3.5/5 stars
Is he playing a game with her heart?
Lord Andrew Framlington is known as a rogue of the highest order, a fortune hunter, a man without honour. He plans to marry a wealthy bride to secure his future… but beneath it all, could he be longing for something more, something real?
Miss Mary Marlow, the enchanting sister of a duke, is everything he should not want – innocent, fiercely protected by her powerful family and entirely out of reach. Yet from the moment he sets eyes on her, Drew knows she is the one. Not just for her fortune, but for the way she makes him feel.
Mary knows Drew’s reputation and the danger he poses, knows surrendering to him would be reckless, yet his charm and stolen kisses leave her breathless. Torn between duty and desire, she finds herself teetering on the edge of ruin.
Can Mary trust a rogue with her heart?

Review:
Perfect for all the fans of Bridgerton! Its the perfect little regency romance for in-between when you just want to have a good time!

I really, really loved this book! My first by this author, but I’m already reading the others of the series! The hero is a real rogue and I really loved reading his thoughts and the reasoning behind his behavior. The only problem of this book is that the new publisher decided to split it in two books (I gather that the original edition had a longer book with the complete story of Mary and Drew), so this one has a cliffhanger and it’s important to read The Seductive Love of a Lady, in which Drew is revealed as a vulnerable, heartbreaking character (we had some glimpses here). Anyway, Lark is an outstanding writer and I’m really happy I discovered her work!

🎀Book Review🎀

3⭐ 3🌶️

What is with this ending? It's ridiculous! It wasn't until I did some digging and realised the original book had been split into two and that the HEA of this story was in the second half that the ending started to make sense. Be aware of this as you will have to read the second in the series to get the HEA.

Apart from this rather large pitfall, this was a wonderful story. Some of the terminology feels a little dated such as the MMC enjoying the FMCs innocence. I think this is not in terms of her virginity but maybe her naivety. I have to admit I've already purchased the second book and have the third as an ARC so I am all in for this series.

Big thanks to NetGalley UK and Jane lark for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

You are whisked off to the season in Regency England where all the eligible young ladies are out to catch a beau. Some of the gentlemen are looking for a wife. Of course this results in an elaborate game where the women smile sweetly to hide their true feelings and the gentlemen try to present their most respectable side, no matter what the reality. Beneath this veneer, there are liaisons and affairs, with the married women on the look out for some excitement and a host of willing young men happy to be paid for their services. Into this mix is Mary, the innocent daughter of an aristocratic family and a prize to be won. Her family guard her honour carefully., eager to repel the insincere. Of course you soon realise that Mary’s family are a close and loving unit who have nurtured her and want the best for her, as they see it.

Set at a Regency ball, Mary meets Lord Andrew Framlington, a handsome player who turns out to have a complicated family life and a wish to change his ways. Warned off Adam, Mary finds herself drawn to him, despite all the warnings. This story goes at a good pace and events take an unexpected turn which result in a situation which Mary had not foreseen. The rights of women on marriage are starkly shown and their finances become the property of their husbands, as it seems they do. In exchange for a respectable facade, they are placed under the control of their husbands and regarded as unable to sort out their own affairs.

In short: love regency style

3.5 stars in my opinion.
I liked the general storyline but there were also a few things that I personally didn’t enjoy. For one, the book ended in a weird and unfinished way for something of this genre. I like Mary’s and Drew’s “love story” but I feel like it some parts made me a bit uncomfortable so this is definitely not your typical historical romance, it is more dark and dramatic.
Saying this, I feel the need to read the second book to know what happens to them!

DNF @35%

Idk I just could not get into this book. I even tried skimming but I kept getting distracted.

I don't know if it's just that I don't like these tropes or I don't like the characters or the storyline. Maybe it's all of it. I also feel like the writing is not very well done. It's very choppy I'm finding it hard to follow and I'm not enjoying it.

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue is the fifth book in the Marlow series by Jane Lark. I’ve previously read and reviewed the second book, The Illicit Love of a Courtesan,

Although Drew was in a situation where he needed a dowry to pay his creditors, and to help establish himself in a home of his own, what really attracts him to Mary is not just her dowry and her beauty, but also her strength of character. As Drew has a dissolute history, that makes him a bad prospect for respectable Mary. Mary’s brother was familiar with Drew’s past and was vehemently opposed to a union. His reaction convinced Mary’s parents that Drew should not be considered as a potential husband.

I found the connection between Mary and Drew an interesting one. Drew was open about his need for a dowry but he was also very clear that he was looking for a love match. At first it seemed like he saw Mary as an easy target but she was strong-willed and determined enough to do exactly what she wanted, and he really admired that about her.

I enjoyed that it became a partnership of equals, even though to friends and family it may have seemed that she was being led astray.

If you are looking for a ‘happy ever after’ you might be slightly disappointed, although it is happy. I was left craving more at the end of the book, because I did not want the story to end and really wanted much more. I would have liked the story to continue further into their lives together.

DNF after a few chapters and after reading other reviews indicating that this is not the full story. No shame to the author but unless I have the full story I'm not going to finish the book.

This isn’t a light, fluffy Regency romance, far from it, but it’s still a fun Regency romp which has everything you need - heartache, longing, and tension. There’s a real authentic feel to the story and that’s exactly what makes it satisfying, although it had a very abrupt ending otherwise it would have been 5 stars from me

This book was a little bit of a mess. First off, it's part 1 of a 2 part book that could have really been edited down to one. A lot of the relationship building between Drew and Mary is non-existent, sex based, and love at first sightish. Mary is very immature, as is Drew, so they jump into actions that they don't discuss and then cry about it!!!

I really wanted to like this book, but could not.

#netgalley #TheDangerousLoveofaRogue

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jane Lark for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Dangerous Love of a Rogue coming out May 31, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love historical romance so I thought this would be a fun book. I love regency era. It was definitely short, but it wasn’t my favorite story. The leads didn’t really do it for me. I wasn’t expecting some of it. I would check out something else by this author though.

thanks to Boldwood books for the eARC: all opinions are my own.

I DNFd at 6% when the MMC referred to his desired love interest as "innocent and stupid." I was already cringing a lot at the misogyny and immaturity demonstrated by the MMC but that line was the final nail in the coffin. My time is valuable and I don't have to nor want to read books that perpetuate the oppression of women.

Spicy, male female, 3rd person dual point of view, historical romance. You will need to read The Seductive Love of a Lady to finish the story. I wish that this being a two part story was mentioned. It feels like these two books could have been one since they are both short.

Regency, romance, scandal, quirky characters, Temptation. What's not to love about a book that has all that and more. And herein lies Lord Andrew Framlington, not a nice man, a rogue and fortune hunter looking for a wealthy bride. Along comes Miss Mary Marlow and love over-powers Lord Andrew. What will become of this romance.

This is a not as much of a light and fun read as I had thought it would be but I did enjoy it for its emotion, its Regency Period Drama and for the characters and writing, which had me turning the pages. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next episode of this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This first book in The Marlow Family Secrets is an emotional and beautifully written historical romance. I really enjoyed this captivating story of a strong passion that defys societal and family expectations. I can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend reading!

thank you netgalley and boldood books for this book.

Sadly this book was a DNF, did not finish, for me.
I read a few pages and did not care for any of the characters or the writing.

Unfortunately this is a DNF for me at ~20%. It's a re-publication of a book that was originally book 5 in a series, now marketed as book 1. It's also only half of the original book, with the HEA part of book 2. I am ok with that in a SFF duology, but not in a historical romance...especially when only one half of the story was available as an advanced copy and the other half was not. None of this is clear from the NetGalley page.

I cannot blame the author for this! However, this story was not compelling enough for me to read 300 pages, let along 500 across two books.

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue by Jane Lark
A brooding hero, a daring heroine, and a romance that defies all expectations.

From the very first chapter of The Dangerous Love of a Rogue, I was swept into the intoxicating tension between Lord Andrew Framlington and Miss Mary Marlow. Jane Lark has a gift for writing emotionally layered characters, and this book is a prime example. It’s not just a romance—it’s a story of redemption, inner strength, and learning to love without fear.

Drew is the kind of hero I love: complicated, scarred (both emotionally and socially), and trying to outrun his past. Mary, on the other hand, is intelligent, grounded, and not easily fooled by charm or title. Their chemistry was undeniable, but what really pulled me in was the vulnerability behind their banter and bravado. There’s something deeply moving about watching two people who feel like they don’t belong anywhere find home in each other.

This isn’t a light, fluffy Regency romance. There’s heartache, longing, and the ever-present tension between societal expectations and true emotional connection. But that’s exactly what made it so satisfying. I found myself rooting for Drew and Mary not just to fall in love—but to heal through love.

If you enjoy historical romance that goes beyond the surface, with complex characters and emotional stakes, I definitely recommend this book. And while it’s part of a series, it reads beautifully as a standalone.

My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
I loved the emotional journey and the slow-burn romance. A must-read for fans of heartfelt historical fiction.

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue was a true escapist read. It was very easy to be pulled into the story and to see how it would all turn out for Mary and Drew. Let’s just say it wasn’t all plain sailing! I did enjoy Mary and Drew’s interactions. Drew has a chequered past and Mary is immediately warned off. However there is a solid connection between the pair even if Drew does need Mary’s dowry.

The story itself moved at a good pace and it didn’t take me long to read at all. It’s safe to say that some of the characters aren’t perfect and at times are flawed. However it definitely made them more intriguing. Which in turn gave me a more entertaining experience while reading. The characters had a good amount of chemistry and the pages did sizzle at times.

I will say that I was in two minds over the ending after finishing the book. In one sense I wanted more (not necessarily a bad thing) but on the other hand I liked the hopeful way it left things too. After mulling it over I decided that I actually do like that it doesn’t necessarily follow the way similar stories end.

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue entertained me from start to finish and let’s be honest who doesn’t love a rogue!

Jaded and bored....

Drew is jaded and bored. He's the bastard son who has frittered away his life, living as a male gigolo who beds married women who pay him for his services., more or less. He's looking to marry money and to marry an innocent miss, even though he's already slept with most of the married, older ladies of the ton for gifts and money. Gross.
His target is the very well bred Mary, an innocent, young deb.