If you’ve been waiting to check out a novel by Sarah MacLean, Wicked and the Wallflower is the perfect chance!
Wicked and the Wallflower kicks off a brand new series by Sarah MacLean titled The Bareknuckle Bastards. The series centers around three half-brothers and their internal war that affects the women that they fall for.
Early on in Wicked and the Wallflower readers are introduced to Devil, the bastard son of a duke that has become the king of London’s dark streets. Though his goal in life is to make sure his brothers keep their promise, and thereby ensuring a vengeance is met, that all changes when he meets Felicity.
When Felicity first meets Devil, she thinks he’s the answer to all her problems.
He promises to get her married to the Duke of Marwick which will not only help her problems in society, but also answer her families financial woes. But it doesn’t take long for Felicity to realize that the man she’s really drawn to is Devil himself.
Wicked and the Wallflower spins a dangerous game of vengeance leaves several hearts on the line, which means the reader will find it hard to put this novel down. Historical romance is a sub-genre that I don’t often venture into, and yet I quickly fell in love with Felicity and her Devil.
She didn’t believe him. Obviously. Not at all. “Why me?”
He reached for her then, and she knew she should have stepped back. She knew she shouldn’t have let him touch her, not when his fingers ran down her left cheek, leaving fire in their wake, as though he were leaving his scar upon her, a mark of his presence.
But the burn of his touch was nothing like pain. Especially not when he replied, “Why not you?” Article Continues Below
Sarah MacLean masterfully created a storyline that quickly pulls the reader in, and leaves them desperate to find out what will happen. Often times when I read a romance novel, I feel a greater connection to either the heroine or the hero. But with Wicked and the Wallflower, I just loved both Felicity and Devil so much it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Despite all of her issues with society and her family, Felicity continues to try and rise above her situation. She doesn’t wait around for others to solve her own problems, but takes actions into her own hands, even when that means getting into a bit of trouble. She’s fearless, witty, and completely surprised the Devil with just how charming she can be.
Though Devil definitely underestimates Felicity in the beginning, it’s hard not to be pulled in by his initial dark and mysterious attitude.
As the Devil falls for Felicity, his true character shows, and readers will fall for him as well. The Devil starts out will ulterior motives, he has a hard time staying away from the woman he’s trying to use – and his soft side shows.
She’d shocked him.
The unmovable Devil, all powerful and controlling, impenetrable and domineering, and she had shocked him. She knew it, because his eyes went wide and his jaw went slack, and for a heartbeat she thought he might have swallowed something too large. He looked to her, then the lock, then back again. “You did it.”
“I did,” she said, happily.
For someone that doesn’t read historical romances very often, I found Wicked and the Wallflower to be surprisingly sexy. Since Devil doesn’t really care about society, he has no problem sneaking in private time with Felicity.
And whenever they’re together the pages of this book really start to heat up. For any readers that might be put off by slow-burns, they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the pace of Felicity and the Devil’s relationship.
Although some readers may not link feminism and historical romances, I can assure that readers will get the feminist feels from Wicked and the Wallflower.
Felicity may initially seem as though she’s stuck in a situation where men are controlling her future, but she quickly shows that she has no problem steering her own destiny. Devil might be the king of the streets, but Felicity is the woman that has the power to change his heart and mind.
On top of the incredible storyline and characters, Sarah MacLean’s writing is stunning and has left this reader desperate for more. Not only will I be anxiously awaiting the next novel in the series Brazen and the Beast, which sadly is currently scheduled to release next summer, but I plan on reading MacLean’s backlist as soon as possible!
Wicked And The Wallflower by Sarah MacLean will be released on June 19! Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, or Indiebound. And don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads!
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