Review: The Wickedest Lord Alive (The Westruthers) - ARC

Author: Christina Brooke
Original Title: The Wickedest Lord Alive
Release Year: 2014 (1st of July)
 
Literary Genre: Romance
Setting: England, regency
Series: 3° of The Westruthers series


Vote: 7/10

Eight years ago the tall and handsome Marquis of Stayne and the beautiful, lovely and very young Lady Alexandra Simmons, were forced to marry to pay a gambling debt; after only one fleeting meeting to know each other and say goodbye, the night they consummated their marriage, the newly wife vanished into the London night.

Years later, Stayne is in need of an heir and decide to track down his runaway bride, who is peacefully living in a small village under an assumed name. After the initial surprise to see again her handsome and very attractive husband, she is quite reticent to go back to that life she run from and take her position as Marchioness of Stayne.

Frankly The Wickedest Lord Alive is a bit confused. There is almost everything in this novel, too much in my opinion: the incorrigible rake, titles, the evil mother, the abusive father, the secret wedding, the escape, the false-name, the conspiracy, the attempted murder, the idiot cousin who might inherit the title, the necessity of an heir etc. I like these ingredients, but not taken all together, the plot might become a bit unrealistic. Despite that the author handles the situation well enough.

The romance is good when it comes to the protagonists' interactions, I liked them a lot, I have a soft spot for the heroine, not that much for the hero though, I like when a man is resolute and slightly harsh, but this one exceeds. The plot is really interesting, except for the Pindaric flights, the storyline is fluid and catching.

The love story is sweet and passionate but to be honest proceeds on a pace I didn't follow all the time, something happens too fast, something too slow.

This is a good novel with good characters, a nice love story and an interesting and catching plot; but not my favourite I must be honest, although I will definitely read something else by Christina Brooke's pen. 

Buona lettura!

M.E.G.

The Westruthers series:  1. London's Last True Scoundrel (Jonathon, Ilary)

                                        2. The Greatest Lover Ever (Marcus, Georgiana)

                                        3. The Wickedest Lord Alive (Xavier, Lizzie) 

                                 

  

** I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book on courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review, thank you for the opportunity.