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.
Wicked and the Wallflower is the first in a new Sarah MacLean series called the Bareknuckle Bastards, and is also one of the best historical romances I've read in a long time. And also of all-time. I laughed, I cried, I never wanted it to end.
Felicity and Devil are one of my favorite couples in recent memory, and even though it was clear there was no way they were not meant for each other, I loved that there was a slow-burn to it.
There is just so much that sparkles about this gem of a book. It's obvious that a lot of research went into this one around lock-picking and the frozen water trade (Devil deals in shipping and selling ice--and, okay, maybe some bourbon), but the story line never feels bogged down. We have a hero who stops every time the heroine indicates uncertainty or says "no" or "wait." We also much sexual tension that I think the reader is as likely to burst into flame as our characters.
Some may think the beginning is a little slower, and I couldn't help but think "But what if Devil weren't so rich?", but mostly I think everyone will be rating this one 20/5 stars and just following Sarah MacLean around like the Goddess she is.
Should you read it? Omg yes. I'll admit I was not prepared to love this one as much as I did. I don't usually like revenge stories, and the blurb itself felt a little bleh (and also a hero named Devil? Really?). But once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down.
5 Stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Expected Publication June 19, 2018 by Avon