The Rake of Tamarix

I heart Lucius and Cressida! This was a great read to start the year off with. I finished this in one sitting oops! Filled with an intricate world, amazing characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, this was lovey to read. I loved the character dynamics, they really popped off the page. I can’t recommend this enough!

I really enjoyed this story, and couldn’t put it down. It had a feel of pride and prejudice with the mistaken impressions, and thrown into that were secrets, chequered pasts, and scheming people, which all made for a very gripping story. My only regret is that the book which had been clean throughout ended on a sex scene, and that the ending thus felt quite abrupt and as though it could’ve done with an epilogue, otherwise an excellent story

Great book to read on a day off. The writing took me a bit to get used to it to be honest, but still loved it. I came here for the enemies to lovers trope and it was delivered. The romance between the characters was so gradual and natural that it didn't put off at all. I found that the characters were very well written too, with enough depth to have an opinion about. I mean in general all was well done, the writing, the plot, the characters.

4/5 stars! A lovely regency romance. I really enjoyed Lucius' character but struggled to connect with Cressida at times. However, this story has all the great plot devices of a successful regency romance including enemies to lovers, forced marriage, and enemies to frenemies to lovers. They were rather harsh on each other throughout the story but I enjoyed them finding their way forwards together.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

For every Heyer or Austen devotee who has quietly wished for more at the end of the story, there is The Rake of Tamarix by Georgina North. This is a beautifully written story of two headstrong and instantly appealing characters with painful events in their pasts that affect their ability to come together.

Cressida is one of four sisters whose windowed father has neglected all and abused one (Cressida). An aunt finally arrives to escort the girls to social occasions to give them a chance to find matches. Lucius has recently inherited a title and estate in the town where Cressida lives and he is captivated by her. They wind up forced together before their mutual attraction can naturally develop and through a series of misunderstandings, are separated. It's a simple plot, but one that is presented beautifully. The siblings on both side are memorable secondary characters that I'd love to see again if this proves to be the first in a series.

Following along as Cressida and Lucius come together and then separate is a heart-wrenching experience, but their love story is captivating and has the most satisfying of conclusions.

This was quite a pleasant surprise and I’m all here for it. It was a very interesting entertaining historical romance with highly intriguing and extricately written main characters !!

The Rake of Tamarix Hall was a generally enjoyable historical romance that I finished over two nights. It follows fairly standard tropes, so you know roughly what to expect from the story, but there was enough original content in the plot to keep it feeling fresh. I liked both Lucius and Cressida as characters; however, I found some of their jibes at each other a little harsh at times. It just felt a tad too strong given the eventual romance and the fact that, while they were dealing with the own baggage in the way they reacted, neither had done anything to the other to require that level of vitriol. But that aside, it was an entertaining story with a pleasing ending and no glaring anachronisms, so I can recommend it to lovers of Regency romance. I am giving it four stars.

ARC Review (ARC provided by NetGalley)
Great debut novel!

Loved both MCs even though Cressida seemed overly mean to Lucius for basically no reason.

Pretty standard trope but both characters backstories made it feel different.

Look forward to more writing by this author!

Historical romance. Regency England. Standalone novel. So this one is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers type of romance with an awkward first meeting. Lucius is a new marquess and on his way to his new estate, he stops in town, and already hears gossip about how horrible the old marquess is and how the new one can’t possibly be better. Of course he finds that a pretty young lady Cressida and her sister are the ones gossiping, and they most definitely get off on the wrong foot when the ladies discover who he is. The first half of the book moves pretty slowly with getting to know the family dynamics of each of our characters: Lucius has a reputation as a rake in London, but he seems to care about his tenants at his new estate; Cressida has an abusive father and three sisters who have been neglected and not considered out in society, despite their ages, plus a shady history with the previous heir to the marquessate. These two argue and bicker every time they encounter each other, until finally, they’re caught in a room together and need to marry to save both their reputations. From there, we have more arguments and misunderstandings with tons of emotional angst. Despite the slow start to the book, when you realize Lucius and Cressida are both emotionally invested in the status of their relationship, so are you.

A solid four star read that I really enjoyed! North is an excellent writer and she really excels at creating a range of characters who are all very believably motivated and have plenty of issues without roaming into the land of stereotypes. Lucius and Cressida are are great leading pair with immediate chemistry and whilst at times it's hard not to wish that they would just talk to each other about their damage, it's very believable that they wouldn't. The secondary characters are all also very interesting and I can't help but hope that there might be a sequel or two for Cressida's sisters and Lucius' brother.

There are only a few things that keep this from being a five star read. The pacing is a little off: the second half of the novel could do with a little more time to really expand on the issues between Lucius and Cressida, and the ending feels a bit rushed. For my part, I think it would have really increased the emotional fallout if the leads had actually consummated the marriage immediately after the wedding, rather than right at the end of the story. If you're looking for a steamy romance novel, this probably isn't exactly what you're after - although whilst I usually prefer a bit more heat to my romances, I would still recommend this. There is plenty of great tension between the two leads, and their chemistry is palpable. It's just a matter of personal taste that I would have liked a bit more heat.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this ebook in return for an honest review.

It is exactly as advertised. A cute little historical romance with just enough spice to keep it in 4 stars. I absolutely adore it. If you love he falls first and harder, foot in mouth moments and Darcy and Elizabeth then this book is for you.

The Rake of Tamarix
by Georgina North

Lucius Anselme, the new Marquess of Windmere, is no stranger to responsibility. He visits his new estate in the Berkshire countryside a man with a plan: Set Tamarix Hall to rights and return to London in time to enjoy everything the season has to offer—the theatre, the balls, the women. What he doesn’t plan for is making the acquaintance of Miss Cressida Ambrose. She’s clever, beautiful, and just the kind of young lady who might tempt him if he wasn’t wholeheartedly opposed to matrimony.

Marriage may be a woman’s best chance at a comfortable life, but for Cressida Ambrose, she’d sooner walk into a lake with pockets full of rocks than be subjected to the whims of a man, especially one as irritating as the new Lord Windmere, who flirts and teases and frustrates her by turn. She’s content to fade into spinsterhood, until disaster strikes.

Unfortunately for her, he’s the only one who can pull her back from the brink of ruin. And unfortunately for him, helping her means doing the one thing he promised himself he never would.

3.5/5

I love a historical romance, and this was a fun read! From the first chapter I felt pulled into their world, the dialogue felt genuine and I could hear the clip clop of horses in the town, the swish of dresses and the muffled laughter in hallways. Although so far removed from the world we live in now, I felt as though I was right there with them. There were some moments that I found really moving, which made me feel really connected to the characters.

The relationship itself was a rollercoaster, but an enjoyable one! I particularly felt that because both of them had trauma this was a really good ‘in’ for them to be able to connect to each other. That being said, I did find it hard to connect to Lucius at times as he was very misogynistic, especially in the beginning. I know that he’s a rake of course, but I found some of his thoughts quite off putting in the first few chapters. After a while though I really found myself enjoying spending time with him, and I’m glad that Cressida gave as good as she got, however I think some of the jibes came across as a little bit too mean. I did really like her as a character but I found she came across as a little spiteful. That being said, both characters have gone through some traumatic experiences so I can understand how they may have reacted in that way.

Overall, I loved the way their relationship developed and I really did feel like they belonged together. I would recommend to anyone who lives historical fiction with a splash of romance!

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4/5 stars! I enjoyed this book in both its plot and its romance, and I would happily recommend it to others. While I am admittedly a fast reader, this was a relatively quick read having finished it in one afternoon. The focus was on the two main characters and their tension first, and their out-lying familial issues second. The writing itself is well done, although I am not used to the manner of speaker that the characters used (I imagine it is like Bridgerton, or just maybe Victorian nobility) it took a little while to get used to. Since the book centers around just a few central issues, it is a little difficult to describe it without giving away spoilers. There are a few things I wish for from this book. For one thing, I wish it was longer, or perhaps the same length but rearranged a little. The characters move in their relationship from A to B to C, and I feel we just spent way too much time on B. A had a good length, B even seemed fine, but then C was just so short. Spoiler (or maybe not because it’s what you expect from a romance book) we get our happily ever, after but there isn’t too much detail to it. I got to the last page and pressed on to the next part, only to be hit with the “Acknowledgments” section. I audibly went “huh?!” The ending just felt abrupt, and I hope this author takes this as a compliment and not a criticism, I just want to know what happens next! The book wasn’t so long that we couldn’t keep it going, but if the author was considered about the length, plot B and the beginning of plot C could have shrunk a little in order for there to be more, maybe have a plot D. I also just wish there was more subplot too! I know I already said this, but I want to know what happens with the side characters! In terms of spice for anyone looking for it, or looking to avoid it, I will say the tense scenes we get, when any character kissed, it was well written and had just the right amount of spice. The ending does bring us an R-rated scene, but it is not X-rated in my opinion. So for those looking for 100% clean, you won’t find it here, if you’re looking to sweat, you also won’t find that here.

A really enjoyable debut novel by North. The characters were fantastic, bold and authentic. North also brought the landscape/setting alive. If you have time to read it in one sitting I would recommend doing that! I wish I'd set aside the time to do so as I'm sure I'd have enjoyed the book even more. I'm already looking forward to North's next novel. I'm hoping for another take on that era as North clearly excels here. I'd love her to do a series about the other sisters as I'd like to know how their stories continued after this book.

What can I say but I loved this book from start to finish. It's one that you will read again and again. The characters were genuinely a wonderful mix. The friendships were so strong you just felt them Bravo on a great story.

I almost bypassed this book, the cover didn’t appeal to me much, but I’m a sucker where books are concerned. I’m glad I’m a book glutton because this was a delight. The romantic tones emanating from this book were undeniably engrossing. Cressida and Lucius found love when they least expected it, but it came at a price.

The Rake of Tamarik is such a great regency romance. I really enjoyed both Lucius and Cressida and found their story interesting and even funny at times. Both characters are headstrong and kind of mean, so you can imagine the sparks flying as they butt heads. Enemies to lovers and forced marriage are some of the tropes you will see in this one. All in all, this is well-written and has an enjoyable plot. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Cressida has always taken the brunt of her father's anger since her mother died. She is a charming and spirited girl but thanks to her drunken father she has never been out in society. Cressida has no hopes of making a good marriage, but that is fine. She doesn't want to be married anyway!

Lucius is a well-known rake in London society but when the title Marquess of Windmere is forced upon him, Lucius is forced to make some tough decisions for the good of his family. When visiting his inherited estate, Tamarix Hall, he overhears Cressida gossiping about him.

Cressida's aunt returns from India to answer Cressida's call for help, and the elder girls are thrust into local society. A society circle that includes Lucius. After being involved in a scandal the two wed to save the reputation of Cressida's sisters.

Will this be a happy marriage? Will Lucius abandon Cressida for London society? Will Lucius give up his rakish ways? Will Cressida succumb to Lucius's charm?

This was a lovely read! Cressida is stubborn and lots of fun to read about. She is strong and cares deeply for her sisters. Similar to Lucius, who cares deeply for his brother and Lucius is the lovable wayward good guy. There is good angst. Some solid spice. This is a solid 4 stars and I hope to read more from this author.

If you love a historical romance, run and get this book!

Honestly I wasn’t so sure if this was going to be my cup of tea, in fact this is the first historical romance I’ve read EVER! And OMG what I’ve been missing!

Having said that, Crecida and Lucius story is beautiful. My favourite is how we can experience both sides as their story unfolds!

Lucius is back in town to take his new position as lord and finds himself as the favourite topic of gossip, specially because he is single!

Crecida is hoping her sisters can enter this social season so they can leave their precarious living situation with their father! And she is willing to do her part as long as she is not the one to marry!

A little misunderstanding between Crecida and Lucius puts them in a pickle that they’ll have to learn to navigate!

I have to tell you I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this! I was totally transported to the past and could see all of this happening! Honestly I would love to read more! So please Mrs Georgina North if you would be so kind to write an epilogue or more stories with the rest of the sisters… that would be perfect!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Overall Rating: 3.75/5 (rounded up to 4 stars)
Spicy Rating: 0.5/5

The Rake of Tamarix Hall by Georgina North is a delightful debut regency romance novel featuring beautiful, era-appropriate prose, layered characters, and a solid plot.

Pace
Clocking in at about 240 pages, The Rake of Tamarix is a quick read that, while written in typical regency-era style prose, has a tinge of a contemporary flow that makes it easy to read. Georgina delivers action and plot points through the witty dialogue and did well to avoid chunky blocks of exposition and excessively flowery descriptions that can sometimes be found in period romances. I would have liked to see a bit more of the reconciled romance at the end as everything led up to the ending for it to cut off right at the good (read spicy) part, but I think that this ending would perfectly suit a romance reader who prefers the conflict/struggle to the resolution/HEA/make-up relations.

Characters
Cressida, FMC, and Lucius, MMC, have palpable chemistry on the page and really go at each other with the witty banter that sometimes escalates into a more intense, cutting argument (think Darcy confessing his love and Elizabeth turning his down but doubled) but they both give as much as they get. Georgina does a good job at having Lucius and Cressida feed off each other which balances their dynamic (otherwise it would have read very much like bullying if it was more one-sided).

I thought Lucius was the star of the show. You can tell that Georgina really put a lot of work into crafting a complex character that was equal parts vulnerable and confident, uncertain and decisive. There was a point that was a bit ick for him as it concerns Other Woman/Man/Love Interest Drama, but I will say that Cressida’s (FMC) response to this literally made me ball my eyes out (which is weird because I really rarely cry). So, yes, while that part was icky, it was a very effective plot device to draw out the extreme emotions of the reader (me) and Cressida (FMC). I saw a few reviews already that said they didn’t like the book because of this specific scene and they are completely entitled to their opinion. I’m not going to make commentary on the actual event - whether it is acceptable behaviour, etc. - because it’s a story, a piece of entertainment, and the scene did its job as an impetus in Lucius and Cressida’s development. I don’t believe that liking the book means that you condone this behaviour in real life but, as I said, everyone is allowed to have and share their own views on the matter, as am I.

Is The Rake of Tamarix Hall spicy?
There is one explicit scene that is rather abrupt and one other non-explicit, intimate moment. These scenes are well written but very few (like literally just the two). This story is more focused on the tension and build-up rather with very little play-out of the actual romance.

My Thoughts
The Rake of Tamarix Hall by Georgina North had me laughing, crying, and whooping with joy. I enjoyed the complexity of the characters and the depth of emotion Georgina was able to pull from my cold, stone heart. Personally, I would have like there to be a longer reconciliation scene with more spicy spice but I appreciate that the story, as it stands now, might appeal to a wider audience who prefers the drama rather than the explicit romance. The Rake of Tamarix Hall is a delightful example of regency romance that I would recommend to any reader who likes a healthy serving of hate-to-love, witty banter, romantic tension, and the chase.

A very good debut novel that I read in one sitting.
I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was pulled into Lucien and Cressida's worlds and how enamoured I became in their story.
A lot of characters for such a short book, at times it felt muddled and I also feel like a little more backstory for Lucien was needed to enforce his 'Rake' reputation.
But it's a very good novel, that I think has the appropriate setting for further books to expand the world and explore the other characters more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Four daughters…country girls whose sweet mother has passed away and now live under the complete control of their drunken, violent father. He doesn’t care about them or their estate which is slowly slipping away. The second older sister, Cressida is headstrong, opinionated and wants nothing of marriage…nothing that would continue her life under the control of a man.
Lucius is a gentleman and wealthy owner of lace making mills. By the untimely death of a number of estranged relatives, he becomes the new Marquess of Windmere….a title he never wanted but his sense of duty and responsibility compels him to assume the role and right the many wrongs of the previous Marquess.
Cressida and Lucius are equally flawed and stubborn and when they find themselves in a compromise situation, Lucius “does the honorable thing” and proposes marriage. These two have a very bumpy ride ahead but this is a HEA story and an enjoyable read.

One of four sisters, Cressida Ambrose has lived with an abusive father until her aunt decides to act as a chaperone, to find them all a suitable match.
Lucius Anselme has taken on his family business, whilst caring for his younger brother. Having lost his parents, he takes joy wherever he can find it, even if it is with others. This ultimately leads to his description as a rake. Yet when he finds that he has inherited the title of Marquess of Windmere, he and his brother take up residence in Tamarix Hall. However, the title, only leads to mothers lining him up for marriage. There he meets Cressida, and soon must protect her against the malicious nature of a mother determined to trap him for her daughter.
This is an intense romance, each with their own personal trauma, yet their issues are understandable and reasonable. By using time apart, the author has given the two main characters, time to reflect on their relationship, and given an added depth to the storyline. An enjoyable read.
I have received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A fantastic debut series from Ms. North. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the character development. I was rooting for both of the characters to get their acts together. I understood Cressida's hesitance and even fear with men given her past, but I also understood Lucius's desire to make a go of things. I know some readers may find it peevish to have the male character be a "rake" and have a past, and the woman always having to be this model of purity, but I think Ms. North did a good job in being sensitive to that.

I have to remind myself that during this period, communication was not always considered a priority in a child's learning, so I was patient when the characters proved to be stubborn in their determination to misunderstand each other. I do think the ending could have been more gradual. Some parts felt open ended to me.

I am intrigued by this author and look forward to any upcoming books after their debut. Congratulations Ms. North!

ARC provided by BooksGoSocial via NetGalley, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this book. While enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, I found this to be a bit enemy heavy in some parts, but overall it was well written and easy to read at a quick pace. I enjoyed the slow burn romance as well as the banter and character dialogue.

I would read more from this author.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for me. Thank you for the opportunity to be an ARC reader.

4.5 Stars. This book has everything. Marriage of Convenience, Enemies-to-Lovers, THE ANGST! So much angst. A wonderful debut novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the eARC.

Beautiful cover! The book was a veeery slow burn enemies to lovers written really well with that period accurate flair. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the classics like Austen or a more historically accurate, slow but steady novel like Mary Balogh.

I read "The Rake of Tamarix" in one sitting and enjoyed it a lot!
There's more angst than fluff, which might not be everyone's cup of tea.
I only give 4 and not 5 stars because the ending was rather abrupt for my taste - it could do with an epilogue.

I couldn't put it down, the book drew me in. The story is fascinating, the writing excellent, you feel deeply with the characters.
I hope to read the next one soon!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for providing me with a free copy of this book.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this book! It had everything I love in a novel, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, pining, a man with authority, all of it was really gripping and all I wanted to do was keep reading.

I loved the setting the author created, the book gave me extreme Bridgerton vibes which I adored because I love those novels! I also cant believe this is this authors DEBUT novel! I will one hundred percent be reading more when she releases them!

The only thing that I did not enjoy was how stubborn and irritating Cressida could be, like girl there was no need to be so angry all the time, the reason she gave wasn’t good enough in my opinion for how she treated Windmere, and at the end of the novel there were so many stupid excuses for the two main characters not to talk civilly about a certain issue, like I understood the severity but at some points I just thought it was so childish like she literally ran off… to the woods… instead of facing the problem head on, and then was annoyed because he didn’t follow? My brain hurts thinking about it.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves Bridgerton and are fans of that era!

This is the sort of debut novel that makes me sad that this author hasn't written so many!

Honestly, I loved this book so much. The chemistry between Cressida & Lucius was off the scale. Even though I was well aware of the misunderstandings between them, it still made me cry when they were apart from each other. I'm excited to read more from this author and would recommend this to any fan of historical romance!

5 stars!

Excellent fun! Just what I wanted from a Regency Romp. Great characters and a fast-paced plot. I devoured this one on a rainy day.

Fun book with a lightness of touch but some serious points to make about marriage then, and the status of women.
I thought that the style was good and the story moved along at a good pace as would be expected in this type of novel

This was a wonderful story by a debut author. It's an enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience tale that was well-written and entertaining. Lucien comes to the Berkshire countryside to see to his new estate, and while there meets Cressida. Cressida's aunt takes her out into society, hoping to fi d a suitable match, but Cressida has no interest in finding a husband after experiencing the example her father set for her, and as captivated as Lucien is by Cressida, he has no interest in marriage either. But fate forces them together, and before they can truly appreciate one another, they are faced with misunderstandings and become separated from each other. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder and it took their separation to realize the feelings they had been developing for each other.
An entertaining and enjoyable debut! I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This was a lovely regency in the vein of Georgette Heyer. It was extremely well written with compelling characters. I will definitely read more from this author.

I thought this is an excellent first novel from the author! I enjoyed the writing style and the banter. It had a very Jane Austen feel to it. Marriage forced through misunderstanding and enemies to lovers tropes. I thought the characters were well written and had great chemistry. I think the story is missing some sweet and swooning moments. The angst in the last part of the book doesn’t feel right either as the MMC has some questionable behaviour that is sort of brushed over (read other reviews for spoilers).
Cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Beautiful cover for a beautiful story by Georgina North. This is the story of Lucius Anselme and Cressida Ambrose, about choices and duty, love, trust, secrets and misunderstandings. The Rake of Tamarix is an easy to read, engaging, sweet romance. Looking forward for more from this author.

Primero me encantó la portada y luego la historia. La novela debut de Georgina North es acerca de Lucius Anselme y Cressida Ambrose, decisiones, deber, amor, confianza, secretos y malentendidos. The Rake of Tamarix es un romance entretenido y fácil de leer. Espero que hayan otras historias por Georgina North.

Enemies to lovers? Marriage of convenience? There is nothing I love more and this book is just what I needed. With characters that fly off the page and dance right in front of you, it is perfect for those waiting for the latest season of Bridgerton.

Most people know where they stand on regency romances. I am a fan of those where I feel like I am interested in the lead protagonists getting their happily ever after. This was one that I enjoyed.
Our titular protagonist has recently been elevated to a titled position. One that means that he is now responsible for land, people and the need for an heir.
There are two main reasons that I have seen being used for characters to be against settling down, and I enjoy the one used here more because it gives a wider scope for the growth arc. If you are a fan of the romance genre in general, I am sure you know the ones I am talking about.
Lucius has come to fix some of his uncle's mistakes and take care of the property. He has a great relationship with his brother and aunt, but that is where his emotions end. He refuses to let anyone else in.
Cressida is part of a (reasonably) large family with just an alcoholic father at the helm. The vicious attacks on her personality were a little abrupt, but once the explanations were done, it made more sense. She doesn't intend to be interested in the new man in town, but their paths continue to cross. There is a lot of practicality in their burgeoning romance. It moves slowly, moves as much back as forwards before it reaches its ultimate conclusion.
I was not expecting too much from the (supposedly) light read, but it was done well, and I liked all the interplays between the various family members. I would recommend this to fans of this genre and also pick up another book by the author if I had the chance.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

A lovely, angsty little palette cleanser. For fans of the genre--and you know who we are--this will check all your boxes.

Review: The Rake of Tamarix ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Author: Georgina North
Publication Date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: Books go Social
General Fiction (Adult) | Romance

I received this book from Georgina North and Books Go Social, as an advanced eArc for my honest review any opinions that come from this review are my own. Thank you to both the Author and the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a new author for me and I really like their writing style and enjoyed the story overall. It had a pride and prejudice feel to it with other elements thrown into it. The story itself had a great plot the enemies to lovers felt natural not forced or rushed. It was a hell of a ride with these two, but not to the point it wasn't enjoyable. I would recommend this book to others.

Books like this make me realise again why I love reading, totally enjoyable with no hassles attached, loved it. A warm, funny, uplifting writer to celebrate.