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The Rake
Mary Jo Putney Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Rake
"Reginald Davenport, an untitled English aristocrat, decides that his life of drinking, gambling and meaningless sex is killing him. When he is offered an estate which used to belong to his mother's family, he returns there hoping to reform himself. Much to his surprise, the prosperous estate is being run by a female steward, Alys Weston. Not only is she female in a male's job, she is pursuing all sorts of reforming causes including the fostering of three orphans.

Instead of firing her, Reggie decides to give Alys a chance to prove she can continue in her job, all the while trying not to follow through on the attraction he feels for her. Alys finds her tall, dark, handsome employer too attractive with his intelligence and appalling sense of humor, but she doesn't believe he could be interested in a tall, odd-eyed female like her. She soon realizes he is also struggling with alcoholism and decides she should try to help him just as she has tried to help so many others on the estate.

Along with their growing attraction, each must also deal with their inner struggles; Reggie with addiction, Alys with a lack of confidence in her attractiveness as a female. "

L. Watson, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Rake
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Regency era
Inner struggle subplot Yes
Struggle with... - feels s/he's not worthy
If one lover chases another... - they alternate
Disability or addiction? - alcohol

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - farmer
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - somewhat promiscuious
How romantic is this person? - not very romantic
Sex makes him - unhappy with the sex - guilty
Sex has good effect on him Yes
Sex makes him - sensitive - a better lover
Sex has bad effect on him Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - farmer
How sexual is this person? - a few sexual encounters
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
effect of sexing - confused
Sex has bad effect on her Yes
Sex has good effect on her Yes
Effect of sexing - confident
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
City? Yes
City: - London
Farm/Ranch? Yes
Farm/Ranch: - farm - lot of descript of animal care

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related? - 80%
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - actual description of sex
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much sexing? - 1-2 sex acts
Most similar books to The Rake
A Man of Affairs by Anne Barbour
The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh
Isabella by Loretta Chase
Guarding an Angel by Martha Schroeder
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn


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Mary Jo Putney Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
L. Watson  

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