I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Seduced: The Wicked Woodleys by Jess Michaels Series: The Wicked Woodleys #5
on May 17, 2016
Genres: Historical
Goodreads
“I have never been abducted by a lady before,” he drawled, looking at her pale face in the dim carriage. “This is very exciting.”
FINAL DECISION: An enjoyable conclusion to the Wicked Woodleys series that essentially is an add on to RUINED. Employing one of my favorite tropes: the lower class hero with a heroine who is his social better, this story lacked the angst of RUINED but still had a lot of action.
THE STORY: Jack Blackwood is known as Captain Jack, a criminal mastermind who is king of the criminal world that lurks in London. As his brother has married into the titled class, Jack ends up mingling with the aristocracy. There he meets Viscountess Leticia Seagate, a widow who has a secret. As the two circle around one another, Letty decides to take a lover and can think of no one who fits her better than Jack. There is danger, however, as Jack has a rival for his business who threatens him and anyone he cares about.
OPINION: Jack and Letty’s story was enjoyable but a little bit of a letdown from the wonderful RUINED. For me, there was a lot of things going on in the story (Letty’s secret, Jack’s enemy, Letty’s brother’s issues) and while I enjoyed the book, I was not enthralled. I felt that with so much going on, the connection between Letty and Jack was not as strong as I would like.
I still enjoyed the book especially because I am a fan of the lower class hero story. Michaels has done several of this trope in this series and I seriously love these guys. Jack is a criminal but he clearly has done well for himself and is in the process of improving himself. The marriage and happiness of his brother has made him question his own life. It is at this pivotal time that he begins his relationship with Letty. The two expect nothing beyond sex from one another and yet, they become intertwined with one another.
I liked the sexy relationship between Jack and Letty and there is always a sense of equality between them personally even if society does not see it. I also liked how Letty’s personal sense of worth is healed by Jack’s devotion to her.
Overall, I found the story and romance uneven but I liked the characters, loved getting updates on the prior couples and was satisfied with the book as a whole.
WORTH MENTIONING: Michaels also gives a nice update on the other Woodley couples without it being forced. A nice treat for fans of the series.
CONNECTED BOOKS: SEDUCED is the fifth book in the Wicked Woodleys series. The book gives readers enough information to be read as a standalone although I recommend reading RUINED first because the two stories are closely connected.
STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.