Where to Start: The Recommended Reading Path
Eileen Dreyer’s historical romance novels are widely celebrated for combining the emotional intensity of Regency-era romance with the heart-pounding tension of classic spy thrillers. While each novel features a self-contained romance with its own satisfying resolution, the books are linked by a complex, overarching espionage plot. In this conspiracy, a group of aristocrats and military veterans known as "Drake's Rakes" work covertly under the enigmatic Lord Drake to protect the British Crown from treasonous forces in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars.
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read the series in publication order. Starting from the beginning allows you to watch the relationships between the recurring characters evolve, understand the ongoing espionage subplots, and appreciate the subtle references to previous events. If you choose to skip around, you can still enjoy the individual love stories, but you will miss out on the slow-burn suspense that binds the entire universe together.
The Original Drake’s Rakes Series
The original series consists of four full-length novels and one key novella. This sequence establishes the group of wounded, noble rogues recruited by Lord Drake to run dangerous operations across England, Italy, and India.
1. Barely a Lady (2010)
The series begins with the Waterloo campaign. Olivia Grace is a woman hiding a scandalous past, working as a nurse on the battlefield. There, she stumbles upon her wounded ex-husband, Jack Grace. Believing Jack had abandoned her years ago, Olivia is shocked to find him alive. As Jack recovers, they are forced to confront the secrets that tore them apart while navigating a treacherous web of wartime espionage. This book set the tone for the series, earning the 2010 RT Reviewers Choice Award for Historical Romance.
2. Never a Gentleman (2011)
The second book shifts focus to Miss Grace Fairchild, a plain and practical soldier’s daughter, and Diccan Hilliard, a charming rogue forced into marriage after a highly publicized scandal. Set against a backdrop of deadly conspiracies, Grace and Diccan must learn to trust each other as they are swept into a dangerous game of treason where one wrong move could cost them their lives.
3. Always a Temptress (2011)
This installment features Sir Harry Lidge, a war-weary hero carrying physical and emotional scars, and Lady Kate Seaton, a woman whose scandalous reputation hides a fierce and loyal heart. Sent to investigate a treasonous plot, Harry and Kate clash repeatedly, only to find their mutual suspicion transforming into a passion that threatens to consume them both.
4. It Begins with a Kiss (2012) – Novella (Book 3.5)
This critical novella serves as a bridge between the main series and the spin-offs. It introduces Fiona Ferguson, a brilliant and mathematically inclined student at Miss Lavinia Chase’s finishing school—affectionately (and ironically) dubbed the "Last Chance Academy" by its inmates. When Fiona attempts to escape to save her twin sister, she clashes with Crown spy Alex Knight, resulting in a fateful kiss that sets up the next major phase of the series.
5. Once a Rake (2013)
The original tetralogy concludes with the story of Colonel Ian Ferguson, a fugitive Scotsman accused of treason, and Lady Sarah Clarke, who harbors him despite the danger to her own family and secrets. This book ties up several of the initial espionage threads while setting the stage for the next generation of stories.
Drake’s Damsels: The Return of Drake’s Rakes
Following the success of the original series, Dreyer launched a follow-up series, Drake's Damsels (often subtitled The Return of Drake's Rakes). This series focuses on the sisters, widows, and female companions connected to the original Rakes, many of whom share a history as students at the Last Chance Academy finishing school.
1. Twice Tempted (2014)
Serving as the direct sequel to the novella It Begins with a Kiss, this full-length novel brings Alex Knight and Fiona Ferguson back together. Years after saving Fiona and her twin sister Mairead from the streets, Alex must protect them once more from a vengeful enemy seeking to destroy the Ferguson family. As they work to uncover the conspiracy, their long-simmering attraction finally boils over.
2. Miss Felicity’s Dilemma (2019)
Felicity Chambers is an orphaned teacher of piano and deportment at Miss Manville's Academy for Superior Girls. Her quiet life is upended when she is summoned by a duke with an bizarre command: she must marry his third son, Lord Flint Bracken. Flint knows his father's demand is tied to a web of national security, but as he begins a forced courtship with the penniless schoolteacher, both are caught off guard by a genuine connection and an unexpected threat.
3. Ill Met by Moonlight (2023) – Novella
A whimsical, Midsummer-themed novella following Anastasia "Stasia" Dunn, who flees fortune hunters at a masquerade ball. Hiding in a conservatory, she meets a mysterious man disguised in a Nick Bottom donkey mask. Stasia falls for the stranger, unaware that the man behind the mask is actually Major Hugh Fitzwilliam—the fiancé she has never met.
4. Three Times a Lady (2023)
This novel centers on Pippin Knight, the spirited sister of Alex Knight, and Viscount Beau Drummond. Having been introduced in earlier books, their rocky relationship takes center stage as they navigate the final stages of the series' overarching treason conspiracy.
5. Dueling With the Duke (2023)
The story follows Georgie Grace, the widow of Jamie Grace. When Jamie's cousin, Colonel Adam Marrick, inherits the title of Duke of Rothray, he visits Georgie and her daughter Lilly. Adam quickly discovers that Georgie is far from the "forgettable" woman Jamie claimed she was, and the family is pulled into a high-stakes struggle when Lilly unexpectedly inherits a dukedom of her own.
Spin-offs and Future Stories: The Packhams
In 2026, Eileen Dreyer expanded the universe further with the release of Just One Kiss, the first book in the Packham spin-off series. Centered around the Packham siblings (Georgie, Charlie, and Eddie) and their alumni connections to the Last Chance Academy, this new series continues the beloved tradition of witty romance and light intrigue in the same shared Regency universe.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Drake’s Rakes, readers should keep a few unique details in mind. Eileen Dreyer, who has also written contemporary romance under the pseudonym Kathleen Korbel, is a retired trauma nurse. Her medical background shines through in her writing; her depictions of the Waterloo battlefield, field surgeries, and physical trauma are far more realistic and raw than typical Regency romances. Furthermore, because of the heavy espionage elements, the books contain a fair amount of suspense and danger alongside the traditional romance tropes, making them perfect for fans of romantic suspense.