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Wilde Child is the latest in Eloisa James’ series of historical romances following the Duke of Lindow’s many children as they fall in love and start their own families. This book is a fun, lighthearted romp as one of the wildest Wildes meets her match.
Lady Joan Wilde is already infamous in the ton, despite still being in the first blush of youth. Her birth lends her an air of scandal, as it is common knowledge that her existence is owed to her mother’s notorious affair with a Prussian. Joan cares little for others’ perception of her, choosing to be as outrageous as she pleases, flirting and even kissing gentlemen in full view of a ballroom! The Wildes’ prestige protects Joan from outright disgrace, but not from cutting comments from those who believe she ought not to show her face in society.
Thaddeus Erskine Shaw, Viscount Greywick, is a longstanding family friend. He courted two of Joan’s older sisters before they wed others, but Joan can’t stand him. Viscount Greywick couldn’t make it clearer that he disapproves of Joan’s very existence, and thus Joan is determined to be indifferent to him. Greywick can’t help but be aware of Joan’s beauty and intelligence, but knows she is not the one for him: his father is constantly causing gossip, and Greywick’s future bride must be beyond reproach, not the only Wilde whose name is synonymous with scandal.
When Greywick finds out that Joan’s father will allow her to perform privately in a play – wearing breeches – he is aghast that her reputation will be ruined. They strike a bargain: Greywick will accompany Joan for a performance, after which she will agree to settle down and get married to a suitable man. Joan agrees, but this pact puts the two in close proximity, making them both think about all of the reasons they should keep their hands off each other.
Joan is really fun, a heroine unconcerned with her reputation, which is a nice change. Even though she’s part of a powerful family, Joan is not totally invulnerable to society’s opinions, but she pays little mind to them. It’s obvious that Joan only really cares what people think about her if she values them, and it hurts her that Greywick, someone so close to the family, dismisses her out of hand. Joan is a beautiful woman who wants to be seen as more than that, and knows that most of those outside of her family cannot see past the face she puts on for society. Greywick is equally complex, a man who only ever wanted his father’s approval and instead receives only scorn. Like many heroes, he realizes ultimately that putting duty over love is the greatest mistake he could make, and stops a self-destructive cycle.
I really enjoyed this book, though I found Joan’s inevitable change of heart about marriage and babies a little speedy. Joan is a Wilde, and thus very unconventional by nature, but she matures from ‘babies are gross’ rather quickly. Joan reads as a lot younger than her romantic interest, though that could just come across because he is a rule-following, courteous gentleman living within society’s margins while Joan as a hoyden if there ever was one. Wilde Child is an excellent continuation of the Wilde series, and one that fans and newcomers alike will enjoy.
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Grade: A-
Book Type: Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 29/03/21
Publication Date: 03/2021
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
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I have spent the last few months rereading this series which is so funny. Right now, I’m in the midst of “A Duke of Her Own” which is hilarious in spots. I don’t know quite how James makes you dislike a character who is in competition with our heroine, but she does. “Seven Minutes in Heaven” and “Three Weeks with Lady X” are for me, the perfect escape from politics, the virus and its impact, and the terrible things that are so often on the nightly news. I would say that you don’t really need to read these books in order, but James does briefly show earlier couples in later books and alludes to the plots, but then again, you always know in romances who ends up with whom.
I love Three Weeks with Lady X and Four Nights with a Duke, out of her more recent offerings. James/Bly is such a brilliant, interesting writer. I think she calls her own shots which makes me admire her.
I still reread bits of A Duke of Her Own and This Duchess of Mine.
Wait! Wait! James writes under Bly, too? Romances? Please tell all. What do you mean she calls her own shots?
Eloisa’s real name is Mary Bly–she is publishing a women’s fiction book under that name this summer.
I think she’s pretty uncowed by cranky readers. It’s hard to see her ever doing this, for example. She’s a tenured professor, the daughter of a famous poet, and, whenever I’ve spoken with her–twice!–she’s struck me as someone who marches to the beat of her drum.
Glad this one is good!
I wonder if this is the last book in the series. It seems to have gone on forever! Glad this was good. Will add it to the pile!
Hmm, I’ve always presumed that the eldest son (dead but no body) is going to come back………………
Me too!
Yes! I’ve wondered that too. Hope it happens! From what I remember of the books, no one particularly liked him.
I just reread the series recently, and they definitely love Horatius, they just all enjoy teasing him for being a more serious and stiff future Duke than his own father (the actual Duke). But I’ve definitely gotten the sense that he’s going to show up somehow.
That’s my gake as well!
I have decided that the actor who is being replaced by Joan for a couple of shows is the missing son. The owner/manager of the acting troup described how he played the part and has a mysterious past. Such as guessing a pirate father when the son would play pirates with his brothers and sisters and he plays Hamlet as “an outraged heir” Can’t wait.
Oooooooh. Good call!
Hah, I’ll have to read the book now to test your theory!
Is Elisa, Contessa di Casone in this one? When she was in Parth’s book I got the feeling that she was being lined up for Horatio if/when he returned.