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.

Captivating!

I loved this historical romance and its character development. Helia is a lovable heroine. She is a sweet, optimistic, and strong FMC. Anthony is a cold, arrogant, and rude MMC. I loved how Helia handles him and sees right through him. As Helia breaks down his defences, we progressively discover the hidden person and understand why he is so detestable. Their relationship evolution grows subtly. There are beautiful and intense exchanges between the two. This book is a captivating read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There is a reason that Christi Caldwell is my favorite author! She never ceases to amaze me with the depth of her characters, and her ability to pull the reader into their lives. I become totally invested, rooting desperately for the broken, unredeemable hero to open up his closed off heart to the courageous, feisty heroine. Helia is the sunshine, little Scot who barges into Anthony’s life, turning his world upside down, only to rescue him from a life of misery. She saw beneath the crude and cruel exterior, and never gave up till she found a tender heart inside! A lifetime of love was her reward. Such a beautiful story of love and redemption!

This was a spicy and romantic story with two incredibly strong main characters. Our Wolf was more of a cuddly teddy bear who desperately needed a hug, while Helia just needed a break and wasn’t getting one. I found that both of their backstories were relatable, which helped me understand why they were the way they were.

I have never read from this author but I loved this. It was well written and everything I wanted plus some.

Rating: 4/5 stars
Steam level: Open-door scenes

Thoughts:
I loved this historical romance book. The main characters were really enjoyable to read, and I appreciated the darker aspects of this story and how it impacted the relationship between Helia and Anthony. In many ways, their dynamic felt a lot like those written in classic historical romance novels.

To start off, Helia is an endearing character. She’s strong-willed and stubborn while retaining an air of innocence that can only come from a sheltered life filled with love. On the other hand, Anthony was written with shades of depression and grief. He’s hateful and has been through so much in his life. These gradual revelations made his resulting cold and somewhat malevolent behavior feel realistic and meaningful. To be clear, I love both characters so much. The author excelled at writing the nuanced emotions of deep resentment and how it can impact a person’s life trajectory.

Helia and Anthony’s personalities made their relationship dynamic interesting. I felt invested in their success and enjoyed the trials they faced along the way, which revealed a surprising softness they shared despite Anthony’s dark nature. Additionally, witnessing Helia’s sweetness single-handedly breaking through Anthony’s long-established defenses and causing him to short-circuit was equal parts satisfying and romantic. Their opposites-attract dynamic made the resulting steamy scenes feel very hot.

Finally, the pacing of the book felt off for me at times, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The author worked hard to fit a lot of relationship and character-related complexities into this story, and I enjoyed these moments a lot.

I would recommend this for fans of historical romance that enjoy male leads with some dark/cruel sides.

I received an advanced reader copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Wolf of Mayfair sounded amazing. I was excited to read it and try this new to me author whom I’d heard so much awesome things about. Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me mainly because of the hero. I love an a-hole hero but he just rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like his deplorable attitude was being overly sold. In the little (14%) I read of the book it was mentioned multiple times especially by him. I couldn’t understand what about his atrocious attitude the heroine was attracted to. I also found it repetitive. For these reasons I’m dnfing at 14%.

This book was so much fun to read! It features a morally gray, menacing grump and an intrepid, spirited young lady who doesn’t back down in speaking her mind and stands up to his menacing demeanor.
The plot is beautifully written and has „Beauty and the beast“, grumpy-sunshine, jaded hero and close proximity tropes. It is filled with plenty of witty banter, LOL moments, past drama, dirty talk, steamy love scenes and lovable characters. I loved Anthony‘s dry sarcasm which made me laugh to tears and the way Helia's fearless and warm nature challenged him at every turn, slowly drawing him out of his shell. Their chemistry and interactions sizzled from the start.

Anthony, Marquess of Wingrave, heir to the cruel Duke of Talbert,
is a notorious rake and known for his callousness, wickedness and ruthlessness.
When his parents leave London to spend some time at their country estate, Anthony makes himself at home in the ducal residence and enjoys his solitude and power he has in the absence of his hated father.
Until suddenly, in the middle of a snowstorm, a young lady in the entrance hall disturbs his peace and refuses to leave the house. She claims to be on the run and to need help from her supposed godmother, Anthony's mother.

Helia Wallace was forced to flee Scotland and her home when her cousin, her late father's heir, tried to force her into marriage. She has come to London to seek refuge with her late mother's friend and her godmother, the Duchess of Talbert. But instead of the Duchess, she meets her infamous son, who wants to throw her out immediately.

Anthony is fascinated by the woman, who parries his attempts at intimidation and crude behavior with cheek and determination. He reluctantly allows her to stay, knowing that one night in his house will irrevocably destroy her reputation. Soon Anthony realises that Helia has not only invaded his household but also his thoughts. The intrepid, defiant woman can see his vulnerability and loneliness underneath his menacing exterior and is determined to melt the ice around his heart…

If you like morally gray heroes and sassy, ​​fearless heroines who tame their heart, this book is a must-read!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.