The Wicked and the Wallflower - Historical Romance Novel | Perfect for Book Clubs & Cozy Reading Nights
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Product Description
''I loved it'' Eloisa James''Smart, sexy, and always romantic'' Julia Quinn''For a smart, witty and passionate historical romance, I recommend anything by Sarah MacLean'' Lisa KleypasWhen 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.xxxPraise for Sarah MacLean:''My absolute go-to author for clever, sexy and fun historical romances'' Jennifer L. Armentrout''Sarah MacLean has reignited the romance genre with a bolder edge'' The New Yorker''Funny, smart, feminist and roastingly hot'' BookRiot.com''Do yourself a favor and discover the compelling magic of Sarah MacLean'' Amanda Quick''MacLean writes with an entirely unique blend of elegance and ferocity that bursts from every page'' Entertainment WeeklyxxxTHE BAREKNUCKLE BASTARDSThree brothers, bound by a secret they cannot escape . . .The Devil, all vengeance and viceThe Beast, all fists and furyThe Duke, all power and past. . . and the women who bring them to their knees.
Customer Reviews
It's always a heavy lift to set up a new series, especially when you are moving the action from the aristocratic circles HR readers are familiar with to the working-man side of society. MacLean does a wonderful job here of unwrapping a new cast of characters and worldbuilding without making it feel like an exposition-dump. I loved this book and the series setup here. This Rumpelstiltskin retelling starts off with a fable-like feel, and is referenced once explicitly: Felicity has told a face-saving lie and makes a deal with Devil where he will make it come true "'I want not to have lied' she said. 'I cannot change the past. Only the future. But I can make good on your promise.' 'Spin straw into gold?'"Ah, so we are in a storybook, after all.'"At one point a couple years ago I word searched "Felicity" in my copy of Day of the Duchess and just read her parts, I loved her character and personality so much. The Felicity of this book is a year or so sadder and wiser - she's on the outs with the "cool girls," is being pressured by her family to marry, and wants control, wants back in, wants to belong. It's at this point where she meets Devil and the two are immediately gaga for each other. He's supposed to use her for his revenge plot, but can't. He's been in the dark for 20 years, she's his light - a theme that is echoed again and again. But Felicity loves the darkness too, "ephemeral and mysterious and tempting - so much more tempting than the daylight." She's a lock picker, taking that power to open her own doors and she unlocks him, the unpickable lock. She's his key.Listen, I could write forever about the symbolism and mythology so woven into this wonderful book, the way she captured him by learning and saying his true name (Rumpelstiltskin-style), the light/dark, locked/unlocked, purity/filth imagery. I could talk about how MacLean always has at least one cinematic set-piece in her books, and here its actions in a deserted alley that shows the hidden side of Devil's London. I could try to summarize the story itself, which is rich and detailed and strong enough to carry the series it sets up. But maybe its enough to say lonely characters looking for one thing both end up with a different thing they most needed, someone willing to fight for them, and declare their love, and save them when they can't save themselves.
