I love stories that overcome class and wealth differences to find a HEA. Hannah is a strong, smart pawn shop owner who is just trying to survive. Sol is younger, rich and is supposed to marry "well". She saves him one fateful night when he is being chased by thieves. This starts an attraction that leads to a forbidden romance. I just love Sol. He so wants to prove himself worthy of Hannah and in turn, helps her believe in herself. What a beautiful story.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Felicia Grossman does not miss. This take on Sleeping Beauty felt fresh and fun. The representation was incredible and I think I am going to reread ASAP.

Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel! And it definitely did not disappoint. This series is just so easy to love - even for non-seasoned historical readers.

Felicia Grossman's stories feel unique and fresh while still hitting plenty of fan favorite beats in the genre.

This is a lose, gender-bent Snow White retelling. (From what I understand each book while be a different gender bent twist on a fairytale).

Our hero was raised by his brother after losing both parents very young. Now as adults, he feels indebted for all his brother has done, and wants nothing more than to help him reach his goals.

But he also can't help but fall for the feisty, ostracized woman he meets while escaping a robbery. Putting him in the difficult place of fighting for what he wants, or helping the brother that raised him.

This story (and series) features so much Jewish culture and history. It's a side of Victorian London we don't often get to see in this genre and I can't get enough. Felicia Grossman seamlessly integrates the history into her stories, making it not just a setting or side note, but a focal point.

There were so many themes of community, obligation, inequality, classism, antisemitism, and more. And all of this was handled expertly in my opinion.

But none of it overpowered their romance. The heroine is the definition of reluctant while the hero is gone for her early on. And while he may have fallen early, this did an amazing job making you wonder and question how they could make their romance work.

The stakes were real and seemingly insurmountable.

I know absolutely nothing about the next book, but it's already on my most anticipated list.

This was actually 3.75 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the arc.

I enjoyed reading this book, my first from Felicia Grossman. The story is about Hannah Moses, a Jewish woman in her early 30s, living and working in 1830's London. Hannah operates a pawnshop her parents opened years ago, and also takes care of her younger sister, Tamar. Hannah is dedicated to working her and making as much money to ensure her sister has opportunities to have a secure future. But Hannah walks the line of operating the pawnshop, careful to look for stolen goods so there's no repeat of the legal problems she and her parents experienced ten years or so ago, whereby her parents were sent to Australia as a result of her actions. Hannah happens upon Solomon "Sol" Weiss while he's being attacked in her neighborhood, and proceeds to help him evade the attackers. Sol is from a wealthier group of Jewish families, but who feels beholden to his brother for taking care of him when their parents died years ago. Sol wants to make his brother proud of him, even as his brother converts to the Anglican faith, and treats Sol's observance of Jewish habits and practices with disdain.

Hannah and Sol find an instant attraction to each other, and there's a little age gap - Hannah is older by 5-6 years. The story delves into the seedier side of Jews living in London in the 1830's. Hannah is constantly worried about making money to put food on the table, while feeling ostracized by the Jewish community because of what happened to her and her parents ten years ago. She constantly worries about threats to herself and her sister, while trying to find ways to make more money. It was kind of draining to read about Hannah's worries, and although she's definitely a survivor, her downcast way of looking at her life was pretty disheartening. Sol, on the other hand, was the sunshine, always staying positive, and constantly pushing the potential relationship between them whenever he could. He was very sweet, but I also found him very naive and frustrating. I felt that the attraction the author played up was the physical attraction, while she could have delved more into how each character strengthened each other. I would have been very interested in reading more of that narrative.

3.5 rounded up

I enjoyed this interesting historical romance based on a gender swapped version of Snow White, complete with apples.I also really enjoyed the ending. It was perfect because of course this couple finds their HEA but in a realistic way

Plus, give me a romance cover with a real couple instead of a cartoon, drawing any day!

What could have been better: way too much use of the exclamation, Oy!

This is the second book in the Once Upon the East End series. It can be read as a stand alone novel but the characters, Isabelle and Arron, from Marry Me by Midnight (Aug 2023) are part of this story. The series incredibly are gender switching adaptations of fairy tales set in the 1830s London Jewish community.

Hannah Moses runs her family's pawn shop by day and for extra income she tracks down people or things for clients by night. She saves a man from being robbed one night while out on a job. Six months later she runs into the man at the Jewish synagogue. Solomon is drawn to beautiful Hannah. He works for his wealthy and powerful banker half brother and is always eager to do his bidding. The brother is hoping to move into higher society with his upcoming marriage.

In this story Solomon is the Snow White character and Hannah the Hunter. It was fun to see how the author brings in elements of the fairy tale by having Doc and her sisters care for Solomon after an injury or even eating something poisonous. I love that she is older 32 to his 26, experienced, and that he falls first. This world that Grossman creates has lots of complexity. The Jewish hierarchy is as intricate as the ton of London. I do feel when there is an actual villain there needs to be a strong comeuppance for the character. Sadly for me that is missing, even if there is an explanation.

I like the story, setting and characters. The heat level is great and the cover absolutely draws the eye. I can’t wait to see what story the author writes next.

I found this book to be fine. The writing was solid, and the historical details were interesting, but for whatever reason it just didn’t grab me. I think maybe I found the fairytale elements a bit too forced, and Sol wasn’t a particular interesting male lead. I found myself wanting more of the side characters and less of the leads in general. But it was still worth reading, especially if you like fairytales twists and/or historical romances that highlight Jewish culture.

Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman, book two in the Once Upon the East End series, is a reimagining of the story of Snow White, except the main characters, Solomon and Hannah, are Jewish. Different aspects of the Jewish community, during the Regency era, are showcased from the treatment of Ashkenazi Jewish people, to the class system, to the use of Yiddish.

Solomon Weiss was raised by his older brother Frederick, who was only a teen himself when he was forced to care for Solomon. Frederick, now an adult, is an influential man and intends to marry soon. He’s asked Solomon to be on his best behavior and focus on the bank work, perhaps do an errand or two for him. Of course Solomon will do whatever his brother asks. One night, Solomon is attacked in an unsafe neighborhood and Hannah Moses comes to his rescue. Hannah is poor and takes jobs that may not be exactly legal. She doesn’t see herself worthy of love and being older she’s no longer naive. Solomon is drawn to Hannah and can’t seem to stay away. He isn’t willing to leave his yarmulke or prayers behind, nor can he leave Hannah behind. Since Hannah runs a pawn shop is not at all what Frederick has in mind for Solomon.

There is much to enjoy with the manner in which Ms. Grossman integrated the world of the Jewish community within the Regency period, and how she used interwove aspects of the fairy tale.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#ForeverPublishing #Netgalley

I really wanted to love this book, and there was a lot I did like, but it ended up just being ok overall for me. First, I do love the historical Jewish London setting, and I think that aspect of the book is exceptionally well done. There is a great sense of place and atmosphere, and immersion, and I really appreciated that aspect of both books in this series. I do also enjoy the flipped dark fairy tale aspect of the series, although I felt like that worked better in the first book than in this one. Some of the fairy tale elements here I thought were clumsily shoved into the book and didn't fit the narrative well I liked both characters, but I struggled a bit to feel their connection. I felt like a lot of things were repeated over and over, lots of internal monologues about the reasons they couldn't be together, and it detracted from the romance. Some of the characters from the previous book show up, and while it was nice to see them, they seemed off from the first book and like they were here more as tools than as people. I also really didn't like the ending--I didn't think what happened made sense emotionally, and I disliked how little the main characters in this book really figured any of it out. Depending on what characters are in the next book I may or may not pick it up. I am curious about the midwife's daughter.

I've really enjoyed how layered this series is. Not only do you have a loose fairy tale retelling where the typical gender roles are reversed, but you also have complex characters and social expectations. It isn't just a romance for the sake of sexy times and swoon worthy moments (though there are plenty for sure), but an exploration of how people from the Jewish community loved and lived in the 1800s.

The integration of Jewish culture and religion is seamless and never feels like it is there to check the "diversity" box. It is so vital to every aspect of the the characters and the plot right from the start. While most historical romances I've read in the past focus on gender roles and societal expectations of said genders. So I've really enjoyed this Jewish lens applied to the story as I read this series.

My only "downside" to this story is that I find the writing rather wordy at times. This book feels long simply because of the writing. Plot-wise, the pacing is good and there is enough to keep me interested. I love the chemistry between our leads. I just find my mind wanders as I read long paragraph after paragraph.

I enjoy reading historical romances, but reading the same romance format gets boring after a while. So, I am always on the lookout for different historical romances (but do keep in context with the era the book is written in). So, when the Wake Me Most Wickedly widget slid into my inbox, I accepted immediately. Also, I had read the first book in the series and liked it.

Wake Me Most Wickedly is also a fairy tale retelling. I like reading fairy tale retelling and discovering how different authors interpret fairytales. Wake Me Most Wickedly is the retelling of Snow White. I admit I had an issue figuring out how Snow White fit into this. Thankfully, that only lasted for the first couple of chapters, and I enjoyed seeing how this retelling played out.

The main storyline of Wake Me Most Wickedly was your typical romance storyline. Hannah was an outcast in the Jewish community due to crimes that her parents and herself committed while running their pawnshop. Hannah spent two years in prison, and her parents were deported to a penal colony island (I figure it was either Australia or New Zealand). She continued running the pawn shop and took up a side gig of illegally hunting down things for her fence and clients. During one of those jobs, she saved Solomon from being attacked. Solomon, raised by his older brother after their father and his mother died, grew up very sheltered and had almost no worldly experience. Solomon soon becomes enamored with Hannah, much to her dismay. But even she can’t deny the scorching heat between them. When Solomon is injured after being chased by a group of men, Hannah investigates his accident. What she uncovers will rock Solomon’s world. Will her discovery mean the end of her relationship with Solomon?

The author graciously included content guidance at the beginning of the book. I love it when authors do that because I don’t have to take notes about content. At the end of the book (and she did this with the first book), she explains the history of the Jewish people in London’s East End and their treatment throughout the centuries.

I found Wake Me Most Wickedly’s storyline much darker than the first book. I wasn’t sure if I would like it (the first chapter has nonconsensual sexual contact). But, the deeper I got into the storyline, the more I understood why the author wrote this book the way she did. Not everything was sunshine and roses in Victorian London. For people experiencing poverty and those forced to live on the outskirts of their communities, life was awful. The author was correct in reflecting the tone of the book. It made the book much more interesting to read.

Hannah started the book off with me not liking her very much. She had a chip on her shoulder that came across in her words and actions. But, the more the author got into her backstory, the more I saw how those events shaped her into the woman she was in the book. I felt terrible for her because she honestly didn’t think she was attractive enough to a man to commit to and was focused on getting a dowry for Tamara. What got me onto Team Hannah was her fantastic character growth. By the end of the book, I was amazed by her strength and devotion to those she considered family and friends.

I liked Solomon, but he reminded me somewhat of a puppy. How? Well, he was hard to train (no matter what Hannah did to push him away, he still came back), he was loyal, even when the person he was faithful to didn’t deserve it, and he was fiercely protective of his family and friends. I was also on Team Solomon because he deserved to be seen for the man he was instead of the image that he put out for family and friends. The one thing that I didn’t like was that he had a prominent blind spot when it came to his brother. But I also understood. It made what Hannah told him so painful to hear.

The romance angle of Wake Me Most Wickedly was spicy. The author turned the heat up on the sex scenes, and they had me fanning myself. But the sex was only a part of the romance. Solomon and Hannah falling in love was sweet. While Solomon immediately knew that Hannah was the one for him, Hannah fought it tooth and nail. She used every excuse in the book (the age gap: her 32 to his 26), her past, that he was just infatuated with her, his brother, and the considerable class divide to try and drive him away. Thankfully, Solomon didn’t care and pursued her anyway.

A secondary storyline that cropped up around the middle of the book involved Solomon, his brother, and Hannah. I was absolutely disgusted by what Solomon’s brother did, but I like how Solomon’s friends rallied around him and turned it around. It was poetic justice how that storyline ended.

I loved how Wake Me Most Wickedly ended. It was your typical HEA. The epilogue, which takes place five years later, almost made me cry. It also made me wonder who the next book will be about. I have a feeling I know who, but I can’t wait to see if I am right.

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Wake Me Most Wickedly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Felicia Grossman for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Wake Me Most Wickedly. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this directly from NetGalley. This is a first time author for me. I love historical romance so I thought it would be fun. I really enjoyed the dialogue in the book. The relationship between Sol and Hannah was interesting. I loved that it was told from a Jewish perspective. It seems like there are rarely Jewish characters in ordinary historical romances. I think it brought a different dynamic. I also thought it was fun that she was slightly older than him. The last part of the book felt a little repetitive. It was a lot of “I can’t be with you, but I want to.” I would’ve liked to see something a little less trope-like. But overall, I really enjoyed the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances!

If you read Marry Me by Midnight, you may have found yourself liking Solomon Weiss by the end, even if he ultimately wasn’t Isabelle’s chosen husband. I myself thought he deserved a happy ending of his own, so I was thrilled that he would get one in Wake Me Most Wickedly. This book also introduces a new character as his love interest: Hannah Moses, a lower class woman with a criminal past who is certain she doesn’t fit into Sol’s more opulent world.

Sol and Hannah are such wonderful characters and they really jump off the pages. Sol is endlessly sweet and charming, and clever, if prone to finding himself in dangerous situations. Hannah is a tough woman who has spent the past decade trying to make a better life for her younger sister, no matter the cost. Hannah is unlike any leading lady I’ve read in a historical romance so far, and I loved how she is depicted. She might see herself as a villain unworthy of a better life, and she’s strong enough to take care of herself and others, but deep down, she has a softer side hidden away, too. Sol ends up being the perfect contrast to her.

Wake Me Most Wickedly has a ton of action and danger mixed in throughout. While Sol and Hannah build up their tentative relationship, both find themselves in shady dealings and even life-threatening situations. Blackmail, robbery, attempted murder, poisoning—it’s all there, keeping the plot moving at a quick pace. And as this is a gender-flipped Snow White reimagining, you can expect to encounter certain characters and themes along the way.

Another thing I enjoyed about Wake Me Most Wickedly is how it infuses Jewish culture and history. I’m not Jewish myself, but I enjoyed getting to know more about what life was like for Jewish people in 1830s London, for upper and lower classes alike. Seeing Hannah’s, Sol’s, and his brother Frederick’s different experiences within Jewish culture and in relation to the gentiles of the time was eye-opening. The author has done a masterful job of bringing their history and the East End of 1830s London to life.

Wake Me Most Wickedly is an action-packed, steamy, and smart historical romance for fans of fairy tales, flipped gender roles, and a lot of Jewish culture. So far I’m really enjoying the Once Upon the East End series, and I’m looking forward to the next two books. Felicia Grossman has already announced that next year we’ll get Seduce Me in Secret, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that will star Rebecca Adler and Roger Berab (both of whom have appeared in the first two books already). After that, Dream of Me Until Dawn will reimagine Sleeping Beauty, though it remains to be seen who will star in that one!

Hannah saves Sol unexpectedly. The second time they meet, she warns him off and disappears. But, he can't let her go. The temptation of forbidden fruit is too much, and he seeks her out. So goes the cat and mouse game they play, until there are feelings. She refuses to believe it, because it doesn't fit with her plans, and she must work to get her sister married, denying herself anything. Sol won't give up, and he's in danger. Only one person can find him, but Hannah continues to reject any idea of a future for them, willing to sacrifice any chance at love because of circumstances...

This is a wonderful reverse Snow White retelling, complete with Jewish representation--perfect story for historical romance readers.

Wake Me Most Wickedly
by Felicia Grossman

Setting:
London 1832

Characters:
Solomon Weiss
Hannah Moses
Tamar Moses
Isabelle
Aaron
Gertrude

Tropes:
Class Difference
Snow White and Huntsman retelling
Reverse age gap 32 26
Jewish Historical Romance

Goodreads:
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Spice:
🌶. 5

Review:
I enjoyed this story a little more than the first in the series. It did have more romance, and the romance was more central to the plot then I felt book one was. The genderswap snow white retelling was fresh, and fun. I enjoyed both Hannah and Solomon as characters, I was sad that society still looked down on Hannah even in the epilogue. She didn't mind but I did lol. I really enjoyed reading all the Jewish history in the authors notes at the end of the novel. It was eye opening. I look forward to book 3.

Felicia Grossman has become one of my automatic-buy authors. I’m not always wild about fairytale retellings but I love Grossman’s fresh spins. I just loved Sol and Hannah together.

Delicious Jewish historical romance, part fairytale retelling, part eye opening story of life on the seedy side of London.
Solomon ‘Sol’ is working with his half-brother, who stepped in to raise him, as he pursues a respectable (read: gentile) wife.
Hannah is haunted by her parent’s crimes and deaths and is working to take care of her younger sister.

You'll get a HEA but its a sometimes fun, sometimes spicy, sometimes harrowing ride to get there!

Wake Me Most Wickedly was such a fun read!
Even though historical romance is not my typical genre I really enjoyed this book.

The story had a refreshing twist of gender norms in this time period, which I highly enjoyed.
Really enjoyed this fairytale retelling ( Snow White, but flipped!)

I enjoyed Grossman’s first Once Upon the East End romance, Marry Me By Midnight. It was original and historically rich, with Jewish Regency characters, a fairy tale retelling, and an adorably innocent, inept hero, heiress heroine, and a twisting and playing with the fairy tale’s traditional male-female roles. And yet, despite this promise, Marry Me By Midnight was a muddle, a writer not in control of her material. Not so with Wake Me Most Wickedly and its virtuoso romance writing. The Jewish history, so important to Grossman, is better integrated, making for a smoother, flowing narrative; the romance, front and centre and moving forward to the HEA. The fairy tale retelling, Snow White in this case, a thing of wit and beauty. A romance writer in full control of her material: emotionally rich, clever, and heart-wrenchingly moving. To orient us, some help from the publisher’s blurb:

…this clever reimagining of Snow White, where a handsome businessman will do anything to win the heart of the only woman he cannot have.

Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner.

Forever tainted by her parents’ crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own.

Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?

Themes of family love, obligation, and protection are key to Grossman’s romance ethos. These are beautifully, clearly evident in Wake Me Most Wickedly. This focus and clarity serve Grossman well in her second “East End” romance. She combines family loyalty and sibling love in her protagonists; lines are clearly drawn and the stakes clear-cut to the reader. Solomon’s dedication to making sure his older half-brother achieves everything he desires: a gentile wife and the restoration of the family fortune. It’s the least Sol can do because Frederick brought him up when their father and Sol’s mother died. Hannah, in turn, will do anything and everything to ensure her younger sister, Tamar, has the dowry and good name that will buy her a respectable marriage and restore her place in the community. As for herself, Hannah blames herself for leading their family into a life of crime and causing their parents’ loss. She’ll survive as long as Tamar is safe and happy. Sol and Hannah are witty, funny, and tough: they do not lie on fainting couches and bemoan their self-sacrifices. Not only do they sacrifice for their siblings, they do it with good humour. This makes the reader love them dearly, or at least this reader did. No one deserves happiness more than Sol and Hannah.

I have to take a moment to digress about Tamar because I loved her. Firstly, she’s a Jane Austen reader and that she’s reading Sense and Sensibility while verbally sparring with sister Hannah, it’s priceless. Secondly, she’s as tough as Hannah, though less self-abnegating. And in a culminating scene when Hannah cannot and will not see what she deserves, Sol and a happy life, Tamar sets her straight, bluntly, kindly, and articulately. (Please, Ms Grossman, let’s have Tamar’s romance.) Tamar isn’t the sole fairy godmother to this flipped fairy tale. Whatever obstacles are in Sol and Hannah’s way to the HEA, they are internal, dedication to family over desire, and also due to society’s censures and judgements. But, there are friends, like Marry Me By Midnight‘s hero and heroine, as well as Grossman’s hilariously rendered “seven dwarves” to help Sol and Hannah on their way.

More than anything there is Sol: funny, flamboyantly dressed Sol, with his outlandish jackets and broad chest, who insists and coaxes Hannah into being with him, who is determined to fulfil his brother’s wishes and still make a life with Hannah. Alas, ole bro Frederick is more hindrance than fairy godfather, but I dare not spoil further.

In the end, no matter the external obstacles, there’s fun to be had in Wake Me Most Wickedly because Grossman riffs delightfully with Snow White, gender-flipping roles again and playing with the fairy tale’s narrative elements. She also toys with the idea of knights and damsels by having Hannah rescue Sol when he’s attacked by thieves and cads one night. It’s a heck of a meet-cute. And Snow White, let’s say it isn’t Hannah. The poisoned apple? A clever, clever twist. Wake Me Most Wickedly is simply great; the HEA comes about a tad hastily, but this is a minor quibble. Miss Austen agrees, deeming Grossman’s latest evidence of “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Felicia Grossman’s Wake Me Most Wickedly is published by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and released on April 9. I received an e-galley from Forever via Netgalley, which doesn’t impede the free expression of my opinion. For the record, it’s expressed without the aid of AI.

I ended up DNF-ing the book at 35%. I enjoyed the Jewish rep in this book immensely, particularly learning about Jewish life in England during Regency times. As a fan of the period, it felt great to finally be able to imagine myself in it. However, the writing did not work for me. Everything felt contrived and over the top. The allusions to Hannah’s past were overdone so instead of building suspense they left me annoyed especially since they continued even after we learned what had happened and they became completely unnecessary. And in my opinion, the Yiddish came across as too modern making a more jarring contrast to the otherwise period appropriate dialogue. Just to be clear, I didn’t think that using Yiddish was inappropriate, I just felt that the phrases (at least how I understood them) were ones more likely to be used by a modern person rather than a Regency era person.