A Conspiratorial Courting

Romance Retold #2

by Martha Keyes

Can a ruse turn to romance?

No one stands in doubt of Edith Donne's opinion on marriage—or of her ability to ward it off using nothing but her stinging wit. With the fortune her aunt has left her, Edith has no reason to marry and certainly no intention of it. When she inadvertently overhears that her lifelong archrival is in love with her, she is stunned, but she has no compunction in setting him straight.

Elias Abram trusts no woman, but he can bandy words with the best of them—and Edith Donne is undoubtedly the best. Her razor-sharp tongue has been a constant companion and a welcome challenge since their prank-filled childhood days. But when Elias is given to believe that Edith is secretly in love with him, his world is flipped on its head, forcing him to reconsider everything he thought he knew.

Soon realizing they have been duped by their conspiring friends, Edith and Elias resolve to turn the tables on them in the most shocking manner they can concoct—the ultimate revenge. But what's to be done when the lines between charade and reality begin to blur?

My Wild Heart is a sweet Regency romance inspired by Shakespeare's classic Much Ado About Nothing.

Genres: Romance, Regency, Historical, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Clean Romance

Kindle Edition

First published June 14, 2020

Reviews

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, entertaining and heartwarming, this is such a lovely historical romance.
Stellar character development and relationship development.

I love it, when an author presents me with MCs I'm not sure I like that much, then slowly shows me their true selves, their hidden personalities, and suddenly I'm hoping for them to find love and acceptance.

Martha Keyes is one of these awesome authors.

[Sally Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorite plays - and I always felt that Beatrice and Benedict needed more of a love story. I adore them. Martha Keyes has given me exactly what I want and more!

Witty banter that's hilarious, great zings, all the friendly-fire and mischief you want in a story of enemies to lovers. She handled the shift to tenderness SO WELL, too. It was believable. And let's just say - I had butterflies on behalf of Elias and Edith during several scenes.

This is a Regency novel you do NOT want to miss! I loved it, and it has a permanent home on my shelf.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked that although this was inspired by Much Ado About Nothing, it wasn't a blow-by-blow retelling of the exact plot. Instead, it treats the reader to a couple of recognizably adapted scenes, and then moves on to become its own thing. This frees the story up and gives you the enjoyable reading experience of knowing what needs to happen but not being sure of how you're going to get there.

In this story, Elias and Edith are notorious for their arguments, to the point that when their friends feel compelled to play a prank on them, they decide to convince each that the other is in love. So far so good. But, fairly early on, Elias and Edith discover the joke and determine to turn the tables on their friends by pretend eloping. What could possibly go wrong?

This is a sweet and compelling read that also examines why someone might hesitate to believe in love even when it's offered (although you still might get a little impatient with Edith... I know I did!).

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is advertised as inspired by Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, a fleshing out of Beatrice and Benedict's love story. I'm glad they stuck with "inspired" rather than flagging it as a retelling because, while I agree that Shakespeare's characters are vague enough to afford a bit of license, I would personally disagree with this author's interpretation of them, particularly Beatrice (christened Edith in this story). Taken on its own, however, I think this is an interesting and cute story.

Edith has Daddy issues and bad examples of marriage in her parents and sibling. Elias has Mommy issues and lack of trust in women. While a bit repetitive, it was interesting how the author brought them together and resolved these issues. I think giving them a ludicrous farce to go through was a fun nod to Shakespeare. Overall an enjoyable, fun read.

[Tayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars because I found it difficult to connect with Edith. She's stubborn and strong but not in a relatable way. Although the book wasn't short (wasn't overly long either) I felt that not enough time was spent fleshing out the individual characters a little more. Edith for example opens the book already set against marriage due to the poor examples of her parents and her sister but I didn't feel enough attention was paid to this plot point. More egregious was for Elias who carried his own pain regarding the death of his father and sister. I think I just wanted one chapter where these two connected over these things, or showed a little more explicit vulnerability before the HEA.

Not a bad read and will probably be back for more.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, what a beautiful and whimsical cover. It really lends to the regency feel of a Shakespeare retelling. I'm not as familiar with Much Ado About Nothing so I can't vouch for how much this story follows the play, but I highly enjoyed it regardless. After reading A Foolish Heart (also recommend by the way) , I was keeping my eyes out for this second book to come out. I personally felt it was even better than the first book. My Wild Heart builds on the first book so I highly recommend starting there.

I loved Elias and Edith's chemistry and how they really played off each other. I'm not typically a huge fan of "enemy to lover" stories, but I can honestly say I enjoyed watching their relationship build. I will admit I sometimes found myself internally yelling at Edith to get her act together and make her move! Even my heart was swooning at poor Elias. I can feel the heart eyes starting just thinking of him.

This was a sweet and clean romance that I definitely recommend for romance fans, especially if you like regency stories and classical story retellings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is absolutely incredible! It is witty, heartfelt, romantic, fun, sweet, entertaining, and so much more! Whenever I picked up “My Wild Heart”, I was whisked back in time to Regency Era England, and went on an incredible journey with all of the characters.

I was not familiar with Ms. Keyes works before reading this book, but when I heard about a Regency Era retelling of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, being a huge lover of the Regency Era and Shakespeare, I just knew I had to read it! I am so glad I did! Ms. Keyes writing style is absolutely witty, and she truly knows how to make her characters and story jump right off of the page. Her characters all feel like such real people, and their personalities, fears, desires, and wants are all so vividly clear and brilliantly written.

What happens when Edith (the character based on Beatrice),who has sworn to never marry, is made to believe her verbal sparring partner Elias is in love with her? What happens when Elias (the character based on Benedict) is tricked into believing Edith is in love with him? Lots of entertaining chaos, and sweet and surprising moments! Then, what happens when they find out, and decide to play a trick back on their friends and relatives who started all of this? What happens when they get caught, and by the wrong person, and everything begins to backfire? You will just have to read to find out!

(Possible Spoilers!)
I found myself rooting for Edith and Elias from the very start. Their witty banter is so much fun to read, and it is so clear how much they care for one another, even though it takes them some time to not only realize it, but to admit it to themselves. They truly bring out the best in each other, and are able to balance one another out quite beautifully.

Ms. Keyes uses many elements of the original play, while also spinning many in a new way. She explores what might have happened, and many of her characters read to me as combinations of those from Shakespeare’s play. I can’t wait to read many more of her books, as she is now one of my absolute favorite authors!

If you love Regency Romances, the Regency Era, and / or retellings of Shakespearean plays, I highly recommend reading this book! It had me staying up quite late to see how everything would work out.

Thank you so much to the author, Martha Keyes, for sending me an ARC of this book! I absolutely loved it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and clever retelling of “Much Ado About Nothing”.
Actually, not so much a retelling of “Much Ado About Nothing”, but more of a “this story is inspired by” the relationship between Beatrice and Benedick.

And who doesn’t just love their witty banter and verbal battles? In that department, this book was on point.

One of my favorite quotes from the play was also used in the book, and I think this ‘maiden pride’ is what the author was going for when she created Edith’s character.

“Contempt, farewell, and maiden pride, adieu!
No glory lives behind the back of such.
And Benedick, love on; I will requite thee,
Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand.
If thou dost love, my kindness shall incite thee
To bind our loves up in a holy band.
For others say thou dost deserve, and I
Believe it better than reportingly.”
—Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

[Sandralena Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful retelling of Much Ado About Nothing set in the Regency era.

Edith and Elias spent years bandying barbs with each other. Both are set against marriage. Until their friends play a prank on them. Each overhears that the other is secretly in love with them.

Edith and Elias can't help looking at each other in a new way. Hilarity ensues as they scramble to make sense of their feelings.

[Ali Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Shakespeare’s writings so I was naturally intrigued by a regency retelling of some of his works! So well written and a very fun spin on a very classic piece of literature! Character development was impeccable.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This is light Regency romance which was a fun read. I especially liked Elias, the male lead character. The story was very loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. The author did a great job with that.

[mikaela (spinebreaker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elias and Edith are fun and sassy, and I had a good time with this one and them both eating a little humble pie. No one has overtaken my love for The Art of Victory, but this was worth my 3 dollars

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Good book, engaging story and well written. I liked Elias a lot, he was a fun character. While I liked Edith, I didn’t quite connect with her. I enjoyed the supporting cast and overall story. Fun regency story.

Content Rated G

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this take on Much Ado about Nothing.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to be completely delighted and don't expect to sleep because you'll want to read this novel in one sitting. I loved so much about this story; I don't even know where to start with my praise! Author Martha Keyes has done a beyond incredible job of tackling Shakespeare in a fun Regency setting and My Wild Heart just raised the bar even higher for how well she writes her own fun adaptations. Whether you are familiar with Much Ado About Nothing or not, readers will easily enjoy the way Elias and Edith's story plays out. From the very first chapter I could feel the romantic tension between the two long before they even started to consider each other in a different light. I felt like their romance was believable and their characters had a lot of depth. At times there were things in Edith's character that bothered me since she was so proud, but the author did a great job of peeling back her character's layers that I finished the book really having come to love Edith. Then there were the AMAZING kissing scenes! All the cuteness there for sure!
I received and advance reader copy of this book; I honestly enjoyed it so much I purchased the paperback copy for myself. The content is clean and the writing is superb. I also enjoyed how the author included fun lines from the Shakespeare play itself. Definitely a book I recommend.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit I haven’t read all of Shakespeare’s works and it’s been years since I read any, but I am a fan of his comedies and for some reason I really enjoy reading adaptations and retellings of them. Combine that with my favourite genre (I love Regency Era novels - can you tell?) and I was sure to love this series 🤗 In fact, I absolutely adored this story by Martha Keyes! I think it’s my favourite so far. She kindly provided me with an ARC and I did not want to put it down! Whilst you probably don’t have to read the books of the series in order, it would definitely make more sense if you do, since the characters from the first book are in this one, as well as having ones for future books introduced in this one, etc. & so forth 😉 Plus, you’ll have a much fuller understanding of Edith’s personality after reading the first one, which will only enhance your enjoyment of this one. I can definitely recommend this book/series! It’s clean and wholesome as well as being witty and engaging, even in its more serious moments. As I said, I received an ARC but this in no way influenced my opinion and I am not obligated to leave this review. I really did love this story and I think most Regency and Shakespeare fans will to 🙃

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A review just for myself.

I quick,light, and fun read! I throughly enjoyed reading this book. There were a few issues with character development and how the relationships develop a little too conveniently, but I could easily looks past them to find pleasure in the read :)

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Would Challenge You to a Battle of Wits…

Having read several books by this author in another series that I mostly enjoyed very much, I was hoping for more of the same. Ms. Keyes has a way of writing that actually evokes the original masters of Regency. Some of her turns of phrase and word usage remind me of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. High compliments, indeed! Fortunately, I found this book even more of a delight than her other books because she is now adding Shakespeare into the mix! I love the idea of this series, basing Regency novels on Shakespeare plots and subplots. I so enjoyed the witty banter between Edith and Elias, our hero and heroine. Having read many contemporarily written Regency romances, I can say that while many authors attempt wit and humor, they usually fall far short of the mark. But Ms. Keyes delivered consistently throughout the book, which is another thing I think is difficult. Hard enough to get the humor right in the first place, let alone keep it going throughout. Even though aspects of this were taken from Shakespeare, it feels fresh in a Regency Romance. This is an enemies-to-lovers romance that we don't actually see often in this subgenre (though it is standard fare in contemporary romances). The hero and heroine have known each other since childhood, and they love to banter, play tricks on each other, and are constantly playing a game of one-upmanship in the battle of wits. Their siblings and friends decide to play a trick on them: let each “overhear” that the other is in love with them. That part was so funny to watch unfold. But they then get the idea—once they've figured out the prank—to turn the tables on them. This was such a fun story. I typically read it with my Kindle during meals, and I swear I sat at the table for longer just so I could keep reading the story. If you enjoy a well-written Regency that's definitely a little different from the typical, pick up this book; I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edith Donne has no plans to marry. Ever. And because of an inheritance left her by her aunt, she doesn't need to.

Elias Abram does not trust women. He is best friends with Edith's brother and they have a long history of "matching wits" when they get together.

Their friends decide to prank them by leading both Elias and Edith to believe that the other is in love with them. When they discover the ruse, they decide to turn the prank back on their friends. And they go off on a fake elopement... But after that, nothing is predictable and nothing goes right for them!

The banter between Elias and Edith was so much fun! I am looking forward to the third book in this series to come out.

[Our Book Confessions · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm quickly becoming a fan of Martha Keyes' Regency Romance Shakespearean adaptations. This story was based on Much Ado About Nothing. The play is best known for it's delightful tension and playful banter, and Martha recreates both those aspects to a tea. The story though diverging a bit from it's original in plot is just as fun and witty as it's original. The romance of Edith and Elias builds believably with just the right amount of tension and swoon. I'm looking forward to many more of these delightful books.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book. I loved the banter and wit between Edith and Elias. Good banter is one of my favorites and Mrs. Keyes did such a good job with these two. I loved the ways they both grew and changed during this story. I'm not a big Shakespeare fan, so I don't know how closely this resembled Much Ado About Nothing, but it seemed like the wit was something he'd be proud of.

[Judith Hale Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of enemies to lovers is old as time but this one gives a depth and zest to the relationship that makes the ending more satisfying. My only beef was the heroine’s continuing a little too long in denial, which I don’t really think was necessary given the other obstacles to their HEA. These all were very satisfactorily overcome, however, and made for a fun and interesting read.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a lot of fun! Really enjoyed the banter and the characters.

[Μαρία Ν. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an undeniable fact that I adore Martha Keyes' work and have enjoyed all of her writing from "Hazelhurst",the first work I read from her, up until now.In my opinion she gets better with each book.

"My wild heart" is a regency retelling of Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing".Truth to be told the only thing I have read from Shakespeare for now are his sonnets,so his plays are an uncharted territory for me.But from what I have heard from other people who have read the specific play,made me reach to the conclusion that Martha Keyes' story is mostly an original work than an exact retelling.

The story is about Elias Abram and Edith Donne who both detest the idea of marriage,know each other from a young age and love teasing one another A LOT.After a prank that Elias did while on an outing with their group of friends,Solomon,Mercy,Viola and Edith's brother,Matthew;the pranked decide to prank the pranksters by making them believe that Edith secretly loves Elias and vice versa.However,the two find out soon enough that they have been tricked and decide to take revenge.What follows is probably one of my favorite moments in fiction.

But like I said before this is mostly an original take,even though it has its commons with the Shakespeare's play.In my honest opinion,Martha Keyes' writing skills are shown in their full potential here.This one had such a strong impact on me as it is so memorable.The dialogues are superbly witty,especially when it comes to Elias and Edith's sharp exchanges.The characters and the situations they are thrown in are incredibly engaging and I couldn't tear my eyes from the screen till I reached the very end.What stood out to me from this book was how playful it was.As someone who has read most of Martha Keyes' books,Elias and Edith stood out to me as very different to the usual cast of characters.They are both lively and passionate people,even if Edith is described as a "misanthrope" in the book.But regardless her misanthropy,I enjoyed reading about Edith because of her charming hot-headedness.Some of her actions and quotes are quite legendary,but I kind of understand people not quite enjoying her as she is stubborn.There was also nothing that I found overdone or took a turn that I didn't like.The drama was perfect at least to me.I loved how the situation was solved and the epilogue was adorable.

[Shalini M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was immense fun, with lots of humor and banter. The MC (Edith and Elias) have known each other almost their entire lives and indulged in endless pranks and verbal battles. I would not call them arch-rivals (as the blurb indicates) let alone enemies - theirs is more of friendly rivalry, with an aim to best each other rather than truly humiliate. With pranks and counter-pranks and pranks gone wrong, it is quite a comedy.

Edith and Elias both have trust issues, owing to their own experiences. But I am getting somewhat irritated by this fairly common occurrence in RR stories - either or both of the leads take an experience with one person (however significant) in their lives and generalize it to the whole world. I admit that my world-view in this aspect is somewhat limited, but it seems over-the-top to me. I found Elias kind, understanding and honorable, but felt that Edith was a little annoying. I consider myself a feminist, and always in support of women having the first deciding vote about their lives, but choice is not synonymous with stubbornness for the sake of it excluding common-sense. I am glad that the author had her character redeem itself in the end by recognizing her mistake - the feminist in me appreciates her taking the onus of correcting it, rather than the male lead apologizing and fixing everything for her.

I believe I read an abridged version of the play 'Much Ado About Nothing' in school, but I do not recall anything about it to appreciate the parallels or differences in this adaptation. Either way, it is quite an entertaining story, and I would like to read the stories of other prominent characters in the series, especially Viola.

[Joann L]

Martha Keyes hits a homerun with this adaption of the Shakespeare play “Much Ado About Nothing.” I really enjoyed the back and forth banter between Edith and Elias. Martha Keyes has a real talent for writing sparking dialogue. I look forward to more of her writing, and specifically her adaptions of Shakespeare plays.
Edith Donne was a determined spinster. Elias Abram, best friend to Edith’s brother Matthew was known to be a cad who enjoyed jerking Edith’s chain. Edith’s family is hosting a house party, and Elias shows up, much to her chagrin. For many years they have matched wits with each other and playing ricks on each other. Their meetings together always involve verbal battles.

Those at the house party get caught up in their verbal sparring, and they conspire against them to convince Edith that Elias in in love with her, and to convince Elias that Edith is in love with him. Edith and Elias are not fooled and decide to turn the tables on their fellow house party associates by feigning interest in each other, but then they weren’t counting on the depth of feelings provoked in their “fake kiss.” They concoct a fake elopement and go to an inn as the married couple Mr. and Mrs. Cherriman, but they weren’t counting on a washed-out bridge, so that her family could not come after her. Or were they coming after her? They also weren’t counting on seeing a political rival of Edith’s father at the inn, which greatly complicates their ruse.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are tired of run of the mill fluffed out Regency stories with dry characters who get caught up in a scandal, etc. - then I highly recommend this book! There is nothing run of the mill about it. I was very impressed with the depth and emotion written into the main characters, as well as some side issues that were incorporated that really made for a well rounded story overall.
(And there were some really great (clean) kissing scenes too!)

Martha Keyes is a very talented author and I absolutely love her style of writing - in particular the witty and sarcastic banter in this book! Elias and Edith are well matched in wits and they really go at it! On a personally funny note - this author writes her characters so well that I found myself calling Edith a brat (out-loud) on several occasions because she was being so stubborn! That's when you know you are fully engrossed in the story - when you start talking out loud about the characters!

This book is the very definition of delightful! You can really tell the author had a good time writing it! It is very entertaining and well written, filled with so many amusing and emotional encounters, I was very well engaged throughout the whole story.
In my opinion, this second book in her Shakespeare series is actually even better than the first, and I really enjoyed the first! Can't wait to read the next one!

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is not your responsibility to make him happy. It is your opportunity, rather, to love him.”

SETTING: A wonderfully sensitive look at the tender affections of BOTH a young man and a young woman, coming to realize the potential for a marriage between the two of them. Each has significant reservations about the potential for a marriage to bring peace and happiness, as they have seen the opposite in those around them. We watch as they wrestle with their conflicting emotions and thoughts, and endure a potential scandal. Despite how they have perceived even their own parents’ marriages to be disasters, in terms of love, they begin to discern the underlying love that had drawn the couples together in the first place. How can they marry and hope to have a happy relationship? Good advice comes from Edith’s cousin Viola:
“It is not your responsibility to make him happy. It is your opportunity, rather, to love him.”

CRITIQUE: A well written story that allows the reader to experience the hopes and fears of both the Hero and the heroine. Their emotions and fears are realistic and sensitively displayed. There is one incident that seems a bit contrived, but overall the book rang true. The H and h were upright individuals, imperfect, but struggling to be good people, good role models in a clean story that can be enjoyed by all ages.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Wild Heart" is a romance set in Regency England. It was inspired by a romance in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Both of the main characters are disillusioned about marriage and determined not to marry. They enjoy battles of wits with each other – mainly exchanging insults. When their friends trick them into thinking that the other is secretly in love with them, it doesn't take long for them to discover the trick. Edith's determined to turn the tables and have the last laugh, but everything seems to go wrong, putting Edith's reputation in jeopardy. Along the way, Edith and Elias see a different side of the other – things they admire and respect.

The main characters had some depth and reacted realistically to events based on their character. However, the story and the characters didn't really remind me of the Shakespeare play. The author slowly changed the exchange of insults to more supportive dialogue, and the hero did the one thing that could prove his newfound love. However, I still wasn't completely convinced they were the best match even though Elias admired her wit and spirit. They knew each other since childhood, but it's difficult pulling off the change from disdain to love and admiration within about a week's period. Still, it was an enjoyable story.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.