Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of Isabella’s Rake by June Calvin. This story is published by Histria Romance, an imprint of Histria Books dedicated to outstanding books in the romance genre.
Set in glittering Regency London, Isabella’s Rake follows Isabella Eardley, a duke’s headstrong granddaughter who wants brushes and canvases more than a titled husband. Determined to become a landscape painter in a world that barely admits women can draw, she sneaks into studios in boy’s clothes and finds an unlikely tutor in Harrison Curzon, the “Golden Rake” whose talent on the easel rivals his reputation in the ballrooms.
What feels fresh here is how frankly the book tackles ambition, desire, and power from a woman’s point of view. Isabella is not a modern girl in costume; she’s very much of her era, yet constantly testing its limits. The love story grows out of work, not waltzes, and the conflicts are as much about art and vocation as kisses and scandal. In a market hungry for feminist historical romance with real stakes, this delivers passion, wit, and a heroine fighting for a life that is truly hers.
June Calvin is the author of twelve Regency romances, including her debut novel, The Baron and the Bookseller, which won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award in 1993. Before finding her true calling as a novelist, Calvin held a diverse array of professional roles, drawing on experiences as a teacher, public relations professional, newspaper reporter, and museum educator. She currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband of 62 years, where she enjoys life near her son, daughter-in-love, and young grandson.
