The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham

The Rakess (Society of Sirens, #1)

by Scarlett Peckham

Named one of the Best Romance of 2020 by EW, Washington Post, NPR, and Bookpage!

Meet the SOCIETY OF SIRENS—three radical, libertine ladies determined to weaponize their scandalous reputations to fight for justice and the love they deserve…

She’s a Rakess on a quest for women’s rights…

Seraphina Arden’s passions include equality, amorous affairs, and wild, wine-soaked nights. To raise funds for her cause, she’s set to publish explosive memoirs exposing the powerful man who ruined her. Her ideals are her purpose, her friends are her family, and her paramours are forbidden to linger in the morning.

He’s not looking for a summer lover…

Adam Anderson is a wholesome, handsome, widowed Scottish architect, with two young children, a business to protect, and an aversion to scandal. He could never, ever afford to fall for Seraphina. But her indecent proposal—one month, no strings, no future—proves too tempting for a man who strains to keep his passions buried with the losses of his past.

But one night changes everything...

What began as a fling soon forces them to confront painful secrets—and yearnings they thought they’d never have again. But when Seraphina discovers Adam’s future depends on the man she’s about to destroy, she must decide what to protect… her desire for justice, or her heart.

Reviewed by whisperingchapters on

4 of 5 stars

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I was the kind of girl who's offered money, not redemption.

Seraphina is a radical, a complete liberal and feminist woman. You can just imagine all the scandal Sera's life just by being how she is and standing firm on her beliefs, especially the scandal that comes with having lots of lovers at every turn. I loved Sera's determination to bring equality, and show that woman can do the same thing as men. Not only that, her passion for helping women in need also spoke volumes for me.

She goes back to her childhood home, to write her book that will surely bring down the man ruin her. What she wasn't expecting was meeting the nice and gentle Scottish single-father down the road, and ultimately growing feelings for his family.

The loss of you reduces me.

I personally enjoyed this story a lot. I think it's because I really wasn't expecting much, except for the feminism, which I'm glad was shown greatly. I also loved the slow-burn romance! It was so seductive, sweet, and tender. Adam is a wonderful and patient man, whom I think put up with a lot of Sera's attitude, so props to the guy! Him being so forgiving was exactly what Sera needed, to show her he's not giving up, to show her he's seen her worst and is still there for her.

My dilemma was with Sera's character and her way of drinking her way to blacking out. I just didn't feel like that's how Sera should have been. I expected a strong character, with a good head on her shoulders when I read the title, The Rakess. Another dilemma I had was with the pace of the novel. I felt it was slow and a bit dragging. Every single time I had already reached the halfway point, I'd look at the percentage and realized I still wasn't even close.

Sirens, you see, are not born thirsting for justice. Sirens are made.

I adored Sera's friends:, Thais, Elinor, and Cornelia! The fierceness, the fire, the determination they all had brought so much humor to the story! Plus, their friendship was an amazing bonus, with so much care for one another.

Overall, The Rakess is a great start to this series, one I'm so looking forward to reading more of.
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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 24 April, 2020: Finished reading
  • 24 April, 2020: Reviewed