Pink Heart Reviews
Something Wicked
Jo Beverley
Topaz, 1997, 384 pages
ISBN# 0451407806
Historical Romance circa 1700's
England
$6.99 (US) $9.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Laurel
July 2004
Something Wicked offers a little bit of everything in this book. Be it by high adventure, jumping bridges, slaying traitors or daring masquerades it did not disappoint, in action, drama or steam. Set in the late 1700's under the rule of King George it proved to be a delightful read to this reader.
Lady Elfled Malloren (Elf for short) wanted a husband like her brothers; after all they were the devilish and sexy Malloren brothers. Requiting herself to a life of spinsterhood, she relished the opportunity for adventure since all her brothers were out of the city. Disguising herself has a strumpet in a bold costume she heads to Vauxhall Gardens for a night of intrigue under the name of Lissette with her friend Amanda before they her brothers came back. What she encountered on that adventure proved to be too much for even her sense of adventure, but one she embraced fully after all it involved her secret object of desire.
Earl Walgrave, a hardened man by a life of tyranny and abuse under his father’s hand hated all things Malloren. He held them responsible for his fathers death and made it is first priority to bring them shame in front of the King, mainly Rothgar the head of the Malloren Family. Attending Vauxhall Gardens with a Scottish defector he appears to be embroiled in a plot of treason.
Elf hiding in the bushes hears this plot and fears for her life upon discovery, sets about escaping the bushes. Being spotted she runs into the arms of Lord Walgrave, the man of her secret desires, sworn enemy of the Mallorens. Not knowing who she is he protects her from this man and takes her back to his place, where he cunningly ties her up so she will be safe from the pursuer who wishes to kill her. Escaping her confines she makes her way through the streets of London, craving and desiring some more of those hot kisses she shared with this man.
Concerned about his safety Elf hires people to find out exactly what it is he is up too. In public has Lady Elfled he has no clue that his mysterious object of affection and Elf are one in the same and it confounds and confuses him that he has thoughts of bedding the enemy.
Being forced and confined together after a night of passion Elf's disguise is ripped away from her and she is scorned, she did the worst thing, she forced Walgrave to expose a side of him that he keeps hidden and tucked away. Preferring to live on bitterness. Shamed and devastated Elf attempts to forget about him by getting involved in the family business moving forward with herlife but that is proving to be harder than she thought, especially when she hears that Earl Walgrave is considering marrying another. She sets about wooinghim, with flowers, toys, and even poetry to no avail. He ignores it; finally after accepting defeat she shares a farewell kiss with him has Lady Elfled and moves on with her life.
Earl Walgrave cannot get this woman out of his mind, that scars of his past run deep, upon self examination he realizes what he wants and sets about regaining it back, bringing inner peace to the man at the same time.
This book was a great read, however I must comment and point out that it is the third book in a series where I feel it is crucial to read the preceding books before hand. Being a picky reader I found at some points in the book I was lost with prior innuendos to previous books, which I feel I did not get the full grasp of in this novel. I will be looking for the first couple of books and following books in this series, for as a reader I am deeply entrenched in the Mallorens now, and desire to learn and read more about them. I welcome Jo Beverley to my bookcases, she made a lasting impression on this reader and one I am enjoying.
