Bareknuckle Bastards Book 1 - Wicked and the Wallflower

Sarah, your books never disappoint! The past, the present, and the future brought together with Devon and his poor, little rich girl. She literally had him from the moment she opened her mouth! Her light was able to break through his darkness! The lock picker unlocked his heart. From the first, he sets his plan into action, she also sets her plan into place. They were so enchanted with each other. A FABULOUS love story!
Tap, tap! This book was wonderfully written. Each word and thought from the main characters was reading again and again! As I plan to do.

The reason I love Sarah MacLean books is that she writes about women who have hit rock bottom, faced ruination and then picked themselves back up and thrived after said ruination and become something far more than society ever could have imagined.

All the feels and then some.
Sarah MacLean never disappoints, and always manages to surpass her last book.
Wicked and the Wallflower is no exception.

Felicity Faircloth is a wallflower, spinster and overlooked. She may have been touched a bit by scandal. Oh, and she loves to pick locks.
Devil owns Covent Gardens and thrives in the icy shadows. He may well be her toughest lock.
These two should never have met, much less, well...spark a flame.
Highly recommend.

And Felicity is one lucky lady, because she gets the Devil.

Where the really sweet frosting overpowers the cake and the overall experience is a let down. I loved most of Sarah MacLean’s previous books and automatically buy her new ones but this just didn’t do it for me. The immediate and at times “ too sweet” feelings Devil has for Felicity just was too much and didn’t feel believable. I wasn’t drawn in and skimmed the last half. I was also very confused about the intense feelings Ewan had for Grace even though he hasn’t seen her since they were 12. Odd.

First off, I am also a fan of Sarah MacLean and I cannot believe I'm writing a two star review for one of her books. If anyone in the genre could make a Covent Garden bastard and a Mayfair wallflower romance work, she was going to be the one.

She tried to make it work by setting up the hero, Devil's, internal conflict of "oh, no, I'm not good enough for her." The first 2/3rd of the book this is repeated over and over and over in different ways. I felt like getting the guy therapy; he needed it more than he needed romance. In case you didn't get it: I'm not good enough for her should be the book's meme.

Felicity comes across as a 15 year old who's been dropped by the cool kids. The problem is that is about the sum total of her personality until she decides she loves Devil, Covent Garden, and hates her old friends and her old life. Presto, she's willing to go to the slums but not the slums, the pretty part cushioned by the king of the stews and his wealth. Where she'd be richer than her impoverished but charmed ton life.

I generally am willing to suspend disbelief on such an unbelievable plot, but the lack of character development, the use of insta-love-from-lust, all were undermined by dark underworld that ran like a modern factory. I began asking where is the Thames from Covent Garden? Why is there a warehouse there and not by the docks downstream of say the Tower and Tower Bridge? Why isn't there gang warfare in Covent Garden/Seven Dials? The underworld here was pretty and perfect, and I had to swallow that in addition to the difficult social strata bridging.

I did like the symbols of locks and freedom, fire and flame and moths, and the imagery of past/future. All of that was nicely done.

Like another reviewer, I liked Grace and Ewan much better than Devil or Felicity. I want their romance. Most of all, I want the old Sarah MacLean back.

Felicity Faircloth is on the outside, spurned by her former friends and 'ruined' in the eyes of the Ton. She's the perfect weapon for Devil, one of the Bareknuckle Bastards, to use against his brother, the Duke of Marwick. But Felicity turns out to be more than Devil expects.
I love Sarah MacLean but I had some trouble with the beginning of this book. Felicity was not a typical daughter of a Marquess, running around Covent Garden unaccompanied and picking locks, and I usually like my historicals to be pretty accurate about societal mores of the period. It's a hot button for me, but - this is a book where I can forgive those little slips because the characters are so great! And the writing. And the story. When I get absorbed in a book and read it right through without the details taking me out of the story, then it's a great book. Because it's not the inaccuracies that bother me; it's that I'm taken out of the story. That does NOT happen in Wicked and the Wallflower.
Felicity and Devil have great banter, making me laugh out loud several times. Felicity may not be typical, but the author justifies her conduct as the story moves along. And Devil is the perfect noble hero of the slums, taking care of his people and his siblings (except Ewan who is vile - I'm not sure how he can be redeemed).
The story builds and bits of the mystery are gradually revealed, so I can't wait for the next book in the series. The sample chapter is - well, you need to read it and see, but OMG.

There couldn't be two more totally different people than Devil & Felicity when you first get to know them. But Felicity has as many talents as Dev has secrets .....or is it the other way around? ?? and he can't seem to keep her out of rookeries or Covent garden. And she can't keep him away from her trellis. For two people who should run from each other's families, they dont. And she talks to locks, especially Chubbs,by calling
Them sweetheart, consoling them and lays on the sugar conjoling to ravish locks and Devils manly parts that may react.
The only bad part of this book is how she treats us is with the start of Whits'book that's not out till 2019!!!! Nooooo! The inhumanity that we will have to wait so long.....sigh. Buy it, read it, enjoy it.

I absolutely adore the idea of the irredeemable scoundrel. A man with a past covered in darkness and sin. The fine line between villainous deeds and redemption is a perilous tightrope to walk upon, which is why few authors dare to do it, let alone succeed in it. Devil is equal to the likes of Jack Dodger and Sebastian, Viscount St. Vincent, and as always with her books, she leaves you breathless and astounded.

As a heroine, Felicity Faircloth is unmatched. A lockpicking and slightly scandalous spinster, she not only matches Devil in intelligence, but cuts her way through the story as an undaunted and fearless woman. Her humor left me chuckling and her unconcerned behavior left me turning the page to see where her adventures took her next.

Sarah MacLean’s novels never leave you wanting and the story she spins, so full of love and strength, are the most enjoyable moments of my day. Wicked and the Wallflower does that and so much more! If she isn’t a 1-click author for you by now, she should be!

I love regency romances! I’ve read all of this author’s books and liked them, even loved some, and Never Judge A Lady By Her Cover is one of my all-time favorites. This was a great book, too. The premise was intriguing - debutante and duke’s natural son fall for each other amidst many machinations. The heroine, Lady Felicity Faircloth, was probably the weakest link in the book for me - she was pretty and kind and loyal but a bit meek for me. The hero, Devin Culm, AKA Devil, was wonderful - handsome, powerful, and self-made. They had great chemistry and some sizzle. The storyline was well-plotted, and the tone was gripping. Overall, I loved it, and I’m looking forward to Whit’s story, but not as much as Ewan’s & Grace’s story!

It pains me to write this review (Sarah Maclean used to be one of my favorite authors) and yet I feel obligated to inform the romance community not to buy this book.

Scratch that: If you like super angsty, hyperbolic books that focus on bad boys with daddy issues and girls that “give them light” you might enjoy this book.

But as a reader who finds joy in light-hearted humorous romances this book did absolutely nothing for me.

This book tells the tale of Felicity Faircloth — a 27-year-old wallflower who five years ago used to be the belle of the ball — and “Devil” a duke’s bastard son and ice smuggler who essentially runs the Covent Garden neighborhood of London along with his half-brother Whist and half-sister Grace.

Serious question: Why is it a “thing” for romance novel authors to name their main character Devil? We get it, the dude is bad. You don’t need to hit your readers on the head with a stick to make that point.

Anyhow, Devil’s evil half brother Ewan (also a bastard son of the Duke) has arrived in London to inherit the Duke of Marwick title to find a wife to procreate a heir and a spare. Devil is pissed about this: when Whist, Devil, Ewan, and Grace were children they all solemnly swore to let the Marwick line die out. Furthermore, Devil suspects Ewan’s motive for inheriting the dukedom is more complicated than just wanting the hundreds of thousands of pounds, fancy houses, and the title. Thus, Devil hatches a plot to stop Ewan. And Felicity Faircloth is apparently the perfect pawn…

Ugh. I knew just from the the store summary that this book was going to be angsty but I truly wanted to believe otherwise. After all, all three of Maclean’s Love by the Numbers books (which I believe are her three first books) are some of my favorite romances ever. However, as Maclean has written more, her books have become increasingly angsty. And the Wicked & the Wallflower wins the title for the angsty yet!

I liked Felicity Faircloth: she had spunk, resilience, and a fun personality. However, as the book dragged on, I liked her less and less. She just made some honestly terrible decisions about her personal safety that I cannot condone. Furthermore, she constantly talks about her “obsession with the darkness” which is frankly the most annoying thing ever. Stop romanticizing violence!

Devil…oh wow where do I start? I never really did see what redeeming qualities he had. I guess he was devoted to Grace and Whist but I never really read a scene that exemplified this loyalty. He manipulated Felicity, continuously lied to her, and for much of the book planned on taking her virtue without her consent. Furthermore, his interactions with Felicity were incredibly patronizing and I never really felt like Devil respected or trusted her.

So if two angsty characters and an angsty plot line wasn’t enough, Sarah Maclean’s sentence structures were also very angsty. Before this book, I never really realized that one could write in an angsty manner. Yet through her obsession with sentence fragments and excessive periods Sarah Maclean’s writing style manages to embody angst.

Just read this random (I literally just opened my book to a random page) snippet of text:

“An illegitimate son, once willing to kill for legitimacy, now come for it on another path. One he had vowed he would never travel. And Devil would teach him a lesson. Which meant Felicity would have to learn it, too.”

Gah!

Sarah Maclean, what happened to making your readers smile when they read your book? What happened to creating likable and affable characters with flaws a reader could forgive?

Check out my newly created book blog on Medium titled "Sunflowers and Romance Book Blog"

Wicked and the Wallflower was a wonderful read. Although I have heard many a reader proclaim the joy of reading Sarah MacLean's books, this was my first actual dip into one of her books. And I just thoroughly enjoyed it.

The prologue had a fairytale feel to it, it engaged me immediately. The fairytale aspect didn't fade and at times was referred to by the characters.

The female characters are like no others that I have met in historical romances before. They are not going to be swept under the carpet by their men folk. No siree. They can stand strong for themselves. Take Felicity for example, wow she is a very dapper hand at being a lock pick and it sure does come in handy. And a very powerful little skill to have!

Felicity was a heroine easy to like and enjoy. She has been involved in a little scandal previously to the opening of the story, nothing really serious. But you know the ton! They are pretty snooty and well full of gossip and quite considerable meanness, which sometimes borders on the edges of cruelty. And what's worse for Felicity is that her brother and father have lost all their money and so they see their only salvation is that she marries a rich Duke, if only one were around.

Along comes the hero, with plans to set Felicity up with a Duke, but for hidden, underhand reasons. He is into revenge big time, although with some good reason, his father was a d***. Devil has plans, which was a lot of fun seeing them come undone as he parried with Felicity.

Characters I loved, witty dialogue, an interesting plot - what more could a reader want in an historical romance. I so want to read the next book in the saga of the Barenuckle Bastards of Covent Garden. And I do believe the next one is being written right now! If you enjoy historical romance don't miss this one.

How can this book have so many 5 stars? I feel let down by all of these reviews.

First off, I am a big fan of MacLean but this book was a huge letdown. The aristocratic title names was almost enough to make me put the book down before I even got started. The Marquess of Bumble?? The Earl of Grout?? Really?

Way too many character names floating around that I couldn't keep up with who anyone was. Everyone the author introduced had 2 names and sometimes they would be called one name and sometimes another. It was just way too much going on. This book was so difficult to read and nothing flowed.

The heroine was so childish I couldn't get past it. Their one intimate scene I could barely read because she acted like a child for most of the book that it tainted that love scene. I only liked her at the end when she finally stood up for herself against the terrible hero. Speaking of the terrible hero...He did nothing but lie to her and use her and NEVER did anything to redeem himself. There was nothing charming about him. Just the "i'm rich and can give you everything so please forgive me". The author did nothing to make me like either of these two.

I was more interested in the villain in this story, and that kind of thing should never happen. I understand that this story is setting up future books but when your readers could care less about your main characters then that's a big red flag.

This book was one of the most boring things I've ever read and I've read thousands. Please MacLean, find your old writng style and stick to it.

I probably picked up the wrong book as my first Sarah MacLean book, Day of the Duchess, and none of her other books will be as good. DOD was one of my favorite romance novels of all time. This book not so much. Maybe I'm getting older or just need a different kind of escapism but the whole heroine with nothing going on being 'rescued' is just not my thing. Felicity can pick locks but it's like a parlor trick. She seems to have no purpose and is constrained by society just like a million other heroines in the Regency genre. Devil is also kind of meh. Yes bad boy, yes bad past, yes complicated family so we can get a series going. Speaking of the series I really hope the author is not going to end with Ewan and Grace because that sounds downright icky. If this was my first Sarah MacLean book I probably would have loved it. It did grow on me as Felicity became less of a ninny. But read DOD if you want a really great read. This book was just okay.

My favorite Sarah MacLean book has always been "Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake" (Love by the Numbers, Book 1) until now. Sarah has written a story of what it is like to live in the darkness all your life until the light enters your world and it changes forever. A story of the lives of two people who should never cross paths in their lifetimes. An old scandal that leaves two men and one woman in a world of danger and darkness and a young lady who has become an outcast in her world and is looking for answers in a place where she doesn't belong. This story will take you to the depths of the deepest pit and the bright light that brings love to life. Sarah has always been a go-to author for me. She has a remarkable talent for pulling you into a story and keeping you there experiencing fear, hate, love and everything in between. Felicity and Devil will go on a journey that will reveal a world that they never knew existed. They are both extraordinary strong and stubborn and convinced that what they know is right and it will take a life-threatening encounter to bring them together.

Felicity Faircloth is a twenty-seven-year-old spinster with a problem. She isn't attracting the attention of eligible Gentleman anymore and for some reason, her family is pushing her to marry anyone who will have her. She knows that they don't need the money so why are they pushing so hard? She is really tired of it all and one night she escapes a ball to get some fresh air on a balcony and doesn't realize that her life is going to change in ways that she could never have believed possible.

Devil is a man bent on revenge. He will do anything to stop the Duke of Marwick from marrying and begetting heirs. A painful tortuous past connects him to the Duke. Devil will do whatever it takes to make him suffer. He comes up with a plan that involves a young lady of quality that he will use to set a trap. Only he doesn't count on the young lady fascinating him so much that he wants her for himself. Of course, that can never happen, he must stick with his plan even though it will destroy her too.

Do not miss this one, I cannot wait for the next one in this Series!

When you start a book by one of your favorites you expect great things. When I started Wicked and the Wallflower I felt a tiny bit let down by Sarah MacLean. To be honest, the first half of the book I struggled - while I loved Felicity and Devil, it dragged in parts and I was afraid that it would be like that all the way until the end. I feared that it would be my first low rating for Ms. MacLean. Until I came to the middle of the story and all of a sudden it went from a three star to a five star.

Let me linger a bit on the first half - I think this story would have benefited from more showing than telling. Devil's story was told in his thoughts but it was never shown to us. I would have liked to see dialogues, scenes from the past with his brothers and sister to explain why things were so hostile between the hero and his brother. However, in the second half the pace picked up considerably and threw me into a whirlwind of emotions, from anger and frustration to sappy "aawwws" and adoration for both Devil and Felicity.

Felicity was a wonderful heroine - she had spunk and courage. Her spirit made this story - for her to feel plain and not very interesting she had so much fire and charm. Her beauty was inside and it's what drew Devil to her. She was a pariah in the circles she moved in because of one mistake. And all she wanted was being accepted back by the ton until Devil showed her that the sparkle of a ballroom is boring compared to the rugged beauty of Covent Garden.

Devil was the wounded soul that needed saving. He never felt he deserved the spirited Felicity Faircloth although his desperation for wanting her was so palpable. He wanted to give her to world when all she wanted was him. Devil had so much goodness him and yet he couldn't see it. The things he did for the people under his protection spoke of his character. I loved him as much as he frustrated me. He bolstered Felicity's self-worth, made her feel like the treasure she was. His determination to protect Felicity was matched by hers to break down the walls of this mysterious man. My heart broke for these two when they seemed to be at a stalemate.

I adored the smart banter between the main characters but I despised Felicity's family - they were selfish, spineless bastards and I couldn't fathom why Felicity would give up her own happiness just to save them. I adored Dev's quiet but powerful brother Whit and I am very much looking forward to getting his story. Also, Ewan and Grace have me salivating for their story and I can't wait to see how Sarah MacLean will redeem Ewan - I don't feel very benevolent toward him right now.

Ms. MacLean captures the atmosphere of Covent Garden and its dangers and harsh beauty with wonderful prose and I felt totally at home there. Her storytelling is captivating and gorgeous.

Whit's book, Brazen and the Beast, is a year away so it will be a while until I get to spend time with The Bareknuckle Bastards again. While Wicked and the Wallflower was off to a slow start it totally won me over in the second half and it totally grabbed my by the feels and wouldn't let go. If that is how Sarah MacLean does it in this series I'm happy to grab the next one.

I have to start with gushing about the Rumpelstiltskin aspects of this book! I'm calling this a fairy tale retelling/adaptation of Rumpelstiltskin. A mysterious man she met in the dark shows up in Felicity's room, calling her a fairytale princess and offering her a deal to ensnare a Duke in exchange for a future favor. (She even jokes about the favor being her firstborn child, ok? Rumpelstiltskin indeed.) There are fanciful mentions of magic, spinning straw, and there is even a golden dress. I do love a well-done fairy tale romance, especially that draws from some of the lesser known (see: not made into a Disney animated movie) fairy tales. Especially when the princess ends up falling for the villain of the story. *melt, swoon*

You may remember Felicity Faircloth (and her mother... but especially her mother's dogs...) from The Day of the Duchess, the third book in MacLean's Scandal & Scoundrels series. If you haven't read The Day of the Duchess 1) you can still read Wicked and the Wallflower just find on its own and 2) you should, as my review for that book simply reads "This book made my ugly cry. More than once." Review just don't get more glowing than that, LOL. I honestly don't remember Felicity very well from that other book (though I do remember her rather awful mother and her million small dogs), but I sure did love her in this book. Felicity is light and sunshine and the smell of jasmine, while Devil lurks in darkness and the muck and danger of Convent Garden. Devil repeatedly tells Felicity she's too good for him and puts her on a pedestal, but damned if Felicity will stay up on said pedestal. She keeps climbing down and picking all the locks (literally) to free herself, and along the way she manages to free Devil, too.

This is the first book in the new Bareknuckle Bastards series by Sarah MacLean. The series follows the bastard children of a duke, with the next book being about Devil's brother Whit and I assume with the third book either being about their sort-of-sister, Grace.

3.5 Stars

Cracking open book one of a new historical romance series is a little like Heaven for me. Having one peppered with subtle references to places, events, and characters that I recognize from previous series'(The Scandal & Scoundrel Series and The Rules of Scoundrels Series), as I did with this book, makes me feel as if I've found little hidden treasures while reading. If you haven't read them, don't worry. It's intended to stand on its own. Though, I'm sure our Fair Felicity's story may make you want to jump right to The Day of the Duchess, as this book does a great job of whetting your appetite for that tale. (And, ooo, it's so good.)

"When you are ignored by the stars, you wonder if you might ever burn bright."

Felicity Faircloth is without marriage prospects and has been shunned by the people she once called friends. A wallflower. Never-the-less, her family is persistent in their pursuit of the most wealthy, titled, and eligible bachelor they can find for her. While true that would bring her acceptance with the ton, which she wants more than anything, at twenty-seven, she isn't naive about what marriage can be. She also wants passion. Moth to a flame.

Felicity's age, affinity for lockpicking—an unusual skill for a Lady, to be sure—and her sense of adventure make her a unique and interesting character. And for all she knows her mind, she still has much to learn about life outside the bubble in which she has been living. Giving her room to grow over the course of the novel.

"He could see the beginning of her and the end of her. And in her, he saw something he had never allowed himself to see."

They call him Devil. One of the infamous Bareknuckle Bastards. Ruler of the rookery. Wicked.
Revenge is his focus on the night when he is drawn to distraction by Felicity. When Devil learns of her outlandish fib in front of all of the ton, she becomes the perfect pawn in his web of lies.

A devastating backstory made me root for Devil from the start, though his relationship with his siblings was also something I found myself ambivalent to at times. I yearned for more on-page history to help me feel more of their connection and what he was going through in the present.

The chemistry he had with Felicity was electric from the beginning, full of all of the push/pull swoony romance I have come to expect from Sarah MacLean. Felicity and Devil were the perfect yin and yang.

I'll be honest and say that this one was difficult for me to rate and review. While I adored some aspects, others were a detractor. The first half of this novel read slowly for me, which I think was due to the heavy use of introspection and internal dialogue in the first half. Once I hit the second half, though, the balance evened out which picked up the pace, and I was hooked. If you love strong female characters, as I do, you will love these. Felicity, Gracie, and Nik were all superb in that respect. Then there are Devil's siblings; Whit and Gracie had quirks that made me smile everytime they entered a scene. With the future books in the series based around them and the continuing family dynamic, I'm all the more excited for the next books in the series.

*Complimentary copy was provided to CGSR Book Blog by the publisher and Edelweiss for the purposes of an honest review.

Felicity Faircloth wants nothing more than to be let back into the society, and group of friends, that shunned her after a disastrous encounter with a Duke in his private rooms. Now, she's labeled as a wallflower, spinster, on the shelf, and every other terrible moniker thought up for a woman who is unmarried and "past her prime".

Then, a chance encounter with a mysterious man known only as Devil changes everything. He promises Felicity exactly what she's been hoping and wanting. Specifically, to become the wife of the Duke of Marwick. Known for being a hermit, Marwick has recently emerged into society with the exact intention of marrying and producing heirs.

As Felicity and Devil begin spending time together, Felicity is introduced to the intriguing underground world of Covent Garden and she begins to question the things she used to find important. Little does Felicity know, however, that Devil and Marwick have a history together and she's unwittingly become a pawn in their quest for revenge against past wrongs.

It was clear from the beginning that there was more to Felicity's story than what is contained within Wicked and the Wallflower. After the fact, I learned that she was a secondary character in one of Sarah MacLean's previous books The Day of the Duchess (which I have not read). While I don't necessarily think that it's required reading as Sarah MacLean does give us the background info, it felt a bit muddied. Like I wasn't completely understanding the impact of the issue as it was one of the major causes of Felicity being downgraded within society. If anything it does make me want to go back and get the full story, so I supposed the job was accomplished in some capacity.

In fact, I'd say the biggest negative I had about the book was the fact that the conflict between Devil and Marwick was a bit foggy. It takes the entirety of the book to get the full story of where / how the animosity between them stems from, but even then there's some questions left open, and I can only assume it's because it will be a common thread in the next story of the series as well.

I really loved Felicity and Devil and the back-and-forth between them. I loved that she challenged him, and wasn't keen on fitting into any particular box. She longs for her independence, but unfortunately she's only been used as a pawn for other people's schemes which made the romantic relationship that develops between Felicity and Devil a difficult one to root for because he too is using Felicity in a scheme: that of getting revenge against Marwick. And since, as stated above, that I felt like the reason for the revenge was foggy, it was difficult to see where he was coming from until close to the end. Despite all this, however, Felicity proved to be a strong-willed, caring character who cared more for others' happiness than her own. I will hand it to Sarah MacLean for writing a true anti-hero in Devil. He's loyal to people and cares about the welfare of his family and those that work for him, but he is ultimately a smuggler, not specifically a "good" person. I liked that this isn't a story where the hero suddenly sees the error of his ways and changes. Instead, it's about him seeing himself in a different light, seeing that he can be good enough for Felicity and it's not about where he comes from or how he started out in life.

I'm very interested to see what Sarah MacLean has in store for the secondary characters in the story, namely Devil's brothers and sister. The continuing conflict with Marwick effects all of them, and I'm interested to see how they deal with it in different ways.

Man, I really enjoyed this book. To be fair, Sarah McLean is an auto by author for me at this point. But that isn’t what made me love it… The story featured some of my favorite tropes, done to perfection, along with two main characters who I simply adored, both together and apart.

Felicity is a 27-year-old wallflower, who actually used to be a darling of the ton. I liked her in The Day of the Duchess, as one of the ladies who was “trying out” to be that hero’s new wife. Obviously, she was not meant to be the heroine of that tale. Still, her family is pushing hard for her to have a good match because they are in dire financial straits and they need a rich husband for her to solve their problems. Unfortunately, since she has fallen out of favor with those who were once her friends, it is a task that is growing increasingly difficult.

Those “friends” have actually grown quite cool. As the story begins they are teasing and pushing her too far, so far in fact that she declares that she is engaged to the duke who threw the ball they were attending. With that pronouncement, she unknowingly threw herself into a battle between two brothers with a deep grudge against each other.

Devon, who goes as “Devil” in the streets of Convent Garden, was only at the ball on the fringes. He is one of three bastard sons of the late duke. One of his brothers is now posing as a legitimate heir. Dev allowed it only under the condition his brother would never continue the family line. Now that the man is searching for a bride, Dev is there to put a stop to it.

He decides to ingratiate himself with Felicity to teach his brother a lesson. Of course, he had no idea he would end up falling for the fierce and feisty woman who can pick a lock faster than anyone he’s ever known. She thinks nothing of speaking her mind or standing her ground. And as the underworld he has built is slowly unveiled to her, she doesn’t look at him as a criminal, but as a man. The kind of man he never thought he could be.

I adore the whole trope where the hero feels himself beneath the heroine. Especially when the heroine, herself, refuses to see him that way. What I especially love here is that through his eyes she grows to see herself as beautiful, powerful, and strong. And through her eyes, at long last, he sees some worth in himself. And that is the kind of emotional journey I am down for every single time.

Oh yeah, and did I mention he has a scar? One with an awesome backstory.

There is phenomenal sexual tension here and fantastic payoff when these two come together. Lots of enthusiastic consent too.

Add to that, intriguing secondary characters like Whit… and the inevitable love story between Ewan and Grace… and I am already dying to read more.

As much of the story takes place in the seedy elements of the rookery is as in ball rooms and sitting rooms. And I loved it all the more for that. In fact, I can’t think of anything I didn’t love about this book. Would definitely recommend.

Rating: A

Felicity Faircloth is used to haunting the edges of ballrooms, not that it was always that way. Although she wasn’t exactly a diamond of the first water, she was popular and had friends and suitors. Now her dance card is always empty and her former friends use her for verbal target practice. What she needs is a marriage. A spectacular marriage. To a Duke. So, when a mysterious, beautiful and wicked gentleman offers everything she has ever wished for…how is she to resist?

I hate to say this, but recently I had been falling out of love with Sarah MacLean’s books. But, I thought I would have one last effort and try her latest release and first in the Bareknuckle Bastards series; Wicked and the Wallflower. Could I finally recapture that magical feeling I had when I read Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake? In a word… yes. Although Nine Rules… will always be my favourite, I absolutely adored Wicked and the Wallflower.

What MacLean has been consistently good at is creating fantastic heroines, something that continues in this book. Felicity was a great heroine, brave, funny and clever. I loved that she was slightly unconventional and bold; that one of her best skills was lock picking. It makes her stand out from the countless other wallflowers that populate the historical romance genre. In comparison, although Devil ticked all the boxes for a smoulderingly hot hero, he was a little more conventional and more easily over looked. Also, the dramatics of calling yourself Devil made me cringe a little whenever I heard it. Devil is a bastard son of a duke and now ruler of Covent Garden (which was more of a slum in the 1800’s) and all its denizens with a very successful smuggling career. Regency bad boy to the bone.

They were an unlikely couple, but somehow they still worked. I liked the way she wrote this, the characters frequently makes references to this being like a fairy tale. And indeed Devil at times seeming like the fairy Godmother, the villain and the prince all at once. With Felicity being more of a modern day princess who takes her fate into her own hands.

This series has great potential and this was a good start, although it wasn’t perfect, I really liked the heroine and the writing style. I am also intrigued and can’t wait to learn more about the other Bareknuckled Bastards, especially as one of them is a woman.

his one had a darker hero, one that doesn't hesitate to use the female protagonist for his own agenda. Like his namesake, Devil struck a bargain with Felicity, the wallflower of the novel. He will make sure she gets what she wants, for a price to be mentioned once the deal is met. What she is unaware of is, she's just a pawn in the Devil's own revenge filled agenda. I really loved this since this is still a romance, therefore, a happy ending is a given. How you get from a point of ultimate betrayal to a love whose fundamental premise is trust is something to definitely look forward to. Most of all I loved the progression of Felicity Faircloth, a princess who did not know her own worth until she met Devil and realized that what she thought would make her life perfect is so much more than acceptance from society but rather an acceptance of her worth as a female, who is valuable in every way. Wicked and the Wallflower is a marvelous romance but for a woman to finally realize her worth despite what society wants her to believe is the best story ever. Hence Wicked and the Wallflower is definitely worth the read.

I confess I had some trouble to get at first in the story, tiredness probably but also Revenge stories are far from my favorite as they left behind them only broken hearts, wounded bodies and scared minds.
It was after some chapters I began to warm to the characters, I loved Devil from the beginning but I’m easy prey as I have a fondness for damaged souls.
I needed more time for Felicity, like for Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake, I first thought Felicity weak to want her old life back with her bully friends in it, they were awful and I had trouble to love her as I associated her with them.
But little by little the author enlightened her personality, then she added an unusual talent. I had to remind me it had been so all her life, and those ugly people were part of the gilded cage she belonged until her encounter with Devil.
With time, I felt sorry for Felicity, in away she was just a pawn in two talented chess players game. Devil of course came to regret his initial decision, he was torn between his need of revenge and his attraction to Felicity.

“Felicity Faircloth, you’ll burn me down.”

I would have liked to learn more about him, the very few flashbacks helped a little to comprehend him but some more scenes would have helped, as for his relationship with his sister and brothers.

It was a collision of two different worlds, when naivety meets wickedness, each one corrupting the other, Felicity will open her eyes to a new life, far from her sheltered past, with danger and violence but also thrill and passion while Devil will open his heart to hope and love.

“Felicity Faircloth. Passion is obsession. It is desire beyond reason. It is not want, but need. And it comes with the worst of sin far more often than it comes with the best of it.”

“You rescued me. You rescued me from a world without color. Without light.”

Together they will create a world between darkness and light, where they both can meet.

“For a heartbeat, she was Cardea, unseen by all the world except him—the beginning and the end, the past and the future. The present.”

Now I will have to read the previous series while waiting for Devil’s brother story.

I’m a verified customer on the store.fr

Wicked and the Wallflower - the good, the bad, the other

Premise: Once the belle of the ball, now a wallflower - She just wants back into the light. Born a bastard, now a king - He's everything that is dark. He chooses her to be his pawn, but eventually she becomes his queen.

The Good - SO MUCH GOOD! Loved it! I laughed at the word play between Devil and Felicity Faircloth (you have to say her whole name), my heart ached for the childhood Devil and his siblings endured, I felt her resentment at her family (so happy about that because often that is overlooked in historical romances), I understood her want to be "seen". One of my favorite moments in the whole books is her reaction to meeting Whit. Also, we should all have a whispering bench experience.

The Bad - my only complaint would be that it seemed rushed at the end. The whole book is a slow build, a slow burn, it's gonna be something big you just know it, and then whooosh like the first big hill on a roller coaster, everything happens so fast. So much serious, "oh my god" kind of stuff happens in the last few chapters. When it's over you just look around, bewildered, thinking maybe I missed something. So you go back and reread those chapters and no, it was just a lot of wow in a small amount of time.

The Other - (this section may contain spoilers so read at your own risk) How come his men didn't see Ewan enter the warehouse? John saw her try to enter, but no one saw Ewan enter or leave? When he didn't come back in an hour for his bath, how come no one came looking for him? (such a big deal was made about Whit telling his staff to draw a bath, I thought surely that was gonna be a detail used to realize he was still in the ice), what took Whit so long to go down to the hull with Felicity Faircloth? She was able to unlock 12 locks before he came down? What was he doing? This is stuff that makes me question the last few chapters.

Over all a Great read - the start of an amazing series, can't decide if I hate Ewan yet or giving him the benefit of the doubt for surviving a childhood the only way he knew how.

Would have finished it earlier but it was my baby's birthday and life got in the way of reading.

**I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway

ALL THE STARS. JUST. ALL THE STARS. This is the most swoon-worthy book ever?!! And that's from both the female and male love interests. This is somehow my first Sarah MacLean book, and oh my god is this a fantastic book to start off with. Felicity Faircloth is no longer in the inner circles of the ton and her family is desperate to see her married off. At the age of twenty-seven, Felicity is on her way of being a spinster, but an arrival of the Duke of Marwick holds the last hope her family has of her marrying to a man of wealth. She is daughter to a marques and a sister to an earl, but a scandal has seen her discarded by people she once thought her friends and she wants nothing more than to gain back the life she had.

She accidentally tells her former friends at a ball that she has already landed the Duke of Marwick as his fiancé, without his knowledge of the matter. In order to make the Duke agreeable to the lie, she makes a deal with a Devil - a man who promises that she'll receive everything she wants as part of their deal.

Devil, as the man is known, is one of the trio that makes up the Bareknuckle Bastards. Their domain is Covent Gardens and they work in ice and smuggling illegal goods like American bourbon throughout the city. The Bareknuckle Bastards consists of Devil, his half-brother Whit (otherwise known as Beast), and half-sister Grace (also known as Dahlia). Devil and Whit emerge from Covent Gardens when word has it that the Duke of Marwick is to find a wife. The Duke of Marwick was their half-brother, Ewan.

They all had the same father, the Duke, but were all born to different women. They had made a promise a long time ago that they were to not have any children and the line would die with them. However, when it seems that Ewan has other plans, Devil and Whit mean to put a stop to all that. And what better way to accomplish that goal then when Devil spots Felicity Faircloth.

From the beginning, you can FEEL the attraction between Felicity and Devil. Sure, Devil is mysterious and Felicity probably shouldn't be making friends with shadowy figures, but Felicity is hardly a rule-follower doing what's expected of ladies. She has a penchant for lock-picking and can go head-to-head against Devil in any situation.

It's fun watching Felicity not putting up with Devil's shit and call him out on pretty much everything. What I want to see more of is just interactions of Felicity with the Grace and Felicity and Nik (she coordinates all the shipments for the Bastards). Their interactions were some of my favorites. Felicity and Grace meeting for the first time was hilarious because of Devil's reactions and trying to shove them apart when they're already on their way to becoming fast friends.

Felicity certainly wants things she's been taught to want at the beginning of the book. She initially wants her old life back, but still manages to fight against society's rules and does her own thing. Lock-picking her way into closed rooms at a ball she has to win the Duke, and braving her way to Devil's place by herself in Covent Gardens would most certainly be looked down on in polite society. But none of that stops her from doing it, and that's what I love about her. With the Bareknuckle Bastard's protection in Covent Gardens, we can see her getting more and more confident in herself as the book progresses.

Devil first comes across a scowly, brooding man who carries around a kickass cane sword but then we learn that he is totally SOFT MARSHMELLOW FLUFF for Felicity. He will indulge Felicity in whatever she wants and I swoon. They bicker but really just comes across as foreplay and the sexual tension in this book just builds and builds and BUILDS. Devil listens to Felicity and will do whatever he can to take care of her and to make sure she shines.

Devil tries time and time again to get Felicity back into her world and away from his that thrives on darkness and sin. Felicity's old world among society is hardly one without sin, but is different from the ruination Devil is sure he'll bring to Felicity if he allowed her any closer. He tries so hard, despite how he really feels. And I especially love that Felicity doesn't care about her old life and takes command when she needs to.

I took a while to read this book because I did not want this to end. The characters, both main characters and secondary characters, were so enjoyable to read about and I can't wait for more books in this series. There's an excerpt for Whit's story at the back of this book and it sounds AMAZING because Whit comes across as a the gruff, quiet brother who probably has a lot of feels so it's going to fun reading his book. I'm especially looking forward to Grace's story because I feel like that one is going to be super angsty. In the meantime, looks like I have a whole Sarah MacLean backlist to catch-up on!

Felicity Faircloth is a fairytale name to be sure, but she never thought she’d get her fairytale until the night she met a Devil.

In a world where women are a commodity to be sold off to the highest bidder and bargained with for alliances, money and prestige Felicity has found that the family she loves is plotting to marry her off to a Duke or anyone with money really to same themselves. She thought it her place, she wanted to help, but maybe there is more to the world than being used to farther one’s family goals. Maybe just maybe she should be thinking about her own desires and the man that brings them out in her.

This is a pretty cute tale. Felicity has been cast out of the inner ring of society due to a scandal or two and makes a desperate claim in a moment of weakness. She never thought that it would go anywhere but when the Devil claims he can make it a reality, to save her family Felicity agrees to a Devils bargain.

“Let me tell you about passion, Felicity Faircloth. Passion is obsession. It is desire beyond reason. It is not want, but need. And it comes with the worst of sin far more often than it comes with the best of it.”

You know going in that the Devil and the Damsel in distress are made for each other. It will just take them a little time to sort through everything to come to that realization as well. Felicity is a lot of fun though while she is exploring the shadier side of life. She isn’t your normal woman of the gentry, she likes a little danger and adventure and has a penchant for picking locks.

“It’s not the kind of skill one expects a woman to have.”
“It’s exactly the kind of skill we should have. Our whole world is built by men. For them. And we’re simply here for decoration, brought in at the end of everything important. Well, I grow tired of ends. Locks are beginnings.”

This couple was fun, I like the discovery of the Devil’s past and how he and his brothers were raised along with the sister who is not their sister at all. There are definitely some interesting stories there and I can’t wait to find out specifically how Grace’s (the sister) story will go. I totally loved her in this and know that she is going to be a great character. Add to that a brother nicknamed Beast and I’m pretty sure that will be a story trope I can get behind since Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite re-tellings ever.

This was a great start to a new Historical Romance Series. I really enjoyed The Rules of Scoundrels series by Sarah MacLean and hope to enjoy this series just as much if not more

Felicity is near solidly on the shelf, with a whiff (perhaps more) of scandal attached. She’d been once one of the ‘glittery’ debutantes, but a couple of ‘ill planned’ events, and her lockpicking skills landing her in a toff’s bedroom, with his very vocal dissent, she’s at the place of wanting something different, but irrationally wanting, again, to be a part of it all. When a new, unknown and previously unseen in London Duke appears on th horizon, with a stated intention to find a wife, she’s dragged to yet another ball to be the wallflower, subjected to the slights and jibes from those she once thought friends.

Felicity, with her need to escape the ballroom and her ability to pick the lock of the conservatory door, becomes the bait with which Devil will play his long lost brother. See, Beast, Devil and Grace have made a pact: the Marwick dukedom will end with their brother: no heirs will be allowed. To that end, it also means that any woman he chooses to marry must be spirited away and ruined, just so the message is clearly received. And Felicity, with her zest for life and desire for “something more” is the perfect innocent, with wit, curiosity and bravery that is far unlike any others of her type.

Oh this story was just delicious! From the moment he appeared, Devil is just everything – other ‘alpha males’ should take lessons. No, his intentions weren’t always pure to start, but that pull, that spark between he and Felicity had him utterly baffled and bewildered – he’s not a man used to blatant dismissal of his edicts - or one particular woman’s utter inability to not be afraid in the backstreets of Covent Garden, in fact, bold enough to pick the unpickable lock that guarded his business and secrets. For her part, Felicity was a bit naïve, as one would expect, but hers was a quick learning curve and she took most everything in stride, even as she discovers and deals with several major blows. Her encounters with both Beast, who did his level best to answer with simple grunts, and Dahlia’s instant liking and sharing of an address, Felicity sees far more than the ballrooms and afternoon calls with the tonne would lead her to find.

But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the underlying conflict between the Bareknuckle Bastards and their brother, the Duke, and the history that they all shared: a dark history with plenty of deprivation, bonding Beast, Devil and Dahlia together with an unbreakable loyalty, as they built their lives and empires in the shadows. None but the four, until Felicity, knew their story, and while she only has the parts that Devil choose to share, there are plenty more secrets to come from thee four – I can’t wait to see who’s story is next, and just how their lives will unfold.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Dynamite Huge 5 Stars for Wicked and The Wallflower by Sarah MacLean! Best Hot Read of the Summer!

We first meet Devil, a bastard of a duke who is very mysterious, he and his other brothers are out for revenge upon the new Duke. At one of the ball's, they are putting their plan into place when Devil, ready to make his first move is interrupted by a lady running through the hall. He ducks into the corner of the balcony and the lady flees to the balcony and the solace and darkness it brings. Thinking herself alone, Lady Felicity expresses her frustration and hurt. Lady Felicity is a spinster and aging more each day. She knows her prospects of finding love are dwindling and she no longer fully embraces her spinsterhood. She desires to be back in the arms of the Ton. She was horribly tossed out by her friends and expressing her hurt and frustrations she hears a mysterious voice in the darkness and they soon open up a conversation and in the midst of it, both feel a drawing to each other. However, Felicity leaves the mysterious man to his darkness and heads back to the ballroom hoping for a glimpse of the new Duke. There she happens upon her former friends who are terribly putting her down and once they spot her they just tear her to pieces. Hurt and torn, Felicity fights back as best she can.

In order to assure that she finds deep love and her future husband loves her beyond words, she deals with the Devil himself; however, she did not bargain on falling for him herself. Can Devil give her the love she so desires?

I really related a lot to Felicity and one can't help but root for her, she's just an amazing character. I absolutely loved the chemistry between her and Devil. both have very sad paths, yet each invokes so much passion and depth to themselves and they help bring this out in each other. Just amazing characters and a really creative love story! Something you would not expect in other Historical Romance Novels, huge kudos to Ms. MacLean's creative genius!

Divine. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind as I attempt to fully articulate my feelings for Sarah MacLean’s Wicked and Wallflower. This is the first book in her new BKB series and it sets the table perfectly. I loved this book, not only because it is a fabulous series introduction, but because of its Heroine and hero. They seem to be the unlikeliest of pairs and the pull between them is magnetic for the characters and reader alike.

It is natural fact that one should never underestimate a wallflower, they have spent their time sharpening their observation skills to a fine point and if they choose, can wield them sharply. Felicity Faircloth is not only underestimated, but also discounted, which pushes her to saying just a little too much. She is the rose set aside in the shade, allowed to not necessarily to wither, but to go dormant. As Felicity Faircloth uses her voice and brilliant skills, we get front row seats as this wallflower clears her own path so that she can gloriously bloom.

Devil’s own story is one built on a foundation of revenge and protecting those he loves the most. In the process, he has built his own empire in Covent Garden, where he reigns supreme, until a Lady Fair changes everything. He torn between a long-ago pact and the want for a woman that he can’t help but want.

Felicity Faircloth and Devil have this a magnificent slow burning chemistry between them that burns hot enough to heat a house for days and days and days. Every moment in their company will have your head on a swivel with banter that is always clever, but at times is cut with moments that will take your breath away.

But even more, I am completely intrigued by the how this series will play out. These characters are compelling on all counts. From their personalities and relationships, each book will surely be a fascinating experience. But for now, get your hands on Wicked and the Wallflower and be prepared to fall hard for the Lady and her Devil.

Happy reading!!!!

Laurie’s Rating: 10+++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STARS

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

The first installment in a brand-new series, Wicked and the Wallflower was scrumptious deliciousness.

Felicity is unconventional, refusing to conform to the rules of the ton while simultaneously wishing for their approval. She's torn, thinking the rules are merely in place to keep the uppercrust in power, yet realizes how breaking free is empowering, because the rules themselves stifle everyone. Her only purpose in life is to marry to improve the lifestyle of her parents and twin brother's family, yet no one cares how this will affect her life.

Devon 'Devil' has one heck of a backstory. As one of three bastards to a Duke and one legitimate daughter born within marriage but not of their blood, all born on the same day, Devil takes keeping secrets and taking vows seriously. He's dark and broody, skirting the line between alphahole and a wounded man women long to tame.

Felicity brings a heart out of the Devil, and Devil lends Felicity strength and courage. Together, they empower one another, making each other better people. The sparks fly. The banter is witty deliciousness. The tension is explosive. The romance is organic and realistic. Gut-punch angst abounds.

The ton doesn't respect one of its own, but the underbelly not only welcomes a lady, they protect her, respect her, and find her worthy as one of their own. Felicity finds empowerment and a life in a place many fear to set foot, let alone dwell.

There's a reason Sarah MacLean is my all-time favorite historical romance novelist, and Wicked and the Wallflower is proof. I read the novel feverishly in one sitting, clicking to see what happens next.

Not only were Devil and Felicity original, the side cast of characters were beyond intriguing. I cannot wait to read about Whit, Ewan, Grace, and even the Bareknuckle Bastards' righthand woman, knowing each story will be unique and intriguing. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next books in the series. In fact, I wish I had the entire series to binge-read.

This was so wonderful. It was filled with all these amazing and rich details and really great characters. I loved Felicity and Devil both but I have to say, the heroine rocked my world!

The push and pull between Felicity and Devil was great. I loved all the building details as they open up, things are shared and histories are learned. Felicity was seriously awesome. She was feisty and bold and finding her way, I adored watching her come into her own. She was challenging and exasperating and I loved the animosity those traits created with Devil. Everything about Devil and his past I ate up. I felt for him and rooted for him. Several times I was mad at him and the choices he was making but it was those choices and dilemmas that helped make for great drama. I loved him and Felicity together. Him fighting his feelings and her being bold and going after what she wants. It made for a lot of entertaining moments that had me smiling. They had great dialogue happening and I found it to be very witty. It was awesome!

This was a great story. I liked the language and the flow. There was really great imagery and details. There was a wonderful cast of characters as well. It took me a second in the beginning to remember who was who but once I understood the dynamics it was on point. I love the world that was introduced and I'm excited to see where it all will go. A great series starter for sure.

This was a truly great read. I loved the simmering passion as Felicity and Devil opened up and got closer. I love the family dynamic involved and the drama it brought. I loved the feeling this gave me and how I was really invested in the world. This is a new to me author and I'm so glad I decided to give her a shot. Awesome read!

Complimentary copy received for honest review.

Well, I was in a weird mood slash slump sort of thing when I started this book and it was literally the perfect thing.

I love love loved Felicity and Devil. She’s sassy and picks locks and he’s a marshmallow with a gruff exterior. They’re both so stubborn and have things in common and their banter is some of the best. The chemistry is off the charts and I absolutely adored all of the scenes of them together.

Plot wise, it was fantastic. There was some push and pull and of course there’s the push away because sacrifice, but it doesn’t last too long. The ending is perfection and the epilogue wasn’t enough because I wasn’t ready for it to be over.

This will definitely be a book I reread. I’m seriously debating starting it all over again. I’ll just be over here waiting for the next book in the series.

**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**

I won the paperback of Wicked and the Wallflower. I purchased it on Audible. I read it and listened to the book within 24 hours of each other. I loved this book so much and the Audible was amazing with the wonderful Justine Eyre.

I loved Felicity so much. She is a strong minded and outspoken woman. She comes from the right side of society and finds herself in the world of the wrong side quickly and loves it. Devil is a strong working class man which I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE...... Historical Romances usually portray all the aristocratic men who don't really hold jobs and are rich by birth. This was so real and true to regular day folk :) I found the story so wonderfully written and hard to put down. After finishing the book I waited for the release day to purchased the audible. All I can say is that Justine Eyre is on of my all time favorite narrators and she does this book justice. Great read and listen.

Sarah MacLean holds a special place in my heart as she was my very first Historical Romance I read about six months ago. She started me down the rabbit hole of this wonderful world of reading historical. I do believe this book is now my FAVORITE Sarah MacLean book to date......

I have read many of Sarah MacLean’s books and enjoyed them but not this one. The character of Felicity Faircloth has got to be one of the most stupid characters ever. Raised in society, she meets Devil, king of Covent Gardens and head of a smuggling ring. She lusts after him until kisses are exchanged. She wants to be with him but he tells her she will be snubbed by the ton and should stay with her family and friends in Mayfair. She is hard-headed and determined to have the man whe loves. And that is Devil.

No one writes like Sarah MacLean. No one. This book was amazing.

I read a lot of reviews that said they found the first half to drag a bit. I didn't find that at all. I was immediately captivated. From the very first I wanted to know everything about Devon, Whit, and Ewan. Their backstory is truly fascinating, and I have more questions. (Which I am sure Sarah will wait til the last possible second to answer. That is her way. I hate and love it so much!)

The dialogue in this book is amazing. The characters have such depth. This book completely pulled me into the world, and I didn't want to leave it. The plot kept me on my toes. I had a very hard time putting it down, and definitely lost some sleep over it. (Totally worth it!)

Highly recommend this and all of Sarah's other books.

///Blog Tour Review originally posted on Lacy Literacy///

Let's talk about Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean aka the first installment of The Bareknuckle Bastards aka the series I'm going to be thinking about long after it's over.

I can't ever recall being as pumped about a Historical Romance series as I am for The Bareknuckle Bastards. Sarah MacLean did basically everything on my wishlist and more. And, oh boy, she does NOT hold back on the drama. Wicked and the Wallflower is a superb opener. I am quite happy to have shared a birthday with this book. If you want to belatedly celebrate, get on the Wicked and the Wallflower bandwagon with me.

THE HEROINE
Felicity Faircloth hit all the notes I've wanted from a Romance Heroine, without even knowing I wanted them.

Those of you who have read The Day of the Duchess might even be wondering why you recognize a name so belonging in fairy tales as Felicity Faircloth's: Felicity was one of the girls in the Duke of Haven's failed quest to find a replacement wife. Personally, I was gunning for the rejected girls to get their own stories. I'm beyond pleased Felicity was next on the slate.

Anyone who loves a former girl in the spotlight turned outcast, will easily fall in love with Felicity. Believing that she would be once again accepted in to society if she married well, Felicity set her eyes the mysterious Duke in town. Throughout Wicked and the Wallflower, Felicity mentions her want for "more than she could have" and "impossible" sort of things. There's something eternally relatable about her struggle for a life beyond what she had been given. A lot of us desire something seemingly unattainable. And, a lot of us think we're not the type of people who manage to catch that falling star. Felicity was filled with ambition, impossible dreams, and inner fire. As I progressed through the book, I remember highlighting quote upon quote of her beginning to grasp for what she wanted until she made it happen. In the strange gap of life I'm in, it felt like Felicity was personally inspiring me to open my own doors. The last heroine that made me feel as peace as Felicity did was Livvy from Hate to Want You, a comfort I missed. 

Felicity also makes me want to take up lock-picking, but you did not hear that from me. While I am totally not-talking-about-lock-picking, I wanted to briefly mention how I loved that Felicity was a lock-picker. It meshed perfectly with her development about carving out her own beginning: a poetic detail.

 
 
THE ROMANCE
My love for high-stakes Romances are no secret. Without a doubt, Wicked and the Wallflower is a high-stakes Romance with a satisfying payoff. From the plot triggering drama by Devil's family to the relationship Devil and Felicity built together, nothing about their dynamic did NOT live up to its potential.

Originally, Devil and Felicity's relationship was compelling to me because both of their initial actions were influenced by their families. Devil wanted to, without giving too much away, get revenge on his relatives for past wrongs. Felicity aimed to follow familial expectations. While Felicity and Devil are first motivated by family, their relationship and decisions clearly become motivated by each other down the line. I appreciated Devil's commentary about Felicity's family a lot. There's more subtle ways that family members can use each other, which was addressed in the storyline. The similarities, and differences, between Devil and Felicity's purpose and voice in their own families was A+.

For the fairy tale fans out there: you are going to LOVE Devil and Felicity. Perhaps one of my favorite details in Romance is when fairy tale-esque situations are referenced.  Having a name like Felicity Faircloth, it would've been remise for there not to be some references. Luckily, you get plenty in Wicked and the Wallflower . Even the book itself starts like a fairy tale. It was a real treat, which you can check out below!

Last, but certainly not least, Devil and Felicity's relationship was about being emotional equals. Although I like groveling and drama as much as the next guy (I mean, I adore The Day of the Duchess which is angst on angst), there was a true air of "these two people developed along in parallel and are now in a partnership together". Seeing that was refreshing. They both come to conclusions about their feelings separately, and become empowered by love rather than one party succumbing to the past events while the other has to make the move.

SERIES SET UP
Honestly, I don't know how I am supposed to wait for Brazen and the Beast. Anyone up to sneaking into Avon Romance headquarters to get a copy can contact me. But in all seriousness, the future of The Bareknuckle Bastards has me hyped to the point of needing a jog to let out my excitement.

In case you didn't know by now, this series revolves around a family: a screwed up one at that. Sarah MacLean did a stellar job of revealing enough of the Bastards history to get you intrigued while not giving away too much. Reading it gave me "break the cycle" trope type vibes. History is a heavy burden. All of these characters are living under the weight of it.

The stakes in this series are, quite literally, life or death. Long have I been awaiting a family centered series that gives that kind of pay off. While I know fully well The Bareknuckle Bastards is a Romance series with HEA guaranteed, I. AM. STILL. TERRIFIED for all the characters. There isn't going to be an easy way out...

If the next two books are as well done as Wicked and the Wallflower, I might have a new favorite Historical Romance series. 

If you want to read an amazing Romance, I would recommend Wicked and the Wallflower. It's officially inducted into my rec list I give to Romance reading newbies.

❈ Huge thanks to Avon for providing me with an ARC for Reviewing Purposes ❈

Outstanding! ???
I'm a huge fan of Sarah Maclean, and love that her heroines are strong, smart, and feisty; but often experience doubts and insecurities that are familiar to many women. Felicity is wonderfully written, and I was glad to see her again after The Day of the Duchess. She's witty and quick to speak her mind, and is still finding her path when she meets Devil.

I wasn't sure about our hero at first, as his original plans for Felicity are less than honorable - read awful - but he quickly sees his error in judgment and he's certainly a man who's loyal, caring, and lives by a code. He's rough around the edges, and his frequent use of the F-bomb may be a turn off to some readers, but I think it totally fits his character and makes sense for someone with his history.

The story is well paced and entertaining, and the love scenes are some of the best I've read in a while. ?

Great start to the Bareknuckle Bastards series. Looking forward to #2. This one is definitely a keeper and one I'll read again in the future.

Wicked and the Wallflower is the first in a new series and is a fun, witty read that straddles the lines between Mayfair and Covent Gardens. The characters are engaging and have unique qualities that make them endearing. Lady Felicity Faircloth is tired of being on the outside of the group that she was once the center of and so she tells the lie that she is engaged to the Duke of Marwick. Devil is basically the king of the underground world of Covent Gardens and is determined to make the Duke honor a pact from their childhood. Felicity becomes the pawn in the game but the tables soon turn when feelings change and lies are revealed. A great story to keep the reader entertained until the last page.

Felicity Faircloth is clinging to the edges of respectability and she is tired of it. Deciding to show her former friends that she is just as good, if not better than them, she tells a little white lie and claims she is betrothed to the Duke of Marwick.
Devil has never been respectable and doesn't care. What he does care for is a childhood pact, one the Duke of Marwick is looking to break.
Felicity gets caught up in a decades old feud and Devil finds himself in a trap of his own making.

“You are too late for the duke,” she repeated, knowing, even as she spoke, that she must stop the words from coming. Except they were a runaway horse—loosed and free and wild. “Because I’ve already landed him.”

First in The Bareknuckle Bastards series, you will recognize Felicity from The Day of the Duchess but everything else is a fresh introduction to this world MacLean has created. The background that holds this series together is three bastard brothers, a girl they call their sister, and the monster father that tried to pit them against each other. There is a flashback to show how Devil (Devon) gets together with his brothers and father but any other past happenings are either inner monologue from Devil or some reminiscing/discussion with Whit (Beast), Ewan (Duke of Marwick), and Dahlia (Grace). I actually would have preferred more flashback scenes of them together as children to get a better feel for their relationships and what happened to them as children. I imagine since this is a series, the author wants to keep some mystery for the other characters and events and thus why we get more of an outline in this one, but it did hurt the emotional impact of Devil's background.

No heirs was the rule. The only rule.

The plot is Devil threatening the Duke of Marwick to stop his search for a wife, which Marwick is only doing to get Devil and Whit to come out of the shadows and have them tell or reveal where Grace is. It is kept a bit shady but apparently Marwick threatened or is a danger to Grace. There is talk about how the children made a pact to never let their father win and they would never give him the heirs he was so desperate for to continue his line. By taking the title of Marwick, Ewan fought "for" his father and the other kids ran away to save themselves. There is talk about Grace and Ewan loving each other, more than a brother sister relationship Devil and Whit seem to have with her, but Devil seems to think he must keep Grace away from Ewan for her safety. Felicity walks into their battle when she declares to be betrothed to Marwick, giving Marwick more validity that he is willing to get married and heirs if they don't tell him where Grace is. Devil decides to create a plan where he seduces Felicity and get her to break the betrothal, showing Ewan he will always be there to ruin his plans.

He took a step away from her, rubbing the back of one hand over his lips. He shook his head. “Christ. You’ll burn me down.”

Devil inevitably finds himself captivated by Felicity and falling in love with her but incessantly thinking he is not good enough for her. There is a lot of talk about how Devil is dark, from the darkness, dwells in the darkness, etc. but, as with a majority of the story, it is a lot of telling and not showing. Our couple meets up right away in the story and I kind of missed getting to know them outside of their developing relationship. Felicity was the stronger character for me and I liked her emerging, building of confidence, and self-actualization but her relationship with her family felt a bit whiffed on and she pretty much is all in with Devil right away. Devil begins to feel a bit silly and repetitive with his supposed darkness, lusting, and "I'm not good enough for her." They have fun banter in the beginning but I just never felt like I "knew" them and therefore their chemistry was lacking for me.

It was him. Here. In her bedchamber. As though it were perfectly normal.

The set-up with MacLean’s characters and relationships is promising but the emotional impact, possibly because of a shallow look at their childhood here, was not really there. There is a little bit of cheese factor too, with the supposed darkness of Devil and how he and his brother run their rookery. Devil’s brother "Beast" does a lot, and I mean a lot, of grunting, it becomes rather silly after a while but he seems interesting with his underground fighting. Grace probably shined the most with her personality, ownership of a for women bordello, and only one to point out that holding onto a pact made in childhood may not be completely mature in adulthood; I do find myself very curious about her and Ewan's relationship. Overall, this started off as fun escapism with the good girl wanting to go rogue and the Devil encouraging her but losing his thought to be nonexistent heart. As it went on though, it never developed the depth and emotion I look for and ended up feeling like window dressing with not a lot to back up the pretty cover.

“You should not have come.”
She swallowed, refusing to let him win. “Why not?”
“Because it is dangerous,” he said quietly, sending a shiver of belief through her. “Because the rookeries are no place for pretty girls with a breathless anticipation of adventure.”

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This is my first Sarah MacLean book and it won't be my last! From the start Felicity and Devil's story swept me off my feet. Felicity is not your typical protagonist. Wallflower, plain, lock picker... I LOVED her. Devil is the anti hero and dang I wish we could get a visual of who Sarah MacLean envisioned when it came to creating Devil's character. He's strong, sexy and dangerous. He's extremely protective of those he cares about. Their connection from the start was amazing and undeniable and their chemistry leapt off the pages.

If you're looking for a wonderful and unique historical romance that is fast paced and fascinating I highly recommend reading Wicked and the Wallflower!

I really enjoyed this book, the first in a new series by Sarah MacLean. Felicity Faircloth (love this name), is dried up on the marriage market and has been ostracized by her once “friends.” In a fit of spite, she claims to be engaged to the recently returned-to-society Duke of Marwick. I love this. I love when the heroine makes a big mistake like this – it’s very relatable (not lying about being engaged to a duke per se, but you get my drift). Meanwhile, Devil, who is the Duke’s bastard half-brother, is trying to get revenge on said Duke because of a terrible (but mostly unknown) history where the Duke basically screwed a bunch of people over and stole the title. Devil is a lord of the underground, and seemingly has no heart, but he falls for Felicity (maybe partially because of her bad-a** lock picking skills?), and a lot of stuff happens before the HEA. Great story, and super intriguing set up for a series. Only bad part – me having to wait for the rest of the books. Argh!

Bareknuckled Bastards #1 is a Mean Girls story that turns out right. Felicity was part of the popular crowd until she lost a duke to his duchess. She’s on the outside and she wants back in. Devon knows it and he knows her — and will use that knowledge to destroy his half-brother. That’s the premise, and of course nothing goes as expected. There’s a darker tone in this new series than MacLean’s Fallen Angel series (Rules of Scoundrels), but with fewer surprises. What’s interesting is Felicity’s self-discovery and growing confidence. Devon, though, seems two-dimensional despite flashbacks to the BKB childhood. I wanted to hear more about him and how he built the BKB business.

I loved this book! This has made me so excited for the rest of The Bareknuckle Bastards series! I should have guessed by the title how much I would enjoy this one, since I have a soft spot for both wallflower and dark hero tropes, but it caught me pleasantly by surprise. These characters were so believable and their story and the writing was so beautiful. I found myself spilling a few years about a quarter of the way through because I was so touched.

I loved Felicity's fierce inner warrior. I loved the unconventional setting and hero. I loved that there were so many strong fabulous women in this book. This story felt fresh and exciting and romantic.

Sarah MacLean's books are well written and the characters are complex, intelligent and interesting. Great storyline. I enjoyed the chemistry between Devil and Felicity Faircloth. The hero and heroine are able to connect on a realistic level and see past the masks each one wears. I love how MacLean gives a reader just enough about all the characters to keep the reader intrigued to keep reading and leaves just enough to want to continue the series. I can't wait for the next book. I love MacLean's books. I've never been disappointed by her books. She manages to create the characters, settings and moods so well that I can visualize them easily. Can't wait for the next book!

Loved this book and can't wait until 2019 for the second in the series. It's the first time I've read one of Ms MacLean's books but it won't be the last. When Devil over hears Felicity say she is tired of being the outcast in society he decides to take advantage of that and tells her he can help her marry a Duke. Secretly he is aiming to settle an old revenge with him by getting Felicity and the Duke to become engaged and then having her beak the engagement and ruin the Duke. By the time that happens Devil is in love with Felicity and everything is falling apart. It's a great story line and well worth the read.

Felictiy Faircloth what a name for a character. She sees herself as plain and only has 1 skill which is to certainly not legal. Two very different people you can not imagine they would have any chemistry or attraction. Sara Maclean does not disappoint. She makes this story laughable and lovable. Devil is in way too deep from the word go. I love her books as was so glad to add this to my collection. Felicity gave herslef a lot of names one of which should have been fearless Felicity. She did seize what she wanted and whom she wanted in the end. Love does conquer all! Can't wait to read Beast story!

I loved everything about Wicked and The a Wallflower. From start to finish. Love the plot, never a dull moment and the romance is breathtaking. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator does an excellent job. She always does. Felicity Faircloth is brave and an unconventional heroine and I love her personality. Devil, oh, he’ll become one of your favorite heroes. Scarred, brooding, but with a big heart. This is a gripping series. Clandestine events, mystery, passion leap from the pages. I’m only sad that I have to wait for the next book to release! I highly recommend this book.

Sarah MacLean is one of the authors I always preorder.
The story is set in Regency London, heroine Felicity is noble and whip smart, the hero Devil is a self made millionaire and powerful in his rookery. From their first meeting there is a wonderful connection. He sees her beautiful mind that most overlook and mock, hence the wallflower title.
The story is fast paced and fun. I definitely suggest reading Day of the Duchess first (really that whole series is wonderful)
Felicity is one of the main characters, which makes her happy ever after in this book more delicious.

In the end all the hype for this book was not justified for me. I will not give the ending away but I felt that it was way too much of a stretch to accept that a lady from the aristocracy will live this life. It seems that she gave up everything and he gave up nothing.

I wish I could give a higher rating. I did enjoy some of the author's earlier work, particularly The Rogue. The beginning of Wicked was so meh, I skipped to the end and read the last chapter and a half and the epilogue. I am pretty sure I didn't miss anything in the chapters I skipped. I checked this out from the library and so thankful I did not pay for it.

I adored this book. I loved Felicity - from her awkward moments in society to her lock picking skills to her big heart. I love the banter between her and Devil. I love how she was always doing the unexpected thing as far as he was concerned. I loved their moments together in his world. I like learning more about Covent Garden and how the brothers and sister rose above everything to become the leaders. I felt terrible for Devil and his siblings for their upbringing. I adored Grace - I can't wait to read more about her. I'm a sucker for anything Sarah MacLean writes.

I enjoyed that!

Nobody does feminism in a historical setting quite like Sarah MacLean.

Felicity and Dev are both strong-willed, determined, and willing to do almost anything to protect the people they love. I loved their witty banter and their chemistry was off-the-charts chemistry! Getting a glimpse of previous characters was fun, too. (I'm looking at you, Haven.)

This was a fantastic start to a new series and I'm reeeeeally looking forward to reading the rest of the Bastards' stories.

I found <Wicked and the Wallflower to be poetically written and wildly captivating. I couldn't help but be intrigued by the Devil, just as Lady Felicity was. The story was fraught with danger and passion, action and suspense... and I adored seeing these two characters grow together. This turned out to be one of my favorite reads of the year, and I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In true MacLean form, Wicked and the Wallflower gives us a dark broken hero with a code of honor and a heroine who wants more from life than she ought to. Watching Devil and Felicity parry on the page is delightful. The banter and strategic countermoves keep the book moving briskly towards a satisfying ending. I can't wait for the next two books she's set up in this series. I will also never watch the chimney sweep song from Mary Poppins the same way ever again. Who knew London roofs could be sexy?

4.5 stars rounded up. This is one of my favorite Sarah MacLean books second only to Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. Felicity is an unpredictable heroine, which makes reading about her journey to embrace the darkness of Devil’s world even more interesting. She refuses to comply with societal standards, while also turning romance tropes on their heads. The drama, angst and OMG the sexual tension between Felicity and Devil make this a scorching read. Devil’s own traumatic backstory makes him a compelling character, though his self-sacrificing tendencies became a bit grating by the end. I also liked the unconventional relationship that Felicity had with her family — they were neither good nor evil, just very flawed people.

I’m very curious to see the other Bareknuckle Bastards’ stories play out in the next books of the series — especially to see more of Grace and her perspective.

Thank you to Avon and Edelweiss for providing an ARC for review!

The author is always good; great story, but it left a little too much wanting, most of these types of books are 3-5 books so it's expected, but this was probably the tamest of the group. She put a lot on the table as far as enemies who are obviously going to be friends/family. And everyone is super dramatic and sexy which is always great. But I have a feeling she is going to save the best book for last.

I had to overcome the not at all believable start of this series (four children, three of them with the same father, all of them with different mothers - born not only at the same day but in the same minute?!) but once I put that as fairy tale style, I was able to enjoy the rest of the book. I really can't wait for Ewan's story, he seems to be the most intriguing of the lot, but all in all a captivating and enjoyable spin-off!

The prologue captured my attention. I was intrigued to see where the story traveled. I liked the MCs and really enjoyed the interaction between the siblings....both of Devon and Felicity. Those scenes were my favorites in the book. I found my interest was maintained consistently throughout the book, but felt it was a bit long in spots. I think it looks to be a good series and am anxious to read about the siblings.

I LOVED this book. Felicity and Devil have all the passion you could want. Their banter and interactions are sparkling. Each is someone who has been defined by other people but is fighting back. When Devil decides to help Felicity - for his own purposes, unknown by her - you know it's not going to go as he planned. Oh no, it goes so much better! I can't wait to read the next one in this series!

I am a huge fan of Sarah's books, but this one may be my favorite! Strong and multifaceted characters with witty dialogue and a wonderful story. Felicity is funny and sassy and Devil is dark and sharp and together the really make sparks! She is the light he never knew he needed.

If you like reading books where you know some of the characters from previous books, the bulk of Sarah's books work together and often incorporate people and events that have happened in previous stories. You can absolutely ready this as a stand alone book, but, if you read the other books from Sarah (including the series Love by Numbers, The Rules of Scoundrels, and Scandal & Scoundrel), you will find wonderful connections between the stories.

Really a fantastic read, regardless if you like period romance novels. The characters and modern and the story does not ever lag.

This is the start of the Bareknuckle Bastards series and I cannot wait for the next book!

What a start to a new series! Darkly wicked, full of vengeance, regret, and sultry romance, you'll need to lock yourself into the hero's ice warehouse to cool down after reading this one!

Bravo to MacLean for making me totally into rings on a guy. *fans self*

**Free copy received from Avon in exchange for a fair review**

I will be completely honest here even if pains me a little to say a few things. First of all, I want to say that is not a bad thing to want to read the bad guy's story. Ewan was the person who held most of my interest and that is a bad thing since he stole the spotlight from Devil. You see, Ewan is the bad guy in this book and he did a couple of seriously bad stuff that made me question my sanity and the reason why I needed his book. I cannot hold them against him for some reason and I am willing to give a kidney to have his book in my hands, which, according to the release date of the second book, will be released in two years. We will get Beast's story next and while the blurb makes the book seem promising doesn't hold a candle on Ewan's book. I will not be satisfied if he doesn't end up with Grace. I hope the author will find some way to redeem him in our eyes and make him worthy of a woman like Grace.

Second, are we sure that Arthur and Pru don't have a book on their own? They are very familiar to me for some reason and yet they never had a book. Did I confuse Pru for another Pru by a different author? Probably. One thing I can guarantee you is that you will see mentions of two characters from The Day of the Duchess aka the duke and the duchess. If you have read the book you might remember Felicity. She was one of the ladies who were competing to be the duke's future bride. I liked her when I was reading that book and I loved her while reading this one which brings me to my third point.

Felicity is a strong woman, who stands up for herself, but is also not running wild all the time like a 21rst century woman. She doesn't belong in the 19th century either, but she doesn't stand so much out, Her lockpicking habits are not a skill a woman in her time was supposed to have and it made her unique without making it over the top. Devil is not your usual hero either. He doesn't have a title and his business is shady. For some reason when I think of him the show Peaky Blinders comes into my mind. I never questioned his devotion to Felicity even when he was continuing on deceiving her and planned on using her to get his revenge. These two made a great couple and they had a lot of scenes where they proved that they had chemistry and were meant for each other. They are a great couple and the author did a good job.

I feel like Ewan stole the show. Don't get me wrong, the book had a lot of strong points such as the main characters both as individuals and as a couple, but after a year it will be Ewan the thing that I will remember the most about the book and that's a thorn on this book side. Maybe the problem is that the author showed us that Ewan truly loves Grace as a man loves a woman and I think she hinted that Ewan is not as bad as his brothers make him seem. I guess I will find all the answers in the next two books.

The secondary characters are mostly, Beast, Grace and Felicity's family. I will only comment on Beast and Grace. Both of them drew my interest for different reasons. They made wonder what their story will be and how they became the people they are now. I will look forward to their books in order to dive deep into their minds. They deserve a happy ending.

Overall the book was good, but it tired me a little. I took some breaks when I was reading it, but I was still able to finish it in one afternoon. The connection to the other book was subtle and it can be read as a stand-alone book. The writing wasn't strong in some parts, but they were not enough to leave a bad impression. I feel like 4 stars is the appropriate rating for this book since it came close to perfection, but it wasn't. It also wasn't bad in order to deserve 3. Sarah MacLean is one of my favorite authors and once again she wrote a good that I (mostly) enjoyed. I wasn't disappointed and I can't wait for the next two books!

"Wicked and the Wallflower" Bareknuckle Bastards Series, Book 1
by Sarah MacLean, narrator Justine Eyre

Really liked the story.. a few scene a bit explicit,, but... a Regency romance with some rough edges showing. Borrowed this 12+ hour audio book as a download from my state library.

Even though I have all the Rules of Scoundrels in Paperback, this was my First Sarah MacLean. I know now why she’s a Queen in the Historical romance world.
Scandalous spinster Heroine needs redemption for herself and her family.
Hero is London underbelly Kingpin with a thirst for vengeance.

I have always loved this author, but this story is her best yet. A strong heroine realizes her self worth while chasing her HEA. The hero is a man who knows she is perfect from the start. This book grabs you from the beginning and never lets you go. Buy one and block off a day as you won’t want to put it down.

Sarah MacLean's characters offer addictive banter shot through with humor. Plus, I'm a sucker for a bad boy who believes no one can love him, and the woman who sees him for the true gentleman he's always been. Definitely add this to your To-Be-Read pile if you enjoy laughs while you time travel to another era.

Was half way through when I looked for book two's release day...2019. I can't wait that long. Almost mad that I got so sucked into the story and have to wait until next year to read the next one.

Bottom line - I loved it because it was different, creative, and sweet.

Highly recommend!

Seriously enjoyed this book. Charming, witty, and hella fun. Little bit of insta-love, so if that's not your thing, be warned. But otherwise it was a wonderful escape and I can't wait for book 2 in the series.

I absolutly adore this book! Well written, I was perfectly drawn into the world of Falicity Faircloth and her charming Devil. If this is what Sarah MacLean brings to all her books, I definitely will be buying more! Looking forward to Beasts tale in The Barknuckle Bastards Book 2

This book didn't disappoint! All of Sarah's heroines have just the right amount of sass, independence, and vulnerability while the men keep an edge that's undeniable and fun to watch soften. I loved this book and can't wait for the next two in the series. Felicity and Devil on a roof in Covent Garden is magic!

I expected it to be amazingly wonderful like all things Sarah Maclean does but I didn’t realize it would be one of the best books I’ve read this year. There’s nothing about it I don’t like. It’s smart, funny, hot, it’s the book equivalent to chocolate. Just buy it.

I now know I love A a Wallflower a spinster a scandal. And the bare knuckle bastard. This is one of the best books I loved the dialogue. The snappy wit,of both of them. I laughed so many times I couldn't count them I can't wait for the next book The Beast (which I have already pre-ordered) and I'm pretty sure Grace! I hope so you've got to have this book this will be one of my favorites to re-read!

Excellent storytelling! I was enthralled by this story. Lady Felicity Faircloth captured me from the first and never released me. I loved that she is older, firmly ensconced in her spinsterhood and doing whatever she pleases.

Devil's nefarious plotting was doomed from inception. However, I am so chuffed in anticipation of the back story unfolding about the former duke and exactly what kind of Lord of the Flies operation he was running for those two years. I'm sure we'll be spoon fed that information over the course of the series.

It was nice to see that this new series is set firmly in the same universe. Therefore, allusions other characters we know so well will pop up frequently. I love knowing folks already and being instantly familiar with locations in my reading.

I am inordinately intrigued by Devil's family - Evan, Whit and Grace. I must know more of what happened to them. I know that all will be revealed, but I'm chomping at the bit and I need MacLean to write faster!

In the meantime, I'm settling down and possibly rereading this book a few times in case there are clues I've missed in my first read. All in all, this was a glorious read and I am so happy to have another Sarah MacLean masterpiece on my Kindle.

his one had a darker hero, one that doesn't hesitate to use the female protagonist for his own agenda. Like his namesake, Devil struck a bargain with Felicity, the wallflower of the novel. He will make sure she gets what she wants, for a price to be mentioned once the deal is met. What she is unaware of is, she's just a pawn in the Devil's own revenge filled agenda. I really loved this since this is still a romance, therefore, a happy ending is a given. How you get from a point of ultimate betrayal to a love whose fundamental premise is trust is something to definitely look forward to. Most of all I loved the progression of Felicity Faircloth, a princess who did not know her own worth until she met Devil and realized that what she thought would make her life perfect is so much more than acceptance from society but rather an acceptance of her worth as a female, who is valuable in every way. Wicked and the Wallflower is a marvelous romance but for a woman to finally realize her worth despite what society wants her to believe is the best story ever. Hence Wicked and the Wallflower is definitely worth the read.

I confess I had some trouble to get at first in the story, tiredness probably but also Revenge stories are far from my favorite as they left behind them only broken hearts, wounded bodies and scared minds.
It was after some chapters I began to warm to the characters, I loved Devil from the beginning but I’m easy prey as I have a fondness for damaged souls.
I needed more time for Felicity, like for Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake, I first thought Felicity weak to want her old life back with her bully friends in it, they were awful and I had trouble to love her as I associated her with them.
But little by little the author enlightened her personality, then she added an unusual talent. I had to remind me it had been so all her life, and those ugly people were part of the gilded cage she belonged until her encounter with Devil.
With time, I felt sorry for Felicity, in away she was just a pawn in two talented chess players game. Devil of course came to regret his initial decision, he was torn between his need of revenge and his attraction to Felicity.

“Felicity Faircloth, you’ll burn me down.”

I would have liked to learn more about him, the very few flashbacks helped a little to comprehend him but some more scenes would have helped, as for his relationship with his sister and brothers.

It was a collision of two different worlds, when naivety meets wickedness, each one corrupting the other, Felicity will open her eyes to a new life, far from her sheltered past, with danger and violence but also thrill and passion while Devil will open his heart to hope and love.

“Felicity Faircloth. Passion is obsession. It is desire beyond reason. It is not want, but need. And it comes with the worst of sin far more often than it comes with the best of it.”

“You rescued me. You rescued me from a world without color. Without light.”

Together they will create a world between darkness and light, where they both can meet.

“For a heartbeat, she was Cardea, unseen by all the world except him—the beginning and the end, the past and the future. The present.”

Now I will have to read the previous series while waiting for Devil’s brother story.

I’m a verified customer on the store.fr

Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean is book One in The Bareknuckle Bastards series. This is the story of Felicity and Devon 'Devil'.
Bareknuckle Bastards series starts the story of bastard brothers born to different mothers but with the same father who a awful man who was a Duke. This series starts so great with this book that I can't wait the story of the other characters.
This story covers Devil who happens to meet Felicity by accident. But their witty talk he learns that she is a spinster and her mother is working to marry her off. When she states that she would like to get back in the graces of the town. Later Devil learns that Felicity had stated that she was marring
Ewan, the Duke of Marwick. When Devil learns of this he confronts his half-brother Ewan and then goes to Felicity with a plan.
Felicity encounters with Devil are fun to read with their bickering. Although Felicity thinks that she wants to marry the Duke to help get her back in the eye of the town while working with Devil she starts to think that her wish to marry for passion/love might better be found with Devil.
Really enjoyed their story and could not put the book down! Now I just need the other stories soon!
Loved it !

LOVED IT! What an amazing story! it is one of those book that you cannot put it down, and have to read in one setting. I cannot wait for the next book of the series to come out in 2019. The characters and the superb writing made this book one of the best books I had read so far this year.

Great read. Wonderful character development and great tension and love scenes. Love how Sarah puts characters from other books into her books. Leaves you wanting to read it again and the next one in the series.

I expected it to be amazingly wonderful like all things Sarah Maclean does but I didn’t realize it would be one of the best books I’ve read this year. There’s nothing about it I don’t like. It’s smart, funny, hot, it’s the book equivalent to chocolate. Just buy it.

Great read. Wonderful character development and great tension and love scenes. Love how Sarah puts characters from other books into her books. Leaves you wanting to read it again and the next one in the series.