“Mine,” he proclaimed in guttural tones.
“You are mine,” he repeated, this time infusing steel within that avowal so there could be no doubting she belonged to him.
“You love those words, Helia,” he growled, and gently caught her by the nape. “Because you know you belong to me.”
“I belong to no one, Anthony.”

Y’all, I’m convinced Christi Caldwell is one of those pod people from The Body Snatchers. How else do I explain this new and exciting version of her? Don’t get me wrong, I loved the old Christi—her books were very cute, very charming, very demure. But NEW Christi? She’s darker, edgier, and sexier—straight lit! Nowhere is that more evident than in The Wolf of Mayfair. She absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.

The story has everything I love in a good romance: a dangerous hero, a sweet heroine, witty banter, and enough drama to keep me turning pages.

The characters…folks, I wasn’t ready for how they would completely take over my life. I’ve got a weakness for dark souls, and Anthony, Marquess of Wingrave, is as murky as they come—cocky, commanding, and dangerously sexy, everything you'd expect from a man who holds too much power. He’s can also be sweet and protective, but for the most part, he's a Grade-A ass. Helia Wallace, on the other hand, is his total opposite. She’s sunshine wrapped in beauty and brains, with a fiery streak that don't take mess.

Recently orphaned, Helia Wallace arrives at Horace House seeking her godmother's help, only to find the Marquess of Wingrave in residence instead. With a snowstorm looming, she pleads to stay the night, but her presence sparks more than just curiosity. Despite his wish for solitude, Anthony is irresistibly drawn to her, knowing full well he risks ruining her reputation—and her life.

If you love your historical romances with a bit of dark edge and a lot of heat, The Wolf of Mayfair is a must-read. Trust me, you won’t be able to put this one down!

The Wolf of Mayfair is actually a very moving and in depth HEA. Anthony is a very complex Duke to be shaped by the dichotomy of his parenting and a tragic accident. Ms Caldwell took her time in building the characters and hot scenes aren’t rushed. Anthony is strong and thus Caldwell gave him a heroine equal in strength of character who’s filled with the devotion and capable of the love that he’d been missing to help him heal. This was a very good read received as an ARC from the publisher in exchange of my sincere opinion.

Trapped in a snowstorm? Absolutely. A perfect, spicy read for a cold winter day. Great characters with a good storyline.

Another great historical romance by Christi Caldwell! I adored this fantastic grumpy/ sunshine romance. It was steamy and a little angsty, and I couldn't get enough of it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love a good alphahole story! I admit that I started reading this book and had to set it down but I'm so glad I picked it back up! In the beginning I had a hard time connecting with Anthony due to how cold and callous he was, I wasn't sure there was anything he could do to redeem himself after the way he initially treated Helia who was so lost and destitute with nowhere else to go. But ever so slowly (and I mean slowly, hang in there) his facade slipped away revealing someone deserving of Helia's love. Helia was truly admirable. I loved her resilience and the way she didn't shy away from facing adversity in any aspect, including Anthony when most of the time he was such a cad!

This was my first book by Christi Caldwell so I didn't know what to expect. What I experienced was great chemistry, engaging banter, a slower pace that allowed for depth of the characters and sizzling intimate scenes. The plot is character focused, which is my favorite, well written with a more modern feel and some really touching moments. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

I received an early copy from the publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The style of writing is not for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read the book. Historical romance is not my thing.

A steamy Little Red Riding Hood reimagining in Regency era that I know you will enjoy, because I know I did. I was smiling and giggling and swooning the whole time. 🥰
Gosh… Wingrave’s intensity, possessiveness, touch her and d*e, growling and ‘mine’ part … well, it was all too much and too good! I was under some kind of spelI as I just kept reading all night. 🫠It was so beautifully written, sweet, heartfelt, laced with humor and deliciously steamy! ♥️🔥✨

What a fantastic book!
Wingrave was introduced in a previous book..

Wingrave has been taught to be cold and merciless since he is a future Duke. He has lost so much in his life.. Helia is all alone in this world with no one to help her. She runs to her godmother, wanting to find sanctuary. What she finds instead is, Wingrave.
Their story has so many ranges of emotions. Their first meetings are full of anger and fear to slowly love and understanding. I loved the journey in the happily ever after.

I don’t really think this book was for me. I was excited initially because I was getting massive Beauty and the Beast vibes from the beginning of the book, but the more I read, the more my interest waned. The MMC was extremely unlikeable and borderline abusive. There was zero chemistry between the two main characters, and Wingrave spent a majority of the book acting cruel toward Helia. Due to that fact, the few spicy scenes sprinkled in between felt completely off and gave me the ick due to some of the terms the author used.

This book wasn’t even that long, but I felt like it dragged on for ages. The overall level of substance and romance was lacking entirely for me.

After reading an ARC copy of one of Caldwell’s novels, I immediately fell in love with her writing. Since then I have kept up with any new releases and the Wolf of Wayfair was no exception. This felt different to her other historical romances and unfortunately I didn’t love this like I did the others. With ‘bad’ characters or those who aren’t immediately lovable, I find there is a fine line between redeemable, closed off Characters who lash out and those that are downright vindictive and nasty. Anthony enjoyed his conquests. I know that’s harsh, but that was his attitude towards sex and women. When Helia shows up, he’s just not nice to her.
I couldn’t get into this story unfortunately. The MMC’s personality was immediately off putting and Helia’s meek character left me frustrated. I hope I love Caldwell’s next release more than this one.

CW: domestic violence, assault, grief, accidental death, serious illness

This is a book that is much a tense character study of falling in love than it is anything else.  On a stormy winter night, a young waif shows up at the beastly future Duke's family home in London and what unfolds is both a tribute to Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast.  I was never sure which was the author's goal, but I think there are similarities that if either of these archaetypes are your jam, you will be loving the flavor.

The MC is a tortured and mean as hell rake, recently left to his own devices in the family London home to stalk the halls like a wounded animal.  He is at first a monster, snarling and snapping and terrifying to all but the intrepid heroine MC. She is a wisp of a thing, hailing from Scotland in search of a last connection to save her from a terrible fate.

If it sounds a touch gothic and melodramatic, well it is.  But for readers who love an alpha-hole felled by the love a pure hearted woman, this one is for you.

I have provided a content warning due to many mature themes and content that is not a light holiday read.  Its as moody and broody as its hero, and although there is action, the real tension is between the two MCs.  There is also a fair amount of consensual pre-marital intimacy on page, that I found alternatively sensual and uninteresting. I did read this book quickly, finding it captured my interest, but I have long sense realized that a hero with an imposing nature is not really my cup of tea. Loathe to tinge this review with too much of my preference, I will only say that this is not a read for laughs or swoony gestures, at least not until the end. Cat and mouse, Red and Wolf, or Beauty and Beast, we have a struggle for power, intimacy, and love.

Winter storms, Frost Fair on the Thames, and steamy scenes make this a moody read for December, when you want something between a gothic story and a respun fairy tale.  I recommend for mature readers who love an alpha-hole hero and a fiesty heroine who battle against love, only to find it is the very thing that saves them.

I don't know why I struggled with this book. It reminded me of the romances from about 20 years ago (especially the hero), but I just couldn't get into it. The book was a relatively quick read, but I didn't really connected with the characters.

Christi Caldwell never misses. I loved the grumpy x sunshine and the regency style mafia. I would have appreciated a little more character building. 4 stars!

I adored Helia and Anthony's story! I loved that Helia didn't let her situation get her down. She forged ahead and did something about it. Anthony was an @$$ for a lot of the story, but I did grow to love him.

With such statements as “His randy shaft…”, I tried. I really did, because I’ve always enjoyed Ms Caldwell’s work, but this tried my nerves from the very beginning and after 8 chapters I had to put this down because the MMC was a jerk of such immense proportions that I couldn’t go on reading.

I will likely pick this up again in the future and in the meantime, I hope other readers will enjoy this one more than I.



Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the DRC

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I loved the forced proximity and the tension that came because of it. I absolutely loved Helia. She stood up to the duke and didn’t back down to his cutting words. I loved that the reader saw her emotions and vulnerability after those conversations and how she worked through them. It made her very relatable. The duke can be very possessive and that actually worked for me in this one and wasn’t a turnoff. I liked the amount of spice and how it was written. I do feel like the pacing of the second half was a little faster than the first but it had a good build up and I loved how the two handled some events towards the end.

Thank you netgalley, the publisher, and author for the gifted copy.

I devour this story in one sitting!
The Marquess of Wingrave doesn’t want visitors. But when the butler says the caller is a she, he springs to attention. Turns out the recently orphaned Helia Wallace has come to see his mother, her godmother, for help with a dastardly, dowry-chasing cousin. A likely story. But there’s a snowstorm brewing, and she begs him to let her stay the night. He reluctantly agrees. With the duke and duchess wintering elsewhere, Horace House is all his. He is free to do whatever he wants. And what he wants is Helia.
So engaging! Helia is a wonderful character. She is strong and resilient and I loved the way she defends herself from the soulless Marquess. He is cold and cruel, but our sunshine Helia will break every barrier piece by piece. The chemistry is of the chart and impossible to ignore. I really enjoyed all the banter, the steamy moments and how complex both characters were.
I highly recommend it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a captivating read for fans of historical romance, particularly those who enjoy stories about strong-willed heroines, dashing heroes, and the tender, steamy moments that unfold when opposites attract in a Regency-era setting.

The premise of this book was intriguing, but I felt like the book itself left something to be desired. The relationship between the two mothers was never explained. It was not indicated how exactly the Duke found out about Wingrave’s activities. The relationship between Helia and Anthony seemed only to be based on her illness…so many places where the story could have been enriched. It’s not terrible, though, it was intriguing enough I read to the end.