Review: The Bedding Proposal

The Bedding Proposal (Rakes of Cavendish Square - Book 1) by Tracy Anne Warren

Publication Date: 03/03/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Signet
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 352
ISBN-10: 0451469224
ISBN-13: 978-0451469229

(Received for an honest review from Signet)

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Excerpt from, The Bedding Proposal, courtesy of the author's website

Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Tracy Anne Warren, the first of a new trilogy about the most dashingly dangerous men in London. Pay a call to the most seductive address in London and meet the Rakes of Cavendish Square....

Lord Leo Byron is bored with the aristocratic company he keeps; he needs a distraction, preferably in the form of a beautiful new female companion. So when he sets eyes on fascinating and scandalous divorcée Lady Thalia Lennox, he’s determined to make her intimate acquaintance. But the spirited woman seems to have no intention of accepting his advances no matter how much he chases—or how hard he falls....

Once a darling of Society, Thalia Lennox now lives on its fringes. The cruel lies that gave her a notoriously wild reputation have also left her with a broken heart and led to a solemn vow to swear off men. Still, Leo Byron’s bold overtures are deliciously tempting, and, for the first time, she finds herself wondering whether it just might be worth the risk to let the attractive rake into her life—and her bed....

Thoughts:

Tracy Anne Warren begins a new Regency series, with her latest novel, The Bedding Proposal. The first book in the Rakes of Cavendish Square series, pits a bored aristocrat against a woman with a reproachful reputation. Warren excels in her knowledge of the times and actions of the ton. She transports readers back in time with ease. The book has an authenticity that is often missing in some historical romances. Warren brings both heat and sentimentality to this story of wronged woman and a Lord who just doesn't seem to care. A great first in a series book!

I have read Tracy Anne Warrens contemporary romance books, but had never read any of her historical novels before this one. A fact that shall be remedied quickly. The Rakes of Cavendish Square is basically a spin off from her Byrons of Braebourne series. Leo the hero, in The Bedding proposal is a prominent secondary character in that series and finally gets his story told here. After reading this book it is a given that I will go back and pick up the other Byron series. I thought she did a great job with contemporary romance but I admit I like her historical's even better.

Lord Leo Byron is a fifth son in a prominent English family. He has his life pretty well laid out for him. But something is missing. His family has quite the reputation and he doesn't think anything of perhaps taking on a new mistress. What he didn't expect was to fall in love with his new prospect. Lady Thalia basically turned him on his head from the very beginning of the story. He was more than just smitten at first sight, he was down right in serious lust. It was almost comical to read how much he wanted Thalia and how she thwarted him at every turn. She wasn't necessarily playing hard to get. She meant it. Which was refreshing for a woman of the times.

I liked both Leo and Thalia's characters very much. I liked the fact that Leo didn't give a darn about what the ton thought of him or what gossip was being spread about Thalia and her former husband. He liked this woman and he didn't care who knew it. Thalia was something else. She had a wicked reputation but none of it was really warranted. Warren wrote her as a very capable woman, who knew what she wanted. Leo just kept at it though, wearing her down. The sparks between them were amazing. This was such a well written Regency.

One of the things I liked most about this one was the fact that Warren seemed to really know and understand the time period she was writing about. I like it when an author pushes the boundaries of what was acceptable, but I don't want them to go overboard and I felt like Warren was in touch with that. She got close to the lines but she kept it in the lane. I wasn't surprised that she allowed Thalia and Leo to have a relationship outside of marriage, because this was acceptable for women who were divorced during that time. It may not have been publicized but it was within the realm of the Regency character. I just thought she did a great job of bringing the customs of the time to the forefront, while giving the reader all the juicy details.

Bottom Line:

I really liked this one. I thought Warren's ability to set the scene and adhere to the times was excellent. Her characters were believable and not your typical Regency fare. I liked the fact that Thalia was a divorcee and played by a different set of rules. Leo was a great hero, confident and determined and the heat between them was immense and satisfying. Warren gave me everything was looking for a great Regency novel. Oh, whoa is me, now I want to read everything else she's ever written. 

The Bedding Proposal is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Tracy Anne Warren is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romance novels, including historical romances such as the Princess Bride trilogy (The Princess and the Peer; Her Highness and the Highlander)  and contemporary romances such asThe Last Man on Earth and The Man Plan. After working in the corporate world for a number of years, she quit her day job to pursue her first love: writing. She has won numerous industry awards, including Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She currently lives in Maryland with a small clowder of rescue cats.