Wicked and the Wallflower The Bareknuckle Bastards

What great fun! It’s very cute, I do love Dev and Felicity might not be my favourite, but she is still quite enjoyable to read.

devil just became another person on my "love interests i want to knock over the head" list

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance *May Contain Spoilers* Wicked and the Wallflower is the first book in the latest and newest series by Sarah MacLean...The Bareknuckled Bastards. I have no clue why I held off reading this book for so long, because WOW, I was impressed. This might be one of my favorite books that this author has written since her first trilogy. And I am so GLAD that I decided to try this book out in audio format because the narrator was just wonderful and she really added in the humor just right. The Bareknuckled Bastards is a series that features around three siblings---technically there are four...but I am not sure if he is a villain or an anti-hero, this story didn't really decide that factor for me but I don't really like him so I am leaning towards villain. These four siblings were brought together when they were children, three boys, and one girl. All the boys were born on the same day, fathered by the same father but each had different mothers. They all came from less than ideal backgrounds, and then their father wanting his "heir" forced them to fight for the title. And the brother that won the title betrayed them all and now the three siblings joined forced, fought there way to the top and became known as the kings and Queen of Covent Garden and London's underworld.  All three of these siblings are such a HOOT.  I mean honestly, each of these three was so intriguing, but I think the sister intrigued me the most. But their kinship towards each other is so heartfelt and you can see even though they are so badass in the underworld, they will do anything to protect each other. When the brother that is a Duke returns to London against their previous agreement, looking for a wife, they know they must prevent this from happening. They made a vow when they were children, to not let their father have his "heir" after what he did to them and what he made them do to survive. Devil "Devlin" has come up with a plan, a plan that must work but it might involve capturing the attention of a woman that will change him and his world. Felicity Fairchild is known as a wallflower, although she used to be part of a social circle until a scandal that wasn't her fault got her in trouble and she found herself in a man's bedchamber who refused to do the honorable thing and marry her. Which Felicity is very grateful for even if it has cast her into the shadows when she was once in the center of attention. But she would like to return to that world one day before she was cast out and betrayed by those she called "friends". While out on a balcony, she meets a dark stranger, "Devil" who is temptation and witty and makes her laugh but stays hidden in the shadows. And out of a fit of anger, she declares to her "old" friends, that she is engaged to the Duke, well her life is about to go a bit crazy because Devil turns up when she least expects and makes promises to return her to the world she misses. Devil likes to do this on his own time table, but Felicity doesn't work with his clock and shows up on his doorstep, picking his locks, shocking him and pleasing his siblings. “You should not have come.” She swallowed, refusing to let him win. “Why not?” “Because it is dangerous,” he said quietly, sending a shiver of belief through her. “Because the rookeries are no place for pretty girls with a breathless anticipation of adventure.” Devil doesn't know what to make of Felicity, but she is the first woman to truly make him laugh and charms him in a way he has never felt before. But he doesn't know what to do with this unpredictable woman who isn't your typical wallflower you find among the Ton. She might not be a great beauty, but she has her own lovely appearance that is fascinating, her personality is passionate and creative and she is quite willful and independent and she is way more daring that he ever expects her to be. Felicity has been betrayed by her friends, and her family wants to put her on the "marriage mart" to save them from financial ruin because of their own foolish plans and they don't seem to care what she deserves....to have a marriage like her brother and sister in law have, one of love and affection. She wants to be wanted and loved. At first Felicity thinks she wants the world of Mayfair and ballrooms and soirees, but she realizes that she isn't fit for that life....the life she truly wants is one with Devil in Convent Garden where he is in command of everything and everyone, where he lives in the shadows. I always get a kick out of the heroes and heroines that this author writes, but I will say that this book still surprised me. And man...Devil and Felicity really surprised me, both of them really. I mean first off, Devil has a BAD plan, and you just know that from the beginning it's going to backfire on him. I understand where he is coming from, and quite frankly in his world he isn't used to dealing with people and women like Felicity who just come and go into his rookery whenever they please, picks his locks----even the ones he thinks are unpickable, and makes him fall in love before he knows it....his brother and sister know it before he accepts it. Let me tell you about passion, Felicity Faircloth. Passion is obsession. It is desire beyond reason. It is not want, but need. And it comes with the worst of sin far more often than it comes with the best of it There are so many swoony moments between the two. And some really sexy moments that I guarantee will make you swoon. The sex scene on the roof was DELCIOUS....it was so well written and it might not be super explicit but so provocative and sensual. Felicity Faircloth, you are not what I expected. " "You say that as though it is a compliment." "It is." "Will it still be one when I hit you square in the head with this candlestick?" But Felicity, she really packs a punch with this book, because she is a fighter and when she realizes what she wants for her life, and realizes she wants Devil and his rookery and his secretive life, she wants that too and fights for it and really proves to Devil that he is important even when she learns the truth about what he keeps from her. She ROCKS y'all, she just rocked this book so dang well and she makes the perfect match for Devil. I want to stay in your world. In the darkness. Beneath the stars.” Overall I found Wicked and the Wallflower to be a highly amusing romance that takes you from London's ballrooms to Covent Garden, to making love on rooftops, a lockpicking heroine, an underground king for a hero and a sensual love affair that defies scandal and danger. AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED LOVE TALE!!!

Uhm...

Dark, seductive, this ones Sarah Maclean at her best!! One of my new favorites, I’m just so in love with Devil and Felicity!

I seriously adore Sarah MacLean's writing. There's so much emotion and here writing is so vivid. I can't help but always immerse myself in her books when I can get my hands on them. I truly connected with Felicity and Devil was kind of swoon worthy. I can not wait to continue the series.

The Bareknuckle Bastards was a series from Sarah MacLean I was uncertain of on first of it. I mean, I adore her historical romance books, but for me the charm in most historical romance is the appeal of the aristocracy and the way that social graces lead to these secret liaisons between couples and the whole sneaking around to save reputations. It’s ridiculous and absurd the roles women are forced into, but there’s also something charming about it. I thought that the tale of these criminals, rulers of Covent Garden, would lead her books to be different and appeal to me a little less. After all, even the rogues in her books are still a part of the aristocracy. Sarah MacLean likes to prove me wrong because I adored this book. Wicked and the Wallflower is an amazing book I probably would have appreciated even more if I wasn’t four releases behind on MacLean’s books (I know, guys, what have I been doing?) but even without knowledge of who Felicity was before I began reading (I gather she had her own little role previously) she still won me over. I think we can all relate to a woman who has been deemed on the shelf by those around her and who has been rejected from a world she thought accepted her. We’ve all experienced a time of realising someone who was close to us was not in fact as good a friend as we had hoped. And poor Felicity is facing life as a spinster, which she was totally fine with because she has seen what real love looks like and is hoping for more. She wants it all and she is willing to make a deal with the Devil to get it. Quite literally, she makes a deal with Devil to try and win herself a Duke and prove all those naysayers and bullies that she is worth something, Felicity Faircloth, and they don’t know what they’re missing. Only problem is Devil is way more fun some boring old Duke. Boy is Devil an interesting character. I was all set for eye rolling and needing some serious encouragement to get behind Devil and his role as a romantic lead because seriously, Devil? Could he be any more ridiculous. Like I said, Sarah MacLean likes to prove me wrong and I was falling head over heels for good old Devil and his charming ways. No man can refer to himself in such a way without having a little charm, it would be ridiculous and someone would have talked him out of the idea far sooner otherwise. He was charming, but that’s not to say he wasn’t serious and scary when he needed to be. He was a man who had fought to make himself a king in Covent Garden and create his very own criminal empire, he was not a man to cross, which made it all the more rewarding seeing his gooey centre (which I could totally phrase better but I am sun tired here people!) and seeing how Felicity slowly brought out another side he barely even recognised in himself. Both Felicity and Devil were surprising characters. There was way more than meets the eye to both. Felicity appears to be a plain old wallflower, but she is fiery and fun and the girl can pick a lock! I am jealous of her made skills which leave her family in despair for her because she isn’t proper and she is a scandal! And then Devil is not all scary, criminal, he has this soft side which is obvious as you learn his history and those of his siblings. He cares for those who live within his realm (because he is a lord of a criminal underworld here people!) and he makes sure that even the lowest people are cared for because he came from nothing. I know this book is about revenge and other such eyerolling stuff, there are secret schemes and the usual romance misunderstandings, but I don’t even care about that because I am just too in love with Felicity and Devil together and this book was such a good and wonderful romance. The pairing had me smiling and wanting to hug my Kindle close whilst sat on the bus. I was willing to stay up late in the sweltering English heatwave to read more of their story together. You won’t be reading this book for the revenge plot, you’ll be reading it because you want to knock Felicity and Devil’s heads together so they will just get over themselves and get together already. It is utterly wonderful and I need to go back and catch up on some Sarah MacLean reads, I think.

3.5

I loved this book, it kept me glued to the pages to the very end, and i read it all in one sitting.. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series and in fact have already pre-ordered it from amazon.. I highly recommend

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was refreshing as far as historicals go. I liked that Felicity was daring, and embraced the darkness of Devil's world. I loved that he chose to give her true freedom in a world and time in which women were hardly ever free. I loved so much about this story and the characters, and I can't wait to read more.

Full review to come closer to the publication date, but what a start to a new series! Darkly wicked, full of vengeance, regret, and sultry romance, you'll need to lock yourself into the hero's ice cavern to cool down after reading this one! Bravo to MacLean for making me totally into rings on a guy. *fans self* **Free copy received from Avon in exchange for a fair review**

Not my favorite from Sarah MacLean. The story and romance were too slow and didn’t pick up until the last third of the novel. I felt for the heroine and her struggles, but I didn’t connect with her or the hero at all. I’m still intrigued with the overall story about the siblings and am absolutely dying for a certain couple to get their book. The series has great potential and I’m looking forward to the sequels! Full review to come! Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Definitely one of the best historical romances I’ve read! I love all of the brothers (yes, even you Ewan) and the whole idea behind this story is so well done and thought out. I’m absolutely looking forward to continuing the series with the Beast and the Duke’s stories!