witandsin's review
4.0
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-days-of-rakes-and-roses-by-anna.html
Scandal has long followed Lady Lydia Rothermere’s family, which is why she tries desperately to follow society’s rules to a T. Now engaged to a man perfectly suited to her needs, Lydia can see her life laid out before her. If part of her rebels at the notion of living without passion, well, then she can at least find comfort in the fact that she is upholding her family name. Then a man from her past appears, threatening to derail Lydia’s plans.
Simon Metcalf’s name is synonymous with sin and for ten years Lydia has tried to forget her love for him…and the way their desire for one another had nearly ruined her. Simon’s return to London sends Lydia’s emotions into a tailspin and before long she’s forced to make a choice: stay safe and marry a man who’s all wrong for her or court scandal by risking her heart for the only man she’s ever loved.
True love can’t be denied in Days of Rakes and Roses. Lydia and Simon are a couple whose burgeoning romance was cut short once upon a time by Lydia’s father, and since that fateful day Lydia has tried to be the model of propriety. Needless to say, she’s thrown for a loop when Simon reinserts himself into her life right before her wedding to another man. I love Lydia and Simon together, yet even though it’s clear they’re a far better fit than Lydia and her fiancé, she can’t simply throw caution to the wind and break her engagement. Anna Campbell makes Lydia’s dilemma compelling, and though I won’t spoil the story by revealing the obstacles in Lydia and Simon’s path, I will say that I avidly read Days of Rakes and Roses, wanting to see how things would work out.
Days of Rakes and Roses can be read as a standalone, but it is part of Ms. Campbell’s Sons of Sin series (chronologically it comes before the first book, Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed). Lydia is the sister of future Sons of Sin hero Camden, and eagle-eyed readers might remember Cam briefly mentioning Lydia and her “new husband” in Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed. Cam plays a large supporting role in Days of Rakes and Roses and I loved learning more about his character, though now I want to read his book more than ever. As for the other Sons of Sins heroes, Jonas is briefly mentioned and Richard, hero of the upcoming A Rake’s Midnight Kiss, dazzles whenever he appears on the page.
Anna Campbell is a supremely talented author whose books never fail to entertain. Days of Rakes and Roses is a compelling story fans of historical romance are sure to adore.
Scandal has long followed Lady Lydia Rothermere’s family, which is why she tries desperately to follow society’s rules to a T. Now engaged to a man perfectly suited to her needs, Lydia can see her life laid out before her. If part of her rebels at the notion of living without passion, well, then she can at least find comfort in the fact that she is upholding her family name. Then a man from her past appears, threatening to derail Lydia’s plans.
Simon Metcalf’s name is synonymous with sin and for ten years Lydia has tried to forget her love for him…and the way their desire for one another had nearly ruined her. Simon’s return to London sends Lydia’s emotions into a tailspin and before long she’s forced to make a choice: stay safe and marry a man who’s all wrong for her or court scandal by risking her heart for the only man she’s ever loved.
True love can’t be denied in Days of Rakes and Roses. Lydia and Simon are a couple whose burgeoning romance was cut short once upon a time by Lydia’s father, and since that fateful day Lydia has tried to be the model of propriety. Needless to say, she’s thrown for a loop when Simon reinserts himself into her life right before her wedding to another man. I love Lydia and Simon together, yet even though it’s clear they’re a far better fit than Lydia and her fiancé, she can’t simply throw caution to the wind and break her engagement. Anna Campbell makes Lydia’s dilemma compelling, and though I won’t spoil the story by revealing the obstacles in Lydia and Simon’s path, I will say that I avidly read Days of Rakes and Roses, wanting to see how things would work out.
Days of Rakes and Roses can be read as a standalone, but it is part of Ms. Campbell’s Sons of Sin series (chronologically it comes before the first book, Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed). Lydia is the sister of future Sons of Sin hero Camden, and eagle-eyed readers might remember Cam briefly mentioning Lydia and her “new husband” in Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed. Cam plays a large supporting role in Days of Rakes and Roses and I loved learning more about his character, though now I want to read his book more than ever. As for the other Sons of Sins heroes, Jonas is briefly mentioned and Richard, hero of the upcoming A Rake’s Midnight Kiss, dazzles whenever he appears on the page.
Anna Campbell is a supremely talented author whose books never fail to entertain. Days of Rakes and Roses is a compelling story fans of historical romance are sure to adore.
jonetta's review
4.0
Originally posted on The Book Nympho
Lady Lydia Rothermere was caught in a compromising situation 10 years ago with Simon Metcalf. She spent the years in between being a paragon of virtue and modest behavior. He left the country and, rumor has it, lived the life of a rake. Now he's back when she's just days from marrying a man she doesn't love.
I really liked how the story starts with Lydia's point of view and then shifts to Simon's. The picture she paints of him gets redrawn once I discovered what he'd been up to for the last ten years. I was at first reluctant to root for him but, things changed.
It's no secret that these two will end up together but the path back was more than a bit rocky. This series isn't titled Sons of Sin for nothing as both Lydia and Simon have questionable heritages. Though she's the daughter of a Duke, Lydia's passionate nature doesn't fall far from the proverbial apple tree and the story doesn't disappoint.
I loved the first book in the series and though this one is short, it sets up the next books in the series very effectively while giving us Lydia and Simon's story. It's one of the better historical romances on my shelf.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
Lady Lydia Rothermere was caught in a compromising situation 10 years ago with Simon Metcalf. She spent the years in between being a paragon of virtue and modest behavior. He left the country and, rumor has it, lived the life of a rake. Now he's back when she's just days from marrying a man she doesn't love.
I really liked how the story starts with Lydia's point of view and then shifts to Simon's. The picture she paints of him gets redrawn once I discovered what he'd been up to for the last ten years. I was at first reluctant to root for him but, things changed.
It's no secret that these two will end up together but the path back was more than a bit rocky. This series isn't titled Sons of Sin for nothing as both Lydia and Simon have questionable heritages. Though she's the daughter of a Duke, Lydia's passionate nature doesn't fall far from the proverbial apple tree and the story doesn't disappoint.
I loved the first book in the series and though this one is short, it sets up the next books in the series very effectively while giving us Lydia and Simon's story. It's one of the better historical romances on my shelf.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
gamz's review
2.0
2 Lackluster Stars
“Your enthusiasm warms my heart.”
Ok. Days of Rakes and Roses did not thrill me. It was lackluster at best. It tells the story of The Duke of Sedgemoor’s sister Lady Lydia Rothermere’s innocent indiscretion with Simon Metcalf when she was 17. Lydia’s psycho father caught them, and Simon was forced to leave England to protect his family, while Lydia had to stay and face her father’s derision. Ten years later Lydia is about to get married and Simon makes a sudden reappearance in her life.
This novella just about put me to sleep. Simon is a wuss, why would Lydia still want him? I thought that he would man up during the duel and shoot Berwick, but he didn’t. He played up to Lydia and lost some respect. I was so not thrilled with Simon and Lydia that I had skipped this novella. It just wasn’t worth the read.
I give this novella a big, fat “Meh!” Not a book that I would take with me If I was stranded on a dessert. This one is a definite Read at Your Own Risk!
“Your enthusiasm warms my heart.”
Ok. Days of Rakes and Roses did not thrill me. It was lackluster at best. It tells the story of The Duke of Sedgemoor’s sister Lady Lydia Rothermere’s innocent indiscretion with Simon Metcalf when she was 17. Lydia’s psycho father caught them, and Simon was forced to leave England to protect his family, while Lydia had to stay and face her father’s derision. Ten years later Lydia is about to get married and Simon makes a sudden reappearance in her life.
This novella just about put me to sleep. Simon is a wuss, why would Lydia still want him? I thought that he would man up during the duel and shoot Berwick, but he didn’t. He played up to Lydia and lost some respect. I was so not thrilled with Simon and Lydia that I had skipped this novella. It just wasn’t worth the read.
I give this novella a big, fat “Meh!” Not a book that I would take with me If I was stranded on a dessert. This one is a definite Read at Your Own Risk!
bradleygiselle's review
1.0
DNF'd about 50%. This was a flop for me. I didn't like the characters and I found the H's harassment of the h to be frustrating and disturbing.
intostarlight's review
1.0
I really didn't like this. The heroine got on my nerves and the hero was a tool. I couldn't understand why they loved eachother so much. This novella just didn't work for me and I didn't care at all for either the hero or the heroine at all.
rhodesgiselle's review
1.0
DNF'd about 50%. This was a flop for me. I didn't like the characters and I found the H's harassment of the h to be frustrating and disturbing.
More...