Troubled times for a lady!

Wild, Wild Rake (The Cavensham Heiresses #8) 
by Janna MacGregor

A couple of tropes happening here, the enemy turned to lover and the unexpected virgin--with a twist. Avalon, Marchioness of Warwyk, was married at a young age to Richard Pearce, the Marquess of Warwyk. He was a cad and bully. Her parents had forced her into this marriage, well both of them actually. Warwyk despised her for that even though he was the architect of his own problem, whilst Avalon was merely her parents' pawn. Yet she is painted by society as a cold hearted woman who trapped her husband into marriage. For goodness sake, Warwyk lost his favorite property, Bumble Green to Avalon's father whilst playing cards. He chose that action. He could have refused to marry Avalon but he wanted the land. So he trapped both himself and Avalon. Talk about being too much of a coward to take responsibility for his own actions. Warwyk consummated the marriage and left. Avalon fell pregnant and only saw her husband once more at their London, whilst heavily pregnant, where he threatened her. When Warwyk threatens Avalon, Mary Bolen, her husband's mistress, steps in between them. Avalon walks away, never to stay in Warwyk London home again. She is forever grateful to Mary and that relationship forms an important background to Avalon's story.
Avalon, or Lady Warlock as she's been dubbed by the less than saintly vicar, Devan Farris and younger brother to Lord Larkton, gained the reputation of being a cold hearted woman who spent extravagantly. (What she was really doing was buying jewelry and other valuables that could be readily converted to cash should her husband ever leave her with nothing.) She was right to be worried.
From that moment Avalon begins to build a community for women fallen on hard times.
Ten years late Warwyk dies, leaving Larkton as the appointed guardian for her son Thane. Larkton is worried that Avalon might be funding her project to rehabilitate fallen women, and a foundling home, from her son's inheritance. He organizes for his brother to serve as the vicar of Thistledown, the Warwyk seat, to spy on Avalon.
The bones of a good story are here. Unfortunately it becomes complicated with too many coincidences. I'm still wondering about Devan as a rake? That just doesn't fly, given his position. What Vicar romps around ton parties and drinking hells with his mates without being censured?
For me the best part was the opening chapter when Avalon stands her ground and is spurned and reviled by Warwyk's friends, Devan amongst them. Avalon grows into a  woman, dedicated to her worthwhile mission (and obviously from MacGregor's notes women and children have born the brunt of society's whims down through the ages), assisted by Mary Bolen which rounds the story nicely.
The storyline does become increasingly elaborate with the various threads crowding out the main plot.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley

*** 1/2