble at a gentleman's club, d More...

13 comments like (20 people liked it)

Nov 09, 2010

Lola rated it:

SPOILERS/RANT

It was a enjoyable read overall. It's light hearted without all those unconvential villians and secrets for the sake of having a plot. It just focuses on Callie's hilarious determination to break the rules, being a spinster at twenty-eight years old, while falling for Ralston, a rake who gets in her way. Callie also chaperones his half young sister, Juliana, so they get closer. Throw in a slight problem of the hero secretly betting against the heroine before realizing he More...

5 comments like (13 people liked it)

Apr 17, 2010

Rane rated it:

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake had everything I love about romance novels, humor, drama, wallflowers and a rake. Once I picked this book up, it was very hard to put down, it’s that fun to read.
With a heroine Lady Calpurnia Hartwell or Callie being front and center, a wallflower and now a spinster, Callie was a great lead as she made a list to do, something wild , something that breaks her out of the mold she’s been placed in. What made Callie so great was how relatable she More...

15 comments like (29 people liked it)

Feb 20, 2011

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it:

Admittedly, Sarah MacLean and I didn't start off on the best foot. Her debut novel, the young adult Regency mystery romance The Season, left me with lukewarm feelings because -- even though I really liked the characters -- I simply had expected more from a book that prided itself on being reminiscent of Austen in some ways. However, after learning of MacLean's recent foray into the realm of adult historical romance, I wanted to give her another chance. Such was my state when I decided to read More...

21 comments like (9 people liked it)

Feb 23, 2011

Vinaya rated it:

Nine Rules to Follow When Writing a (Regency) Romance:

1. Read Georgette Heyer: This one is self-evident. (If it's not, read this)

2. Spinster on the shelf: Make sure your heroine is never the belle of the ball. Young, vibrant beautiful ladies are, of course, infinitely less interesting than pale, passive, middle-aged women who somehow mysteriously retain the fresh bloom of youth and the ability to attract rich, handsome men who are being desperately pursued by 17 and 18-y More...

13 comments like (26 people liked it)

May 08, 2011

Mojca rated it:

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always known what was expected of her. Be proper, be well-behaved, ne a lady, get married, procreate...Unfortunately, all didn’t go according to plan. All her propriety and good, lady-like behavior has done for her is put her firmly on the shelf, turning her into a 28-year-old spinster. Bye-bye marriage, bye-bye procreation. And she can safely say she’s pretty content with her life...Until her younger sister gets engaged and Calpurnia overhears the betrothed couple sa More...

4 comments like (7 people liked it)

Dec 05, 2010

Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it:

(4.5 Stars)

I really enjoyed this... but I'm a little sad that it wasn't an OMG-I-LOVED-it!!-5 Star read for me, like it was for others. I really wanted it to be!

I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved the heroine (Lady Calpurnia) and the hero (Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston) and their repartee was great. The chemistry was hot. There were humorous moments. And moments that made me teary for the heroine (mostly - Oh, how my heart ached for "plain and plump" Ca More...

13 comments like (13 people liked it)

Jun 11, 2010

Auntee rated it:

I loved this book! Loved it! For the last few years I've drifted away from reading historicals, but with all the rave reviews regarding this book I thought I had to take the plunge and see what all the fuss was about. And all those glowing reviews are not wrong, IMO--this was one delicious read!

I absolutely adored the heroine in this book--and I'm not one who usually falls for the heroine. But there was something so real, likable and relatable about the character of Lady Calpurni More...

25 comments like (37 people liked it)

Aug 19, 2011

Taryn-does it have romance? rated it:

3.5 stars.

This list is a list that Lady Calpurnia, or Callie, made up of all the things that are forbidden for her to do since she is a woman. She figures since she is going to be a spinster for the rest of her life, she wants to live life to the fullest. Let see if I have lived life to the fullest, too.

1. Kiss someone-passionately. Check!

2. Smoke cheroot and drink scotch. Check! Check!

3. Ride astride. Check! Check! Yes, two checks. If you have re More...

17 comments like (6 people liked it)

Nov 16, 2010

Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it:

I really loved this book! I loved the idea of the list of forbidden activities, the lovable rake, and the unconventional heroine.

It all starts when 27 year old spinster Callie hears her younger sister having a romantic liason with her fiancee at their betrothal dinner and hears herself described as passive. This instigates her to make a list of actvities that she has always wanted to do, such as gamble at a gentlemans club and attend a duel. She actions her first item on the list a p More...

42 comments like (13 people liked it)

Jun 22, 2011

Dancechica rated it:

This book was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed some of it, but most of the book had me either annoyed or rolling my eyes.

A large part of the reason why the book didn’t work for me was the characters, particularly the hero and heroine. They felt like genre stereotypes; like characters I’ve met in a dozen other romances. There was nothing unique or memorable about them.

I couldn’t figure out why the two fell in love with each other. The only thing Ralston seemed attracted to wa More...

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jan 25, 2011

Galla rated it:

The basic set-up for this novel is something you've seen before if you read historical romances set in the nineteenth century: "plain" spinster meets dashing, profligate man. This is a very well-executed take on the theme with likable main characters, and Callie's list of "rules" to break is a creative and fun plot device (especially since Gabriel has a knack for showing up when she's breaking the rules).

The supporting characters are a good group. Not one person More...

15 comments like (7 people liked it)

Sep 13, 2011

D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ rated it:

First of all, please know that I’m picky. For a romance to grab me, it has to have a compelling plot, interesting characters and internal consistency. This last quality is what I called when the elements of the story come together to form a cohesive whole. If one of those elements is missing, I start having problems with the book.

Nine Rules has a compelling central plot – a wallflower who decides to eschew convention and her reputation to do things she always wanted to do because she More...

6 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jan 29, 2012

Jenny E rated it:

5 HUGE STARS!!

What a wonderful read! Honestly, I had a hard time getting into this book, but because it was reviewed so well by a lot of people I follow on GR, I gave it 100 pages before I put it down. Literally on page 99 it hit me, and I was hooked and couldn't put it down from then on! The next 300 pages were AMAZING!! I read until I couldn't keep my eyes open and then woke up with the book first thing on my mind and picked it up again until I finished it!

I love r More...

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Oct 18, 2010

FlibBityFLooB rated it:

4.5/5 stars. Before I start this review, I will admit that I really enjoyed this book. I definitely look forward to reading more of this author in the future. I am close to giving the book 5 stars from my enjoyment level reading it, but I am not ready to do that. I hate to harp on the negative, but feel I better explain why I docked this book 1/2 a point :)

Here were my issues:
- There was some really fun talk during the intimate scenes... I always love when the hero talks d More...

11 comments like (10 people liked it)

Jun 09, 2010

Crista rated it:

I can thank this book for a lost night of sleep, but I can also thank it for some HUGE reading entertainment!

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell "Callie" is not your typical heroine. She is officially "on the shelf", is described as plain and plump, and has no real hope of ever landing a husband. Callie decides that she's had enough of sitting and watching her life pass by and creates a list of things she wants to experience. All nine activities on her list are scandalous fo More...

4 comments like (7 people liked it)

Oct 29, 2011

Laurielu rated it:

In Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, Sarah MacLean has an uncanny way of making the reader believe that every woman - no matter their shape, size or convention- deserves to be an Empress. The delivery and story of this historical romance is uncanny and absolutely one of my 2011 favorite reads. Callie and Gabriel make an unlikely pair; but, it is because of the their vast differences that they are simply magic together. They make each other better people by making each of their hearts lo More...

8 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 14, 2011

Yasmin rated it:

Too much talking and babbling, Too many physical scenes, Too much drama! Seriously, modern writers are free to ruin modern books with their horny writing but this new transgression into the Victorian era and the British atmosphere of propriety,tea parties and rumors is simply too much! I mean,I get it, you want to sell your book but I'm not quite sure who you're targeting with this profane writing style. This British era was the time when the act of unbuttoning a glove was the epitome of physica More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 11, 2010

Robin (RBBR) rated it:

Although apparently not the first book by this author it is my understanding that it is her first Romance. Prior to this she wrote Young Adult one of which is called The Season and has a similar description to Romance books I've read, for instance it takes place during "The Season".
Anyway this book is about a girl named Calpurnia who does not fit the stereotype of what is considered beautiful and on top of that she has a mother with the fashion sense of a, well she doesn't have an More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Sep 16, 2011

Tammy rated it:

I've just read this book again, and loved it just as much this time as the first. And the second. I have a feeling I'll still love it as much when I've read it 20 times, and when I can remember passages from the book verbatim I'll still love it. I'll reach for it on days when I'm looking for something to cheer me up, on rainy days when there's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a blanket in your favourite chair.

I don't have anything new to say that hasn't alread More...

17 comments like (8 people liked it)

May 31, 2010

Kim rated it:

I hate to criticize because I know that this book is currently getting a lot of rave reviews, but whatever the charm, it was totally lost on me. It basically read like a 432 page romance novel cliche. To call it something I've seen before is really an understatement. It would actually be more appropriate to ask where I HAVEN'T seen it before. You certainly couldn't include in that any one of numerous books by Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, Jo Beverley, etc. etc. etc...
A plain-ish, plu More...

3 comments like (10 people liked it)

Aug 14, 2010

Catherine rated it:

When I first browsed the bookstore and saw this book I almost didn't pick it up. Luckily, I was in the mood for a historical and ended up reading the blurb anyway. It seemed like I might enjoy it, but still I hesitated. The title and cover all seemed too cutesy and light. I wasn't really in the mood for a fluffy book. I decided to take a chance anyway, and am so glad that I did. This book is a lesson to me. Don't judge a book by its cover.

The set up of this story is a familiar More...

9 comments like (9 people liked it)

Apr 27, 2010

Maureen rated it:

Plain and overweight Lady Calpurnia Hartnell(28) daughter of an Earl has been in love with the beautiful notorious rake Gabriel st John, Marquess of Ralston after he gave her a few kind word 10 years previous
Now firmly on the shelf, she decides to make a list of things she would do if society allowed her. First on her list is to be kissed passionately, so taking her courage in her hands she arrives at Gabriels house late at night. Gabriel and his twin Nick has just discovered they have a h More...

11 comments like (13 people liked it)

Sep 22, 2010

Katyana rated it:

Yay, my first historical romance! It was a lot of fun! Okay, I will admit that I had a hard time not giggling through some parts of it... the constant refrain of "and then he plundered her mouth" was pretty hilarious. But I still really liked it. It was like my yummy, witty, beloved Jane Austen books... but far far less PG-rated. I may have to search out recommendations for more things in this vein.

5 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jun 16, 2010

Lynsey A rated it:

I'm not going to review this book as there are already some great ones out there to read. I just want to say that I loved this book! I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Sarah MacLean was very good at tugging on my emotions. I felt Callie's sadness and her joy. Callie was such a great heroine. I loved the way she loved Ralston.

The love scenes...well Sarah MacLean knows how to write them. Her love scenes were beautifully written and they didn't feel chea More...

6 comments like (7 people liked it)

Aug 12, 2010

Laura the Highland Hussy rated it:

A big fat 5 star rating! 5 shining stars!!!
I think that I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, but it is far and above my absolute favorite book this year. (even above Pride Mates which as you all know, is a huge favorite of mine!) I loved how Callie, one day tired of being nice, proper, boring Callie, just decided that was it! She had lived on the outskirts of the ballroom long enough. She may never be the belle of the ball, but she would not die an unkissed old spinster! More...

17 comments like (12 people liked it)