Review: His Wicked Charm

His Wicked Charm (Mad Morelands - Book 6) by Candace Camp

Publication Date: 03/27/2018
Publisher:Harlequin
Imprint: HQN
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 480
ISBN-13: 9780373804054

(Received for an honest review from Harlequin HQN via Netgalley)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Candace Camp on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

1.) Mesmerized
2.) Beyond Compare
3.) Winterset
4.) An Unexpected Pleasure
5.) His Sinful Touch
6.) His Wicked Charm

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from His Wicked Charm, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

She’s too prim

Lilah Holcutt dislikes Constantine Moreland from the moment she meets him. He may be handsome, but he’s frivolous, rash, impulsive and, worst of all, a flirt. Now that Con’s twin brother has married Lilah’s best friend, she’s seeing way more of Con than she’d like. And when Con’s sisters are inexplicably kidnapped, Lilah’s own curiosity and stubbornness get the better of her, and she finds herself swept into Con’s investigation.

He’s indifferent to propriety

Con knows that Lilah hates him—he just wishes she weren’t so devastatingly beautiful, that he weren’t so attracted to her. Especially since they’re working closely together to solve the kidnapping, an adventure that leads them to Lilah’s peculiar childhood home, Barrow House, which sits atop an ancient fen and features an eerie maze on its grounds.

They’ll have to join together to conquer a sinister force

The more Con and Lilah uncover, the more they’re convinced that the answers lie buried deep within Barrow House—answers to a mystery darker than either of them could ever have realized.

Thoughts:

Candace Camp's latest novel in the Mad Moreland series is a captivating romp through late 1800's England. In a time where the paranormal was not only believed but accepted, His Wicked Charm is simply magical! Camp's ability to make believer's out of skeptic's serves her well in this adventurous novel with a mystical twist. This book is a case of opposites who are definitely attracted. Though the hero and heroine constantly pretend to dislike each other it is obvious to the reader that there is romance in the air. Possibly, my favorite book by this author...

What I liked:

There was a lot to like in this book. I haven't talked to many readers who have read the book who did not find it one of Camp's best. The overall tone of the novel was adventurous and fast paced. Readers will enjoy how the plot develops, as well as, how the romance picks up speed right along with it. Sometimes that is the issue with novels like this. You have a very good plot but the romance falls flat or the plot drags and the romance is steamy. I'm happy to report that is not the case with this one. The plot was riveting and the romance was spicy. 

The hero, Constantine Moreland was quite the flirt. He was fun loving and full of vinegar, but he was also devoted to his eccentric family. Camp does a wonderful job of showing the familial bonds between the Moreland's and the other families in this book. I liked the fact that Camp was able to show readers Con's cheeky side and still allow them to see his more heroic and thrill seeking side as well. His attraction to Lilah Holcutt was surprising since she was the complete opposite of everything he was. Their meeting in the previous book, His Sinful Touch was less than stellar, but they tolerated each other for the sake of his brother and her best friend. The sparks certainly start flying when they meet again, though.

Oh, Lilah! lol... I just couldn't put my finger on the reason she was sooo uptight. I understand the concept of following the rules and doing the right thing and not being looked on as being out of the ordinary, but it simply isn't any fun. I really enjoyed seeing Lilah open up and show her more authentic self as Con was able to peel back her layers. There was certainly a lot more than met the eye with that one. Those lilac stockings were just the first clue.

I loved the way that Camp weaved the magic throughout this story. She has used a deft hand with the paranormal in the previous books in this series. Con's family has always shown a propensity for the eccentric and he believes in the beginning that it has basically skipped over him, but readers can tell that's not quite the case. And Lilah isn't exactly as prim and proper as she seems. Camp uses magic a bit more liberally in this novel and it makes all the difference. I loved this aspect of the book and I think most readers will agree, love is a magical thing no matter how you look at it.

What I didn't like:

The reader does have to dispense with their hard and fast ideas on magic and the paranormal here. If you are a reader who doesn't not want to consider anything out of the ordinary even in your reading, this one might not be your cup of tea. Other than that, I don't have a bad word to say. And that's a reader thing, not a writer thing. Camp was outstanding here.

Bottom Line:

If you've read the other books in the series, it's a no brainer, you gotta read it. If this is your first one, be prepared, your book budget is gonna suffer cause the first five will be on your list. This is a stand alone novel, but why would you want to? In my opinion this is one of Camp's best and my favorite in this series, for sure. Can't say enough good things about the magical elements of the story and about the romance of it all. Camp at her best! 

His Wicked Charm is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Candace Camp is a New York Times bestselling author of over sixty novels of contemporary and historical romance. She grew up in Texas in a newspaper family, which explains her love of writing, but she earned a law degree and practiced law before making the decision to write full-time. She has received several writing awards, including the RT Book Reviews Lifetime Achievement Award for Western Romances. Visit her at www.candace-camp.com.