TOO WANTON TO WED by Erica Ridley

Title:  TOO WANTON TO WED

Series:  Gothic Love Stories #4

Author:  Erica Ridley

Publisher:  WebMotion

Publish Date:   08.23.2019

Category /Genre:  Historic Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC

Received from:  Erica Ridley

Goodreads link: Too Wanton to Wed

Date completed: 03.26.2014; 10.06.2019

Description from the publisher:

TRAPPED IN DARKNESS

Violet Whitechapel committed an unspeakable crime to save a child.  To escape the hangman’s noose, she takes refuge in a crumbling abbey with secrets darker than her own.  When its master offers her a temporary post, Violet cannot say no.  Just as she begins to see him in a new light, her past catches up to her and endangers them all.

THEIR PASSION BURNS BRIGHT . . .

Alistair Waldegrave keeps his daughter imprisoned in the black heart of his Gothic abbey.  As he searches for a cure to the disease the villagers call demonic, his new governess brings much needed light into their lives.  But how can the passion between them survive the darkness encroaching from outside their sheltered walls?

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TOO WANTON TO WED is the fourth book in the Gothic Love Stories series, but was originally released as a stand-alone novella, DARK SURRENDER. 

Violet was born to nothing, not even a real name of her own.  Through luck, she is taken in at the Livingstone School for Girls in Lancashire.  Because of her talent, she later became an instructor in art.  Unfortunately, for those born with nothing, bad luck becomes normal and expected.  When the school is closed and one of her students is attacked, Violet finds herself on the run with only the clothes on her back, a few coins, and her wits.  When she falls on the doorsteps of Waldegrave Abbey, Alistair Waldegrave instructs the staff to provide her with bath, food, and a night of rest.  One night as a Good Samaritan recipient becomes a temporary position for Violet as governess to Alistair’s daughter, Lillian.

There are many avenues of passion in this story – art, parental love, and romantic.  All are well written and all consuming.  The story is well paced and continually moving forward.  I never wanted to put it down to deal with real life.  This was definitely a book to get lost within the pages.

Who should read it?  Anyone who likes romance, a touch of crime novel, and a hint of paranormal activity.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Gothic Love Stories Series:

1.      Too Wicked to Kiss

2.      Too Sinful to Deny

3.      Too Tempting to Resist

4.      Too Wanton to Wed

Also from Erica Ridley:

·   Never Been Bitten

·   Two Dukes a Dueling

Dukes of War Series:

1.      The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation

2.      The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower

3.      The Captain’s Bluestocking Mistress

4.      The Major’s Faux Fiancée

5.      The Brigadier’s Runaway Bride

6.      The Pirate’s Tempting Stowaway

7.      The Duke’s Accidental Wife

8.      All I Want

Magic & Mayhem Series:

1.      Kissed by Magic

2.      Must Love Magic

3.      Smitten by Magic

Nether-Netherland Series:

1.   Charmed

2.   Midwinter Magic

Passion & Promises Series:

1.      Let it Snow

2.      Dark Surrender

3.      Romancing the Rogue

Rogues to Riches Series:

1.      Lord of Chance

2.      Lord of Pleasure

3.      Lord of Night

4.      Lord of Temptation

5.      Lord of Secrets

6.      Lord of Vice

Twelve Dukes of Christmas series:

1.      Once Upon a Duke

2.      Kiss of  a Duke

3.      Wish upon a Duke

4.      Never Say Duke

5.      Dukes, Actually (releases 10.22.2019)

6.      The Duke’s Bride (releases 11.12.2019)

7.      The Duke’s Embrace

8.      The Duke’s Desire

9.      Dawn with a Duke

10.  One Night with a Duke

11.  Ten Days with a Duke

12.  Forever Your Duke

Wicked Dukes Club series:

1.      One Night of Seduction

3.      One Night of Passion

5.      One Night to Remember

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TOO TEMPTING TO RESIST by Erica Ridley

Title:  TOO TEMPTING TO RESIST

Series:  Gothic Love Stories #3

Author:  Erica Ridley

Publisher:  WebMotion

Publish Date:   08.16.2019

Category /Genre:  Historic Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC

Received from:  Erica Ridley

Goodreads link: Too Tempting to Resist

Date completed: 04.09.2017; 10.02.2019

Description from the publisher:

When a new heir inherits the castle, poor relation Miss Rebecca Bond must wed immediately or be out on her ear.  The only man she ever loved is summoned to hear the will—but their past ended so badly that they haven’t spoken in years.  Yet who better than a heartless rake to teach her how to snare a gentleman who appreciates her charms?

Daniel Godwin, Lord Stonebury, regrets nothing more than losing the one woman who treated him like a man, not a title.  Fate has given him the perfect pretext to win her trust—even if it means watching her wed someone else.  But now that she's back in his life, he’ll do anything to convince her to choose him instead...

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TOO TEMPTING TO RESIST is the third book in the Gothic Love Stories series, formerly released as Romancing the Rogue.  This is a stand-alone gothic novella with no tie to the previous two books in the series, but there is mention of at least one character from the Dukes of War series.

My heart went out to Rebecca – orphaned twice – by her parents and now by the old earl, her guardian these last five years.  I wanted her to find friendship, companionship, and true love.  Enter Daniel – a young man who has allowed title and family to come between them before – will he make the same mistakes again?  Add in a few ghosts in the castle and it was totally my cup of tea!

I loved that in this story both of our main characters have been shown to mature and learn from their pasts.  They each long for the other, but are reluctant to dive in too quickly.  They each have a fear of rejection that must be laid to rest.  Ms. Ridley does a wonderful job of building their past and their present to allow them to regain the trust that is needed to bring them to where they both always wanted to be. 

This was a feel happy story that had me smiling for hours after I closed my Kindle.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Gothic Love Stories Series:

1.      Too Wicked to Kiss

2.      Too Sinful to Deny

3.      Too Tempting to Resist

4.      Too Wanton to Wed

Also from Erica Ridley:

·   Never Been Bitten

·   Two Dukes a Dueling

Dukes of War Series:

1.      The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation

2.      The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower

3.      The Captain’s Bluestocking Mistress

4.      The Major’s Faux Fiancée

5.      The Brigadier’s Runaway Bride

6.      The Pirate’s Tempting Stowaway

7.      The Duke’s Accidental Wife

8.      All I Want

Magic & Mayhem Series:

1.      Kissed by Magic

2.      Must Love Magic

3.      Smitten by Magic

Nether-Netherland Series:

1.   Charmed

2.   Midwinter Magic

Passion & Promises Series:

1.      Let it Snow

2.      Dark Surrender

3.      Romancing the Rogue

Rogues to Riches Series:

1.      Lord of Chance

2.      Lord of Pleasure

3.      Lord of Night

4.      Lord of Temptation

5.      Lord of Secrets

6.      Lord of Vice

Twelve Dukes of Christmas series:

1.      Once Upon a Duke

2.      Kiss of  a Duke

3.      Wish upon a Duke

4.      Never Say Duke

5.      Dukes, Actually (releases 10.22.2019)

6.      The Duke’s Bride (releases 11.12.2019)

7.      The Duke’s Embrace

8.      The Duke’s Desire

9.      Dawn with a Duke

10.  One Night with a Duke

11.  Ten Days with a Duke

12.  Forever Your Duke

Wicked Dukes Club series:

1.      One Night of Seduction

3.      One Night of Passion

5.      One Night to Remember

AMAZON-US

BOOKBUB