For many long years, Prudence Merridew and her four sisters have lived with the beatings their grandfather inflicted. But now that he's taken to his sick bed, she discovers a way out. Upon her 21st birthday, she'll be able to be the guardian of her sisters. And if she sells her mother's jewelry, they should have a little money to live on until they can find husbands, at which time each daughter receives a monetary inheritance. After forging a letter from their grandfather to his brother Oswald, they flee to London in hopes of not being discovered until either Prudence turns 21 or husbands are obtained. Not having heard from her betrothed, Phillip, in quite some time, Prudence decides she has no other choice.

When Great-uncle Oswald refuses to let the younger girls come out until Prudence is wed, she claims she's already betrothed. Unable to say who her real betrothed is because Phillip made her swear she'd keep it a secret, Prudence mentions the name she heard at a party the night before, The Duke of Dinstable, who's become a hermit in his home near Scotland. Prudence soon has to do damage control when she reads the duke is actually in London looking for a wife.

Gideon, Lord Carradiace, is a known rake who doesn't take life seriously. When charming Prudence arrives at his door and begs him to go along with her ruse, he doesn't correct her that he's cousin to the duke and not the duke himself, and plays the game until the real duke shows up ruining everything. No way is Gideon ever getting married, being a rake suits him just fine, until Prudence storms into his life. After showing up at her uncle's home, Gideon unknowingly lets Great-uncle Oswald believe he's honorably seeking Prudence's hand, agreeing to let him believe the farce until her sisters get their coming out and find husbands.

When disaster strikes and the girls receive a letter that their grandfather has found out their location, the girls rally together to flee. Gideon promises to aid them and takes them to his aunt's in Bath, but he's amazed when he realizes he actually wants Prudence to be his wife. Prudence has known for some time that Phillip is not the man for her and gets her chance to tell him when she discovers he's also in Bath. He appears to be angry and makes her promise not to appear in public for seven days. When Gideon's aunt suggests they go to a small dinner party, Prudence doesn't consider it a public outing and Gideon has the privilege to finally meet the coward who deserted Prudence in her time of need. Prudence gets a few surprises of her own.

THE PERFECT RAKE is jam-packed with adventure and romance and, for me, humor. The girls absolutely love each other and would do anything for each other. The relationship between Gideon and Prudence is serious, but some of the things they say and do absolutely cracked me up. I had a really good time reading this story and I'm sure you will too.

Book Summary

To escape her brutal grandfather, Prudence stages a plan involving a phony engagement--and the man she approaches is so taken with Pru that he willingly joins her game.