The second in the Sinful Sinclair series, but a great standalone book. The series follow the Sinclair Siblings and this one focuses on Chase’s story.
From the start of the book there is instant mystery and attraction between the two protagonists. The fact that Ellie is pretending to be engaged Henry throws some added obstacles between them. The close proximity that the two have to work together, only brings them closer together and builds the sexual tension.
I feel this book is in two halves, the time at Huxley Manor where the relationship is all constrained, and the time in Egypt, because the truth about their situations are known, allow them to develop their relationship.
The book is filled with beautiful details especially the descriptions of Egypt. I will definitely go back to read the first book and look out for the next.

The Rake’s Enticing Proposal is the second instalment in the Sinful Sinclairs mini series, Charles Sinclair is a globetrotting adventurer who visits Huxley Manor to sort out his late cousin’s affairs. He meets Eleanor Walsh, a practical lady who wants to clear her family’s debt. He senses that she wants to escape her staid existence at the Manor. Charles can offer her an exciting trip to Egypt, if she will agree to his shocking proposal. They travel to Egypt to solve a mystery and find the missing box whilst the chemistry between them gets stronger all the time.

The first part of the book dragged and could have been condensed without losing the flow of the storyline. The trip to Egypt was an enjoyable read, the storyline picked up and the descriptive scenes were an added bonus. This is an enjoyable, if you skim read the first few chapters, read with a slow burning romance/mystery element.

I received this novel from Mills & Boon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I struggled to get into this one, making it 25% of the way through on my first attempt before abandoning it, and trying again six months later, where I went back to the start and managed to finish it. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with either the hero or the heroine, both of whom seemed too distant to engage with. The mystery element was sidelined for most of the book, which meant that the payoff felt unrelated to the rest of it, and the sudden shift of setting to Egypt was rather strange and didn't seem to serve much of a purpose as everyone continued to behave the same. I just wasn't very invested in the love story, the characters, or the mystery, so it was a miss for me.

Lara Temple shines again in this intriguing historical novel. A fake betrothal which was undertaken with the best of intentions to help an old friend out. .A journey to in Egypt adds more interest to the main characters who are desperately trying not to give in to their attraction to each other. A really enjoyable read

Historical based romance with intrigue, mystery, dilemmas, foreign travel and emotionally charged escapades. Not completely following societies correct behaviour but still really adhering to it when it counts.!!!!
With a happy ever after ending.
Ah!

Another fabulous read by Lara Temple, and a second In the series and highly anticipated. Chase Sinclair is responding to his cousins missive a cryptic deathbed message that sends him to Huxley Manor a place he knows well and spent his childhood at.
Ellie Walsh is from a a family swamped in scandal and desperately trying to keep her family and home afloat she has agreed to a fake betrothal to her good friend the new Lord Huxley Henry. He naively believes he can help her with the funds in return for shielding him against his Aunts plans to marry him off to her nieces,

Ellie meets Chase, they join together to solve a mystery but does love bloom. It’s a wonderful tale full of twists and two unlikely people learning things about each other. A great tale that i really enjoyed.

I really liked the set up of this book with the false betrothal as I felt it gave the hero and heroine a good starting point for why they were wrestling with their attraction, I do wish I had read the previous novel in the series first though as I did not always find it easy to keep the secondary characters straight once the story really got going. The section set in Egypt was really interesting though and I feel that the novel would have had slightly more momentum if the action had moved there sooner. I did enjoy it however, and always look forward to books written by this author.

Chase, one of the notorious ‘Sinful Sinclairs’, returns to his uncle’s estate, to retrieve his legacy, stored in the folly on his late uncle’s estate. His surprising meeting with Eleanor (Ellie), threatens the creed he lives by.

This not your usual Rake Regency romance. Chase has a Rake’s reputation, but it is at odds with the true man and his actions. Ellie is fiercely independent and willing to sacrifice the truest part of herself, which she denies, to ensure her family’s security.

The attraction is instant, but forbidden, as soon as one obstacle to their romance disappears, another appears, and the internal conflicts are the biggest barrier to their happiness.

The Egyptian setting and the quest for the missing box gives the story added historical interest and mystery. The romance is slow burning, but you do empathise with their unrequited feelings. Chase is a charming man, far too nice to be a Rake, but nevertheless a worthy man for Ellie. She is brave, selfless and intelligent, so glad they get the ending they deserve.

A Regency Romance with an original twist.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

4.5 Stars
When globe-trotting Charles Sinclair arrives at Huxley Manor to sort out his late cousin Huxley’s affairs, he meets practical Eleanor Walsh who is engaged to Henry. He can’t shake the feeling that behind her responsibility to clear her family’s debt, Eleanor longs to escape her staid life. Chase asks Ellie to travel to Egypt as companion to his widowed sister Sam.
A lovely romance, Chase is charming witty & a problem solver, Ellie is the glue that holds her family together – they were perfect for each other. I loved that the gorgeous confident Chase fell hard for the older Ellie who is not a diamond of the first water to look at but her true beauty is her personality & love for her family. There are some misunderstandings along their journey but the more time they spend together the more they fall in love but also become best friends. Set against a backdrop of England & Egypt this captivating read held me from start to finish
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Ellie is pretending to be engaged to Henry as he has recently inherited a title and he has promised to try to help her to get funds so save her family home. Henry's aunt Ermentrude hates Ellie however and thinks he would be much better being married to one of her daughters instead

Chase is from the darker side of the family and is another one of Henry's cousins, come to the estate due to a puzzle left to him and his brother by their very eccentric uncle Huxley

Chase encounters Ellie in a folly on the estate before he made it to the main house, it isn't the best of first encounters but it does leave an impression on both of them!

Aunt Ermentrude is determined to keep Henry and Ellie apart so she is tasked with helping Chase sort through Huxley's belongings where a strange bond and friendship forms between them

Huxley was an scholar who loved Egypt and when Chase realises that the answer to the puzzle may lay in Egypt he invites Ellie to come as a companion to his sister. Seeing Egypt through Ellie's eyes gripped me and made me feel at least in part like I was there

Is Ellie and Chases bond stronger than they realise? Are they keeping things from themselves when everyone else can see what they don't and what they think is hidden?

I loved this book and didn't want to put it down. It was very well written and I didn't realise how far through I was until my kindle battery died!

Chase and Ellie's story gripped my imagination and I think a part of me enjoyed being able to hear more about the thoughts of the male character rather than the female as is so often the norm. Having that different perspective drew me in further and I got behind Chase as a character whereas I may not have done as much if the story was written differently

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves travel and history entwined with a puzzle

A really nice long read with lots of interesting titbits about how the British Museum acquired its collections - especially the Egyptian items...
There were good character portrayals with their thoughts and emotions well documented from both male and female perspectives and characters.
Clear writing style with good grammar.