Beauty and the Rake by Erica Monroe

A scarred factory worker enters into a scandalous wager believing herself to be a beast, but the roguish Metropolitan Police Inspector who wins her virginity only sees her inner beauty.

Beauty and the rake


Scoundrels, thieves and rebels inhabit the rookeries--where dangerous men fall in love with fierce women.
ONCE, SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL...
Abigail Vautille dreamed of escaping the Whitechapel rookery and starting a new life, until one tragic night left her scarred and penniless. To save her family from debtor's prison, she strikes a deal with the rogue who owns her father's gambling vowels-if he excuses the debt, for two weeks, she'll give him her body, but not her heart.
 
ONCE, HE WAS CHARMING...
Inspector Michael Strickland of the Metropolitan Police has always had a way with women. Success comes easily to him, and he glides through life on his good looks and family name. But Abigail lights a passion within him he never knew existed. He sees the beauty within her, not the beast she believes herself to be. 
 
TOGETHER, THEIR LOVE IS BEYOND A FAIRY TALE.
After a dangerous figure from Abigail's past resurfaces vowing vengeance, things take a sinister turn. But Michael will stop at nothing to keep the woman he loves safe. When the stakes are high and the scars are more than skin deep, passion might be the key to a happily ever after.
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Beauty and the Rake is a dark, gritty, and sexy full-length romantic suspense set in pre-Victorian working class London. While it is book three in the Rookery Rogues series, it can be read as a stand-alone historical romance.
 

Genre: FICTION / Romance / Historical / Victorian

Secondary Genre: FICTION / Romance / Suspense

Language: English

Keywords: beauty and the beast, strong heroine, police detective hero, scandalous wager, historical romance, regency romance, victorian romance, romantic era romance, dark romance, gritty romance, historical romance with suspense, historical romantic suspense, working class romance, fairy tale romance, romantic suspense

Word Count: 85,000

Sales info:

USA Today Bestselling Author

8 books published, all historical romance

This book received an A review from Smart B*tches Trashy Books


Sample text:

Red was everywhere.

Abigail Vautille shouldn’t have been surprised. Since that fateful day when her left hand was forcibly rammed into a working loom, the color red had haunted her. Deep red scars from the punch card of the jacquard crisscrossed her skin. Pockets of exposed flesh remained, mangled red bubbles now crusted black. The bones had been reset to give her a range of movement, but she couldn’t feel the brace of a cold wind on her flesh or the touch of a man’s fingers against her skin.

If only she could staunch her emotions so effectively.

But no, she was fated to face crimson. Scarlet was even the color of her once-friend Poppy Knight’s hair. Poppy’s investigation into their past employer had led to Abigail’s torture.

Her stomach clenched at the shellacked ruby door of Cruikshank’s gaming hell. A battered wreath hung in the center, the previously garnet holly berries shriveled and dead. No one bothered to use the carmine-rusted iron doorknocker. This was no longer a place that required a doorman.

Scoundrels came and went, invited by the new proprietor, Arthur Cruikshank. He was in league with Joaquin Mason, who ruled the rookeries from the back room of his main property in Shadwell, the King of Spades. With Mason’s support, Cruikshank had turned this dank hole into a profitable gambling house.

Abigail knew the men here, their tells and their compulsions. Each battled a demon that only a hand of cards seemed to sate.


Book translation status:

The book is available for translation into any language except those listed below:

LanguageStatus
Italian
Already translated. Translated by Adele Contenti
Author review:
Adele is timely, thorough, and she asks questions if she needs clarification. Her dedication to getting the right work is really appreciated, and I think she does an excellent job.
Portuguese
Already translated. Translated by Denise Silva
Author review:
Denise is thorough, timely, and communicates well. I would highly recommend her.

Would you like to translate this book? Make an offer to the Rights Holder!



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