A Certain Wolfish Charm [Mass Market Paperback]

Lydia Dare (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

In Lydia dare's debut trilogy, Regency England has gone to the wolves!

He gets crankier and crankier as the moon gets full...

The rules of Society can be beastly-especially when you're a werewolf and it's that irritating time of the month. Simon Westfield, the Duke of Blackmoor, is rich, powerful, and sinfully handsome, and has spent his entire life creating scandal and mayhem. It doesn't help his wolfish temper at all that Miss Lily Rutledge seems not the least bit afraid of him, and in fact, may be as untamable as he is...

A woman whose charm is stronger than the moon...

When Lily's beloved nephew's behavior becomes inexplicably wild, she turns to Simon, the boy's cousin and guardian, for help. But Simon's idea of assistance is far different than hers, and Lily finds herself ensconced in his house and engaged to the rogue.

They both may have bitten off more than they can chew when each begins to discover the other's darkest secrets...

"A Certain Wolfish Charm has bite! With its sexy hero, engaging heroine, and sizzling sexual tension, you won't want to put it down even when the moon is full."
-Sabrina Jeffries, New York Times bestselling Author of Wed Him Before You Bed Him

(20100315)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Tough, resourceful, charming women battle roguish, secretive, aristocratic men under the watchful eye of society in Dare's delightful Victorian paranormal romance debut. When Lily Rutledge's 12-year-old ward, Oliver, displays sudden changes in size and appetite, she demands that his guardian, Simon Westfield, duke of Blackmoor, pay attention to the boy. Simon wants to take Oliver away and teach him about the Westfield werewolf heritage; Lily refuses to abandon her beloved near-son to the man who has ignored him for years. Simon and Lily are drawn to each other, but Simon's secret and society gossip threaten their happiness. The scenes of passion and transformation are surprisingly gentle after an intense emotional buildup, and a lack of gory detail helps the novel retain a period feel and keeps it mild enough for mainstream romance fans. (Apr.)
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Review

A fast-paced, sizzling novel, A CERTAIN WOLFISH CHARM is a delight to read. (Vicky Gilpin Fresh Fiction 20100318)

"Plenty of humor, lots of steamy sexual tension, sexy majestic wolves, and a happily ever after that will keep you smiling for days." A Night Owl Romance Top Pick (Night Owl Romance 20100412)

Lydia Dare's A Certain Wolfish Charm will claim your heart, and so will the Westfield brothers! (Susan Love Romance Passion 20100412)

A spirited woman and a fierce man delightfully clash in this sexy novel about the impossibility of hiding from full moons or full hearts. (Christie Ridgeway BookPage 20100412)

Lydia Dare captures the feel of 1816 England while stimulating the readers romantic side and arousing curiosity about a mystery tied to the moon. (Mason Canyon Thoughts in Progress 20100412)

Sensual, emotionally riveting, and well-written. The characters jumped off the pages. (Eliza Knight History Undressed 20100412)

Dare has created a fun world where werewolves inhabit the Ton's high society and the word 'rake' takes on a whole new connotation. (The Long and Short of It 20100412)

A delightful story that is a quick read will most assuredly have you wanting the rest of the series. (Terra Studer Yankee Romance 20100412)

Fresh, entertaining and deliciously steamy. A howling good read. (Anna Vivian Anna's Book Blog 20100412)

Really cute, highly addictive, and fast paced. (Haley Mathiot The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object 20100412)

Amusing and witty... I can't possibly recommend this book more (Lexie Cenni Poisoned Rationality 20100412)

A great book to sink your teeth into! (Amy Jacobs My Overstuffed Bookshelf 20100412)

Uber-sexy with alpha-ness and a tendency towards brooding... This was done to perfection in A Certain Wolfish Charm (Grace L Books Like Breathing 20100412)

A lovely sense of humor... an entertaining book. (Holly Mercer The Book Binge 20100412)

A fast-paced, sizzling novel, A Certain Wolfish Charm is a delight to read. (Vicky Gilpin Fresh Fiction 20100412)

The traditional regency novel transformed into a paranormal romance. (Blodeuedd Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell 20100412)

Dare does a wonderful job of catching the reader's attention right from the beginning of the book. (Debbie Deb's Book Bag 20100412)

Feisty female, stubborn male and a whole lotta tension. (Michelle Red Headed Book Child 20100414)

A good historical novel mixed with paranormal elements. (Cheryl Koch Cheryl's Book Nook 20100414)

A solid start to a new series. (Leslie Gladnick Leslie's Psyche 20100421)

Appealing characters, a focus on the character's emotions, tons of romance, lots of sexual tension, a satisfying story that makes me want to read and read and read, and a perfect ending. (Valarie Pelissero Rakehell 20100421)

Dare's wonderful way with words wrap you up and demand you see how it all plays out. (Mandi Schriener Smexy Books 20100422)

The characters in this one are just awesome and the men are hot... Two thumbs up! (The Cajun Book Lady 20100426)

A great start to a new series! Grade: A+
(Sandy The Good, the Bad and the Unread 20100426)

Fans will enjoy this fine historical romance as the author daringly combines the paranormal within an amiable story line. (Harriet Klausner Genre Go Round 20100426)

You have the beginning of what I feel will be a great series. (Kristi Books and Needlpoint 20100427)

An engaging and witty story. (Martina Bexte BookLoons.com 20100517)

I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves historicals with some paranormal elements. (Randi Randi Romance Reads 20100526)

A tension-packed romance... sizzling hot, sensual. (Lynda K. Scott Star-Crossed Romance 20100824)

This historical paranormal romance was just what I was looking for... Lydia Dare writes a great story. (Patti Book Addict 20100825)

Hot romance, sizzling and palpable chemistry. (Stephanie Steph the Bookworm )

Lydia Dare brings a whole new look to Regency England. With her sexy, brooding hero and her strong, selfless heroine, the tensions that build between these characters explode with great force and lots of fireworks. (Rebecca Youngstown Romance Novel Examiner )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402236948
• ISBN-13: 978-1402236945
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,158 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lydia Dare is the writing team of Tammy Falkner and Ava Stone. Both Tammy and Ava are active members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers and live near Raleigh, North Carolina. They are working together on their next paranormal historical trilogy as Lydia Dare, which will be released by Sourcebooks Casablanca in Spring 2012! For more information, please visit http://www.lydiadare.com/.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book to sink your teeth into!, April 5, 2010

By 

A. Jacobs - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Certain Wolfish Charm (Mass Market Paperback)

This was a great book for a first in the series. I really enjoyed each of the characters and their personalities. Lily was strong and determined, which she needed to be when dealing with Simon. He was stubborn and a spit fire with everything rubbing him the wrong way. You can't even help laughing when all the characters are fighting with each other.

The writing was great and the dialogue flowed nicely. I devoured this book from beginning to end, and I was still hungry for more of the series! A great book to sink your teeth into!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun and entertaining historical paranormal romance, April 2, 2010

By 

LAS Reviewer "The Long and the Short Of It Re... (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Certain Wolfish Charm (Mass Market Paperback)

Originally posted at

Get ready for a fun and entertaining historical paranormal romance sure to lure even readers who, as a rule, do not read historical romances. This book is so much fun and the hero so surly that I couldn't wait to find out how he's brought to heel.

Simon, the Duke of Blackmoor has a complicated personality. He is the oldest so he has the pressure to be firm, strong and lead. He has this irritating emotional itch to scratch but he interprets it in the wrong way and ends up creating quite a rakish name for himself amongst the ton. He's loved by his brothers and just as fiercely he loves them back. It's that passion that is his undoing because he applies it to just about every decision he makes that truly matters to him. His stance on official Lycan marriages is that it's great and works for others but he just knows it's not for him - he's too afraid. Something happened in the past which colored his view of mating. Something that should have been so beautiful and a reason to rejoice has turned into something to fear, to steer clear of. Since guys are notorious at avoidance, this just adds spice to the internal conflict poor Simon must wade through. My favorite part of his dialogue and what I found sort of sexy and endearing was his assertion that the heroine never pull away from him. As you read you get the feeling that his instinct to love and connect with her is there but Simon is wearing blinders and wants to keep wearing them, again because he's afraid. But some things like love and a healthy dose of lust will undermine the best laid intentions, leading to him doing wonderfully sensual and wild things with the heroine. I really liked Simon, found him adorable, kissable and I wanted to go on a carriage ride with him too.

The lucky lady who did get to go in his carriage is Lily. Lily is well-situated on the proverbial shelf and is perfectly happy being there. You see, she has her nephew and he's her world. But something is going on with him; he's making that change from boy to man - and it's a trifle puzzling. Actually, a lot more is going on than Lily can possibly imagine and I truly felt for her. You see, she knows without a doubt that she's missing a piece of the puzzle and it is driving her nuts. By that point, a reader already knows what is what and cheers the heroine on in her search for the truth. There are times where I really wish she did find out sooner but the angst that guilt produces in Simon is worth her not knowing for awhile. What I mean is, Lily gets a chance to really know the man - his humor, his gruffness, his bumbling attempts at communication and his sense of silly humor. I like how she reacts to him and stands up to him and basically is alpha female to his alpha male. She's a good fit for him.

Secondary characters are there for a purpose. There are no throwaway personalities. Prisca is conniving and I think what she's angling for is what will eventually be her own story. William is the fun brother of Simon and he's great at needling the dickens out of his brother. The pastor's wife and her family play a role in forwarding the scheme and Simon's mother is a surprise. I really thought I'd have to read about another mean mother-in-law but Alice has some great lines of dialogue that were simply so like a mom. She's easy to like. Even the tart produces scenes which test the mettle of the heroine and hero.

The dialogue was specific to the characters, meaning Simon sounded like a guy, Lily sounded like a woman of her time albeit independent and everything made sense. There were silly moments, passionate moments, and the internal dialogues were insightful. I felt the pace of the story was a steady flow, easy to read and the descriptives Ms. Dare used brought her characters alive.

A Certain Wolfish Charm completely and totally charmed my socks off and I could not put this book down until I'd read it from front to back. I connected with Lily, swooned over Simon and enjoyed the rocky path they journeyed on as they found their happily ever after. Ms. Dare has created a fun world where werewolves inhabit the Ton's high society and the word `rake' takes on a whole new connotation. This is a place where a man being called a `beast' isn't a slur but high praise indeed and a woman really does get to enjoy a wild man. What could be better? Personally, I'd say another story about a Westfield man, please. This book was incredibly fun to read and I can't wait to tell my friends all about it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, sexy romp with a heartfelt core, April 10, 2010

By 

K. Dubois - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Certain Wolfish Charm (Mass Market Paperback)

A Certain Wolfish Charm is a charmer from first page to last. The hero is the best kind of alpha--one with an actual excuse for treating his lady to displays of possessiveness both hilarious and heartwarming. Lydia Dare offers a light touch of angst amidst a wealth of fun, all couched in a satisfying Regency setting. A deliciously sexy, truly enjoyable read!