To Wed a Wicked Earl

By Olivia Parker

A marriage of convenience is anything but in To Wed a Wicked Earl, the second book from Olivia Parker, author of At the Bride Hunt Ball. This Regency romance is the story of an earl who must find a bride immediately, lest he lose his inheritance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 25, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061905315

Olivia Parker

At eight years old, Olivia Parker wrote her first romance with a fat red marker. It made one's eyes hurt to read it, but it did have a tortured hero. Since then, she's dedicated her efforts to improving her craft (now using pencils) and divides her time among her love of writing, reading, and relaxing with her family. She currently resides in northern Ohio with her husband, three children, a border collie, and a cockatiel, who eats a worrisome amount of popcorn.

Reviews for To Wed a Wicked Earl

[pnrlist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this quite a bit. Plain heroine who can't imagine the hero caring for her, when he is secretly in love with her from the start. Adorable. Loved both the main characters.

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found this one pretty ridiculous, and the couple, though fairly likable, quite foolish! Also, every single "reveal" of information had been entirely obvious from way beforehand. Sometimes a lack of surprises can feel like being retold a classic joke, you've heard it before but it's still a great one, and other times it's like watching a small child perform a long magic show they're making up as they go, with lots of pauses for you to gasp in astonishment, (oh, wow... look at that!...). This felt like the second. I think there IS some potential here, but not enough for me to finish out the series. =/

[funstm · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I lost interest about 40% in. I finished it but I kind of struggled. I just didn't particularly like either of the characters or the story. It was somewhat boring and somewhat stupid. Charlotte was an idiot and Adam was a lovesick puppy. And then there was a random stalker to make it more exciting. There were a couple of funny lines - Charlotte can't see without her glasses but insists on not wearing them (I can relate) and the grandma was amusing. But overall this was just average.

[ridley_ · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Similar to her debut, To Wed a Wicked Earl is a fun, fast read liberally sprinkled with humor.

Lord Rothbury is generally considered a rake, scoundrel and wastrel and in love with the Duke of Wolverest's sister Lady Rosalind. What he doesn't make known to anyone is that he's been in love with the wallflower Miss Charlotte Greene. He'd happily abandon his hedonistic lifestyle if he thought Charlotte would have him, but she's been in love with his best friend for years. Charlotte is intrigued by the wicked earl, but is certain he sees her as a sister or the like.

Much of the book is a series of mutual misunderstandings, but Parker manages to keep them funny, rather than angsty or frustrating to watch. Each is pushing the other away, while simultaneously keeping within arm's reach. Charlotte tells her mother that Rothbury is just like her mother's twin brother, who is apparently fond of men, to be able to spend time with Rothbury. Rothbury tells his grandmother that he and Charlotte are engaged, but neglects to mention this to Charlotte.

The moment where Rothbury finally comes clean and admits he loves her is really quite touching. I liked how he stayed in character, rather than turning to a sugary mush. He was proud and guarded, even when admitting weakness. It made the admission all the more touching.

It's nothing groundbreaking or poignant, but it was a fun trip, amusingly told.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute, but fairly silly story. A lot was left hanging--exactly why and when, for example, Adam fell in love with Charlotte is never really satisfactorily explained. It was a quick, fluffy read without much substance--fun but not very memorable. Amusing dialogue, but definitely not anywhere near historically accurate.

[phyllisd_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A light read with a unique premise: the Earl is already in love with the Wallflower. I enjoyed it. My only criticism is that I felt parts of the story were missed as she skimmed over months at a time.