If His Kiss Is Wicked [Mass Market Paperback]

The only thing I did not like - was the title, which I thought did not give the story any justice. This was a wonderful read, the story was very well written and not the typical lite regency romance like the title suggests. The tone of the book had me in that time period, it was so well done, and from the first page to the last, I was enthralled with the characters and story. It kept me twisting and turning, not knowing where it would turn next - Highly recommended, and I feel one of her best.

One thing you can count on when reading a Jo Goodman Regency-era romance novel is that the plot will be a sweeping one where her full bodied and multifaceted characters takeover the stage and all your attention. This was definitely true if "If His Kiss is Wicked," a novel that mixes a criminal investigation with romance with quite memorable results.

Not many young ladies of a genteel background survive being kidnapped off the streets and being brutally beaten with their courage and confidence in tact. But Emma Hathaway finds that is up to her to call on her inner reserves of strength to do something about her attack because her family would like nothing better than to pretend that the incident had never taken place, believing that the danger has long passed. Emma however is fearful that the danger is ever present and that the actual target of the attack was not her but her beautiful cousin, Marisol, with whom she bears a slight resemblance. To that end, she calls on Restell Gardner, a gentleman known for being able to help people who find themselves in precarious situations, to help discover who was responsible for her attack to to avert any future dangers. Moved by Emma's courage and intelligence, Restell agrees to take on the case. The last thing this confirmed bachelor expected was that he would fall in love with his emotionally fragile client. Ever mindful of the danger that Emma faces, Restell will have to work hard to ensure that his feelings don't jeopardize Emma and put her in even more danger than ever...

If I had one complaint about "If His Kiss is Wicked" is was that both the romance and the mystery subplots could have been fleshed out more. Essentially, "If His Kiss Is Wicked" seemed to be more about Emma and the relationship she had with her uncle and her cousin, Marisol, than anything else. That was the pervasive strand of the novel. True, the subplot that dealt with Restell's efforts to help Emma regain her self confidence and his growing admiration and feelings for Emma had equal weight, but for me, it seemed as if everything always circled back to Emma's relationship with her relatives. There was a reason for this, of course, but I really couldn't help but wish that we were shown more of the developing romance between the two. Likewise, I would have liked to have actually read more about Restell's investigations instead of "hearing" about them as he relates what he has uncovered to Emma in the last third of the novel. But these were rather minor quibbles. "If His Kiss Is Wicked" proved to be a very absorbing read. Both Restell and Emma were the kind of romantic leads that most readers will readily take to their hearts -- sensible, capable and mature. I liked that they matched each other very well, and that neither behaved in the kind of immature manner that induced eye-rolling. I also liked that the author showed us how, in spite of her courage and sensibility that Emma was still emotionally scarred by what had occurred, and that it would take time and a lot of effort for her to overcome her fears. This was a realistic touch that was much appreciated. Also much appreciated was how the author left little clues as to who was behind Emma's attack -- though you don't understand the why until the very end. All in all this was a very enjoyable read and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for something more substantial than the usual fare.

Emma Halliday visits Restell Gardner after she has been kidnapped and severly beaten. She has heard he is a person to go to for help and she wants answers as to why she was kidnapped. Was it her they were after or her cousin and Anna was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Together Restell and Anna try and find the answers. Along the way Restell works to heal Anna of the trauma she suffered.
There is such a richness and depth to Ms. Goodman's writing, it's impossible to rush through this book. Instead one needs to slow down and savor this delightful book.
She is a master at putting words together to create those small moments that make you sigh with delight in pure reading enjoyment.