Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Love By Numbers, Book 1

Synopsis: A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen’s club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she’s not careful, she’ll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love.

Review: I had this novel for years. I bought it after seeing nice reviews of this author without ever getting into it. Finally, I got into the story and I must say that I had a great time!

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell is twenty-eight, an advanced age for a woman who is not yet married.  She’s given up hope of finding her prince charming. Besides, she is considered a paragon of virtue by everyone in society. So when the biggest debauchee in town, the Marquis of Ralston, meets his hidden sister and is looking for someone to bring her into society, he sees in Calpurnia the perfect person to help him. Especially since she owes him a favor. But Callie is tired of being perfect, and while she’s determined to help Juliana, she’s also determined to go on adventures doing things only men are allowed to do. Not easy! Especially for someone like her, but she won’t let it get her down to achieve her goal!

This was a really fun novel and I loved following Calie and Ralston. The story takes a bit of a different turn from what you find in historical romance and I loved that! I’m quite curious now to find out the second and third volumes about Juliana and Nick. I’m sure I’ll have as good a time with these characters!