Lady Gone Wicked

Be careful what you wish for, because it may come back at bite you in the end. Maybe someone should have warned Nicholas and Adelaide before their scandal began. Both have tragic pasts. Each has so much love to give but doesn't think they deserve to receive it. Victims of circumstance. Can two disillusioned hearts turn heartache into happily ever after? Amidst the scandal, betrayal, pain and darkness, lies a haunting tale of courage, hope and redemption. Unforgettable in every way.

Full review posted at Reader's Edyn on 04/17/20 Adelaide has finally returned to the land of the living. Her plans to murder Nick in an accident thwarted in discovering her target was actually his twin brother and her twin sister’s fiancé. What’s a girl to do when the subject of your ruin turns out to have a twin of all things? And marrying your sister to top it all off! Planning to assimilate herself back into her family as the perfectly respectable, perfectly behaved, perfect daughter, she sets out to find a husband with Nick’s help. Wicked inclinations must be resisted at all costs. He promises to marry her if they cannot accomplish their task, but swearing to present only the best of any possible suitors, he is confident he can match her with someone truly worthy of her. Plan in hand, they set out to secure her future. But passion flared between them for a reason and trying to keep that undeniable flame at bay proves impossible. While they may both long to be together, their futures are headed in a different direction. There's also that teensy secret Adelaide must guard at all costs … even from Nick. Revealing her truth would mean certain ruin all over again and she’d never be able to come out of such gossip a second time. Nicholas has finally found her. He knew she was lurking about and she finally turns up on his doorstep of all places – and shoots him. What a welcoming. He planned to marry her to save her from ruin, but that is not what she wants. On the cusp of attaining everything he desires, he admits that marriage would mean a quick death to his plans of a title and recognition, so he relents and agrees to aid her in achieving her goals. He begins with a list in which everyone will be compared to … him. As a former spy and lover to Adelaide, he would know exactly what she needs in a match, so why not? As the end to their time frame draws near, Nick finds fault with every possible match. However, when the suitor who seems to be the match Adelaide needs turns out to be the very man who is behind getting Nick the title he covets, he bows out. But things do not sit right with Nick and suddenly he realizes that Adelaide can have no other perfect match because that role lies solely on him. But the truth of her secret could tear them apart for good, so when it all spills out, Nick is forced with a huge decision which will mean confronting the demons of his past or continuing to run from them. The curse of the second son may have eluded to certain death for a first son, but it has also played a huge part in the inability of Nick to live his life freely. Oh, how I love this series! I absolutely love to discover historical romance of this caliber. Ms. Bright is a refreshing dose of exactly what every historical romance should aspire to be! I fell hopelessly in love with the Wicked Secrets series when first I encountered Nathaniel and Alice in book 1, about 3 years ago. It took me a while, but I am finally righting a serious wrong in not getting to this next installment sooner than now. Had I realized I was sitting on this ARC version, I would have corrected the oversight immediately. I laughed continually throughout this book as I did in the initial installment. The delightful wit and banter were an absolute treasure within these pages. I recall much of the first book fairly well considering the years that have passed since I read it. I made several predictions at that time. One I will reveal after I have continued with this series to see if I was correct. The other was that Nicholas and Adelaide were more than just a quick affair - despite Alice's belief to the contrary. Regardless, Adelaide is sent away due to her condition, then had actually faked her death and reappeared only to attempt to kill Nate, believing him to be Nick. Confused? It's actually quite a delightful series! What a fun spin that two sets of twins should fall in love with one another...