A Wicked Wager

Drawn into the story from the start, I totally enjoyed reading this different take on the wagered bride storyline. It was also refreshing that there were no horrid secrets between the hero and heroine or misunderstandings due to lack of communication. Both h and H were quite forthright with each other from nearly the start. How they gradually became acquainted with each other – courting after marrying – was told in a lovely manner. I felt I was sitting there watching them interact. Some unexpected (for both the characters and reader) facts about the past are uncovered.
I read an advance copy.

Devlin is out for revenge. Since his brother’s mysterious death, the cruel and devious Miss Bromfield has taken to spouting vicious lies and spreading vile gossip. Devlin vows to make her pay. How better to punish her than to make her his wife and make her life miserable. Knowing she would never accept him, Devlin devises a plan to get her to the altar. He will win her hand in a bet, but he must accept he will never know true love. His fortunes turn when offered another tempting option. Thrown together in an odd twist of fate Devlin and Juliet are mismatched in every regard. He is a hulking figure of a man, powerful and commanding. She is dainty and petite, used to obeying her father, and despising masterful men. Yet both quickly become what the other needs and together must battle against those determined to tear them apart. – Two lonely people discover that true love does not have to be perfect. Juliet has lots of integrity and Devlin is impressed with her from the beginning. Some are intimidated by Devlin’s size, but he makes Juliet feel protected. Devlin and Juliet are great together. It is good to see them working together and their relationship develop. This is an excellent historical romance-mystery. The story is interesting, and I enjoyed the characters. .

A very good story.

Good story – tooooo much sex.

I really liked the characters in this book. I was glad when the despicable father got his comeuppance.

I could not read fast enough to find out the secret of the mystery. Loved reading it.

After spending the last five years making his fortune in India, Devlin Drake has returned to England bent on revenge against Miss Hannah Bromfield for the hateful lies she’s been spreading about his late brother since his mysterious death. The best punishment he can think of is to make the lady suffer daily as his wife, even if it means giving up his hidden dream of marrying for love. Devlin knows the despicable lady will never accept him so he determines to win her hand in a bet against her father.

Baron Bromfield’s illegitimate daughter, Miss Juliet Duval, has suffered Ms. Bromfield’s wrath and the Baron’s censure since she moved into their house upon her mother’s death six years ago. She lives as an unpaid servant until her father’s reckless wager requires a daughter for satisfaction, for which he is all too eager to use Juliet.

Hulking, self-assured Devlin and dainty, loving Juliet couldn’t be more opposite and though they’re thrown together in marriage for all the wrong reasons, it soon becomes clear that they’re exactly what the other needs. This is only more apparent as they work to unravel the mysteries of the past and ensure their future together.

This was a lovely story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m always a fan of the hero coming to the defense of an abused heroine, especially when it’s her own family who have mistreated her. I’m here for the just desserts. It was lovely to see Juliet gain confidence and I really appreciated the honesty between her and Devlin and how they worked so well together without a ton of angst between them. I’m looking forward to Valentine’s story now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I liked At Last the Rogue Returns, so I wanted to read this one. I liked this book even better. Juliet was a wonderful character, and she and Devlin told each other everything, so the big issues came from others. I can’t remember another historical romance where the secrets weren’t something one partner knew and the other didn’t. And when the big secret was revealed, it was something I hadn’t expected.

I found Adele Clee’s second offering in her Avenging Lords series to be just as engrossing and romantic a love story as was the first in the series. A Wicked Wager captured my total attention within the first few pages. A Lord bent on revenge wins a wagered bride but ends up wed to the wrong sister. Destiny determined that this sister would be the key to the sweetest revenge. Adele Clee has crafted a story with a believable plot, engaging characters, and several twists and turns throughout. Most of all, she developed a lovely romance with plenty of sexual chemistry between our two main characters. A very satisfying read and I look forward to the next in series!

After reading the first book in the series, I knew this one would be just as great. Well it was so much more and had me pulled in on the first page. The hero, Devlin was out for revenge of the worst kind. He planned it so that he would win the hand of Baron Bromfield’s daughter in game of chance even if he had to cheat. The Baron’s daughter had been spreading terrible lies and gossip about his brother who had just passed away and he was determined to marry her and make her life miserable. But in a slight of hand by the Baron, he does give him his daughter Juliet who is his illegitimate daughter that he does not acknowledge and treats as a servant.
Well I never would have expected that!! Juliet has been verbally abused by her half sister so she actually thinks of this as a chance to get away from that household. Devlin stands by his offer and marries Juliet instead. Could the two be happy and what about Devlin’s plan for revenge?
This twist had be spellbound to see what would happen. Adele Clee is such a great storyteller and always brings me in quickly and holds me captive until the end. I cannot wait until the next book in this series!