I have a book recommendation for you.
It was the ideal marriage of convenience…until they met
Cassandra DeWitt has seen her husband only once—on their wedding day two years earlier—and this arrangement suits her perfectly. She has no interest in the rude, badly behaved man she married only to secure her inheritance. She certainly has no interest in his ban on her going to London. Why, he’ll never even know she is there.
Until he shows up in London too, and Cassandra finds herself sharing a house with the most infuriating man in England.
Joshua DeWitt has his life exactly how he wants it. He has no need of a wife disrupting everything, especially a wife intent on reforming his behavior. He certainly has no need of a wife who is intolerably amiable, insufferably reasonable … and irresistibly kissable.
As the unlikely couple team up to battle a malicious lawsuit and launch Cassandra’s wayward sister, passion flares between them. Soon the day must come for them to part … but what if one of them wants their marriage to become real?
I’ve read this book too fast.
A minor noble family loses their firstborn son and heir. He is survived by his parents and his three sisters. His death crushes his mother and she leans on drugs to cope. His father, troubled and plagued by depression, tries to secure the future for his daughters and arranges the marriage of the oldest one, Cassandra, to a young widower.
Joshua deWitt is a bastard son of a nobleman. He detests his father and the feeling is mutual. Having lost his wife, he has no intention to marry, but he owes a debt of gratitude to Cassandra’s father, so he marries her, they spend one awkward night together, and then he takes of for Birmingham, to his factories. Cassandra’s attempt to communicate with him results in a simple arrangement: she leaves him alone, she doesn’t try to come to London or other places he frequents, and he makes sure their family is well provided for.
Fast forward two years. Cassandra’s father died, and the responsibility for her mother, her sisters, and the estate rests squarely on her shoulders. She is doing her best, but her middle sister is due for a season in London, and she’s been going stir crazy and hitting the brandy. Something has to be done, and Cassandra leaves for London.
She thought he was away on a business trip. He thought she was a bother.
It’s hilarious.
“You’re meant to be in Warwickshire,” he said.
“You’re meant to be in Liverpool.” “I did not give you permission to come to London.”
“I did not ask your permission.”
He stopped so abruptly that it took her a few steps to stop too, and her hand slipped from his arm. She looked back at him questioningly.
“You should,” he said.
In a single stride, he drew level with her again. Once more, she took his elbow and they moved on, although he was no longer sure who was leading whom.
“Let me explain, Mrs. DeWitt, how marriage works.”
“Oh, please do, Mr. DeWitt, I’m all agog.”
“I am the husband, so I make the rules to suit me.”
“And I am the wife, so I change the rules to suit me.”
Vincy, Mia. A Wicked Kind of Husband (Longhope Abbey) (pp. 29-30). Inner Ballad Press. Kindle Edition.
The plot itself isn’t that groundbreaking, but the characters are brilliant. Cassandra is clever and funny and so likable, while Joshua completely breaks the mold of a grumpy alpha hero. Don’t get me wrong, Lord of Scoundrels was a fantastic hero, but we have seen so many iterations of him, and it was so refreshing to read something new. I enjoyed Joshua and Cassandra a great deal.
As always, your mileage may vary, so download a sample.
Author’s website: https://www.miavincy.com/wicked/
Buy links: AMAZON US | KOBO | APPLE BOOKS | B&N
Ummm, I think I love this! Want it now!
Immediately got it on my Kobo, loved it. Pre-ordered the next one too.
+1!
I really enjoyed this book. However, something happens to the heroine very late in the book and y’all might want a content warning. I can’t figure how to do spoiler tags in this comment, so I’m linking my GR comments that has content warnings under the spoiler tags.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2676880477
Thanks for posting the link.
+1 thank you for the warning and for delivering it in such a way as we can choose to be spoiled or not. I seriously appreciate it.
Thanks for the heads-up, much appreciated!
Thank you!! I had marked this as DNF but didn’t put why. Appreciate the warning!
Immediately ordered this book. I have loved all the recommendations from you so far (at least the ones I tried), so had to try this one too. 🙂
Sounds like a fun book.
+1!!!
Ooooo!!! thanks for the suggestion!
Always up for a book recommendation! ???? Thanks!
Ooo, Kate Reading does the audio! She’s my favorite!
Especially if she teams up with michael kramer. His voice is so soothing. ( brandon sandersons book are amazing with their narration)
yea! I love a new audio book and this one sounds very good. Will have to try it out! Thanks much for the recommendation.
Hooray! Building my yummy pile of media to enjoy for 3 days past tday. Tuesday’s goals beating Verizon into my free disney+ to watch mandalorian.
For some reason it surprises me to see a regency on this blog. Why, I don’t know. If you like regency with humor, escapades, and interesting characters may I suggest Aunt Sophie’s Diamonds by Joan Smith. It’s an older title that is now on kindle and other digital platforms. My aunts both love it and made my sister and I read it and we loved it (this started a hunt for used copies so we all had one). I might add regency isn’t my typical genre. It’s very character driven, but also has some cute scenes (two young ladies in moth-eaten trousers in s graveyard at night with shovels is one gem).
I love Recency romances! So thanks for the rec I immediately checked it out from my library.????
Anyone who loves how bloody hilarious this book is needs to try the other romcoms on my reread list. The Wallflower Wager and the first chapter of Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare, What Happens in London and Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn, Chapters 1-9 of Making Waves, Chapters 1-10 of Frisky Business and Believe It or Not by Tawna Fenske, Act Like It, Pretty Face and the first 15.5 chapters of The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker and Artistic License by Elle Pierson(Lucy Parker) which used to be the funniest book I have ever read.
The funniest book I have ever read is also relevant here, Swordheart by T. Kingfisher.
Yum. I love regency romances. Thanks for this. Although I enjoy her very much, this will probably be easier to read than Georgette Heyer, the queen of regency romances.
I don’t think anyone can beat Georgette Heyer, but I appreciate others. Lol
Hmm, what about Barbara Cartland or Mary Balogh?? I think they are in the regency romance aristocracy, no? Or at least in the Heyer coterie?
After the brilliance of your Jane For recommendation, anything you recommend is an instant sample download for me! ????
Jane Doe*
I have this queued up for vacation next week. Smart Bitches Trashy Books mentioned the upcoming book (releasing 11/26) by Mia Vincey in a recent post, and there was a lot of love for this book in the comments.
This sounds fun!
Thanks! I’ll pick up a copy! 🙂
Thanks, I always enjoy your recs so I’m looking forward to checking this one out!
Will give it a try. I just finished Shattered Bonds by Faith Hunter which is awesome-This Jane Yellowrock series has only gotten better with time!
I read this a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. There is another book (“A Beastly Kind of Earl”) coming out on the 26th of November. It’s on my possible list.
This book had a lovely heroine and truly grumpy hero. The heroine’s sister is a rather sad case.
Shenanigans ensue. Any more than the bits above is probably spoilery.
If you like historical novels, you will enjoy this immensely.
Thanks for the book recommendation. Always looking for something new to me. I may put this on my Christmas list.
A good debut!
I have no willpower.
I’m buying this although I know better. I think the last 3 book recs of yours resulted in me buying the authors’ previous works, too. Amazon should give you a sales commission. You are terrible for my book addiction. You enabler, you.
(Yes, that was sarcasm.)
I really liked this book too!!! Really great characters that respect others, and still manage to work off of stupid assumptions. Fun stuff.
Sweet! The kindle version is even on sale for 4.99 right now!
When I was young I read a lot of regency romances, because my mom had them on the shelf. Aunt Sophie’s Diamonds was the best. We even talked my dad into reading it and he loved it.
“Download a sample”
Good idea. I am right in the middle of the 2 weeks from hell and everything is currently tied up in trying to get my husband a car while also getting my mother’s cataracts taken care of, and going to a party 400 miles away and getting to my own appointments and thanksgiving.
If I download a sample, maybe I’ll remember to buy it when I have time to read it… Because it looks great.
Thank you for the book recommendation. 🙂
I read regency romance books every once an awhile. I have a lot of them on my Nook.
Jodi Taylor’s Just One Damned Thing After Another was mentioned by a reader in a previous post. I tried it, swallowed it and now I’m bringing on the 2nd book. Thankfully there are only 9 in the series or I’d need to nurture to support my book habit
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll have to check it out.
The last bit made me laugh and reminded me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding where the mother was talking to the daughter (not an exact quote): The man may be the head of the household but the women is the neck and she can turn the head any direction she wants .
“I am the husband, so I make the rules to suit me.”
“And I am the wife, so I change the rules to suit me.”
Reason #48956546794 why I am not married, cause that is SO me, lmao.
-Tiffany
As I complained about needing books, I’ll take the recommendation and get the book, though this genre tends to irk me since the gender roles often lead to stereotypical characters–the smart and sassy woman who is constantly underestimated, the rogue who is really misunderstood. It is the paranormal equivalent of the werewolf mating story that has been done ad nausem and rarely does something surprising. However, if it can add a giggle or a guffaw in here or there, I’ll go for it.
I read this recently and thoroughly enjoyed it, due to the hero and heroine. There were both funny and moving elements. But I didn’t care at all for the sister, and will not be reading the future book featuring her.
I just bought three ebooks by Toni Kief. Mildred is a 71 year old senior job hunting due to her deceased husband’s gambling addiction. I read each of them straight through because I wanted to know what happened next. They are also on kindle unlimited.
I bought it on your recommandations . It ticked my funny bone most of the book. I love witty repartee. A god one.
*good one
Thanks for this recommendation. Our library system didn’t have it so after checking out the Look Inside sample I took a chance and bought the ebook. This is the most enjoyable regency I have read lately and I’m looking forward to her next book. Although when I finished this one I was really expecting to find a previous book already written about Cassandra’s friend Arabella.
Arabella’s book is the next up after the one getting released next week (which is technically set before this book before Arabella was married). It is kind of confusing but she’s got a timeline version of the planned books on her website which show up chronologically. So two more set before this book and one after that Duke Leo’s.
I wonder if the author will do a Mr. Das and Padma book. Given what is here, it would be an interesting read.
Many thanks. Love humor (especially without “put-downs”). As mentioned above somewhere a lot of Tessa Dare’s books are fairly light and lots of witty dialogue. And I do agree the recommendations made in this blog do feed my book compulsion.
If everyone likes Regencies, you must sample Joan Wolf. After Heyer, she is my favorite, especially her older ones
Saw your recommendation, bought it, read it. Thank you, that was lovely!
I read this and also LOVED it. Very nicely done by a debut author. The witty interaction and humor reminded me of the master Georgette Heyer. GLad to see it recognized where it will do the author some good. Maybe I should buy it twice.
Thank you for the recommendation.
Just finished and I loved it! And the author lives in Victoria too – i wonder how she feels about library talks…
“And I am the wife, so I change the rules to suit me.” That pretty much says it all! ????
In the ‘arranged marriage between persons that don’t want to be with each other’ type of plot, with a portion of political intrigue and magical powers, A winter’s promise by Christelle Dabos is really great as well, I recommend it ! https://www.goodreads.com/ar/book/show/39986039-a-winter-s-promise
Yayy more books to the tbr pile. I love your recs. You have immaculate taste in books ???? Through you, I’ve discovered the wonders that are Ms. Bev’s and Ms. Eloisa’s historicals. I’ve also read that Pathfinder book you recced and enjoyed it immensely (though did not continue with series). The Fox fantasy, I purchased it when you recced but have yet to read though. But this one is right up my alley. Can’t wait!
Oops my ungrateful ass forgot to say Thank You!
Thanks for the recommendation – I read this book and enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered her next one. It comes out … Tuesday.
What IS it about publishers releasing new books in the middle of a work week? F/T Bookworms would adore it if they were released Friday night, or on the weekend. Would be so much less exhausting.
That was fun. I will probably get the next.
I love when we get a book recommendation, with all the related recommendations that come along in the comments. Lots of new authors to try!
I got the book off Audible and just finished it this afternoon. Kate Redding is the reader and does a fabulous job. I always luv good banter between characters and this novel had a lot of it.
Thank you. I really enjoyed this. It brought me laughter and tears. The next one is out today… bonus.
Thank you it is a really good book indeed! But very emotional to! Maybe more for me because it hit some string… but still very good!