Sweet Transgression

by Renee Wilde

Jonathan Marksbury, the Duke of Sutcliffe, has never wanted the title or its attendant responsibilities. His wish is granted when he wakes in Chelsea Hospital after the Battle of Waterloo without even the memory of his first name. The highlights of his days and nights as he recovers are the brief visits of his beautiful nurse. Feelings grow, and they give in to the temptations of the flesh before parting ways, seemingly forever.
Anne Heatherington has never desired the attentions of a man before that night in the hospital. The daughter of a scandalous opera singer and courtesan, Anne was determined never to fall victim to false promises of love, and after her time as a nurse during the war, Anne returns home wanting nothing more than to forget her desire for the nameless man who makes her lose control. When her long-lost father, the Earl of Norwich, shows up at her door with the offer of a new life with a family she had never known, Anne seizes the opportunity for a new life. A second chance encounter a year later marks the beginning of Anne's introduction to society. Jonathan, memories now returned, has had one taste of the woman he's been dreaming of for the past year, and he doesn't intend to let her get away again. Anne however wants nothing to do with the man who still makes her body heat and her mind lose control of her heart. Desperate to get away from his courtship, she flees to her father's house in the country.
Despite his decision to respect Anne's wishes, when a disease outbreak in the Duke's village threatens the lives of everyone in the surrounding area, the only person Jonathan can think to call is the woman who has evaded him twice. This time, Jonathan needs to convince her to stay.

258 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

Renee Wilde is a writer, teacher, mom, runner, quilter, and Girl Scout leader living in the suburban wilds of Western Connecticut with her family. As a lifelong lover of language, teaching high school English was always her calling, but as a lifelong lover of historical romance, writing was always her dream. She grew up in rural Missouri and has a BA in English from Yale University and an MS in English with teacher certification from Southern CT State. She considers Henry Thoreau her spiritual guide, Julia Quinn her writer hero, and her cat Ewok her comic foil.

Reviews

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello book lovers! Here is a debut novel from Renee Wilde. I love her writing and will definitely be reading more of her books 🤗

What you can expect from tropes
🤧 Heroine cares for the hero when he is brought back injured from Waterloo and has no memory of who he is
👩‍⚕️STEM heroine, she's a war nurse and has aspirations to become a doctor
💉 Vaccines 101: heroine administers cowpox virus during an outbreak of smallpox to save lives
🕯Slow Burn Romance
🥺 Hero suffers from PTSD after war during storms
🥐 Cinnamon roll hero and strong willed heroine
👵 Hero's aunt is a sweet society dragon 😂

I loved this book, it has so many tropes I love and the vaccine theme was very on point. The only thing I wish was different was that they would have talked about the conflict at the end, even though the Hero just wanted to be together with the Heroine, it would have brought more closure to hear it from him.

Also, I love a Cinnamon Roll hero that let's the woman take charge 😏👀🤗

I received an advanced copy from the author, but this doesn't impact my review. Thank you!

[FatimaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5stars*

I received an ARC from the author but this is my honest review!

Ohh sweet transgressions! This book starts of with an actual BANG. A nurse and a duke with amnesia meet in a war hospital in Chelsea?? Shut up and take my money💸💸 I read the first couple of chapters so quick that I actually suprised myself!

The first half of the book was entertaining and attention grabbing but the second half fell a tiny bit short for me. I loved all the elements with the small pox outbreak and the vaccine( hellooo we're living through exactly the same thing now??) but I needed a bit more. All the elements I loved were there, but there was something missing in the way they were all brought together. Some of the excitement I had for Jonathan and Anne faded a little as well.

The book picks up toward the end and I loved the way the HEA was concluded. I think Renee has an amazing writing talent and I really saw and appreciated how much research was put into the background context of the novel. Book 2 was teased a little so I'm excited to read on!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choosing is the key!

I love when historical romances really get the period spot on and make me want to research more about the time. This is a moving tale of love, trials, and triumphs. This is a debut novel from Renee Wilde but I'm sure it won't be her last. I look forward to more of her books.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Transgression is Renee Wilde’s new Regency romance novella. The story opens in 1815 right after Waterloo. Anne Heatherington is a British nurse who is assisting the doctors with the many war injuries. She meets a patient who has no memory, and it is kismet. Fast forward one year and Anne has lost her mother and discovered that her father is the Earl of Norwich. He wants to know his daughter and brings her to Mayfair as his ward. When Jonathan’s brother finds him in a hospital, he brings him home to Sutcliffe where he assumes his position as the Duke of Sutcliffe. What will Jonathan do when he knows about Anne’s mother’s lifestyle? Will the ton gossip or will true love win? I really enjoyed having a lazy afternoon reading a wonderful romance book. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Realistic, Moving and Emotional ***
What an excellent story of haunted pasts, present fears and dismal futures. But when two soulmates meet it takes a long, long time to see the forest through the trees. A wonderful story of deliverance, making peace with oneself and dealing with issues thought unsolvable. I loved reading every page and I highly recommend it.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic
Unpredictable
Wonderful Characters
Realistic
Action oriented
Page turner

[CanditheBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story! Great writing, excellent characters, very true to the time period, and lots of humor and romance. I will definitely keep following the author and her novels. Highly recommend for an easy, entertaining read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept waffling between 3 and 3.5 stars for this book; maybe 3.25? This is a new author and I enjoyed her writing style. No glaring editing errors (early on the H's father was called "Earl Norwich" instead of "Lord Norwich" or "Earl of Norwich," but this is fixed later). I also thought she did a nice job overall with historical details (exceptions are mentioned below) and secondary characters. I typically love Regencies that feature wounded warriors, and I thought the H's bouts with PTSD were sympathetically handled. In fact, I wanted more of him and his struggles to fit back into society.

Why only 3.25 stars?

--The love affair between H/h begins under completely unrealistic/anachronistic circumstances. The h is a nurse in a busy hospital taking in the overage of wounded from Waterloo. The doctors are having to perform amputations to free up beds. This part is realistic. But H, who was left barely conscious on the battlefield, his personal effects stolen, is unwounded. Not even a nasty cut apparently? And somehow h locates a private room just for him and finds the time to become his personal nurse. She ends up spending the night with him and they have a sexual encounter. Aside from being against the law and unethical today, it definitely wouldn't have happened then. At one point h thinks that if she's found kissing H it wouldn't compromise her. Of course it would--just being alone with a man would have ruined a woman's reputation during that time. If she was worried about following in her mother's footsteps, she would have been much more circumspect.
--It took me a while to get into the plot, and h's constant "I'll make out with you but you can't have me" attitude started to wear thin. SPOILER ALERT...............................The conflict hinges on the secret she's keeping about her parentage, and she could have been honest with H much sooner. The conflict just sort of fades away. There was no reason for her not to trust H in the first place.
--I'll admit it, I never completely got into the h. She was just a bit too perfect and modern. When she smirked and practically rolled her eyes at the doctor at the beginning of the book, I got a sinking feeling.
--Along those lines, the whole "I just needed a choice" theme rankled. Women didn't have the option to be a doctor back then; they were not admitted to medical schools. And the social status of nurses ranked below tradespeople until Florence Nightingale legitimized it. Sidenote: An amazing woman named Margaret Ann Bulkley disguised herself as a man her entire life in order to be a doctor (there's a great book out about her story).

Overall, I think this author has potential and her writing style is polished. But anyone trying to make it in Regencies these days really needs to read a wide variety of authors to get a feel for the mores of the period. Things have changed sooo much. It just doesn't work to transplant modern sensibilities directly to the England of 200 years ago. Christi Caldwell, for example, does a nice job with the wounded warrior trope while keeping things pretty true to the period.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Love 💘 Stolen From Time⏳
ADULT Historical Recency Romance 💕 and Adventure.
How could she resist the attentions of a handsome, young, and manly Duke🐺🍆⛲💪? Easy, this woman💃💋 is an idiot!

This started out as a wonderfully written story about wounded British soldiers in the aftermath of the battle of Waterloo. Lord Jonathan🐺💪🔪🔫 is found in the trenches in a nightmare of confusion and memory loss. About the only things he remembers is the horror of the battle and his first name. Maybe he doesn't want to remember maybe he let the men under his command down. He is taken to a hospital in London for soldiers, not officers. There he meets beautiful young Anne💃💋, an educated nurse who aspires to be a doctor, which was not allowed in those days.

In truth, Anne💃💋 is the by -blow of an Earl, who made sure she and her mother never wanted for money 💰. She never knew him until he came for her after the war. Now he wants to present her to The ton as his ward. Will she and Jonathan🐺🍆⛲ , the Duke of Sutcliffe, meet again?

ARC Provided by Book 📚Sirens 💃
This ebook was $3.99 on Amazon 📚 at the time of this review. No KU.
Opinions expressed here are entirely my own fault.

I thought the author missed a big chance to further explore the problems that Jonathan🐺🍆⛲🔪🔫 had readjusting to civilian life after The war. Why was he even in the war🔪🔫💥 since he was the heir to a Dukedom. It just wasn't done!

Anne💃💋 tries to resist Jonathan's advances even though his family and Her father are all for it. What is wrong with her? She's all worried that being illegitimate will somehow ruin everything for both families. That's a tired plot line but the author does a good job of convincing us that Anne will never give in to Love 💘. The book is long but seems to have missing parts at the same time. There were places a in the book where the story became preachy at times, something I dislike.

[Gloria Pastorino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan and Ann meet in a London hospital soon after Waterloo. He’s a wounded soldier who has lost his memory and she’s a nurse who would like to become a doctor. There’s an instant connection between them and a night of sweet transgression… And then they meet again several months later in a ballroom and both are notably changed. Can they find that connection again? Or will their past destroy their blooming love?
This is Rene Wilde’s debut novel and she sure is a talented writer. The book has a very interesting plot with some unexpected twists and I really liked the way she inserted some historical research about the period, in particular about medical advancements. But I just hated the lack of communication between the main characters, which is what drives the plot forward. Ann should have talked to Jonathan about her past, let him decide, but she didn’t. I understand that her behavior is totally right for her character, that it depends on the way she was brought up, the way she suffered during her earlier years… But I still hated it. But I loved the way the author wrote about it, the way she accompanied both characters through their journey to growth and acceptance. I’ll definitely read more books of this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Gill M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts with Jonathan, a soldier with amnesia meeting Anne at Chelsea Military hospital, where she volunteers as a nurse.

She recognises from his manners that he is of the nobility.

She spends time with him leading to a steamy tryst.

She is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and an opera singer, so never expects to meet him again but her circumstances change.

She is introduced to Society and meets Jonathan, now restored to his elevated position.

Things I liked about this – Jonathan was an interesting character and the portrayal of his post Waterloo shell shock, was well done.

I enjoyed Jonathan and Anne’s teamwork when fighting against the smallpox outbreak.

Things I did not like – Anne’s behaviour with Jonathan at the hospital felt wrong. I can understand being overwhelmed with passion, but she literally just met him. It also flew in the face of her determination to not behave like her courtesan mother.

While I enjoyed the happy ever after, it occurs without resolving the obstacle to happiness that was referred to throughout the book.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksirens and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Sweet Transgression, an injured duke(Jonathan), fresh from the battlefields of Waterloo is sent to a hospital to treat him for injuries. He meets a nurse, she is lovely, poised, and loves helping. They spend time together, while she still cares for the other patients. When she(Anne) is done she goes home to Bloomsbury. He is discovered in the hospital, by his brother and is taken home to recuperate.

This is the sweetest story. It is romantic, exciting, and action-filled. They are so made for each other but she needs more. He is tall, good-looking, and very nice. She is kind, helpful, and loving. He has a sister and brother, who love him along with his Aunt Margaret. She has Millie who was made a maid when she came to live with Anne and her mother. But actually, she was so close to being a sister, not worth talking about. The tale was refreshing, quaint, but it kept your attention. I hope the author
continues to write. It was so good.

I received this ARC from Book Sirens and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Waterloo there were many injured. A nurse happens upon a soldier not in dire need of obvious medical assistance. She finds an area for him to sit and provides some food. When she realizes he has lost his memory she tries to provide some comfort.
Months later Anne is back home doing her duties when a man introduces himself as “The Right Honorable Earl of Norwich,” her father. As she learns of the past of her mother and father, she is offered to settle a living and a dowry and be introduced as his ward.
Lord Jonathan Marksbury, Duke of Sutcliffe was found in the hospital by his brother and returned home with some memory loss. After a year of rehabilitation at his home, he accompanies his family to a ball. Who should he meet there? The nurse who helped him through those first days after awakening in the hospital.
This is their story. A story of lust, friendship, acceptance, love and choices.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carol P - H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Transgression is a timely Historical Romance, despite being set in England just after the Battle of Waterloo. Anne Heatherington is a volunteer nurse who cares for a well educated soldier brought to the Chelsea Hospital following the battle with amnesia and suffering from PTSD. Despite knowing little about each other, they have strong chemistry and form an undeniable bond. Later, their relationship gets much more complicated when the soldier Jonathan regains his memory and Anne's father introduces himself. The characters drew me in and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. There were multiple plot twists and what we tend to think of as modern dilemmas regarding a woman's career versus traditional responsibilities, portrayed in a believable way for the time period. I highly recommend this page-turner! I thank the author for an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Martha B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off well, but then....

The first half of Sweet Transgression by Renee Wilde was engrossing and pulled me into Jonathan and Anne's second chance love story with plenty of dialogue, active scenes and some humor. Then the story seemed to get bogged down with too much introspection and angst. The supporting characters helped some, but the lead characters needed to get a grip.

All in all, I would have given this 4 stars if not for the token epilogue, which was more about selling the next book than adding a satisfying period to this one.

Content 411: In addition to secular and religious swearing (but no hard vulgarities), there are also several sexually intimate scenes.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from BookSirens. I am voluntarily reviewing this book, and this is my honest review.

[S.E. Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was supposed to be reading this book to give it a review, having received it as part of an advance reader copy review request.

I got so caught up in the characters, and the delicious tension the author creates in her scenes that I stopped reading to critique/review and was swept away by the story.

The heroine is not a simpering chit. She's resourceful and likeable, the hero swoonworthy and multifaceted. Their reactions to one another, and the heroines fears came across as very believable.

I absolutely adore regency style romances with sumptuous balls, and the interaction with the ton. This book ticked all the right boxes for me in terms of story and characters.

Thank you so very much for allowing me to read Sweet Transgression, Renee. It was a pleasure and I look forward to your next book.

[MEF · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was a mix of period romance and formula sexual encounter that didn’t convince . How did Anne acquire her nursing expertise? How did Jonathan regain his memory?

I liked the writing style but as a UK reader the use of “gotten” is a big NO please! As a Duke the informality of Jonathan’s relationships and conversations with his tenants and villagers was too big a stretch of belief although the plot required it. I felt the same about Anne’s background, I couldn’t help but think that the ‘ton’ would have sniffed out her true story !

I happily suspended belief and went along with it until Duke Jonathan put his coat on and dashed off to deal with the smallpox outbreak , that was the turning point for me.

So, I liked rather than loved the book.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dominique Englebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet romance in the aftermath of Waterloo
I loved the book not only for the sweet romance between a duke, who lost his memory after the battle, and his beautiful nurse, who wants to become a doctor at a time when women were not even admitted to universities, but also for the interesting historical background.
The horrors of Waterloo, the overcrowded hospitals and the many – necessary or not – amputations, PTSD that was not yet called that of course but affected so many soldiers, the outbreak of smallpox in rural England and the variolation of Dr. E. Jenner: all form a very interesting background for the book.

[Edward Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely regency romance where true love wins in the end.

“Sweet Transgression” is a great book with a secondary timely message. Renee Wilde exhibits excellent writing talent along with a wonderful plot and strong likeable characters. The story combines drama, independence, romance, and love to draw the reader into the action so that you can’t put it down. I literally lost myself in the book and suddenly it was 2:00 AM when I finished. With the backdrop of a medical emergency, Anne finds true love for Jonathan and the fact that her past does not matter to him. I highly recommend this book.
Having received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, I have voluntarily left this review.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writing.
They met Chelsea Hospital her a nurse and him a wounded soldier. They form a friendship right away but like so many during a time of war they were separated. Later they meet again and here is our first twist. Their journey made for excellent reading. Anne is an awesome character how she has lived her life and what she wants to become is worthy of praise. Jonathan is great too a perfect hero for Anne. The secondary characters were so good too! I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Bonny Rambarran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet transgression -- a Duke who does not know who he is. A young lady who is willing to help him . . . . and then the day comes when he goes home. And her father finds her . . . . and life gets very interesting and convoluted as she is not willing to live as her mother did . . . .and he is not sure what he wants - except he knows he wants her. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jignet · Rating 5 out of 5]

His life was forever changed in the Napoleonic War. She a nurse, saw it all.

They met and could never forget each other. When they meet again, circumstances are so different and against them. Then a smallpox epidemic reunites them. It is a wonderful, well written and researched book telling an age old and always new story. I really enjoyed it. Try it for a delightful read!

[Mia Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renee Wilde’s “Sweet Transgression”

Renee Wilde Is a new author to me but I will definitely be watching out for her books in the future. “Sweet Transgression” It’s her debut novel and I have to say, I enjoyed her writing style.

This was a well written, sweet, second chance story with a wounded warrior and confused, impetuous young woman. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Marksbury, the Duke of Sutcliffe loses his memory when he is hurt at the Battle of Waterloo, Anne Heatherington was his nurse. I enjoyed seeing their story come together. This is a new Author to me. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an enjoyable book to read and the characters were interesting and their story was enjoyable to read.