Trope Round Up: Historical Romance Books with Wicked in the Title

Slightly Wicked by Mary Balogh (2003)

Judith is on her way to live with her aunt and experiences a stagecoach accident. Rannulf Bedwyn rides by and offers to go to the next town and send help to the stranded stagecoach passengers, and he takes Judith with him. The strangers give each other fake names and identities and spend a steamy couple of days together. They each continue to their intended destinations: Judith is off to her aunt’s as a poor relation to keep her grandmother company while her younger cousin is being trotted out to potential suitors; Rannulf is off to his grandmother’s house where she has found him a potential bride. Of course, they’re both headed to the same town and cross paths when Rannulf comes to call on Judith’s young eligible cousin. Cue awkward social engagements, accusations of lying to each other, one insipid shallow cousin, another aggressive handsy cousin, a layabout brother living beyond his means, and grandmothers who happen to be besties.

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When She Was Wicked by Anne Barton (2013)

Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 1 of the Honeycotes series. Annabelle Honeycote is an impoverished seamstress with a deathly ill mother and younger sister to support. While working at the dress shop, she overhears various gossip and uses the information to extort money. One of her victims, Owen Sherbourne, a handsome duke, catches her at the drop point and threatens to expose her, but he feels bad for her instead, and brings her home as an indentured servant to make dresses for his sisters. There’s a bunch of miscommunication and secrecy between this couple, mixed with a healthy dose of social class difference, but the insta-lust is such fun to read and this book is a great set up to the Honeycote/Sherbourne family series to come.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman (2022)

Historical romance, Regency-era England. Book 3 of the Ruthless Rivals series. The Davies and Montgomery families have been rivals for centuries. But it’s a friendly sort of rivalry where the kids played together growing up and mostly just bickered with each other. When Morgan is ready to go out to sea, Harriet gives him a reason to come back, by allowing him three kisses if he survives and returns. A few years later, he survives torture and imprisonment and wants only one thing when he returns: Harriet’s hand in marriage. However, with their history of fighting and dares, he knows that she won’t believe him if he proposes outright, so he plans to seduce her and wear her down. This book was fun and low-angst between our two rivals, aside from a few little brushes with dastardly villains. Overall, I loved seeing Morgan scheme to bring Harriet into his arms and her trying to resist him. And I loved that both of their families were supportive and knew that these two loved each other even before they did.

Advance ebook provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

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Duke Most Wicked by Lenora Bell (2022)

Book 3 of the Wallflowers versus Rogues series. Viola has had a massive crush on her employer for as long as she’s known him. Music teacher to his five sisters, Viola is enamored of West, even with his wicked ways. When he realizes that his behavior has tarnished his sisters’ reputations, he seeks to make amends by finding a wealthy heiress to marry and suitors for the sisters. Viola is extra protective of the sisters and argues with him on their behalf. Meanwhile, Viola has been secretly composing music and selling it as her father’s and adamantly avoiding any time in the spotlight. West sees her talent and beauty despite her plain and drab dresses but believes that he doesn’t deserve her sunshine. Overall, great dynamic between our characters and love the flirting and banter they get into.

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A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (2012)

Book 2 of the Spindle Cove Series. Minerva is our geological scientist here aiming to go to a scientific conference in Scotland with a fossil imprint of possibly a lizard or dino skull in tow. Except she doesn’t have a way to get there. She propositions the town rake, Colin, to fake an elopement with her and escort her to the conference. From there, we face all sorts of road trip calamities with a broken carriage, highwaymen, and more. And there’s a super cute bit where Colin calls Minerva every other M name under the sun because he can’t remember her name. (But he does actually know her name). One of my fave books from Tessa Dare.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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A Wicked Bargain for the Duke by Megan Frampton (2021)

Stuffy new duke Thaddeus decides he needs a respectable wife and has been courting a quiet and reticent lady. Lavinia is the outspoken sister trying to protect her sister from making a match she’s uninterested in. Although total opposites in personality, Thad and Lavinia get caught in a compromising situation and need to marry.

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Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean (2018)

Lady Felicity is a spinster wallflower who I guess was ruined by some sort of scandal. Devil seeks her out to set her up with a suitor that he wants revenge on. But she’s negotiates her own deal with Devil for lessons in passion while they’re together. Honestly, I don’t remember much about this story, aside from Devil having some smuggling operation related to shipping ice and that Felicity is really really good at picking locks. The overall premise of the series is interesting though, with the four children of the duke born on the same day and then where they end up as adults.

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To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker (2009)

Picks up at the end of the previous book where Charlotte is not selected as the bride for a man she has pined after for years. Adam is a rakish earl who normally wouldn’t pay a wallflower like Charlotte any attention. Except that he’s been smitten with her for years. They start a somewhat flirtatious friendship, but he thinks she’s still in love with the other guy, and she doesn’t think he would actually be interested in her. These two just need to get it together and trust their own feelings.

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When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (2004)

We’ve heard bits and pieces about Francesca Bridgerton in previous books of the series, but now we finally get to focus on her story. She marries John Stirling (Earl of Kilmartin), but he tragically dies in his sleep, leaving her a widow at age 22. John’s cousin, Michael, is set to inherit the Earldom. However, he has been secretly in love with Francesca and cannot bear to take John’s place in all his duties. He flees the country. Meanwhile, Francesca has been the steward of the Kilmartin estate and mourns her husband; eventually, when she finds herself longing for a baby, Francesca decides to remarry. She still loves her husband, so she isn’t looking for someone to love. Michael returns from his travels and finds that his feelings for Francesca have not abated. And while Francesca used to see Michael as nothing more than a good friend, she starts to realize that he’s an attractive man. Of course she feels a huge amount of guilt for lusting after Michael, so she’ll need to work that out throughout this book.

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Her Wicked Marquess by Stacy Reid (2020)

In this one, we have a guy with a rakish reputation, but he really just has that as a cover story because he’s trying to find the reason why his childhood love killed herself and get revenge. Meanwhile, our girl Maryann is trying to avoid her parents marrying her off to someone older and creepy. So she spread a rumor about herself getting ruined by the guy. Unfortunately, he has enemies so now she’s made herself a target and now he has to protect her. It’s actually really fun seeing these two get to know each other under these circumstances. He sneaks into her room at night and they talk and play chess and really develop a deep and meaningful relationship. But of course, he’s working on his whole revenge thing, so no time for love and all that.

Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby.

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Wicked in His Arms by Stacy Reid (2017)

Drama in a book here. Olivia is the stepdaughter of a viscount who has been running wild in the country and now sent off for lady lessons with a neighboring countess. She’s mostly trying to avoid her stepbrother’s disgusting advances. While she’s staying with the countess, she catches the eye of Tobias, the son and earl. He doesn’t want anything to do with such an improper lady though and tries to avoid her. He has his own issues with trying to avoid passionate feelings and scandal because of his family history and reputation. Well, that doesn’t actually work out, since they do get caught in a compromising situation and need to marry. And then figure out how to actually be married to each other.

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The Wicked Wallflower by Tracy Sumner (2022)

Pippa (a duke’s sister) has an unhealthy attraction to her brother’s friend Xander (a rogue and ex-smuggler). After running into each other enough times, they finally give in to the attraction, even though Xander is working through feelings of not being worthy and swearing off love. A fun adventure for Pippa and Xander, they just keep staring at each other and meeting up.

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