★ 12/20/2021
A woman bargains for her freedom from society’s gilded cage in Leigh’s smart and sizzling introduction to her Last Chance Scoundrels regency series (after the Union of the Rakes series). When roguish Kieran Ransome’s father demands he marry or be cut off, Kieran recruits the “most respectable woman he knows,” Miss Celeste Kilburn, to help reform his reputation and introduce him to marriageable debutantes. Celeste, whose father is forcing her to accept the courtship of the obnoxious Lord Montford but whose virtuous facade hides a risk-taker within, agrees to help Kieran if, in exchange, he’ll bring her along on his less reputable adventures. Disguising Celeste as “Salome,” the pair attend scandalous bacchanals and wager at gaming halls, along the way sharing secrets, discovering hidden talents, and falling in love. Kieran finds a kindred spirit in the courageous Celeste, whose sexual appetites match his own, and Celeste learns Kieran’s well-earned naughty reputation hides a good heart. When Montford discovers their secret, however, he attempts to blackmails Celeste into marriage—forcing her to choose between her honor and her heart. That Kieran and Celeste’s love affair is born of mutual respect and admiration only enhances the sensual love scenes. This risqué romp will have readers hooked. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Feb.)
"Eva Leigh is an author who never fails to provide scorching love scenes and deliciously filthy dialogue, and this is no exception... Leigh captures something critical to the essence of romance — good sex on the page is fun to read, but great literary sex comes with something to say about power, pleasure, and rebellion." — Entertainment Weekly
"A woman bargains for her freedom from society’s gilded cage in Leigh’s smart and sizzling introduction to her Last Chance Scoundrels regency series... That Kieran and Celeste’s love affair is born of mutual respect and admiration only enhances the sensual love scenes. This risqué romp will have readers hooked." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"If you’re looking for a Regency romance with a full-blown bad boy—Bridgerton fans know that “rake” is the English-historical-romance version of ladies’ man—please meet Kieran Ransome..." — Self
"Many romances explore young women fighting against the patriarchal standards that dictate their lives. This story not only does that with aplomb, but also considers the intersection of gender and class... Delightful dirty talk and dazzling prose contribute to making this book a standout. A captivating series kickoff from an author soaring to a new level of excellence." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"With this promising start to her new Last Chance Scoundrels series, Leigh once again displays her literary prowess for creating marvelously memorable characters and crafting sensuality-forward love stories perfectly enhanced by her deliciously acerbic sense of humor." — Booklist
“Leigh’s heroines are complex, vivid characters who seem to have stepped out of an enviable time and place, and not just because of all the satisfying, sexy romance they get to have.” — Sarah MacLean, Washington Post , on From Duke Till Dawn
“Eva Leigh is one of my favorite authors. Her books are pure romantic delight.” — Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author
“Leigh consistently crafts whip-smart heroines and irresistible heroes delivered in packages bursting with wicked wit, feminist leanings, and sex positivity... For any who question whether historical romance is outdated or can be feminist, look no further than Eva Leigh’s work—while maintaining assiduous historical accuracy, she delivers intoxicating yarns that bulldoze tropes and flip gender expectations on their head.” — Entertainment Weekly
“A jolt of electricity, a blast of fresh air—everything delightful and exciting you could want it to be.” — New York Times Book Review on My Fake Rake
"My Fake Rake is a feast of female empowerment, positive friendships, feel-good moments, and social satire. And as the first book in a series, it builds a delicious world you'll want to come back to—hopefully because the delightful supporting characters will get their own stories next." — NPR
"This book is totally charming." — Cat Sebastian, author of A Delicate Deception
“there’s just something about the way [Leigh] structures her plots that slips under my skin and gets my mental wheels turning every time...” — Seattle Review of Books
"In the realm of historical romance, Eva Leigh... knows how to write very spicy stories with lots of hot chemistry that never burns out, but also a depth and richness to characters that leads to incredibly fulfilling relationships unfurling across the plot." — Paste Magazine
"Eva Leigh is an author who never fails to provide scorching love scenes and deliciously filthy dialogue, and this is no exception... Leigh captures something critical to the essence of romance — good sex on the page is fun to read, but great literary sex comes with something to say about power, pleasure, and rebellion."
A jolt of electricity, a blast of fresh air—everything delightful and exciting you could want it to be.”
New York Times Book Review on My Fake Rake
Leigh’s heroines are complex, vivid characters who seem to have stepped out of an enviable time and place, and not just because of all the satisfying, sexy romance they get to have.
"If you’re looking for a Regency romance with a full-blown bad boy—Bridgerton fans know that “rake” is the English-historical-romance version of ladies’ man—please meet Kieran Ransome..."
Eva Leigh is one of my favorite authors. Her books are pure romantic delight.
"With this promising start to her new Last Chance Scoundrels series, Leigh once again displays her literary prowess for creating marvelously memorable characters and crafting sensuality-forward love stories perfectly enhanced by her deliciously acerbic sense of humor."
"My Fake Rake is a feast of female empowerment, positive friendships, feel-good moments, and social satire. And as the first book in a series, it builds a delicious world you'll want to come back to—hopefully because the delightful supporting characters will get their own stories next."
"With this promising start to her new Last Chance Scoundrels series, Leigh once again displays her literary prowess for creating marvelously memorable characters and crafting sensuality-forward love stories perfectly enhanced by her deliciously acerbic sense of humor."
"This book is totally charming."
there’s just something about the way [Leigh] structures her plots that slips under my skin and gets my mental wheels turning every time...
Leigh’s heroines are complex, vivid characters who seem to have stepped out of an enviable time and place, and not just because of all the satisfying, sexy romance they get to have.
Sarah MacLean for the Washington Post
A jolt of electricity, a blast of fresh air—everything delightful and exciting you could want it to be.”
New York Times Book Review
Zara Hampton-Brown narrates a romance between a rake in need of reform and a young lady who seeks to reject expectations. When Kieran Ransome does something unthinkably foolish, his father threatens to disinherit him unless he finds a suitable bride. But, apart from Celeste Kilburn, his best friend’s sister, Kieran doesn’t know any respectable women. Hampton-Brown portrays Kieran as warm and generous, a rake with a heart of gold whose only real flaw is trying to avoid responsibilities. Celeste is deeply frustrated with her lot, both as a woman and as her family’s ticket into society, and Hampton-Brown leans into that frustration in her portrayal. While this frothy story of a rake seeking redemption and a woman seeking agency is nothing new, it is capably performed. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Zara Hampton-Brown narrates a romance between a rake in need of reform and a young lady who seeks to reject expectations. When Kieran Ransome does something unthinkably foolish, his father threatens to disinherit him unless he finds a suitable bride. But, apart from Celeste Kilburn, his best friend’s sister, Kieran doesn’t know any respectable women. Hampton-Brown portrays Kieran as warm and generous, a rake with a heart of gold whose only real flaw is trying to avoid responsibilities. Celeste is deeply frustrated with her lot, both as a woman and as her family’s ticket into society, and Hampton-Brown leans into that frustration in her portrayal. While this frothy story of a rake seeking redemption and a woman seeking agency is nothing new, it is capably performed. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
★ 2021-11-30
After Kieran Ransome, third son of an earl, plays a role in a scandal alongside his brother, Finn, and best friend, Dom, the three are given an ultimatum: Find upstanding wives or be financially cut off from their parents. Kieran asks Dom’s prim and proper sister, Celeste Kilburn, to help by introducing him into respectable social circles. She offers him a deal—in exchange, he must show her the less proper parts of London, like gaming hells, before she has to marry a pompous earl. Celeste grew up poor, and even though her father’s business turned them wealthy, they are still not fully accepted by society, and she feels her family’s reputation falls on her shoulders. As Celeste and Kieran's bargain gets afoot, they fall for each other, but the expectations forced on them from society and their families stand in their way. Many romances explore young women fighting against the patriarchal standards that dictate their lives. This story not only does that with aplomb, but also considers the intersection of gender and class. It’s notable for showcasing how these trappings also hurt the seemingly privileged like Kieran, who has felt the need to hide the truth of his emotional poet self because of unrealistic expectations of masculinity. The romance is never weighed down by these complex conflicts but rather is bolstered because of them. Delightful dirty talk and dazzling prose contribute to making this book a standout.
A captivating series kickoff from an author soaring to a new level of excellence.
