Your Wicked Ways (Duchess Quartet Book 4)

This book turned me completely off. It is contrived, the plot is rushed at the end, and I found myself dreading the idea of the heroine returning to her abusive jerk of a husband to the point where I truly wanted to stop reading. This wasn't romantic. It was angering and tragic.SPOILERS.........Repeated painful sex in the early months of their marriage? Check. Oh but it is OK because he admitted (years later) that he was a virgin and so she instantly forgives him his months and years of being an utterly selfish prick because she adores him for being truthful.He literally throws her out of her home and installs multiple women (dancing nude on the table) in her place? Check. But it is OK because he never found true pleasure with any of them.He lives with a mistress for years - and installs the mistress in his wife's room, and then manipulates/blackmails his wife into moving back in (but moving next to the nursery, in the governesses' room while the mistress remains in the wife's real room? Check. But it is OK because he had a troubled childhood. And she realises that her original infatuation is still there under all the years of pain, so she loves him and stays with him even while he continues to behave abominably to her just because she wants to have a kid.He only wants her to move back in, in order to help him finish a musical score because she is more talented than him in the first place? Check. But it is OK, because he is involving her in his process (even thought he thought only of himself the ENTIRE time right up until the last few pages of the book).What the actual heck? This book glorifies narcissism and misogyny, excuses abuse, and I'm truly disappointed that this was ever publishes.

The "hero" is a pig and the "heroine" willingly wallows in his pig sty. His brother is a swine who ruts with the mistress sow. That bad.

I hesitated ordering this book due to the reviews but it was the last one to the series so I ordered it and I loved it. Although Ree Lord Godwin was not the best of men, his character is explained but not excused. Each character has some fault as to why things are as they are due to certain circumstances in their lives but at the end the couples (Lina-mistress and Tom-vicar-brother to Ree) fall in love and Lord Godwin and Helene finally admit they have always loved each other and knowledge there have been misunderstandings between them that have kept them apart. I normally give my review on how well the story is written and expressed. I found it very well written and the characters well developed. The story had intrigue, forgiveness, acceptance, confessions, surprises, betrayal, love, and two happily ever after. The author as always allowed the reader to feel her characters feelings throughout the story. It was hard to put down the book and I am happy for all the characters in this series.

The hero is a joke and the wife is a doormat. It is really a horrible story. Dont waste your time or money.

How can any woman agree to sleep with her husband while his mistress lives in the same house as the wife? Worst, the mistress sleeps in the room meant for the wife, while the wife sleeps in a guestroom.

James writes each story with consideration of how the characters will interact in the current tale but keep them true to their past. I enjoyed this one as much as the rest as it waltzed along. The characters who behave badly have a logical reason for it and learn about themselves as much as necessary for the tale. A lovely ending.

I love historical romance, but find perfect sex (or marital harmony) between relative strangers to be jarringly unrealistic. Helene and Rees are immature virgins when they elope. Although they are actually very well matched, they make a mess of things because they don't have the wisdom or experience a good marriage requires.Helene is hyper-critical, and blames Rees for all her negative feelings instead of trying to figure out what's really going on. It is so enjoyable watching her learn how to be a true friend from Esmee, devote herself to using her musical talent, and discover that she is uniquely beautiful. Once she knows herself better, and goes after her priorities, her confidence soars. Then, she's ready to discover the pleasures of her body, and finally, fall in love with her husband on a much deeper level.Rees has no relationship skills, has not become his own man due to baggage from his father, and is realistically clueless on how to please a woman in bed. Add to this, his low self-esteem and tendency to shut out everything except his work, and he has a long way to go. I especially liked the reconnection with his brother, which helped Rees see that he is at heart a loyal, good man.As they became truer to themselves, they are better able to understand each other. Finally, Rees can see Helene as his precious, sexy, musically gifted wife, and Helene can see Rees as her rugged, hot, musically inspired husband. And they see themselves through the other's eyes, and it is good.

It took me a while to actually start to like Rees, especially since he says some horrible things to Helene. I did enjoy them growing together as a couple. The end felt a little rushed which is part of the reason I gave it 4 stars. However, overall I enjoyed their back and forth and the process of them learning about each other in and out of the bedroom.

I love Eloisa James’ books. The are lighthearted with plenty of laugh out loud moments. I also love the supporting characters. Ms James rounds them out and her books usually entwine storylines about these characters with the main hero and heroine. In this book, although I loved the way Helene is given a happy ever after I was a bit confused over the timelines. This book takes place about 12-18 months after “A Wild Pursuit” yet the descriptions and current affairs mentioned in a Wild Pursuit gave me the sense this was one of Eloisa’s Georgian romances. Yet “Your Wicked Ways”, chapter 1 is headed 18 March 1816 but the final chapter, chapter 42 is headed 18 January 1816. Confused? I was. This book also referred to one of the male characters wearing red heeled shoes, surely a reference to the 18th century not something ever sanctioned by Brummel? It made it difficult for me to properly imagine the gorgeous dresses and hairstyles described as some sounded Regency, but were they? Both books have been out for a few years, no-one else has mentioned this so I wonder if the Kindle versions are faulty?Although these pondering did distract me, I still enjoyed the book, Helene was frosty, difficult to like and becoming embittered by her circumstances. It takes a talented author to both make her likeable, and her happy ever after believable. Ms James has that talent. I am currently awaiting the next in the Wilde’s of Lindow series which I think is her best so far.

The last of the Duchess quartet concerning Helen and Rees.There's no plot to speak of and the two main characters are two dimensional. There is little emotional interplay in this book.The Hero is rude, abusive and arrogant with very little reason apart from his father and being a musician!?!The Heroine has no character, is a limp rag and goes back to an emotionally abusive husband although he shows no signs of reforming. Get some backbone!Both characters show very little development during the novel.There's a lot of space devoted to musical notation which would only be of interest/understood by those with a musical background. For the rest of us it was a waste of time and didn't help move the story on.As I said disappointing end to an entertaining series.

It was a book missing from a series. Delivery was on time.

Book 4 in The Duchess series is another gloriously, uniquely written story. The story has characters from the previous books and Eloisa James delivers a great ending to the series.

Great