I'm Only Wicked with You (The Palace of Rogues, #3) (2024)

I either love JAL or the book is just ok.........this falls into the just ok category. I struggled with this one picking up and putting down to go and read another book repeatedly. The something is bothering me (likely unrequited love) and I must do crazy stuff, act out and sigh a lot is not a plot. I skimmed a lot of the book. I never felt the main couple fall in love. The actions of the heroine near the end were bewildering. Many of my goodread friends loved this book and others were like me and it was just ok. I give it a 2.5* and round up.

3.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

But when Lady Lillias Vaughn had emerged into view from the dusty twilight of an unfinished part of the Annex at The Grand Palace on the Thames, he’d been struck dumb.

Picking right up where readers of the The Palace of the Rogues series left off in Angel in a Devil's Arms, this third installment gives us the continuation of all that tension between two guests at The Grand Palace on the Thames inn. Lady Lillias is the daughter of an Earl staying at the inn with her family while her home is being searched for a snake her older brother brought home after winning in a poker game and a hole in the wall from her father who shot at said snake is being repaired. She's been the toast of the season but oddly seems cold and aloof and dreading a ball coming up in two weeks. Hugh Cassidy is an American who can't even trace his lineage beyond his grandfather and seems to being holding his true reason for being in England close to his vest. He finds Lillias smoking and tattles to her father, which has her punishment being grounded to the inn. There the more time Lillias and Hugh spend with each other the brighter the tension burns between them and speaking glances start to say a lot.

Never had a silent conversation been louder than the one he was conducting with Lady Lillias Vaughn.

This is the third book in the series and after the first two, I was hoping we could move outside of the inn's walls, that doesn't happen here. The first half is solidly at the inn and the first 30% is fairly slow moving and we spend ample time with, albeit, old favorites like the heroines from the first two books and a handful of scenes with their counterparts, the ever contributing to the swear jar Mr. Delacourte, and sweet Dot. All characters that bring charm to the story but I found myself straining to break the leash to the inn and venture into new territory. Around 40% is when there is significant movement on the beginning's slow bringing together of Lillias and Hugh. I much appreciated how Long kept the historical feel in their tension; shielded conversations that are pointed and looks that burn in crowded parlors. This added to the tension and gave that sense of building snapping restraint to the two, which is the feeling I'm looking for when reading a historical.

He met her eyes. It was warning, an apology . . . and, after a fashion . . . a promise.

Fifty percent is where I thought the story picked up more and we get our forced into engagement because of caught in flagrante delicto. At this point, the reader does feel the attraction between the two and while I wouldn't say the depth is incredible, these two don't know each other enough yet, it definitely feels hot to the touch; their chemistry isn't in question but it falls more on the lust side. Long has an incredible ability to deliver lines between characters that make you feel and this couple stood out from the world because they did snap and pop. But, I fear that at times they stood out so much was because the world wasn't as much there this time, the over-trodden ground of The Grand Palace on the Thames with it's many conversations in the beginning really had me chomping at the bit to be free. I found myself daydreaming about how cool it would have been to have the story moved to Hugh's home in America, the Hudson Valley.

It was difficult to align the complicated things he felt with the proper words. So he said the truest thing he could, slowly and softly. “I should hate for any harm to ever come to you.”

Even though our couple is engaged at 50%, they still think they might be in love with other people into the second half of the story. Hugh is in England to find the daughter of his mentor and who he thinks he is going to marry and Lillias is devastated that her childhood friend might not love her the way she loves him. A plan gets developed by Hugh to help Lillias' friend realize his love for her and there is some nice emotional cracking by Hugh but Lillias spends too much time in her head with this. I wanted Lillias to stand-up and choose Hugh to take that control but their final coming together ended up feeling more flat because Lillias didn't make the move I wanted from her.

Together they turned that kiss into something furious and desperate, a clash fueled by futility and the forbidden.

As always, Long gave me lines and emotions that hit hard, and a surprising one that hit me almost the hardest was Lillias' father saying this after Hugh is forced to offer for Lillias: “You could do much worse than young Mr. Cassidy. I rather wish he was my own son.”. It hit hard because Hugh doesn't have much family, lost his mother younger and his father and brother died in the war, and this English Earl saw the good man he was, made my eyes water a bit for Hugh. Other secondary characters like Lillias' sister and brother added some filler to the story and the standbys at the inn probably took up too much time in the beginning. Like I said, I think a different setting, especially if the Hudson Valley had been utilized could have really brought a sense of freshness and adventure to this story. The epilogue was longer and had a wrap-up feel enough that I do wonder if we are finally going to leave the main setting of the Grand Palace on the Thames, we also get a glance at Lillias and Hugh's happily ever after in America. As it was, the beginning was pretty slow but Lillias and Hugh's burning tension saved the second half for me. Their story was one of the difference between living a fine life and full life and I hope someday we can visit their children in the Hudson.

This book is out now so I have removed the spoiler tag. Hopefully you like it as much as I did!

You tend to use words like bludgeons, Mr. Cassidy.

This is an accusation thrown to the hero by the heroine, but as a long-time fan of Long's work, it's one I would -- at times, at least -- hurl at the author. I would only mean good things by hurling those words, but they do describe how she can make us readers feel. Sometimes those feels come at us and the result feels like we were bludgeoned. Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but I can say that I haven't been too keen to pick up my next ebook because I am still getting over this one. I loved it simply put.

The hero, Hugh, is a self-made American. He's got that raw manly sex appeal one might expect. Lillias, the heroine, is a beautiful, popular debutante, but she's having a bit of a rebellious streak that is somewhat inexplicable to her parents. Her aristocratic family has temporarily relocated to the "Grand Palace on the Thames" - the setting for this series - because they have a snake problem in their townhome.

Fate was such a bastard. A rush of fury at feeling like its plaything. It had fitted him with an iron-clad sense of honor and presented him with the cruelest of temptations.
...
“You aren’t really winning either, are you, Mr. Cassidy, if you’re helpless to stop playing the game?”

Hugh and Lillias challenge each other and subversively dare the other to take the next step, which are all things Long does particularly well and themes I enjoy. Since they are both staying at the Grand Palace, there is forced proximity at play. The dialogue is riveting and the veiled discussions around Greek mythology are deliciously symbolic.

“It’s just . . . I so very much wanted to feel something that wasn’t . . . what I was already feeling. Which was a bit empty, and lost, and miserable. And all I do when I’m with you . . . Hugh . . . all I do is feel things with my body that are so loud that everything else is muted.”

The attraction was potent and the resolutions satisfying. Since this is the third in the series, the Grand Palace has become a cozy setting with returning compelling characters. I thought this the best in the series. The series has hit its stride, and the romance in this one was really rewarding. I'm looking forward to what comes next.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.

I've given this a C+ at AAR.

I reviewed this one jointly with my fellow All About Romance reviewer Evelyn North; she liked it a lot more than I did and gave it an A, whereas I couldn't go higher than a C+. I didn't care much for the heroine, and while I did like the hero, there's nothing worse tnan a romance in which you feel one half of the central couple doesn't "deserve" the other, which was where I ended up on this one.

You can read our review HERE

TITLE: I'M ONLY WICKED WITH YOU
AUTHOR: Julie Anne Long
SERIES: The Palace of the Rogues #3
RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2021
GENRE: Historical Romance
THEMES & TROPES: Enemies to Lovers
RATING: 4 STARS
CLIFFHANGER: No

So I'm gonna start with an admission: I'm not a big fan of the main characters of a story being in love with other people at the time they meet. It's so damn hard for an author to make me believe that all of a sudden they completely forget about the other love interest. But if somebody could make it work it would be Julie Anne Long.

The first 30% were a slower pace than I'm used to from this author but once I got past that I really started to connect first with the characters. Lillias's antagonism at the beginning felt a little childish but then I thought back to a time when I was that young and, honestly, I was probably just the same kind of brat. Hugh was dreamy, his thoughts about the headstrong young woman were so incredibly tender and affectionate and that started to shine through.

“Lillias...” She’d never heard her name said in such a way. It had facets; it fairly shimmered with shades of emotion. Wit and exasperation and tenderness and frustration.

"Nothing is like us."

Julie Anne Long's writing is so breathtakingly and achingly beautiful. She truly is one of a kind. I also love the smart dialogues, the banter and the humor she always uses to make her characters multi-dimensional. I'm looking forward who Delilah and Angelique will host next!

“I thought love was meant to be an easy, peaceful thing, Lillias. But it’s like life itself. It’s maddening. And beautiful. And changeable and funny and passionate. It’s . . . like a Hudson River Valley sunset. Underneath all that fire and glory the sky is ever constant. It’s like you. For me, it is you."

Last try:

Soooo, I finished it. And I didn’t even skip much. Read it whole way through. It’s between a 2 and a 3, but since it ended on a high note, I’ll give it a 3.

Here’s why I don’t like it:
* The MCs aren’t the most engaging, esp. Lilias. Spoiled, rich, privileged Diamond of the First Water, darling of the ton. She’s selfish. She wallows in woe-is-me how annoying all these men pant after her and propose to her every week and send her hot house flowers. They don’t SEE her! Boohoo.

What if some of those men are really enchanted or want to get to know her better. What if they knew of her disdain of them?

I wish she fell in love with not only an American commoner but also someone who wasn’t so gorgeous. I just don’t see a lot of depth in her. She’s not a bad person per se, but not a heroine I root for.

* I didn’t like Hugh all that much in the beginning, but over time he grew on me. I didn’t get the chemistry between the MCs apart from flaying each other with dry words and lust.

* I REALLY didn’t like the fact that through almost the entire book (until 75%!@) they were actually pining for other people. She was “in love” with Giles, a childhood friend, and he was looking at potentially marrying Amelia, who ran off on a jaunt.

And yet, they seemed perfectly happy to fool around with each other. Did that not show them they weren’t in love with the other people at all? And if they were and could separate their hearts from their bodies, then I really can’t stand either of them.

The writing is good as always. Hence the rounding to 3 stars. But I didn’t really get the LOVE between the MCs. It was just chemistry between 2 inordinately attractive ppl.

First 2 tries:

I give up. After 6 months I couldn't get past 14%....

2.5 stars, rounded up because of some funny banter in the first half of the book. But overall, for me this book was a disappointment. There was very little plot - not much at all happened, really. It was more than half way through the book till the MCs actually kissed, or till there was an actual change of scene from the Grand Palace on the Thames. By this stage I was getting pretty sick of the Grand Palace and its quirky inhabitants. The rules which once seemed mildly amusing were starting to feel pretty silly, and I was rapidly losing interest in the romance as well.

By the time things finally moved on, for me it was a bit too late to save this book. Perhaps if readers had been introduced to Giles somewhat earlier, rather than maintaining Lillias’ mysterious fear/grief till a good 2/3 through the book, as a reader I might have felt more involved, and cared a bit more.

From this point, there were some plot points that didn’t really make sense to me, or convince. Some of Lillias’ confusing behaviours left me asking why. Why would you do that? I have to admit, I started to skim. By the time I reached the ending, I didn’t care that much about any of them, and the epilogue left me unmoved.

Usually I like Ms Long’s writing. She still has a way with words and a lovely, smooth writing style. The characters had potential, too. I wanted to like this book. But for me, it was the plot arc that sadly let this book down. Bummer. Now I’m not sure whether or not I’ll read Bk 4 when it comes out. Maybe I’ll wait for some reviews before buying.

This is the third entry in Long's Palace of Rogues series, which, in the first two books, has featured the romances of two women who buy a rundown building at the docks and turn it into a charming boardinghouse which, for some reason unclear to me, attracts even members of the peerage as guests. The first two books were lovely romances for those two struggling women and were quite romantic, humorous, well-written HRs. This third entry is well written but I found it less romantic (except for the last quarter of the book) and less witty and humorous.

In this #3, two beautiful guests at the Palace of Rogues boardinghouse, one the aristocratic, perhaps somewhat snooty but definitely restless, daughter of an earl and one a pedigree-less American visiting England but with plans to return to America for a political career, have only one thing in common: their beauty. I suppose we are to think that the lust they feel for each other is really love, but it's really hard to see that love underneath all the repetitive description of physical attraction and the fact that there is nothing more to the relationship than antagonism and chemistry for most of the course of the novel.

Little happens in the book and there are even minimal actual sex scenes, so that does allow for more pages to be filled by Long with developing love, but, for some reason, this is the least satisfying romance of hers that I've read in a long time. Not even the H and h realize that they are in love for most of the book and it was hard for me to see exactly why they should be in love.

But, yeah, that last quarter of the book does show us a bit more romance and we occasionally get glimpses of Long's trademark talent for swoony affection and love. But that was not enough to counteract the rather crudely drawn and exaggerated contrasts between upper-class English and (supposedly) classless American ideals and values and way of life. A really superficial, annoying and simplistic presentation of this.

Nice writing and excellent lust, however.

This is one of the easiest five-star ratings I’ve ever given.

Brilliantly written. The characters are complex. The emotions are complex. The pacing is spot-on. Chapters three and four take place in a drawing room and I’ve never been so entertained. BY TWO CHAPTERS IN A DRAWING ROOM, FOR PITY’S SAKE.

Delacorte deserves an academy award for best supporting actor. Please, oh please, let him find his HEA and God help her when he does.

I’ve got quibbles, but they’re mostly aimed at two characters who came so close, too close, to walking away from a cosmic love just because it didn’t fit into their preconceived plans of what their futures should look like. If a reader is fussing AT the characters instead of ABOUT the characters, however, the author has done her job.

Julie Anne Long is at the top of her game in this novel, placing her among the marquee names in this genre, which means her work damn well deserves proof reading and publishing heads should roll for the amount of printing errors allowed in this book. Perfection marred by publishing errors is a crime.

✨How have you been since I was pressed up against your erection?✨

This book never really made me mad but I just don’t understand it. It was so weird. The relationship was so strangely paced, declarations of love of and intent to marry OTHER people happened at 67%, and I was never convinced they actually held any feelings for each other. Actually, that’s not true. I thought they were building a nice slow burn tendre for each other in the beginning, but then when they revealed their “unrequited love” for other people I was just… left feeling misled.

The first half wasn’t really interesting. I thought it was turning around when they got engaged but then it was immediately “let’s help get each other together with other people” and I lost all interest. Plus their characterizations at the beginning were intriguing, but their characters never actually lived up to the hype. They also weren’t interesting at all.

I also don’t fully understand the way she was mocked by the men of the ton. Was it just a game to them trying to marry her (but they actually also did want to marry her)? The beginning made it seem like she was bullied but I don’t know. I’m not explaining it well, but I argue the book didn’t really either.

Don’t even get me started on the wild forest deflowering. I can’t believe it took them that long to get together, and even then it wasn’t satisfying because they were still bent on breaking up. Did she really lose her virginity in a forest? Were they standing up? The man literally just stuck it in and I’m pretty sure they had kissed only once or twice before this scene. Their first kiss caused their engagement because they were caught. I really think their second kiss led to frenzied forest f*cking amongst fungi. The second sex scene was just as vague and lackluster. Again, I never felt the passion or connection between them.

I do think this book did a good job maneuvering the terrible “other” love interest because he started out decent and you could see why Lillias loved him. Most books just make this character type so one dimensional and horrible that you question the main character because no person I support should have EVER been fooled by such an obvious twat. Giles didn’t end up in my good graces, but I liked the nuance nonetheless.

When Justine Eyre is narrating the book, the author is irrelevant. I ALWAYS end up thinking every man is mansplaining every word and I can’t explain it. It doesn’t make sense but I hate it. Arguably, she’s a good narrator, but man she just has a way of making me hate every character.

I liked the writing style and humor; it reminded me of Tessa Dare and Eloisa James. Mr. Delacourt (idk how to spell it I listened to the audiobook) was great. I like the cover and the color scheme. But I just never cared for the plot or its construction. I’ll read more by this author, but I don’t recommend this being your first experience reading her. Womp to me.

⭐️⭐️.5*/5 🌶🌶.5/5

*I’m not rounding up to 3/5 on Goodreads because this book used the phrase “leather of his nipples.” I know he’s a hearty, woodsy, bear-killing American but good god. He’s not a piece of jerky.

2.5 Stars of Goodness, but not Greatness

So. I think... it was fine. I'm sort of between a rock and a hard place. Part of me wants to love this, but just can't. I genuinely love Julie Anne Long's writing which is all effervescent wit and emotion and contradiction. Rarely are there sweeping, epic, melodramatic plotlines... it's usually a simple, isolated story about people falling in love. One of the qualities that I love most about JAL is that her characters are never cut and dry, simple to understand, or defined by a single quality. Even when I've hated her books (yes, there are a few... Lyon & Olivia's finale in the Pennyroyal Green Series in particular) complex characters and complex writing still carry her work, in my opinion. This book is no different. It has vibrant characters, takes twists and turns, and the prose is constructed in that typically overwritten loveliness that is JAL. But where it falters is that it was far too top-heavy for my taste, and like I wrote in my updates, it felt like a carbon copy of What I Did for a Duke in every way that mattered. It is not that I take issue with that, it's a great book to take from, but I found it a massive, and likely accidental, risk seeing as how it is one of her most beloved books.

Anyways, I digress.

It's a story about a man and a woman whose meeting, a crackling battle of wits, acts as the catalyst for a reluctant but potent emotional and physical attraction. The heroine is suffering from unrequited love for her long-time friend. The hero has other plans for his life. It takes until

Hugh is delicious, 'Merican, No Family, Has Bear Stories, blah blah. Lilias is Beautiful and Spoiled, but inside Beats a Heart of Vulnerability. Yes, yes, yes. You get it. It’s all perfectly acceptable, but it all peters out by the end and it left me thinking, "Oh, I guess that's it then..." But of course the ending here was going to be lacklustre when none of the lead up was done quite as heart-wrenchingly, steadily, or as emotionally as What I Did for a Duke or several works of hers from over the years...

It all just felt like a less awesome (but not necessarily bad) version of other JAL tales. It made me think of and want to re-read her other books. And obviously that was not the goal here. Still, it was enjoyable enough and fun. Less steamy than her average, I would say, but a nice story nonetheless. I'm Only Wicked with You isn't likely to make you clutch the book (or listening device) to you bosoms and sigh, but it won't cause you to hurl anything against the wall either. And I guess there is comfort in confidently consuming mediocrity.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3 stars

I'm a big fan of this series and enjoy Julie Anne Long's writing very much, but sadly I didn't love I'm Only Wicked with You. This hate to love romance was enjoyable overall, but the start was very, very slow. I didn't feel invested in the characters until almost the halfway point and I considered putting the book down several times before then. I'm glad I stuck with it though because the second half had me hooked and the epilogue was so sweet and swoony!

I think my main issue with the book was that I liked Hugh and Lillias, but I didn't love them. They were interesting characters and I enjoyed their banter and chemistry, but I think the shift from hate to love took too long and the shadow of OW/OM split the focus too much. Justine Eyre's performance was wonderful as always and I was impressed by her ability to switch back and forth between accents with ease. The audiobooks of this series have been a real treat!

CW: death of loved ones, grief

We absolutely loved the third entry in the Palace of Rogues series! Julie Anne Long may be one of the funniest writers working in romance today. She manages to balance her sly dialogue and situational humor without losing any of the sentimental romance we romance readers love. I'm Only Wicked with You is a perfect example of her strengths.

Although the first two books focused on the proprietresses, this book branches out two of the boarders, Hugh Cassidy and Lady Lillias Vaughn. While we have read many historical romances featuring American heiresses in England, here we have an American man with no pretensions to nobility thrown together with a high society beauty. Lillias is suffering from a romantic disappointment, while Hugh's greatest desire is to complete his work in England so he can return to New York. They are immediately attracted to each other even as they realize their life goals and backgrounds make their chances for a permanent relationship very slim. When they are caught in a compromising situation, they have to negotiate their conflicting desires. Many romances use miscommunication as an easy way to foster conflict, but here, Lillias and Hugh's unwanted engagement forces them to be clear about their aspirations and expectations.

Highly recommended!

40-Word Summaries:

Meg: Hugh’s a bear-fightin’, log-cabin-buildin’ American in London. Lillias is a diamond-of-the-first-water earl’s daughter. Their immediate attraction and enmity build to an explosive “performance” - with (unfortunately) an audience. They may avoid social ruination ... but their marriage will actually ruin their lives.⁠
⁠
Laine: Lillias is too sad to paint and it takes meeting Hugh to restore color to her life. When she's not sure if they really like each other but is definitely sure they want to make-out, she grows up so fast. ⁠
⁠
Natalie: In a shocking twist, Mr. Cassidy grows claws and Lillias and I think he is a jerk. But there is also a little gap between his body and his pants and, as Paris Hilton says, "That's hot." So he's forgiven.⁠

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

DNF 49%

I just couldn't go on....

Thanks to NetGalley for a arc copy for a honest review.

I'm Only Wicked with You, at first it was a slow pace.. It was a slow burn not my cup of tea. The story was just okay I’m giving this book 3 stars

Happy Reading
Lisa

I'm Only Wicked With You is a lovely story about realizing that what you want is not necessarily what you need.

It is book #3 in the Palace of Rogues series but can be read as a standalone.

The Palace of Rogues series takes place at the charming Grand Palace of the Thames, a boarding house next to the London docks that hosts fascinating characters.

Lillias is an Earl's daughter staying at The Grand Palace with her parents due to an incident with a snake. It is a tad far-fetched, but keep going; you won't regret it.

Once there, Lillias met Hugh Cassidy, a young and ambitious American on a rescue mission. Hugh had very clear views of what he wanted for his future, and it depended mostly on his return to his country as soon as possible.

Clearly, Hugh and Lillias had nothing in common and, worse yet, had very different dreams and expectations for their future lives. The only thing they shared was an undeniable attraction to each other.

I love how the story develops. The couple is always conscious of their differences, and they do not confuse lust and love.

It was refreshing to see how they approached their relationship with a clear mind and how their desire for each other did not guide them from the get-go.

The couple was beyond adorable. Lillias was a beautiful person, but part of the environment she was raised in.

Hugh was all one dreams of a romantic hero. Dashing, smart, confident, but vulnerable and a little clueless at the end of the day.

The sexual tension was wonderful, and the chemistry off-the-charts.

It was delightful to revisit the characters from the previous books in the series, especially Mr. Delacorte. I wish he will eventually be a hero in his own book. He is so adorably funny.

So far, I'm Only Wicked With You is my favorite in the series!

Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *

I’m really enjoying my time at the Grand Palace on the Thames. The people here are so interesting.
This story focuses on Lady Lillias and Hugh Cassidy. The tropes are enemies/lovers, fake engagement that isn’t really fake and forced proximity.
I can honestly say I wasn’t sure about Lillias at first, I didn’t quit like her. I’ve liked Hugh since the first book but I didn’t think Lillias was right for him. But when they started sparing I became intrigued. I thought their chemistry was great and when I got to know Lillias and her back story I liked her much better.
I loved the ending and I can’t wait to continue to the next story.

Review originally posted at https://smexybooks.com/2021/08/angela...

I know that Julie Anne Long is an author with at least one long-running historical romance series under her belt, but I still think she is massively underrated and overlooked. Simply stated, she rocks my socks off, and every single time I open one of her new releases I can’t help but wonder why I don’t see people singing her praises all over blogs and social media.

I’m Only Wicked with You is the third book in The Palace of Rogues series and brings readers back to that quirky, wonderful hotel The Grand Palace on the Thames. This time readers are introduced to an enemies to lovers romance featuring the American Hugh Cassidy, who is in London to track down a runaway young woman for a friend, and Lady Lillias Vaughn, who along with her family is staying at The Palace while their estate is being desnaked. (Yes, you read that right.)

These two butt heads continuously and have this back and forth verbal sparring that I live for. BUT THEY ALSO CAN’T KEEP THEIR MOUTHS OFF EACH OTHER. Which eventually ends up in an engagement, which neither thinks they want and a plan to get Lillias the man she thinks she really desires.

There is just something about his author’s writing that sucks me in every single time. I just love the way her characters fall into this kind of desperate passion without realizing it. This couple is spitting mad at each other one minute and then embracing each other in fierce need the next. It made their journey to a HEA such a thrilling ride.

If you haven’t yet read this series I highly, HIGHLY recommend.

Final grade- B+

What a delightful historical slow burn filled with charming prose.

Title: I'm Only Wicked With You
Series: The Palace of Rogues #3
Author: Julie Anne Long
Release date: August 24, 2021
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance

This series to date has been one resounding success after another. Instead of losing my enthusiasm just a little bit with each new book, I only fall in love with the Grand Palace on the Thames and all of its inhabitants more each time. The charm of the quirky boarders like Mr. Delacorte, the proprietresses' atypical friendship and their equally unexpected love matches, and the quick-witted banter between the main characters are just a few things that make me greedily coming back for more. And while some things feel familiar, they aren't so much so that they become stale. Julie Anne Long managed to give this book a completely fresh feel with these main characters. The first half of the book was spent primarily in the boarding house where hilarity and verbal sparring always ensues. Then we got to venture into Lady Lillias' world of privilege as she made sense of society's expectations and where she truly fit in the world in order to find her HEA. The themes of social disparity, classism, duty vs. passion, and a love

Both the hero and heroine believed themselves to be in love with someone else when they met each other. That could have easily gone very wrong, but the transition of their affection never felt too abrupt or unnatural. I think that can be attributed to the work the author put into showing the reader how they fell-despite the odds stacked against them. Not telling us. There was no insta-love to be found, and no epiphany of love switch that was flipped. The characters work for it, and in doing so, the reader reaps all of the rewards.

Lillias is nursing a broken heart, and Hugh is in London to hunt down the missing woman he has his fragile heart set on. Neither are open to romance when they meet, but from day one they sparked competitive friction off of one another.

Mr. Cassidy, she realized, always came out fighting. Which she supposed was flattering: it was a measure of the sort of adversary he saw in her.

It becomes like a game to them to properly fluster the other with sexual innuendoes and wordplay. Yes, they had an unsettling physical reaction to each other, but that inconvenient fact keeps getting compartmentalized in a nice and tidy box. Closed tightly, and tied up with a bow. Perhaps not as tightly as they imagine.

Lillias is a the dutiful daughter of the Earl and Countess of Vaughn, but lately, a bit of a rebel. When she met Hugh in the previous book, she was defiantly smoking one of her father's cigars. Then there was that time she climbed up to the top of the tower of her church and rang the bell just for giggles. She's lived her life in society's highest echelon. She looks the part, she plays the part, but she never really FIT the part. If she felt that her suiters' affections were artificial and her value in that world purely making an advantageous match, she tends to not acknowledge that. Her world is familiar, and there's a measure of comfort in that. Hugh Cassidy is everything unfamiliar and inscrutable to her. He's a man who came from nothing and paved his own way in the world. He sees things through a different lens than her and helps her to see the world with a clarity that she never has before.

He had cracked her open in ways she had not expected and did not welcome, and all the things she truly was were emerging. If she were honest, she knew the cracks had begun before he’d even arrived.

When Hugh isn't working to get a rise out of her, he isn't giving much of himself away. He's seen death on the battlefield and the lost his father and brother. He keeps his feelings close to his chest and uses his smile like a weapon. What he doesn't let show is that he yearns to build a real home, his own family, and an empire that will provide for them and at the same time make a real difference in the world. He has a smart business mind, and grand ambitions in politics back in America. He thought that the woman he went to England to find was the one who would fit into all of his well crafted plans. So why is he affected mind, body, and soul by the exasperating Lady Lillias?

She wasn’t to know that she’d stopped his breath then and any number of times since, which meant the next breath he took after that was like the first one he’d ever drawn. So it was like he was being born anew every time he looked at her.

Lillias and Hugh start playing with fire. What harm could come from exploring a little passion together? A lot it turns out. Both of their expectations for the future go up in a pretty impressive ball of flames. As often found in historical romance, they're busted being...indiscreet shall we say? Hugh does the honorable thing and they're now trapped in circ*mstances that they can't see a way out of.

She was no safer than opium. Opium only led to disaster. And what was this if not a disaster?

I had to admire the hell out of Hugh for never resenting Lillias at this point or any other. He didn't take out his frustration out on her and he admitted his share of the responsibility. He never took advantage of her attraction to him when she was vulnerable. He was a true gentleman in every respect more so than how the upper class defined the word. There was so much to love about him and to root for. I could only imagine how unmoored he felt when he discovered Lillias' secret affection for her childhood friend just as they were growing closer. Once again, he behaved with total respect towards her and ultimately put her happiness above his own wants time and again. Love is making sacrifice even when it hurts and he illustrated that so beautifully.

One of the things I really appreciated was that Lillias' parents weren't the clichè greedy parents looking to sell their daughter. I know that's an accurate depiction of the culture at the time for the most part, but it gets a little repetitive when reading the same conflict in the genre. Her parents did want a titled match, but they weren't evil caricatures. They truly cared about their kids and their happiness even if they had certain expectations that they wanted them to fulfill. They weren't paragons of progressive virtue, they had realistic prejudices and entitled attitudes, but when it counted they made the right choices to look out for their daughter.

The last 5-6 chapters made me emotionally wrung out. Between the absolutely gorgeous writing of Julie Anne Long that made my heart drop and soar from one moment from the next, and the angst I felt for this beautiful couple fighting for their forever, I didn't want the story to end. My eyes were watery and my heart was bursting with happiness as they finally fit everything perfectly in place. And the epilogue! I couldn't wipe the silly grin off of my face. I adored this book! I didn't think anything could top the last book, but I'm Only Wicked with You has managed the impossible task. If you haven't started the series yet, I'm not sure what you're waiting for. You absolutely need these books in your life.

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This was a very sweet and well developed historical romance, it was my first read by this author and I'm excited to read more. Julie has a way of writing that draws you in to the story slowly with small character reveals and relationship dynamics layered gradually. It does give it the feel of a slow burn but I really enjoyed it. Also loved the American business man hero and a British society lady who loves art.

3.75-4 stars

Julie Anne Long delivers another winner as she takes us back to the Grand Palace on the Thames for the romance between the mysterious American, Hugh Cassidy, and Lady Lillias, the beautiful daughter of an earl. It's an enemies-to-lovers story and chock-full of pointed barbs and multi-level conversations.

It's fantastic.

If you're not familiar with the series, it centers around the small inn where the couples live or work or meet. I've read a couple of reviews that bemoaned the close setting, but I rather liked it. In the first half, it provides forced proximity and an intimacy between these two mismatched protagonists. Because, let's be real, without it, there would be no way they would be in each other's orbit, blazing sexual tension or not.

Lillias isn't always the easiest to like. She is who she is... blue-blooded, sheltered, beautiful. And pining for the one guy in the ton who isn't obsessed with her. The big conflict is How Hard It Is To Be Beautiful. OK, maybe I am over simplifying, but that's not far off. Hugh, on the other hand, is delicious in his American DGAF attitude and barely-leashed sexuality.

There's great banter, steamy encounters, and a solid plot. Everything I expect from JAL, and she delivers on all cylinders. Lillias does evolve and comes to recognize why Hugh is The One and he is willing to put his happiness aside for hers.

An engaging romance with a satisfying conclusion. As always, JAL shows why she is an auto-buy for me.

*ARC provided by Avon

Once again JAL rips open my heart & knits it together. This hate-to-love, roasting-you-is-my-foreplay romance was so well done. The tension and lust that morphed into camaraderie and love, their character arcs and growth—it was all so satisfying. Julie Anne Long writes such deeply nuanced character driven novels with the perfect balance of vivid imagery, wry internality, & perfectly paced dialogue, not to mention scorching slow burn steam. She’s an author I want to see more and more people loving and falling for, and I can’t wait to read what’s next up in the series, AFTER DARK WITH THE DUKE!

I just love the way this woman writes. I don’t always love her execution and she’s far from perfect, but her writing is so good at conveying emotion and so pretty.

I put this down for an extended time because of pacing but once I returned I love it as I do most JAL, this is a 3.75 mostly one the strength of the beginning and end.

Julie Anne Long writes such romantic romance books. I know that sounds silly, but she's truly writing poetry with these simmering, so horny I could simply faint, and so in love with you but I'm so unworthy of you heroes who grovel so prettily for these tempestuous misses.

Big #Kanthony vibes minus the whole love triangle thing (I'm speaking solely of the show as I know not about the book). Hugh Cassidy, son of an actual bastard, Revolutionary War veteran, American self-made man and Lady Lillias are literally panting at each other across the drawing room of the The Grand Palace of the Thames from the moment we meet them. It is a wonder the rest of the guests aren't incinerated between their gazes.

And holy heck the author makes us seethe right along with them as the bear wrestling Cassidy with the scar on his chin and Lillias try their best to get the other to call uncle on their horny horny innuendo laden banter. They really should not be even tempting fate but like magnets they cannot help themselves.

I love how Long balances the power imbalance between the two, as Lillias does long for the life she always thought she wanted while also realizing it might no longer be what she needs. The allusions to the sunsets and the rugged American landscape to Lillias's beauty was so poetic, and while Cassidy could be kind of rogue-ish, I loved him all the more for it.

The moment with the new velvet curtains and the handful of ass will live forever rent free in my mind, along with the debauchery against and tree and the use of Cassidy's boot knife as a mirror to fix hair pins.

Buddy read at the suggestion of my pal WhenFunmiMeetsRomance and others.

I had an earc, but read a finished paperback I checked out from the library.

I loved this book so hard. Gorgeous strapping American meets gorgeous English rose while said rose is smoking a cheroot, and they proceed to butt heads in the most exhilarating manner.

JAL’s writing is on point here: her trademark beautiful mix of wit, lyricism, hilarity, heat and emotion. New Yorker Hugh Cassidy is in London on a mission to find his friend’s runaway daughter, and he parks up at the Grand Palace on the Thames at the same time as Lillias and her family, whose home has a snake infestation. (Yes.)

Both characters are layered and spiky and charming and I loved them. My note at 36% is “I am absolutely going to combust from the sexual tension.” Their chemistry is off the charts.

It’s heartbreaking, too — not just Hugh’s past but events that transpire during the book.

And the supporting cast of characters is brilliant, of course, including our friends Delamore and Dot, who I love.

Will put this on my would-read-again shelf.

This book was given to me from netgalley in return for my honest review.

Trope: different stations in life, an American and English love story.

This story is about Lillias a sharp tongued daughter of a Earl, and Hugh who once was american soldier. This story takes place in England. Lilly is a beauty, and all men of England dream of having her as their wife. Hugh is American from New York. He is smart, hard working and building his dreams. He is handsome, and his smile is so beautiful it blinds the ladies from all acts of life and station.

Hugh is in England looking for a friend's daughter from America who ran away to England, and Lillias is bored with her life. With her boredom she acts out. While smoking a cheroot, Hugh catches her. Takes the cheroot and steps on it, and that's how they met. There is instant attraction between the two but they both fight against their feelings. They bicker back and forth challenging eachother through conversations and knowing words without other people knowing it. They fight until the feelings are so strong they can't resist.

Their first kiss was behind closed curtains and someone opens the curtains. They get caught in the act in front of her parents, and other aristocrats. With his quick reaction trying to save her reputation, he immediately opens his mouth and claims they are engaged to be married. That they are waiting for her parents blessing.

They carry out this act for a few days and go their separate ways. But with their feelings flying high they both fall in love and come back to eachother.

This book started off really slow, and it also introduced the main characters into the book at a slower pace. The book didn't speed up until 60% into the story. There's about two kisses throughout the book, and one scene where they had sex twice. Though the scene was well described, to me It's on the lower side for steam. But did have some sexual tension through the book. The plot was wonderful and unique. Character build up was ok. I felt like I knew the characters but they were still strangers. Relationship build up was also slow, and I felt they both were lost and confused for a long time. I'm just happy they both were smart enough to see that they belonged together because they both almost ended up with other people.

He's a man who has lost everything beloved and dear, and built his life from the ashes. She's a woman wrapped in a cocoon of her own making.

Hugh and Lillias loathe each other. Their very first encounter ended with him curtailing what he believed to be reckless behavior - and then informing her father of it. And his wide shoulders and glorious grin cannot detract from the fact that he is an insufferable prig. The barbed words they hurl at each other are thinly disguised as polite conversation, and they count coups and hoard the satisfaction of the ones that draw blood.

The inability to remain civil is a mask of self-denial. They are inexorably drawn to each other - even though they are from vastly different worlds. They are energized by the latent desire that simmers beneath their exchanges. Like a match to tinder, each insult deepens the fascination and attraction and undermines the lies they tell themselves. He has a goal with a finite timeline. She and her family will move back to their glittering ballrooms when the repairs on their mansion are completed.

Moonlight confessions made while perched precariously on rooftops, soft, simmering kisses that can excavate a soul, the touch of a calloused hand - these are the haunting moments that shape their mutual fall from grace.

This is an enemies to lovers story that will leave you breathless with wonder - a ruinous puddle on the floor as if Dorothy threw a bucket of water on you. The sparkling banter, the glorious character arcs that ensure we see into the chaotic hearts of the hero and heroine, the rich, descriptive, language. The whole story is peppered with humor and perfect portrayals of the resilience and buoyancy of love. It is a reminder that falling is something you are powerless to fight - and the one who is meant to catch you may not be whom you have dreamed of, but they are exactly who you need.

Nice addition to the series. Again the hero is an ordinary man. This author does a good job of making her characters different from each other so you don't feel like you are reading the same book over and over. Again, I hope the maid Dot gets her own book.