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Her Wicked Lord #2

His Hellion Ward

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Can Maggie’s touch heal her grouchy, injured guardian… or will it ignite a fire between them that burns hotter than sin.

Maggie has been looking out for herself for as long as she can remember, she doesn’t need a guardian. Especially not a brutish, scarred and overbearing Earl who thinks he can decide her future for her. She is determined to remain unmarried, dedicating herself to the study of medicinal plants and the care of her patients. The man might be fiendishly handsome, but he is not her master. No matter how many scalding hot looks he sends her way.

Simon Howard has returned from exile in India to find he’s inherited an Earldom… and a bluestocking ward that tests his patience in a way no woman has before. Despite her innocent appearance, his new ward is an irascible little minx, a doctor’s daughter with a penchant for talking back to her elders and gadding about the countryside without a chaperone. The lass was clearly in need of a man’s protection, and Simon was far too eager to take her in hand.

86 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2022

132 people are currently reading
145 people want to read

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Viola Grey

26 books98 followers

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5 stars
115 (31%)
4 stars
122 (33%)
3 stars
102 (27%)
2 stars
24 (6%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Kate V.
1,848 reviews370 followers
July 12, 2023
4.5 stars!

His Hellion Ward is another steamy and fun regency romance from Viola. Maggie is the witty, headstrong and free spirited woman who has just met her guardian after her father's passing. The Earl of Carlisle, Simon, is the grumpy and broody male that never expected to have a ward but once he's met her, her infuriating nature is also quite pleasing and all encompassing to his psyche.

“I am the Earl of Carlisle. And I do own this house. In fact, as your guardian, I practically own you as well.”


Maggie is such a delightful and refreshing character that gives it back to Simon in the best ways. Simon is the alpha male that never sees Maggie coming and never even has a chance to put real barriers up around his heart before she sneaks into his soul.

Will Simon find Maggie a husband or will his own heart get involved before decisions are made? This was a well done sunshine/grumpy enemies-to-lovers romance that had all the steam and all the swoony moments to keep me satisfied and engaged. I really enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Yesmina.
635 reviews37 followers
April 26, 2024
I enjoyed this so much!

FMC's father is dead and he left her as a ward to an old earl friend of his. For 6months her guardian did not come to her and the heroine is already grumpy. She just want to work in medicine and travel alone and be at peace alone.

One day, a grumpy man barge into her house, soaked in rain and began barking orders. When our sassy FMC confronted him, he said I'm the new earl after the death of your father, I own this house and I own you.

MMC never wanted to be an earl, he's grumpy and bitter. His bad temper only fueled FMC's anger. And it was so fun reading about them sparring and then make up in the sheets.

It's just that Historical Romance (the English one) is so generic to me. You expect the same dialogue about: let's have sex but I want to honor you. Tomorrow we will marry. Heroine is like: no need. Hero is like: there is a need because I love you. Heroine is like: love is more important to me than saving my reputation so OK. Then HEA.
375 reviews9 followers
June 29, 2023
A hero with a bad leg and a heroine with hands full of oil 🤭

Nice short story without timid characters!
Profile Image for kris.
1,084 reviews225 followers
December 8, 2024
Simon Howard, newly inherited Earl, shows up to handle his ward, Maggie, and ends up handling his ward, Maggie. If you know what I mean. They shout at one another, shout at one another, rub one out on one another, shout at one another, do oral sex at an assembly, and then bone one another in an empty hunter's shack. This results in "love".

1. Welp. Brevity is a skill. And this? was breve.

2. The thing is Maggie and Simon are cut-out dolls who insert tabs into slots and end up married. This isn't a bad thing, but the need to finish things with exchanged "I love yous" feels a mite ridiculous: at the point Simon says it, they've known each other for maybe 5 days? He's made a few arrogant demands; Maggie has tantrum'ed up and down the parlor; and they have each had three (3) orgasms on or about one another.

So "love" feels.........................a bit premature.

3. There are literally more sex scenes in this than conversations between the leads!!

4. I don't know much about medical history (although I do remember "miasma theory" because what the fuck), but Maggie handily showing up for an injured farmer and dousing everything in whiskey to prevent infection, stitching off the artery, prescribing bone broth for the blood loss, and then topping it off with a dollop of opium was—something.
Profile Image for Amanda books_ergo_sum.
676 reviews87 followers
July 25, 2023
This little story was great! Your classic ‘guardian trying to marry off his new ward except he’s jealous of every man who interacts with her’ story. With enough hurt-comfort and heroine competence kink (her dad was a doctor) to justify their quickly building attraction.

Also, face sitting 😌
Profile Image for M. &#9788;.
495 reviews5 followers
November 3, 2022
I… that was one of the hottest things I’ve read all year. Where has Viola Grey been hiding all my life?

A KU subscription is worth these novellas alone, seriously pick one up.
Profile Image for Kelspar.
462 reviews12 followers
November 23, 2024
Honestly bad.

Dumb and unbelievable plot. Hooking up the day after meeting, marriage proposal within a week. Fucking stupid. Both characters are very against getting married and make it very know but it only takes them a week. I understand this is a novella. But write different fucking characters if you want them to fall in love this fast. Do authors not realize when they have their characters act the polar opposite of how they've been established, it's jarring and unenjoyable? It takes the reader out of the story. It devalues the writing, the characters, the chemistry, everything. Why do they do this? Totally unbelievable feelings and plot.

I read one book by this author and liked it, but every book I've read after has sucked. They've been awful. This was so stupid idk if I can read another by the author.

I don't recommend this.
Profile Image for Nellie Herren.
408 reviews6 followers
August 7, 2023
3.5+⭐️ Bridgerton vibes - entertaining, short read.
Profile Image for Bonnie.
1,150 reviews19 followers
October 11, 2022
I received a copy of this from Booksprout and this is my freely given opinion.

Maggie recently lost her father, the local town doctor, and is now orphaned and waiting for her guardian to determine her future. She has not yet reached her majority, and aware that her new guardian, the Earl, may try to arrange a marriage for her. She has studied as a healer under her father and was hoping to be able to reach her majority and gain a small inheritance, to travel and study to be a healer. As it is at present, she is alone other than a couple of trusted servants, and while waiting to see what her future holds, continues her prior duties of helping with her fathers prior patients.

Simon, the new Earl of Carlisle blows into her home one stormy night, to take over the guardianship. It is a duty he does not care for, and it is obvious that he wants to discharge his responsibility as soon as possible - to marry her off to a local man ASAP. He is the bad boy second son who happened to inherit when his brother and father died in an accident, and he resents returning to take up the duties of the Earldom, and wants to return to India, where he had stayed for the last many years.

Maggie and Simon butt heads and strike red hot sparks off each other. Simon comes to realize that she is meant for far more than to marry a local squire to keep his house and raise his children, and ends up wanting her for himself, in his own bed.

This was a very quick and steamy novella. Maggie is a strong, smart heroine, and Simon a brooding hero. I rather enjoyed the story, but I did have issues with the emergency that Maggie was called to help a neighbouring farmer with; it was a cut artery due to an accident and I did not find the situation believable. A good vehicle to drive Maggie and Simon's adrenaline, and force Simon to realize how strong and admirable Maggie is... but not medically believable for me that she could get there in time and be able to help the injured farmer effectively.

But as a steamy novella, it was a fun, quick read.

3.25 stars out of 5.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
October 12, 2022
The second book in the Her Wicked Lord series, a well written short story with a very good storyline. Maggie is a headstrong young woman who likes taking care of people, Earl Simon Howard becomes her guardian. Their story has steam, two people learning to be together and romance. I enjoyed reading their story. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Roseann White.
73 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2023
Enjoy this author

MS Grey knows just what I like. The short steamy story. There is always the love hate relationship. Strong hero and heroine. And HEA! Her writing of the love scenes are tastefully written with just the right touch of of erotic heat. Loved it!
110 reviews6 followers
November 16, 2022
His Hellion Ward
Viola Grey
Simon Howard has returned from exile in India to find he’s inherited an Earldom… and a bluestocking ward that tests his patience in a way no woman has before. Despite her innocent appearance, his new ward is an irascible little minx, a doctor’s daughter with a penchant for talking back to her elders and gadding about the countryside without a chaperone. Maggie is an independent woman who heals others and does not want to marry. Her Guardian sees things his way. The lass is clearly in need of a man’s protection, and Simon is far too eager to take her in hand.
Simon never expects just how much she'd change him.
“I am the Earl of Carlisle. And I do own this house. In fact, as your guardian, I practically own you as well.”
Here the gauntlet is thrown down from the first meeting of Maggie and Simon. They knock heads and hearts and other body parts in this hot,short engaging story. Simon has a dark side which rears it’s head early on …he does not behave as a guardian should he is lustfully demented! Maggie is a spitfire that turns all his grand noble plans into dust. Pretty soon these two are are fire for each other. Will he find her the sensible biddable husband she needs and leave this challenging responsibility behind? Or will he get in deeper than he has ever been before! Get your fans ready as the temperature soars to hot hot hot!
I rate this story highly and so will you if you enjoy sensual enemies to lovers tropes! I am leaving this positive review after reading an advanced readers copy.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews360 followers
October 13, 2022
Maggie and Simon's Compromise . . .

After the death of her father, Maggie Fortescue has no intention of being bossed around by a guardian she neither wants nor needs. Simon, Earl of Carlisle, doesn’t want that job either, but it’s what he must do as Earl. He evidently is not familiar with bluestocking ladies who are far more independent and headstrong. So his solution to arrange a marriage for her is not going to go well. She will determine her own future, already thought out to involve study of medicinal plants, and she will not accept his controlling ways.

Simon Howard is back from India and has inherited an Earldom along with a bluestocking ward. This one has no problem talking back to him. When she won’t allow him to marry her off, he begins to think of one other option she may accept. He asked her what she wanted, and she told him she wanted to travel and to collect and study plants for medicine. He offered to marry her himself, and to travel with her. And she can treat patients, because he has seen her skill and believes in her. What answer will she give him once she gets over the shock of his proposal? Is there a HEA waiting for them in this unconventional life?
Profile Image for Louise.
1,393 reviews44 followers
November 19, 2024


I don’t know how Viola Grey does this in such a minimal amount of words, but hot fucking damn.
Just look at them:



That first mistaken identity, bedroom scene?
...


I was not prepared!
There should be a trigger warning for the surgery scene, though.
Yuck.


……………….


🎵 Memory Note(s)

Year of the Lion - Craving for You
MUNA - Everything
Tate McRae - 2 hands
Profile Image for Lisa Pohlman.
206 reviews10 followers
October 19, 2022
Quick steamy read.
This book is about Maggie, Miss Marigold Fortescue and Simon, the Earl of Carlisle.
Maggie does not want to wed, she wants to be left alone and does not want a man telling her what she has to do. She likes her herbal plants and taking care of the locals that need her help with their health. Simon did not want to become Earl,nor did he want the responsibility that comes along with it. He finds himself the guardian of Maggie. Simon just wants to find Maggie a husband quick and leave. She's his ward so he shouldn't have the feelings for her he does.
They met, they dislike each other, it quickly becomes something else and there is a lot of steam in this book.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review.
Profile Image for Stephanies.books_.
600 reviews5 followers
June 24, 2024
I am glad it had a story to follow.

Maggie is a free spirit in a time run by men. She wants to see the world and heal people. She can't do that if her Guardian marries her off.

Lord Simon has been handed a job he didn't want. Under unfortunate circumstances. When he meets his new ward, she's not the meek young woman he was expecting.

𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚, 𝒏𝒐-𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.

The more time they spend in each other's company. They see more than the mask that's presented to them.

- Age Gap
- Historical Romance
- Forced proximity
- Spicy
- Virgin Heroine
- Short Story
4,720 reviews41 followers
October 12, 2022
Maggie and Simon.
This was your basic steamy love story that was so entertaining to read. I loved the characters our Earl was a bit slow but he finally got it together and our lady was sassy and spirited and so smart and capable she was a strong character and I adored her. This was a really good book and I am happy to recommend it. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.
Profile Image for Susan D.
167 reviews2 followers
July 27, 2023
Lovely read!

Although this is a short book it is an intense, passion filled story. Simon and Maggie are clearly meant for each other. Maggie is a spitfire with a ready temper and caring nature. Simon is grumpy but kind. It is a hot, fast-paced and steamy novella which doesn’t detract from the story. I admire Ms Grey’s ability to write an engrossing, delightful story that can be read in a short period of time.
Profile Image for Jerrica (Mrsmar10Reads) Martin .
1,664 reviews10 followers
January 6, 2025
A Wildcat Indeed

Maggie was an independent woman who saw no need for marriage. Her father allowed her freedom to explore her interests in creating her cures and tonics. For months after his death she waited for her appointed guardian to show up, and when he did he was insufferable. Simon wanted nothing but to marry off the girl and move on with his life, but this red headed hellion derailed all his plans and turned him into a very scandalous, wicked Lord.
Profile Image for Joan Hartley.
189 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2024
great

An excellent short love story with passion. Maggie a recently deceased doctors daughter, Simon an Earl who arrives as her guardian. Maggie who is quite capable of looking after herself and not so politely tells the grumpy Earl this. Then sparks start to fly!!!
Love Viola Greys book, always a good read.
Profile Image for Margaret.
3,221 reviews33 followers
October 13, 2022
Her father died six months ago, but Maggie Fortescue does not want a guardian. Simon, Earl of Carlisle, does not want to be an earl or a guardian. The first thing he is going to do is marry her off. It's battle of wills on which one will win. But the passion between them leads to another solution.
Heat level 5
Profile Image for Qween Romance.
22 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2023
sweet spicy regency novella

I love Viola Grey’s short stories. She’s as close to erotica as you can get while still having a story line. I loved the strong, feisty, independent heroine in this story.

-grumpy sunshine
-he falls first
-spicy
-independent, strong FMC
Profile Image for Lisa C.
1,104 reviews22 followers
April 20, 2023
Wonderful novella with Simon Howard, new Earl of Carlisle and Marigold Fortescue, the independent spinster daughter of a doctor. Loved watching these two awakening to their feelings. Enemies-to-lovers done to its best.
Profile Image for Mindy.
2,168 reviews4 followers
May 5, 2023
Good Good Story! 🔥🔥🔥

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I absolutely loved the storyline and characters. Maggie was a strong minded young woman. Simon the Earl her guardian and boy was he something else. Such a good book. Highly recommend!!! 🔥🔥🔥💜💜💜💜💜
494 reviews3 followers
November 8, 2024
This story wasn't that interesting to me and I didn't connect with the characters.

She is an orphaned woman and six months after her father died some rough lout of a guy shows up claiming to be in charge.

Insta-love, heavy petting, and ta-ta tasting. . .banns are read and they are wed!
Profile Image for Swasti.
210 reviews27 followers
March 26, 2025
A fast and spicy read.

Simon suddenly finds himself with a new ward named Maggie and he wants to get her off his hands by marrying her off. The problem is that he's very attracted to this woman who isn't going to make things easy for him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews

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