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The Wickeds #1
Wickeds Scandal
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here and here.
Alexandra Dunforth’s conniving uncle is forcing her into wedding a man she doesn’t know. Her uncle is determined. He’s threatened to sell Helmsby Abbey, the only home Alexandra has ever known, and throw the estate’s staff into the streets if he doesn’t get his way. But her uncle has the intelligence of a turnip, surely Alexandra can manage to outwit him and save all she holds dear.
After years of living in Macao, Sutton “Satan” Reynolds, the decadent, handsome Marquess of Cambourne, has finally returned to take his place in society. As beautiful as he is wealthy, the ladies of the ton are lining up to be ruined at his hands. He finds them all tedious and boring until he meets the delectable Miss Dunforth. Miss Dunforth seems immune to his charms. In fact, the tart-tongued spinster assures Sutton that she finds him arrogant. Annoying. And lacking in some way.
One wicked kiss leads to a scandalous attraction.
Determined to save her home, Alexandra has no time to flirt with scandalous rakes, especially one who sports a dragon tattoo and possesses a ridiculous nickname. Lord Cambourne is a distraction Alexandra can ill afford, even after he kisses her. Besides, she’s certain he is only toying with her for his own amusement. After all, notorious rakes don’t desire plain, bookish spinsters from Hampshire.
Do they?
Alexandra Dunforth’s conniving uncle is forcing her into wedding a man she doesn’t know. Her uncle is determined. He’s threatened to sell Helmsby Abbey, the only home Alexandra has ever known, and throw the estate’s staff into the streets if he doesn’t get his way. But her uncle has the intelligence of a turnip, surely Alexandra can manage to outwit him and save all she holds dear.
After years of living in Macao, Sutton “Satan” Reynolds, the decadent, handsome Marquess of Cambourne, has finally returned to take his place in society. As beautiful as he is wealthy, the ladies of the ton are lining up to be ruined at his hands. He finds them all tedious and boring until he meets the delectable Miss Dunforth. Miss Dunforth seems immune to his charms. In fact, the tart-tongued spinster assures Sutton that she finds him arrogant. Annoying. And lacking in some way.
One wicked kiss leads to a scandalous attraction.
Determined to save her home, Alexandra has no time to flirt with scandalous rakes, especially one who sports a dragon tattoo and possesses a ridiculous nickname. Lord Cambourne is a distraction Alexandra can ill afford, even after he kisses her. Besides, she’s certain he is only toying with her for his own amusement. After all, notorious rakes don’t desire plain, bookish spinsters from Hampshire.
Do they?
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2013
1223 people are currently reading
873 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Ayers
42 books624 followersKathleen Ayers has been a hopeful romantic since the tender age of fourteen when she first purchased a copy of Sweet Savage Love at a garage sale while her mother was looking at antique animal planters. Since then she’s read hundreds of historical romances and fallen in love dozens of times. In particular she adores handsome, slightly damaged men with a wicked sense of humor. On paper, of course.
Kathleen lives in Houston and is married with one college aged son and two very spoiled dogs.
Kathleen lives in Houston and is married with one college aged son and two very spoiled dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
September 7, 2022
3.5 Stars on a re-read.
I admit I was angrier about the author killing Madeline & Robert than I was at the story. Having gotten that out of the way, this was a gritty read. I have a problem with Alexandra's gullibility, Sutton's weird bender and the villainess not getting her due.
2.5 Stars
Holy Mother of God! Well, that was most certainly not the sweet little rescue romance I thought it was going to be. What actually followed was a partly dark, partly interesting, and a very confusing story that asked more questions than it answered.
Sooner or later, there was bound to be Kathleen Ayers book that I did not like all that much, and this is looking to be it. My reasons for rating it with 2.5 stars are plain enough - One, the writing, not surprisingly, was amazing. Second, it kept me glued to the pages, my sleep damned. And third, the plot showed promise, God, I am weeping for the lost potential.
So, after a solid four hours of sleep, hopefully, I have managed to gather my thoughts about this book enough to give voice to my confusion. Here is le review, which is more like a list of problems and questions.
My Thoughts
- What the hell happened here? I could see that Ms Ayers was trying to venture into the Kerrigan Byrne style of darkness territory, and unfortunately, it did not work. The result of which was utter chaos. I know the basics - the characters, the villain, the romance, but the why of it is elusive as yet.
- The story marched forward sans a direction, and all that was achieved was an absolute lack of plot or character development. There was a hero, a heroine, a couple of villains, they fought with each other, for what reason, I couldn't tell you, because I was never made aware. The lack of clarity is lamentable.
- Let's talk about the characters. They were steeped in what I have come to call "the victims of circumstances" syndrome. But what, for fuck's sake, were their circumstances?
Alexandra: from what I gathered, she had a difficult life, had a horrid uncle, an unsuitable suitor, she was drugged, abused, and suffered a whole lot of ordeal. My sympathies. But she was whiny, naive, and indecisive. Boring.
Sutton: Do all heirs need to suffer so? Why can't anyone come from a happy home? I fear, I thought he was bipolar, I kid you not. He was super sweet one minute and throwing a tantrum in the next. He was such a harried person, no wonder his rage was perpetually bubbling, threatening to spill. Sad. But he treated Alex like shit sometimes, and I kept waiting for him to grovel, hell, even apologise, that never came. Horrid.
- The romance was, there, somewhere, hiding under the guise of instalust. I saw shades of trauma, angst, mistrust, and the psychologist in me was like, tell me why? I have to know! The misunderstanding leading to their separation was beyond the pale, just stupid. But, on the plus side, their banter was fun, and their chemistry was sizzling.
- The villain was sufficiently creepy and had peculiar, terrifying, hurtful proclivities. The other villainess was most shallow, so were her reasons, well, at least, she had that going for her.
- The ending could only be called a shit show. It was abrupt, patchy, and oh, so convenient. What the damn hell?
Now, I have questions, plenty of them. Possible spoilers ahead.
1. When did Madeline die?
2. Why did she have to die? I've asked this question to the author.
3. Why the hell did Robert remarry? Was the Dowager sleeping when he chose Jeanette?
4. Who the fuck was Jeanette?
5.. Why did Robert have to die?
6. What did Archie do to Elizabeth?
7. What was the nature of the relationship between Jeanette and Archie? What did Sutton see? I can guess, but I need details.
8. What was the nature of the abuse Jeanette inflicted on Sutton? Was Robert sleeping?
9. What was Robert and Sutton's relationship like?
10. How did Alex land up on Lord Burke's doorstep? Who was she?
11. How did Sutton land up in Macao, penniless?
12. How did he survive the final assassination attempt?
13. Did the fucking dragon tatoo have to be mentioned those many times?
14. Where was the grovelling?
I may have more questions, but I forget. But I shall be remiss if I don't mention this -
If you are going to kill off the characters, why give them a beautiful, wonderful story? Ms Ayers, I hate to say it, but this is bloodthirsty wenchary. First Madeline, then Robert, and finally Marcus Barrington. Why? Just why?
My Recommendation
Confused yet? Welcome to the club. The only analogy that comes to mind about this book - An empty vase that was in dire need of fragrant flowers.
Also, if anybody has answers to my questions, please feel free to let me know!
I admit I was angrier about the author killing Madeline & Robert than I was at the story. Having gotten that out of the way, this was a gritty read. I have a problem with Alexandra's gullibility, Sutton's weird bender and the villainess not getting her due.
2.5 Stars
Holy Mother of God! Well, that was most certainly not the sweet little rescue romance I thought it was going to be. What actually followed was a partly dark, partly interesting, and a very confusing story that asked more questions than it answered.
Sooner or later, there was bound to be Kathleen Ayers book that I did not like all that much, and this is looking to be it. My reasons for rating it with 2.5 stars are plain enough - One, the writing, not surprisingly, was amazing. Second, it kept me glued to the pages, my sleep damned. And third, the plot showed promise, God, I am weeping for the lost potential.
So, after a solid four hours of sleep, hopefully, I have managed to gather my thoughts about this book enough to give voice to my confusion. Here is le review, which is more like a list of problems and questions.
My Thoughts
- What the hell happened here? I could see that Ms Ayers was trying to venture into the Kerrigan Byrne style of darkness territory, and unfortunately, it did not work. The result of which was utter chaos. I know the basics - the characters, the villain, the romance, but the why of it is elusive as yet.
- The story marched forward sans a direction, and all that was achieved was an absolute lack of plot or character development. There was a hero, a heroine, a couple of villains, they fought with each other, for what reason, I couldn't tell you, because I was never made aware. The lack of clarity is lamentable.
- Let's talk about the characters. They were steeped in what I have come to call "the victims of circumstances" syndrome. But what, for fuck's sake, were their circumstances?
Alexandra: from what I gathered, she had a difficult life, had a horrid uncle, an unsuitable suitor, she was drugged, abused, and suffered a whole lot of ordeal. My sympathies. But she was whiny, naive, and indecisive. Boring.
Sutton: Do all heirs need to suffer so? Why can't anyone come from a happy home? I fear, I thought he was bipolar, I kid you not. He was super sweet one minute and throwing a tantrum in the next. He was such a harried person, no wonder his rage was perpetually bubbling, threatening to spill. Sad. But he treated Alex like shit sometimes, and I kept waiting for him to grovel, hell, even apologise, that never came. Horrid.
- The romance was, there, somewhere, hiding under the guise of instalust. I saw shades of trauma, angst, mistrust, and the psychologist in me was like, tell me why? I have to know! The misunderstanding leading to their separation was beyond the pale, just stupid. But, on the plus side, their banter was fun, and their chemistry was sizzling.
- The villain was sufficiently creepy and had peculiar, terrifying, hurtful proclivities. The other villainess was most shallow, so were her reasons, well, at least, she had that going for her.
- The ending could only be called a shit show. It was abrupt, patchy, and oh, so convenient. What the damn hell?
Now, I have questions, plenty of them. Possible spoilers ahead.
1. When did Madeline die?
2. Why did she have to die? I've asked this question to the author.
3. Why the hell did Robert remarry? Was the Dowager sleeping when he chose Jeanette?
4. Who the fuck was Jeanette?
5.. Why did Robert have to die?
6. What did Archie do to Elizabeth?
7. What was the nature of the relationship between Jeanette and Archie? What did Sutton see? I can guess, but I need details.
8. What was the nature of the abuse Jeanette inflicted on Sutton? Was Robert sleeping?
9. What was Robert and Sutton's relationship like?
10. How did Alex land up on Lord Burke's doorstep? Who was she?
11. How did Sutton land up in Macao, penniless?
12. How did he survive the final assassination attempt?
13. Did the fucking dragon tatoo have to be mentioned those many times?
14. Where was the grovelling?
I may have more questions, but I forget. But I shall be remiss if I don't mention this -
If you are going to kill off the characters, why give them a beautiful, wonderful story? Ms Ayers, I hate to say it, but this is bloodthirsty wenchary. First Madeline, then Robert, and finally Marcus Barrington. Why? Just why?
My Recommendation
Confused yet? Welcome to the club. The only analogy that comes to mind about this book - An empty vase that was in dire need of fragrant flowers.
Also, if anybody has answers to my questions, please feel free to let me know!
August 27, 2021
Oh so bad....
Characters =idiots in heat or unbelievably evil screechers
Over-the top melodramatic plot with twist after twist after twist...
Actually kinda funny.
Characters =idiots in heat or unbelievably evil screechers
Over-the top melodramatic plot with twist after twist after twist...
Actually kinda funny.
June 7, 2022
How do I describe this book..... it was done in 3 parts. First Alex and Sutton you can feel the chemistry with each meeting...it sizzles. The second part is the uncle gets grosser and the villains are in psycho territory (there are references to abuse) . While the smart and observant heroine blindly following the advice of the uncle (yes I know its complicated) The 3rd act is the Sutton and Alex get together just to have Sutton overreact to a minor detail and act like he is 16. But all is tied up neatly in the end. That is why this book only gets a 3.5*
August 3, 2016
This almost reached a four star, but not quite.
The h is a book learning, hopeful heiress to her aunt's estate, and is saddled with the worst guardian EVER. Loathsome. While searching for the ladies room, she wanders into a library where it just so happens our hero is trying to ditch a lady love. Meet cute. He's charmed by the heroine's snippy ways and calls her a little badger. She in turns calls him a peacock. Did I mention he's as gorgeous as an angel but called Satan for his scandalous ways? Well, I did now. He's intrigued with her sassy ways and is leery he is being set up for a compromising situation where he will be forced to marry her.
The h runs from him and winds up meeting his grandmother, a powerful Society Dowager. The Dowager takes a shine to the little h in a quick case of insta-like and invites her to ye olde castle to meet her grand-daughter, sister to Satan.
The loathsome guardian finds the h and introduces her to a potential fiancee who looks to good to be true. Wait for it. Ah, readers, we find out not too much later in the book what a horror he really is although it takes the heroine a lot longer, poor girl. No, she's not stupid, she is simply a product of her times. Well, a product of a young girl in any time really as he is one piece of nasty work. Bottom line though, she does not want to marry but simply wants to get back to her estate and take care of animal husbandry stuff and the family retainers.
The H and h proceed to meet cute where he makes it clear he is very attracted to her. He commits a big booboo when he offers to take her as his mistress. Let's just say it didn't go over well and he regrets the insult as soon as it's out of his mouth, but he is one obsessed little Marquis. Along the way, the meets the H's step-mother and she is one evil chick. Really evil. Really, really evil. Let me mention that someone is trying to assassinate the H. Hmm, who could it be?
The suitor unveils his evil ways to the readers and subtly sets the h on edge while the toad-like guardian proceeds to drug her with laudanum tea for her "headaches". Poor girl. At a lecture after the H almost seduces the h in a broom closet, it is made clear that the heroine's fiancee is actually the despised cousin of the H's step-mother. Let's wait while you read that again. Yep, the evil fiancee is related to the H's family through the Step-mom. He was involved in a horrible scandal with the family and was disowned by his father. Marrying the h will help him get in his father's good graces as well as serve the fiancee's unsavory appetites.
Second confrontation happens at the evil Step-mom's birthday. The h catches her fiancee beating and, well, I wouldn't call it making love, to a servant in the orangery. He then chases the h where the H rescues her kind of.
The H purposely is caught in a compromising situation set up by the Dowager and the couple are married. Are the evil fiancee, the equally evil Step mom and the disgusting guardian out of the picture? Heck no.
A misunderstanding causes the H to pitch a fit and sail for Macao after saying really mean things. This is where it dropped a star for me. You have an evil Step-mom who wants you dead, her evil cousin who was once engaged to your wife, and your wife's evil guardian who is in debt to evil fiancee and you leave the country? You leave without leaving a full army of body guards for your wife and, oh yeah, all that honeymoon loving resulted in a little Marquis-to-be. The H didn't know it before he left, but come on.
This review is getting too long, so major drama happens and some tense rather brutal scenes happen. Nothing too over the top, but there was nail biting.
NOTES and kind of a spoiler
Overall, the book is quite charming so the scary parts aren't too bad, but I did want to warn you. It has somewhat of a Julia Quinn novel, but the dark aspects are... dark.
The h is a book learning, hopeful heiress to her aunt's estate, and is saddled with the worst guardian EVER. Loathsome. While searching for the ladies room, she wanders into a library where it just so happens our hero is trying to ditch a lady love. Meet cute. He's charmed by the heroine's snippy ways and calls her a little badger. She in turns calls him a peacock. Did I mention he's as gorgeous as an angel but called Satan for his scandalous ways? Well, I did now. He's intrigued with her sassy ways and is leery he is being set up for a compromising situation where he will be forced to marry her.
The h runs from him and winds up meeting his grandmother, a powerful Society Dowager. The Dowager takes a shine to the little h in a quick case of insta-like and invites her to ye olde castle to meet her grand-daughter, sister to Satan.
The loathsome guardian finds the h and introduces her to a potential fiancee who looks to good to be true. Wait for it. Ah, readers, we find out not too much later in the book what a horror he really is although it takes the heroine a lot longer, poor girl. No, she's not stupid, she is simply a product of her times. Well, a product of a young girl in any time really as he is one piece of nasty work. Bottom line though, she does not want to marry but simply wants to get back to her estate and take care of animal husbandry stuff and the family retainers.
The H and h proceed to meet cute where he makes it clear he is very attracted to her. He commits a big booboo when he offers to take her as his mistress. Let's just say it didn't go over well and he regrets the insult as soon as it's out of his mouth, but he is one obsessed little Marquis. Along the way, the meets the H's step-mother and she is one evil chick. Really evil. Really, really evil. Let me mention that someone is trying to assassinate the H. Hmm, who could it be?
The suitor unveils his evil ways to the readers and subtly sets the h on edge while the toad-like guardian proceeds to drug her with laudanum tea for her "headaches". Poor girl. At a lecture after the H almost seduces the h in a broom closet, it is made clear that the heroine's fiancee is actually the despised cousin of the H's step-mother. Let's wait while you read that again. Yep, the evil fiancee is related to the H's family through the Step-mom. He was involved in a horrible scandal with the family and was disowned by his father. Marrying the h will help him get in his father's good graces as well as serve the fiancee's unsavory appetites.
Second confrontation happens at the evil Step-mom's birthday. The h catches her fiancee beating and, well, I wouldn't call it making love, to a servant in the orangery. He then chases the h where the H rescues her kind of.
The H purposely is caught in a compromising situation set up by the Dowager and the couple are married. Are the evil fiancee, the equally evil Step mom and the disgusting guardian out of the picture? Heck no.
A misunderstanding causes the H to pitch a fit and sail for Macao after saying really mean things. This is where it dropped a star for me. You have an evil Step-mom who wants you dead, her evil cousin who was once engaged to your wife, and your wife's evil guardian who is in debt to evil fiancee and you leave the country? You leave without leaving a full army of body guards for your wife and, oh yeah, all that honeymoon loving resulted in a little Marquis-to-be. The H didn't know it before he left, but come on.
This review is getting too long, so major drama happens and some tense rather brutal scenes happen. Nothing too over the top, but there was nail biting.
NOTES and kind of a spoiler
Overall, the book is quite charming so the scary parts aren't too bad, but I did want to warn you. It has somewhat of a Julia Quinn novel, but the dark aspects are... dark.
July 15, 2021
1 star because the "hero" called Alex a whore repeatedly, without any base and never said sorry.
He then left her just because of a small misunderstanding without hearing her explanation. And he didn't left to his estate, mind you, he left for Macao. And he knew his wife will be in danger cuz he had several attempts to his life, plus Odious Oliver, Archie and Jeannette were all in London ready to strike. Not counting that Alex was pregnant and he only came back when she gave birth. Also... never saying sorry and then... all of a sudden they were happy together.
I can't never buy that shit. He was trash. He will never trust Alex, he showed this repeatedly, at the smallest problem he just blamed her without listening and fled.
I'm really sorry I read this...I thought that by the end he will redeem himself, but no. In the last 30 pages he just takes off without even a goodbye note...and came back 4 pages before the end. 4 F****** PAGES!!! It was a major let down for me. 😔
Now I have doubts if I should read anything else from this author...
He then left her just because of a small misunderstanding without hearing her explanation. And he didn't left to his estate, mind you, he left for Macao. And he knew his wife will be in danger cuz he had several attempts to his life, plus Odious Oliver, Archie and Jeannette were all in London ready to strike. Not counting that Alex was pregnant and he only came back when she gave birth. Also... never saying sorry and then... all of a sudden they were happy together.
I can't never buy that shit. He was trash. He will never trust Alex, he showed this repeatedly, at the smallest problem he just blamed her without listening and fled.
I'm really sorry I read this...I thought that by the end he will redeem himself, but no. In the last 30 pages he just takes off without even a goodbye note...and came back 4 pages before the end. 4 F****** PAGES!!! It was a major let down for me. 😔
Now I have doubts if I should read anything else from this author...
August 12, 2022
The H is portrayed as being super manly but to me he was very easily over-wrought. His default is to run away and think badly about the h and women in general. She's naïve but soon learns so many ugly truths. The plot has an abundance of bodice-ripper moments and evil people. Lots of the baddies laugh at the h like super villains, so OTT. On my 3rd read it's still only 3 stars.
May 18, 2013
Holy Smokes!!
This story was nearly perfect! There were a few little things that left me a little puzzled, but I will name those later. The story is about a bookish spinster and a rogue and when they meet the pages just about burn up! Its a VERY JUICY seductive read but in all the right ways. There is only two instances of intercourse but the seduction leading up to that is ridiculously good. I don't want to give off the wrong impression its NOT pornographic by any means. The author just knows how to weave a great scene.
The hero Cam is tall, dark, and extremely handsome. He adores woman but doesn't necessarily respect them. Mostly because of a demented step-mother. What he portrays in public is quite different from who he really is privately. The heroine Alex is small and mighty. She really is delightful but a tad naive. And she easily gets played upon by her uncle and another evil man. There is also some secondary characters that really add to the story.
Its has quite a few twist and turns with a nice little sprinkling of danger. You cant stop turning the pages because you have to know what happens next. I read it all in one sitting.
With all that said, (these are some SPOILERS so be forewarned...)
I felt the ending was a bit rushed. We had all this build up and then it was just done and immediately went to the epilogue. How did Cam make it out of his watery death? I would have like to read about the birth...was Cam awake and aware to see his children born? It also would have been nice to see him grovel for being an idiot a few times! lol
Even with this few minor hiccups this was a GREAT story. I can't wait for the next one!
This story was nearly perfect! There were a few little things that left me a little puzzled, but I will name those later. The story is about a bookish spinster and a rogue and when they meet the pages just about burn up! Its a VERY JUICY seductive read but in all the right ways. There is only two instances of intercourse but the seduction leading up to that is ridiculously good. I don't want to give off the wrong impression its NOT pornographic by any means. The author just knows how to weave a great scene.
The hero Cam is tall, dark, and extremely handsome. He adores woman but doesn't necessarily respect them. Mostly because of a demented step-mother. What he portrays in public is quite different from who he really is privately. The heroine Alex is small and mighty. She really is delightful but a tad naive. And she easily gets played upon by her uncle and another evil man. There is also some secondary characters that really add to the story.
Its has quite a few twist and turns with a nice little sprinkling of danger. You cant stop turning the pages because you have to know what happens next. I read it all in one sitting.
With all that said, (these are some SPOILERS so be forewarned...)
I felt the ending was a bit rushed. We had all this build up and then it was just done and immediately went to the epilogue. How did Cam make it out of his watery death? I would have like to read about the birth...was Cam awake and aware to see his children born? It also would have been nice to see him grovel for being an idiot a few times! lol
Even with this few minor hiccups this was a GREAT story. I can't wait for the next one!
December 7, 2025
I enjoyed the first half more than the second, which brought the rating down from 3 to 2 stars.
I like Kathleen Ayers's books because she can write semi-forbidden, steamy kiss scenes (that could lead to more 😏) that make my heart palpitate. I yearn for these secret-kiss scenes just as much as the main couple does.
What I dislike about this author's books is that the main couple does not spend enough time getting to know one another. I can see that the hero and heroine want each other physically, but it's hard to believe that they've fallen in love after meeting only a handful of times and having little to no conversation.
From what I can recall from three of this author's books, her heroines seem kind of helpless and need someone to rescue them. They tend to have terrible relatives that make their life miserable. In this book, the heroine has a gluttonous, gambling uncle who wants to marry her off to repay a debt. She doesn't know about the debt. He even got her addicted to laudanum when he started drugging her tea with it. I liked the heroine at the beginning of the book, too, because she seemed clever, but as the story progressed, that hint of intelligence dissipated.
Oh, man, the villains in this book were cartoonish. The book got dark at some points. Like, how the male villain wanted to use the heroine as his new toy, bring her to submission with a riding crop and handcuffs, and then share her with his friends. And, was there a hint of child molestation? That part was never fully explained, so I wasn't sure.
The book contains some anachronisms. There was a tea scene early in the book when the evil stepmother walked in and was just being rude in front of the company (aka the heroine), which I think would never happen in the Regency era, but I could be wrong.
The third-act breakup was sooo forced, and the hero reacted overdramatically. 🙄🙄🙄 There was a few months of separation. Then the villains were dealt with. HEA.
I like Kathleen Ayers's books because she can write semi-forbidden, steamy kiss scenes (that could lead to more 😏) that make my heart palpitate. I yearn for these secret-kiss scenes just as much as the main couple does.
What I dislike about this author's books is that the main couple does not spend enough time getting to know one another. I can see that the hero and heroine want each other physically, but it's hard to believe that they've fallen in love after meeting only a handful of times and having little to no conversation.
From what I can recall from three of this author's books, her heroines seem kind of helpless and need someone to rescue them. They tend to have terrible relatives that make their life miserable. In this book, the heroine has a gluttonous, gambling uncle who wants to marry her off to repay a debt. She doesn't know about the debt. He even got her addicted to laudanum when he started drugging her tea with it. I liked the heroine at the beginning of the book, too, because she seemed clever, but as the story progressed, that hint of intelligence dissipated.
Oh, man, the villains in this book were cartoonish. The book got dark at some points. Like, how the male villain wanted to use the heroine as his new toy, bring her to submission with a riding crop and handcuffs, and then share her with his friends. And, was there a hint of child molestation? That part was never fully explained, so I wasn't sure.
The book contains some anachronisms. There was a tea scene early in the book when the evil stepmother walked in and was just being rude in front of the company (aka the heroine), which I think would never happen in the Regency era, but I could be wrong.
The third-act breakup was sooo forced, and the hero reacted overdramatically. 🙄🙄🙄 There was a few months of separation. Then the villains were dealt with. HEA.
January 3, 2020
3.5 Stars
Alexandra (Alex) Dunforth’s conniving uncle is determined to force her into marrying a man she doesn’t know, a man who is nothing like he seems. Her uncle has threatened to sell Helmsby Abbey, the only home Alexandra has ever known, and throw the estate’s staff into the streets if he doesn’t get his way, trying to work out what to do without finding herself trapped in holy matrimony, what she doesn't expect, is to gain the attention of Sutton (Satan) Reynolds, the handsome and scandalous Marquess of Cambourne.
Alex's uncle was a horrid toad, and I do wish he had
Sutton's
Found myself smiling quite a bit in the first half of this. Overall, a enjoyable read, that has led to me downloading the second book in the series.
Potential Triggers:
Freebie on Amazon 27th November 2019.
Alexandra (Alex) Dunforth’s conniving uncle is determined to force her into marrying a man she doesn’t know, a man who is nothing like he seems. Her uncle has threatened to sell Helmsby Abbey, the only home Alexandra has ever known, and throw the estate’s staff into the streets if he doesn’t get his way, trying to work out what to do without finding herself trapped in holy matrimony, what she doesn't expect, is to gain the attention of Sutton (Satan) Reynolds, the handsome and scandalous Marquess of Cambourne.
Alex's uncle was a horrid toad, and I do wish he had
Sutton's
Found myself smiling quite a bit in the first half of this. Overall, a enjoyable read, that has led to me downloading the second book in the series.
Potential Triggers:
Freebie on Amazon 27th November 2019.
April 4, 2022
Sutton is such a trash of a man and I cant get over his cruel words and behaviour towards Alex! Also where the fuck did their love come from so suddenly? 🤦🏻♀️
Other than that, pacing is all over the place and writing is a bit stilted - though I still might give this series another try...
After all, the Devil of Danbur and his spinster sister have certainly peaked my interest 👀
btw the badger/peacock banter is the reason behind a second star.
Other than that, pacing is all over the place and writing is a bit stilted - though I still might give this series another try...
After all, the Devil of Danbur and his spinster sister have certainly peaked my interest 👀
btw the badger/peacock banter is the reason behind a second star.
January 29, 2024
This was very good. I really enjoyed their repartee at the beginning. And I loved the heroine. She had an evil uncle who was selling her to a vile man. The hero's step mother was totally evil. She tried to kill the hero so she could have everything. The hero is with another woman when she over hears them during an intimate moment with the lover but the hero does reject her. She leaves and he find the heroine who gives him a lecture when he insinuates,she was after him. I loved it. Then she meets the man who her uncle sold her to and she is drugged and I hated that part of the story he tries to distract himself with other lovers but he still wants Alex. Then it all falls apart. I was a little angry with him at the museum. He had no room to taunt her and call her names when he found put she was engaged to another. Maybe he should have went after her instead of replying with other women. It was annoying. But the ending was good. There is a lot of drama and he leaves leaves her after the marriage and it is just all twisted for awhile. I did like the Grandmother the best she definitely set them up it was splendid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2020
I can't express how this book went from ok to shit....I really can't
April 11, 2021
This book is one of my all-time favorites. I wish I could go back and reread it again for the first time. I discovered Ayers by accident and binged this entire series in a week.
Cam is drawn to Lady Alexandra sort of against his will and can't stay away from her. Lady Alexandra needs rescuing but it sort of covert. The thing that drove me crazy in this book was that she was being drugged and it took everyone a while to figure it out. But when they do, the way they rescue her was great.
This book gets me every time. This could have been a reformed rake, revenge story but Ayers storytelling is so much more, this book has a lot of steam. She's probably one of my most recommended authors as well. I can't say enough about how much I love her writing.
Cam is drawn to Lady Alexandra sort of against his will and can't stay away from her. Lady Alexandra needs rescuing but it sort of covert. The thing that drove me crazy in this book was that she was being drugged and it took everyone a while to figure it out. But when they do, the way they rescue her was great.
This book gets me every time. This could have been a reformed rake, revenge story but Ayers storytelling is so much more, this book has a lot of steam. She's probably one of my most recommended authors as well. I can't say enough about how much I love her writing.
October 19, 2020
I kept reading. It never got better
It's never a good sign when you just want to knock everyone's heads together and scream. In particular, every villain was so cartoonishly evil that I think I sprained myself rolling my eyes.
It's never a good sign when you just want to knock everyone's heads together and scream. In particular, every villain was so cartoonishly evil that I think I sprained myself rolling my eyes.
January 16, 2020
eh.. too much weird stuff, and didn't like that the h was prim one sec and the next a whore and perfectly fine with that and being called that. She was stupid IMO
February 8, 2022
Simo_Mica - per RFS
.
Maledettamente scandaloso è il primo libro autoconclusivo della serie intitolata I Dannati di Ayers Kathleen. Questo volume è dedicato a tre amici che hanno frequentato insieme l’Eton College nel Berkshire e che in seguito la vita ha separato. I tre sono legati da una maledizione predetta da una zingara.
La storia ruota attorno ai personaggi di “Satana” Reynolds, noto libertino londinese rientrato dalla Cina, e ad Alessandra Dunforth, una orfana debuttante che si ritrova nelle grinfie di suo zio.
“Ti ho combinato un matrimonio.” (Tratto dal libro)
È la frase di apertura del romanzo, tutto inizia da qui.
Alexandra, che ha a cuore il bene del personale anziano di Helmsby Abbey, la casa ereditata dalla zia, è disposta a tutto per salvare quelle persone, anche a sposare l’uomo scelto dallo zio per lei. FORSE…
Questo primo capitolo del libro mi è piaciuto, in quanto i personaggi sono ben pennellati e caratterizzati. Ci sono poche figure nobiliari (me ne ricordo solo tre o quattro) che oltre a essere belle e sexy hanno anche un tatuaggio, e questo non è decisamente in linea con il periodo storico.
“Era alto e snello, con le spalle larghe muscolose che riempivano il capotto perfettamente su misura. Camminava con fierezza in mezzo a tutti, senza mai soffermarsi sugli sguardi degli uomini e delle donne che si facevano da parte per lasciarlo passare” (Tratto dal libro)
Ed è così che Alexandra, durante un ballo, vede per la prima volta Sutton “Satana” Reynolds.
“Minuta e formosa, con occhi grigi intensi, raggiungeva a malapena il suo petto. L’ovale del viso era delicato, la pelle di porcellana, i lineamenti del tutto ordinari, se non fosse per quei splendidi capelli scuri arricciati.” (Tratto dal libro)
Il loro incontro avviene in una biblioteca dove lei assiste per caso a un suo tête-à-tête
amoroso.
Inizio un po’ scontato e non proprio originale, un po’ apatico, ma che diventa interessante e pieno di sorprendenti avventure.
A tratti ho trovato la narrazione un po’ lenta a causa di alcuni personaggi ed eventi secondari confusionari, ma lo stile di scrittura è comunque scorrevole. Ho finito il romanzo senza che me ne accorgessi, trovando appassionanti i vari colpi di scena e le vicissitudini che i due protagonisti sono obbligati a compiere. Nonostante non sia presente il classico conteggiamento, la storia d’amore non ha perso il suo romanticismo. Non mancano gli intrighi, l’avventura, le sorprese e le battute piene di spirito.
Penso che questo volume faccia il suo dovere di apri pista per i successivi e invogli il lettore a leggere il seguito.
Quindi non ci resta che attendere il prossimo capitolo della serie.
.
Maledettamente scandaloso è il primo libro autoconclusivo della serie intitolata I Dannati di Ayers Kathleen. Questo volume è dedicato a tre amici che hanno frequentato insieme l’Eton College nel Berkshire e che in seguito la vita ha separato. I tre sono legati da una maledizione predetta da una zingara.
La storia ruota attorno ai personaggi di “Satana” Reynolds, noto libertino londinese rientrato dalla Cina, e ad Alessandra Dunforth, una orfana debuttante che si ritrova nelle grinfie di suo zio.
“Ti ho combinato un matrimonio.” (Tratto dal libro)
È la frase di apertura del romanzo, tutto inizia da qui.
Alexandra, che ha a cuore il bene del personale anziano di Helmsby Abbey, la casa ereditata dalla zia, è disposta a tutto per salvare quelle persone, anche a sposare l’uomo scelto dallo zio per lei. FORSE…
Questo primo capitolo del libro mi è piaciuto, in quanto i personaggi sono ben pennellati e caratterizzati. Ci sono poche figure nobiliari (me ne ricordo solo tre o quattro) che oltre a essere belle e sexy hanno anche un tatuaggio, e questo non è decisamente in linea con il periodo storico.
“Era alto e snello, con le spalle larghe muscolose che riempivano il capotto perfettamente su misura. Camminava con fierezza in mezzo a tutti, senza mai soffermarsi sugli sguardi degli uomini e delle donne che si facevano da parte per lasciarlo passare” (Tratto dal libro)
Ed è così che Alexandra, durante un ballo, vede per la prima volta Sutton “Satana” Reynolds.
“Minuta e formosa, con occhi grigi intensi, raggiungeva a malapena il suo petto. L’ovale del viso era delicato, la pelle di porcellana, i lineamenti del tutto ordinari, se non fosse per quei splendidi capelli scuri arricciati.” (Tratto dal libro)
Il loro incontro avviene in una biblioteca dove lei assiste per caso a un suo tête-à-tête
amoroso.
Inizio un po’ scontato e non proprio originale, un po’ apatico, ma che diventa interessante e pieno di sorprendenti avventure.
A tratti ho trovato la narrazione un po’ lenta a causa di alcuni personaggi ed eventi secondari confusionari, ma lo stile di scrittura è comunque scorrevole. Ho finito il romanzo senza che me ne accorgessi, trovando appassionanti i vari colpi di scena e le vicissitudini che i due protagonisti sono obbligati a compiere. Nonostante non sia presente il classico conteggiamento, la storia d’amore non ha perso il suo romanticismo. Non mancano gli intrighi, l’avventura, le sorprese e le battute piene di spirito.
Penso che questo volume faccia il suo dovere di apri pista per i successivi e invogli il lettore a leggere il seguito.
Quindi non ci resta che attendere il prossimo capitolo della serie.
December 14, 2019
There was so much I loved about this book. The hero was a typical man of the Regency period. Cocky, a man who loved women, even as he doesn't have much respect for them. Until he meets the heroine. She wasn't the typical woman of society and she intrigued him. I have to admit I got a bit irritated with him a couple of times because he was a strong man as a result of living outside of society, but he didn't hold his own with his evil step-mother. I had expected more from him. They're both manipulated by some really evil people.
His interaction with the heroine is steamy. I love that they are so different but both can relate to their struggles to fit into a society neither of them want. Their names for each other, the peacock and the badger, was a fun way to show their impressions of each other, names that became pet names. They were well matched!
His interaction with the heroine is steamy. I love that they are so different but both can relate to their struggles to fit into a society neither of them want. Their names for each other, the peacock and the badger, was a fun way to show their impressions of each other, names that became pet names. They were well matched!
September 6, 2020
3.5 stars enjoyable read.
July 28, 2020
Uhmm... This book was okay.
Initially, I loved it. I'm such a sucker for historical romances that the first few chapters reeled me in right away. The characters were awesome; you have the bookish and intelligent Alexandra Dunforth and the exotic and rakish Sutton "Satan" Reynolds.
Even the initial plot idea was great; Alexandra was being forced into a marriage by her odious uncle or he would sell her childhood farm and displacing all it residents on the street. Meanwhile, Sutton dealt with a horrid stepmother and her twisted cousin in a family riddled with dark secrets.
See? Amazing pretense and setup, right?
Unfortunately, it didn't really progress and resolve the way I imagined it would. The end of the book had so many loose ends and seemed so rushed I nearly pulled my hair out in disbelief.
Overall, though, while the book was really good initially, had great promise and great ideas, the follow-through wasn't really up to par. Thus, 3 stars.
Initially, I loved it. I'm such a sucker for historical romances that the first few chapters reeled me in right away. The characters were awesome; you have the bookish and intelligent Alexandra Dunforth and the exotic and rakish Sutton "Satan" Reynolds.
Even the initial plot idea was great; Alexandra was being forced into a marriage by her odious uncle or he would sell her childhood farm and displacing all it residents on the street. Meanwhile, Sutton dealt with a horrid stepmother and her twisted cousin in a family riddled with dark secrets.
See? Amazing pretense and setup, right?
Unfortunately, it didn't really progress and resolve the way I imagined it would. The end of the book had so many loose ends and seemed so rushed I nearly pulled my hair out in disbelief.
Overall, though, while the book was really good initially, had great promise and great ideas, the follow-through wasn't really up to par. Thus, 3 stars.
July 29, 2015
Kathleen Ayers is a new author for me. Her romance novel Wickeds Scandal is her first romance novel which was released in 2013. I really enjoyed this novel. I liked it so much I e-mailed the author, found her e-mail address on her web page, and asked when book two will be released. Yes it was that good a romance. this has everything, hot sizzling passion, evil stepmother, horrible fat dirty selfish Uncle and a sadistic cousin who loves to use whips and chains on females of any age....
the premise of the novel is about Alexandra Dunforth, a bookish spinster from Hampshire, who has no desire to marry despite her uncle holding the fate of her beloved family estate over her head. Sutton "Satan" Reynolds, a wealthy Marquess, is possessed of angelic beauty and a scandalous dragon tattoo. He doesn't care for the simpering women of the ton and is determined to avoid any entanglements, until a chance meeting with the delectable Miss Dunforth changes his mind.
This story is so much more than this small description. As a reader I love to flag those romance novels that are full of hot sizzling passion, I would rate the sizzle a big 8, along with a compelling story and wonderful rememberable characters. I highly recommend this book and hope Ms. Ayers publishes book 2 soon.....
the premise of the novel is about Alexandra Dunforth, a bookish spinster from Hampshire, who has no desire to marry despite her uncle holding the fate of her beloved family estate over her head. Sutton "Satan" Reynolds, a wealthy Marquess, is possessed of angelic beauty and a scandalous dragon tattoo. He doesn't care for the simpering women of the ton and is determined to avoid any entanglements, until a chance meeting with the delectable Miss Dunforth changes his mind.
This story is so much more than this small description. As a reader I love to flag those romance novels that are full of hot sizzling passion, I would rate the sizzle a big 8, along with a compelling story and wonderful rememberable characters. I highly recommend this book and hope Ms. Ayers publishes book 2 soon.....
May 17, 2022
microscopic
I would wonder that the authors who insist on describing their female heroines using only the word “small”, and every synonym thereof, realises that they are describing a child as their idealised version of femininity. Alexandra is described as being approximately 3’-4’ tall. The author repeatedly asserts that the character is small, tiny, petite, little, diminutive, minuscule, et al - often more than once in a single sentence with her chin barely above the belt line of the male hero.
Hyperbolically, I am surprised that anyone can even see the character without the use of a magnifying glass. In truth, what the author is describing is a standard size 4th grader around the age of 9 or 10. Otherwise, if not an actual elementary school age child, the author is describing a little person. Either way, I find it distasteful that so very much effort is put into the idea that sexual attractiveness is predicated on being child-like.
I would wonder that the authors who insist on describing their female heroines using only the word “small”, and every synonym thereof, realises that they are describing a child as their idealised version of femininity. Alexandra is described as being approximately 3’-4’ tall. The author repeatedly asserts that the character is small, tiny, petite, little, diminutive, minuscule, et al - often more than once in a single sentence with her chin barely above the belt line of the male hero.
Hyperbolically, I am surprised that anyone can even see the character without the use of a magnifying glass. In truth, what the author is describing is a standard size 4th grader around the age of 9 or 10. Otherwise, if not an actual elementary school age child, the author is describing a little person. Either way, I find it distasteful that so very much effort is put into the idea that sexual attractiveness is predicated on being child-like.
November 10, 2013
I keep being surprised by some of the free books available, this one is more than it first appears. The characters are well developed and likable or horrible depending on who it is. The story is good, it has enough depth to keep the reader well entertained and the groundwork is laid for future books. My only real criticism is that it seemed to drag in the middle, covering the same ground I found myself skimming over bits but then it found its feet again and the end while good seemed very rushed. This said its a very good enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the next one.
May 10, 2013
This book was amazing! I really loved the story line. I actually liked the hero Sutton and the heroine Alexandra. I loved how she called him a Peacock and he called her a Badger.
This book was one of the best paced books I have read in a long time. They didn't fall in love too fast or in bed too fast. There was flirtation and interest and then love. A little steam.
I can't wait to read about the hero's friends, I really hope Ms. Ayers has books planned for them also!
This book was one of the best paced books I have read in a long time. They didn't fall in love too fast or in bed too fast. There was flirtation and interest and then love. A little steam.
I can't wait to read about the hero's friends, I really hope Ms. Ayers has books planned for them also!
July 20, 2015
This was by far the most frustrating read of my life. Characters that were plagued by stupidity so profound it made my palms itch to slap them. The book was an unfortunate mix of all the over used clichés of HRs. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was for few lovely scenes of their wedding and honeymoon. Also for Miranda and the Grandmother. I have never considered the hours I spend reading a waste of my time.....well not until this novel anyway.
July 30, 2016
That was the ending?
What a serious disappointment. The story tons of twists and turns, and was entertaining. Then a terrible ending. At around 85℅ the book turned to crap. Even the epilogue was annoying.
What a serious disappointment. The story tons of twists and turns, and was entertaining. Then a terrible ending. At around 85℅ the book turned to crap. Even the epilogue was annoying.
December 8, 2019
The heroine in this book was quite annoying, and the hero acted quite stupidly many times.There were quite a few villains and it took forever to get their comeuppance.
I do not feel compelled to finish this series.
I do not feel compelled to finish this series.
Want to read
October 28, 2024🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/5/2019)! 🎁
July 12, 2020
What even was this book?
Good Gods, it was a complete mess.
The story, if I can call it that, was completely ridiculous.
Didn't work for me at all. Regret reading this book.
Good Gods, it was a complete mess.
The story, if I can call it that, was completely ridiculous.
Didn't work for me at all. Regret reading this book.
August 12, 2023
“She [was] a tiny, foul-tempered, opinionated little Badger!” and “[he was] vainglorious, arrogant, depraved... peacock!”
In many ways Wicked’s Scandal feels like an old school, ‘bodice ripper’ novel: it has a lots of exciting and swoony moments, entertaining charming banter, great sex scenes, some unexpectedly dark themes and… very chaotic plot with over the top villains.
So, yes, I had a lot of fun reading it!
First of all, I loved the banter; I’m a sucker for any type of word play or pet names, so Sutton and Alex’s whole thing about them being Badger and Peacock was perfect for me. I adored ever second they bickered and teased each other.
Secondly, I loved the chemistry between the main couple. They had a lot of it and there was this sweetly tight tension around them that was just so god.
Because, let me tell you - this book is definitely horny. Mostly because of Sutton, who is almost a perfect example of larger than life romance hero. He’s sexy, arrogant and charming, his hair is just a shy too long to be appropriate, and he wears an earring. Not to mention he has a dragon tattoo all over his body. There is this aura of mystery around him, but apparently everyone knows just how many women he slept with and how good he is in bed. You know what I mean, when I say larger than life, swoony romance hero? Yeah… Too bad, he can also be kind of an asshole.
Other reviews already mentioned that, so I’m not going to go into much details, but I also was taken aback when Sutton very deliberately and cruelly called Alex It honestly felt a little out of place in otherwise really entertaining and romantic read.
And I get that, this is also (maybe) kind of fitting with the type of romance hero the author wrote Sutton to be, but still.
Alexandra was a great partner for Sutton; I loved how the balanced each other, albeit sometimes her gullibility was nerve wrecking. I rooted for her, and cheered her on when she befriended the Dowager and Sutton’s sister.
Lastly, I actually liked this book’s chaotic structure. The plot definitely takes a sharp turn somewhere around half of the story, where suddenly it goes from pretty light and fun, to My only complaint is how rushed the ending was; I have a feeling it might have been sort of set up for the next book in the series, because some of the events probably happen simultaneously in both stories.
Wicked’s Scandal was highly entertaining, swoony, and exciting book. It had a lot of great banter, sexy chemistry and sweetly hot romance.
The only things I didn’t necessary liked about it were Sutton’s, at times, questionable behavior and choice of words, plus the really messy ending.
4/5 stars
July 15, 2020
This was almost a 5 star book, it was so close, I really wanted to give it 5 stars but just could not.
Here’s what I loved about this book! I love loved loved Alex she’s feisty and says what she means to say. I relate a lot to her and how she says things regardless of how people feel. I loved her inner thoughts . I found myself laughing so much in the first half of the book. Especially when she would say damnation. She’s a spit fire for sure and prolly the reason why I gave the book 4 stars . The hero is fun too he goes by satin and I hear ya what a dumb name but it actually makes it funny because the h calls him a peacock and says he’s full of himself . They were a fun couple .
What I didn’t like about this book was the couple hardly spent time together. I think they had 5 scenes until the got married to each other . I really don’t like it when I’m reading a book and the couple does not have that many scenes together . So that was a deduction. I also wish I got to see more of Alex’s humor near the middle she sort of looses her spunky attitude granted she was drugged but I would have loved more spunk throughout the story.
There’s a nice amount of steam in this book. We have a scene where Alex actually spies by mistake on Sutton getting a blow job, that was fun lol then we have some good kissing scenes and a few almost sex . The couple does not have full sex until their wedding night. So for all you steam lovers out there this book is not lacking it will leave you pleased.
There is a kidnapping at the end, I’m not really a fan of those type of endings but there may be some of you who are.
Here’s what I loved about this book! I love loved loved Alex she’s feisty and says what she means to say. I relate a lot to her and how she says things regardless of how people feel. I loved her inner thoughts . I found myself laughing so much in the first half of the book. Especially when she would say damnation. She’s a spit fire for sure and prolly the reason why I gave the book 4 stars . The hero is fun too he goes by satin and I hear ya what a dumb name but it actually makes it funny because the h calls him a peacock and says he’s full of himself . They were a fun couple .
What I didn’t like about this book was the couple hardly spent time together. I think they had 5 scenes until the got married to each other . I really don’t like it when I’m reading a book and the couple does not have that many scenes together . So that was a deduction. I also wish I got to see more of Alex’s humor near the middle she sort of looses her spunky attitude granted she was drugged but I would have loved more spunk throughout the story.
There’s a nice amount of steam in this book. We have a scene where Alex actually spies by mistake on Sutton getting a blow job, that was fun lol then we have some good kissing scenes and a few almost sex . The couple does not have full sex until their wedding night. So for all you steam lovers out there this book is not lacking it will leave you pleased.
There is a kidnapping at the end, I’m not really a fan of those type of endings but there may be some of you who are.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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