Anne Barton brings an exciting adventure of a seamstress who happens to extort some members in Society to help her family out in When She Was Wicked. It's not like Anabelle Honeycote has been doing it long. Being a seamstress, she tends to hear all the juice gossip and why not profit from these juice tidbits. After all her family is in need, and they have more money than she does.
It's not like Anabelle goes into this willy-nilly, she actually has a list of rules that she follow.
List of Nevers
1. Never request payment from someone who cannot afford it.
2. Never request an exorbitant amount---only what is necessary.
3. Never request payment from the same person on more than one occasion.
4. Never reveal the secrets of a paying customer.
5. Never enter into any form of social interaction with a former customer.
However, it is amazing when these rules seem to fly out the window when she tries to blackmail Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford. Never goes well when you try to blackmail a Duke. As Anabelle hangs out with Owen, she realizes she needs more rules to keep herself safe from him.
I must say I really enjoyed this book, after all I stayed up all night reading it. Once Anabelle becomes the official seamstress for Owen's sisters, Olivia and Rose, the story started to really pick up the pace. It was neat to see the different types of relationship Anabelle had with Owen's family. You have Anabelle and Owen fighting there attraction to one another. After all Duke's do not marry servants, appearances are everything. Especially, when the family has a blacken history like Huntford.
Then you have Anabelle and her relationship to Olivia and Rose. This relationship is a little more complicated, when she gets to know the girls. Olivia and Rose are little unsure of themselves, and knowing their past it's easy to understand the reasoning behind it. Rose is even more special, because she has what we would call selective mutism. I can understand how her selective mutism was trigger. I would go mute if I saw what she saw. ICK!
You always need a snotty girl, who obviously thinks she's better than everyone. Seriously, Miss Starling is a manipulative little witch, who can't handle a little competition.
Honestly, I thought the story was creative and different from what I have read lately. I'm seriously looking forward to more books from Anne Barton. Seriously, an impressive read you might want to checkout when it comes out next week.
Copy provide by NetGalley and author
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Haha, I know just what you mean about the late nights. I find it almost impossible to put a book down and wait til the next day to finish it ;).
ReplyDeleteGreat review, I plan to check out When She Was Wicked at some point myself.
Chris,
DeleteI really enjoyed this book. I kept going I need to go to sleep, then I I thought one more chapter. I can't wait for her next book.