Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wicked Angel by Julia London


Wicked Angel
By Julia London
(04/08/11)

What price for love?

A devastatingly handsome man who has everything - title, position, wealth, finds out exactly what that love will cost him.

An extraordinarily beautiful woman finds out how it feels to completely lose her heart.

Lauren Hill is the widowed Countess of Bergen.  Alex Christian is the Duke of Sutherland.

Lauren has just returned to her home - Rosewood, to resume care of her beloved orphaned charges.  She chances  upon an encounter with Mr. Christian, whom she mistakenly takes as a country gentleman.  What follows is a very angsty romance indeed.

Lauren is eventually forced by her Uncle Ethan to go to London in order to find another suitable husband.  There she again encounters Mr. Christian, whom she now learns is the Duke of Sutherland, and is engaged to be married to Lady Marlaine Reese.

Alex soon discovers that his "wicked angel" is in fact the celebrated Countess of Bergen, and has come to London to find a husband.

Though Alex and Lauren are strongly attracted to each other from the beginning, they are faced with what seems to be overwhelming odds.  He is betrothed to another, it is his duty to marry Lady Marlaine whom he has been engaged to for two years, and he is a well respected leader in the House of Lords.  Alex is torn between his love for Lauren and his duty to family and country.  Lauren is beneath his social station.  Though she loves him desperately, she sees only that she will ruin his life.  Added to all of this is the guilt they both feel about this heartbreaking attraction.  Indeed, it seems they take one step forward...two steps back.  Just when you think they have it all worked out, they are once again at odds.

To me this has all things necessary for a truly wonderful romantic story: a great storyline, outstanding characters, just enough angst to make it interesting (but not enough to bury the storyline), fantastic dialogue between H/h, and of course a wonderful HEA.

In reading this wonderful romance, I was quite reminded of the song "Memorized" by Rebecca Lynn Howard. 

4.5 Stars...only because the story tends to drag in the beginning.