Sarah Elliott, The Rake’s Proposal

The Rake's Proposal

Sarah Elliott

Harlequin, October 2006, $5.50

ISBN: 0373294204

In 1817 England, twenty-four year old Katherine Sutcliff does not want to marry, as she prefers spending her time at the family shipyard than serving tea to suitors. However, she knows she has no choice but to find a spouse who will stay out of the way while she runs her late father's business, as his will demands that she marry or lose her inheritance. Her plan is simple: find some easy to control throwaway, preferably smaller than her tall size, and make him sign a legally binding prenuptial agreement.

She turns to her brother Robert to find this paragon for her. However, instead she changes her mind and decides his best friend, rakish Benjamin Sinclair is perfect, though he physically and emotionally does not fit her prototype. Since he wants no wife to interfere with his womanizing, he is ideal except for one problem; she wants him. Ben avoids Kate like she is a shrew until questionable incidents occur, as someone tries to abduct the spirited female. Now Ben feels obligated as a matter of honor to keep kissable Kate safe, though marrying her was not his plan.

THE RAKE'S PROPOSAL is an amusing regency romantic suspense thriller headlined by two likable protagonists who have successfully shunned marriage until now. Readers will enjoy the chick lit like asides from Kate and Ben that enable the audience to observe up front and personal their transformation to love. The intrigue not only plays a matchmaking role, but augments a fun historical that sub-genre fans will want to read.