Lizzie's Rake by Hazel Statham--Book Review

Be swept away by an historical romance that will leave you feeling satisfied, in Lizzie's Rake by Hazel Statham.

Infamous rake and Corinthian, Maxim Beaufort, Earl of St. Ive, winds up in possession of a property in Yorkshire after a card game. Traveling to see what fixes would be necessary to make Briarfield ready for sale, the earl finds the former owner's daughter, Elizabeth Granger and her siblings living on the estate. Maxim is drawn to Lizzie, but she refuses to have anything to do with the man who plans to steal her home.

When a suspicious fire destroys Briarfield, Maxim makes plans for Lizzie and her younger siblings to temporarily live on his estate. Sharing an appreciation for horses, but little else, Elizabeth rejectes Maxim's proposal of marriage. Her trust having been betrayed before, Lizzie doesn't find it easy to trust anyone, and the earl's reputation with the ladies certainly doesn't win her over. But the earl is known as "The Indomitable" and he's not about to give up.

This is the second book by Hazel Statham that I've read, and I know I'll be first in line when her next book comes out.

In Lizzie's Rake, Statham has once again created a cast of interesting and complex characters who pull you immediately into the storyline. Other than her complete knowledge of the Regency era and her ability to paint the picture for her reader, Statham's greatest strength is her characters. Multi-faceted, and yet, seemingly simple and straightforward at times, Lizzie, Maxim, and a host of other characters make this Regency romance a charming and delightful read.

A romance novel that every reader will feel comfortable sharing, the perfect combination of characters, an interesting plot, a tiny bit of mystery, and a love of horses work together to create a story that you'll want to read more than once.

Lizzie's Rake by Hazel Statham is Regency romance at its finest.


Title: Lizzie's Rake
Author: Hazel Statham
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 1-60154-465-0
SRP: $11.99 (U.S.)