Regency Rakes Who Won't Apologize
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Regency romance rakes worth reading don't grovel, don't reform mid-book, and don't apologize for wanting what they want. The dukes and marquesses in this round-up — from Gaelen Foley's *My Wicked Marquess* (2009) to Laura Lee Guhrke's *The Wicked Ways of a Duke* (2008) — seduce first, negotiate terms later, and treat propriety as a dare. These aren't reformed heroes playing at danger; they're the real article, and they stay that way through to the epilogue.
- Gaelen Foley launched her Knight Miscellany series in 2000 with The Duke, anchoring the Regency rake subgenre in mainstream romance.
- Laura Lee Guhrke's The Wicked Ways of a Duke (2008) is the second installment in her Girl-Bachelor series, which spotlights unmarried women managing estates and scandal.
- Samantha Grace debuted in 2011 with In Bed with a Rogue, a Regency romp published by Sourcebooks Casablanca.
- Suzanne Enoch's Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke (2011) was part of the "Rules of the Ton" trend, pairing governess heroines with irredeemable aristocrats.
- The "rake hero" archetype — a charming, sexually experienced nobleman — became a romance staple after Kathleen Woodiwiss's The Flame and the Flower (1972) and Georgette Heyer's earlier Regency novels.
My Wicked Marquess — Gaelen Foley
Quick Verdict: A presumed-dead war hero returns as a morally gray spy, and his childhood sweetheart gets to decide whether she wants the man he's become. Lady Daphne Wade spent five years mourning her first love, only to discover the Marquess of Rotherstone faked his death and now runs a covert intelligence network for the Crown. He's not apologizing — for disappearing, for lying, or for the things he's done in the dark. Foley's 2009 entry in the Inferno Club series plays with the rake trope by pairing it with espionage; Rotherstone is ruthless by necessity, not charm, and Daphne has to reckon with the gap between the boy she loved and the man who came back. The chemistry is sharp, the stakes real, and the grovel nonexistent. Explore our current copy of My Wicked Marquess | Browse more Romance books at PatinaThe Duke — Gaelen Foley
Quick Verdict: Robert Knight is England's most eligible rake in 1817, and the heroine who traps him into marriage is playing a longer, smarter game than he realizes. Foley's debut in the Knight Miscellany series introduces Robert Knight, Duke of Hawkscliffe, a man whose reputation for debauchery is matched only by his refusal to settle down. When Belinda Hamilton engineers a compromising situation to force his hand, the expected Regency marriage-of-inconvenience follows — but Knight doesn't suddenly discover morality. He discovers he's been outmaneuvered, and the rest of the book is a chess match between two people who both refuse to blink. Published in 2000, *The Duke* set the template for Foley's brand of Regency: titled, dangerous men who don't soften so much as redirect their intensity. Explore our current copy of The Duke | Browse more Romance books at PatinaIn Bed with a Rogue — Samantha Grace
Quick Verdict: A charming conman, a widow who sees through him, and a fake engagement that spirals into real heat — Grace writes Regency with a knowing wink. Samantha Grace's 2011 debut pulls off something tricky: a rake hero who's actually a fraud, pretending to be titled to cover gambling debts. When widow Lillian Hillary agrees to a fake engagement to help him escape a vengeful rival, the charade unravels in bedrooms and ballrooms alike. Grace's dialogue crackles — her heroines don't suffer fools, and her rogues know exactly what they're doing — and the setup refuses the usual reformed-rake arc. He's not apologizing for the con; he's just recalibrating his target. If you like your Regency with banter that bites and chemistry that doesn't wait for chapter twelve, Grace delivers. Explore our current copy of In Bed with a Rogue | Browse more Romance books at PatinaThe Wicked Ways of a Duke — Laura Lee Guhrke
Quick Verdict: Prudence Bosworth has spent years rebuilding her family's reputation; the Duke of St. Cyres is about to wreck it again, and he's not pretending to feel guilty. Laura Lee Guhrke's 2008 entry in the Girl-Bachelor series pairs a heroine managing a publishing empire with a duke who gambles, drinks, and seduces without apology. The Duke of St. Cyres inherits a bankrupt estate and decides marrying Prudence is the fastest route to solvency — she's wealthy, practical, and conveniently in need of social rehabilitation. Guhrke doesn't soften him; he remains selfish, impulsive, and entirely aware of his effect on women. The tension comes from watching Prudence decide whether she wants a man who'll never be tame, and whether that's actually what she's been missing. As of May 2026, Guhrke's backlist remains a masterclass in unapologetic rake heroes. Explore our current copy of The Wicked Ways of a Duke | Browse more Romance books at PatinaRules to Catch a Devilish Duke — Suzanne Enoch
Quick Verdict: A governess with a sharp tongue meets a duke with a wicked reputation, and the power dynamic flips faster than expected. Suzanne Enoch's 2011 novel drops governess Sophia White into the household of Adam Baswich, the Duke of Greaves, a man whose scandals are legendary and whose interest in reform is zero. Enoch plays the governess-duke setup straight — class divide, simmering attraction, inevitable compromise — but Sophia refuses to be awed, and Greaves refuses to pretend he's anything other than what he is. The result is a power struggle where neither side apologizes, and the chemistry builds on mutual respect rather than redemption. If you want your Regency rakes unrepentant and your heroines unimpressed, Enoch's 2011 entry delivers both. Explore our current copy of Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke | Browse more Romance books at Patina These aren't the heroes who learn to waltz properly by chapter fifteen. They're the ones who know exactly what they want, take it, and let the heroine decide whether she's in or out. If Bridgerton feels too polite, start here.Where can I buy preloved Regency romance novels in Australia?
Patina Paperbacks stocks rotating secondhand copies of historical romance, including Regency titles by Gaelen Foley, Laura Lee Guhrke, and Suzanne Enoch. We're Sydney-based, ship Australia-wide, and offer free shipping over $29. The easiest way to browse is through our Romance collection.
What's the difference between a rake hero and a reformed rake?
A rake hero is charming, sexually experienced, and unapologetic — think Lord Byron in tailcoat. A reformed rake starts that way but undergoes a moral transformation by the third act. The heroes in this round-up stay rakes; they don't apologize, they just negotiate better terms. If you want groveling, look elsewhere.
Which Gaelen Foley series should I start with?
Start with The Duke (2000), the first in the Knight Miscellany series. It's the foundational rake-meets-schemer setup, and the rest of the series builds on the same world — titled libertines, strategic marriages, and heroines who don't wait to be rescued. Foley's later Inferno Club series (starting with My Wicked Marquess in 2009) adds espionage and higher stakes.
Are these books spicy or closed-door?
All five titles lean spicy — bedroom scenes are explicit and integral to the character arcs. If you're looking for closed-door Regency, try Georgette Heyer or early Julia Quinn. These authors write heat as part of the power dynamic, not as a fade-to-black afterthought.
Does Patina Paperbacks ship secondhand books to regional Australia?
Yes. We ship Australia-wide from Sydney, including regional and remote addresses. Shipping is free on orders over $29, and we pack books carefully — no one wants a creased spine in the post. If you're hunting a specific Regency title not currently listed, check back; our stock rotates frequently.