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York Family #1
A Little Bit Wild
HE IS NOT WHAT SHE HAD IN MIND.
Jude Bertrand is not an excellent dancer. Nor does he wear the most fashionable coats. But when Marissa York's brother approaches him, desperate to preserve Marissa's tenuous reputation, Jude does prove heroic enough to offer to marry the girl. In fact, the union should more than make up for his lack of social graces --- and his own scandalous past ...
BUT MINDS CHANGE ...
Marissa knows that betrothal to the son of a duke --- even one as raw and masculine as Jude --- will save her from ruin, but that doesn't mean she's happy about it. Soon, though, she finds that Jude has a surprisingly gentle touch --- and plans to use it to persuade Marissa that their wedding day cannot come soon enough ...
Jude Bertrand is not an excellent dancer. Nor does he wear the most fashionable coats. But when Marissa York's brother approaches him, desperate to preserve Marissa's tenuous reputation, Jude does prove heroic enough to offer to marry the girl. In fact, the union should more than make up for his lack of social graces --- and his own scandalous past ...
BUT MINDS CHANGE ...
Marissa knows that betrothal to the son of a duke --- even one as raw and masculine as Jude --- will save her from ruin, but that doesn't mean she's happy about it. Soon, though, she finds that Jude has a surprisingly gentle touch --- and plans to use it to persuade Marissa that their wedding day cannot come soon enough ...
329 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
94 people are currently reading
1,403 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Dahl
64books1,993followersI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
August 10, 2010
Series: #1 in the York series
Setting: England, 1847, but it really doesn't matter since it's a wallpaper historical
Sensuality: PG-13
If you ever read the novels of Marion Chesney, Loretta Chase, or the like, there is a certain stock character: the ribald dowager who ogle and drool over men's legs. Well, if you ever wondered what such a character would be like as the young heroine in a historical romance, then this is the book for you. The heroine, Marissa, is indeed lusty, make that LUSTY, silly, and indulged all her life. As book begins, she is caught in flagrante delicto by her brother doing a gentleman she has no intentions of marrying (but he did have nice legs and it's so HARD not to TOUCH).
To diffuse the possible scandal, Marissa becomes quickly engaged to Jude, a friend of her brother and the bastard son of a duke. The problem as it looks to the dim Marissa isn't that she is ruined and might possibly be pregnant but rather that Jude is a big, ugly, hulking, "blacksmith" of a fellow and she only like the pretty boys with the elegant legs.
Marissa obviously has a lot of maturing to do, and does so over the course of the story. There may be some interesting underlining thread about female sexuality that is germinating somewhere in this novel. If it had been presented in a well-thoughtout manner . . . . Unfortunately, the writing and execution were pedestrian and unfocused. The pacing was TERRIBLE.
I have read all of Dahl's previous historicals and was especially impressed with her last two. I was never fond of the fact her historicals were too wallpaper and anachronistic for my taste but that was offset by her interesting, strong heroines, well-written sex scenes, and smooth writing style. None of her strengths are shown in ALBW. A very disappointing read, one that I wouldn't even recommend to Dahl fans like myself.
Grade: C+/C
Setting: England, 1847, but it really doesn't matter since it's a wallpaper historical
Sensuality: PG-13
If you ever read the novels of Marion Chesney, Loretta Chase, or the like, there is a certain stock character: the ribald dowager who ogle and drool over men's legs. Well, if you ever wondered what such a character would be like as the young heroine in a historical romance, then this is the book for you. The heroine, Marissa, is indeed lusty, make that LUSTY, silly, and indulged all her life. As book begins, she is caught in flagrante delicto by her brother doing a gentleman she has no intentions of marrying (but he did have nice legs and it's so HARD not to TOUCH).
To diffuse the possible scandal, Marissa becomes quickly engaged to Jude, a friend of her brother and the bastard son of a duke. The problem as it looks to the dim Marissa isn't that she is ruined and might possibly be pregnant but rather that Jude is a big, ugly, hulking, "blacksmith" of a fellow and she only like the pretty boys with the elegant legs.
Marissa obviously has a lot of maturing to do, and does so over the course of the story. There may be some interesting underlining thread about female sexuality that is germinating somewhere in this novel. If it had been presented in a well-thoughtout manner . . . . Unfortunately, the writing and execution were pedestrian and unfocused. The pacing was TERRIBLE.
I have read all of Dahl's previous historicals and was especially impressed with her last two. I was never fond of the fact her historicals were too wallpaper and anachronistic for my taste but that was offset by her interesting, strong heroines, well-written sex scenes, and smooth writing style. None of her strengths are shown in ALBW. A very disappointing read, one that I wouldn't even recommend to Dahl fans like myself.
Grade: C+/C
September 6, 2010
I'm so pleased that I ended up loving this book so much. The first two chapters showed a very unattractive side of the heroine, Marissa, and I actually stopped reading to go clean something! I was so nervous that this book would be the one that broke my lucky streak with this author. I have enjoyed every book that I have read by this author, and I believe I've read them all barring the novellas, and I live in fear of breaking that pattern. But I got some reassurance that the book didn't disappoint, so I picked it back up and quickly found myself sucked in.
Marissa begins the story at a disadvantage with the reader. She comes off as extremely spoiled, thoughtless, and selfish. I also originally thought she was rather stupid, but I can excuse that because of the liquor involved in the scene. But she comes off as whiny and immature. She wants her way and doesn't understand why everything has to change. Well, she does understand, but she would rather just ignore it.
I was afraid that I would dislike her for a while, but she actually grew on me pretty quickly. She quickly realizes that there are more people impacted by her actions than just herself and decides to suck it up and deal. Unfortunately for her, she has to deal with Jude, who is not at all her type. Marissa is attracted to the pretty boys. She likes the pretty, thin, graceful, rather effeminate men who dress well and look nice on her arm. Jude is large, and muscular, and not pretty at all. She has to learn to see past all her preconceptions and learn where the true value of a person lies and the difference between lust and love.
The author made a bold choice starting the book out where she did. I really appreciated getting to see a character make a genuine mistake and have to deal with the consequences. Marissa was vain and way too caught up in appearances, but she was still a nice person. She slowly learned to value Jude for his true self. Her lust was much more easily engaged than her heart. Speaking of lust; I am so pleased to actually see a female character lusting after men. She didn't let her hormones rule her, but she appreciated a pretty man and a nice show of leg. She knew there was pleasure to be had, and she wanted to embrace it. It was nice to see a female finding many men attractive and not only being blind to it all until the hero came along.
Jude was such an excellent hero. He was self confident, and he knew who he was. He was also an excellent judge of character. He had Marissa pegged shortly after meeting her. He didn't want to change her though; he wanted to revel in her enjoyment of pleasure and please them both. He was extremely hard to insult. Most of the time he just shrugged off irritating comments thrown his way, but when a comment from Marissa found its mark, it had impeccable aim. I loved watching Jude discover more about himself, but I was so sorry for him too. It's hard caring about someone who's quick to lash out because she won't admit, or doesn't recognize, her true feelings.
Their relationship was a lot of fun to watch develop. They actually seemed like they became quite good friends. I value that quite highly in my romances. This book had some pretty hot moments. Jude had quite a way with foreplay, and he could sure draw out the tension between them.
I liked getting to see Marissa's friends and family. I wonder if this will turn into a loosely connected series like her other historicals did. I see potential between her friend and another character after that awkward moment toward the end. I'd also really like to learn more about Aidan and see him overcome his crankiness. I hope we get to see more about them!
Marissa begins the story at a disadvantage with the reader. She comes off as extremely spoiled, thoughtless, and selfish. I also originally thought she was rather stupid, but I can excuse that because of the liquor involved in the scene. But she comes off as whiny and immature. She wants her way and doesn't understand why everything has to change. Well, she does understand, but she would rather just ignore it.
I was afraid that I would dislike her for a while, but she actually grew on me pretty quickly. She quickly realizes that there are more people impacted by her actions than just herself and decides to suck it up and deal. Unfortunately for her, she has to deal with Jude, who is not at all her type. Marissa is attracted to the pretty boys. She likes the pretty, thin, graceful, rather effeminate men who dress well and look nice on her arm. Jude is large, and muscular, and not pretty at all. She has to learn to see past all her preconceptions and learn where the true value of a person lies and the difference between lust and love.
The author made a bold choice starting the book out where she did. I really appreciated getting to see a character make a genuine mistake and have to deal with the consequences. Marissa was vain and way too caught up in appearances, but she was still a nice person. She slowly learned to value Jude for his true self. Her lust was much more easily engaged than her heart. Speaking of lust; I am so pleased to actually see a female character lusting after men. She didn't let her hormones rule her, but she appreciated a pretty man and a nice show of leg. She knew there was pleasure to be had, and she wanted to embrace it. It was nice to see a female finding many men attractive and not only being blind to it all until the hero came along.
Jude was such an excellent hero. He was self confident, and he knew who he was. He was also an excellent judge of character. He had Marissa pegged shortly after meeting her. He didn't want to change her though; he wanted to revel in her enjoyment of pleasure and please them both. He was extremely hard to insult. Most of the time he just shrugged off irritating comments thrown his way, but when a comment from Marissa found its mark, it had impeccable aim. I loved watching Jude discover more about himself, but I was so sorry for him too. It's hard caring about someone who's quick to lash out because she won't admit, or doesn't recognize, her true feelings.
Their relationship was a lot of fun to watch develop. They actually seemed like they became quite good friends. I value that quite highly in my romances. This book had some pretty hot moments. Jude had quite a way with foreplay, and he could sure draw out the tension between them.
I liked getting to see Marissa's friends and family. I wonder if this will turn into a loosely connected series like her other historicals did. I see potential between her friend and another character after that awkward moment toward the end. I'd also really like to learn more about Aidan and see him overcome his crankiness. I hope we get to see more about them!
December 8, 2011
I finally gave up after slogging through 50% of this book.
The story is not much to go by, and the characters are not much to write home about, but what makes this book utterly unbearable is the shallow, stupid, brattish imbecile that passes for the heroine. She is one of the worst female leads I've ever had the displeasure of reading about. Selfish, vapid, shallow, stupid beyond imagining....argh!!!!
WHY DO PUBLISHERS PUBLISH BOOKS WITH CHARACTERS LIKE THIS?
And why Ms. Dahl thought this person was someone worthy of a HEA or worth reading about is beyond me.
The story is not much to go by, and the characters are not much to write home about, but what makes this book utterly unbearable is the shallow, stupid, brattish imbecile that passes for the heroine. She is one of the worst female leads I've ever had the displeasure of reading about. Selfish, vapid, shallow, stupid beyond imagining....argh!!!!
WHY DO PUBLISHERS PUBLISH BOOKS WITH CHARACTERS LIKE THIS?
And why Ms. Dahl thought this person was someone worthy of a HEA or worth reading about is beyond me.
June 14, 2015
Not gonna lie, I had to flounce this during the first chapter because it did not make any sense. There is this guy who loves this girl and wants to marry her. She likes him but after they have sex she decides she doesn't like him enough to marry.
But her brother/family insist she marries someone. So, instead of marrying the man who ruined her, who wanted her, who was perfectly acceptable financially and socially, except he failed at smexy times - she marries this other random dude. I AM SO CONFUSED. Why? Why would you marry a practical stranger instead? You adamantly refused the dude you knew for someone you barely met. Like, literally: he withdrew from your person, your brother hit him, he offered for your hand in marriage, you said no, you got sent to your room, brother says you must marry someone, illegitimate-born friend of other brother offers for you, and they're ok with this but not the dude who did the actual "ruining". It's not even been 10 minutes. The guy you just had sex with hasn't even barely zipped up his pants. IN WHAT WORLD DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?
Sigh. You cray-cray girl. In the words of my homies, Smokey and Craig, "Bye, Felicia!"
But her brother/family insist she marries someone. So, instead of marrying the man who ruined her, who wanted her, who was perfectly acceptable financially and socially, except he failed at smexy times - she marries this other random dude. I AM SO CONFUSED. Why? Why would you marry a practical stranger instead? You adamantly refused the dude you knew for someone you barely met. Like, literally: he withdrew from your person, your brother hit him, he offered for your hand in marriage, you said no, you got sent to your room, brother says you must marry someone, illegitimate-born friend of other brother offers for you, and they're ok with this but not the dude who did the actual "ruining". It's not even been 10 minutes. The guy you just had sex with hasn't even barely zipped up his pants. IN WHAT WORLD DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?
Sigh. You cray-cray girl. In the words of my homies, Smokey and Craig, "Bye, Felicia!"
July 15, 2010
This book is absolutely the best historical romance novel I've read in a long time! I like her work so much that now I'm going to have to go out and get everything she's ever written. The author has creatively drawn the two lead characters like none I've ever seen. The heroine thinks she enjoys 'pretty men" and gets a kick out of flirting with them, but when a hasty action causes her life to change, she's forced to pay attention to Jude, her brother's best friend - and he's the total opposite of what she knows. What I liked about the book is that it didn't try to wrap things up in a cutesy little package to get to the end. Marissa really had to work hard to win this man over.
August 22, 2010
I've been trying to put my finger on exactly why I LOOOOOOOOVE Victoria Dahl's writing style. I think the answer lies with her characters. It seems that they always react in a way that is logical for the author's orginal characterization. So many authors draw a certain type of character and then have them going off and doing things that make no sense. Victoria Dahl sticks to her characterizations. Also, her heroes please me. They do not roll all over the heroine in their alpha hero-ness. They are still strong fine specimens of men, they just aren't overbearing in a way that sets my teeth on edge. They are likeable and genuine.
Essentially, these characters are REALISTIC!
I would honestly like to hang out with any of them, including Marissa whom I already know other reviewers are going to hate. She's spoiled, shallow and selfish. Yet, she's just like most women in the world. She wants what she wants, she's not willing to settle for less. Yes, she is more like a character out of a contemporary romance novel than a historical romance novel, but I am a contemporary reader and I don't like reading about simpering weak martyr women. Therefore, I like these characters.
Also, the plotting of a Dahl story is never as predictable as many of the romance novels I read. The pacing is spot on. The voice is soothing and enjoyable.
This is Dahl's 8th novel (by my count) and all eight of them have been winners for me.
Essentially, these characters are REALISTIC!
I would honestly like to hang out with any of them, including Marissa whom I already know other reviewers are going to hate. She's spoiled, shallow and selfish. Yet, she's just like most women in the world. She wants what she wants, she's not willing to settle for less. Yes, she is more like a character out of a contemporary romance novel than a historical romance novel, but I am a contemporary reader and I don't like reading about simpering weak martyr women. Therefore, I like these characters.
Also, the plotting of a Dahl story is never as predictable as many of the romance novels I read. The pacing is spot on. The voice is soothing and enjoyable.
This is Dahl's 8th novel (by my count) and all eight of them have been winners for me.
October 5, 2010
Now, I don't normally like non-virgin heroines in my historicals. It's a horrible double-standard, I know, since I really don't care for virgin females in my contemporary novels, but I typically read historical novels because the heroine is inexperienced.
Marissa is Lusty. That's right, with a capital L. :) She comes from a fairly "wild" family, and is considered the "tame" one, but just because she's not as wild as the rest of them, doesn't mean she's some wilting flower. Marissa likes pretty things -- pretty horses, pretty dresses, and of course, pretty men. In her immaturity, she hasn't yet accepted society's double standards for women -- that women must remain chaste and pure and must be "convinced" to engage in sensual behavior, while men are celebrated for their whoring behaviors... Unfortunately, this is also her downfall -- being slightly tipsy, she allows one of her pretty-boy suitors to seduce her, and in giving up her virginity (in a most decidedly un-inspiring experience), she also forfeit any freedom and future she might have had.
Some readers have complained about her immaturity, and yes, she annoyed the p*ss out of me on many occasions. BUT (and it's a big "but"), she matures over the course of the book from a foolish and impulsive girl into a woman, and not just in the sexual way.
Jude was the acknowledged bastard son of a Duke (and his French courtesan lover), and was therefore highly respected and accepted into society. However, even his friends constantly remind him, however unthinkingly, over his humble origins, and even though he was nowhere near as foolish or immature as Marissa was at the beginning of the novel, over the course of the book he starts to mature as well.. He begins to accept the fact that he's worth more than he and the world have previously thought.
The love scenes were hot (once you got past the fact that Marissa wasn't a missish virgin as is typical with this type of story lol), and I am most definitely looking forward to more novels in this series (though I'm not sure which brother I want to hear about first!)
4 1/2 Stars
Marissa is Lusty. That's right, with a capital L. :) She comes from a fairly "wild" family, and is considered the "tame" one, but just because she's not as wild as the rest of them, doesn't mean she's some wilting flower. Marissa likes pretty things -- pretty horses, pretty dresses, and of course, pretty men. In her immaturity, she hasn't yet accepted society's double standards for women -- that women must remain chaste and pure and must be "convinced" to engage in sensual behavior, while men are celebrated for their whoring behaviors... Unfortunately, this is also her downfall -- being slightly tipsy, she allows one of her pretty-boy suitors to seduce her, and in giving up her virginity (in a most decidedly un-inspiring experience), she also forfeit any freedom and future she might have had.
Some readers have complained about her immaturity, and yes, she annoyed the p*ss out of me on many occasions. BUT (and it's a big "but"), she matures over the course of the book from a foolish and impulsive girl into a woman, and not just in the sexual way.
Jude was the acknowledged bastard son of a Duke (and his French courtesan lover), and was therefore highly respected and accepted into society. However, even his friends constantly remind him, however unthinkingly, over his humble origins, and even though he was nowhere near as foolish or immature as Marissa was at the beginning of the novel, over the course of the book he starts to mature as well.. He begins to accept the fact that he's worth more than he and the world have previously thought.
The love scenes were hot (once you got past the fact that Marissa wasn't a missish virgin as is typical with this type of story lol), and I am most definitely looking forward to more novels in this series (though I'm not sure which brother I want to hear about first!)
4 1/2 Stars
September 23, 2014
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Finally a historical romance with women who let loose.
The hero was loveable too.
It's too bad that I just realised how much I disliked the second book in this series.. To think Aiden, the hero of the next book, was so disappointed and outraged with her when he found out that his sister had dallied with a man before marriage. The next book shows him to be such a hypocrite..
Finally a historical romance with women who let loose.
The hero was loveable too.
It's too bad that I just realised how much I disliked the second book in this series.. To think Aiden, the hero of the next book, was so disappointed and outraged with her when he found out that his sister had dallied with a man before marriage. The next book shows him to be such a hypocrite..
February 9, 2017
Very sweet hero and a very silly, shallow and at times nasty heroine. In the end I wanted better for him.
July 6, 2016
3.33 stars.
I bought this book because in the opening scene, Marissa has just lost her virginity and it wasn’t the fireworks she’d wanted it to be. She tells the gentleman to get off her and declines his marriage proposal. I wanted to know more about her and why she would do something so reckless within her society. When caught, she says she was bored and as her real reasons were revealed I liked her more.
But I didn’t always like her.
I enjoyed the character growth of Marissa but sometimes it was uncomfortable watching her growing pains. She starts out very unsympathetic. She is selfish, shallow, and immature but I was pleased to see her start to change early on. I don’t know if there was enough change, but Jude seems happy enough so I’ll let it go.
I liked Jude a lot. He is a steady, calm guy who is very comfortable with himself. I liked that he wanted to marry Marissa because she’d be naughty in bed and I enjoyed their private conversations. I loved that he read a book just because she did.
I also liked that Jude was okay with Marissa being who she was. He didn’t want to change her into the perfect wife. He wanted her because of how she was and thought it would be a benefit. They did strike up a friendship to support the attraction, especially Marissa’s, but I’m not sure there was enough for me to believe in his continued attraction and eventual love for her.
Jude is the acknowledge bastard of a duke and courtesan. There were a few mentions made of the fun Marissa would have meeting his mother and I was disappointed that scene was not included.
I did not like the outcome of the mystery. I thought it was a bit contrived and anticlimactic. The person I suspected was never suspected by anyone in the book.
The final scene between Beth and Edward was weird. It seemed purposefully thrown in as sequel bait but it didn’t flow the way the bait for Aidan did. Speaking of Aidan, I am eager to read his book, especially after reading the blurb for it.
The book was creeping its way up to four stars in some spots but I did not like the love scene when Marissa and Jude finally made it to home plate (too long, clinical) and the last couple of chapters were too mushy for my taste. Combined with everything else, I think it best said that I enjoyed the book’s intention but was underwhelmed by its execution.
I bought this book because in the opening scene, Marissa has just lost her virginity and it wasn’t the fireworks she’d wanted it to be. She tells the gentleman to get off her and declines his marriage proposal. I wanted to know more about her and why she would do something so reckless within her society. When caught, she says she was bored and as her real reasons were revealed I liked her more.
But I didn’t always like her.
I enjoyed the character growth of Marissa but sometimes it was uncomfortable watching her growing pains. She starts out very unsympathetic. She is selfish, shallow, and immature but I was pleased to see her start to change early on. I don’t know if there was enough change, but Jude seems happy enough so I’ll let it go.
I liked Jude a lot. He is a steady, calm guy who is very comfortable with himself. I liked that he wanted to marry Marissa because she’d be naughty in bed and I enjoyed their private conversations. I loved that he read a book just because she did.
"Will you grant me a favor? Let me borrow the last novel you finished so that we may discuss it.�
“You wouldn’t like it. It’s melodramatic and overwrought.�
“Then it will remind me of you, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it a great deal.�
I also liked that Jude was okay with Marissa being who she was. He didn’t want to change her into the perfect wife. He wanted her because of how she was and thought it would be a benefit. They did strike up a friendship to support the attraction, especially Marissa’s, but I’m not sure there was enough for me to believe in his continued attraction and eventual love for her.
Jude is the acknowledge bastard of a duke and courtesan. There were a few mentions made of the fun Marissa would have meeting his mother and I was disappointed that scene was not included.
I did not like the outcome of the mystery. I thought it was a bit contrived and anticlimactic. The person I suspected was never suspected by anyone in the book.
The final scene between Beth and Edward was weird. It seemed purposefully thrown in as sequel bait but it didn’t flow the way the bait for Aidan did. Speaking of Aidan, I am eager to read his book, especially after reading the blurb for it.
The book was creeping its way up to four stars in some spots but I did not like the love scene when Marissa and Jude finally made it to home plate (too long, clinical) and the last couple of chapters were too mushy for my taste. Combined with everything else, I think it best said that I enjoyed the book’s intention but was underwhelmed by its execution.
December 29, 2016
Waouh... Cette romance, que j'ai avalée en une journée, est un énorme coup de cœur.
Un des points forts de cette histoire sont les personnages principaux. Le héros, Jude, est tout simplement parfait ! C'est mon genre préféré de héros : un peu mystérieux, renfermé, secret et, en même temps, très gentil et doux avec l'héroïne.
Ah, Marissa... contrairement au héros, c'est le genre d'héroïne qui ne plait pas à tout le monde. Elle a été élevée dans un milieu privilégié et, du coup, c'est une jeune femme gâtée, un peu arrogante. Je me suis pourtant attachée à elle au fil de l'histoire. En effet, elle a des défauts (comme nous tous) mais elle les assume. Et puis, le mariage avec un homme tel que Jude, qui la comprend, lui permettra sans aucun doute de mûrir.
L'histoire d'amour, sur le thème de la Belle et la Bête, se construit lentement. Elle est entrecoupée de quiproquos mais l'auteure justifie chaque dispute et elles m'ont paru naturelles, compte tenu du caractère des personnages et de la situation dans laquelle ils sont amenés à se fiancer.
J'ai lu dans des commentaires que la légèreté des mœurs de l'héroïne (comprendre qu'elle n'est plus vierge) avait gêné des lectrices. Quant à moi, c'est peut-être ce que j'ai le plus aimé dans cette romance. C'est assez rare de trouver en historique une héroïne qui assume dès le début ses désirs et n'hésite pas à les satisfaire.
J'ai aussi apprécié que Marissa ne perde pas toutes ses facultés intellectuelles quand Jude l'embrasse. Elle est attirée par lui, succombe parfois à son désir, mais n'en fait pas toute une montagne.
L'auteur n'a pas du tout abordé ce sujet mais une partie de ma sympathie pour l'héroïne s'explique par le contexte historique. A cette époque, Marissa aurait pu se demander si elle était folle ou anormale de ressentir un tel désir (elle l'accepte d'ailleurs un peu trop bien). Cela m'a fait pensé à la romance de Julia London, Dans le lit du comte, où le héros se croit fou à cause de ses visions érotiques qui ne sont que des fantasmes...
Bref, cette romance est un de mes coups de cœur de cette année et Victoria Dahl, une auteur que je vais suivre de près.
Ma chronique sur mon blog :
Un des points forts de cette histoire sont les personnages principaux. Le héros, Jude, est tout simplement parfait ! C'est mon genre préféré de héros : un peu mystérieux, renfermé, secret et, en même temps, très gentil et doux avec l'héroïne.
Ah, Marissa... contrairement au héros, c'est le genre d'héroïne qui ne plait pas à tout le monde. Elle a été élevée dans un milieu privilégié et, du coup, c'est une jeune femme gâtée, un peu arrogante. Je me suis pourtant attachée à elle au fil de l'histoire. En effet, elle a des défauts (comme nous tous) mais elle les assume. Et puis, le mariage avec un homme tel que Jude, qui la comprend, lui permettra sans aucun doute de mûrir.
L'histoire d'amour, sur le thème de la Belle et la Bête, se construit lentement. Elle est entrecoupée de quiproquos mais l'auteure justifie chaque dispute et elles m'ont paru naturelles, compte tenu du caractère des personnages et de la situation dans laquelle ils sont amenés à se fiancer.
J'ai lu dans des commentaires que la légèreté des mœurs de l'héroïne (comprendre qu'elle n'est plus vierge) avait gêné des lectrices. Quant à moi, c'est peut-être ce que j'ai le plus aimé dans cette romance. C'est assez rare de trouver en historique une héroïne qui assume dès le début ses désirs et n'hésite pas à les satisfaire.
J'ai aussi apprécié que Marissa ne perde pas toutes ses facultés intellectuelles quand Jude l'embrasse. Elle est attirée par lui, succombe parfois à son désir, mais n'en fait pas toute une montagne.
L'auteur n'a pas du tout abordé ce sujet mais une partie de ma sympathie pour l'héroïne s'explique par le contexte historique. A cette époque, Marissa aurait pu se demander si elle était folle ou anormale de ressentir un tel désir (elle l'accepte d'ailleurs un peu trop bien). Cela m'a fait pensé à la romance de Julia London, Dans le lit du comte, où le héros se croit fou à cause de ses visions érotiques qui ne sont que des fantasmes...
Bref, cette romance est un de mes coups de cœur de cette année et Victoria Dahl, une auteur que je vais suivre de près.
Ma chronique sur mon blog :
January 2, 2012
Good story - Jude is a wonderful hero and his pain at being merely a duke's bastard is palpable. Marissa is rather stupid until she grows up and figures out what she really wants, but I guess without her stupidity and need to grow up there wouldn't be much of a story to tell. However, I have my doubts about Marissa's behaviour and its consequences in the context of Victorian society - her behaviour is really beyond outrageous when seen in that context, and the consequences for her would have been far more severe.
September 30, 2010
This book didn't have the emotional impact that Dahl usually gives with her historicals. I finally warmed up to Marissa, but she was always a better person around Jude. I liked Jude from the start and thought at times that he was too good for Marissa. She eventually did convince me that she was good enough for Jude, but it was a near thing. In the end it was just a good read. I hope that with the family stories coming up, that we get to capture more of the emotional punch.
December 23, 2017
I’ll admit, I have nearly everything Victoria Dahl has written, but until I received A LITTLE BIT WILD I hadn’t actually read anything by her, and I didn’t know what to expect. While I liked the concept of A LITTLE BIT WILD, I didn’t enjoy it as much in the execution.
I thought Marissa was vapid and shallow. I realize those are synonyms of each other, but they both equally apply to Marissa and I found her a very frustrating heroine. While I liked certain things about her—she loses her virginity on the first page because she wanted to see what all the fuss was about—there were also times that I wanted to shake her. She can’t seem to get past the fact that Jude is not like the effeminate, pretty boys she usually favors, to see that Jude could actually be a worthy love interest. That being said, however, I didn’t see what Jude saw in Marissa. I get that he admired her from afar, and he saw her ruination as a way to finally get her to notice him. What I didn’t understand was what he saw in her. I wasn’t convinced that he loved her in the beginning of the book, and I wasn’t convinced by the end of the book.
Plot wise, A LITTLE BIT WILD was A Little Bit Light. While there is some intrigue in the middle about who is trying to blackmail Marissa, for the most part, this book is a character-driven romance. Most times, I enjoy character-driven romances because I think it’s easy to lose the romance in a conflict-driven story. However, here, I never connected with Marissa and Jude, and as such, by the time we figured out who the culprit was and there was still 50 or so pages left, I just couldn’t muster up any interest in how Marissa and Jude resolved their interpersonal issues.
Established fans of Dahl’s work may enjoy A LITTLE BIT WILD, but it was a miss for me.
Originally posted at
I thought Marissa was vapid and shallow. I realize those are synonyms of each other, but they both equally apply to Marissa and I found her a very frustrating heroine. While I liked certain things about her—she loses her virginity on the first page because she wanted to see what all the fuss was about—there were also times that I wanted to shake her. She can’t seem to get past the fact that Jude is not like the effeminate, pretty boys she usually favors, to see that Jude could actually be a worthy love interest. That being said, however, I didn’t see what Jude saw in Marissa. I get that he admired her from afar, and he saw her ruination as a way to finally get her to notice him. What I didn’t understand was what he saw in her. I wasn’t convinced that he loved her in the beginning of the book, and I wasn’t convinced by the end of the book.
Plot wise, A LITTLE BIT WILD was A Little Bit Light. While there is some intrigue in the middle about who is trying to blackmail Marissa, for the most part, this book is a character-driven romance. Most times, I enjoy character-driven romances because I think it’s easy to lose the romance in a conflict-driven story. However, here, I never connected with Marissa and Jude, and as such, by the time we figured out who the culprit was and there was still 50 or so pages left, I just couldn’t muster up any interest in how Marissa and Jude resolved their interpersonal issues.
Established fans of Dahl’s work may enjoy A LITTLE BIT WILD, but it was a miss for me.
Originally posted at
August 13, 2017
Victoria Dahl may be one of my favorite authors, due to her ability to bring me along with her characters as they grow into themselves and their relationships. It doesn't hurt that the chemistry and dialogue are absolutely wonderful.
"A Little Bit Wild" is a standout historical romance, and certainly one of my favorites. Jude is a spectacular hero, and conducts one of the most believable "anachronistic" courtships of any historical romance. I love how Marissa has a period-appropriate view of masculine beauty (pretty boys with lovely legs), and I love even more seeing how she falls in love with Jude anyway.
8/2/11 - Couldn't read IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU without revisiting A LITTLE BIT WILD, first. Love this book, love how much development and emotional growth both the hero and heroine go through without unnecessary melodrama. The most deft, gentle story I've read in a long time, and oh so deliciously wild.
11/13/12 - A blog post about Jodi McCalister's PhD thesis (Virgins in Romance) prompted me to come back to A LITTLE BIT WILD. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is Marissa's absolute lack of "purity" in the romantic sense. She can be hard to stomach at first, with her unfashionable views on men and her dismissal of Jude (who is so obviously fantastic from page one), but Marissa's mix of period social attitudes mixed with very un-period sexual attitudes balances out to one of my favorite heroines ever. Of course, Marissa is nothing without Jude's prodding, though both hero and heroine learn something new about themselves by book's end. Dahl deserves double thumbs up kudos for such a tender balance of power.
3/25/14 - Just freaking love these two.
8/13/17 - Such a fun, satisfying historical romp. Dahl picks just the right elements of historical truth to embrace, making the rest of the romance sparkle.
"A Little Bit Wild" is a standout historical romance, and certainly one of my favorites. Jude is a spectacular hero, and conducts one of the most believable "anachronistic" courtships of any historical romance. I love how Marissa has a period-appropriate view of masculine beauty (pretty boys with lovely legs), and I love even more seeing how she falls in love with Jude anyway.
8/2/11 - Couldn't read IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU without revisiting A LITTLE BIT WILD, first. Love this book, love how much development and emotional growth both the hero and heroine go through without unnecessary melodrama. The most deft, gentle story I've read in a long time, and oh so deliciously wild.
11/13/12 - A blog post about Jodi McCalister's PhD thesis (Virgins in Romance) prompted me to come back to A LITTLE BIT WILD. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is Marissa's absolute lack of "purity" in the romantic sense. She can be hard to stomach at first, with her unfashionable views on men and her dismissal of Jude (who is so obviously fantastic from page one), but Marissa's mix of period social attitudes mixed with very un-period sexual attitudes balances out to one of my favorite heroines ever. Of course, Marissa is nothing without Jude's prodding, though both hero and heroine learn something new about themselves by book's end. Dahl deserves double thumbs up kudos for such a tender balance of power.
3/25/14 - Just freaking love these two.
8/13/17 - Such a fun, satisfying historical romp. Dahl picks just the right elements of historical truth to embrace, making the rest of the romance sparkle.
December 30, 2014
A Little Bit Wild
3 Stars
When Marissa York is found In flagrant delicti and refuses to wed the man responsible, her brother approaches Jude Bertrand, a man with a scandalous past, to rescue his sister from social ruin. Jude lacks all of the qualities Marissa has always been attracted to: He is far too large, dislikes dancing and isn’t interested in fashion. Nevertheless, there is something about him that Marissa finds completely irresistible and Jude plans on taking full advantage and convincing her that marriage to him might be exactly what she has been missing all along.
This is one of those rare occasion where the story manages to be entertaining despite my acute dislike for one of the main characters (another is Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series). The mini-mystery has potential and Jude is an amazing hero, but Marissa is such a spoiled, shallow, selfish shrew that the romance is irreparably compromised.
Several reviewers have stated that Marissa matures over the course of the book, but I personally couldn’t see it. She is as superficial at the end as she is in the beginning, although she is more aware of her personal failings. Jude, in contrast, is incredible - open, accepting and confident in his own masculinity. His only flaw is his attraction to Marissa, which is totally incomprehensible.
The secondary characters are far more interesting an likable, especially Marissa’s brothers, Edward and Aiden. The latter’s book is next and I look forward to reading it as he fits into my favorite tortured hero category.
3 Stars
When Marissa York is found In flagrant delicti and refuses to wed the man responsible, her brother approaches Jude Bertrand, a man with a scandalous past, to rescue his sister from social ruin. Jude lacks all of the qualities Marissa has always been attracted to: He is far too large, dislikes dancing and isn’t interested in fashion. Nevertheless, there is something about him that Marissa finds completely irresistible and Jude plans on taking full advantage and convincing her that marriage to him might be exactly what she has been missing all along.
This is one of those rare occasion where the story manages to be entertaining despite my acute dislike for one of the main characters (another is Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series). The mini-mystery has potential and Jude is an amazing hero, but Marissa is such a spoiled, shallow, selfish shrew that the romance is irreparably compromised.
Several reviewers have stated that Marissa matures over the course of the book, but I personally couldn’t see it. She is as superficial at the end as she is in the beginning, although she is more aware of her personal failings. Jude, in contrast, is incredible - open, accepting and confident in his own masculinity. His only flaw is his attraction to Marissa, which is totally incomprehensible.
The secondary characters are far more interesting an likable, especially Marissa’s brothers, Edward and Aiden. The latter’s book is next and I look forward to reading it as he fits into my favorite tortured hero category.
August 23, 2010
3.5 stars.
I liked the story, a lot, but there were a few things that bothered me. First, the first couple chapters were devoted to how ugly Jude is, in the heroine's opinion. Saying it once, maybe even twice would have been sufficient for me. So that threw me right at the beginning of the book.
Second, and perhaps more important, the heroine is selfish and spoiled. And yes, I understand that's the point and that Dahl goes out of her way to show it, but Marissa came to her realizations too late in the book for my wholehearted approval. However, I did like that the hero loved her for that, and for who she was. I also really liked that they both grew and learned about themselves and each other in order to become more accepting.
Loved that by the end of the book, what Marissa saw in the beginning as unattractive features on Jude, at the end struck her as intensely masculine (yum) and perfect for him. (And her).
Lots of bits of humor as well, to keep me entertained. Dahl has a wicked sense of humor, and it shines through. Love that.
And the opening? I really liked it. Very different for a historical, for sure.
Her other historicals have been far more serious (and I admit that I enjoyed them more). This one reads like one of her contemporaries voice-wise, but in the historical setting.
I liked the story, a lot, but there were a few things that bothered me. First, the first couple chapters were devoted to how ugly Jude is, in the heroine's opinion. Saying it once, maybe even twice would have been sufficient for me. So that threw me right at the beginning of the book.
Second, and perhaps more important, the heroine is selfish and spoiled. And yes, I understand that's the point and that Dahl goes out of her way to show it, but Marissa came to her realizations too late in the book for my wholehearted approval. However, I did like that the hero loved her for that, and for who she was. I also really liked that they both grew and learned about themselves and each other in order to become more accepting.
Loved that by the end of the book, what Marissa saw in the beginning as unattractive features on Jude, at the end struck her as intensely masculine (yum) and perfect for him. (And her).
Lots of bits of humor as well, to keep me entertained. Dahl has a wicked sense of humor, and it shines through. Love that.
And the opening? I really liked it. Very different for a historical, for sure.
Her other historicals have been far more serious (and I admit that I enjoyed them more). This one reads like one of her contemporaries voice-wise, but in the historical setting.
August 27, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It's not your usual historical. The heroine is perhaps more reckless than most in her era, but she's got a bit of an excuse, having been raised by her wild brothers. She's bold, and she's curious, and now she's in trouble. So one of the brothers' friends steps up and offers to marry her, since she won't marry the guy who "ruined" her. She's met him, but because he's not her "type"--a handsome young man who dances--she's never paid him any attention. Now she has to.
She hates being in this position, thinks the double-standard is totally unfair, and rebels against having to hang out with this oversized peasant-looking bastard son. (He's acknowledged, but still the "wrong side of the blanket.") The man she rejected is still hanging around, perhaps willing to blackmail her into marrying him anyway. She feels really bad for putting her family in this position. And the big lug isn't really so bad. He's much better at the stuff her ex-lover wasn't so good at (sex)...
You know how this ends, and it's a lot of fun getting there. Dahl throws in a bit of a twist toward the end. It's a Good Read.
She hates being in this position, thinks the double-standard is totally unfair, and rebels against having to hang out with this oversized peasant-looking bastard son. (He's acknowledged, but still the "wrong side of the blanket.") The man she rejected is still hanging around, perhaps willing to blackmail her into marrying him anyway. She feels really bad for putting her family in this position. And the big lug isn't really so bad. He's much better at the stuff her ex-lover wasn't so good at (sex)...
You know how this ends, and it's a lot of fun getting there. Dahl throws in a bit of a twist toward the end. It's a Good Read.
January 14, 2013
So, so only
The heroine was young, but not so young, as to justify her childish and totally immature behavior. She's described as shallow and she sure is, but that doesn't make her more likable. I do not understand that her family never was stricter with her and never saw anything.
The hero, on the other hand, is a bit bland; he's both illegitimate though acknowledged and rough-looking. For those reasons he's always been convinced that he had to work to make himself liked and that he had to do more efforts for that that any other. I liked the moment when he finally has his epiphany.
The heroine was supposed to mature and finally realized that the true beauty is not that of the limb but that of the soul and communion. She did not convince me.
I also kept thinking that none of the story could have happen as described at the time when the story is supposed to take place - the strictest time of the Victorian era. And that always bothers me a little, when no efforts seem to be done to remain a little close to the historic reality.
At the end of the book, I did not believe in their HEA together. Hence my low quotation.
The heroine was young, but not so young, as to justify her childish and totally immature behavior. She's described as shallow and she sure is, but that doesn't make her more likable. I do not understand that her family never was stricter with her and never saw anything.
The hero, on the other hand, is a bit bland; he's both illegitimate though acknowledged and rough-looking. For those reasons he's always been convinced that he had to work to make himself liked and that he had to do more efforts for that that any other. I liked the moment when he finally has his epiphany.
The heroine was supposed to mature and finally realized that the true beauty is not that of the limb but that of the soul and communion. She did not convince me.
I also kept thinking that none of the story could have happen as described at the time when the story is supposed to take place - the strictest time of the Victorian era. And that always bothers me a little, when no efforts seem to be done to remain a little close to the historic reality.
At the end of the book, I did not believe in their HEA together. Hence my low quotation.
August 15, 2010
If you are a regular reader here at the book girl then you know all about my love of anything and everything Victoria Dahl writes. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of A LITTLE BIT WILD and read it during Romcon. I know that some people will have a problem with Marissa, because she is more like a contemporary heroine than a historical one. However, I loved her and probably for that same reason. She is curious about intimacies between men and women and doesn’t seem to feel any remorse for her exploration. Jude is also a fantastic character. The way her relates to Marissa and doesn’t try to pressure her into anything is fantastic. I could tell from the very beginning that he really loved her. The only thing I didn’t really care for in the book is what happens with a note that is received asking for money or Marissa’s action would be revealed. At that point, I just wanted to get to the happy ending and didn’t need the added intrigue. A LITTLE BIT WILD is a fantastic romance with an unconventional heroine and a sexy hero!
October 2, 2011
OK, if you one who needs historical romance to conform to every belief of how we think people acted in past eras (because I believe we can never truly know) then this is not the book for you. The heroine is unconventional to say the least. And the reaction of her family probably does not conform either. But to quote Sarah from smartbitchestrashybooks.com I don't care if the hero drives up to Almacks in his Porsche as long as I'm emotionally invested in the characters the book will work for me. That is the case here. I loved Marissa and Jude. Marissa can be a bit shallow and thoughtless in the beginning but she's not trying to be mean, she just doesn't think. And she does grow throughout the book. Jude is wonderful right from the beginning and I was so happy with where they ended up. I loved the unconventional family and will look forward to further books in the series.
April 26, 2015
RATING: 1.5 stars.
The entire book seemed somewhat off to me... I don't think the author has the grasp of the period and mentalities at all.
The setup was nice, but the book didn't work for me exactly because the characters didn't fit with the time period. Most historical romances present protagonists that are somewhat forward thinking, but they still bend to society conventions... it would be weird if they didn't. Dahl was way off... it felt like a masquerade: contemporary characters parading in Victorian costume; I was almost expecting to read that Marissa and Jude were actors in some period play or movie.
No, I don't think this worked very well.
The entire book seemed somewhat off to me... I don't think the author has the grasp of the period and mentalities at all.
The setup was nice, but the book didn't work for me exactly because the characters didn't fit with the time period. Most historical romances present protagonists that are somewhat forward thinking, but they still bend to society conventions... it would be weird if they didn't. Dahl was way off... it felt like a masquerade: contemporary characters parading in Victorian costume; I was almost expecting to read that Marissa and Jude were actors in some period play or movie.
No, I don't think this worked very well.
August 14, 2010
The first 30 pages or so of this book had me confused. I really didn't like Marissa. I thought the book should be called "A Little Bit Sutpid" instead of 'Wild', but things got much, much better after a bit. While I still wanted to occasionally pull Marissa's hair, I got to like her and Jude a lot better as time went on. I was actually sad to see the book end.
Mini Spoiler:
Well, well, well, done Victoria Dahl for keeping the sexual tension so high and steady without even letting the main characters have sex until almost 300 pages into the book. That's some good writing!
Mini Spoiler:
Well, well, well, done Victoria Dahl for keeping the sexual tension so high and steady without even letting the main characters have sex until almost 300 pages into the book. That's some good writing!
August 7, 2011
3.7
I've read Dahl before and I enjoyed her. This was no different. Lively, steamy and with excellent dialogue this is the beginning of a wonderful series.
I liked how the book was pretty much honest with itself and because of of that, the characters were as well. Marissa knew and understood she was a bit spoiled and shallow and Jude realized that he does have a deep desire to want to be loved. I liked the lack of pretense even though this type of heroine usually bugs me.
It's a good quick read and it was enjoyable.
I've read Dahl before and I enjoyed her. This was no different. Lively, steamy and with excellent dialogue this is the beginning of a wonderful series.
I liked how the book was pretty much honest with itself and because of of that, the characters were as well. Marissa knew and understood she was a bit spoiled and shallow and Jude realized that he does have a deep desire to want to be loved. I liked the lack of pretense even though this type of heroine usually bugs me.
It's a good quick read and it was enjoyable.
January 8, 2012
What a delicious read. Jude is exactly the type of hero I love in my romance novels. Big and strong & sexy as hell. He is the bastard son of a duke but is acknowledged by the duke. His mother was the dukes mistress.
Marissa is a bit flighty, immature and a bit of a snob. I know what happened to her and the way she was, would have never happened in her society in the times of the setting of this story, but heck, its romantic fiction so who cares? It was fun :)
Marissa is a bit flighty, immature and a bit of a snob. I know what happened to her and the way she was, would have never happened in her society in the times of the setting of this story, but heck, its romantic fiction so who cares? It was fun :)
September 7, 2016
I didn't know what to expect with this book as I'd read some of the authors contemporary romances with mixed results. I was happily surprised that it was a really lovely book. The heroine got on my nerves for being and idiot sometimes, but otherwise I had to devour it in one sitting and totally loved it.
July 23, 2012
It was like the author tried to make a contemporary romance fit in a vaguely historical setting. The writing wasn't that great either; it was like reading fanfiction. At least the generally unlikable heroine grows as a person throughout the book.
April 25, 2014
3.5 cute story stars! Easy, fun read.
July 22, 2018
I wasn't sure what I thought of the heroine for a lot of the book. But the setup was good and the mystery was actually a pretty solid part of the story (rather than just window-dressing to wrap a romance around). I'll definitely try another by this author.
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 30, 2024Finally just decided to DNF. It wasn’t keeping any of my interest.
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