The Wicked Lover

by Julia Ross

Book Overview

The last thing Robert Sinclair Dovenby expected was to catch an intruder disguised as a man in his bedroom. The fair lady claimed she was stealing one of his cravats for a wager, but he suspects there... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425199967
• ISBN13: 9780425199961
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding!

Very well written, and was much like the masterpiece of all romance novels, A TOUCH OF VELVET. I thought Dove was adorable, tough, genius, and romantic, all the things that make for a great hero. This was my first book by this author, so I was a bit surprised the heroine had had so many lovers; the fact that Dove wasn't taken aback by this showed what a wonderful, non-judgmental man he truly was. The book was a little bit too long, but it was truly nothing short of magnificant.

A lush page-turner.

Ross's Georgian romances are never what one expects. They have a vein of eroticism and plots and characters that push the boundaries of the genre making for not to be missed reads. When Robert Sinclair Dovenby "Dove" returns home he discovers his mistress, the powerful Lady Grenham is very publicly dumping him by burning all his belongings in public. The event was precipitated by the arrival of a young woman and her manservant who Lady Grenham has tied to Dove's bed. George White, the manservant, is in actuality Sylvie Georgiana, the Countess of Montevrain, who Dove institutes as his secretary. Sylvie, who is spying on him in an effort to destroy him is unaware that Dove knows she is a woman in disguise. Twists and turns entwine with sensuality and suspense to make this lush romance a page turner.

A must read - a keeper

Julia Ross' writing puts her at the top of the heap - she has such a fantastic voice, creates so many beautifully turned phrases...her plots are original, her dialogue witty and her characters alive - I was unseated by her first book, and now consider her the queen of romance (actually she shared the throne with Loretta Chase).

Lush, sensuous and wonderful!

She's not for everyone, but I just love Julia Ross' books! This is a sensual, complex, beautifully written story of revenge, intrigue and romance with two likable and compelling lead characters. Most particularly Robert Sinclair Dovenby who made his first appearance in Ms Ross' wonderful prior book THE SEDUCTION. Known as "The Dove" in London Society, Robert is by no means an aristocrat and has only become the darling of society through his well-liked and powerful mistress Lady Grenham and his association with the late Lord Edward Vane (from THE SEDUCTION), brother of the powerful Duke of Yveshire. "Dove" is highly intelligent, handsome, charming and wickedly sensual. But when he arrives home one day to find his mistress very publicly dropping him and then a young woman with her manservant tied up in his bedroom, Dove knows with certain dread that trouble is afoot. The young man explains that he and the young lady were simply attempting to steal one of his cravats to win a wager when Lady Grenham discovered them and jumped to the conclusion that Dove was cheating on her. Dove knows instinctively that there is more to this story - and more to this young man who calls himself George White. In order to get to the bottom of things he compels George to work for him as his secretary confident that he will soon discover who George really is and what he was doing poking around Dove's home.George White is actually Sylvie Georgiana, the Countess of Montevrain, who has worked for the Duke of Yveshire for years as a spy in France. She has now returned to her homeland of England in order to uncover Dove's (possibly illegal) covert activities and hopefully ruin him. For the Duke of Yveshire is convinced that Dove ruined his younger brother Edward and as a result is responsible for his death. Becoming Dove's secretary is the perfect cover for Sylvie as she will be privy to his papers, finances and movements. What she does not count on is her almost immediate attraction to him. She's spied on many men, even slept with some when necessary, but none has ever affected her like Dove. His every word and movement seems to drip with sensuality, charm and intelligence and try as she might, Sylvie is hard pressed to resist him. Only her disguise as a man is protecting her from his seduction.But what poor Sylvie does not realize is that Dove has been on to her from the very beginning! He's known that she is really a woman from day one and he is purposely seducing her in a way the she does not even realize. As George, she is able to experience the freedom of being a man - sleigh races, ice skating on the Thames, coffeehouses and pubs. She almost wishes she could remain George White forever, but it is not to be. For the seduction has not all been one-sided and, uncomfortable with the notion that he may have fallen for an enemy, Dove finally admits that he knows her secret and demands to know for whom she is working and why. The moment of truth has come

The Best Romance I've Read in the Past Year

I sit here wondering what to tell you about Julia Ross's The Wicked Lover. Shall I mention that it's probably the best romance novel that I've read in the past year? possibly ever? It is. But I doubt that it would appeal to everyone. The plot [in 25 words or less]: Sylvie, a lady with a checkered past, is hired by an enemy of Robert Dovenby to uncover his well-guarded past. She does this by posing as his male secretary. [granted, that was 28 words] This is possibly the most erotic, sensual book that I have ever read. It is set in the eighteenth century and the characters remain consistent with their time period. They are jaded, cynical, secretive and fascinating as layer by layer we learn who they are. Dove and Sylvie are strongly attracted to each other from first sight and the first two hundred pages of the book becomes an elaborate exercise in foreplay. Every aspect of their lives takes on a sensual aspect. Remember those first weeks of falling in love? The mixture of lust and sensuality? Ross captures that. Everything from the clothes that touch their bodies and to the foods they eat carries a sensual note. It is also a well-written, sometimes lyric, story with a strong plot and interesting supporting characters.