Book Review: Rake's Progress

Author: Marion Chesney
Title: Rake's Progress
Mini Series A House For The Season Book 4
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publish Date: July 1987
Rating: 5 Stars
Book Blurb: Rake's Progress by Marion Chesney

Lord Guy Carlton, late of His Majesty's regiment and weary from the war in France, has only wine, women and song in mind when he rents Number 67 for the Season. He certainly has no desire for a serious attachment - and marriage, never! Then his merry eyes spot the lovely but very proper Miss Esther Jones. But what will be her fate if she falls in love with the notorious Lord Guy? Though Esther's business acumen has made her one of the richest women in England, her innocence could make her a victim of the wild ways of the ton, unless the downstairs staff at Clarges Street devise a campaign to reform the rake who is laying siege to her heart!

Review: Marion Chesney is one of my all-time favorite writers in the regency genre. The good thing about this genre of romance is that it is suitable for young adult readers as well as adult readers. There's no passionate sex going on in these books.

Chesney's writing is always light and entertaining, like a movie you want to watch over and over. In this series, there are many secondary characters that are just as important as Esther and Lord Guy and Chesney makes sure you feel like you know each one of them, from Lizzie the scullery maid to Rainbird the butler and everyone in between.

This book was pure fun. I loved how the servants helped to make the match between Lord Guy and Esther possible, as well as opening their eyes to the fact that the people belowstairs were people too and not just objects that the aristocracy could use to make their lives easier.

Lord Guy was a lovable Rake, though one party filled with debauchery certainly doesn't qualify him for the title. Miss Esther though, was definitely a prim, proper, reformer, who read to her young siblings from the Bible and kept them from living a normal life. You wanted to dislike her for that, but she was too sweet and fearful to dislike. She was definitely the perfect foil for Lord Guy.

This was book 4 in a series. I haven't read the others yet, so I can safely say you can read these books out of order without any problem.

Definitely a keeper shelf book.