Sir Benjamin Devereaux has been estranged from his family and his home since his youth, but upon the death of his father he inherits both a title and an estate. He intends to reclaim both, and put right the wrong that first banished him, but does not envision finding an altogether different reason to remain at Roland Park.

Amelia Sudbury has always been intrigued by the scandal surrounding her friend's brother and has read enough books to recognise a villain when their paths first cross, but as she gets to know her new neighbour she cannot help but think he is not quite as villainous as his reputation suggests. He is an enigma, a mystery lifted straight from the pages of the books she adores, and she is determined to discover the truth, even if it means losing her heart in the process.

A Rake by Reputation is a traditional regency historical romance in the tradition of Jane Austen. It is the first book in the Westham Chronicles series.