Your Wicked Ways (Duchess in Love, 4)

Another winner by Eloise James. A little slow to start, but then takes off, leading us merrily down the wicked, rollicking path with Rees, Tom, Lina and Helene. Helene wants a child, but has been estranged from Rees for 10 years. Can they find their way back to each other? Tom, Rees’ vicar brother comes for a visit, accompanied by an urchin and falls head over heels in love with Lina, Rees’ musical muse and supposed mistress. The story was very entertaining and hard to put down.

I read this book several year ago when I borrowed it from the libruary. I didn't love it but I liked it well enough to want to own it. It is not the best of Ms. James' work but it had a lot of humor and the secondary story of the hero's brother was also interesting. It is not your typical romance in that the hero and heroine are not typical. But I don't mind that characters step "out of the box" occasionally. I find it interesting.

Before reading this book I read the reviews of it, at first it was just to get an idea of how Helene's story would be. With the review of how Helene went back to her husband's house and how the reader was disappointed had me thinking that I would be agreeing with the reviewer. Not so, Elosia covered each characters view to the situation and explained the scenery around each characters involvement,feelings, and how true friendships and true love is taken in context or in believing in really knowing what a person is really capable of doing and what they really mean. Since I started becoming a fan of Elosia James I have not been able to stop reading and wanting to get more of her books. If you want to read romances with laughter, sadness, mystery and mayhem Elosia James is fantastic she even gives conclusions to the characters of the possible happiness in their future. You will fall in love with all her characters, and even enjoy their antics to their final destination that you will become as addictive to her books as I am and want to keep reading...

I have read other books in this series and this was not my favorite. I didn't find Helene sympathetic and could connect with her Earl. Sorry, Eloisa, you are one of my go to authors but this book was tedious.

I thought the book was great! With every book there is always some little part that could be better or different in one dialog or another. Also there are different personalities that are rating these books. I for one thought that it was a great story line. Not at all your typical romance that one comes to expect. Eloisa James is a brilliant writer! In the beginning of the book yes I wanted to kill the Earl and the countess as well for her weaking to his manipulation, but as you read on you find that there was a reason for their estrange marriage. They were both at fault and mis-understanding each other. I loved the way that Eloisa so cleverly brought this to the forefront and put all the action and characters into the story line. And for the person who said that he (the earl) didn't apologize or have any regrets...you need to read it again. Eloisa is an amazing writer maybe the bad reviews are because you just didn't get it. I have read reviews on Charles Dickens that were as negative.I am happy to say that after reading the negative reviews I read the book anyhow. Bravo Eloisa James!!

Ms. James' books are usually quite fun, quite entertaining, and a lovely way to pass an afternoon or evening. This one wasn't nearly as bad as some reviewers see it, but it is not one of her best. First, it's clear from the start that neither party is innocent in the dismal state of affairs. Helene is under her mother and her upbrining's thumb, Rees his father. Neither character, from the hints and comments dropped, ever got over the other one but shielded themselves with what was expected of them to get through it. So, no, they weren't perfect, no they were sympathetic part of the time, but they were human and that is, sometimes, a nice change of pace. I didn't know if I'd enjoy these two when I got the book, but it was raining outside, so I made the plunge. I'm glad I did. I'm not sure I'd read it twice, but maybe three or four years from now, when it will be new and fresh, I'd like to give it another go. Mostly because Ms. James' does make her characters stand out on the page in this book. She does actually give the hero and heroine personalities, foibles, and interesting dark crannies so that the reader enjoys getting to know them. If you want characters that make no sense and have motivations that are only partially drawn, she has some other bad ones out there.

I hesitated ordering this book due to the reviews but it was the last one to the series so I ordered it and I loved it. Although Ree Lord Godwin was not the best of men, his character is explained but not excused. Each character has some fault as to why things are as they are due to certain circumstances in their lives but at the end the couples (Lina-mistress and Tom-vicar-brother to Ree) fall in love and Lord Godwin and Helene finally admit they have always loved each other and knowledge there have been misunderstandings between them that have kept them apart. I normally give my review on how well the story is written and expressed. I found it very well written and the characters well developed. The story had intrigue, forgiveness, acceptance, confessions, surprises, betrayal, love, and two happily ever after. The author as always allowed the reader to feel her characters feelings throughout the story. It was hard to put down the book and I am happy for all the characters in this series.

I love historical romance, but find perfect sex (or marital harmony) between relative strangers to be jarringly unrealistic. Helene and Rees are immature virgins when they elope. Although they are actually very well matched, they make a mess of things because they don't have the wisdom or experience a good marriage requires. Helene is hyper-critical, and blames Rees for all her negative feelings instead of trying to figure out what's really going on. It is so enjoyable watching her learn how to be a true friend from Esmee, devote herself to using her musical talent, and discover that she is uniquely beautiful. Once she knows herself better, and goes after her priorities, her confidence soars. Then, she's ready to discover the pleasures of her body, and finally, fall in love with her husband on a much deeper level. Rees has no relationship skills, has not become his own man due to baggage from his father, and is realistically clueless on how to please a woman in bed. Add to this, his low self-esteem and tendency to shut out everything except his work, and he has a long way to go. I especially liked the reconnection with his brother, which helped Rees see that he is at heart a loyal, good man. As they became truer to themselves, they are better able to understand each other. Finally, Rees can see Helene as his precious, sexy, musically gifted wife, and Helene can see Rees as her rugged, hot, musically inspired husband. And they see themselves through the other's eyes, and it is good.

“Fool for Love” is one of my all-time favorite historical romances. I’ve read it at least five times over the years. While reading that story, I also became fascinated by the story behind Rees and Helene. But I have to admit that I was rather disappointed. For starters, I didn’t care about Lina and Tom’s storyline. In the end, she was still “the other woman,” and that fact prevented me from really liking her. I also felt that this storyline took up far too much attention in the story. To be honest, I also find it rather awkward that someone would marry his brother's former mistress. That must create a very special atmosphere at family reunions. I didn't like the disrespectful way Rees treated Helene, for example, how he blatantly mocked her small breasts and blamed her for their disappointing intimacy. I also found it distasteful that he insisted she move back into the house, while also requiring his mistress to stay, and in his wife's room no less. I really didn't understand why Helene could ever agree to such a humiliating arrangement, even if she wanted a child so badly. The price she had to pay for it was far too high for me. Especially since it was clear that Rees needed her just as much to save his precious opera. I hated the way Helene used Mayne. First to give her a child, which she didn't even ask him beforehand, which I found morally wrong. After that, she deliberately kept him stringing along, used him, and lied to him. So I could certainly understand why Mayne wanted some revenge, also because he was clearly infatuated with Helene. I don't know if my reaction would have been any different. I did find it refreshing that, for once, the male lead wasn't a genius between the sheets. In the end, I sadly couldn't shake the impression that music was pretty much the only thing that bound these two together, nearly the only thing they ever talked about. I also felt that more than ten years of scandalous and humiliating behavior were swept under the rug far too quickly.

Bravo!!! What a book! An unconventional hero and a smart heroine. Loved the musical as well as the physical (lack of it) side of their relationship!!! Read it in one go.

I must say I discovered eloisa James as an excellent writer who can describe her characters with great reality dragging you in the plot! A must read author!!

A thoroughly uplifting experience from beginning to end. Helene, who you may remember from 'A Wild Pursuit', wants a child like her other friends. She has been living apart from her big, bad husband for many years and even though she ran away with Rees to Gretna, the experience of married life was not too pleasant for either of them. Rees has an Opera singer installed in his wife's bedroom and is thought of as a rakehell. Appearances are nearly always deceptive but the road to happiness for both Rees and Helene and also his brother Tom, who visits from 'up t'north' and Lina, the singer, is a joy to read and a laugh a minute. There is another little heartwarming diversion concerning five year old Meggin woven expertly into the tale. All in all a wonderful end book to the series, easy to read and very satisfying. Loved it!!

I love Eloisa James’ books. The are lighthearted with plenty of laugh out loud moments. I also love the supporting characters. Ms James rounds them out and her books usually entwine storylines about these characters with the main hero and heroine. In this book, although I loved the way Helene is given a happy ever after I was a bit confused over the timelines. This book takes place about 12-18 months after “A Wild Pursuit” yet the descriptions and current affairs mentioned in a Wild Pursuit gave me the sense this was one of Eloisa’s Georgian romances. Yet “Your Wicked Ways”, chapter 1 is headed 18 March 1816 but the final chapter, chapter 42 is headed 18 January 1816. Confused? I was. This book also referred to one of the male characters wearing red heeled shoes, surely a reference to the 18th century not something ever sanctioned by Brummel? It made it difficult for me to properly imagine the gorgeous dresses and hairstyles described as some sounded Regency, but were they? Both books have been out for a few years, no-one else has mentioned this so I wonder if the Kindle versions are faulty? Although these pondering did distract me, I still enjoyed the book, Helene was frosty, difficult to like and becoming embittered by her circumstances. It takes a talented author to both make her likeable, and her happy ever after believable. Ms James has that talent. I am currently awaiting the next in the Wilde’s of Lindow series which I think is her best so far.