If His Kiss Is Wicked

I would like to start my review with the things that I did not like about the book and get the negative out of the way. They are in this order: the cover, the title and the summary. I just hate them. I think they fail miserably to convey how much this book is worth to be read. Had this book a different cover, a smart title and a more suitable blurb, I am certain more people would buy it and perhaps even come to respect the genre. I wonder if Mrs Goodman has any choice in the matter but I think that most of the time (from what I gather by reading author’s sites) the editors are the ones to make these ill-advised choices that I am certain, are part of the reason why romance novels are on the fringes of literature!

Phew. Now that I got show more this out of my chest I can say that If his kiss is Wicked is quite simply splendid!

Emma Hathaway, our heroine, has been kidnapped and almost killed by unknown captors but she managed to escape and is now certain that the threat is not over although she is not sure that she is the intended victim of the attack or even if she is not just simply going mad. She contacts our hero, Restell Gardner, a sort of Private Investigator, who helps people in trouble in exchange for favours to be returned when necessary, and he agrees to help her.

To say more about the plot is to spoil part of the pleasure of the book – the investigation of the crime is as much as important to the story as the romance between Emma and Restell. I am glad to report that the mystery was not a secondary, contrived storyline that was there only to serve the main plot, i.e. the growing love between the protagonists. Quite the contrary, the mystery and the romance were intertwined in such a wonderful way that at times I didn’t know whether I wanted them to carry on investigating or kissing.

And talking about kissing (since I can’t talk about the mystery without spoiling the outcome): wow. What a love story. Restell is such a wonderful hero. Not your usual Tormented Alpha Male, he is considerate, funny, smart and sweet. Not that I have anything against Tormented Heroes but sometimes it is very refreshing to get a respite. Because he doesn’t have issues that need to be dealt with, he can concentrate in helping Emma whilst at the same time being unable not to fall in love with her. She doesn’t believe in love – she thinks it is nothing but a passing feeling – but she can’t help falling in love with him either, for all of the above qualities, plus did I mention he is hot? Well, he is. The sex scenes are well written and of good taste – although there is one scene that may offend the more sensitive, but for me it was on the right side of erotic.

Actually, the whole book is well written. Jo Goodman has a way with words, to be sure, and I found myself going back to sentences, paragraphs and even whole chapters in order to let the writing sink in. I had several parts marked to bring over to the review but the one below is one of my favorites:

"The moment he inclined his head, Emma rose on tiptoes. Her arms went around his neck with enough force to bring her body flush to his. His hands at the small of her back held her there. She lifter her face and the distance that separated their mouths ceased to exist. When he whispered her name, it was as if she could taste the sound of it on her lips.
She was delighted to learn her name tasted like warm brandy.
Restelll edged Emma backward against the pianoforte, and her hip brushed the keys. Neither of them noticed the oddly discordant accompaniment to their kiss, nor would they have done anything differently if they had.
Their kiss would suffer no trivial interruption. "

And neither did I as I read the book – my partner knows better than to approach me when I have a Not to be Disturbed warning in my eyes.

Notable quotes/parts: I really loved the whole thing around the marriage proposal. The happenings immediately before, immediately after and the proposal scene itself. At first look, it isn’t the most romantic proposal in the world but there were so many underlying feelings there that one can not help but to sigh and revel in such a perfect scene!

Additional Thoughts: The art stuff was also interesting. On top of the romance and the mystery there was also all the talk about painting – from the art of Tintoretto to Emma’s uncle who was a favorite of the Ton. I loved the considerations about light, paints, studios and the fact that both Emma and Restell shared an eye for capturing those moments worth putting on a canvas.

Verdict: BUY it NOW. I am keeping my copy at hand for future swooning.

Full Review at:
http://thebooksmugglers.blogspot.com/2008/01/book-review-if-his-kiss-is-wicked.h... show less

Lady Wombat says:

Despite its nothing-to-do-with-the-book title and anachronistic cover (aren't we in Regency London, not the old West??), Goodman's regency is an entertaining read. The first third was a bit off-putting, because the story unfolds in primarily in dialogue, with little exposition and even less character interiority. But the wryly witty exchanges between the two protagonists kept me going, and once the two married (fairly early on for a romance novel), the narration became more balanced between dialogue/interior musings/exposition.

Fabulous dialogue. The hero, Restell Garnder, is a quintessential Beta hero, not domineering but one who exudes confidence. The heroine is also delightful, not too perfect to be true but genuine. The premise is refreshing, especially in the way that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is portrayed in the Regency period.

Only issue is that I figured out pretty much immediately who the villain was. But I still very much enjoyed this book.

As always, with Ms. Goodman's books, this is a great story. Poor cousin Emma is sent on an errand in place of her spoiled cousin Marisol to break off the relationship with her current lover. Instead, Emma is kidnapped and beaten. Restell Gardner investigates, but Emma can't remember much of her ordeal.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this book that keep the plot interesting. Restell and Emma are a great couple, both adventurous but careful of each other. Definitely, another good read from Ms. Goodman.

A leisure read. If you're looking for fast-paced and grand adventures, you won't find it here. However, you will find engaging characters, great dialogues, and humour so subtle, it would catch you off guard. I highly recommend it!

Emma is asked by her cousin, Marisol, to take a break-up note to one of her male flirtations. Emma, agrees, albeit a little reluctantly, because Marisol is engaged and she feels that it is best for her cousin to break off all relations with men other than her fiance. Emma wears, Marisol's bonnet and shall when she leaves to deliver the note. In the course of her leaving the house and performing the task at hand, something terrible happens; leading Emma to believe that she was mistaken for her cousin and that Marisol's life is in danger.

This is where Emma goes to Restell, a man who assists people when they want minimal attention brought to their situation. Restell is not completely convinced that it is Marisol's life that is jeopardy, show more but that Emma may very well be the cousin in immediate danger. He agrees to take on Emma's case, and from there the story takes off.

I think the element that really stood out to me in this book was that Emma and Restell became married halfway through the book, at a point where story wasn't anywhere near finished. They still had to work through a heap of problems, but it was done in a very believable manner.

If His Kiss Is Wicked was a very enjoyable read. I felt a connection to all of the characters, even the ones that stayed on my last nerve. The love between the hero and heroine progressed in a truly believable way that. No contrived circumstances there, everything that happened seemed to fit seamlessly into the story as a whole and move it forward.

A highly enjoyable read. show less

Enjoyable story with a little mystery mixed in. Lots of understated humor in the dialogue.