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Wicked Becomes You (2010)

by Meredith Duran(Favorite Author)

3.68 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1416593128 (ISBN13: 9781416593126)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Pocket Books

review 1: Meredith Duran, where have you been all my life? Or more properly, where have I been? I picked this up on a mention by Rose Lerner, another historical author I recently discovered (go read her!). It's one of the most intelligent historical romances I've read.I'll admit upfront that I love stories about the good girls, the "diamonds of the first water", the ones who successfully navigate society's tricky waters. What's going on in their heads while they smile at people they don't like and embroider handkerchiefs? Gwen Maudsley is such a heroine, although with the added complexity of her humble origins. She's had to work twice as hard to be liked, to be accepted, to be like everybody else--and it still isn't enough. After being jilted for the second time, Gwen finally has an... more awakening. The scene in her bedroom after she's left at the altar, where she dares to think about breaking a vase--that's when I knew this book was going to be awesome. I was worried this was going to be a cliched "teach me about sex, you wicked rake" kind of plot, and it sort of is but mostly isn't. Gwen and Alex have known each other most of their lives, and their attraction is nicely woven in with their friendship. It's fun to watch Alex slowly realize he loves Gwen as she spreads her wings. If some of the things she does require you to suspend disbelief--when would a lady like Gwen have had a chance to learn arias from Carmen? (which is a mezzo role, not a contralto--sorry, I'm a pedant!)--they're also pretty delicious. And the sex when we finally get there is genuinely hot. I was left with just one question--why did Gwen put in pagodas at Heaton Dale just to tear them down again? Did she just change her mind? Were the pagodas something she thought she "should" do and then tearing them down is a symbol of her independence? Maybe I'm overthinking the pagodas. :)
review 2: Gwen Maudsley is an attractive woman, quite nice, very proper, and extremely wealthy. It makes no sense why she is jilted for the second time. Alex Ramsey promised Gwen's brother, Richard, to watch out for her before he died. Even though he travels a lot, he takes that promise seriously. So when Gwen decides she's tired of be a good girl and wants to try being wicked instead, Alex must show her that being wicked isn't what Gwen really wants. It's not in her nature. One of those books that had it's moments. There is quite a bit of dialogue between the two main protagonists and while much of the dialogue was witty and cute, I found myself getting bored. Still, it did have it's moments as I said. As Gwen and Alex travel from England to Paris to the Riviera (Monte Carlo) and back to England again, they discover much about each other and even more about themselves. There was a few surprises but, ultimately, I got a satisfying ending. less

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