I Thee Wed

Wicked Worthingtons #4

by Celeste Bradley

From the New York Times bestselling author of With This Ring comes a Wicked Worthington novel of love that defies reason...

Intelligent and driven, Orion Worthington aspired to be like his mentor, the acclaimed scientist Sir Geoffrey Blayne. Logically, Sir Geoffrey’s daughter would be Orion’s perfect match. So why can’t he keep his mind off the unruly girl who works in Sir Geoffrey’s lab?

Orphaned fire-cracker Francesca Penrose hopes that London is modern enough to accept her brilliant mind despite her womanhood. But she can’t help noticing Orion’s mind...or his body.

So they decide to run an experiment: if they give in to their passions, their attraction will simply fizzle out, with no impact on their hearts...right?

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Autistic Spectrum Disorder

335 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Visit me at www.CelesteBradley.com or facebook.com/CelesteBradleyAuthor :)
Go to CelesteBradley.com/newsletter for my Voice of Society newsletter.

Hi, my name is Celeste Bradley and I write "brain chocolate." That is, I write fun and sexy escapism is for hardworking women everywhere. We deserve a little man-candy, too!

Reviewers like to say I write about misfit heroines getting the man of their dreams. Maybe that's true, but don't we all feel like misfits sometimes? Even if the rest of the world thinks we have all our balls in the air, aren't we juggling like mad on the inside, desperately trying not to drop one?

I love this manic, scattered life I lead. I love to write, craft, garden, bake and mother, even if I don't always do it all perfectly. I love living in the Southwest, with its big sky and vast desert views. I love venturing out of my quiet life to meet readers and other writers, and then I love to come back to my haven, full of ideas and renewed passion and creativity.

Maybe one of those times I'll meet you!

Hugs,
and thanks for reading!

Reviews

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.

I Thee Wed features a science-minded hero and heroine; however, despite an equal appreciation for scientific investigation, that does not mean that they are perfectly matched. While Orion Worthington is strictly logical when it comes to his experiments, Francesca Penrose embraces the more unexplained side of science. Since Orion has come on board as Francesca’s uncle’s assistant, their difference in opinion naturally leads to some heated confrontations. When antagonism turns to lust the pair decide to launch an experiment: one night together, then they’ll both be able to return to their work without any distractions. Needless to say, the plan goes awry and distraction abounds.

The romance between Francesca and Orion was delightfully witty and fun. I know some people are bothered by modernism in the historical romance genre, so I would suggestion approaching I Thee Wed with caution. Since I am not one of those readers, I found I Thee Wed to be a highly entertaining read. I particularly enjoyed Orion more logical tendencies and his complete befuddlement when confronted with the vibrancy of Francesca. Francesca is flighty and spontaneous but she remains a scientist and has no trouble giving Orion a piece of her mind or some of her Italian cooking if all else fails.

Despite the more zany elements of the novel (i.e. Orion’s family) there were some flashes of seriousness that tempered the more unbelievable elements. Specifically, I liked the fact that both Francesca and Orion felt out of place in their families. In Orion’s case, he feels that he wants more structure and less clutter that has every been present in his family life. He loves his family but he doesn’t always understand them. Francesca, who is half-English and half-Italian, has come to England because he Italian family has always claimed that she was too English. Now that she’s arrived in England, she finds that she doesn’t fit that mould either. The basis of the romance between these two is the fact that they feel at home when they are with each other. With Orion, Francesca feels that she’s found someone that appreciates and understands her mind; she even fits right in with his insane family. And in Orion case, he seems to come out of his shell around Francesca and embraces the family traits that he had previously repudiated. So, there’s more to the romance than lust, much as the hero and heroine would have liked to have thought overwise.

My one little quibble has to do with a choice Orion makes close to the end of the novel. Orion chooses to hide something from Francesca all in the name of “protecting her”. Sigh. Personally, I could have done without Orion’s protective tendencies. For the majority of the book, Orion demonstrates that he thinks of Francesca as an equal and he throws that believe out the window when he makes this decision that’s going to impact Francesca. Orion’s reasoning for this was weak and it was a bit of a let down in an otherwise really fun read. I suppose I can’t have it all, and it’s not as if folks done make dumb calls outside of a romance book (clearly I’m expecting perfection in the historical romance genre!).

I Thee Wed is the first book by Celeste Bradley that I have read and it was a great introduction to the Worthington family. I didn’t feel like I was missing out too much, but it does convince me that I should check out the first three books in the series. Future books also promise to be highly anticipated; the Worthingtons are unconventional and I want to read more about them!

[Sherwood Smith]

Copy received courtesy of NetGalley

Part of a series, this sexy romance is set in a veneer of Regency London. Readers who know the period might wince at liberties taken with etiquette, custom, and language such as: A duke gives a ball without a hostess, the hero and heroine are on first name basis with a male dress-maker, the heroine wears a gown of gabardine—a canvas-like fabric invented around 1880 for coats and trousers but readers looking for a hero and heroine who are physically aroused at first sight of one another will be delighted with this romp.

Orion Worthington is a scientist, alone of his family determined to have a career. He is accepted as the latest assistant to the grumpy, somewhat mysterious Sir Geoffrey Blayne, who half-promises the hand of his beautiful daughter Judith in marriage. If Orion successfully performs a experiment.

But Orion is distracted by the beautiful Judith’s half-Italian cousin Francesca, who is also a scientist. From his first glance at Francesca, Orion is in a state of arousal, which at first he tries hard to fight, as he wants the career that success for Sir Geoffrey can offer. Meanwhile, his wild thirteen-year-old sister Atalanta sneaks into the house to spy and listen at doors, sidetracked when she meets a very young, scientifically minded, Charles Darwin. Which leads to some laboratory disasters.

Much high-jinks abound as Francesca and Orion sneak into the lab for kisses and start heading for the silken sheets; before they get their happily ever after they must solve the mystery concerning the unlikable Sir Geoffrey, and also see that Judith gets her happily ever after as well.

[Barbara Peters · Rating 1 out of 5]

A RATHER STUPID BOOK

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orion Worthtington is a serious, organised scientist who aspires to the Fraternity of Life Sciences. When he was offered the opportunity to become the assistant of the eminent Sir Geoffrey Blayne, he jumps on the occasion. Furthermore, Sir Geoffrey has the perfect daughter, Judith, for Orion to advance his career. She is everything his boisterous, nearly scandalous family is not. But when he goes to live in Blayne House, Orion meets Judith’s cousin, the voluptuous Francesca with the slight Italian accent, and very soon all Orion’s well-laid plans go out the window!

I loved the eccentric Worthingtons right from the start, I knew I was going to be thoroughly entertained, and I certainly was! I THEE WED is the latest in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone; however I plan on reading the previous books, because it was just too much fun! Francesca is a fabulous character: she’s a biologist, she’s an original, full of life and impulsive. Apart from being a scientist, she’s Orion’s polar opposite, however she’s exactly like the other Worthingtons, to Orion’s initial dismay. Orion is an unusual hero, to my utter delight, and I just loved him as well; what a perfect couple! Francesca and Orion are instantly smitten with each other, and they fight it for as long as they can. I THEE WED is a delightful cocktail of romance, as well as hilarious highjinks from Orion’s younger sister Attie. Ms. Bradley’s stunning attention to detail infuses this book with a sense of authenticity, in spite of the outrageousness of some of the shenanigans that take place. Orion and Francesca’s infatuation with each other is in turns amusing, touching, sensuous, passionate, restrained, and very romantic. I THEE WED is also gloriously well written, with very witty dialogues, and vivid descriptions that make everything and everyone feel absolutely real. The characters are fascinating, and there are surprises galore as everything unfolds, a historical character makes a cameo appearance, and the conclusion is simply fabulous! The way the author dealt with a deception that threatened the happiness of some characters was perfect and absolutely logical. I had feared that the book might conclude hurriedly, and it was decidedly not the case. A fun, intelligent, and totally romantic story!


I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori ◡̈ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this series is not going well for me. I was excited during the first few chapters, as I loved that the hero was different. Like autistic, socially awkward, a virgin!, very emotionally blunt kind of different. The heroine was a very likable girl too, she tried to remain cheerful in her circumstances, I loved that she liked to cook, and was just starved to find family to fit in with. I loved the instant attraction they had for each and couldn’t wait to see it play out....

But what went wrong was just too many side characters, and too much focus on them, too much focus on science experiments, the extremely unusual family of the hero (I found them to be idiotic, esp the parents). At about half-way thru there still was not any romantic progress, but still going on about the hero’s younger sister and her antics.... I just lost interest. Too bad too, I think this could have been a fun romance had there been more focus on the couple.

[Aila · Rating 4 out of 5]

So damn cute!

The Worthingtons (family of this series) prove to be a fairly amusing and lovably family that is to be read more for entertainment than anything, really. And omg the romance - pulls at my heartstrings so much. An unflappable Orion whose mind speaks in science meets his downfall with a passionate Italian scientist. They're all cutie patooties.

[Ela (Mouse333) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fine, but I expected to see more of Orion’s family, and I thought that Francesca’s personality could have been shown more instead of just being described by the people around her.

I liked Francesca and Orion, but I wanted to see more scenes where they spend time together, as it seemed like most of the time, it was just them thinking about each other. Also, Francesca is described as liking science but also being creative. This wasn’t really shown. There were a few scenes where she’s with her rabbits, and a few where she cooks, but I wanted to see more.

Orion’s family was mentioned, but I wanted to see more of them, especially Attie who constantly appeared out of nowhere. Francesca’s uncle and cousin aren’t really shown, but I didn’t really like her cousin.

The plot was fine, but since this book was supposed to be about scientists, I expected there to be more detailed scenes about Francesca and Orion doing experiments.

This book was fine, and while I want to continue with this series, I don’t think that I will read the next one as it doesn’t sound like something I would like. I want to try Lysander’s book, but I’m really hoping that Attie gets her own book. Also, I would be interested in reading about Button and Cabot.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was rather disappointing.
I am starting to see a trend in my opinion of Celeste Bradley's books in this series.
They actually start out with different/exciting premise, that falls flat throughout the story.
This one focuses on Orion Worthington, which had everything to be my type of hero. Neurodivergent, scientific minded, extremely focused in his pursuits.
The heroine was also very interesting, loveable, intelligent, educated, scientific minded, italian, loves to cook.
It had everything to be great... and it wasn't.
It was an enjoyable read, as they are light books, but not particularly steamy. The plot also fell short.
It was just disappointing, because I was expecting more based on the start of the book.
I am determined to end the series, but unenthusiastic about it.
This one was a 2.5 rounded to 3

[Reading in Brussels · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning was pretty solid, I thought for sure this was going towards at least a 4 star. I was enjoying the writing, and the prose . . . until it got tedious.
So many unnecessary side scenes, while I was hoping for more on-page interactions between the mains. Paragraphs and paragraphs of description of scenes - hate those. I am more of a dialogue girl. I LOVED the scientist MC, and the quirky family, however it was not enough to maintain my interest. I absolutely wanted to read the whole thing, but I was dreading picking up the book every time. I felt that I was leafing through just for the sake of.
This, unfortunately, ends up a dnf for me.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I love this series!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunnies Everywhere

This was so much fun I’m going to have to go back and read the rest of the series. I love stories with unique families and the Worthingtons definitely count!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun Worthington tale. Orion is the scientific one in the family. He is logical and has walled off his emotions. He craves the peace and order that is the very opposite of what can be found in his home, among his eccentric family members. So he accepts the invitation of Sir Geoffrey Blayne to become his lab assistant and stay at his home. There is also the possibility of winning the hand of Sir Geoffrey's daughter Judith, as well as gaining entry to the scientific community.

Francesca is Sir Geoffrey's niece, the half-English half-Italian daughter of his brother. She came to England to stay with this part of her family, after realizing that she doesn't fit in with her Italian family, who considers her "too English". Francesca is intelligent, having her own scientific aptitudes, but also passionate, sassy, and playful. She plans to avoid marriage and devote her time to her research.

Orion's arrival at the Blayne house has all the seriousness that he could desire, until he meets Francesca. He is immediately struck by her beauty and her fire, to the point where everything else fades away. He is supposed to work on specific research and also be available to escort Judith, but his mind keeps drifting to her. I loved seeing his confusion at being so affected by her. Francesca has made a small place for herself in the lab, the only place her uncle allows her to work. She is just as drawn to Orion. I loved seeing them argue their scientific viewpoints, all the time fighting the attraction simmering below. Francesca eventually proposes that they give in to their attraction, expecting that it will then be out of their systems and they can return to normal life. It doesn't quite work out that way, and what they experience only serves to increase their need for each other. Francesca's realization of her feelings coincides with an event that forces Orion to end his relationship with her. His own epiphany takes a little longer, but is in time to rescue both Francesca and their relationship.

Sir Geoffrey feels a little off from the very beginning. His attitude toward Judith is not one of a loving father but of a man who uses others for his own purposes. For a scientist he seems to be terribly uninvolved in the research that he is promoting and it isn't long before his actions become suspicious. I had a feeling about his plans for Orion and it turned out I was right. I ached for Orion when he discovered the truth and cheered for what he did next. I loved what he and his family came up with and I loved seeing Sir Geoffrey get what is coming to him. The ending was intense and pretty scary as it was occurring, and also provided some humor at the end.

The secondary characters were pretty good also. Judith was a foil for Francesca, so quiet and always doing her father's bidding. But there was a little more to her than first appeared, and I liked seeing some bits of rebellion. I really enjoyed seeing her finally go after what she wanted. My favorite, however, was Orion's little sister Attie. In previous books she has tried to sabotage her siblings' relationships, but she has matured a little bit here and instead settles on trying to influence it instead. Attie is scarily intelligent and fearless in her actions. Her appearances in the book tend to herald disaster or mayhem of some kind, usually caused by something she has done. I also liked seeing more of the Worthington family. They are still just as odd as ever, but their love for each other still shines through. I really loved seeing how they simply absorbed Francesca into the group and how much at home she felt with them.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I haven't read the previous books in the series, but the prologue and the first chapters give us enough information to make us understand what happened to the other couples before and that it's about an unusual and eccentric family who may be judged by the ton but they found them too entertaining to cast them away from society.

Orion Worthington love his family, but his temperament is different from their chaotic, outrageous and unpredictable attitude. He's more the logical and serious type. He's also a biologist. So when the opportunity to become the new assistant of Sir Geoffrey Blayne, a renowned scientist, he's happy to take a leave of his parents, one cousin, four brothers and three sisters.

Two surprise awaits the hero at Blayne House. A comical one that I won't reveal and the second is Sir Geoffrey's niece, a bold, confident and challenging lady. His patron imply that he wouldn't be against a match between Orion and his daughter Judith, but it's Francesca, the niece, who will make the rational hero with science on the brain think about something else and about other type of experiment.

Half-English, half-Italian, Francesca Penrose have a fiery personality and she doesn't care for other people's opinion or what is proper for a lady. She find the newcomer extremely attractive but not really expressive at first. But it's all gonna change in contact with the passionate woman. Love is just like science after all; you just need to mix the good ingredients together.

I'm having a hard time decide what rating to give this one. The writing style was great, the characters too, the secondary ones also, and I love reading about beloved family, but I think the good ideas were not always well executed. Except from the last chapters, the pace was too slow and it felt like not much is happening. When I read romance, I want to know what the hero and heroine is thinking and to know their sexy thoughts, but I don't like when there's too many inner thoughts about it. That's probably why I hesitate, because I liked the proposition but I feel like there was too much thinking and not enough happening. But there's also the fact that there was too many infringements to the conventions. Once again, that's a thing I enjoy in historical or else the protagonists would not have occasions to learn to know each other and it can bring an intimacy that wouldn't be possible otherwise, but I need to be able to believe in most of the circumstance. And finally, the scene of the fire with Orion's family was just too bizarre. Actually, it was the people's reaction, or lack of, that was too peculiar. I know they are an unusual bunch, but it was just too emotionless to be believable.

But for the big loving family, I think I need to read an other book from the series to decide if it's one I want to follow.

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS SO MUCHHHHHHH
STEM HERO WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL CONSTIPATION

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and scientific romance. Each installment of this series just seems to be getting better.

This edition to the series focuses on Orion, the cold and scientific minded middle brother, and Francesca Penrose. Orion has been offered an apprenticeship with Sir Geoffrey Blayne, a famous science, and he leaps at the chance. Not only will be able to study under a renowned scientist, but Sir Geoffrey can smooth Orion's way into the greater scientific community, and he has the chance to court his daughter, Judith. Orion is also looking forward to being free of the chaos of the Worthington household. Francesca is Sir Geoffrey's niece and half-Italian. Raised in Italy, she has recently come to England in order to get to know her English family. She never quite fit in with her Italian family and hoped things would be different in England, but so far they aren't. Her uncle has little use for her or the idea of women scientists, and Judith is reserved and closed off. She's been able to crave out a small space herself in her uncle's household, but it isn't really what she wants, and she keeps hoping for something more.

There is an instant attraction between Orion and Francesca when they meet, and what he feels for Judith is nothing comparable to what he feels for Francesca. Through a series of science-related mishaps, the two fall in love, but things aren't at all what they seem in the Blayne-household. Neither Sir Geoffrey nor Judith are what they seem, and unfortunately, both Orion and Francesca realize it too late, and Orion is stuck in a truly difficult spot. With the help of the Worthington family though, they are able to defeat their villains and live happily-ever-after.

I liked both the leads. The cold, rational man who falls in love with the light spirited woman is always a favorite of mine. Of course, I really I liked this version because both Orion and Francesca are people of science, even if they don't agree on their theories. Neither are really looking for love, but decide to pursue their attraction to one another and end up in love despite themselves. Neither one of them have ever really fit. Orion was always the calm and rational member of the Worthington family, and he realizes once he leaves his family that he has been apart from them for a long time. It's only once he has left his family that he realizes what he has with them and learns to appreciate and connect with them again. Francesca was the odd one out in both her Italian and English families, but with Orion and the Worthingtons, she finds a place where she belongs for the first time. Orion and Francesca aren't just finding each other, they're a family as well.

I also liked that they were both virgins. I feel like 90% of HR heroes are rakes, so it's nice to have a hero who is the exact opposite of that. Both he and Francesca are experiencing all forms of love for the first time which I found sweet.

Each installment of the series also makes the Worthington family more human and enjoyable to read. I think part of this is because in each volume we're learning more about the family as whole, and the various trials and tribulations that have forged them. They're becoming more human instead of the manic mob that appeared in Callie's book. I have to applaud Bradley for so thoroughly transforming my thoughts on the Worthington family. Even Attie is growing on me.

Elektra's book is probably still my favorite, but this is an excellent followup to that, and both Orion and Francesca are delightful leads.

[Ermione Pickwick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will start by saying that I am italian.
We italian are very touchy about italian food. Especially about those things that are very wrongly attributed to italian cuisine when you wouldn't be able to find them anywhere in the italian peninsula.
The Bolognese sauce is one of them.
Now, lets be clear, we do have a sauce invented in Bologna that is very similar to what is called Bolognese sauce, and this is ragù, and there's no oregano and basil in it, on the other hand there's a lot of minced beef. Every italian who was born in Italy and has grown up there knows it. Therefore Francesca should know it.

I have also to say that the italian in the book is mostly badly translated and I'm only at the 13% of the novel...

Concluding with my italian rant, there is also the matter of the heroine's nickname, "Chessa"; in italian (although written differently but with the same pronounciation) the word is used as an insult. I am pretty convinced no italian would accept to be called so.

Yes, I know that this novel is meant to be for a english speaking public, and so damn italian...however, the perfection is shown in the details.

I must admit that my enthusiasm has been slightly turned off but I will keep reading and pretend not to see the imprecisions, if there will be others, I indeed find the plot very interesting and I do want to know where it's going.

FINAL OPINION: Despite my perseverance, summing up, I didn't like this novel and honestly the italian problem above mentioned is really the last thing in the line.
I couldn't feel any connection with and between the characters, their attraction to one another is only written, not perceivable.
Orion is often too full of himself, in a pompous way, and definitely not charming;
Francesca (who carries the same name of the famous Francesa, lover of Paolo and protagonists of the most beautiful love verses ever written - pity they don't have anything in common) probably is the best character in the romance but she's a bit plain, not really a tridimensional protagonist.
However, I must say there are two entertaining aspects, first the author can depict very steamy sexual scenes. Second, the final chapters.

Dulcis in fundo, what I really couldn't stand even a bit was Atalanta, Orion's younger sister. Again, I don't mind an extremely confident character a priori, but Gosh, this is another level. She acts in ways that are everything but realistic and in a short time she becames a joke.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I Thee Wed” by Celeste Bradley is part of the ‘Wicked Worthingtons’ series and centers on Orion Worthington, who finds a mentor to help further his career as a biologist. There are strings attached to his tenure, including the chance to marry the man’s daughter, Julia, but he finds himself far more fascinated by the Francesca Penrose, the man’s niece. Francesca is a scholar herself, but cannot get any academic recognition of her research. Orion has to navigate a minefield of challenges, and has to reevaluate whether he truly wants to get away from his eccentric and effervescent family or accept them (and Francesca) and embrace his inner spontaneous nature.

This historical romance provides a wonderfully wacky story peopled by unique and fascinating characters. I adore Orion’s youngest sister, Atalanta (Attie), who is described by one character as a cat, able to get into and out of the most unusual places. The thumbnail descriptions of the Worthington family and their sometimes lackadaisical approach to life (e.g. the pile that gets deposited outside of a stuck door) gives a vivid impression of how unique each of them is and definitely makes me curious about the other stories in the series.

I felt that characters such as Judith were sadly two-dimensional, but perhaps that is because of the contrast to the vivacity of Francesca and her approach to the world. The scientist in me wants to know more about her project with the bunnies and the hints of genetic studies and it was very entertaining to see that a budding science luminary crosses paths with the folks in this book, and is perhaps somewhat swayed by the heroine’s interests. The peek into the viciously competitive world of scientific exploration and the venality that could accompany genius is sobering but it was interesting to see the various facets of exploration and depressing to see the difference in opportunity highlighting the gender divide.

I definitely enjoyed the two characters highlighted in this fast-moving story and was captivated by the combination of humor and romance that characterized their tale. I had a bit of trouble believing the events around the exciting climax but I definitely will be looking for other stories featuring the Worthingtons, and I can’t wait to find out who will capture Attie’s heart and hope the tailor/dressmaker Buttons finally gets his HEA as well!

A copy of this title was provided me for review.

© Night Owl Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a couple of the other books in "The Wicked Worthington Series," and thought I'd give this one a try.

Orion Worthington, a serious scientist, is desperate to get away from his eccentric family, so he leaps at the opportunity to work with the distinguished Sir Geoffrey Blayne. He'll be living with Blayne and will have access to his amazing laboratory for his plant studies. Even better, Blayne's made it clear that he would welcome Orion as a suitor for his beautiful daughter Judith. However, all of Orion's careful plans are smashed when he's introduced to Blayne's bewitching neice, Francesca Penrose, who's come to stay with her uncle from her native Italy. Francesca's equally smitten -- and soon she and Orion are falling hard for each other. However, evan as Orion and Francesca's relationship catches fire, they realize that something's amiss in the household. Sir Geoffrey is acting strangely, and Judith is pre-occupied -- but they're so focused on each other that Orion discovers too late that Sir Geoffrey's 'made him an offer he can't refuse.'

The characters offer an interesting contrast. Francesca's a smoldering sensualist; she's smart and caring, but she also craves the stimulation of the senses. She loves to cook and eat great food. She enjoys the outdoors; she's absolutely effervescent. Orion has cast aside emotion in favor of logic; he's worked diligently to separate himself from his wildly outrageous family. While he loves them, he sees them as obstacles in his path to knowledge and the pursuit of science. But watch out -- when these two get together, sparks fly...and then burst into flames. Wowser....considering that both Orion and Francesca are virgins, they really burn up the sheets!!!

So...I liked the book, but I think I'm done with the Worthington family. Like Orion, I'm just exhausted by all their outlandish shenanigans. They're just too over-the-top for me.

[Debra Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read any of the previous books in the Worthington series, but it was not a problem because although there was some mention of Orion Worthington's siblings, they were not really a part of this story except for his youngest sister, Atalanta. It was refreshing to see that Orion was a serious scientist who has not had many interactions with women beyond the women in his family, instead of a notorious rake. When a rare opportunity presents itself for Orion to become the assistant to the renowned scientist, Sir Geoffrey Blayne, he jumps at the chance. As part of the bargain, he will be allowed to court Sir Geoffrey's beautiful daughter, Judith. This is everything that Orion has ever hoped for, that is, until he meets Judith's Italian cousin, Francesca Penrose.

I thoroughly enjoyed Francesca's character--a woman who enjoys life to its fullest and is not afraid to buck convention when it concerns how a woman should behave. She was full of passion and had a wonderful zeal for life as well as a keen-intellect that she was not afraid to reveal when the occasion arose. The interactions between Orion and Francesca got steamy at times and I did skip over some of the more drawn out love scenes. Too much graphic description has a tendency to ruin the passion for me. The pacing of the story did lag in some spots and I found some of the internal dialogue to be repetitive. However, the added unexpected antics of Atalanta threw some funny scenes into the story. Without revealing any spoilers, I found the ending to be satisfying.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Books Her · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available this month: I Thee Wed (The Wicked Worthington Series)

***3.5/5 stars- Really liked it

This Celeste Bradley novel is lighthearted fun - from beginning to end.

Recommended readers:

Readers of English historical fiction
Looking for a fun, lighthearted romance
Fans of Celeste Bradley, Sabrina Jeffries and more

Here's my Rankings:

3.5/5 for characters
3.5/5 for plot
3.5/5 overall

REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:
From rabbits to pesky sisters to exploding experiments, I Thee Wed is fabulous fun from beginning to end. Despite being the least dramatic member of the Worthington family, Orion Worthington's lovestory is anything but boring ... thanks in part to his counterpart, Francesca Penrose, a budding scientist who hopes to overcome gender bias of the time. Celeste Bradley has a knack for writing fun, passionate and witty stories. Any historical romance buff will enjoy Bradley's latest in the Worthington Series.

Available on Amazon this month:  I Thee Wed (The Wicked Worthington Series)

 

[Phoenix77 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am torn about Celeste Bradley’s new release, I Thee Wed. It’s a cute story of an analytically minded gentleman finding passion in the arms of an intelligent woman, but it falters in its uneven pacing and a sense that the author betrays her smart characters by having them make silly mistakes.

Orion Worthington sees himself as nothing like the artistic and emotional members of his family. Where his parents, siblings and cousins are all driven by what their hearts desire, Orion is dedicated to matters of the mind. Determined to use his scientific gifts to escape the stigma that comes with being a “Wicked Worthington” Orion jumps at the opportunity to apprentice in the laboratory of the celebrated Sir Geoffrey Blayne. The offer of employment comes with the added chance to court the man’s beautiful daughter, Judith, and possibly marry into a prestigious family of the ton. Working with a respected scientist and having a society woman as his bride would be the first steps to the future Orion has always planned for, yet those plans begin to unravel once he meets Sir Geoffrey’s niece Francesca Penrose.

Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting regency romance with intriguing characters. I liked the story line with the main hero to me is Orion Worthington. He is an intelligent man who looks forward in leaving his family's home to work with a renowned scientist. His family is not really in the ton's sphere but are tolerated anyway. When Orion arrives to do his study with Sir Geoffrey Blayne, he meets the niece who is sharing the space with her own work.
Francesca Penrose is from Italy who came to live with her uncle in London. She knows that her uncle doesn't care about her, but wants a match with Orion and his daughter. It would be very beneficial to Orion who wants to introduced to a society of known scientists.
But Francesca is a distraction to Orion when working in the laboratory. He feels a need to kiss the pretty woman who turns his lust on high when ever she's around. He wants to bed her but being a gentleman and a virgin (who knew!) he thinks of his duty to wed the other woman.
It was kinda slow in parts, but I enjoyed it to the end. Orion feels love but knows that Francesca will be a hard sell to come to him with love in her heart.
I really appreciated Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

[pauliree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the Worthingtons are my all time favourite Regency family. And there are at least 5 siblings to come, although the next book seems to be about Bliss, a cousin who just popped up out of nowhere. I would have preferred the next one to be Lysander or Dade but they will probably be saved until the end, or heartbroken Pol. If you haven't read any of this series I heartily recommend them, they are a seriously wacky family.

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from Netgalley

Yet another excellent installment in the series about these wonderfully eccentric and hilarious Worthingtons.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's post is on I Thee Wed by Celeste Bradley. It is the fourth in her Wicked Worthingtons Series but you do not have to have read the first three to understand and enjoy the story. It is 335 pages long and is published by Signet Select. The cover has main female character on it looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes romance. There is mild foul language, sex, and no violence in this book. The story is told from the third person close of different characters moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Intelligent and driven, Orion Worthington aspired to be like his mentor, the acclaimed scientist Sir Geoffrey Blayne. Logically, Sir Geoffrey’s daughter would be Orion’s perfect match. So why can’t he keep his mind off the unruly girl who works in Sir Geoffrey’s lab?
Orphaned fire-cracker Francesca Penrose hopes that London is modern enough to accept her brilliant mind despite her womanhood. But she can’t help noticing Orion’s mind...or his body.
So they decide to run an experiment: if they give in to their passions, their attraction will simply fizzle out, with no impact on their hearts...right?

Review- This is a fun and sweet love story. Francesca is looking for a family to love and Orion is looking for respect as a scientist. Together they cause trouble and they are fun to read about. Bradley creates a wonderful family in the Worthingtons. They are interesting, they do things, and they are not just background for the love story. I really liked the scenes with the whole family in them. Chessa is a confident woman when she decides to make her move and while Orion can be a little slow with her, he does get the idea soon enough. Of course there has to be complications between them and their happy ever after but once Chessa sets her mind on something nothing will stop her. I was pulling for Orion and Chessa and I had a very good time reading this book.

I give this volume Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled here.

It seemed as though Bradley wanted to paint Orion, and possibly Attie, as on the autism spectrum. I have problems with each.

First, Orion. Truly brilliant with some social awkwardness. Do these things make a character have autism? No. Compared to "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie", Orion just seems like another crazy member of his family. Because he is. He's not on the spectrum. He doesn't think about his inability to express his emotions, or feel emotions. Instead, he's magically cured by love. Nope.

Second, Attie. Again, painted as brilliant. No social awkwardness, just a forward teenage girl. Who has 0 discipline or rules or anything. So why try to put her on the spectrum? Are you going to try to explain away all her misdeeds with autism? Because that would make me exceedingly angry.

Maybe I'm wrong, though I'm not the only reviewer to have noticed the autism connection. But if Bradley is trying to create characters who are autistic, she needs to do a damn better job than this.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After recently discovering Bradley's work, I find I'm fascinated with the Worthingtons
What a wonderful oddball family Bradley has created! This is scholarly Orion's story. He takes the opportunity to work with a recognized scientist only to find it's not what it seems. He meets the delightful Francesca who shares his love of science. The two have a lot of obstacles to overcome and I found I enjoyed every minute of their story.

[Quenby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love nerdy scientists, though few are as gorgeous as Orion. Francesca is an earthy half Italian whirlwind who is also a scientist. The plot involves a seedy lord with an excellent laboratory and a beautiful daughter. Orion goes to work for him and is immediately smitten by Francesca, the lord’s visiting niece. The Worthington family is a large background presence. They are people of genius and love, although definitely without ton. It’s great fun watching various amours unfold.

[Ellen Shingleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I love Orion & Chessa ( and of course Attie) ... the only fault I had with this book was all the science... Science was not a good subject in school for me so my eyes kept glazing over on those parts and I would lose focus.... I am looking forward to the next book WEDDED BLISS... Bliss and Neville's book...

[Lita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so enjoyed these books about the Worthingtons. I wasn't too sure of this one initially, but Celeste Bradley did a wonderful job making a brainiac interesting and two of them falling in love. I read this one out of sequence, but it didn't hurt anything to do so. Each of these is a complete novel on it's own.