Prelim Review: When I originally read [b:The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor|6661203|The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor|Diane Gaston|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FhqlnD9LL._SL75_.jpg|6490173] I had a sincere wish that the stories therein were longer. The Fitzmanning Brood was an odd, interesting mixture of people, all related in some way or other. The anthology focused on the female part of the Fitzmanning's (mostly) and Marlowe chose Stephen of the boys left.

The Stephen of this novel is a more somber fellow who seems to have become a worry-wort in the years since Charlotte's wedding (about 2 years or so ago I believe). He decided to take his responsibilities to the estate his mother left him, Fincote, seriously and let that rule his life. Mae meanwhile took his rejection of her, nursed her feelings of unhappiness for a bit and then took off to live her life.

Some of the ridiculousness from the anthology's premise finds it way into this story as well, but its nowhere near the level it was. We see first hand the damage that was wrought by Stephen's father. Issues that were only brushed upon in the anthology took full root here--such as Stephen's mother and the devastated state she lived in after his father left her.

Full Review to be posted at Romance Readers at Heart ( )

Reviewer: Stephanie
Book provided by author for review

What I love most about historical romance is how it's set in a completely distant era, yet how passion and love are both still conveyed in the same way we all know best. Harlequin's How to Marry a Rake is a perfect example.

Though Deb Marlowe's writing style is not particularly enchanting, the emotions she delivers from the deepest of her characters' hearts is what makes her stories worth swooning over. Mae Halford, the female protagonist, faces an imperative problem: the man she swears to herself, she's totally over, is suddenly, maddeningly, breathtakingly back in her life. But this time around, she's not going to let him get to her head, oh no. This time, Stephen Manning is going to fall head over heels for her.

The plot itself is theatrical that way, and paired with the mystery of figuring out who stole Newmarket's most prized racehorse, Pratchett, is an overall light and enjoyable read. Some parts are a little slow (and I feel, rather unnecessary), but most of it is fluffy and very feel-good. Mae and Stephen's chemistry is witty and scalding at the same time, though I do wish their characters had been developed a little more heavily. The characters are not relatable; however, fortunately, their situations are. The ending is predictable, but it's a happily-ever-after conclusion that's bound to leave all romantics sighing and readers with wishful tears in their eyes. ( )