No one is more surprised than Lord North when he returns from war to find his ex-fiancee in his ancestral home…working as a governess in a sexy, fiery new Wildes of Lindow Castle romance by New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James…
The handsome, rakish heir to a dukedom, Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde—known to his friends as North—left England two years ago, after being jilted by Miss … England two years ago, after being jilted by Miss Diana Belgrave. He returns from war to find that he’s notorious: polite society has ruled him “too wild to wed.”
Diana never meant to tarnish North’s reputation, or his heart, but in her rush to save a helpless child, there was no time to consider the consequences of working as a governess in Lindow Castle. Now everyone has drawn the worst conclusions about the child’s father, and Diana is left with bittersweet regret.
When North makes it clear that he still wants her for his own, scandal or no, Diana has to fight to keep from losing her heart to the man whom she still has no intention of marrying.
Yet North is returning a hardened warrior—and this is one battle he’s determined to win.
He wants Diana, and he’ll risk everything to call her his own.
more
Warning: Adult Sexual Content and Subject Matter, which you can skip over and still fully enjoy the book.
Another fun romp with members of the Wilde Family. The jilted heir to the Dukedom has returned from war only to find the woman who jilted him at their betrothal party living in his parent’s home as the governess. The lady in question is not only living in his future home but also has with her the child he thought was fathered by someone else. Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde who left in anger two years ago finds he is still in love with Diana Belgrave. Lord Roland also discovers that others believe the child is his and artwork is circulating everywhere depicting him as the villain. A fun romance with laughs and a good storyline not counting the enjoyment of reacquainting yourself from charters from previous books.
Always enjoy the Wilde books – they make me smile!
I liked the first book in this Wilde series, but I love this book. It was sweet and emotionally charged. I can’t wait for the next book.
I love Eloisa James. Her newest is definitely in her signature witty style. I found the circumstances of the heroine and the choices she makes really difficult to believe, and I just couldn’t get over it enough to give it a full five stars.
Can’t wait for rest of the series.
Disappointed. Not up to James’ high standards.
I loved this book! A great read!
The Wilde family is really wild
As always, a wonderful read. She never disappoints in any way.
A great and fun read!
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica –
Too Wilde to Wed had a more focused, less chaotic feel than its predecessor, which is why I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. The Wildes of Lindow Castle has a very large cast, at times becoming overwhelming to keep who is who straight. However, I could see how the novel would be easily read as a standalone, even if I feel it best to start with Wilde in Love.
Opening with a short prologue, the reader is given vital information in a way that made it easier to fall into the story and place the events that led up to the current place in the timeline.
Women didn’t have many options, seen more as possessions than human beings, whether the possession be to one’s parents or their husband. Diana was a woman trapped, one who ran and for altruistic reasons. Diana’s view of herself and the world are tainted by the mental and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, while suffering debilitating grief.
North is a man who doesn’t fit into the role of a duke-to-be, having come back from war with a different mindset. He’d fled after being jilted by Diana and came back a more enlightened man.
This book could have gone in an uncomfortable direction had North held resentment toward Diana. North is quick to accept apologies, see the error of his own ways, and is easy-going compared to his commanding personality. This made reading more pleasant, as the emotions of it were already darker.
To be honest, this novel is filled to the brim with romantic tension, but it’s the numerous conversations that North and Diana share that creates intimacy, which makes their connection feel beyond real.
Instead of focusing on every other character, the focus is on North and Diana forming a bond during interactions, while showcasing the youngsters of the cast.
My only complaint, the novel seemed to ramble from the midway point to nearly three-quarters, where I feared it would veer in a direction that would create forced angst. Thankfully it didn’t head in that way (if you’re reading this review after reading the book, you’ll understand what I meant by that). Diana’s stubbornness, North’s blindness, it became too much – I’ll use the phrase, ‘Beating a dead horse.’ Over and over again, on repeat, stalling the novel, to the point I won’t deny skim-reading portions.
Other than feeling as if the novel didn’t know how to get from the midway point to the ending, I was thoroughly entertained, enjoying the connection Diana and North had with one another and within the larger cast. The emotions Diana showed felt realistic, tugging at my heartstrings – her feeling of inadequacy, insecurity, and self-consciousness that was placed there by her mother.
The youngsters have me holding out hope that when James runs out of this age-group, she will fast-forward into the future and allow their voices to shine.
The next book was setup perfectly, doing its job by making me hungry to get my hands on it, especially since I’m a sucker for love-hate/enemies-to-lovers storylines.
Highly recommended to historical romance fans, who enjoy a more contemporary take on the genre. While it’s not fade-to-black sexual content, it’s also not salacious. I felt the need to state that after seeing another review. If Eloisa James were Goldilocks, she’d be just right in the between-the-sheets action – tastefully done, plot-driven, and romantic, the passion connects our hero and heroine.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #2) by Eloisa James to read and review.
I love the Wildes! Usually second chance romances are not my favorite, but in the case of Too Wilde to Wed, our hero and heroine realize they never really knew each other in the first place. It was a delight to see them get to know each other, although the heroine’s insistence that she wasn’t good enough was frustrating.
Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James is book Two in The Wildes of Lindow Castle series. This is the story of Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde ‘North’ and Diana Belgrave. I have read the previous book (and Loved it) but feel this is a standalone book although the previous book did do some set up for this one.
North and Diana had been engaged to be married but she made a hasty decision that had her breaking things off with North. North brokenhearted left but now he is back only to learn that his reputation is taking a hit due to those decisions. But the one things that hasn’t changed is how they both feel about each other. Will this time be their chance to be together?
Really enjoyed this book and the situations that came about with Diana.
Can’t wait for more from Ms. James!!
I love North! I throughly enjoyed Alaric and Willa but Diana and North are something special. They both loved each other but were afraid to show it and now have to fight their way back to each other without asking the other to sacrifice who they are.
Artie and Godfrey are absolutely adorable and that Fitzy!
Eloisa James is one of my top go-to authors and her books go on my keeper shelf.
I received an e-copy of this book to read and provide an honest review which I’m doing.
I’ve read Eloisa’s books for many years and this is one of her best. I love a good story about a soldier who’s returned from war and this is one amazing book.
When North returns from fighting in America he finds his former fiancee working as the governess at his ancestral home, Lindow Castle. She has brought along a little boy whom everyone assumes belongs to North but the boys story is revealed and it’s tragic.
North and Diana are two very confused and conflicted people and Eloisa does an excellent job telling their story and getting them together for their HEA. Eloisa has, as usual, done an excellent job of telling the story and sorting things out between the hero and heroine.
This book can be read as a stand alone though I feel it would be better enjoyed if you’ve already read Wilde In Love, the first book in the series. I’ve already pre-ordered the next book and have ordered a print copy of Too Wilde To Wed to add to my keeper shelf.
ARC provided by Edelweiss and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Too Wilde to Wed was just as wonderful as I expected!! I couldn’t wait to read this book and it definitely didn’t disappoint!! The first book in the series, Wilde in Love, set the stage for North and Diana’s love story. One of my favorite types of book features a governess. I enjoy the funny little babies in the nursery and out. One of my favorite things about this book is that North first fell in love with Diana because of her joyful laughter. It’s great how North and Diana finally have several conversations throughout the book that clear up misunderstandings. I look forward to Parth and Lavinia’s story in Born to be Wilde!!
I am loving the whole big, wild, Wilde family and the great cast of characters that whirl around them at Lindow Castle and in Society. There’s always some bit of scandal and a generous amount of chaos whenever this family gets together. Even if they do tease each other over the latest gossip and celebrity prints, they all band together to try to get the best outcome for their family members.
This installment picks up after Diana has jilted North. When he finally tracks her down, she’s caring for a baby in a small cottage. He immediately gathers a regiment and is off to the colonies to fight for Britain in the American Revolution. Misunderstandings abound as both characters run from heartache and grief. When they meet again, both North and Diana discover they had been putting on a false front to impress the other, and they never really got to know their true personalities. Given some time together without the prying eyes of Society, maybe there is a second chance to get to know each other and to find love.
I liked both the hero and the heroine. They had both gone through rough experiences, and I really felt like they had a good connection because of the understanding between them. However, the conflict just didn’t seem to be that difficult to resolve. I spent most of the book thinking “Why don’t you just . . .”, and in the end, of course, that’s what they did!
I’d recommend this for any fan of historical romance, large fun families, the Georgian period, and Eloisa James.
I received an ARC from the publisher.
I received a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
The last book, Wilde In Love, ended with a cliff hanger leading to this one. Lord Roland (North)’s fiancee, Diana, mysteriously breaks off her engagement to the future duke and disappears into the night from her engagement party. With her gone, North forms a regiment to fight the colonists in America, but before leaving North eventually tracks her down to a small cottage, but when he hears a cry of a child, his pride overshadows his judgement in making false assumptions, and he rides off.
This book begins with Diana living in Lindow Castle, the home of the Wilde’s. Destitute, because her mother has disowned her after she rescued her orphaned nephew from a foundling home, North’s aunt, Lady Knowe, had invited her to Lindow Castle, but she would only agree if she could work as a governess. Rumors fly that the child is North’s. The granddaughter of a wealthy grocer, Diana prefer keeping business rather than the luxurious life of the nobility. When North returns, disheartened because he believes the war is wrong, he also finds Diana in his home. Eventually they confess that when they had been engaged, they had each put on a false front for the other, expecting that is what was wanted. However as they get to know each other, they find they have a lot in common and develop true trust and love. But Diana is just not cut out to be a duchess and North believes he must let her go for her to be happy. We still end with a HEA and another cliff hanger involving Diana’s cousin Lavinia.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author creates the most endearing characters woven into captivating adventures. With 10 children, one supposedly dead (but no body found) and only Aleric’s and North’s stories told, we can all look forward to a nice long series of fascinating characters and adventures.
One of Eloisa’s best story yet. Diana disappeared from her betrothal house party without leaving a note North tracked her down to an isolated cottage where Diana was hiding with a baby. The story begins as Diana, ensconced at North’s family home with the child, awaits North’s return from war. Slowly the circumstances are revealed for Diana’s flight and child. Eloisa weaves their story with several unexpected twists. It is a great read. It’s Wilde-ly entertaining
ARC provided by Edelweiss and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You never have enough time with the people you love! Out of all the books, Eloisa James has written, this is perhaps the one I can personally connect to the most. Sadly because I experienced the death of a sister growing up. I know how devastating that can be for the whole family. I could identify with Diana and North in terms of what they and their families went through. I also come from a large family being the oldest of eight. The loss of a child or a sibling is something you never get over and has a lasting impact on your life.
Diana is stunned by the loss of her sister and North by his experience in the war along with having to take the place of his older brother. Their struggles thankfully bring them together for a happy ever after. Time spent with those we love is precious. Thank you, Eloisa James, for this beautiful book.