For all those that thought Ned, one of the secondary characters from Ms. Carlyle’s Fraternatis series should have his own story, get ready! Here it comes!

Ned Quartermaine is very handsome and sophisticated, but not a likable fellow. He’s been through a lot as a child and that has taught him to always look out for number one. himself. He’s a calculating and ruthless owner of a very notorious high-end gambling establishment. His patrons are crème de la crème of aristocracy, and they know better than to cross him. Wicked is something this man is closely acquainted with. As we meet Ned after the accident as ‘Edward’ we can’t help but like him. The combination of wicked ‘Ned’ and charismatic ‘Edward’ makes him simply irresistible.

Kate, Lady d’Allenay is practical, plain and reliable. She’s not a beauty like her younger sister, but she has a radiance, wit and charm that shine through her. She cares deeply for her title, lands and especially for her family. Honesty is something she values above all else.

Now, as trope’s go, this one has been done to death, yet Ms. Carlyle manages to infuse ....thanks for jumping to b2b to finish reading my review...

http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/in-love-with-a-wicked-man-by-l...

Melanie for b2b

*Book provided by the publisher through Edelweiss. ( )

IN LOVE WITH A WICKED MAN by Liz Carlyle is another exciting Regency Historical Romance set in 1880-1889 London. A delight from beginning to end. Well written with engaging characters,sensual and romantic with a mixture of mystery and suspense.

Meet heiress of Bellecombe Castle, Kate, Lady d’Allenay, and Lord Edward Quartermaine, a man with no scruples to say the least. Kate, just may be the only person who can bring Ned to his knees literally. A scandalous passion and a romantic interlude makes for a most intriguing story! A great read and one not to be missed.

Well done, Ms. Carlyle! Loved it!

Received for an honest review from the publisher and Above the Treeline.

RATING: 4.5

HEAT RATING: HOT

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More ( )

There are far too many times when I wonder why I read romance novels. Liz Carlyle has just reminded me why.

Carlyle, who is known for her story-telling skills and her charismatic characters, has in 'In Love with a Wicked Man' again proven that she's at the top of her game.

Kate and Edward meet by accident - in a fit of temper she jumps her horse over a hedge and careens into the hapless Edward. He receives a blow to the head and awakes with no memory of who he is. The reader already knows something of his sad and wicked background and knows that he is an Unsuitable Lover for Kate. (The reader also knows that he is hot, wicked, and beautiful and is surely intended for Kate. Lucky girl.)

Briefly, it's a story filled with romance clichés adeptly juggled with ease. Lord Edward Quartermaine is that dark Alpha male we readers of romance expect to encounter. Ned, despite his aristocratic lineage, owns a successful gambling den. He is cynical, hard, polished, and a blond Adonis. Kate, Lady d'Allenay, is, despite her title and property, almost on the shelf. She is open, honest, a competent and careful heir to the family estate, and she is plain. Add to that the 'amnesia' plot device which gives the two the opportunity to meet and fall in love and it could be said that clichés abound.

However, in Carlyle's skillful hands the two characters become real people with histories and feelings, thwarted dreams and ambitions. Carlyle's books work because she takes the time to develop the characters. Each character has a history that explains who they are and why they behave as they do. Ned and Kate are strongly attracted to each other, and it will not be a spoiler to say that the required bedroom scenes are fittingly erotic. But at all times, they come across as real people dealing with real problems. And like 'real' people they are required to broaden their horizons, learn from their experiences, and change and grow in order to reach their deserved happily-ever-after.

On a personal level, I enjoyed 'In Love with a Wicked Man' more than any other romance novel that I've read this year. Readers who value strong characterization, deft plotting, and flashes of humor may well want to give it a look.

(A reviewer's copy was provided by the publisher.) ( )