To Wed a Wicked Earl – Olivia Parker

Parker, Olivia. To Wed a Wicked Earl. (New York: Avon, 2009). ISBN – 9780061712784.

Main Characters: Adam Faramond, Earl of Rothbury and Miss Charlotte Greene

Related Works: This book is related to Olivia Parker’s At the Bride Hunt Ball– the story of Gabriel Thurston Devine, the Duke of Wolverest and Miss Madelyn Haywood

Description from Book:

He’s on the hunt for a bride . . .

Adam Faramond, Earl of Rothbury, needs to find a wife—immediately!—or his beloved grandmother will leave him penniless. But Adam, an unrepentant rake, would reform for only one woman, the woman he’s lusted after—and loved—for years. It’s rather unfortunate, then, that Miss Charlotte Greene would never consent to be the blushing bride of a rogue . . . or so he thinks.

Charlotte believes that the earl, the only man whose touch leaves her trembling, would never want a woman like her. Weary of her wallflower ways, Charlotte decides that a friendship with the earl just might give her the excitement she desires. Keeping their true feelings hidden, she and Adam plan a sham ceremony to placate the dowager. But when the “marriage of convenience” takes an unexpected turn, will Charlotte and her wicked earl finally reveal their irresistible, unforgettable love—and delight in a lifetime of passion?

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed To Wed a Wicked Earl just as much as I enjoyed At the Bride Hunt Ball. Both books are incredibly charming and are lots of fun to read. I seriously could not resist the rakish Earl of Rothbury from the moment that he rescued Charlotte at the Bride Hunt ball. Rothbury has been in love with Charlotte for quite some time. She, however, believes herself to be in love with Lord Tristan Devine – who was the one choosing a bride at the Bride Hunt ball. As such, she is rather devastated when Lord Tristan chooses another to be his bride at the ball.

Charlotte, meanwhile, keeps running into Rothbury while he is attempting to court Lord Tristan’s sister. Rothbury needs to marry and assumes that Charlotte would never accept his suit. But Charlotte and Rothbury start spending time together – mostly as friends. Ok, really, Charlotte somewhat bullies her way into the friendship. Slowly, Charlotte realizes that she does not love Tristan and has growing feelings for Rothbury. Rothbury, meanwhile, struggles to keep his feelings for Charlotte secret. In the end, the two do find their way too each other – helped along by a fake, or not-so-fake wedding.

As I mentioned early, this book was just plain fun to read. I loved both Rothbury and  Charlotte. I laughed – especially when Charlotte snuck into Rothbury’s bedroom – several times. Overall, it made me happy – just as happy as Parker’s At the Bride Hunt Ball. I look forward to future books from this author.

Read first August 30, 2009