(Wicked Trilogy, #2)
Genre: Historical Romance
Cover Blurb:
A wickedly wonderful new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of His Wicked Reputation…
Most women will give him anything he wants. She is not most women…
Most women will give him anything he wants. She is not most women…
As a well-known barrister and the son of a duke, Ives confines his passionate impulses to discreet affairs with worldly mistresses. A twist of fate, however, has him looking for a new lover right when a fascinating woman shows up in his chambers, asking him to help save her father from the gallows. Unfortunately, he has already been asked to serve as the prosecutor in the case, but that only ensures close encounters with the rarity named Padua Belvoir. And every encounter increases his desire to tutor her in pleasure’s wicked ways…
Having always been too tall, too wilful, and too smart to appeal to men, Padua Belvoir is shocked when Ives shows interest in her. Knowing his penchant for helping the wrongly accused, she had initially thought he might be her father’s best hope for salvation. Instead, he is her worst adversary—not least because every time he looks at her, she is tempted to give him anything he wants…
♥♥♥♥♥♥
I really enjoyed TALL, DARK, AND WICKED, the second book in Madeline Hunter’s Wicked Trilogy. A mix of mystery and romance, it features a deliciously sexy hero and an unconventional heroine, who is no shrinking violet.
Although the younger brother of the Duke of Aylesbury, Ives is unusual in that, against his late father’s wishes, he became a barrister. As one of the most well-respected barristers in England, he frequently prosecutes on behalf of the Crown. Unlike others in his profession, whose sole interest is in winning a case, Ives is an honourable man and genuinely dedicated to the pursuit of justice. I like that Ives works for a living and Ms Hunter provides an interesting insight into the workings of the judicial system of the time.
Ives is wealthy, handsome and charming but, according to gossip, he has one flaw…his rather wicked proclivities in the bedroom. For this reason, he chooses mistresses who are worldly and not easily shocked by his unusual preferences.
Padua is just the sort of unconventional heroine I like. Unusually tall and described as handsome rather than beautiful, she is intelligent, bold, outspoken, a proponent of women’s rights and a forward thinking teacher of higher mathematics at Mrs. Ludlow’s School for Girls. Her ambition is to study in Padua (her namesake city where her mother studied and met her father) at one of the universities that accepted women, with the ultimate aim of opening her own school.
She has been estranged from her father for the past 10 years since her mother died when Padua was fifteen. At a time when she needed him most, her father had been cold and unfeeling, sending her away to school. Although Padua moved to London to be near her father, he has no wish to see her. Even though I felt her father didn’t deserve it, I admired Padua’s loyalty to him and her determination to help him when she believes he has been wrongly accused of a crime.
When Padua first visits Ives to ask him to help her father and in all their subsequent interactions, there is a definite frisson of sexual awareness between them, but matters are complicated by the fact that Ives is the prosecutor in her father’s case. Despite the conflict of interests, Ives reveals his protective side when he shows concern for Padua’s safety, fearing there is more to the case against her father than meets the eye. He also makes himself responsible for her after she loses her job at the school. I really felt him struggle between his sense of duty and his feelings for Padua.
The Crown’s friendship, or that of the daughter of a criminal. Only a fool would think there really was a choice.
I love how Padua, knowing that their affair would brief, throws caution to the wind and fully embraces the passion between them and enthusiastically succumbs to Ives’ wicked games.
“If I am going to be scandalous and irresponsible, I would prefer passion to politeness. I would prefer the wicked Ives to the upstanding Lord Ywain.”
Yes, there is plenty of heat in the love scenes but nothing overly kinky.
I love all the bickering and teasing between Ives and his two brothers, Lance and Gareth, and this is one of my favourite exchanges …
“I do not have a tendre for her.”
“He does not have a tendre for her,” Lance echoed.
“It is not like that.”
“It is not like that,” Lance repeated. “Miss Belvoir is just an acquaintance. A friend. A woman in need of sanctuary. Isn’t that right, Ives?”
“I think I will thrash both of you right now.”
“Quick-tempered, isn’t he?” Gareth asked. “Miss Belvoir is a ticklish subject.” “I suppose that means she won’t have him.”
“That is my conclusion. At least she won’t so far. Nor will he have her, while they are here. I have forbidden all such activity under my roof.”
At the same time, I knew they share a caring relationship and would always be there for each other in times of trouble.
The element of mystery and suspense surrounding the counterfeiting was intriguing enough to maintain my interest and I enjoyed seeing the brothers working together to flush out the villain. There was also a charming and most satisfying ending.
The fact that I hadn’t read the first book in the series definitely didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book. I feel it can easily be read as a standalone.
MY VERDICT: A thoroughly enjoyable story and I definitely want to read the other two books in the series.
REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS
SENSUALITY RATING: WARM
Read April 2016
Wicked Trilogy (click on the book covers for more details):
Rakes And Rascals 