Delightful romance with a lot of heart!

Charles and Emma are betrothed by their parents while they're still young children, and our story starts with Emma realizing that the betrothal is not legally binding on either of them. Breaking things off with Charles has the unexpected consequence of his finally realizing what he's now losing. Charles is determined to win Emma back, but first he must prove to her that he's worthy; a difficult task considering his well-cultivated scandalous reputation.

Emma was instrumental in founding the Mismatch Society, a haven for young women to learn to think outside the box that society would keep them in. Charles decides to prove his worth by establishing a similar club, for both men and women, which puts him squarely at odds with Emma. This part I really couldn't understand - why was he so devoted to this new club when he knew how much it was hurting Emma, especially if his primary goal is to win her affections?

Still, the characters are fun and there is a lot of emotional depth to their individual stories. Charles is so much more than his reputation would imply, and Emma is full of surprises of her own. Their HEA was very sweet in the way it circled back to the beginning while also holding its own surprise.

I hope the plethora of inconsistencies was due to my reading an advanced copy that perhaps hadn't yet had it's final proofreading, but I was still able to sort through the errors to figure out the author's original intent. It's not as tightly written as the first book, which I adored, but it's still a very good story that is well worth reading. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Charles and Emma have been betrothed since they were children. All arrangements made by their parents.
Charles is not happy about it. So he proceeds to live his life in a very scandalous way.
Emma is tired of being ignored. Tired of reading about her fiancee's exploits in the tabloids. Tired of looking foolish because of him. So she takes matters into her own hands and calls the wedding off.
Charles is shocked. He cant believe what lengths Emma has gone through to make sure this betrothal is no longer a valid one. He is thoroughly impressed that his quiet little mouse has a mighty roar. He starts to look at Emma in a new light. It's a case of not appreciating what you have until it's too late. But he is determined to win her back.
The rest of the book is just that. The going back and forth of Charles trying to show he has changed and Emma wanting to believe but in the end always finding fault.
I liked the 2 main characters. I just thought it dragged a little in the middle, with Charles being constantly found lacking.
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

This was my first read by Christi Caldwell, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I loved the precociousness of Emma. I adored that Charles finally sees the light and doesn't give up.
I adored that Emma was a fierce woman who would not do what she is told she had to do, just because she was a woman. I loved that she pushed the boundaries.

It irked me that Charles did things to get her attention, even when he realised that that were affecting his woman.

I was glad that they got their act together, and stopped fighting the attraction.

I was left smiling as I read this book. I need to go back and read the first book, and will definitely read more as they come along.

The Mismatch Society has some competition and its from none other than th original mismatched Earl!

Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale were betrothed as children by their parents. Neither one truly wants the forced match and their childhood friendship soon turns sour as they grew into adulthood.

Now, years later and a month before their wedding, Emma and with the Mismatch Society’s strength behind her she puts an end to the betrothal… finally promoting Charles, the Earl of Scarsdale to take notice of her!

Just like any other man, Charles never appreciated what he had until it was going, and so he decides to win her back by creating a rival club to hers… soon his club is stealing her members and he earns her ire along with her begrudging respect.

These characters were really interesting to get their backstory on. We met both Charles and Emma in the first book as their engagement and the breaking of it starts a stir in London’s society, but we never know the story behind these two until now.

Charles is originally portrayed as a villain and wastrel, so his redemption in the eyes of Emma was very satisfying. I loved the chemistry behind this pairing and the fact that if they ever just gave the betrothal a chance earlier on they could have been very happy together. But earning this HEA from both fides made it all the sweeter!

The Importance of Being Wanton by Christi Caldwell is scheduled to release June 29th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheImportanceofBeingWanton #ChristiCaldwell #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

We first met Emma and Charles in Someone Wanton His Way Comes, when Emma joins The Mismatch Society and calls off her long-standing engagement to Charles, the Earl of Scarsdale. Charles came across as very whiny in the first book, definitely not hero material, so I was interested to see how their story would develop in Book 2!

I'm happy to say that I liked Charles a lot better once we got to know him. It was a bit of a leap at first to get past the fact that he had only been interested in marrying Emma when she had turned him down (typical!), but I did think it was nice how he realised that his childish resentment of the engagement had stopped him from really taking the opportunity to get to know her.

Emma, on the other hand, has been secretly in love with Charles for years but has grown tired of waiting for him to come up to scratch. She cannot understand why he wouldn't be grateful that she has ended the betrothal that neither of them asked for.

I really, really enjoyed watching Charles work to convince Emma to give him another chance. Emma has been one of the most anti-marriage members of the society, so it was fun to watch her opinions change. I also love a good plotline where the reputation of one of the MCs may not be what it seems, so it was fascinating learning more about Charles' backstory.

I am a HUGE fan of Christi Caldwell, and have enjoyed everything I've read by her so far. I can happily say that The Wantons of Waverton series is shaping up to be another hit in my books!

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for this ARC. A tale of lack of understanding and clubs VS societies.

The first thing I’m going to say about this book is that I had a bit of a straggling with the first few chapters. I had read some Christi Caldwell’s previous books and I really enjoyed them.
Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale were betrothed as children—less a vow of future happiness than an obligation. Seventeen years later, the independent miss severs the contract with the now notorious libertine in an unprecedented act of independence. And Emma cofounds the Mismatch Society, where like-minded ladies are free of the constraints and inevitable broken hearts that men bring.
Despite his wicked reputation, misguided and suddenly lovestruck, Charles Hayden is on a mission to gain Emma’s respect, and he has just the idea—one that the daringly unconventional Emma is sure to appreciate. But as Charles takes bold steps and sets tongues wagging, he makes himself an accidental opponent of his former betrothed. Soon a rivalry is born that has the whole ton abuzz.
Emma never anticipated that with every fiery test of wills, passion would surge. Passion that’s impossible to ignore. In going toe-to-toe with Charles, she risks her heart and pride by falling in love with the one man she vowed to scorn.
I didn´t like Emma until the end of the story. It’s hard for me to understand her actions toward Charles’s decisions. I love the idea of women conquering the world. We are equals, we are smart, we can do whatever we set our minds to. But she just seemed bratty to me. And selfish.
I didn´t like Charles either, but at least he grows during the book. He is not just a rake anymore and he fights for Emma’s love.
The writting is flawless of course and the sexy scenes steamy and really good. I’m going to read the next book in this series because I know what an amazing author she is. Maybe it’s just me that didn´t fall in love with this story. Everyone should take their chances.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don’t always love Christi Caldwell’s work, but I generally tend toward liking the ones I’ve read, and can usually find good qualities, particularly in her character work. But with The Importance of Being Wanton, taking on the battle-of-the-sexes, I can’t even really say that, as she continues her more lighthearted tone from the first book, and this time without any real emotional nuance to balance it out.

Emma starts off the book being the more promising of the two, but while I applauded her participation in the Mismatch Society, it was hard to get a real sense of what she really wanted. Because one moment, she breaks off her betrothal, and the next, Charles is back in her crosshairs again. And even as he’s not done much to prove himself, she’s become more entangled with him and claims to “respect” him.

And Charles…he confused me. So, he wants to get the attention of his former betrothed…by forming a men’s club to rival her women’s club? And even the way they sort-of misappropriate Pride and Prejudice (they’re right about the social commentary aspect of her work, although lacking self-awareness in who it was targeted to), I just felt all my respect for him dwindling bit by bit. But meanwhile, we’re supposed to feel he’s a good person for pretending his deceased sister’s illegitimate child is his…I appreciate the gesture, and the others ways he’s helped women in similar dire straits, but it just does not have the intended emotional impact after chapter after chapter of actions that make me go “huh?” Like, he really cares about women, great. His rakish front went too far for me to care when the mask came off.

This book has a great concept, but is poorly executed, to the point where the characters felt weak, and I didn’t care if they got together or ended up dead. I’m glad to see, based on other early reviews, I’m not the only one who saw a lot of inconsistencies that impacted the reading experience, although there are others who have enjoyed this one. That being said, definitely take each of the reviews with a grain of salt and give it a try if it sounds interesting to you.

An arranged marriage by the parents of two minors is broken seventeen years later by the now grown young lady. Emma Gately found a way to legally get out of the marriage. Charles has spent little time with Emma during the last seventeen years.. He doesn't really know her. She doesn't really know him, either. The minute Emma breaks it off, Charles decides he wants her. Now he just has to figure out how to do it. Society/club rivals, a secret son, women and drinking, how could she trust him? The more you know about Charles, the more you like him as he stumbles his way through courting Emma. Seamus is adorable!
STEAMY! 🔥🔥
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

The Importance of Being Wanton is the second book in the Wantons of Waverton series, following the story of Emma and Charles.

The story starts off really well with Emma calling her betrothal with Charles off and shocking him to the core. They've been betrothed since childhood and Charles has taken for granted that she'll be there when he's ready to make true on their betrothal. Once Emma's called things off, Charles - who's been doing a good job of practically ignoring Emma and dragging his feet - decides that he very much wants her in his life and decides to find ways to win her back. I found the second third of this book harder to get through than the first. The pace slowed down and parts of it became a little repetitive. The book picks up again a bit towards the last third and ends well.

Whilst I don't think the way Charles treated Emma is justified, his motives were honourable and I liked him as a character, however, it was Emma I struggled to empathise with. For some reason I just couldn't like her enough to engage in her endeavours and champion her character. I did like the secondary characters, especially Landon and Seamus.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was conflicted for the beginning half of this novel; however, by the end, it had won me over. Charles and Emma have been betrothed since Charles was seventeen and Emma was five. This brings animosity and resentment between the couple. Charles lashes out, living the life of a rake while Emma grew up suffering in silence. Everything changes when Emma breaks the engagement, making Charles realize, belatedly, that Emma was what he had needed and wanted all along. Now it is too late. He has to devise a way to get Emma back.

There was one element to the story I found creepy. In the prologue, there is a betrothal ceremony between Charles and Emma while they were children. Although nothing untoward happens, the age at which this occurred disturbed me. However, this ceremony helps set the foundation of a very romantic, well-thought-out story.

After an initial dislike, I learned to love Charles quickly. He was so much more than the rake he led society to believe him to be. I loved his loyalty and big heart. Unfortunately, I had difficulty warming up to Emma’s character. She took the part of the wronged party to the extreme. At times, she was too sharp-tongued and self-righteous. However, towards the end, she softened and became an endearing character. One thing that never faltered was the couple’s chemistry. I felt the connection ignite right at the moment Emma calls the engagement off. Building slowly, the fiery attraction culminates into an unstoppable passion. By the end, Charles and Emma complimented each other perfectly.

The road to the couple’s happily ever after was long and bumpy. I felt the first half of the book was draggy. However, right at the halfway point, it kicked into high gear. The plot and character development grew considerably at this point. By the last quarter of the book, I was mesmerized! All the many different puzzle pieces clicked perfectly, creating a complex, well-rounded, passionate love story. This is a tale of two people who do not realize what they have until it is lost. The plot was original and edgy. At times I got lost with all the secondary characters, but in the end, it rounded out into a fantastic romance. I enjoyed the creativity and freshness of the plot. All in all, this was an entertaining romance with a fantastic ending.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Importance of Being Wanton was not my favorite outing from Caldwell.. Her other series are much better. I have to admit that it was difficult to get into this story.

I loved this story!

This is a series and I do think most enjoyable if read in order. Some reviews have stated there were too many characters & subplots and that the story was confusing because of that, I didn’t have any problems keeping everyone straight or following the plot.

Like I said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Lots of emotional tug-o-war with sexual tension galore. I enjoyed the way Emma went after what she wanted, in more ways than one. I loved that Charles knew when to call her bluff and when to give her room. The plot flowed very smoothly and the tension keeps you engaged from cover to cover. I also liked that we got to see characters from book one and that their stories kept going as well!!

Full review live on blog




I can’t wait to read Landon’s story...the splendidly wicked professional rakish gentleman. 😜

Betrothed as a child to Emma Gately, Charles, Earl of Scarsdale thinks he knows what his future holds... until Emma calls off the betrothal. Suddenly, the marriage that he was sure he did not want is everything he could desire.

I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but also found it frustrating in many ways. Scarsdale is vocally unhappy about having to marry Emma, and yet as soon as she breaks it off, he realises that she is extremely desirable, and his entire goal becomes marriage to her. Meanwhile, Emma, having broken off the betrothal because she is tired of waiting on Scarsdale to settle down, continually does things like sneak into his house late at night and more or less dare him to seduce her. Don't get me wrong, I liked the chemistry between them, and thought they were good together, but for two supposedly intelligent people they were remarkably lacking in self-awareness of any kind. They seemed to be the only people in the book who didn't know what was going on. I was also a bit bemused by their rival clubs, and the whole speech about Emma's club being only about lecturing those who already agreed with her felt a bit like every criticism ever of left wing people living in a bubble and failing to engage with those who disagree with them.

So on the whole - a fun, sexy read, but not one which rewards analysis...

It was wonderful to reconnect with the characters from the first book, and I recommend reading that first. There is a slight change in tone as this one packs an emotional punch in regards to the hero and his sister. I did feel that the heros deciding he wanted to marry happened very fast but the chemistry and competition between them was great. I loved the heroine and I really cannot wait for the next book. Another gem from Christi Caldwell, if you enjoy historical romance and havent read her yet, you need to or you are missing out.

When I say I want to read romance, this is what I mean. This exact book is what I want to read. Historical Romance has always been my weakness, but this book was just something else. I cannot recommend this enough. I was so invested in Emma and Charles' story, their chemistry, their journey to love and passion... My cheeks hurt from smiling. I finished this book in a few hours, which doesn't happen very often, so it's clearly a winner.

The Importance is Being Wanton ⭐️⭐️

A delightful romance of unguarded hearts, second chances, and a scandalous rivalry between the sexes.
Emma Gately and the Earl of Scarsdale were betrothed as children—less a vow of future happiness than an obligation. Seventeen years later, the independent miss severs the contract with the now notorious libertine in an unprecedented act of independence. And Emma cofounds the Mismatch Society, where like-minded ladies are free of the constraints and inevitable broken hearts that men bring. But Emma’s rejection sparks in her intended a new consideration of the spirited woman he took for granted—and a determination to win her back.
Despite his wicked reputation, misguided and suddenly lovestruck, Charles Hayden is on a mission to gain Emma’s respect, and he has just the idea—one that the daringly unconventional Emma is sure to appreciate. But as Charles takes bold steps and sets tongues wagging, he makes himself an accidental opponent of his former betrothed. Soon a rivalry is born that has the whole ton abuzz.
Emma never anticipated that with every fiery test of wills, passion would surge. Passion that’s impossible to ignore. In going toe-to-toe with Charles, she risks her heart and pride by falling in love with the one man she vowed to scorn.

OK now for the hard truth, this book was pretty bad, it was a challenge to not give a DNF. Seriously there was nothing to like about Emma, she was a spoiled brat, whose own opinion was the only one that mattered. She doesn’t even become remotely likable until your about 70% finished and the story is wrapping up, you finally see your way out and just finish the book out of sheer determination.

This was book 2 in a series, but honestly, as one reviewer stated….book 2 was an improvement over book 1…. Oh good lord this was better?? One and done!

I received this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley, Cristi Caldwell and it’s publisher, Montlake.

3.5 stars. I wanted to like this book much more than I did. There were things I really loved about Charles and Emma, but I just couldn’t get past one central problem: Emma (understandably) has a very low opinion of Charles. She believes that he impregnated other women and didn’t take responsibility for his child, that he has multiple mistresses, that he was having lies and insults published about her in the newspaper, and that he deliberately destroyed her society. None of these things are true, but the book makes it clear why Emma is justified in these beliefs—yet we are also supposed to believe she falls in love with him before she learns the truth. How?! How could any self-respecting woman, which Emma is very much portrayed to be, love such a man? I couldn’t get past this central issue.

I loved this one. Classic Christi Caldwell. Misunderstandings and half truths abound between Emma and Charles, but they just can’t seem to stay away from one another. I also thoroughly enjoyed the families further introduced here. It seems so rare in historical romances to have parents that are still in love and committed to one another, let alone two sets of parents! It was refreshing, and they were very funny - particularly Charles’s mother.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Hehehe love always wins!
When Emma breaks off a very long engagement to a rake, Charles Hayden, he is stunned. Not only does he despise her, but he is shocked she would do such a thing to embarrass him and herself! What is worse, Emma is involved in independence for women! Suddenly Miss Emma seems attractive to Charles and now he has to do all he can to win her back - even if it means passion is in the play!