May Contain Spoilers
Review:
I was in the mood for a short, quick read, so I turned, once again, to the Entangled library to fulfill this need. The Wager had me at “Novella.” Yes, sometimes even I am easy to please.
Anne loves to make wagers with her sisters, and when she’s caught “borrowing” a scandalous novel from her host while attending a social function, she’s only somewhat taken aback. When Michael, Earl of Thornhill, catches Anne red-handed stealing a naughty book, his interest is piqued. After exchanging a series of letters, the first an apology from Anne that lacks conviction or finesse, their paths cross again, leading to a wager between Michael and Anne. They’ll have a late night swim race, and if Michael wins, he’ll be reward with a kiss. If she wins, he must answer a naughty question he dodged during their correspondence.
One wager leads to another, until the final stakes are both their hearts. Who will win?
I really enjoyed the letters, which showed a believable progression of their affection for each other. The main conflict in The Wager is Anne’s self-doubt. A year earlier, Michael thought himself in love with Anne’s older sister, Elizabeth, but she rejected his suit because she was in love with someone else. Anne now feels that she’s only second best, and refuses to take their flirtations seriously. At times this made her come across as shallow and spoiled. She can’t accept that feelings can change, and that Michael’s infatuation with Elizabeth was fleeting. Her stubbornness almost costs her her happiness, because she’s so focused on the fact that Michael was attracted to her sister first.
This is a quick read with a fun, if somewhat over-indulged heroine, and a very sexy earl. The romance was a bit rushed, but I blame that on the length of the story. I’m curious to read about Anne’s sisters now.
Grade: B / B-
Review copy provided by publisher
From Amazon:
London, 1818
Anne Middleton never plays by the rules. She is willful when she should be obedient and unabashed when she should be decorous. Worse still, she can never resist a good wager… or a very naughty book. And Confessions of a Courtesan is about as sensational and risque as a book can be.
Michael Grey – Earl of Thornhill – had once courted Anne’s sweet and modest sister. But whilst Anne is certainly no lady of decorum, her bold impulsiveness slips through his armor, and propriety is forgotten. Now he too is immersed in the book of forbidden delights, where each page is an invitation to sin and a guide to pleasures unknown…
Roused by heady desire, Michael tempts Anne in a way she cannot resist – a wager. Thus begins a game of chance, where coins have been replaced by a currency that is far more illicit. And the stakes of seduction are dangerous indeed…
The post Novella Review: The Wager by Lily Maxton appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.
Add a Comment