Your wicked ways

Your wicked ways, By Eloisa James
Published by, Avon, 2004
Grade: B

Back cover reads: Helene, the Countess Godwin, knows there is nothing more unbearably tedious than a virtuous woman. After all, she's been one for ten long years while her scoundrel of a husband lives with strumpets and causes scandal after scandal. So she decides it's time for a change--she styles her hair in the newest, daring mode, puts on a shockingly transparent gown, and goes to a ball like Cinderella, hoping to find a prince charming to sweep her off her feet... and into his bed.

But instead of a prince, she finds only her volatile, infuriatingly handsome... husband, Rees, the Earl Godwin. They'd eloped to Gretna Green in a fiery passion, but passion can sometimes burn too hot to last.

But now, Rees makes her a brazen offer, and Helene decides to become his wife again... but not in name only. No, this time she decides to be very, very wicked indeed.


What a refreshing read! I can say that I never come across this plot before. A fast run down.. Helene and Reese eloped 10 years ago. They were both virgins and knew nothing about sex. The first time they did it, Rees was drunk and there was no foreplay at all. Helene knew that the first time was supposed to hurt, but it kept on hurting every time they did it. Rees didn't really know what he was doing, Helene didn't talk to her friends about it at the time, and she couldn't figure out what the big deal was about sex. She really did not enjoy it. Not only were they bad together between the sheets, but they fought all the time. He complained about her body, she threw a full chamber pot at his head. They just disliked each other a lot.

Reese kicks Helene out, she goes and lives with her mother, and then Reese has his mistress move into Helene's bed chamber.

Helene decides she wants a baby, and she tries to get Reese to agree to a divorce, but he wont allow it. Helene decides that she wants a baby no matter what, so she will just go out and have sex with someone in order to get pregnant. Helene wants a baby so badly that she doesn't care about the scandal it will all bring on.

Helene's friends give her a make over and she is turned into a sultry looking sex goddess, and she has all the men of the ton begging for a dance. Reese is told what his wife is doing, and he decides that if she is going to have a baby then it better be him who helps her. He gets her to move into his house again..with his mistress still there. They are able to keep it on the down low for a while, but then word gets out that Helene is living in the same house as her husbands mistress, and her reputation is ruined.

There is much more to it all, but you have to read it for yourself to find out., You wont be disappointed.

I have to say though, that this is the first romance I have read where the hero isn't a stud in the sack. I thought it was really sweet how Helene and Rees learned about sex and got to know each others body together. Each encounter got better and better between the two of them.

I tried not to like Rees. He was such a prick, and I wanted to hate him, but for some reason I liked him a lot. I do wish the author had paid more attention to his physical side a bit more though. I'm still not certain as to what he looks like.

My favourite thing about this book is that there was no real villain. Every one in the book had a positive role in the story (or least the role they played was positive in the end)

I highly recommend Your wicked ways.