Judith’s review of To Tempt A Rake
Kate Woodbridge has spent most of her life sailing around the globe, acquiring expertise in botany, along with a few less ladylike skills. So when she comes to London seeking reconciliation w ith her grandfather, the imperious duke of Cluyne, her outspoken views and fiery temper soon set off sparks in Society–especially with the rakish Italian Conte of Como.
A devil-may-care rogue, Marco finds Kate a tempting target for his flirtations. But when murder strikes at the duke’s country estate, he suspects she’s hiding a dark secret. he has his own clandestine reasons for helping to prove her innocence. . . which leads them on a perilous journey from London to the glittering ballrooms of Vienna, where Marco and Kate must duel with a deadly villain and confrong their own explosive attraction.
This is not your boy-meets-girl kind of simplistic and easily read novel. It is a historical novel that once again showcases Cara Elliott’s considerable talent and obvious writing expertise. She has built a story around the historic international peace conference that was held in Vienna late in the 19th century and after which the face of Europe was changed. Rife with political intrigue and political machinations, the conference has the British Home Office on the watch. Thus, they request the Duke of Cluyne to host a house party at his country estate.
There the reader encounters Kate Woodbridge, granddaughter of the duke–daughter of his only daughter who he disowned when she wed an American sea captain. Kate was raised at sea, learning the skills of sailing, learning to climb the rigging, eat the strange and sometimes inadequate fare, feel at home in foreign environments, and survive in less that ideal circumstances–both on sea and on the land. When her parents suddenly dies from the fever while in an Italian port, Kate finds herself alone and bereft, emotionally and financially. Kate must also fulfill her promise to her mother to seek out and reconcile with her grandfather–not an easy task when one is outspoken and used to expressing her opinions freely. Both Society and her grandfather do not take her independent ways well.
The reader also meets Marco, and Italian count who is really in the pay of the Home Office as a spy, but whose cover as a rakehell has preserved his usefulness politically. He is a man who takes his pleasure as he finds it, whether it be gambling or women. When he meets Kate she is a different kind of woman and thus she is fascinating. But Marco finds out that she is even more unique and fascinating than he anticipated.
There is murder and mayhem afoot, not only in the duke’s conservatory but being planned for the peace conference. Kate becomes the prime suspect in the murder of the German diplomat, but she also become privy to information that could change the course of history.
This is a story that is multi-layered and, in many ways, complicated. It is a historical novel that is compelling because of its depth as well as the fact that Ms Elliott has made historical figures of note front row players in this fictional drama. Thus, this novel is not only entertaining but it is vastly educational. The decadence of the political arena is also put on display and one begins to become aware that the decisions that have often affected the future of millions have been made in the ballrooms and bedrooms of pleasure palaces rather than by serious and considerate people. There is also pathos here–a woman who has lost everything yet can’t seem to bridge the gap between herself and the only living relative she possesses. It is a struggle between giving into the social expectations of that time and of her grandfather and maintaining her own personhood and individuality as an intelligent woman and a scientist. Kate is not a simpering debutante; she is a woman of experience and education and she refuses to be demeaned into someone that society can accept. Thus, Kate must find a way to keep her promise to her mother amid some fairly hefty pressures.
This is a book that will please the true historical romance fan. It is not literary “fluff” by any means. It will stretch your mind in that it is not only entertaining but educational as well. It is worthy of the time and effort one must expend in order to read it. I think it is also one of those books that I would like to re-read in the future and from which I will glean even more information and enjoyment in the future.
I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.
in e-format.
Leave a Reply