When Wicked Comes Calling…
When a mysterious stranger finds his way into her bedchamber and offers his help in landing a duke, Lady Felicity Faircloth agrees—on one condition. She’s seen enough of the world to believe in passion, and won’t accept a marriage without it.
The Wallflower Makes a Dangerous Bargain…
Bastard son of a duke and king of London’s dark streets, Devil has spent a lifetime wielding power and seizing opportunity, and the spinster wallflower is everything he needs to exact a revenge years in the making. All he must do is turn the plain little mouse into an irresistible temptress, set his trap, and destroy his enemy.
For the Promise of Passion…But there’s nothing plain about Felicity Faircloth, who quickly decides she’d rather have Devil than another. Soon, Devil’s carefully laid plans are in chaos, and he must choose between everything he’s ever wanted…and the only thing he’s ever desired.
I frequently go back to historical romance, despite my many issues with the genre. It’s often light and fluffy and just sweet enough to make me happy.
What I’m coming to realize, however, is that I also want more from it.
Sarah MacLean plays with a number of the genre tropes, steps outside of the expected noble marriage that everyone has written a million times. But I want more.
Honestly, I started this book because: 1) I cannot, no matter how hard I try, read out of order; and 2) I really, really want to read the second book in the series, Brazen and the Beast. Seriously. Anything that hints at Beauty and the Beast is my catnip.
There are issues I have with this book. The biggest being the fact that despite how forward-thinking the ultimate storyline for Felicity is, she’s still a pawn in a man’s world. Still something to be used and discarded until she proves her worth. Brigid does a much better job than I ever could in encapsulating my issues with this book. I won’t try to re-word what she’s already articulated brilliantly.
And even while I took issue with that, while I wished for more, I still kept clicking through pages unable to walk away. Felicity is a fantastic heroine. Even when she’s her most unsure of herself, she’s also unwilling to accept anything but the best for her. And she’ll decide what’s best, thank you very much. She, more than anything, kept me invested in the story. I wanted to see her get everything she wanted.
I’m invested in the story of these four bastards. I’ll continue reading for that. And because book 2 was the one that really drew me. Also, for Grace. I can’t resist continuing on to see how this all resolves in the end.
Yeah the 2nd book is really good. She does a twist on the Beauty and Beast tale. This one has a lot of problems, albeit very interesting.
I’m excited to read the second book. I can’t even resist a Beauty and the Beast re-telling.