Review: Another win for Wicklund
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 3, 2011
This is the third installment of Wicklund's In the Garden series, and I loved every minute of it. This story lacks the intensity of the first book, as this is a well-executed story of redemption instead.Lady Jillian is engaged, but she can't deny her best friend who wants to watch a duel incognito. She goes along but somehow finds herself in the get-away carriage of Adrian St. John, Earl of Wickham, (or "Lord Wicked," as he's known to the ton) who flees the scene when he accidentally kills his opponent. Jillian is finally returned home two days later after Adrian escapes to France, but though nothing happened, the damage to her reputation has been done. Jilted by her fiance, she retires to the country to live out her days as a fallen woman.Eight years later, Adrian returns to England to find Jillian's brother demanding that he marry her to restore her reputatation. He's willing, but Jillian is of another mind altogether. And so an enthralling story commences.This was a wonderful book! Wicklund is an amazing author, and I wish she had more available. Again she offers an interesting & entertaining story with characters one can't help but love.I adore Jillian & loved reading about all of her quirks & effective bird-flipping at society's expectations. She figures her reputation was ruined when she didn't do anything wrong, so now she does exactly what she wants, when she wants.Adrian is an exciting hero, and one can't help but root for him to win Jillian's hand. The passion between the two characters is intense, & it's amusing to see Adrian meet his match in a woman who's willing to buck convention even more than he is.Add Jillian's aging Aunt Prudence into the mix, along with Jillian's older brother, Simon Fitzgerald, Marquess of Sutherfield (read his story in book 2 of the series,In the Garden of Seduction (The Garden Series)), their cousin Philip, Jillian's ex-fiance, & Jillian's "best friend," and the supporting cast is fleshed out nicely while helping move the story along at an appropriate pace.I'm preparing to re-read this book as I type (I bought & read it 2 mos ago), and I find myself excited over the prospect. This is a great read & certainly price-worthy. Read it! I think you'll agree.This is third in a series of four:1 -In the Garden of Temptation (The Garden Series Book 1)(Often free, so watch for it!)2 -In the Garden of Seduction (The Garden Series Book 2)3 -In the Garden of Disgrace (The Garden Series Book 3)4 -In the Garden of Deceit (The Garden Series Book 4)