Book Review: The Wolf and the Wildflower

 You know how I always say I forget that I love historical romance until I'm reading it? Yeah, I'm no longer saying that. I keep reaching for historical romance and I'm not hating it. This one was such a fun, and unique, read. 

The Wolf and the Wildflower - Stacy Reid

London is buzzing with the news that James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton—thought lost at sea a decade ago—survived in the harsh wilderness of the Yukon. Now he’s been returned to his family, his responsibilities, and a nightmarish world of artifice and noise. He has three weeks to become a refined, elegant duke for the Queen…or doom the entire family to ruin and scandal.

Promising psychologist Jules Southby knows a lot about disguises. She’s secretly been living as a boy since birth, enjoying the freedoms of men and knowing little about how to behave like a woman. When she meets the alluring duke, she’s unprepared for his raw, masculine beauty and icy intelligence…or that he can see through her darkest secret.

Jules has very little time to transform the duke into a true semblance of an English gentleman. Yet his very presence seems to unravel her in every way. Their attraction is stark and achingly real—and forbidden. But loving the lost duke would mean losing every sacrifice she’s made to earn her freedom…

Let me just get into this, James was lost in the wilderness for ten years so when he makes his miraculous return, its imperative that he find a duchess. In his family's preparation of his return to the haute ton, the Duchess of Wulverton (his mother) hires a psychologist and his son Jules to come in and evaluate James' abilites. Is he crazy? Is he feral? Is he able to look and act normally?

The psychologist's son, Jules, is a promising student who is hopefully following his father's footsteps to someday take over his promise. Jules is immediately taken with the duke and the duke can seemingly sniff out Jules' secret. Jules isn't a man after all, she's a woman in a manly disguise who is fooling her father and hopefully, society. How does a dad not know his son is a daughter? That's a great question answered immediately in the book. 

The love affair between James and Jules is quite adorable and promising. I really loved the romance, and I loved the duke's frankness. The story ultimately requires both James and Jules to decide, are they willing to drop all pretenses and the life they know to hang onto their love, or is the life they've made and what comes with it more important? Even though I knew exactly what the climax was going to be, I was only partially right and for that I am grateful. I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy for review, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Stacy Reid does it again, I can't wait to read what she does next! 

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Book Review: A Matter of Temptation

I don't even know where to start to explain the reason for my recent hiatus, but I will say that I am getting so very close to just throwing in the towel with health stuff. I'm so frustrated, and tired, but tired of being frustrated, and I just don't know what to do at this point. I'm trying really hard to keep afloat, but I'm telling you, we need to stop telling people to advocate for themselves, and instead, give them actual steps on what to do because I feel like I've hit the actual wall. 

A Matter of Temptation - Stacy Reid

Miss Wilhelmina "Mina" Crawford is desperate. Having been ruined in the eyes of society years ago for one foolish, starry-eyed mistake, she spends her days secreted away at her family's crumbling estate, helping her brother manage the land but not able to truly live life the way she's always dreamed. When her brother admits to just how dire their finances have gotten, she takes it upon herself to procure employment...but the only one who will even consider the scandalous idea of a female secretary is the brilliant, ruthless, and infuriating Earl of Creswick.

Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, needs help if he wants to finally pass the reform bill he's been championing for years and secure the vote for England's most vulnerable constituents. Too bad help comes in the form of a woman with breathtaking nerve, fiery red hair, and a sense of humor to match.

Now temptation--disguised as a lovely, clever-mouthed devil--lives and works under Simon's very roof. And Mina finally feels as though she's truly living life to her wildest dreams. But even the most incendiary of kisses can't incinerate Mina's past...or the shocking secret that could ruin them both.

How many times have I said that I forget how much I enjoy historical romance until I read it? I feel like I say it every single time I read one so I'm not sure at what point it's going to just lock into my head that I am a fan of historical romance. Also, this is now my second book from Stacy Reid that I've read and I am now putting her into my must-read author list because her books are truly that good. 

This book has everything, we have a lady with a tarnished reputation, a failed elopement, a Viscount, a duel, an Earl, angst, and romance! I mean, honestly, it's like everything you can possibly imagine in a historical romance all balled into just under 300 pages. (My copy also came with a bonus story, and can we just talk about how much I love a bonus story??) 

I absolutely loved Mina, she's feisty and witty, and I loved that she decided since her reputation is basically trashed, she can say whatever the heck she wants, which leads her to being fairly blunt with her words. The author does a great job at breaking some common trends we see in most historical romance (the 'woe-is-me' kind of gal, or the one who plays dumb and tries to deny any attraction to anyone when it is clear as the damn sun shining) and for that alone she is my new go-to author for this genre. As great as Mina is, I loved Simon, the dashing hero of the story. Simon is like... the perfect guy, and just when you think he can't possibly be more perfect, he runs out into the rain to save a puppy. 

I mean, are any of us even wearing panties at this point? 

As with every story there is some great conflict that threatens the happy ending, and while I honestly can't think of another book with the same story line (at least in historical romance, it's definitely something I've seen a similar twist in other romances), I think the author handled it really well. I liked really questioning whether Mina and Simon would end up together, and as I got to even the last chapter I was really starting to worry how this was going to end. I will tell you we do get a happy ending and you will be eternally grateful for an epilogue... how's that for vague? But I feel like the author does a good job at really laying out how much Simon and Mina really do love each other and honestly these two are kind of #couplegoals. 

If you're in the market for a steamy Regency romance, you definitely will like this one. Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy for review!

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Book Review: A Scoundrel Of Her Own

Are you a fan of Regency romances? I used to always say I wasn't, that historical romance wasn't my thing, until I read them. They are kind of amazing, and I'm not sure what it is about them that I love so much, but here we are. I'm kind of a sucker for these. Maybe it is the mass paperback size, they just remind me of those books our moms and grandmas used to get in the mail, do you remember those? Are those still a thing? 

A Scoundrel Of Her Own - Stacy Reid

Lady Ophelia Darby exists in two worlds. In one, she is the impudent, willful daughter of a powerful marquess and darling of the ton. In the other, she moves through the underworld’s shadows as songstress Lady Starlight, protected only by the notoriously wealthy scoundrel Devlin Byrne. But when she stumbles upon her beloved father’s darkest secrets, the line between her two worlds quickly blurs. Now she needs the help of the one man a lady should never trust.

Devlin Byrne stands on the edge of London society, knowing he will never be accepted. No one else knows that his obscene wealth and ruthlessness aren’t without purpose. Or that his purpose has golden-brown eyes that shimmer with mischief, the palest of skin, and a lush mouth that beckons to be kissed, and deeply. But having Ophelia is only the beginning of Devlin’s plans.

It’s undeniable that Devlin Byrne is a dangerous temptation—but just as Ophelia begins to trust him, maybe even fall for him, she discovers she’s not the only one with secrets. And his would lead her down more than just the path of scandal…

Fun fact, I love the name Ophelia, it was on the short list for Penelope's name. It was Persephone, Ophelia, or Penelope. It would have really fit her, because like Ophelia in our story, everyone loves my Penelope, and she could also be described as willfill. My Pep is going to do what she's going to do, but she's incredibly smart, but I wouldn't describe her as impudent. 

Anyways... I really enjoyed this one. Fifi is such a great character, but so is Devlin! I loved these two separately, but loved them even more together. I'm also here for regency romances with characters who have sass, so much angst, but also not skimping on the steam. I don't usually love the childhood friends to lovers trope, it just feels weird to me and I know this is me being weird, but I really wanted these two to get together, even if they are technically forbidden. It's definitely a class barrier situation, which is obviously common in historical romances and is sometimes overdone, but it was so well done in this one. Also, while this is book 3 in a series, I'm assuming all of them are standalone, because I haven't read the previous two and was totally fine. I just loved how absolutely gone Devlin was over Fifi, I am a sucker for any book that makes the man a blubbering, hopelessly in love mess with a woman who he shouldn't be, those are my absolute favorite. 

While this is my first book from Stacy Reid, it absolutely won't be my last. I loved her writing, I loved her character development, and I loved how she took a trope that has been overdone but she gave it new life. Absolutely loved this! 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour! Give me ALL the romance! 

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