☾Sabrina♡༄'s Reviews > Her Wicked Marquess

A giddy and breathless 5 stars.

I’ve been anticipating this book eagerly, thrilled with the blurb (premise of the heroine saving herself from marriage by brazenly asserting ruination in the hands of a notorious rake), and I read it just a week after its release. I thought it would be a fun little read. I even read the first book in the series, and then lowered my expectations for this book based on that.

This book really caught me by surprise! It had so many elements that I personally loved from my favourite Laura Kinsale books, none of which were given away by the book’s blurb.

So about the book. Smart-mouthed, opinionated, bookish Maryann is to be betrothed to an abominable old man, Lord Stamford. Maryann resorted to spreading rumours that Nicolas St. Ives, the Marquess of Rothbury, was seen climbing out of her window – “I think…I think that libertine has some tendre for me!”. Cut to an amused Nicolas, having heard this firsthand, making her rumour a reality - but instead of going into fits of hysteria or swooning at the sight of the intruder she grabs a rapier, points it to his chest, and they spar.

There’s never a dull moment in the book - I read with a smile pulling the corners of my lips.

…instinctive knowledge filled her. Stamford meant to compromise her. “Catch me!” And without overthinking the matter, she slung one of her legs over the railing, then another.

“And allow you to flatten me to the ground?” he asked drily.

There’s so many things I want to gush about but I can’t do it without indulging too many spoilers. I didn’t anticipate such depth, anguish, and complexity from a supposed debauched devil-may-care rake. He’s dedicated his adult life to polishing the charming façade that will allow him to achieve his noble end goals.

“Not now,” he murmured. “I cannot dream of you. I am bloody well tired, and I want my rest.”

There’s so much carefully controlled restraint in him. “He who conquers others is strong, but he who conquers himself is mighty.”

They are made so perfectly for one another. I loved all the time they spent together, talking and playing games in her bedroom, picking locks with a hairpin. Nicolas would catch her if she overreached in her recklessness, and do more, protect her while allowing her to live.

“Why are you on my back, and how did you even reach there?” Her entire body flushed.

“There is something in the grass.”

“A harmless grass snake perhaps. Come, down you go.”

The moan that came from Maryann was so pitiful, he encircled her ankle and rubbed his thumb soothingly along her silk-covered leg. 

She made no effort to get off him, and he seemed contented for her to be there. He walked with her around to the side of the house, comfortable with her weight and the basket in another hand. Maryann smiled.

Nicolas is an actual hero, dedicating his life against the injustice of the inequality of the value of life placed upon those that are wealthy and well-connected, and the rest who aren’t. Honorable man to be admired, making endless sacrifices to seek retribution.

“My heart is laid upon the ground. Please do not step on it,” she whispered achingly.

My tears are like endless rainfall.

She is so cherished, I wanted to curl into a ball and weep.

Ugh, I want to wait just long enough to be surprised again by this book and read it again!