This series is unusual in two ways. First, it is set in the Jewish community in London, which is unusual for historicals. Second, each book is a fairytale retelling where the man has the heroine's role. Wake Me Most Wickedly is Snow White.

I thought Felicia Grossman's insights into the treatment of Jewish individuals in Victorian London were really interesting to read about. I think the idea she explores that minorities have much higher standards of behavior applies to a lot of groups.

I enjoyed getting to know Sol and Hannah. I found Hannah's history interesting though I didn't fully understand what happened in her past. I also didn't fully see the attraction between Sol and Hannah beyond the physical. I think Hannah needed someone to see beyond her reputation, but I would have liked to see them become friends more.

I recommend this one if the premise sounds intriguing! I am unsure if I will read more of the series. While I have found it an interesting series I just haven't been invested enough in either relationship to want to dive back into this world.

🌶️🌶️ - This one is a bit spicier than the first one. There are some open door scenes, however, the plot focuses more on the obstacles to the relationship than the spice.

Felicia Grossman is quickly becoming a favorite for me in historical romances and this series inspired by classic fairytales has really hit the mark for me!

Anytime we have a down on her luck FMC that’s trying to protect herself and those she loves, I need there to be an emotional unraveling + support from the MMC. Grossman knocked it out of the park. Our MCs are people you can’t help but root for and even in that moment when you think “there’s no way this can have an HEA”, Grossman still leaves you feeling as if they *have* to be together. I was biting my nails, essentially.


Another wonderful story from FG and a phenomenal Jewish historical love story that historical romance has long needed.

Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman
Once Upon the East End series #2. Historical romance, own voice, Jewish. Can be read as a stand-alone. One character from the prior book is a minor secondary character in this story.
Solomon Weiss feels he owes a debt and support to his older brother Frederick. After all, Frederick was only a teen himself when he was forced to care for Solomon. Now they are both adults, Frederick 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 and perhaps do an errand or two for him. Of course Solomon will do whatever his brother asks.
One night, Solomon is cornered by a couple of rough men in an unsafe neighborhood and Hannah Moses comes to his rescue. She runs a pawnshop and deals with small, mostly legal items like button and ribbons. Sol has seen her slip a small amount of money to one man that she refused to buy anything from just so he could get a bowl of soup. Sol is charmed and attracted to Hannah and the feeling is mutual. But she’s not at all what Frederick has in mind for Solomon.

Not your average historical romance. Hannah is poor and takes jobs that may not be exactly legal. She doesn’t see herself as worthy of love and she’s past the age of impressionable. 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 even though a pawn shop isn’t considered acceptable by his brother.
Adventurous and steamy. Solomon is way nicer to his brother than he needed to be.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

What can I say about this book? Read it! End of review. (Just kidding.)

Felicia Grossman has written another wonderful fairytale retelling, gender-swapped and featuring the Jewish community of London in the early 1830s. This time the story is a twisted Snow White retelling!

Hannah Moses works very hard in her pawnbroker shop, trying to make enough money for a decent dowry for her younger sister. Her parents are gone - either they are dead or transported to Australia as criminals. She does what she has to do to survive, and it’s not always pretty - or legal. Solomon Weiss is the younger brother of a Jewish banking family; his older half-brother Frederick raised him, similarly to Hannah’s situation, with both their parents dead. But that’s about where the similarity ends. Frederick has distanced himself from the local Jewish community, and is trying to endear himself to the gentile gentry ("the Ton"). He has set his sights on marrying Lady Drucilla, a young widow and the sister of a viscount. Solomon’s Jewishness annoys him, but Sol idolizes him for having raised him.

Hannah and Solomon come from two different parts of the same “world” and their meeting is by chance. Their relationship is something that just “can’t” happen. And yet it does.

I loved all the references to Judaism and Jewish practices, as well as all the fairytale references. Be aware: there is a lot of spice in this story!

It was a delight to be back in the world I first encountered in Grossman’s Marry Me By Midnight. (If you haven’t read that one, check it out too! But it's not necessary to the enjoyment of this one.)

I read an advance copy so I don’t know if there’s a glossary in the book (there wasn’t one in my copy), but it would be helpful for the various Yiddish words and expressions (and a couple of Ladino ones too!). I knew some of them and figured out the others from the context, so many readers will probably be able to do the same - but it would still be helpful, as I wound up looking up one or two words online as I was reading.

Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end, where she outlines the history of antisemitism in the English-speaking world. She also, in her acknowledgments, gives a shout out to the two fabulous cover models! I’m not sure I’ve seen that before.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A historical romance, regency, “retelling” (I use this word loosely), genderbent, Jewish, Snow White. Wow that’s a mouthful.

I requested this book for a few reasons. 1. I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings. 2. Especially if they’re genderbent. 3 I like to diversify my reads and support marginalized authors. 4. I like historical fiction.

But all that being said, this is not a book I would typically read, and I don’t feel qualified to truly say if it’s a “bad” book, as people who do typically read this genre/style may absolutely love it.

I was highly disappointed at how long it took for the story to resemble Snow White. The only early indication was the mention of a collection of mirrors, which really weren’t necessary at all except as a Snow White call out. They played no real part in the story. Then the things that finally made it feel more like Snow White were rushed.

I also had a hard time following the story. This may have been me being uninterested and zoning out, or it may have been the progression of the story not making sense, I really couldn’t tell you.

The word “oy” was highly overused, and the choice of “poison” just feels very historically off. It definitely could have been better. Then when Sol goes to confront his would be murderer, he still feels as though a congratulations is in order? It was difficult to take seriously.

Overall, while I hope it find its audience, Wake Me Most wickedly is not for me.

Wake Me Most Wickedly, the second in Felicia Grossman’s gender-flipped fairy tale retelling, but make it a Jewish histrom series, is a darker story than the first, Marry Me by Midnight, which was a gender-flipped Cinderella. It makes sense, Cinderella was forced into a life of servitude by her step mother, but Snow White’s step-mother* tried to kill her repeatedly. Between the repeated attacks on Solomon’s life and Hannah’s life lived on the edge of danger, this was a tense read. I liked it.

Solomon Weiss is one of Isabelle Lira’s rejected suitors, but his consolation prizes are a job with Lira and Berab Securities, the friendship of Isabelle and Aaron Ellenberg, and the role of Disney Princess in his own romance. Solomon’s romantic interest is Hannah Moses who is the opposite of everything he ought to be looking for in a wife – criminal record, shady business, poor, and a woman with a bad reputation in the Jewish and gentile communities of London.

They first meet when Hannah saves Solomon from a robbery and beating. And then again at synagogue. When he finally learns her name, he is promptly warned against her. The barely tolerated Jewish community in London of 1836 wants nothing to do with a young woman who seems to confirm the negative stereotypes of Jews. Despite the frequent warnings, his older brother’s desire to assimilate with the gentiles, and Hannah’s own desire to provide a better life for her younger sister, Solomon and Hannah can’t stay away from each other. The external barriers to their happily ever after seem insurmountable, and I was very anxious about how they were going to survive, much less together. Still Solomon and Hannah were delightfully stubborn and determined.

Tangent: Sometimes I end up reading very different books with a similar element at the same time. While I was reading Wake Me Most Wickedly, I was also reading a contemporary Black romance, Out of Office by A.H. Cunningham. Both books explicitly explore the idea of assimilation into a dominant white Christian culture. Both books, in their own way look at the external pressure to assimilate and the price paid in erasure of culture and history.

*No step-mothers were wicked in these books. No promises for the not yet released third book, but frankly I would be surprised to see a wicked step-mother there. Justice for step-mothers!

I received this as an advance reader copy from Forever Grand Publishing and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

I love new takes on historical romance and Felicia Grossman nails this every time. Not only does she play on classic fairytales, but she also has a mainly Jewish cast of characters. I loved the Snow White vibes I got from this one with it swapped as Hannah was the huntress and Solomon was the prince. I know I already mentioned Judaism, but I love how prominent it is in the book. There's talk of going to shul, holidays, traditions, and Yiddish sprinkled in too. I also enjoyed being back in this setting and seeing cameos from Isabelle and Aaron. This series feels so fresh and exciting. The spice was fantastic and I was rooting for Sol and Hannah from the first time they met. I'm so excited to read more from Felicia and hopefully more in this series as well! Thank you to Forever for the e-ARC to read and review!

Hanna has been degrading herself most of her life. Then she meets Sol and her whole life changes! She helps him and he helps her to see a new life! Nice love story.

"Wake Me Most Wickedly" by Felicia Grossman is a twisted retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, set in historical England. While I enjoyed the story and characters, particularly Solomon and Hannah, their relationship felt rushed, in a historical romance book when most are a very slow burn. The circumstances of their interactions sometimes strained believability, and Solomon's wavering commitment added some confusion. However, I appreciated the clever references to Snow White and the insights into Jewish life in England during that period. Overall, while not as captivating as the first book in the series, "Wake Me Most Wickedly" offers an engaging read with intriguing characters and a unique twist on a classic tale.

Very grateful to the publisher for this copy, opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved it! I love how the author puts the Jewish representation right up front and center. Hannah was a great character and I loved the romance. When does the third book come out?? Jk

Wake Me Most Wickedly is the second book in the Once Upon the East End series by Felicia Grossman. It is a gender flipped take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, with Sol Weiss from book one as the MMC.

I enjoyed Wake Me Most Wickedly, but not as much as book one, Marry Me By Midnight. I liked Sol and Hannah, the pawn shop owner FMC, but their relationship bordered on instalove for me. The circumstances of many of their times together verged on unbelievable (for me) at times. Also Sol’s flipping back and forth on whether he wanted to pursue Hannah was a bit disjointed. We would get his POV and his decision to stay away but then when it switched to Hannah’s POV, he showed up. When and why did he change his mind?

I thought the references to Snow White throughout the story were clever. The elderly rescuers were a great addition. I learned more about Jewish life in England at that time, which I appreciated. One reason I like historical romances is because of the things I learn about history.

Overall, it is an enjoyable book with a really affecting author’s note at the end. I am looking forward to book three.

Thank you to Forever, NetGalley, and the author for the advance reader copy. All opinions are solely my own.

Love the Jewish representation and the age gap. I still off on the back and forth, but I have remember that this was in the 1800s so the reminder is constant. I love the "betting" that was delicious wicked of them for sure.

4.5/5 stars

Wake Me Most Wickedly is a Snow White retelling/historical/Regency Jewish romance. It is the second book in the Once Upon the East End series.

Even though historical romance is not my typical genre I really enjoyed this book. The Snow White retelling aspect was clever. And the Jewish rep was so good. I also really enjoyed getting to see characters from Marry Me By Midnight.

This series is set in 1830s London and focuses on Jewish characters. It is a gender bent Jewish Snow White retelling where Snow White is a Jewish male banker (Solomon Weiss).

The heroine is 32 year old Hannah Moses. She runs a pawn shop and does what she needs to do to survive (dealing with criminals) in order to make money for her sister's dowry.

The hero is 26 year old Solomon Weiss, who we met in Marry Me By Midnight. Sol's brother Frederick is featured in this book too. Frederick is distancing himself from Jewish culture and wanting Sol to be on his best behavior.

Isabelle and Aaron made this book so much better for me (the main characters from book one). Knowing a few of the characters and the world made it much easier for me to feel connected to the story.

It was so fun having Hannah be a bit older than Sol. I liked that she didn't have an easy life. This book was so sexy. But in such a fun way! I really enjoyed this retelling and cannot wait to see what the author has in store for her next book.

"Wake Me Most Wickedly" is a Regency romance set in the East End of London - it is the second in a series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Hannah Moses is the older sister who is doing everything she can to ensure a better life for her younger sister, Tamar, after their parents' arrest for dealing in stolen items at the family pawn shop which Hannah is still running.

Sol Weiss is a banker, working to restore his family business, so he is trying to get more respect (and thereby earn more business) in the Jewish community meanwhile his older brother is courting a gentile lady of the Ton after getting baptised to distance himself from his Jewish roots..

I loved the meet cute of Sol & Hannah which was unexpected and fun without being typical! I also loved the older woman-younger man trope, as it is not done often enough and it is perfection in this romance! Both Hannah and Sol want the best for their siblings even when they sometimes don't seem to want the best for themselves.

I enjoyed the historical Jewish aspects of this novel and appreciated the earnestness in which it is portrayed and the fact Grossman doesn't skip over the less desirable aspects of how difficult it was to be Jewish at that time. I look forward to more romances from this wonderful author!

I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I just reviewed Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman. #NetGalley

In this book, the main characters are facing obstacles in their lives when they met each other. The hero wants to repay his older sibling by being respectable in everything with his life. The heroine is a pawnshop owner that wants to make her younger sibling have a comfortable life free from their parents' reputation in their Jewish community. When the heroine saved the hero, consecutive meetings brought them closer together. Yet the couple must face all the obstacles that are in their lives before they could have a happy ending with each other.

This is my second book in the ONCE UPON THE EAST END series. This entertaining read brought the Jewish culture to the forefront in historical England. It also has an endearing romance between strong yet unique characters that deserves their happily-ever-after. There was also a good set of secondary characters surrounding the main couple, including the couple from the first book in this series. There were also times that the story needed a bit more details in certain areas of the book for better transition, but they weren't that detrimental to the reading enjoyment. Overall, a solid addition to this particular Felicia Grossman series.


** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **

2.5 stars

I was incredibly excited to receive an ARC of this book. Finally, Jewish historical romance is having its moment!! And the cover is sooo gorgeous!! But I ultimately found it quite disappointing. I'm trying not to be overly harsh in this review, but I want to be honest about the issues here.

I know ARCs are "uncorrected proofs" and not the final final version of the book that will make it to the shelf, but in my experience they usually are pretty finalized, and not very much changes between an ARC and the actual published content beyond fixing up stray typos. The problem is that this book reads like it hasn't had a single copy edit, let alone a developmental or line edit, all three of which it desperately needs. Genuinely, what happened here? I don't want to be conspiratorial, but my brain couldn't help drifting to what I know is a common problem in traditional publishing--that big publishing companies don't truly invest in the works they've aquired that are written by and catered to marginalized groups. Whether or not that's actually the case with this book, I can't say. But it felt incredibly unprepared for publication, and I believe the author and readers deserve better than that.

When it comes to copy and line editing: besides the many errors which will hopefully be caught by a proofreader before publication, there are tons of writing tics from the author that should have been culled. The prose left much to be desired and often felt choppy and uneven.

Many many scenes in this book move so quickly when they really should be lingering and deepening, which leaves the reader feeling disconnected from the action. The characterization feels inconsistent, particularly with regard to Sol, so it was hard to feel invested in him or his relationship with Hannah. The plot and pacing are also choppy and uneven. The romance between Sol and Hannah moves super fast and has very little build-up, so when romantic moments happen they feel totally unearned.

This book has explicit sex scenes, but they move very quickly and are not very detailed. I was not interested in them one way or another.

To top it all off, the villain is incredibly evil and yet gets barely a slap on the wrist. The climax is not at all climactic.

My favorite part of the book was actually the Author's Note at the end, in which Felicia Grossman discusses the history of Jews in England and Europe and the antisemitism they've faced throughout history.

There were some other things I liked about this book--the heroine is older than the hero, they discuss pregnancy prevention before having sex, and of course, there's the fresh historical perspective of a romance novel centered around Jewish characters and Jewish community. But it's difficult to recommend due to the problems I've mentioned, and I blame that entirely on the publisher.

Wake Me Most Wickedly 🍎

It’s a histrom, genderbent, Snow White retelling, y’all! 👏 I feel like this is all I need to say to get you to read the book, because that’s all I needed to hear before reaching for it, but I’ll give you some more information! 🪞

Hannah Moses does all she can to take care of her younger sister and keep her disgraced family’s shop running, even if it means doing some not so legal things.

Solomon (Sol) Weiss is a young man trying to live up to the expectations of his strict, older brother, that is often at odds with his own wants and needs.

The two meet when Hannah steps in to save Sol’s life. The attraction between the two is immediate, but class differences and family expectations won’t allow Hannah and Sol an easy happily ever after. When Hannah is pulled into a plot involving Sol, they must figure out how trust each other in order to survive a devastating betrayal.

🍎grumpy/sunshine
🪞age gap (she’s 32/he’s 26)
🍎class difference
🪞forbidden romance
🍎fairytale inspired
🪞she’s the hunter and he’s the damsel
🍎strong community ties
🪞Jewish MCs

I loved Wake Me Most Wickedly!! Something about the fact that Hannah is the older, disgraced figure and Sol is the innocent, hopeful one just really did something for me! Both characters were strong and complex and stood alone without the other. The story kept me guessing, and I genuinely wasn’t sure who the villain was until it was revealed! I am definitely going to check out Marry Me by Midnight, the first in the Once Upon the East End series! I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for the next installment. Thanks to the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own. 🍎🪞

3.5 Stars, rounded up to 4

I am such a fan of historical romances and it's been a while since I last read one so I was very excited to dive into Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman. I thought the Jewish rep was well done - it didn't feel performative or mentioned to check a box, but was such an integral part of who Hannah and Sol were.

Hannah is a survivor. She has been through so much and still finds the courage in herself to run her family's shop and try and earn as much as she can towards her sister Tamar's dowry. I loved that Sol was able to bring out Hannah's playful (and passionate!) side, it was nice to see her let down her guard to trust - even though at times this was very brief.

Wake Me Most Wickedly was a fresh take on historical romance. Usually if one character is lower in status, we don't see the actualities of their day-to-day experience. I liked that Felicia really brought readers into Hannah's world and that she was unapologetic about what she had to do to survive. In true historical romance fashion, there is a bit of suspense that runs through the story which I also enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Felicia Grossman for a review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

Let me start by stating that this cover is gorgeous! I mean like holy moly this cover is hot!

I think the story here was unique and exciting. I love that this author incorporates Jewish experience in historical romance while also mixing it with well known fairytales. I think it’s such a great way to explore themes and characters. This time around we had a Snow White reimagining.

I think the fairytale inspiration was good. It’s a twist on the original tale (much like book one in the series) but it works. I loved the characters and the plot. I liked that the heroine was older and the hero was younger. We don’t see this often enough in historicals!

The romance is romantic and exciting. I loved their dynamic and development of their relationship.

A wonderful romance with a great story!

Hannah Moses has one thing on her mind. To secure her sister with a respectable match. With her parents' past always at the forefront of her mind, she takes risks to make sure her sister gets what she never had.

Sol Weiss doesn't care about power like his half-brother does. But he will do anything for him since he raised Sol after his parents died.

When these two meet in the "bad" part of the city, Hannah saves Sols life. And to be honest, I think she stole his heart then and there.

But they are on very different paths. Sol's brother wants to marry into nobility, and Hannah's taint would definitely hinder that. Sol is definitely a cinnamon roll who can't seem to stay away.

There's a lot more than just Hannah's past and Sol's brother between them. In the Jewish community, Hannah's family is not held in high esteem. There's a ton of factors keeping the two of them apart. Especially when it turns out Sol is in huge danger. And it could be someone he knows.