I loved the writing in this and the suspense and drama. Dahl really brought her characters to life in this book. Good read! ( )

I still don't get why erotic has to equal tied up. Are people really that lacking in imagination?A decent story with a somewhat strong female character, but much of the attendant sensuality is lacking. ( )

I really enjoyed this book, much better than I did the first book in the series. I love the way Emma decides to take her life into her own hands and make herself stable as opposed to finding a man to do it for her. The characters in this book are truly top notch, some of the best historical romance characters I have had the pleasure of reading.

The plot moved at a fast pace, although the sensual scenes are still lacking some of the heat that Victoria Dahl's more recent work has. I am not sure if it is her still learning here to because of the genre of the book. The scenes are still pretty hot, especially one of the first ones, you will know what I am talking about when you read it.

I loved that this book wasn't the same cookie cutter historical romance, I loved the gambling mix in there and I adored Emma in every sense of the word. I will definitely continue to read this trilogy. ( )

I liked the plot of this historical romance and it had an exciting ending but the beginning started to drag on and the heroine got rather stubborn. Lady Emma Denmore is doing a lot of gambling and winning which intrigues the Duke of Somerhart.
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After a reading several disappointing historical romances and one contemporary thriller, I decided to seek solace in Victoria Dahl, an author whose books have never let me down.

[b:A Rake's Guide To Pleasure|2935723|A Rake's Guide To Pleasure (Huntington, #2)|Victoria Dahl|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267382166s/2935723.jpg|2965111] hit the spot perfectly. Emma, Lady Denmore, a mysterious young widow with a talent for gambling, suddenly appears in London’s high society, winning both money and hearts.

Emma has plenty of secrets to hide. She’s neither a widow nor a Lady, and so poor that gambling is her last resort, the only way to put together the 3,000 pounds she needs to disappear into an anonymous but independent life in the country.

Unfortunately she encounters the Duke of Somerhart, England’s most eligible and most offensive bachelor. She remembers him from the days of a childhood spent in her father’s den of gambling and sexual perversion. He doesn’t remember her but finds himself fascinated by her vibrant, defiant personality. Somerhart pursues Emma and is increasingly confused by her strange mixture of innocence and lasciviousness, her apparent immunity to his enormous wealth and persistent seduction, and the poverty in which she lives with her loyal maid.

The tale that unfolds is an intoxicating cocktail of witty dialogue, action in and out of bed, and dark mysteries.

A can’t-put-down romantic adventure if ever there was one, so I’ll leave the rest of the story for the enjoyment of future readers. ( )