When He Was Wicked (Paperback)

Michael Stirling fell in love the moment he met her, but she was forbidden. She belonged to someone else - his cousin. A cousin they raised him with, a cousin he respected, a cousin he loved. And then the inconceivable happened: his cousin died and she was free.

Francesca Bridgerton was beautiful and lovely. She adored and loved her husband, John Stirling. They were happy; they had a marriage made in heaven - a marriage the angels kissed. And then John died and she was alone. But she had Michael, she was not alone, she had her best friend.

Truly, Julia Quinn writes this story from her heart.

Of course, this is Book 6 in the 'Bridgerton series'. Shamefully, this novel sat on my 'To Read Shelf' for several months, continually being shoved aside. Why? I was SO disappointed in Quinn's last entry: TO SIR PHILLIP, WITH LOVE, I did not want to experience another letdown. I felt the 'Bridgerton series' had run out of steam. I was wrong!

This time Ms. Quinn delivered. This time Ms. Quinn abandoned the COMPLETE history of the Bridgerton clan. This time the author chose to whisper the family through the pages. Here big brother Colin Bridgerton is a crucial character, yet his presence does not take over. For this I thank you, Julia. We fans know the Bridgerton history. Thank you for simply writing Francesca's story! A story that is romantic, beautiful and sensual. WHEN HE WAS WICKED is pure 'Keeper Shelf'.
Grade: A

MaryGrace Meloche
Reviewer for: www.romancedesigns.com

Francesca is not like the other Bridgertons, as she herself states in the book on occasion. What she IS is a grieving widow, who loved her husband, mourned him for four years, and is beginning to feel things for his cousin that scare her.

Michael Stirling was a wonderfully sweet, passionate man who lives with incredible guilt for all he gained at his cousin's death. And the one thing he loves above all is the one thing he feels he has no right to ever have - Francesca.

I was impressed by the manner Ms. Quinn did this story. She didn't skirt the issue of their grief and mourning. Instead, she embraced it in a way that makes you feel for both Francesca and Michael. She developed their relationship from the friendship it had been in a careful, understandably slow way...all in all, I felt it was a very rich, very fulfilling story.