Tortured Rake

The Tortured Rake by Sarah Morgan

Nathaniel... Icon. Celebrity.Heartthrob. Underneath the movie star's good looks is a man battling with the demons of his past. No one knows the real Nathaniel, they only see the pin-up, the man he pretends to be. Until one night he is forced to rely on Katie Field, an ordinary young woman from a very different world to Nathaniel's. She may be starstuck but she isn't blinded by the bright lights of fame. Can Nathaniel trust her enough to reveal the man behind the mask? Let the seduction begin...

--The Tortured Rake
by Sarah Morgan
Copyright © 2011 by Sarah Morgan
Published by Harlequin UK

My Review

This was a nice, light-hearted romance, so different from the stories I’ve been reading lately. Most romance novels focus on the woman, so it was nice to read one where the man was the primary focus. Nathaniel had a traumatic childhood and turned to acting to escape, burying the secrets of his past. Katie is also hiding, though not from her past. She’s very different from her glamorous, supermodel sister and does everything she can to not be like her.

Together, Nathaniel and Katie make an unlikely pair, but their opposing personality types are exactly what each other needs to break out of the cages they’ve locked themselves in. Katie brings out Nathaniel’s fun side and makes him see he can have a personal impact on people, not just his screen/stage persona, and Nathaniel brings Katie out of her shell, making her see herself for the beautiful person she is. He also gives her career a well-deserved boost while she helps him figure out how to slay his personal demons.

These two make a great couple and showcase what a great romance should be…fun, passion, a touch of angst and emotional healing on both side, culminating in a kiss that burns the pages.

I give this story THREE and a HALF STARS.

I received an Advance Uncorrected Proof from NetGalley, however, the book was released by Harlequin UK in May 2011. It may no longer be commercially available, but can be found through on-line used book sellers or in your local used book store. The link below can connect you to some of those on-line used book sellers.