Wilde in Love
Series: The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1
Author: Eloisa James
Published October 31st 2017 by Piatkus

Goodreads Synopsis
Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.

Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.

Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.

But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .
Goodreads

Review
After being abroad, travelling and exploring for years, Lord Alaric Wilde is finally on his way home. He's been avoiding Lindow Castle since the death of his eldest brother, Horatius, in the moss, and is wholly unsuspecting the arrival awaiting him. It seems as if his biographical books, such as Wilde Latitudes and the like, have an avid readership, and the anonymously written play, Wilde in Love, has made him into a hero that all eligible ladies want to meet, and perhaps catch. Well, that is, except for one. Miss Wilhelmina Everett Ffynche may just be one of the only women in society not to have read a single one of his books, and is quite eligible herself, with 14 proposals under her belt after her very first season. She catches Alaric's eye as soon as they meet at the house party being held by the Duke of Lindow to celebrate Lord North's betrothal to Willa's friend, Diana, and Alaric can't keep away. As much as Willa appears to be the perfect society lady though, she is a very private person, and has been since her parent's died, and being with the most talked about gentleman in society is against everything she stands for. Will their chemistry and feelings overcome it all?

I actually read the fifth book in this series, Say Yes to the Duke, first, just after I discovered my love of historical fiction, but knew that I wanted to see how Viola's step-sibling's romances took place. As soon as my local library reopened, I requested the entire series, and they all came in at once. Wilde in Love was a fantastic Georgian romance, full of powdered wigs, a lovable skunk, and a truly swoony romance. Willa is one of my favourite heroines, and I adored her snarky attitude, the banter between her and Alaric, and her true love and affection for her close friends and family. Alaric was a bit brash to start off with, but he definitely grew on you the more you read, and the more you saw him interact with the entire Wilde brood.

Plot wise, I was blown away at times. Because I'd read the fifth book first, I knew some of the main plot points, like who ended up with whom, but the nitty gritty and small interactions between the extended cast. Seeing the way the family gathered together in times of strife, or when faced with a wacky missionary's daughter was delightful, and the resolution of the angst and trouble was breathtaking. Having the main couple face danger like they did, and with added sweet interludes of Sweetpea and Hannibal, truly set this book apart, and I'm forever grateful that I have a copy of Too Wilde to Wed to dive into straight away - I need to see more of North, Diana, Parth, and Lavinia!

Dates Read:
October 10-11, 2020

Rating
4 Stars