Sunday Love Affair #5: The Importance of Being Wicked by Victoria Alexander

Sunday Love Affair is a new feature here at Books of Love which spotlights Romance and Urban Fantasy titles. I like reading them. I was inspired by Parajunkee and Book Addict Patti by their Romancing the Weekends and realize I miss reading Romances and Urban Fantasy. I've been wanting to spotlight them as well, so decided to start a feature.
Oh Button was made by me and Jennifer The Book Nympho did the text.

This Week's Selection is:

Title: The Importance of Being Wicked
Author: Victoria Alexander
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Millworth Manor
Pub Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 352 Pages
My Copy: ARC that publisher graciously provided me….

Book Synopsis:

For Winfield Elliott, Viscount Stillwell, finding a prospective bride always seemed easy. Perhaps too easy. With three broken engagements to his name, Win is the subject of endless gossip. Yet his current mission is quite noble: to hire a company to repair his family’s fire-damaged country house. Nothing disreputable in that-until the firm’s representative turns out to be a very desirable widow.

Lady Miranda Garrett expected a man of Win’s reputation to be flirtatious, even charming. But the awkward truth is that she finds him thoroughly irresistible. While Miranda resides at Millworth to oversee the work, Win occupies her days, her dreams…and soon, her bed. For the first time, the wicked Win has fallen in love. And what began as a scandalous proposition may yet become a very different proposal.

Book Review:

An utterly perfect historical romance that really makes you smile. When I see a Victoria Alexander book, I know that I  will read it because her stories are honest, heartfelt and have a happy ending for the couple.

Once I read the blurb, I figured this book would work for me. Boy was I surprised to say that both the hero and heroine really were far more interesting than I thought they would be. I like books that keep things interesting. The plot was interesting in a lot of ways.

One thing that I like was the plot had Miranda Garrett being the firm’s representative. Now being that she is a woman this was not heard of. Women worked but usually as servants or some other domestic help. Yet things like architecture were reserved for men. I found it interesting as she has built a profitable business, yet tells people that it’s a Mr. Temptest who is the architect, but in reality she is the architect who draws structures. This was unheard of, yet I felt that it gave the story a really good plot twist to play around.

The other thing about our hero Winfield was not the playboy I thought he would be given that he has had three engagements. Yet as the readers get to know Winfield, they see a man who was deeply hurt by his last engagement. Yet once him and Miranda meet, you immediately can feel that these two individuals will have their guards up for a little while and start to warm up to one another.

Yet both of them through out the book start to learn things about one another and themselves. Relationships are important in romances. I mean the relationship allows our two characters to grow in some ways that really are very nice. I also like how Winfield really comes out of his shell a lot more when he is around Miranda and vice versa. Especially when she starts to wear much sexier clothes around him. It was interesting to see the reactions that the other characters took.

Also both of our characters are very family-oriented. I thought there families were essential to who they are as people. It was kind of funny to see that Winfield and Miranda’s mother know each other.  There mothers are also some of the ones who give the best advice to our characters.

Yet, once Winfield and Miranda learn each other’s secrets, things happen that really make you go OMG, no they didn’t. Yes sometimes one character does something so unbelievably stupid. In the end it’s resolved though.  Yet when two people love each other, they fight and then make up. The make up scene is always worth it. Plus it leads to one great love scene that was so enjoyable.

The ending of this book was so sweet and heartfelt. I really didn’t want this book to end. Also the bonus letters of Winfield’s engagements was very nice and interesting to read. Take the time to read them, as they really are worth reading


Hoping that there will be another book in this series.

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