Full Description

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

A modern career woman thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake…

Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified
modern-day tourist attraction.

Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Excerpt

Excerpt

Reviews

Reviews

Revisiting the Moon’s Library Dora Mak
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake
Author: Laurie Brown
Published: September 2007 (Sourcebooks)
Category:Paranormal/Historical Romance
Rating: 9/10

Oftentimes, heroines in historical romances are actually historical women acting like modern women. In Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, I finally got to see what it would be like to see a real modern woman stuck in the Regency period. I was a bit wary at first, as I used to think time travel in romances was a horribly cheesy gimmick, due to an unfortunate read of a 90s Timeswept romance.

Josie Drummond, a paranormal investigator, has been working at Waite Castle at the owner’s request, trying to certify the existence of the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, previously of the Regency period, and noted rake. Amelia Thornton, the last of her line, doesn’t have the funds to maintain the castle, and hopes to open the castle to the public, but needs an official ghost certification to draw them in, even though she knows that there really is a ghost. In fact, she takes tea with him every day. As Josie prepares to tell Amelia that there is no evidence of a castle ghost, Deverell appears. He offers her a deal: Go back in time to the Regency period to defraud a charlatan of a medium and he’ll answer all her questions about being a ghost.

It is hugely amusing to see Josie go through a crash course in Regency etiquette, dancing, and customs. Amelia, as a former history professor specializing in the period, reveals fascinating details about the period, including the intricacies of dining. Did you know they kept a chamber pot in the corner of the dining room for guests to use? Or that female guests followed their hostess’s lead for turning to speak to their left or right neighbor? There was so much to the logistics of the dinner table that I was totally sucked in and it made me rethink previous Regency romances I’ve read. And I learned more about dancing, and how one dance can last an hour if it has many couples in the line.

Deverell transports Josie back in time, just before his untimely death by duel, so a love triangle begins between Deverell the ghost, Josie, and Dev before death. Of course, Dev doesn’t know he’s in a triangle. He’s just attracted to this American woman who is so unlike any woman he’s ever known. However, he’s a notorious rake, so he figures the only way to handle this strange new feeling he’s experiencing, is to get rid of it by ravishing Josie. Surely after satisfying his desire, the feeling will disappear, as that bizarre male logic dictates. But he keeps imagining a future with Josie, something he’s never done before with any other woman. Deverell the ghost finds himself jealous of his former self, and protective of Josie, yet frustrated because he can’t do much to help her. And Josie finds herself wanting to be with Dev and missing Deverell when he isn’t around. Is she falling in love with the ghost or the man or both?

The mystery of the medium was well developed and the combination of the romance and mystery was balanced perfectly. Too often, the mystery/obstacle portion of a romance novel can be awfully flimsy to the point where you wonder why the author even bothered, but I found myself sucked into reading about the scheme Josie exposed. Supporting characters and minor villains were vivid without hogging the spotlight, and some were pretty funny too.

The ending was surprising, one of those last chapters where you’re not quite sure what happened at first and then it clicks after you’ve read a page. Is Deverell still a ghost? Is it Dev or Deverell? But it was a lovely ending and rather fitting for the book.

I couldn’t put it down; this was a great read from start to finish and was extremely well written for a first novel. I have never read a romance like this and I hope to read more by Laurie Brown in the future.

The Way I See It Zeek
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Book Review: Hundreds of years to Reform a Rake



Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown

Relative newcomer Laurie Brown pens a fresh tale that is as equally charming as it is hot!

Paranormal Investigator, (Don’t call her Ghostbuster!) and thoroughly modern Josie Drummond has taken a job to confirm a ghost living in Waite Castle, the home of dear old Amelia, current owner of the falling-into-disrepair castle and descendant of said ghost.

After all but giving up on discovering the ghost- Josie quite suddenly meets departed Lord Deverell Thornton and it doesn’t take long for the tale of his haunting to come forth.

In his family, and upon their death’s, a family member is assigned a task to stand as guardian of the castle until the task is complete. For Deverell it’s been an eternity with no end in site, for the last guardian set up a task for him that would punish him for his rakehell ways while in his earthly existence 100 and some years ago: He must read every book in the castle- a castle which not only carries an extensive library but also descendants with a penchant for buying more and more books. (Hello Ames and her 500 book TBR pile! Hee!)

While attempting to fulfill his task he realizes that back in the day he never bothered to set up his finances to last and, with guilt upon him out of love for his great-great (and then some) niece Amelia, he has decided it’s time to rectify that.

Enter Josie. His plan to recover his family fortune is to take Josie with him back to Regency England to debunk a fraudulent fortune teller whom his mother wasted all the family finances on in a misguided attempt to discover some missing family jewels.

Josie is of course stunned at not only meeting the ghost of Waite Castle but at his ridiculous plan too. Yet, hoping to bribe more information out of him, she agrees knowing full well time travel is not possible.

She was wrong. After a whirlwind training session with Aunt Amelia on the etiquette of Regency England, much to Josie shock,Dev takes her with him back to his former life where she manages to do the job AND solve a two hundred year old family mystery. She also manages to win Dev’s heart and thereby reform his rakish ways.

I really enjoyed this little number. Josie is a great heroine. Courageous and funny, I just loved her! Dev is equally endearing and in Brown’s unique twist we get TWO of him!

The authors research and obvious love of Jane Austen’s regency England screams from every page. In addition to Austen references, we get modern pop-culture references which, surprisingly, fit just as well. Though the story is far-fetched, she makes it work because of her obvious enthusiasm for the time and deft hand in incorporating Josie believably into Dev’s world.

4.5 out of 5 from me!

Imagine Josie’s surprise when she not only confirms the existence of a ghost but also the existence of time travel!
Labels: Book Reviews

Reading Adventures Marg
Josie Drummond is a paranormal investigator (not a ghostbuster thank you!) who has been engaged by Lady Amelia to try and prove the existence of a ghost in her ancestral home. The sad fact is that said home is falling down around her ears, and Lady Amelia needs this evidence to be able to try and set up the castle as a themed bed and breakfast and to try and save her home. Of course, Amelia already knows full well that there is a ghost in the castle. He arrives for tea every Thursday at 3pm for tea. It is only as Josie is about to confirm that there is no evidence to suggest that the castle is haunted that Deverell manifests himself to her!

Deverell is a man with a plan. He is going to assist Amelia by transporting Josie back in time to help him expose a fraudulent fortune teller who managed to take most of the family fortune from his mother by holding seances to try and ascertain where the legendary missing family emeralds are.

Of course, a modern career woman would stick out like a sore thumb in the highly regimented world of the Regency ton, and so once Josie agrees to the plan (as ridiculous as the plan is) she is given a crash course in Regency etiquette, in dancing and dining. Never believing that Deverell’s time travel plan will work, she suddenly finds herself thrust into a Regency house party. And there is one big distraction. Whilst Josie finds the ghost of Deverell attractive, there is a positive spark between the man Lord Deverell and her. Can she fend off unwelcome suitors who are determined to marry her for her fictional fortune, stop Deverell from being killed in a duel, uncover the charlatans and help to find the missing family jewels??

I did find the education of Josie to be very informative. In so many Regency set books there is mention of the rules, but many of them are just alluded to, so it was fascinating to see the author setting out some of those many rules in a straight forward way.

I have to confess that at first I did struggle to get into this book. I have been reading it for about a week, which is quite slow for me, but I think that had a lot to do with the fact that I have had a lot of distractions over the last couple of weeks or so. Once I sat down with the intention of just reading I was completely drawn into the story, and managed to read the last half of the book in one sitting.

Dev is charming, and definitely rakish, and Josie is a lot of fun. As a modern woman, she is a very good match for Dev. She is happy to banter with him, and to him must have seemed very liberated!

Reading this did make me wonder why don’t I read more time travel books? I loved Karen Marie Moning’s time travels, and I loved the Outlander series, and yet, I don’t seem to recall reading many others! I do have at least one on my bookshelf. Somehow I must try to fit it into the reading schedule!

This book is the first book to be released from Sourcebooks new Casablanca romance line (which is going to include rereleases of some Georgette Heyer novels), and if this is a sign of things to come, then it will be worthwhile keeping an eye out for the books that are released as part of this line. Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me this book to review!

Rating 4/5

Night Owl Romance Tammie King
Josie Drummond has been investigating Castle Waite for its owner. The owner is a lady who wants to have the Castle certified as having a ghost as she needs travelers to come and visit. She is in debt and money from tourism is needed for her survival. After checking the place out Josie finds no ghost, but soon things change. The ninth Lord Wait shows up and has a plan for saving the place. He doesn’t want to have visitors trampling through “his” house. Lord Wait has quite a reputation. He was killed in a dual. Supposedly he was sleeping with someone’s wife and not for the first time. Josie and Lord Wait clash from the first, but with time they might find that their quibbles will lead to love.

Deverell Thornton, Lord Wait, plans on having Josie time travel to the past and stop his mother from spending a huge amount of money on a charlatan. Lord Wait’s mother lover her husband and has been trying to contact him through séances. Deverell knows that the séances are all hocus-pocus and believes that the money spent on these services is what has lead to all the problems in the future.

Once Josie gets to the past she meets Deverell of the past and things really click between them. Will Josie fall in love with the living Deverell or the dead one? Are these two men really the same person or has centuries of death made the ghost Deverell a very different person? Will the psychic find a way to kill Josie or will Josie find a way to stop Deverell’s mother from spending a fortune?

I’ve not read a time travel romance in a while and this one really has pulled me back into that genre. Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake was a great mix of present day and historical England. Laurie Brown pulled me into the story and gave me a lot of really cool information. As Josie learned about the past I felt like I was also learning. Since Josie was a modern woman she had quite a bit to learn about being a proper English woman and how to behave in English society. Laurie Brown made me wish that all I needed was a ghost and some proper training to travel to the past. If you like time travels and historicals this is one to add to your list.

Blog Critics Betty Wong
Book Review: Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown
Written by Betty Wong
Published October 06, 2007
See also:
» Remembering Robert Jordan: An Author Who Opened My Eyes
» Beyond Bounds: Karen Miller, Tara Smith Bray, Scott Westerfeld, P.C. Cast, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon, & Karen Marie Moning
» Book Review: I Was a TV Horror Host: Memoirs of a Creature Features Man by John Stanley
Laurie Brown has written exactly the kind of romance novel I enjoy most in Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake. It has humor, mystery, ghosts, history and romance all packaged up nicely into an enjoyable paranormal love story. What can I say? I’m a sucker for paranormal romance, and judging from the fact that paranormal romance is one of the bestselling romance subgenres, I’m not the only one.

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake tells the story of Josie Drummond, who is a modern career woman. In fact, she is a professional paranormal investigator, and she has been hired by the ghost of Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite, to go back in time to when the earl was still living during the Regency period. She is to prove that Madame X, the medium Deverell’s mother hired to contact her dead husband, is a dangerous charlatan who wants to swindle his mother out of the family fortune. Sounds intriguing already, doesn’t it? Wait until you hear the rest of it.

Josie meets the living Earl of Waite, who of course has no idea who she really is, much less that it was his own ghost who brought her from the future, and predictably, they make each other’s hormones rage. So amidst all the trials that Josie has to face, trying to unmask Madame X while at the same time pretending to fit in as a proper, respectable lady in the complicated scene of the Regency period, she and Deverell fall in love. Unfortunately, time is running out for the lovers, because the longer Josie stays in the past, the more she forgets about her future, and in the end she has to choose between her modern comfortable life as a professional, and life in the Regency period with Deverell. We all know how that’s going to end, but the journey is so much fun.

As with most romance novels, and especially romances with paranormal elements, many things don’t make perfect sense, I mean, Deverell’s ghost has abilities that are way too out there for us to even try to believe. But then again, sense is never the point with romance novels. It’s all about the romance; boy meets girl, girl meets boy, they fall in love and live happily ever after. The fun is in the telling of it, and Laurie Brown has done such a great job with Josie and Deverell’s love story. Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is pure fun, great for a late weekend night read, or a rainy Sunday afternoon, or anytime you just feel like having a dose of romance. If you enjoy paranormal romance as much as I do, you’ll enjoy Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake.

Live 2 Read Sandie
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown
Posted by live2read under Uncategorized



A modern career woman thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake. Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified modern-day tourist attraction.

Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.

Jo in today’s time is a professional paranormal researcher. She’s been hired by down-on-her-luck distant relation of Lord Deverell Thornton to find proof of ghost activity at Waite Castle…in order to boost the tourist and guest attendance. Not a bad idea at all.

The ghost, Deverell, truly does come for tea’s with his eclectic distant relation, Aunt Amelia. He needs Jo’s help in ferreting out a trickster who’s fleecing his mother of money and probably something else. Of course, he wants Jo to go back to the part to do this ferreting out. Thus the story begins and I shan’t spoil it for anyone.

The story was intriguing but the pacing kept throwing me for a loop. The pace was either very fast and I had a hard time keeping up with the storyline or slowed down quite a bit. I kept at reading and was rewarded with a unique story that kept me intrigued. I will seek more work by this author.

Book Loons Martina Bexte
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown
Order: USA Can
Sourcebooks, 2007 (2007)
Paperback

Reviewed by Martina Bexte

•———————————————————————————————————————

When professional paranormal investigator Josie Drummond informs Lady Amelia Thornton that she’s unable to certify her ancestral home as haunted, the elderly woman is crushed. Without proof that the ghost of her notorious relative Lord Deverell Thornton haunts the castle, she won’t be able to attract the tourist revenue she needs to restore her home to its former glory. Deverell Thornton himself does not share Amelia’s sense of impending doom. As the current resident ghost of Castle Waite, Deverell is even more determined than Amelia to preserve their heritage. Now that he’s certain of Miss Drummond’s honesty, as well as her tenacity as a paranormal investigator, he decides to reveal himself - and then proceeds to smoothly convince Josie to travel back in time with him to unmask the charlatans who swindled his mother out of a fortune in jewels.

Once Josie recovers from the shock of discovering that ghosts actually do exist - and that time travel is indeed possible, she readily agrees to Deverell’s proposal. However, all the tutoring in the world doesn’t prepare her for actually living the strictured life of a Regency Miss. Things become even more complex once she meets the flesh and blood version of Lord Deverell Thornton and finds herself falling under the accomplished rake’s seductive spell. Will she be able to convince him that his mother is being taken advantage of before Josie must return to her own time - or before she and Dev’s interference irrevocably changes history?

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is a fresh, engaging and thoroughly modern Regency romance. Brown’s descriptions of the manners and mores of the era come alive in her narration and dialogue, as do her characterizations. Josie and Dev are both very appealing and believable leads: Josie is a self-sufficient and determined woman who doesn’t hold back on expressing her modern views when needed, often to humorous effect. And Dev’s character displays just the right balance of upper crust arrogance and vulnerability, especially once he finds himself losing his vaunted gentlemanly control and falling head over heels for Josie and her progressive ways. Equally humorous is Deverell’s ghost becoming blindly jealous of his corporeal self once the latter begins romancing Josie. Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake blends Regency, contemporary and paranormal romance to a charming and very entertaining effect.

Bella Online Elizabeth Darrach
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

Hello, and welcome back! I just spent a marvelous weekend at the New Jersey Romance Writers’ annual conference, soaking up all sorts of good info and visiting with writing friends, old and new. It was a fabulous weekend, filled with very informative workshops given by generous authors and romance industry experts, not to mention their terrific book fair. I hated for it to end, but I know they’ll do another next year, and it’ll be just as fantastic. This time out, I have two new releases to share with you.

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake (Sourcebooks) by Laurie Brown is a debut, and one of the first romances to be released by this publisher. Josie Drummond is a ghost hunter, but there aren’t all that many real ghosts, so she’s not all that surprised that all her sophisticated equipment hasn’t picked up any paranormal activity in Castle Waite, no matter the assertions of her hostess. She’s ready to head back to the States, but at tea with her hostess, the castle’s notorious ghost finally makes his appearance. Deverell Thornton, former Earl of Waite, has arranged things so that Josie can help him. His descendant, the current owner of the castle is running out of money to pay for the upkeep of the place, and they need to find some family jewels that disappeared before his own time. And Josie is just the person to help him. Of course, he just has to take her back in time to do it. Deverell is arrogant and high-handed, and Josie, despite her misgivings, agrees to help him, as long as he answers all her questions about his current state of existence. What neither of them knows is that his plans are going to go seriously awry once he gets her back to the past, that he isn’t going to be able to do all he’d expected to do, and she’s going to have to rely on his former mortal, rakish self, who has no idea who or what she is, just that she is an attractive and single female. This one has a lot going for it, including the unusual twist of the ghost man and the mortal man, and the smart, sassy heroine. I enjoyed this one immensely, and hope the author has a few more of these up her sleeve. It’s earned four of Cupid’s five arrows.

Romance Readers Connection Rista Tompkins
HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO REFORM A RAKE
Laurie Brown
Source Books
ISBN: 1-4022-1013-6
October 2007
Paranormal Romance

Josie Drummond, a paranormal investigator, spends her scientific career searching for the existence of spirits. Up until now, however, all Josie has done is disproved their existence. But when her most recent investigation results in the appearance of a real ghost, Josie is thrilled. And what a ghost! Attractive and intriguing, Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite, gives Josie the thrills…the good kind. Too bad he’s dead.

Deverell has his own plans. In order to keep his castle in the hands of his living family members, he must take Josie back in time to before he was killed. Josie must determine the mystery behind his mother’s swindler and if the swindler is stopped, the family fortune will surely remain large enough to ensure the future relatives’ survival. But can he convince Josie to take this risk?

Josie is thrust back into the Regency time period. Struggling with the rules of that society, can she convince Deverell’s family that she has breeding and status? And more importantly, if Deverell-the-ghost is so appealing, however will Josie resist the flesh and blood man?

What a great book! The story was funny and enthralling, and made the reader feel Josie’s frustration with the strict rules of behavior expected of ladies in the Regency Era. Deverell, both the ghost and the real man, were wonderfully portrayed. The reader got a real sense of the differences between the somewhat immature man, and the infinitely wise ghost. But always, Deverell was a true hero and a wonderful match for Josie. There was a palpable connection between the two characters that is so often missing in other romance stories. This was a very enjoyable read.

In My Books
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

When Leigh of Sourcebooks contacted me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing this new paranormal romance from Laurie Brown, I didn’t hesitate at all.

The synopsis of the book was every bit as intriguing as the story arc — that of a modern day paranormal investigator being hurtled Hundreds of Years back to uncover a hoax and perhaps Reform a Rake in the process. It sounded too exciting and curiosity piqued, I simply have to ask for the book.While I wasn’t expecting to be bowled over by this newcomer’s work, I must admit that this novel has wide ranging appeal.


The romance fan will find the emotions that bestir heroine, Josie’s heart, when faced with the choice of choosing the Deverell of the past and the ghost of his future a well-loved plot angle. While those who love humour in their romance will find the puns and double entendre a delight, especially the deliberate wordplay on popular culture and customs in the context of the 18th (?) century which I appreciate.

Time travel and paranormal readers will find the author’s imagination in explaining the ghostly presence of Lord Thornton and the slightly cloak and dagger game of uncovering a fake medium quite entertaining.

I like how Ms Brown left the climatic scene in which Josie was given a choice of returning to the future or staying in the past dangling quite riveting. You’re left trying to second guess if she chose the man or the ghost, and hoping against hope that it is the ending you’re hoping for the heroine. I won’t give the plot away here, so you’ll have to read it to find out what happened.

All in all, this is a not-bad effort from Ms Laurie Brown. The cover is a great piece of art. The torso in silhouette catches the eye readily, and the play of light on the face gives the book a hint of mystery and exceitment.

The Long and Short of It Rose
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake
by Laurie Brown

Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified
modern-day tourist attraction.

Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.

Laurie Brown has penned a thoroughly enjoyable foray into the Regency period, and she does it with a twist. Take the Regency, with its rules and rigid style. Throw in a thoroughly modern woman who time travels due to the machinations of a very appealing ghost and you have the recipe for a delightfully funny and sexy read.

The reader will join in Laurie’s confusion as she finds herself drawn not only to the intriguing ghost, but also to his live alter-ego, who is equally as intriguing and appealing. She will have to choose between them and the ending Ms. Brown provides for us is completely satisfying.

The romance and sexual tension heats up nicely and the consummation is all anyone could hope for. I am very pleased to have discovered this author and plan on looking up her backlist.

The Book Binge Holly Mercer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown

A modern career woman thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake...

Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified
modern-day tourist attraction.

Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.

Sorry, but this has to be a quickie review. I’ve been swamped at work with new training programs and have had NO time to read/review. Dude, I need a new job. One of you lovely publishers out there want to hire me to test-read books for you? Authors? Editors? Anyone?

Fine, be that way. See if I care. Jerks.

Ehem.

Anyway...

I thought this was an interesting plot. Basically, Josie is a paranormal expert who was hired to prove a ghost existed at Waite Castle, a crumbling manner in England. As it turns out, however, Lord Deverell Thornton, the ghost, personally arranged for Josie to be there, so he could enlist her help in securing his fortune..from hundreds of years ago. He plans to take her back in time to out a charlatan who stole the family fortune.

Josie is both skeptical and intrigued, and agrees to train in the ways of regency England so she can be prepared for her trip back in time (not that she really believes she’ll actually be transported, but whatever). I think this was the most fascinating part of the book. Ms. Brown did a tremendous job of walking the reader through the customs of the Regency era without making us (or at least me) feel like we were reading a manual.

The story itself was intriguing and fun, with witty banter and interesting characters.

My biggest issue with this book was the pacing in the beginning of the novel..and interspersed through-out. Meaning, it dragged at first and a few times through-out it seemed bogged down..or maybe the pacing just slowed. Either way I’d find my attention wandering. But it wasn’t enough to ruin the overall story.

Having two of Dev was a twist I wasn’t really sure would work until I actually read it for myself. And it did work. And I wasn’t sure how the major conflict would be resolved...that of Dev and Josie living (literally) worlds apart.

I’d recommend this one. If you’re in the mood for a well written farce, this is the one for you. Although the story itself seemed far-fetched, Laurie Brown really made it work.

4.0 out of 5

You can buy it here or here.

For more in depth reviews, check out Marg and Zeek.

This is from Sourcebooks’ new Casablanca Romance line. Having read a couple of titles from this new imprint line, I’d say Sourcebooks is definitely on the right track. Check them out here.

Ramblings on Romance Kristie J
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake – Laurie Brown

Why this one: I received an email from someone from SourceBooks asking if I would write a blog about this book. Normally I say no to such answers ‘cause knowing me, I’d feel obligated to like it and then if I didn’t then I wouldn’t feel as free to offer my thoughts. But the brief outline on this one sounded intriguing, a ghost and time traveling both together. I’ve always liked both genres so I decided to bite the bullet and say yes.

Heat level: It took a while to get to it, but once it did – it was quite steamy. I was happy.


Blurb:

A modern career woman thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake
Josephine Drummond is a professional paranormal researcher (aka, a ghostbuster) hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the very handsome Earl and a notorious rake in his time, haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. But the ghost drags Josephine back to the Regency period to help him try to prevent the swindle that impoverished the Earl and threatens to turn his castle into a most undignified modern-day tourist attraction.

Josephine has to contend with being a modern career woman trying to navigate the complex social scene of the Regency period, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a charlatan. But all of these are easier than resisting her undeniable attraction to the Earl, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet.


My Thoughts: I was very (very) pleasantly surprised by this book. It was quite delightful, funny in spots and poignant in others. I’m the kind of reader who goes by feel, rather than fact and this one made me feel good when I finished it. I could have driven myself crazy trying to figure out how a ghost could travel back in time with someone else to the very same time he lived – but I figured ‘what the hey – just go with it’. This made the book a very pleasant enjoyable read.

I adored Dev/Deverell – both incarnations; his ghost self and his real self. It was very cute watching ghost Deverell getting jealous over real Dev and the growing feelings Josephine had for the real Dev.

And Josephine who was emphatically Not a Ghostbuster, made a great heroine. I felt pulled along with her towards the end with her growing feelings for Dev and her mixed feelings about returning to her own time. I thought the resolution quite satisfying.

Also I noticed the author had a wonderful way of imparting interesting facts about the regency period – many of which I didn’t know. She has obviously done her homework, yet it all had a natural flow to it – what I and other readers were learning.

It took a while to read this one – in between I read The Serpent’s Prince and Mine Till Midnight, but they were both exceptional books and ones I’d been waiting a while for.

When I did go back to reading Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, I didn’t feel any of the let down you can feel after a great book. Instead I continued to enjoy this one very much.


So – I took a gamble with this book and it paid off very nicely! A new author for me to keep my eyes on; I like it. It get’s a thumb’s up from me and I will certainly be interested in other books this author has to write.


Grade: 4 out of 5

Romance Reader At Heart Shannon Johnson
HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO REFORM A RAKE

Author: Laurie Brown ISBN: 1402210132 9/2007 PARANORMAL Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS
Time Period: Regency


SHE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP HIM
Deverell Thorntem, the ninth Earl of Waite, must convince her to come back to his time and foil the plot that would destroy him...

HIS PLEA IS IRRESISTIBLE
Josie Drummcmd is a modern career woman, and she doesn’t believe time travel is possible, until her overpowering attraction conquers all doubt...

BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THEIR TIME RUNS OUT?
As a modern woman, thrust back in time to the sparkling social whirlwind of the Regency period, Josephine Drummcmd must contend with the complex manners and mores of the day, make sure no one discovers her real identity and unmask a dangerous charlatan. And in the end, she must choose between the ghost who captivated her or the man himself, who is clearly determined to sweep her off her feet and shows no mercy when it comes to seduction...


RRAH’s THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:


I have to give author Laurie Brown kudos for this book because it is an original. It is a great concept, decently written, and features some cutesy dialogue and scenes not easily forgotten. I do see some slight similarities to Cindy Miles’ stories, but not enough to make it a copy.

Now the hard part—the ending! It is completely unsatisfactory to me, and it stops me from awarding this one a Top Pick. Why? Because just as the most anticipated climax is about to be revealed and the dreaded Friday night cliffhanger is to be resolved, when that one moment anticipated through the entire book happens, it doesn’t! Brown completely avoids explaining the hardest choice the heroine has to make by simply skipping it for the future. She does not go into detail and explain that agonizing moment, but focuses only on that it worked out. Seriously, it is as if a big chunk of the hero and heroines’ lives is missing.

I would love to give more detail to you so that you understand my complaint better, but that would ruin it for you. Anyway, suffice it to say HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO REFORM A RAKE is good, and I like how the characters end up, but I still would really like to know how they get there.

Shannon Johnson

Curled Up with a Good Book Helen Hancox
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake
Laurie Brown
Sourcebooks Casablance
Paperback
400 pages
September 2007

Despite the rather unwieldy title, this book is a really enjoyable read as we follow Josie Drummond back in time to solve a puzzle in England in 1815. She is working in England as a paranormal investigator in modern times when she meets the resident ghost of Castle Waite, Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite, who asks her to go back in time with him to prevent his mother being defrauded by a gypsy and losing the family’s money. This event contributed to the severe financial straits of his one remaining relative, Amelia Waite - the house is falling into wrack and ruin in modern times because of a lack of money.

Of course, Josie needs lots of education in how to behave as a young single woman in the Regency period, and Deverell and Amelia help with this. Then she is transported to 1815 and meets Dev’s mother, Honoria, and some other houseguests, including the gypsy, but - unfortunately - also the flesh and blood Deverell, who is dangerously charming. She and the Regency Deverell work to find out who the gypsy is and, helped by the ghost Deverell, Josie tries to change the events of the future. However with the ghost waning energy threatening to strand her in the Regency period, and with her attraction to the Deverell of 1815, Josie’s task is getting harder. Will she be able to leave the Regency period after all?

The descriptions of mealtimes, clothing, dancing and etiquette in the Regency period are fascinating. It all seems reasonably accurate but I was a little dubious about some facts (for example, it was discussed whether an Earl who is the younger son of a Duke is lower in the pecking order than an Earl who is the eldest son of a Marquis - but younger sons of Dukes don’t inherit titles in the UK), and this meant that I wasn’t entirely sure if what I was reading was fully correct. This is always disappointing in historical fiction, but I gave the author the benefit of the doubt in most cases and enjoyed all the little touches of information that she shared, such as the way that women wore gloves.

There are a few unfortunate errors in the UK setting of the book. For example, we are told about the ’Albert and Victoria Museum’ (which is of course the Victoria and Albert Museum), English Regency people using American words such as ’nixed’ and someone eating ’biscuits’ with her egg and bacon at breakfast in 1815 (’biscuits’ in English are equivalent to the American cookies, and breakfasts were usually ham or beef and ale rather than bacon and eggs). The point of view of the narration occasionally jumps from Josie to Dev for a couple of paragraphs and then back again, and that can be confusing as it’s not always clear initially who is narrating.

Despite these few reservations, this is a very enjoyable read with Josie a feisty and independent character, and Deverell the ghost and Deverell the man both also very appealing. It’s enjoyable to read a book with a mystery plot that isn’t lost behind the romantic part of the book but works well alongside it. It is also an interesting idea to imagine how a modern woman would manage if transported back to the Regency period; clearly our morals and women’s independence have changed significantly, and I have doubts as to how well Josie would fit in that world long-term. Nevertheless, it is an interesting idea, and the book never drags.

A Lady’s Diversions Vic Sandborn
Book Review: Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

I’m not generally a fan of paranormals, science fiction, or fantasy books, though I do like an occasional one, especially if it deals with Regency England. So, it wasn’t a hardship in any way to read Laurie Brown’s Regency-set paranormal Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake.

In Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, Josie Drummond is an American paranormal investigator, hired by English lady Amelia Thornton to investigate Castle Waite for the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, 9th Earl of Waite. Lord Waite (aka Deverell) was a handsome libertine who died in a duel back in the Regency. Amelia wants Josie to prove his ghostly existence, which will make the castle a tourist spot and generate money for much-needed renovations.

Unfortunately, Josie finds no proof of Deverell’s ghost until she is about to leave. Then, in the presence of Amelia, Deverell reveals himself and explains his real purpose for having Amelia call her. Back when he was alive, a charlatan swindled Dev’s mother out of the family fortune with a seance. Dev wants Josie to go back in time and help him stop the fake madam.

Of course, Josie is a modern girl and loves her electronic ghost-hunting gear, but Dev won’t let her take it with them and insists she have a crash course in Regency manners. Josie is reluctant to undertake this task, at first, but slowly warms to it—-and to Dev with his "dark visage, black hair, and deep-seated gray eyes" (8).

Once Dev (well, Dev’s ghost) and Josie have gone back to the Regency, Josie has to use her investigative skills to stop Dev’s mother from being swindled and navigate a Regency house party without revealing that she is from the future. To top it all off, not only is Josie attracted to Dev-the-Ghost, but Deverell the man seems smitten by her and she sort of likes him too.

The longer Josie stays in the past, the more she forgets her life in the present. And the more Deverell likes Josie, the less power Dev has to remain present in his ghostly form. Even though Dev and Deverell are really the same man, Josie will have to choose between them.

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake contemplates an idea that enthralls many modern Regency fans: what would it be like to go back to the Regency? Brown included many little details that Regency fans will find familiar and pleasing.

Other than the fact that Dev is a ghost, the book does not contain an overwhelming amount of paranormal activity, so non-paranormal readers will not be turned off. I certainly found it interesting that Dev could use his ghostly powers to do things like call for a flower delivery or take Josie back in time with him. Another element that I particularly liked was that the longer Josie was in the past, the more she began to lose her modern-day memories. I only wish Brown had included more of this in the story.

It was fun to watch Josie try to manuever through a Regency house party and ball, try to catch the swindler without her modern detecting equipment, and decide between Dev and Deverell. Brown’s ending was clever and I never suspected Josie would choose the path she takes.

I would recommend Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake to anyone who enjoys paranormals, and even Regency fans who don’t usually read them. Brown did an excellent job of combining the two genres. There are a couple of love scenes in this book.

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is available online or at your local book stores. Let us know if you read it!

Word Candy
Laurie Brown’s Hundreds of Years To Reform a Rake, on the other hand, doesn’t imitate anybody. This highly original book ignores romance novel conventions, and while many of Ms. Brown’s ideas work, one wonders if such an unusual novel will appeal to fans of the genre.

Professional paranormal researcher Josie Drummond has been hired to prove that the ghost of Lord Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite, haunts Waite Castle. (The castle’s impoverished owner needs an “official” ghost to turn the building into a tourist attraction.) But the spectral Earl has even bigger plans: he transports Josie back to the Regency era, hoping she’ll be able to debunk the swindlers that cost his family their fortune. Still reeling from her discovery of ghosts and time travel, Josie is horrified to discover that Deverell expects her to blend into in the complex Regency social scene. After all, waltzing, corsets, and fake spiritualists are bad enough without a handsome, bossy ghost criticizing her every move....

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake isn’t outstandingly humorous or erotic, but it is thoroughly researched. Tidbits of historical information appear on almost every page, many of them designed to strip away the romance associated with life in the early nineteenth century. Some of these factoids are worked naturally into the story (Josie discovers that crowded, deodorant-free Regency balls were sweaty, smelly affairs, and Deverell is under six feet—appropriately tall for his time, but a far cry from the usual strapping six-foot-four romantic hero.) Others are less well-suited to the story—there’s a scene where the hero explains that many Regency dining rooms featured a chamber pot behind a screen, should someone require it during a dinner party. That may be true (I’m certainly not going to look it up), but it’s a jarring and unnecessary piece of information to find in a romance novel.

If you’re in the market for a different kind of historical romance, or you enjoy stories filled with period detail, Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is a solid bet. Ms. Brown’s book is far from perfect, but romance novels this unconventional are few and far between.

Avid Book Reader
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown
by Avid Reader on November 2, 2007

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown is the first paranormal romance I’ve read in a long time. Josie Drummond is a paranormal researcher for Paranormal Certification. She has come to Amelia Thornton’s home to certify that her castle is haunted by a descendant of the family. There’s been reports that the late Deverall Waite’s ghost has been seen in Castle Waite but there’s no evidence to support such a claim. Amelia’s looking for the certification in order to compete in the tourist market. It’s the only way to give her the much needed funds to restore the castle that’s in disrepair. However, after twenty days into the investigation, Josie comes up empty handed and ends her research two weeks early. Just as she is about to leave, however, the ghost of the ninth Earl of Waite, suddenly makes an appearance.

Josie seems baffled by Deverall’s sudden appearance and find it interesting that he is able to hide his presence in the house despite all of her monitors and sensors. Deverall never had plans for Josie to certify his presence in the house. Deverall advised Amelia to hire her for another reason. Deverall goes on to explain that the family’s finances declined after his mother paid a fortune to a gypsy seer to help her recover a family treasure. So, Deverall wants Josie to accompany him back to 1815 to help him restore the family fiances by thwarting the charlatan who stole from is gullible mother. In order for Josie to blend into the Regency period, she gets a crash course in Regency setting and etiquette. Josie does go back in time and has to manuever her way through the Regency period. She meets the real Deverall and has to choose between the real Dev and the ghost Dev. The resolution to that was quite interesting and a bit unexpected for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel with it’s very nice cover. I thought the most interesting part of the novel was the periodic facts on the Regency period. The author seems to know that period very well, too. I also enjoyed Josie and Deverall’s witty conversations.

“Fox hunting is more than a sport,” Deverall argued. “It is indicative of a lifestyle. A reminder of accepted behavior patterns this century would do well to readopt as standards.”

“Such as viewing women as chattel? Such as the old double standard?” Josie cautioned herself to remain calm. She would lose this argument by default if she let her temper fly out of control.

“Morals were upheld.”

“Ah, yes. How could I have miscontrued rampant syphillis, the white slavery trade and open opium addiction to be immoral behavior?”

I liked both characters especially Deverall. This was also the type of paranormal read that didn’t bother me because there wasn’t much paranormal activity in the book. Despite the good points of the novel, I did have some problems as well. First, the story’s pacing was uneven for me. There were parts of the novel where the pages flew by and then other parts that slowed to a crawl. Second, the plot was pretty thin and third, I wanted more chemistry between the two characters. All in all, a decent read if you enjoy time travel and ghost stories. I really liked the time traveling aspect of the novel more myself. I also liked the author’s voice/style of writing and would read more of her work. My grade, B.

All About Romance Sandy Coleman
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake
Laurie Brown
2007, Time Travel Romance
Sourcebooks Casablanca, $6.99, 391 pages, Amazon ASIN 1402210132
Grade: B
Sensuality: Warm

The days when I might impulsively buy romance novels without the benefit of reviews or online buzz are pretty much behind me. My reluctance is understandable considering that I’ve been burnt w-a-a-a-y too many times when taking a chance on unknown writers and I hate wasting money on books I don’t even finish. But I broke my own rule the other day at Borders, prompted by an intriguing title and a great cover that, for some mysterious reason, merited face-out treatment on the shelf. I’m glad I did.


We’ve all read those stories in which a modern woman is transported back in time and, yep, this is one of those books. But, for some reason, this one feels fresh and, gee, am I the only one starved for just that? Somehow I don’t think so.

Josie Drummond is a 30-year old paranormal researcher brought into an English castle in order to give credence to the claims of the owner, Lady Amelia, that the place is haunted. Lady Amelia’s goal? To give tourists what they want – a haunted castle – so the rapidly deteriorating home can benefit from the desperately needed revenue. But, despite weeks of dedicated usage of her scientific equipment, Josie doesn’t come up with the evidence of a haunting that would aid the kindly old lady.

But, Castle Waite is the real deal, as Josie soon discovers. Not only does a full-out apparition of a sexy Regency lord appear, but Deverell Thornton, ninth Earl of Waite, persuades Josie to travel back in time to expose the fraud who bilked his mother out of a substantial sum. With that money back in the family coffers, Lady Amelia’s financial problems will be solved.

To be honest, the first third of the book in which Josie and the ghost of Deverell spar with each other quite deliciously while he trains the modern American in the intricacies of functioning in Regency society, is better than the remainder. To add to the book’s attractions, I know quite a bit about the period, but I think I learned a few useful factoids from what certainly seems to be comprehensive research on the part of the author.

But once we go back in time, a few stock Regency characters and the author’s insistence on complicating even further her already complicated plot slowed things down. Not to even mention that once Josie begins developing feelings for the real life 19th century Deverell, matters get even more confusing. And then there are some anachronistic language problems that crop up a few times, including one Regency rake telling another to "come off it". Still, on the whole, I enjoyed this book. Very much, as a matter of fact.

Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake isn’t perfect, but it is a smart, amusing, and fun time travel/Regency tale. I’ll certainly be willing to try author Laurie Brown – and new publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca – again.

• Sandy Coleman

The Romance Studio Sandra
Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake
Laurie Brown
Time travel romance
Available from Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1013-6
September 2007

Josie is a modern day paranormal researcher hired to prove Lord Deverell Thornton haunts the crumbling Waite Castle. She comes face to face with the devastatingly handsome ghost who convinces her to travel back to Regency times in order to help him uncover a fraudulent séance. He hopes that with Josie’s help he can save his mother from losing everything, including the future of his family.
When Josie is thrown back to regency times she finds it to be lot harder than she thought to live without the modern conveniences and to live with all the rules of the time. But when she meets the very alive version of Dev, she is drawn to him immediately and knows she must do whatever it takes to complete her task.

Dev has never met anyone quite like Josie and finds himself thinking of things like marriage and children. Can a confirmed bachelor find true love? Will Josie leave him when her task is complete? Or will she fail in her task and he lose everything?

Laurie Brown has written a very interesting tale of ghosts, séances, time travel, and love. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I found Josie to be a well written, fun character, who truly brings to life the difficulties a person would endure being thrown from modern day back into the regency times. And Dev, whether in ghost form or in his true living form is such a wonderful, gorgeous character with more depth than I originally thought. I loved this entire story. Although it started out a little slow, it was well worth the wait for the true action to begin and the ending could not have been more perfect. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a great read, with a lot of action, a little sex, love and even a friendly ghost.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

Reviewer: Sandra
November 7, 2007

Fantasy Book Spot
Hundreds Of Years To Reform A Rake
Easy Reading | First and Third Person | Historical Mystery | Moderate | No Technology | Romance | Single Heroine | Sourcebooks | 10
Author: Laurie Brown
Rating: 10 Reviewer: Kissa Starling
Genre: Romance Publisher:Sourcebooks
Pages: 391 Orig Pub Date: 2007
Binding: Paperback Cover Illus.: Getty Corbis

FBS Quick Take
A modern career woman thrust back in time into the glittering Regency period and the arms of an unscrupulous rake...

Time travel is rebuffed by Josie, a modern career minded ghost-buster who proves or disproves the existance of ghosts in people’s homes. When Amelia brings Josie out to her castle she is dependent on a ghost being present- it’s all she needs to open her home to the public and save it from falling apart. Weeks are spent searching but to no avail. It’s only when Josie is prepared to leave that the ghost reveals himself, and his carefully calculated plan to retain the family home.

Josie finds that the plan is dependent on not only her participation but her ability to act as if she belongs in the past. Meeting her ghost in person is disconcerting at best. His affect on her multiplies in materialized form. Her mission is to reveal someone as a fraud and to find the family jewels. She is the only one capable of preventing a swindle to take the family’s fortune. Will Josie live up to Deverell’s expectations?

Laurie Brown has outdone herself with her latest historical novel, Hundreds Of Years To Reform A Rake. The Regency time period proves to be a magical setting for Josie and her ghost Deverell Thornton, the ninth Earl of Waite.

Sexual tension starts early and builds throughout the story. The conflict between the ghost of Deverell and the ’real’ Deverell is pragmatic writing at its best. Readers will find this struggle between characters to be almost humorous. Josie’s interaction with each of these characters is what builds the plot of this story. She is drawn to both of them in different ways but can’t stand to be without either of them.

The romantic elements in this story were frequent and awe inspiring. All who read this will be drawn away to the Regency Era. Ball gowns, corsets, secret tunnels, cravats, and carriages abound. The relationship between Josie and Deverell goes from sweet to fated soulmates. Their journey will take your breath away.

You will need to set aside an entire weekend to finish this novel. Once you start reading you’ll be transported to another time and won’t want to return until the very last page is digested.

Romantic Times Cindy Helmer
HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO REFORM A RAKE
by Laurie Brown

RT Rating:
Category: PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: September 2007
Type: Paranormal (Time Travel) Buy Now at Amazon
$6.99


•———————————————————————————————————————
It’s difficult to keep track of the ghostly Dev versus the living one. The two seem so intertwined that at times it is hard to tell who Josie is talking to. And while the two Devs are both very likable, Josie’s character never seems to fully develop. No matter what’s thrown at her, she just seems to take it in stride.

•———————————————————————————————————————
Summary: Paranormal researcher Josie Drummond is hired to find a ghost to draw visitors to a proposed B and B. Instead of proving the ghost exists, however, Josie is sent back in time to help the ghostly Dev reform his younger self and restore his good name. Josie finds herself falling in love with not only the living Dev but his ghostly counterpart as well. While she’s not happy with the restrictions put on women in the past, when the time comes to return to the present, Josie finds herself torn between the two Devs and their worlds. (Sourcebooks, Sep., 393 pp., $6.99) HOT

—Cindy Himler

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• Length: 6.88 in
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• Weight: 7.00 oz
• Page Count: 400 pages