Another enjoyable read from Darcy Burke. I’ve just finished the book - a romance, great characters and excellent story - having been unable to put it down. Some characters were revisited from the previous book but this book can be read as a stand-alone.

I almost lost interest in the book. I say almost because after picking it up again the third time to finish what I started, I found myself embroiled in everything that was happening in the book. I enjoyed the characters so much. i could be friends with. This was a very enjoyable read!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Anne Pemberton is in London for her first season, when she meets a handsome stranger, who she dubs Lord Bodyguard, at a book store. They spend their Thursday afternoons together, never revealing their true identities, and she soon falls in love. However, her parents are adamant she marries, especially after her sister Jane's perceived ruined reputation, and so she is betrothed to Gilbert Chamberlain. However, when he is arrested for extortion on their wedding day, she finds herself ruined, and in hiding with her sister. Anne can't stop thinking about Lord Bodyguard, and when she spots him in her brother-in-law's hallway, and discovers his true identity, Rafe Bowles (Blackwell), she won't let him slip through her fingers again. For Rafe, he has vague memories of his parents, before he and his sister, Selina, were stolen away to London at a young age. He has many identities, from the Vicar, to Blackwell, Bowles, and now perhaps the long lost heir to an Earldom? He can't believe his luck, but it appears that his uncle, the current Earl, may have had a hand in the fire that took his parents, and was meant to take him too. He wants to keep Anne at arms length, and not ruin her with his past, but it's difficult to do, and perhaps he needs her more than he could imagine? Will Rafe be able to discover the truth about his lineage, or will his past come back to haunt him?

After binging this series, I can safely say this was the perfect ending anyone could've asked for. Any and all questions you may have had previously have been answered, and then some. Rafe had intrigued me every time we saw him in the previous books, and learning what he got up to in the time he and Selina had been separated was lovely, as was seeing his softer side, and him being vulnerable with Anne. I just love stories like this, when the long lost heir is discovered, and it brought together the perfect mix of mystery and intrigue, with the added bonus of a wonderful romance, all neatly tied together with a bow. Anne and Rafe had a chemistry that was unreal - though they aren't my favourite couple of the series - and the moments we saw between them in the prologue were simply beautiful as a meet cute. There were some moments between them when I wanted to laugh, and others cry, but it was so real and natural. I'm so pleased with the conclusion, and the way all three main characters from the series get the closure they've been looking for. I can't wait for Darcy's next book!

This book is a story about the Pretenders.
Rafe and Anne are a perfect pair in this third book from the series.
Will a dissolution thief/earl and a lady who is a social pariah find love.
This is Darcy Burke at her best.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Rogue to Ruin is the story of Rafe, an orphan looking for the truth about his parents, and Anne, a young woman who has been touched by scandal in society's eyes. They enjoy each other's company with out knowing their true names before losing contact and then being reunited later. Rafe is determined not to be married again, but Anne seems to be taking down his walls.

I did not read the first 2 books in this series, so I feel I may have been missing some context while reading this.

I have no chill when it comes to historical romances, I read the whole thing in a day. It was enjoyable for what it was. Could it have been better researched? Yes. The characters did not behave in a way that makes sense for the era. However, I'm not looking for historically accurate, I'm looking for steamy romance. And that's what I got.

I really enjoyed reading it, it was quick and well written.

*This eARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about a man who has been kidnapped when he was 5 year old and had to fight to servive from the terrible life he was living . He became very rich . He meets Anne in a bookstore and they force a friendship . When they meet later properly they have many people in common as his evil uncle . The love between them is so sweet .
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another delightful read by Ms. Burke! His two sisters have been able to find love and now Rafe has the opportunity to as well, if he can let go of the past. Rafe did what was necessary to survive, and has regrets but had done good things with his wealth. Anne's life changed when she met Rafe, and she could not get him out of her heart and almost made a horrible mistake. Reunited, Anne and Rate spend time together, even though he cannot give her what she wants. Anne has no intention of giving up. The past of Rafe's family will affect their potential future as well as secrets they are both keeping. The truth had a way of revealing itself, but will it be enough?
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An action packed finale to the Pretenders series. The mystery of The Vicar, and Selina’s past is solved.

Rafe Blackwell, who has a mysterious past recollects the folly while out on a picnic as does his sister Selina Sheffield who has memories of a coral necklace which is gifted to her, and she remembers her mother wearing the necklace. And thus the mystery to find out their parentage starts. The book bring in all the Pretenders together along with some of the Spitfire girls.

Meanwhile Anne Pemberton has a bad start to her season after her fiancé is found to guilty and is being transported. Before her betrothal, she meets Rafe Blackwell or Raphael Bowles (as he calls himself once he gave up the role of the Vicar, the moneylender) at a bookshop and after he thwarts the unwanted attention of two unruly fellows, form a friendship and he takes on the role of her bodyguard and they roam the city together.

Anyhow, most of the novel is unearthing the past of Rafe and his sister. Mid way through the book, their identity is revealed. The rest of the book dwells into why the crime was committed and the villains are after Rafe again.

The book is more focused on the mystery rather than romance and is well drawn out. Anne and Rafe continue their romance on the sidelines and eventually marry after some misunderstandings.

The book was a Ms Burke trademark. Good Mystery and romance.

Anne cannot choose the right man. Her fiancée is arrested right before they are about to be married. She starts to wonder if any man is who he says he is. Reformed thief, Rafe, has a chance encounter with Anne that they both cannot forget. When he later realizes that Anne is related to people who might have murdered his parents, he must decide whether to trust her. When Anne realizes that Rafe is hiding secrets from his past, she must decide whether to trust him. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Darcy Burke Publishing for my honest review.

Nothing was outwardly bad about this book, but nothing was notably good. It was overall a 'meh' read but that may just be a me-thing and those who read more historical romance than me may still enjoy.

I'm usually a fan of Ms. Burke's books, but this one was not my favorite. Anne's character was entirely too independent for the time. She flaunted society's rules at every turn and was quite aggressive in her pursuit of Rafe. I liked Rafe's character better. He endured a terrible childhood and learned the hard way how to succeed imploring criminal behavior to climb out of poverty. I liked seeing some of the characters from the previous books show up in this one. While I don't mind sex scenes in stories, I'd prefer them not to be so graphic so be warned for those readers who don't want to see them in the books they read.

I love this series and have been waiting for Rafe's book. What I didn't expect was for him to be such a sweet guy. He warms up gradually through the series of books and in this one he just makes you melt. His relationship with Anne is very slow to move through but absolutely worth it in the end. I can't wait to see who comes out of this world next!

I got it as an ARC for my honest review, and honestly, it's bad. No research went into writing it, the writing itself is stilted, and the plot is laughable even for the genre. Long lost family, so many bloody coincidences, and terrible character writing. 2 Stars.

This was an altogether enjoyable book. The characters had good chemistry and the setting and situation was interesting. Although I have not ready any other books in the series, there seemed to be some depth added to characters and storylines from previous titles. A Rogue to Ruin also avoids the pitfalls I sometime see in regency novels where the author uses language or situations that are gleaned from modern life. The challenge to balance a realistic historical aesthetic combined with a situation and story that appeals to a modern audience is always there, but on the whole, I think Ms. Burke pulled it off. Overall, I would give this book a 3.5 star rating if that were available. My only complaint was that it was a little difficult to get into as a stand alone book. The meet-cute was nice but I wasn't as invested in the h and H as I thought I would be from the outset. That being said it was an easy and enjoyable read.

Yay, after Selina (in A Secret Surrender) and Beatrix (in A Scandalous Bargain), there is now a happy ever after for Raphael.
After the first two parts of the Pretenders series, we still haven't found out whose parents Selina and Raphael's really are and why they where murdered. Rafe is still trying to find their murderers to avenge them. And although he has worked his way out of poverty and thievery, he still feels guilty for all the sins he has committed. And with no title to his name, and a vicious scar on his face, he is no candidate on the Marriage Mart. Not that he feels the need to marry. But when he meets a mysterious lady by chance, he can't keep her out of his head. Unfortunately, or maybe for the best, they didn't exchange names, so Rafe has no way of finding out who she is. But when he has to ask a favour to Anthony Colton, from his life as the Vicar (yes from the Spitfire Society Series), he discovers that Anthony's sister in law, Anne Pemberton, is his mysterious lady.
And even more, he finally finds out who he really is and who has murdered his parents. But in uncovering the truth, he also uncovers more about Anne's family. Somehow, he has to chose whether the price of avenge is too high or not. A wonderful ending to this series, and also very nice how the characters of the Spitfire Society are also making appearances.
Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

This review is Darcy Burke's A Rogue to Ruin, which comes out 2/23/2021.

This book is about Rafe, a self built man who knows little of where he came from. He meets Anne in a bookstore and for weeks in anonymity they continue to meet for outings which would otherwise be impossible for Lady Anne to embark on. Eventually, it is discovered that Rafe's past intertwines with Anne's present and his true identity comes to light. The character Anne is very forthcoming with her feelings for Rafe, while he maintains he is not good enough for her. Our seduction is actually lead by the heroine and not the hero, which was both endearing and hilarious to read.

This book is part of a series and has a huge cast of characters which can get confusing. I do not think it would do well as a standalone. To fully appreciate the emotion of this book, the plight of Rafe and his two sisters, and the incredulity of Rafe discovering his true identity, you need to read the other books in the series.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Rake Bowles meets Anne Pemberton in Hatchards bookstore. Keeping their identities secret, they meet once a week to explore East End London. A few weeks later Anne doesn't show up. Their paths cross again. A second chance with complications becomes more complicated when Rake finds out about his past. Anne already loves him and is not going to give up keeping him in her life. When his true identity comes to light, it will be his biggest challenge to not lose her. I think this is my favorite book in the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Cute enough. Didn’t sizzle. Characters were sweet.

Once again we see the many faces of Rafe, with Earl being the newest one. I liked Rafe's story. It was fun to see how his sisters and their husbands had his back. Plus the way that it combines Anne family and his was delightful.