“The Importance of Being Wanton” is the second book in the Wantons of Waverton series by Christi Caldwell.

This book features Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale, Charles Hayden. Emma is a strong, awesome female character. On the flip side, Charles is a quintessential rogue.

These two were betrothed as children but neither were a fan of that, especially Emma who is not interested in the betrothal.

I loved this story and enjoyed specifically how Charles realized the spirited Emma was exactly who he wanted for himself.

*I received this ARC from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for my honest review.
#TheImportanceofBeingWanton #NetGalley

Charles, Lord Scarsdale, and Emma Gately were betrothed as children but Emma breaks it up when their wedding is approaching. Charles had been rather resentful about his engagement previously because he was given no choice, but after the breakup he realizes how intriguing Emma is and sets out to get to know her better. Emma is enthusiastic about a women's society she's participating in but London gossip makes a big deal out of Scarsdale's competing enterprise for mixed gender audience. Meanwhile, Emma runs around London alone and nobody really cares.

I liked the characters and Seamus was an interesting addition to the plot. I didn't care about the club rivalry Emma and Charles are involved in. Steam level: some sexual content. I read a Netgalley copy and this is a voluntary review.

I really enjoyed Charles and Emma's story. We see a little of it in the previous book (enough to want more), so it was nice to see how Charles progressed in winning back his betrothed. It was fun watching these two come to know one another even though they had known one another since childhood. Neither had taken the time to really get to know the other. I very much enjoyed following their adventure with them.

I actually didn't enjoy this one, I wanted to especially because I've read other books by this author and even in this series but this one was really boring. I don't know exactly how it could've hit the historical romance feels better but this one fell very flat for me.

Christi Caldwell is a wonderful writer! I love her characters, the dialogue, the story! Fun and fast paced. A must read!

Wanton what more can you want. this checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Historical fiction oh yeah. Love me some of this.

In this wonderful new book, there is an old adage that comes to mind: you don't know what you have, until you've lost it.
Charles Hayden, the Earl of Scarsdale, has just experienced this epiphany. Charles has, since his childhood, been betrothed to Lady Emma Gately. Their parents, the best of friends, decided that their oldest children should marry someday and so their long engagement began.
But now, after years of believing Emma was nothing but a marital albatross, Charles, the rogue, is stunned to learn that Emma is dumping him. What is even more shocking to him is that Emma is not the young girl he thought she was, she is so much more.
Has he made a monumental blunder? If so, should he fix it, or can he?
This situation leads Charles on a series of events intending to attempt to win Emma's affections, but not always achieving that goal.
Charles is also not the man Emma has envisioned through the years either. He has a few secrets wrapped up in his perfectly styled cravat.
The tale has witty banter, a cadre of colorful characters, and just enough heat to keep my ereader moving right along.
This story is a funny, entertaining, and thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a few hours with a terrific book. I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to the next in this series as well.

This book is all over the place. Not sure if its the editor's fault or the writer but there are a lot of confusing sentences, dialogue and character motivation. Also, the characters have little interaction with each other throughout the book.

Okay, I was not impressed with the beginning of this book, but as I kept reading, I soon had to change my tune. Not only did it get interesting, but it was also utterly riveting. I loved how the story unfolded and how Charles’s facade changed. A beautiful story with all the hiccups that come with finding your one true love.

DNF @ 63 %.

The premise of this book is really good. I was looking forward to seeing these two battle their wits in front of Society. Unfortunately, this book doesn't deliver on her promise.
It's boring. Nothing is really happening and the majority of this book is focused on Emma's society and Charles' own society. The little steamy scene at the 50 % of this book (and yes, I did have to wait to read half of the book to see their ''passion'') is so unexpected it didn't fit in the story at all. Frankly, it looked like it was thrown in by the author because she forget to include it and wanted to capture readers' attention. It did, for a while, but I couldn't wait for the chemistry anymore.
There is - for me, at least - no chemistry between these two. None.

Well, once again, Ms. Caldwell has given us a heartwarming and tissue worthy story of discovery, frustration, joy, enlightenment and humbling love.

Charles and Emma's road to their HEA started when they were young. Their families were very close and their parents thought it perfect to betroth them to each other. Ms. Caldwell takes us along as each of them discovers that while the method was flawed, the thought was not.

We see Charles learn his anger had been directed in the wrong direction. He is humbled by Emma and made to examine his whole approach to her and how he has managed his life. He finds he is more capable of being truly serious than he thought. He realizes letting someone in is not humiliating, but just the ticket.

Emma learns she has only seen Charles through the eyes of a young girl when she felt rejected and overlooked. She has made decisions for her future based on scandal sheets and innuendos. Emma has approached her life with indignation regarding how women are treated in society and wants desperately to change society's mind.

Together they determine they are more than perfect for each other and in grand Ms. Caldwell fashion, we are along for the ride. The conversations, encounters and discoveries are fun, witty and sharp. The supporting characters are brilliant and beautifully detailed, each bringing their own humor and intelligence to the story.

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in anyway.

This was the first book I have read in many years by this author. This book looks like its part of a series but I did not read the previous book. It can stand alone thought you might prefer starting with the previous book. This was an enjoyable read once I got into it. It is well written and is very interesting. I struggled to like the hero, Charles in this story. Part of it was that he was bethrothed as a teen to the heroine, Emma, and he has mistresses and even a bastard child and so theoretically he cheated on her.. I loved that she cancels the wedding and I loved that he realises what he has lost and then has to win her heart. Its pretty much an enemies to lovers type of story and while at times I did not like Charles eventually he gets redeemed.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After being betrothed to Miss Emma Gately when they were both children, something neither of them wanted, everyone would expect that Charles Hayden, Earl of Scarsdale, would be overjoyed when Emma breaks off the engagement. But instead, seeing Emma in all her glory, ready to fight for what she wants, makes him reconsider everything he had thought about the woman, and see her in a new light. He'll do just about anything to win her back, but his past history and reputation are against him, as is his plans to create a salon similar to the Mismatch Society Emma is a part of. Emma was only 6 when she became engaged to Charles, and her entire life she was moulded to be his perfect bride. She couldn't wait to turn 18, go to London and be presented at court, and be closer to Charles. However, it soon became clear he wanted next to nothing to do with her, and the more she saw and heard about his escapades, the more heartbroken she became, until she ends up co-founding the Mismatch Society, to rebel against the societal norms expected of young ladies. She wants more than a marriage to someone who doesn't want to be with her, and she can't see how Charles, who has an illegitimate son, and two mistresses in a town house, could change. But, have they both misconstrued the actions of the other, and will they manage to prove they are right for each other?

These characters were fantastic! We first met both of them in Someone Wanton His Way Comes, and I for one couldn't wait to learn more about their betrothal, and hoping they would have a romance. Both families had been best friends for years, and once Emma was born, their parents decided she and the eldest Hayden - Charles - should one day marry, and join the families together. Initially, I wasn't as keen on Charles, seeing as how he only really started caring for Emma when she broke off their engagement, but when we learnt more about him - and the truth about his reputation, and son - we see him as a truly good person, doing whatever he can to help people, and that he is the one for Emma. Emma, though, I've loved since we met her in book 1. She was strong on the outside, but the years she's spent waiting for Charles, and the ridicule she's faced from society as Charles' exploits became known, have really hurt her. The rivalry between the couple, and them learning more about each other, was perfect, and I think that was the main issue with their relationship to begin with. They just didn't know each other, and if they had spent any real time together as teens, and then as adults, they would've been happier a lot earlier. Some parts of the book were a little stretched out, like the whole competing societies bit, but the moments between them, and especially with Seamus, really made the whole book.

I am a big fan of Romance books and I found this one to be a very enjoyable read. I will be looking for more books from this author.

Christi Caldwell never disappoints! Her books are fun, funny, romantic, with great families that you always want more of! I highly recommend her books to any lovers of historical romance!

Holy moly, I loved this book. I snippy miss waiting on a forever man child to ask her to marry him. She stumbles onto the most pompous, seldom absorbed gentleman. She is experiencing some odd feelings and thinks she is sick. He however knows what is actually ailing her. She is attracted to him. He wants her to be his, however she is waiting on another man. His only option is to woo her over to his side and marry her.

This is the second in the Wantons of Waverton Series. Entertaining rivalry between Emma and Charles who were betrothed as children, but grew up disliking each other and resenting the betrothal. When grown Emma decides to call off the engagement, suddenly Charles realizes what he's losing and he's determined to win her back! Loved the other characters, especially Charles's mother!

Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale have been betrothed since Emma was six, yet seventeen years later, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Never believing Charles to love her, Emma feels that in severing the relationship, she has a chance of happiness. When Emma issued her demands, Charles found himself captivated by her and determined to win her back. Charles does all he can to form a society, similar to the Mismatch Society to which Emma is a member, in order to gain her attention. Yet, soon Charles finds himself in opposition to Emma, something which the ton, takes great delight in. As she battles with Charles, Emma finds herself having to face all the feelings that she struggled not to have.
This was an enjoyable story with two characters, who have known each other for such a long time, yet didn’t really know each other. A thoroughly enjoyable story made more enjoyable with all the secondary characters adding to the dialogue. Whilst Emma and Charles come to spend more time together, we also get to see more of their insecurities. At times, I did wish that they could have had more time to interact, as I so wanted to see how they were together. I did enjoy reading about them as children. Another enjoyable read by a great author.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book of the Wantons of Waverton series by Christi Caldwell and I have to say, I think I liked this one a bit more than the first book.

Emma Gately has been betrothed to the Earl of Scarsdale since they were children. Having been introduced to both in book one, it was great to get to learn more about these two characters and how their betrothal occurred. As Emma becomes more involved in the Society, she realizes she deserves more and just before they are to get married, Emma calls off the betrothal. After not really being invested in the upcoming marriage, Charles is hit hard by Emma's decision and becomes determined to win her back.

While these two characters work through their conflicting feelings and desires, they come to realize they really are a match and eventually find their way. I do think you'll need to read book one of this series before picking this one up only because of the various characters involved in the story and to understand the origination of the Society. I'm not sure it would have been clear to me if I hadn't gotten that baseline before diving into this book.

Definitely consider picking up this series and this book if you're looking for a story with strong characters and an interesting story.

I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy (series?), but this one fell flat for me. Emma and Charles have been engaged since they were children but neither one want each other. So when Emma joins the Mismatch Society she gets the courage to break off the engagement. Charles, of course, only sees the value of Emma after this. So he becomes determined to win her back.

I didn’t care for Emma or Charles has a couple. I never felt a spark between them and I thought too much emphasis was placed in both their “clubs”. I wanted more from them, more effort into Charles’s winning of Emma’s hand. Because of this, I thought overall the story was just meh.