Stubbornness takes first place!

The Rake's Daughter (Brides of Bellaire Gardens #2) by Anne Gracie 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Half sisters join together at a very young age to thwart their pleasure seeking, selfish father who has neglected the girls. Isobel, Izzy, is his natural daughter whom he refuses to acknowledge. However his eight year old daughter Clarissa, normally a biddable child had other ideas.

Then there’s the unaware Josiah Leonard Thorne, sixth Earl of Salcott who discovers upon his father’s death that he has been appointed guardian to Sir Bartley Studley’s daughter Clarissa. Despite his protestation that the intended guardian was meant to be his father seeing as Studley and his father had been of the same age, the Will stated the “sixth” earl. Clarissa it seems is an heiress. Leo undertakes to give her a season and hopefully fire her off. It’s only when Clarissa arrives that he discovers there are two sisters, and shock horror! they both demand to be presented, including vouchers for Almack’s. That’s not going to happen, not on Leo’s watch. If the ton ever learns of Izzy’s background they would be unforgiving about having this social pariah foisted upon them.

Leo didn’t bargain for the girls’ powers of persuasion, and the way they quietly moved people around like chess pieces to reach their desired outcomes. Izzy’s abilities to make things happen are Machiavellian. Nor did Leo bargain for his attraction to a woman who’s background would never be accepted in polite society. Marriage to someone like Izzy is quite out of the question. The divide between respectability and non acceptance yawns wide. Of course this is where I heartedly dislike Leo, but then he’s a product of his time. Just want put it out there—he often disappointed!

There are some excellent moments as this story unfolds, and then others when I just didn’t engage. The fun and often tense times did out-way the ho hum moments.

A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.