I've been waiting for this novel for so long (okay, only a little over a year but it feels like so long) that I almost forgot about it. I was thrilled to find it in the bookstores. To Wed A Wicked Earl is the follow up to Olivia Parker's delicious debut novel At The Bride Hunt Ball.
If you've read the first novel, Charlotte, To Wed A Wicked Earl's heroine, is the friend fancying herself in love with Lord Tristan, the bride seeking noble. Only Lord Tristan DOESN'T choose her as his bride. Charlotte is left broken hearted and alone. She has one last season to find a husband. If she doesn't, she'll be forced to marry a very creepy old friend of her family. Very creepy, as in liking young girls creepy. Shivers.
The decadent Earl of Rothbury is in a similarly tight spot. His hilariously crazy and much beloved grandmother is threatening to sell off his property if he doesn't marry soon. The only woman he wants to marry is Charlotte but he feels she deserves better than a rake like him. So he pulls a typical guy stunt and romances every woman but her.
The two team up as spouse hunting friends. Charlotte vows to help Rothbury find a respectable bride and Rothbury uses the excuse of finding Charlotte a husband to stick close to her, knowing darn well that he'd never allow another man to touch her.
What makes To Wed A Wicked Earl special is Rothbury. He is as close to a real life alpha that I've ever found in a romance novel. Charlotte is a wallflower. Other nobles find her plain and unremarkable. Rothbury, however, is sure they have it all wrong. Charlotte has the makings of a ravishing beauty. He doesn't correct them though 'cause he's an alpha and alphas aren't too interested in what the masses think. He knows he's right and that's good enough for him.
He also has that alpha overly heightened sense of responsibility. Charlotte is a gem. She deserves better than him. She deserves the perfect man. He won't allow her to settle for less. He moves heaven and earth not to hurt his daffy grandmother. He feels responsible for the happiness of everyone he cares for.
To Wed A Wicked Earl is a very satisfying follow up to a brilliant debut. I've now added Olivia Parker to my auto buy list of authors (and that list is short).
To read more about To Wed A Wicked Earl, visit
http://www.oliviaparker.net
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