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The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1
Wilde in Love
Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.
Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.
Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.
But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .
Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.
Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.
But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .
405 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 31, 2017
About the author
Eloisa James
118 books9,281 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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December 17, 2021can't stop yawning
November 1, 2017
ARC provided by Publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this!!!! Well written, sweet, steamy, great dialogue and fantastic epilogue.
Cannot wait for next book in this new series.
I fell in love with the Wilde family!!
Lord Alaric Wilde, adventurer and traveler of the world, returns home a hero, a star, unbeknownst to him, a sought after male to almost every woman in England. In fact a play was produced portraying his life from books he's written and is one of the most popular in town. Alaric is astounded and not happy to be a hero/star/sought after.
He is attending his brother North's betrothal party when he meets Miss Wilhelmina Ffynche. Wilhelmina or Willa to her friends, is friends with North's fiancé and is introduced to Alaric. She is instantly intrigued by the famous Alaric as well as finding him very attractive and different then the usual male from the ton. Alaric find's Willa to have the appearance of a proper young lady, but yet he senses that there is a much more complex lady underneath all the properness she presents to the ton. Alaric is fascinated by her persona and beguiled by her beauty.
And so these two witty, smart and engaging characters play an engaging game of cat and mouse. I loved the dialogue and spark the two exhibited. The chemistry was simmering and just had a crescendo feel to the relationship. The character growth and layers of the relationship and it's progression was so satisfying and very rewarding in its conclusion.
A hero who was handsome and famous but didn't want to be. A heroine that was beautiful and very proper and controlled, thats what she presented to the ton. But yet who she really was, was a woman of depth and intelligence as well as strength. Oh and a heroine who didn't like to draw attention to herself, hence she had somewhat of a problem with our hero's popularity. And that is what these two needed to work through, his not liking the lime light and proving to Willa he didn't want to be anyone's hero but hers.
This was a fun book to read and it was full of a lot of sweetness too. I enjoyed these two characters and their relationships development and how it evolved. The writing was wonderful and pacing as well. I liked the secondary characters, loved the Wilde family and cannot wait for the next couple.
I absolutely loved this!!!! Well written, sweet, steamy, great dialogue and fantastic epilogue.
Cannot wait for next book in this new series.
I fell in love with the Wilde family!!
Lord Alaric Wilde, adventurer and traveler of the world, returns home a hero, a star, unbeknownst to him, a sought after male to almost every woman in England. In fact a play was produced portraying his life from books he's written and is one of the most popular in town. Alaric is astounded and not happy to be a hero/star/sought after.
He is attending his brother North's betrothal party when he meets Miss Wilhelmina Ffynche. Wilhelmina or Willa to her friends, is friends with North's fiancé and is introduced to Alaric. She is instantly intrigued by the famous Alaric as well as finding him very attractive and different then the usual male from the ton. Alaric find's Willa to have the appearance of a proper young lady, but yet he senses that there is a much more complex lady underneath all the properness she presents to the ton. Alaric is fascinated by her persona and beguiled by her beauty.
And so these two witty, smart and engaging characters play an engaging game of cat and mouse. I loved the dialogue and spark the two exhibited. The chemistry was simmering and just had a crescendo feel to the relationship. The character growth and layers of the relationship and it's progression was so satisfying and very rewarding in its conclusion.
A hero who was handsome and famous but didn't want to be. A heroine that was beautiful and very proper and controlled, thats what she presented to the ton. But yet who she really was, was a woman of depth and intelligence as well as strength. Oh and a heroine who didn't like to draw attention to herself, hence she had somewhat of a problem with our hero's popularity. And that is what these two needed to work through, his not liking the lime light and proving to Willa he didn't want to be anyone's hero but hers.
This was a fun book to read and it was full of a lot of sweetness too. I enjoyed these two characters and their relationships development and how it evolved. The writing was wonderful and pacing as well. I liked the secondary characters, loved the Wilde family and cannot wait for the next couple.
June 3, 2021
This was always going to be a hard sell, given the setting in the late eighteenth century. You know, wigs, powdered hair, giant skirts, men in high-heels and lace. Of course, Eloisa James doesn't bother much with period accuracy, so I braced myself anyway. And that bit me on the nethers.
I try to give a book its premise. But having Alaric be bedeviled by a play about him that's packed with lies was hard to take. I mean, it's key to his notoriety and the primary reason Willa wants nothing to do with him (not because of the play itself, but because he has become a public figure who is pursued relentlessly and she's a private person). But the whole time I'm thinking "there's no way this play is a thing if it names actual names of a peer's family. They'd be sued into oblivion, if not just shutdown outright." Because that's one of the key advantages of being a peer—having power to do things like shut down lies (or even truths, frankly) through the use of the very generous libel laws.
Anyway, Willa was a little interesting and Alaric was tolerable and I liked seeing him regret publishing his travelogues if they contributed to her reticence in letting him nearer. And then we get some delusional twit who shows up, admits publishing the play, and threatens to write some more because Alaric won't marry her. And everybody is all like, "that'd be bad, we'd better do something really stupid to prevent it." You know, something that isn't "destroy the commoner who would dare threaten a peer's heir with telling lies about him in public." Which is what would have been the primary response if this were even a little bit period-accurate.
And I just couldn't take any of the characters seriously any more. It was stupid that people with that kind of power position would give the crazy lady a second glance. Why is she even in this story?
So I'm out. Why you'd want to write about Georgian England when you were going to have your main characters disdain wigs and hair powder in the first place is beyond me. To add a fear of some idiot writing libelous plays makes me feel like James isn't even bothering to look like she's trying any more.
I try to give a book its premise. But having Alaric be bedeviled by a play about him that's packed with lies was hard to take. I mean, it's key to his notoriety and the primary reason Willa wants nothing to do with him (not because of the play itself, but because he has become a public figure who is pursued relentlessly and she's a private person). But the whole time I'm thinking "there's no way this play is a thing if it names actual names of a peer's family. They'd be sued into oblivion, if not just shutdown outright." Because that's one of the key advantages of being a peer—having power to do things like shut down lies (or even truths, frankly) through the use of the very generous libel laws.
Anyway, Willa was a little interesting and Alaric was tolerable and I liked seeing him regret publishing his travelogues if they contributed to her reticence in letting him nearer. And then we get some delusional twit who shows up, admits publishing the play, and threatens to write some more because Alaric won't marry her. And everybody is all like, "that'd be bad, we'd better do something really stupid to prevent it." You know, something that isn't "destroy the commoner who would dare threaten a peer's heir with telling lies about him in public." Which is what would have been the primary response if this were even a little bit period-accurate.
And I just couldn't take any of the characters seriously any more. It was stupid that people with that kind of power position would give the crazy lady a second glance. Why is she even in this story?
So I'm out. Why you'd want to write about Georgian England when you were going to have your main characters disdain wigs and hair powder in the first place is beyond me. To add a fear of some idiot writing libelous plays makes me feel like James isn't even bothering to look like she's trying any more.
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October 26, 2017DNF @50%
The heroine jumped to conclusions, was assumptive and hard to connect with in general. She was supposed to be spirited and outspoken. I found her rather boring and annoying.
The story itself is super-slow and it didn't hold my attention. Having said that, there are lots of of 4 and 5 star reviews up already, so check those out too!
The heroine jumped to conclusions, was assumptive and hard to connect with in general. She was supposed to be spirited and outspoken. I found her rather boring and annoying.
The story itself is super-slow and it didn't hold my attention. Having said that, there are lots of of 4 and 5 star reviews up already, so check those out too!
October 18, 2018
5 STARS!
Story: 4.5 stars
Part old-school cheese, part swoon-worthy romance, and ALL dry British historical humor - I loved it!
So here's the deal, my wonderful GR friends . . . my library has a limited selection of audio books, so I'm pushed to listen to things that I normally wouldn't consider. Wilde in Love is one of those books.
With a current rating of 3.81 and a whole lot of meh and/or scathing reviews, I wasn't expecting much. But HA! was I ever wrong.
If, like me, you love the way British historicals about the ton allow for clever banter to be disguised as polite conversation, you'll love this one. Eloisa James writes some of the BEST hilarious small talk that I've ever read; it was intricate, well-orchestrated, and the narrator delivered it flawlessly. I laughed so hard, so many times.
Perhaps I can see why so many DNF'd this one. While the first half of the story was incredibly funny (it bordered on being a farce), nothing seemed to happen. The entirety of the book takes place over two weeks at a house party in Lindow Castle, so if you're not interested in the nobility standing around, cutting each other down covertly, you'll be bored.
Plus, at first, I had the impression that Alaric and Willa were a bit one-dimensional, like they were only to be taken at face value and had no hidden depths. But that was rectified as the story went on. Actually, I thought the author did a fantastic job of building up their relationship and slowly showing A) who exactly these characters were and B) why they were perfect for each other.
I can't wait to start digging into this author's back list!!
Here's my favorite quote:
He would do whatever it took to convince her that he was the only man who would ever wake her with a kiss.Audio: 5 stars
Story: 4.5 stars
Part old-school cheese, part swoon-worthy romance, and ALL dry British historical humor - I loved it!
So here's the deal, my wonderful GR friends . . . my library has a limited selection of audio books, so I'm pushed to listen to things that I normally wouldn't consider. Wilde in Love is one of those books.
With a current rating of 3.81 and a whole lot of meh and/or scathing reviews, I wasn't expecting much. But HA! was I ever wrong.
If, like me, you love the way British historicals about the ton allow for clever banter to be disguised as polite conversation, you'll love this one. Eloisa James writes some of the BEST hilarious small talk that I've ever read; it was intricate, well-orchestrated, and the narrator delivered it flawlessly. I laughed so hard, so many times.
Perhaps I can see why so many DNF'd this one. While the first half of the story was incredibly funny (it bordered on being a farce), nothing seemed to happen. The entirety of the book takes place over two weeks at a house party in Lindow Castle, so if you're not interested in the nobility standing around, cutting each other down covertly, you'll be bored.
Plus, at first, I had the impression that Alaric and Willa were a bit one-dimensional, like they were only to be taken at face value and had no hidden depths. But that was rectified as the story went on. Actually, I thought the author did a fantastic job of building up their relationship and slowly showing A) who exactly these characters were and B) why they were perfect for each other.
I can't wait to start digging into this author's back list!!
Here's my favorite quote:
"Believe me, I had no intention of marriage when I returned to England." [...] "Now I can't imagine my life without you."LOL, like I said, dry, biting, and clever. :D
"You're framing your proposal with the dispiriting news that you suffer a deficit of imagination?"
November 13, 2017
I can't emphasize how much I did not like this book. I had to check twice to make sure that this was written by the same author who wrote two books that I greatly enjoyed (When Beauty Tamed the Beast and Three Weeks With Lady X). The heroine was quite frankly boring. The hero was obsessed with the heroine for no apparent reason. The only people I liked in this book were their best friends who feuded with each other constantly - if they have a book, I will read that. Oh and the skunk, I liked the skunk. Yup, that's pretty much it.
October 30, 2017
3-3.5 stars
I was so excited to read Wilde in Love, from the moment I read the blurb I knew this book was for me and even though I was enjoyed most of the book there were some parts that I was struggling with them.
I love the world building and I like both Alaric and Willa but apart of them there were so many characters.Alaric and Willa were different and this was perfect for me.
Overall it was a sweet story but I can understand that it's the first book in a new series and I'm sure the second book will be much better.
I was so excited to read Wilde in Love, from the moment I read the blurb I knew this book was for me and even though I was enjoyed most of the book there were some parts that I was struggling with them.
I love the world building and I like both Alaric and Willa but apart of them there were so many characters.Alaric and Willa were different and this was perfect for me.
Overall it was a sweet story but I can understand that it's the first book in a new series and I'm sure the second book will be much better.
October 1, 2020
This one definitely took me awhile to connect with the characters. Even at the end, I'm not sure I really felt that intense of a connection between the two characters. I did think the story was fun, but, thinking back on the book, I'm not sure a whole lot actually happened. I did enjoy how Alaric was an adventurer and writer and all of these women were fawning over him. Sweet Pea was a fun pet and I did enjoy the friendships, but there were sometimes a lot of characters that were hard to keep track of on audio. I'm still looking forward to reading the next book, but this wasn't any special for me.
October 31, 2017
Title: Wilde in Love
Series: The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1
Author: Eloisa James
Release date: October 31, 2017
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
One thing could be said for him—for all the Wildes, it seemed. When they went down, they really went down.
Wilde in Love was my first Eloisa James book. (I know, I know. Where have I been? Living under a rock?) While this wasn't a resounding success for me, I can certainly see why so many people are fans of her stories. I'll be very interested to continue on with the next in the series, Diana and North's book, Too Wilde to Wed. In the last chapter, we're left with quite the cliffy between these two, and I'm looking forward to seeing how their reconciliation will unfold.
As the first book in any series, there is the possibility of falling prey to having to set the scene, building a whole set of characters' backstories, and creating lead-ins and curiosity for the following installments. From my experience, this can sometimes detract from the main characters' romance. There was a considerable amount of supporting characters and a couple of side stories took up space alongside of Willa and Alaric's relationship. While I can't say that I was necessarily bored, I didn't feel as if the pace was as steady as I would have liked.
In the first half, we had Lord Alaric in hot pursuit of Willa. But her prejudices towards him disallowed her from giving him a chance to prove himself to her. She was very firm over the fact that she did not want to take a chance on this man, that he was far removed from the kind of person she always imagined herself with. This wall she put up between them didn't encourage any leeway in the advancement in their relationship.
The second half seemed to rocket them forward from 0-100 on the falling-in-love o-meter. I wouldn't exactly call it insta-love, but it was certainly moving at a pretty accelerated rate. When you realize that they moved from introduction, to courtship, to engagement, to marriage in the span of about two weeks, it falls short of feeling natural.
Lord Alaric is an author-adventurer who has been traveling the world for the last ten years. After his brother Horatius, heir to the dukedom had passed away, he's been indulging in his passion and zest to explore. His travel books are non-fiction accounts of his exciting experiences from China to the African jungle. On his return to London, he gets a rude awakening when he discovers that in his absence, he has become something of a celebrity.
An anonymous playwright's fictional account of him and his travels has completely twisted public perception of who he is, and what he has written. Some may have been flattered, and welcomed all of this attention. This was not the case here. Poor Alaric felt nothing but confusion, frustration, and a desperate need to remove himself from the adoration and the pedestal he has been placed on.
For me, this was comparable to a modern day actor who deals with a lack of privacy, false stories, rumors being spread, and losing their identity to a false persona that has been created for them. This caused a lot of disconnect from the story on my part. It was just not believable to me in any fashion that a man could be so ruthlessly obsessed over and pursued by young marriageable women of that age. During the Georgian period, women were held to strict rules of manners and propriety regarding their speech and behavior. There was a noticeable dichotomy between Willa's behavior, and the other ladies surrounding her.
For example, Willa didn't find it seemly to shrug her shoulders, have a second glass of sherry, or even raise her eyebrow in disbelief. It would have been frowned upon by high society. But I am supposed to be led to believe that women are gathering on the dock by the masses to greet his return? That they follow him around the room like they're stalking their prey, and hang on his arm when he is clearly unwilling? They were even collecting prints of him and plastering them everywhere, including their bedrooms. While it did create some humerous moments, it was all pretty over-exaggerated for my taste. This was the main point of contention between Willa and Alaric, her need for dignity and privacy verses his unwanted attention.
Willa Ffynche made unfair judgements about him before even meeting him, or reading any of his books.
Lord Alaric was enthralling in much the same way that tigers in the Royal Menagerie were. She liked to observe them, but wouldn’t dream of taking one home.
I could understand how that could happen, as no one in the city seemed to listen to Alaric's efforts to debunk a lot of the misconceptions formed about him. After around the halfway mark, you see her start to soften, and really see how disabused she had been about his character. Ignoring her growing passion for Alaric was like trying to hold back a crashing tide from the shore. Fruitless and inevitably doomed to failure. His wicked smile and determination to conquer brought all of her hidden desires to the surface. Once she got a taste of him, there was no going back.
Alaric was a wonderful treasure trove filled with beautiful quotes describing his love for Willa. Just his character alone made reading this story worth it. His thoughts and emotions were so exquisitely captured.
He had the sudden conviction that if he could see his own heart, he would see an image of Willa in the middle of it: composed, brilliant, loving, organized Willa.
Life was an odd thing. He’d spent ten years floating around the world, only to come home and discover that he had an anchor waiting.
It wasn’t just the clean way her cheek swept to her jaw. Or the wide eyes that had undoubtedly been serenaded by a hundred dubious poets. The sum of her was so much greater than the parts.
I could go on...but I'll let you discover the rest of the gems Eloisa James has created for yourself.
I think Mr. Parth Sterling's book is going to be the one I look forward to in the series the most! He was brooding, smart as a whip, and battling an obvious attraction for Lavinia. Willa's best friend was the aggravating thorn in his side that he couldn't remove. Their scenes together were so good, I found myself looking forward to any time that they would interact.
Overall, though I felt as if some aspects were a little unrealistic, and a conflict at the end to be predictable, it was a really sweet romance and more than enough to tempt me to continue the series.
Not only that, but the epilogue was such a satisfying and perfect way to close this couple's story.
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November 7, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This book was such a delight to read! I decided that I was going to have to read this book as soon as I got a really good look at it. The cover is great and the description is even better. When I noticed that this was the first book in a new series, I was even more excited. This book lived up to all of my expectations. I had such a good time reading it and honestly hated to put it down.
The characters in this book were wonderful. Alaric is frustrated by all of the attention he is receiving. He is the kind of man that cares little of what other people think unless they are important to him. Willa knows what is expected of a proper lady and is not impressed by Alaric's fame in the least. These two fit together so well and the chemistry between them really helped to keep the pages turning. I liked these two characters on their own but they really seemed to come alive in the scenes that they shared with each other.
There were a lot of secondary characters that played important roles in this story. I had a moment early in the book that I had to really concentrate to keep everyone straight but each character was so well developed that wasn't an issue for long at all. I am a huge animal lover so I am usually a fan of animals being a part of the story especially when they are important characters in the story. Sweetpea and Hannibal were such nice additions to this story. Who doesn't want an adorable pet skunk?
This was a really well done romance. There is enough excitement to really keep things interesting especially as the book progressed. I found the story to have some more humorous moments and a few nail biting scenes. I loved how romantic the story really was with just enough steamy scenes to have a very nice balance.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This book has that happily ever after I was looking for and things wrap up nicely for Alaric and Willa. There is a bit of an open end for Alaric's brother, North, that has me really eager to get my hands on the next book in this series. I will definitely be reading more from Eloisa James in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
I had so much fun reading this book! Willa and Alaric were simply wonderful characters and had great chemistry with each other. The secondary characters were great as well and really added to the overall story. There was even an adorable skunk and a misunderstood cat to round out the ensemble. I can't wait to read more about the Wildes!
This book was such a delight to read! I decided that I was going to have to read this book as soon as I got a really good look at it. The cover is great and the description is even better. When I noticed that this was the first book in a new series, I was even more excited. This book lived up to all of my expectations. I had such a good time reading it and honestly hated to put it down.
The characters in this book were wonderful. Alaric is frustrated by all of the attention he is receiving. He is the kind of man that cares little of what other people think unless they are important to him. Willa knows what is expected of a proper lady and is not impressed by Alaric's fame in the least. These two fit together so well and the chemistry between them really helped to keep the pages turning. I liked these two characters on their own but they really seemed to come alive in the scenes that they shared with each other.
There were a lot of secondary characters that played important roles in this story. I had a moment early in the book that I had to really concentrate to keep everyone straight but each character was so well developed that wasn't an issue for long at all. I am a huge animal lover so I am usually a fan of animals being a part of the story especially when they are important characters in the story. Sweetpea and Hannibal were such nice additions to this story. Who doesn't want an adorable pet skunk?
This was a really well done romance. There is enough excitement to really keep things interesting especially as the book progressed. I found the story to have some more humorous moments and a few nail biting scenes. I loved how romantic the story really was with just enough steamy scenes to have a very nice balance.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This book has that happily ever after I was looking for and things wrap up nicely for Alaric and Willa. There is a bit of an open end for Alaric's brother, North, that has me really eager to get my hands on the next book in this series. I will definitely be reading more from Eloisa James in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
I had so much fun reading this book! Willa and Alaric were simply wonderful characters and had great chemistry with each other. The secondary characters were great as well and really added to the overall story. There was even an adorable skunk and a misunderstood cat to round out the ensemble. I can't wait to read more about the Wildes!
November 13, 2017
I have been wanting to try Eloisa James ever since watching the Love Between the Covers documentary, about the romance novel industry. When this new series became available to request from Edelweiss, I thought I'd give her a try. Disclaimer: Despite multiple attempts I still am not much of a romance reader and all opinions should be viewed through that understanding.
So for me, it's nice to have a book every once in a while that functions like a rom-com or an action movie (this comparison is made in the documentary) - good guys win, romance works out, etc. It was obvious who the people playing the romance roles were from the beginning. One is a man who everyone thinks they know based on a play about him, one he did not authorize and is not true. He has recently arrived home from traveling the globe. The one woman who is not impressed is of course the woman he wants. Many of these elements just feel like different flavors of this often pursued romance storyline. And to me, some of them felt a bit interchangeable. It could have been any rogueishly handsome rich man and any attractive yet wise beyond her years woman and it would have been expected to end in the same manner. I guess what I didn't see was something that really connected them, that made it unique.
It also felt like the author was overly aware of her use of the tropes, and used some moments to make jokes that I'm still waffling about. Do I find them amusing when I encounter them or do they take me out of the narrative? I feel like just by reading a romance novel I've already agreed to play along with the formulas, but having them spun around into jokes kind of ruins that agreement. There is a place where two uses of the word plunder are used... the first made me groan with a "oh seriously this word" and the second made me think "oh wait is she making a joke?" and I stopped paying attention to the story or the characters to think these thoughts.
I mean, it isn't bad. And I have a lot of respect for this author based on what I know about her. Romance may not be for me. Or perhaps I need to read something else by her.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to the title through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
So for me, it's nice to have a book every once in a while that functions like a rom-com or an action movie (this comparison is made in the documentary) - good guys win, romance works out, etc. It was obvious who the people playing the romance roles were from the beginning. One is a man who everyone thinks they know based on a play about him, one he did not authorize and is not true. He has recently arrived home from traveling the globe. The one woman who is not impressed is of course the woman he wants. Many of these elements just feel like different flavors of this often pursued romance storyline. And to me, some of them felt a bit interchangeable. It could have been any rogueishly handsome rich man and any attractive yet wise beyond her years woman and it would have been expected to end in the same manner. I guess what I didn't see was something that really connected them, that made it unique.
It also felt like the author was overly aware of her use of the tropes, and used some moments to make jokes that I'm still waffling about. Do I find them amusing when I encounter them or do they take me out of the narrative? I feel like just by reading a romance novel I've already agreed to play along with the formulas, but having them spun around into jokes kind of ruins that agreement. There is a place where two uses of the word plunder are used... the first made me groan with a "oh seriously this word" and the second made me think "oh wait is she making a joke?" and I stopped paying attention to the story or the characters to think these thoughts.
I mean, it isn't bad. And I have a lot of respect for this author based on what I know about her. Romance may not be for me. Or perhaps I need to read something else by her.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access to the title through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2018
Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, just returned from his adventures from Russia, when he encounters the only person who is unimpressed with the stories published about his adventures -- Miss Willa Ffynche.
Willa basically thinks Alaric is full of it and she shades him at every opportunity she can. The funny thing is that Alaric isn't impressed with the exaggerated tales of his adventures so he finds Willa's attitude refreshing. So he of courses has to have her but she wants nothing to do with that "peacock".
Alaric begins to try to woo her and win her over.
The story didn't really engage me. I liked Alaric but I never warmed to Willa. I like that Alaric didn't believe his own hype and wanted a woman who wanted a union based on love. The narration was just okay, and the story just was meh.
Willa basically thinks Alaric is full of it and she shades him at every opportunity she can. The funny thing is that Alaric isn't impressed with the exaggerated tales of his adventures so he finds Willa's attitude refreshing. So he of courses has to have her but she wants nothing to do with that "peacock".
Alaric begins to try to woo her and win her over.
The story didn't really engage me. I liked Alaric but I never warmed to Willa. I like that Alaric didn't believe his own hype and wanted a woman who wanted a union based on love. The narration was just okay, and the story just was meh.
April 19, 2018
I thought there were some amusing bits, but this mostly felt unfeeling with regards to the romance. I was hoping for more travel/description of exotic to the hero places and culture. It didn’t really satisfy that desire for me, which I guess was my fault in not understanding the premise better. I don’t think listening was the best option here. It didn’t contain any feeling to the narration — I honestly think that is a fault of the story not the narrator, but I still think reading would be the better option.
Not much else to say. I doubt I will continue with the series or will seek out any EJ stories for some time.
Not much else to say. I doubt I will continue with the series or will seek out any EJ stories for some time.
October 30, 2019
3rd read: October 2019
2nd read: June 2019
I love this family and these characters. EJ is just fabulous :)
1st read: October 2017
This was one of the best books Eloisa has written. I couldn't stop laughing the whole time! I want all the secondary characters to have books and a HEA. Everything was just amazing.
PS: A pet skunk, who heard of this? And Sweetpea is... you know, really sweet :D
2nd read: June 2019
I love this family and these characters. EJ is just fabulous :)
1st read: October 2017
This was one of the best books Eloisa has written. I couldn't stop laughing the whole time! I want all the secondary characters to have books and a HEA. Everything was just amazing.
PS: A pet skunk, who heard of this? And Sweetpea is... you know, really sweet :D
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 17, 2017Life is too short to be reading books I don't care for. This had potential, but I felt zero connection either of the characters and for the 30% or so I did read, I was just mindlessly bored. So DNF it is!
April 3, 2024
Wow. That book cover. Is it hot in here or what?
There’s no question that Eloisa James is a clever, gifted writer. In some of her books I’ve felt that her irreverent, effortless writing style has taken precedence over characterization and emotional depth, leaving me entertained but not satisfied.
But not here. I loved the way James slowly but inexorably moved Willa from point A (nothing about Alaric but his thighs appealed to her) to point B (life without Alaric was unthinkable). I loved the way she moved Alaric from interest and sexual awareness of Willa to an emotional attachment so deep he was ready to abandon his vagabond life to settle down and think about family. Add to this basic framework a supporting cast of colorful characters, stir in some unwanted notoriety and its consequences, and season it with a secondary plot about Alaric’s older brother and his unhappy fiancé and James has created a delectable dish here, one of her best.
The only quibble I had was with the sketchily and poorly justified plot device of the household inviting Prudence to stay for a few days. When you roll out the red carpet for an obviously deranged, obsessive, and delusional fan girl, don’t be surprised when she boils the bunny.
As for Alaric’s older brother and his unhappy fiancé and the way they left things, I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
There’s no question that Eloisa James is a clever, gifted writer. In some of her books I’ve felt that her irreverent, effortless writing style has taken precedence over characterization and emotional depth, leaving me entertained but not satisfied.
But not here. I loved the way James slowly but inexorably moved Willa from point A (nothing about Alaric but his thighs appealed to her) to point B (life without Alaric was unthinkable). I loved the way she moved Alaric from interest and sexual awareness of Willa to an emotional attachment so deep he was ready to abandon his vagabond life to settle down and think about family. Add to this basic framework a supporting cast of colorful characters, stir in some unwanted notoriety and its consequences, and season it with a secondary plot about Alaric’s older brother and his unhappy fiancé and James has created a delectable dish here, one of her best.
The only quibble I had was with the sketchily and poorly justified plot device of the household inviting Prudence to stay for a few days. When you roll out the red carpet for an obviously deranged, obsessive, and delusional fan girl, don’t be surprised when she boils the bunny.
As for Alaric’s older brother and his unhappy fiancé and the way they left things, I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
May 28, 2022
Geweldig leuk verhaal waarin de mannelijke hoofdpersoon nu eens niet pas op de laatste pagina tot de ontdekking komt dat hij verliefd is op de vrouwelijke hoofdpersoon .
July 27, 2020
Featuring crazed fangirls, wigs the size of blimps, an overabundance of sequel baiting, and skunks, Eloisa James’s latest, Wilde in Love was...moderately good. Not great, but good.
The year is 1778, and Willa Ffynche has just finished her first season. An unrivaled success, she received 14 proposals through her cunning plan to act exactly the way men expect their wives to—simpering, ingratiating, only slightly intelligent, etc. Now she’s off to a 6-week house party where she intends to have a fun time before she makes any marital decisions.
Problem: Lord Alaric Wilde, “Lord Wilde” has just landed in England for the first time in 5 years, and every female at the house party is swooning and sighing and ripping their own bodices at the very thought of him. Including Willa’s best friend. Tsk tsk, how ridiculous.
Willa, of course, has absolutely no interest in the infamous Lord Wilde (James’s version of an early Byron) who, by all accounts is very much “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” Lord Alaric doesn’t like this, and decides that he has to have Willa, at all costs! His very tender Manly Sensibilities have been most mightily offended! Rawr, caveman in a fluffy wig emerges.
(Run, Willa, run!)
But then, like...Willa and Alaric actually get along really well and genuinely enjoy each other, so there’s not even all that much conflict. For all that build-up, Wilde in Love is actually kind of tedious. James sets up obstacles in the path of her couple, but then lets them overcome their issues way too quickly. For instance, Alaric and Willa are engaged (and married) about 6 or 7 chapters from the end, and the last quarter of the book just needlessly drags on with a psychotic, murderous villain (yep) and shameless sequel baiting, and just...nonsense.
This book wanted to be so good! I was really, really excited by the fact that the heroine wasn’t socially awkward, ugly, or wallflowerish in any way. She’s pretty! She’s smart! She’s well-dressed and popular and confident in her own powers of attraction! Yay Willa! And yay Eloisa James for not doing the usual thing. But...I don’t know. The depth of characterization in Wilde in Love wasn’t actually all that good. The author slaps the idea of Alaric and Willa down on the page, but doesn’t do any kind of valuable exploration of their personalities. Which was a shame, because I was rather excited by them as a concept.
Along with that, the tone of the book felt a bit off. It seems like James wanted this to be humorous, sort of a funny “oh drat, I’m famous by accident, however will I win the woman of my dreams?” scenario featuring a lot of humor and comedic interludes. Instead, things went dark. And melodramatic. Seriously. A deranged Puritan villain??? Romance is a very emotional genre, but it doesn’t need to be quite so overwrought.
And, again, the sequel baiting was unnecessary. We have an entire chapter at the end that’s just dedicated to the couple for the next book. Which is well and fine, but doesn’t work when you’re trying to create a satisfying conclusion to your current romance but are just wasting a lot of time dilly-dallying with trivial stuff.
So, overall I just say “eh, it was all right.” I did like the skunk! She was great.
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The year is 1778, and Willa Ffynche has just finished her first season. An unrivaled success, she received 14 proposals through her cunning plan to act exactly the way men expect their wives to—simpering, ingratiating, only slightly intelligent, etc. Now she’s off to a 6-week house party where she intends to have a fun time before she makes any marital decisions.
Problem: Lord Alaric Wilde, “Lord Wilde” has just landed in England for the first time in 5 years, and every female at the house party is swooning and sighing and ripping their own bodices at the very thought of him. Including Willa’s best friend. Tsk tsk, how ridiculous.
Willa, of course, has absolutely no interest in the infamous Lord Wilde (James’s version of an early Byron) who, by all accounts is very much “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” Lord Alaric doesn’t like this, and decides that he has to have Willa, at all costs! His very tender Manly Sensibilities have been most mightily offended! Rawr, caveman in a fluffy wig emerges.
Frankly, she might as well have waved a red cloth in front of a bull. The uncivilized male inside him, the one who hated wearing a wig, had got wind of a hunt.
(Run, Willa, run!)
“I am not a territory to be conquered for the mere sake of it. I would be grateful if you would direct your attentions elsewhere.”
But then, like...Willa and Alaric actually get along really well and genuinely enjoy each other, so there’s not even all that much conflict. For all that build-up, Wilde in Love is actually kind of tedious. James sets up obstacles in the path of her couple, but then lets them overcome their issues way too quickly. For instance, Alaric and Willa are engaged (and married) about 6 or 7 chapters from the end, and the last quarter of the book just needlessly drags on with a psychotic, murderous villain (yep) and shameless sequel baiting, and just...nonsense.
This book wanted to be so good! I was really, really excited by the fact that the heroine wasn’t socially awkward, ugly, or wallflowerish in any way. She’s pretty! She’s smart! She’s well-dressed and popular and confident in her own powers of attraction! Yay Willa! And yay Eloisa James for not doing the usual thing. But...I don’t know. The depth of characterization in Wilde in Love wasn’t actually all that good. The author slaps the idea of Alaric and Willa down on the page, but doesn’t do any kind of valuable exploration of their personalities. Which was a shame, because I was rather excited by them as a concept.
Along with that, the tone of the book felt a bit off. It seems like James wanted this to be humorous, sort of a funny “oh drat, I’m famous by accident, however will I win the woman of my dreams?” scenario featuring a lot of humor and comedic interludes. Instead, things went dark. And melodramatic. Seriously. A deranged Puritan villain??? Romance is a very emotional genre, but it doesn’t need to be quite so overwrought.
And, again, the sequel baiting was unnecessary. We have an entire chapter at the end that’s just dedicated to the couple for the next book. Which is well and fine, but doesn’t work when you’re trying to create a satisfying conclusion to your current romance but are just wasting a lot of time dilly-dallying with trivial stuff.
So, overall I just say “eh, it was all right.” I did like the skunk! She was great.
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January 31, 2018
This was one of those books that was trying to be funny with its over the top antics but came off as somewhat cheesy and unrealistic. Much of this, with Alaric's notoriety, did not seem to fit with societal norms of the time. Did women back then hang pictures of famous people on their walls when they had crushes? That sort of behavior seems modern to me and out of place in a historical novel.
I wish this had been shorter. It didn't have a lot of conflict, so some parts dragged. I liked Alaric. He was reliable but had no qualms about breaking societal rules. I didn't like Willa. She was described as being secretly unladylike and observant. However she appeared to be the most ladylike character in the book. For someone so observant she completely misread Alaric. She believed every worthless piece of gossip, just like the brainless women getting all of their knowledge from the gossip columns. I found her to be judgemental, particularly of men. Her initial attraction was to his looks. I'm not sure why her opinion of him changed because she never liked anything he did. Sadly the cliffhanger, involving side characters, is about two characters who seem more drab than Willa.
I wish this had been shorter. It didn't have a lot of conflict, so some parts dragged. I liked Alaric. He was reliable but had no qualms about breaking societal rules. I didn't like Willa. She was described as being secretly unladylike and observant. However she appeared to be the most ladylike character in the book. For someone so observant she completely misread Alaric. She believed every worthless piece of gossip, just like the brainless women getting all of their knowledge from the gossip columns. I found her to be judgemental, particularly of men. Her initial attraction was to his looks. I'm not sure why her opinion of him changed because she never liked anything he did. Sadly the cliffhanger, involving side characters, is about two characters who seem more drab than Willa.
September 7, 2018
An easy read-in-one sitting, give you warm fuzzies, and I-prolly-won't-remember-it-in-4-months-read.
This one flew by. Gentle humor. A hero and heroine with simple yet understandable problems. The story wasn't very deep, and sometimes that's just a huge relief.
I tend to love Eloisa James for the ease and fun of her stories. This one did not disappoint. I even ordered the next two books in the series while I read. I love having something entertaining that doesn't demand much of me as a reader. Sure, it doesn't give a ton back, but sometimes that's exactly what I need.
This one flew by. Gentle humor. A hero and heroine with simple yet understandable problems. The story wasn't very deep, and sometimes that's just a huge relief.
I tend to love Eloisa James for the ease and fun of her stories. This one did not disappoint. I even ordered the next two books in the series while I read. I love having something entertaining that doesn't demand much of me as a reader. Sure, it doesn't give a ton back, but sometimes that's exactly what I need.
April 5, 2020
Wilde in Love by Eloise James
Historical romance. First of the Wildes of Lindow Castle series.
Smart and passionate describes the heroine best. Also virginal and a bit snarky. The hero falls hard.
Adorable if weird pets. Lots of secondary characters that you know will show in future books.
Willa isn’t going to be taken in by a title, let alone one with rakish good looks. Until she is.
I listened to an audio version narrated by Susan Duerden with a pleasing British accent.
Historical romance. First of the Wildes of Lindow Castle series.
Smart and passionate describes the heroine best. Also virginal and a bit snarky. The hero falls hard.
Adorable if weird pets. Lots of secondary characters that you know will show in future books.
Willa isn’t going to be taken in by a title, let alone one with rakish good looks. Until she is.
I listened to an audio version narrated by Susan Duerden with a pleasing British accent.
December 24, 2020
Oh, I enjoyed this a lot, with the common Eloisa James caveat that I'm not sure it WORKS. For most of the book, it seems like the hero and heroine wants lives that are not compatible with each other and the epilogue kind of addresses that, but I don't think the book does the work to get there.
HOWEVER. I've read books 4 and 5 in this series because those are the ones that interested me most, but it turns out this books sets up books 2 and 3 really well and I'm so excited to read them!
Owned physical book 2/2 for the month
Overall owned book 3/5 for the month
HOWEVER. I've read books 4 and 5 in this series because those are the ones that interested me most, but it turns out this books sets up books 2 and 3 really well and I'm so excited to read them!
Owned physical book 2/2 for the month
Overall owned book 3/5 for the month
March 18, 2019
Charming, hilarious, smart, witty, with a crazy stalker thrown in at the end just to keep things interesting. It's hard for a book to thrive simply on dialogue but that's exactly what this does. I will definitely be reading more from Eloisa James.
November 13, 2017
What an unusual story and style for an HR! It was strangely charming yet also seemed to leave me curiously detached from the characters. I will explain. But first to the story.
Lord Alaric was an explorer extraordinaire who had spent years travelling to strange and wonderful places and writing books about them, with rather catchy titles like Wilde in the Andes or Wilde Sargasso Sea (great wordplay) or even Wilde Latitudes. Our heroine, Willa, has not read any of the books and is not a member of the hysterical fan club of females who have turned Alaric into a Georgian version of a popstar.
"You don't like Wilde Sargasso Sea? he asked, glancing at her. "That's my favourite title."
"I prefer Wild Latitudes, if only for the boldness of renaming a significant part of the world after oneself".
"Ouch."
Women are crazy about him, but this is also largely due to the insane popularity of a play that has been running for months in London, a fictional version of one of his adventures. It is called Wilde in Love and includes missionaries and cannibals. Alaric had no idea of this play, not having been in England for some years, and is appalled, especially as it is completely fantastic and has no basis in fact. It also means that the one woman he actually finds interesting and very attractive, Willa, simply does not take him seriously.
Willa is beautiful, as is her friend Lavinia, and the two of them have worked out a method of attracting suitors, but always refuse their offers. (I think Willa had had 14 offers in the last season or two.) It was quite strange to me. They were playing a game and only they knew the rules, so they always won. I am all for rubbishing the notion that a woman's only goal is to marry well, but I felt these two had purposely hidden their real personalities behind a pleasant, interested and decorous mask and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Willa's childhood experiences are supposed to explain her need for order, predicability, security and privacy, yet I still never felt I truly believed in her passion or love.
I did enjoy the hero, and LOVED his commitment to chasing Willa and winning her. (I am over the woman loving hopelessly and yearning for the man or chasing him down. (I am old-fashioned enough to like the idea of being chased!)
The writing style was articulate and clever, with lovely wordplay and hilarious descriptions of the worst excesses of Georgian fashion, complete with monstrous wigs and buckets of hair powder and cosmetics. Furthermore, the Yorkshire setting was lovingly described and I was able to visualise so much of the detail., something not all authors mange to achieve for me. I certainly enjoyed reading the book. I just felt that Willa was too calm, too practical and detached, to really be a heroine I could get emotional about. But Alaric was gorgeous, and the epilogue absolutely sweet and wonderful. Loved it.
We have also had an introduction to other characters who will no doubt appear in future books, and I am definitely looking forward to the next one about Alaric's brother, North. A massive reveal at the end of the book has SO whetted my appetite!
A thoroughly enjoyable read by an author I love.
Lord Alaric was an explorer extraordinaire who had spent years travelling to strange and wonderful places and writing books about them, with rather catchy titles like Wilde in the Andes or Wilde Sargasso Sea (great wordplay) or even Wilde Latitudes. Our heroine, Willa, has not read any of the books and is not a member of the hysterical fan club of females who have turned Alaric into a Georgian version of a popstar.
"You don't like Wilde Sargasso Sea? he asked, glancing at her. "That's my favourite title."
"I prefer Wild Latitudes, if only for the boldness of renaming a significant part of the world after oneself".
"Ouch."
Women are crazy about him, but this is also largely due to the insane popularity of a play that has been running for months in London, a fictional version of one of his adventures. It is called Wilde in Love and includes missionaries and cannibals. Alaric had no idea of this play, not having been in England for some years, and is appalled, especially as it is completely fantastic and has no basis in fact. It also means that the one woman he actually finds interesting and very attractive, Willa, simply does not take him seriously.
Willa is beautiful, as is her friend Lavinia, and the two of them have worked out a method of attracting suitors, but always refuse their offers. (I think Willa had had 14 offers in the last season or two.) It was quite strange to me. They were playing a game and only they knew the rules, so they always won. I am all for rubbishing the notion that a woman's only goal is to marry well, but I felt these two had purposely hidden their real personalities behind a pleasant, interested and decorous mask and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Willa's childhood experiences are supposed to explain her need for order, predicability, security and privacy, yet I still never felt I truly believed in her passion or love.
I did enjoy the hero, and LOVED his commitment to chasing Willa and winning her. (I am over the woman loving hopelessly and yearning for the man or chasing him down. (I am old-fashioned enough to like the idea of being chased!)
The writing style was articulate and clever, with lovely wordplay and hilarious descriptions of the worst excesses of Georgian fashion, complete with monstrous wigs and buckets of hair powder and cosmetics. Furthermore, the Yorkshire setting was lovingly described and I was able to visualise so much of the detail., something not all authors mange to achieve for me. I certainly enjoyed reading the book. I just felt that Willa was too calm, too practical and detached, to really be a heroine I could get emotional about. But Alaric was gorgeous, and the epilogue absolutely sweet and wonderful. Loved it.
We have also had an introduction to other characters who will no doubt appear in future books, and I am definitely looking forward to the next one about Alaric's brother, North. A massive reveal at the end of the book has SO whetted my appetite!
A thoroughly enjoyable read by an author I love.
October 29, 2017
Review For: Wilde in Love by Eloisa James Wilde in Love by Eloisa James is the First book in the New Series called "The Wildes of Lindow Castle". This is the story of Lord Alaric Wilde and Miss Willa Ffynche. Alaric has been away for a long time leaving one adventure after another while writing down his adventures. Alaric adventures along with the books is wrote about them have made him very famous for his time. So much so that women flock to him at every turn. But Alaric doesn't want this type of fame nor the attention but that doesn't seem to stop anyone. Alaric didn't know of himself being famous until he returned home. Alaric thought the only real thing he would have to deal with is the thoughts of his older brother past death. Alaric family has 8 brother and sister along with as step sibling or two. So they are a big family. Willa loves her books and the quietness of life although her friend Lavina is a big fan of Alaric, Willa has not been. But now her and Lavina are head to a house party at the Wilde estate not knowing that Alaric is in residence. Willa is quick to set judgement on Alaric but he slowly starts to show her another side of himself than what she thinks. Alaric finds Willa beautiful, smart and not all impressed with his fame as the other ladies are. I did enjoy Willa and Alaric story and look forward to more in this series! https://twitter.com/soapsrus68 https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR... https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
October 28, 2017
What a stellar beginning to a new series! The characters were well written (the hero utterly swoon-worthy) and the plot so intriguing I could not put this book down after picking it up. Fun and incredibly well-written, this story really showcases Eloisa James' skill as an author.
Lord Alaric Wilde returns home after years abroad to discover that he has become the most famous and desirable man in England. Women flock to his side, prints of him have become collectibles and the trendiest play in town is the one depicting his time in Africa. Horrified, Alaric seeks refuge in his father's castle. There he discovers that escaping celebrity is much more difficult than he expected and that the only woman he wants has no interest in him whatsoever.
Willa Ffynche enjoys her books and her privacy. She is an intellectual whose indifference toward Alaric's return could not be made more plain. Since her parents died in a carriage race years earlier, she has determined to steer clear of a reckless lifestyle. Instead she hopes to one day marry a man with whom she can enjoy a quiet and peaceful existence without the sort of adventurous behavior Alaric is so renowned for. But as she gradually gets to know him better, she begins to discover that there might be more to him than she initially thought and that resisting him will not be as easy as she had expected.
Filled with witty dialogue and an wonderful journey toward a well-deserved happily ever after, this book stands out - a definite must-read for any historical romance enthusiast!
Lord Alaric Wilde returns home after years abroad to discover that he has become the most famous and desirable man in England. Women flock to his side, prints of him have become collectibles and the trendiest play in town is the one depicting his time in Africa. Horrified, Alaric seeks refuge in his father's castle. There he discovers that escaping celebrity is much more difficult than he expected and that the only woman he wants has no interest in him whatsoever.
Willa Ffynche enjoys her books and her privacy. She is an intellectual whose indifference toward Alaric's return could not be made more plain. Since her parents died in a carriage race years earlier, she has determined to steer clear of a reckless lifestyle. Instead she hopes to one day marry a man with whom she can enjoy a quiet and peaceful existence without the sort of adventurous behavior Alaric is so renowned for. But as she gradually gets to know him better, she begins to discover that there might be more to him than she initially thought and that resisting him will not be as easy as she had expected.
Filled with witty dialogue and an wonderful journey toward a well-deserved happily ever after, this book stands out - a definite must-read for any historical romance enthusiast!
November 2, 2017
2.5-3 stars
This was my first Eloisa James book and from everything I've heard, I don't think I started with the right book. WILDE IN LOVE just didn't hit any excitement buttons for me. In fact, I read it over a few weeks, dipping in and out, keeping up with the story but not getting truly drawn in.
The story itself has potential with a hero that felt a bit unusual to me in historical romance. Alaric Wilde was an 'Indiana Jones' of his day but as interested in people of distant countries as he was relics. I really liked the idea of Alaric but I didn't fully connect with him. Alaric returns to England and everyone is wowed by him (but me?) but I loved that Willa wasn't wowed by him either. I liked Willa most of the time and was most engaged by her out of all the characters in the book.
I can't exactly put my finger on what the problem was with this read but I think it was a combination of the story line and lack of connection with Alaric because I found myself bored. I will press on and try something else of Eloisa James as I have heard great things about her writing. Sadly, I can't enthusiastically recommend this book.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelweiss, in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
This was my first Eloisa James book and from everything I've heard, I don't think I started with the right book. WILDE IN LOVE just didn't hit any excitement buttons for me. In fact, I read it over a few weeks, dipping in and out, keeping up with the story but not getting truly drawn in.
The story itself has potential with a hero that felt a bit unusual to me in historical romance. Alaric Wilde was an 'Indiana Jones' of his day but as interested in people of distant countries as he was relics. I really liked the idea of Alaric but I didn't fully connect with him. Alaric returns to England and everyone is wowed by him (but me?) but I loved that Willa wasn't wowed by him either. I liked Willa most of the time and was most engaged by her out of all the characters in the book.
I can't exactly put my finger on what the problem was with this read but I think it was a combination of the story line and lack of connection with Alaric because I found myself bored. I will press on and try something else of Eloisa James as I have heard great things about her writing. Sadly, I can't enthusiastically recommend this book.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through Edelweiss, in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
October 24, 2017
I went into the latest Eloisa James' with a lot of anticipation, and unfortunately it really missed the mark for me. And a big part of it is due to the fact that it is set in the Georgian Era (not sure how I missed that), a period in history that I'm just not a fan of when reading romance. There's something rather jarring when you read about the romantic lead and he's wearing a wig. Can't say that it does it for me. Sorry, Wilde in Love, it's not you, it's me.
Historical setting aside, I struggled to be interested in the main characters - the secondary characters, absolutely, the main characters not so much. I felt that too much attention was paid to the couples that will be featured in subsequent books, which lead to a less impactful romance between Willa and Alaric. Personally, I did find much tension in the romance between Willa and Alaric; they hurdles they overcame just didn't seem to be that big of a deal. And, a great deal of their depth of feeling just seemed to exist.
This one just wasn't for me. James' wit and charm were present in spades, but my own tastes just didn't mesh with this one.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
Historical setting aside, I struggled to be interested in the main characters - the secondary characters, absolutely, the main characters not so much. I felt that too much attention was paid to the couples that will be featured in subsequent books, which lead to a less impactful romance between Willa and Alaric. Personally, I did find much tension in the romance between Willa and Alaric; they hurdles they overcame just didn't seem to be that big of a deal. And, a great deal of their depth of feeling just seemed to exist.
This one just wasn't for me. James' wit and charm were present in spades, but my own tastes just didn't mesh with this one.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
June 8, 2021
4 stars. This author has been very hit or miss for me… and I really didn’t think I would read another book by her. Obviously, I changed my mind when I saw this book had decent reviews and it was available on hoopla as an audiobook. I’m glad I gave it a shot; I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The hero and heroine are both well written and had some great bantering moments. There were a few slower parts in the storyline, but the ending was so good that I hardly minded.
Safety is good, no others for either of them. He briefly considers hooking up with OW, but then doesn’t. He also has a different crazy OW trying to be with him.
Safety is good, no others for either of them. He briefly considers hooking up with OW, but then doesn’t. He also has a different crazy OW trying to be with him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2022
I have so much else to read but I’ve been ambushed by remembering the Wilde’s and deciding to follow my inclinations. So, I’ve wandered off down the path of a re-read of the series. That I may or may not finish in the next month or so. Willa is wonderful, as is Alaric and I fell in love with Sweetpea the baby skunk and her minder, the rather ferocious Tom, Hannibal) 15/4/22
Really enjoyed this. Was unsure at the beginning but b the ending truly loved it.(30/10/118)
Really enjoyed this. Was unsure at the beginning but b the ending truly loved it.(30/10/118)
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