fabulous Bridgerton romance

In 1818, the first time ever Michael ¿The Merry Rake¿ Stirling saw Francesca Bridgerton he knows he is in love although he never experienced that feeling before. However, he can not act on his emotion because Francesca is to wed his best friend, his cousin John in less than two days. Michael ironically thinks that he now has two new feelings: love and for the first time envy. Ironically, he never coveted the earldom or the wealth of the man he considers his ¿brother¿.------ Two years later, Michael hides his love for Francesca from her and his cousin. John complains of headache and soon afterward he, not quite thirty and in seemingly perfect health, is dead. At twenty-two, Francesca is a widow and Michael is the earl. He still hides his feelings while they mourn their loss until one innocent night he offers simple solace that turns into heated lovemaking. The aftermath is that both feel guilty as if they let down John. As they evade one another so as not to explore their feelings, Francesca begins to wonder if John arranged the whole thing as a heavenly matchmaker.------ Title aside as no one is ¿wicked¿ in a nasty sense; fans will appreciate this wonderful Regency romance starring a loving relationship triangle between three wonderful protagonists. John was a nice respected person loved by his wife and his cousin so that his memory serves as a ghostly barrier to Michael and Francesca following up on their feelings. The two illnesses that John and Michael respectfully suffered from provide a feel for the era as Julia Quinn uses that to anchor her sixth fabulous Bridgerton book.------ Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is one of my favorites. You know its good when you want to read it more than once!

Entertaining read

Julia delivers another great book that is humorous and light but engaging none the less!

Best Romance Novel Ever!!!!

I've read this book a number of times and it never fails to make me laugh and cry, and I fall in love with the hero, Michael Sterling, all over again. The herione is not the perfect herione that your used to reading about, but a woman who we all can empathize with. I've read hundreds of romance novels....When He Was Wicked is in my top 5. This is one of the best novels I've ever read:) You won't be able to put it down.

good book

a really good book, could have a better epilogue, but still, was a beautiful one.

Amazing!!

I love this entire series and I've loved every book. Having said that, this is my favorite of the series. It has the most passion between the two main characters and I really feel like you can relate to their love and chemistry they can't fight.

I couldn't make this fit but I'd also recommend Eloisa James' Desperate Duchess series. Its the same time period and also very funny.

Mostly Okay

This book was intriguing. It got me interested very quickly but there was a lot medical problems in this book. Overall, I liked it enough and it entertained me. Quick and easy read...nothing deep.

Raciest of the Bridgerton bunch

I rank this 4th in my list of favorites of the 8 Bridgerton novels, behind novels 1,2, and 8. Character development was good, as it most always is with Ms. Quinn's work.
Definitely worth the read.

Michael

Michael was smooth.

The rest was kind of dull.

Another Bridgerton Success

This is the sixth book in the Bridgerton series, and one of my favorites. It is Francesca's story and I was not entirely expecting to enjoy it because I did not feel as if Quinn had properly introduced Francesca to the reader in her previous books. But I was dreadfully wrong. I found myself not only adoring her, but the male lead in the book, Michael, was so stunningly tragic sometimes I felt I could not entirely handle the amount of pain he put himself through for his love. I'll admit, this book is a bit slow in the first half as the first 150 pages or so are all relatively the same. However, once it gets going I felt I was more than rewarded for my patience. WHEN HE WAS WICKED is easily the hottest of all the Bridgerton novels. I was utterly blown away by the consummation scene. I completely understood why Quinn felt the necessity for so much buildup to the sexual climax and it was so completely WORTH IT!

different from her others

I liked it. It was different from her usual stories. I liked Michael's character a lot but Francesca seemed a bit lacking. She was too self-centered for me. She would get mad at Michael for not being there for her when he was in pain also. But other than that I liked it.

WONDERFULLY ROMANTIC

`When He Was Wicked¿ is yet another masterpiece by Julia Quinn. Although I have to admit that I¿m not that surprised (seeing as all her books I¿ve read have been). As far as I¿m concerned she¿s a complete genius. Well, I believe that¿s probably enough praises for Julia in this review. Now about the book, I believe this book was great it captured my interest from beginning to end. I just couldn¿t stop reading. I fell in love with both Francesca and Michael. I have to admit to feeling bad for Michael, who was a man suffering from unrequited love I was even tempted to do the most horrible thing imaginable and read ahead just to make sure she returned his feelings by the end (oh, who am I kidding? I did read ahead). Anyway this book was great and I yet again guarantee that if you like other Bridgerton novels you will love this one as well.

Wonderfully Wicked

This book now ties as my favorite one out of the series (An Offer from a Gentleman being the other one)....i absolutely loved loved loved Michael....if he were an actual real human being-I would handcuff and tie him down and not let him out of my site...goodness i loved his character....and it was a really nice change to have the guy already in love with the heroine from the beginning...none of the same stuff of him waiting till the last page of the book to realize he's in love...this book was just wonderful...sooo increadibly enjoyable...its not the same tempo of the other Bridgerton stories...this one deals with alot more heart-ache...but its soooo enjoyable...amazing story....Mrs. Quinn- You out-did yourself! Two Thumbs up and a few toes

Not for everyone

It's really more of a four and a half star book. As other reviewers have said, this is definitely not Julia Quinn's usual style. But that's what makes it so exceptional. I've read a few books in her Bridgerton family series and found them not to my taste. They're a bit too light-hearted and sweet for me. But this one is much darker. It deals with all the painful emotions of love. Michael is such a vivid character. His descriptions of Francesca seem so heartfelt. His guilt and disgust with himself for loving his cousin's wife, of all people, is so palpable you can almost touch it. My only complaint is that with such a well-rounded hero, everyone else even the heroine takes a backseat. It's sad and depressing and there are definitely moments when you feel like crying. But that's what makes it so beautiful. Plus, there are some absolutely steamy love scenes. You have to wait for more than halfway through the book for them, but they're well worth it.

Excellent book

Not your typical romance. The best part of this book was the male lead...wonderfully done! Yes, there was sex but it was real, and honest and, I think, a necessary part of the story. This book I will keep and revisit from time to time.

Not a typical Julia Quinn novel

When He Was Wicked is not one of the Julia Quinn typical light hearted, funny, fast banter, fast reads with which we have become familiar. It has funny moments, but this novel is a bit darker, delving into more tragic situations and darker emotions. Just as an actor likes to take on different types of roles to stretch his talents, I feel Ms. Quinn has stretched herself with this novel. And she has stretched herself remarkably well. She has drawn characters who are deep, and multifaceted. Michael, second in line to the title and incorrigible rake of the family, loves his cousin's wife. But he is much deeper than he seems to be superficially. He truly loves his cousin (who is really more like a brother to him since they were raised together after the death of Michael's father) and for that reason alone, will never act on his feelings. Francesca truly loves her husband and is completed by him, but she also loves Michael on a different level. He is the spice and excitement she has given up for understanding, comfort and security. She enjoys him as he is. She understands him as no one else does. But she feels safe with her husband. Francesca is the deeper more reserved of the free-wheeling Bridgertons. Her story would have to be different, as she is different from the rest of her siblings. There is great tragedy, and no simplistic answers. Just as in real life, we get through our tragic moments and come out of them stronger, as do Francesca and Michael. They find each other again after they have had time to deal with their grief. One of the reviewers complained about the overwhelming guilt between the two lovers. Guilt is as strong an emotion as love. When each truly loved the one who was taken, guilt is very real, as real and potent as the love they shared, and it takes time to overcome. There are no magic wands that one waves and, poof, no more guilt. The characters, as do those of us in real life, actually have to work their way through it. This is a Julia Quinn for grown ups. It ended happily as romance novels must, but throughout, it dealt with adult emotions love, grief, regret, and finally forgiveness. The epilogue was as bittersweet as the entire story; as bittersweet and as lovely. That letter had to come from Michael's aunt. No one else could have given him the final absolution so that he could put away the mourning, and continue with his life.

A wonderfully written story - Not typical Quinn style but still worth it

Let me first say yes this is not a typical Quinn novel but it is still a very well written story. Our hero Michael Sterling has fallen in love with his cousin's fiancee at the start of the book when he first meets Francesca Bridgerton our heroine. After years of unrequited love Michael's cousin suddenly dies from an aneurism that leaves Michael feeling guilty for being in love with his cousin's wife and Francesca griefing. Michael runs away to India to get away from everything hoping his love will go away. Years later he comes back and his feeling are still very strong for Francesca. Francesca his now searching for a husband but still very much loves her dead husband. Michael realizes there could be something between him and Francesca and sets out to win her heart. The story is very sad and deals with darker emotions that Quinn's normal Bridgerton series. I loved it still. You can't help falling for the hero. The struggles they have to face dealing with the love they feel for one another will have you rooting for their happy ending. Their is laughter has well and I enjoyed this book.

Julia Quinn's BEST!

I've read and loved all of Julia's Bridgerton series but this book is by far my favorite. It's not as light-hearted as her usual stuff, but thats only because Julia delves deeper into the characters and their pain and guilt. Michael is a fabulous hero who will definitely remain one of my all-time favorites. How can anyone not absolutely adore him? If you like well written stories with some meat, sexy heroes who adore their heroines, some wit, some angst, some steamy scenes... then this is the book for you.

Julia Quinn is one of my Fave Authors HOWEVER...

I was really dissapointed with this book. I do not usually like widow stories and this was a perfect example why. This book did not at all have the typical Julia Quinn wit. THis Book was so depressing to me, I was especially sad when I bought and read it the first day it came out. It started off good but in the end I ended not liking Francesca at all. Michael is okay. However, ANything else by Julia QUinn is great!!!!! I can't wait for Hyacinth story to be out this summer.

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Disappointment

I love Julia Quinn but this book left me disappointed. The story took on some of the all too common qualities of many romance novels, a lack of relationship development and too much focus on sex. I think after a good beginning she rushed the story. I was pulled in at first but felt incomplete at the conclusion. I also missed the interactions between other members of the Bridgerton family that occur in the other books. This story lacked many of Quinn's characteristic traits that set her a part from other romance novelists.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.