Mr. Notorious and the Nefarious November by Shana Galen

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Rake Review, #11

Release Date: November 1, 2024

Years ago, Beatrice Haddington made a decision that cost her the love of life and brought her years of heartache when she rejected Munro Notley’s proposal and married his best friend. She rejected Munro because he was a rake and she was sure he would break her heart by being unfaithful, instead she married Soloman Barnet, who was also a rake, but swore he would change for her. He didn’t and to make matters worse, Munro left England. But now she is a widow, and he is back for their mutual niece’s wedding. When he makes it clear that he still wants to marry her, she immediately declines, still sure he is a rake and will only break her heart. He swears he has changed, and she offers him a way to prove it. If he can resist five temptations to prove he has changed, then she will marry him.

Six years ago, Munro Notley fell in love for the first time in his life and bared his heart and soul to Beatrice the night before her wedding, begging her to runaway with him. She refused and he was unable to see the woman he loved with another man, he left England and if the gossip was to be believed continued his rakish lifestyle on the continent. When his brother orders him home for his niece’s wedding, he can’t refuse. He knows Beatrice is now a widow and dreads seeing her again, causing him to drink more than he is used to. In his inebriated state, he stumbles into the ladies retiring room and comes face to face with the only woman he has ever loved and proceeds to say way too much and even renews his offer of marriage. But Beatrice isn’t having it, and instead offers him an alternative – she will test him and if he can resist the temptations, she will give him a reward for each test he passes and if he passes all five, she will marry him. And so, the games begin!

I loved this second chance romance and was rooting for Munro right from the start. My heart broke for him and while I could understand Beatrice’s reservations, I did think she was a little unfair to Munro and let her fears control her for too long. This is a story is a lovely second chance romance filled with healing, trust, steamyish love scenes, delightful banter, great secondary characters, a wonderful cinnamon roll hero and finally a sweet ending and the beginning of their hard-won HEA. This is part of an author collaboration series but could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *