Customer Reviews

Deliciously Wicked

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In 1892 England, the owner's daughter Meg Piddington and new employee Gareth Mandeville are accidentally locked inside her father's chocolate factory after the Piddington Confectionary facility closed. Not long afterward, he is arrested for stealing boxes of chocolate. She is his alibi as he was with her without a chaperone when the crime was committed, but the cost is her reputation unless they marry. Gareth prefers prison then a life sentence in marriage to any woman.

Meg is attracted to Gareth, but also is curious as to who framed the handsome stranger. Being a card carrying member of the Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society, she and her cohorts in "crime" investigate to learn Gareth's secrets and to prove someone else committed the crime while also trying to convince Gareth that marriage filled with love is not leg shacking; instead it frees the heart.

The sequel to the fabulous A STUDY IN SCANDAL is a wonderful Victorian romantic mystery starring two interesting protagonists ably supported by the Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society, which delightfully means future tales of love and mystery. DELICIOUSLY WICKED is a fun historical from the moment the lead duo is locked inside together and never slows down until the final blithely sweet exchange. Fans of confectionary cozies will enjoy this lighthearted romp.

Harriet Klausner

If you like reading Karen Hawkins and Julia Quinn you will love Robyn DeHart's books. Ms. DeHart has written a new twist on the amateur female detective. The characters are well draw. The pace kept me reading. All in all a delightful book.

This novel works so well. Meg, the heroine is sweet, loyal and even though she can have harebrained ideas, she is levelheaded when she needs to be. She is the daughter of a chocolate factory owner and is determined to someday run the plant. Pretty ambitious for the 1890's. She is also a member of a ladies sleuth club; four ladies who love to solve mysteries.

Their current mystery is finding the thief who stole the special boxes from the chocolate plant. Gareth Mandeville is accused of the crime but Meg knows he didn't do it because the two of them were locked in a factory room during the crime. She cannot provide the alibi or her reputation will be ruined.

Gareth doesn't know why someone wants him away from the factory but he is willing to protect Meg when she goes on her sleuthing missions. He really really likes Meg, so much so that he cannot help but kiss her when they are alone. However, he does not want to marry. He has secrets and marrying will force him to reveal them.

He and Meg have one sleuthing and romantic adventure after another. They never fall into the I hate you but lust after you formulaic dialogue so common in romance novels. Instead their communication is full of respect and liking. Meg's sense of justice is appealing and Gareth appreciates that she is working hard to clear his name.

The physical intimacy between the leads is both tender and sexy. Gareth never comes off as a jaded rake. He's not a bad boy either. He seems almost common but with a dash of mystery thrown in to make him interesting. Megan is curious and smart enough to realize when she is over her head. I am looking forward to reading about the adventures of the other ladies in the Sleuthing Club

Set in 1892 Victorian England, our unconventional heroine Meg Piddington is a young woman ahead of her time. Her father owns a confectionary factory and as the only child, albeit a daughter, would like nothing better than to one day run the business. In her spare time, rather than steep herself in society attending social functions she and three other young ladies have formed the "Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society" and are determined to solve crimes. Little does Meg know that the next crime to be solved will be one in which she plays a starring role in. While on an errand after hours to retrieve a ledger book from her fathers factory, she found herself locked in a storage room alone with her fathers newest employee the very handsome, Gareth Mandeville. The next day Gareth is accused of theft from the factory and his only alibi is Meg whose admission of his whereabouts would certainly ruin her reputation.

*** I found the second of DeHart's "Ladie's Amateur Sleuth" series a quick read, sweetly predictable and cute. The premise was somewhat original and the characters all likeable promising some humorous moments as the young ladies involved are astute enough to figure out motives and crimes, yet clueless when it comes to affairs of the heart. Thank goodness the men they tangle with are experienced and the author uses some very sensual interludes that are pivotal in adding to the overall enjoyment. As far as the suspense element in this installment, it was for me predictable. I thought that Meg was developed rather well as both wanting to take an active part of her inheritance by learning the ins and outs of the confectionary business rather than wanting a conventional family life. Meg's decision in initially not wanting to marry was well done and believable of not wanting to experience the pain of losing a great love after witnessing her own father's insurmountable grief of losing her mother. Though, I would have liked to see more clues with a bit more suspense developed over the theft plot Ms. Dehart's delightful fresh new voice wove a pleasant tale in providing a lighter side to a very lovely, entertaining Victorian historical romance.

Marilyn Rondeau, [...]

Meg Piddington is considered by some to be a spinster as she is not married and is not pursuing a husband, and she is in her late 20's. But, Meg really wants to take over her families Chocolate Factory, which is something that is just not done by a young woman in London during the late 1800's. But, Meg is content to learn the family business and work with her 3 friends sleuthing around, another thing not dome by young women, trying to solve local mysteries.

Gareth Mandeville is an intriguing Irish man who has recently started working for her father on the chocolate line. When Meg and Gareth are accidentally locked in the company store room after hours she can't seem to stop thinking about Gareth along the man/woman lines. But, Gareth is just looking to get out of the building, and is having a hard time concentrating because not only will Meg not stop talking but he is drawn to her as he has been to no other woman. This is concerning to Gareth who is trying to move up it the ranks of the factory and continues to hide his titled background. Gareth has the title but not monies or properties to go with it, and therefore wants to keep it and the scandal that his father brought to it hidden.

When Gareth is accused of stealing merchandise, the same night as they were locked in the storeroom, Meg is ready to reveal that she was there with him. But, he is concerned about her reputation and therefore will not reveal her having been there with him. He also doesn't see marriage in his future and that is the certain outcome that will result if their secret becomes known, even though it was neither persons fault. Meg and her fellow sleuths set out to figure out who the real thief is and to clear Gareth's name. Gareth on the other hand takes on the role of trying to keep Meg out of trouble. The largest trouble of all is that both are drawn to each other and not just as friends. The more time the send together the more they are kissing and letting their sexual feelings get out of hand. Will they figure out who the real thief is and why they are trying to frame Gareth before someone gets hurt?

I found this a quick read. I also found myself skimming this story. I love the premise but in the end the characters didn't seem to keep my interest as many others do. As a fan of this genre I would recommend it for another genre fan but not to someone who is just starting to read historical romances. There are other series such as Lisa Klypas's wallflower books or anything by Amanda Quick that were more gripping.

Robyn DeHart latest historical has it all: a light and fun mystery, steamy sexual tension, and a rollicking good romance!

I've loved all of DeHart's books. This is the second book in her Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society series. DeHart's breezy style sucks you effortlessly into Meg and Gareth's story. However, her characters have enough depth and subtlety to make for an emotionally satisfying read. I particularly loved Meg. I'm peace-maker in my family, so I could completely sympathize with Meg's emotional journey.

If you're looking for a fun and easy reader, this book is sure to please!

It was drawn out and uninteresting. The characters were ok, but the whole package of plot, action and characters was boring. Nothing surprised or delighted me. Story brief: father's wife died and he lives with his daughter Meg. He owns a chocolate factory and someone stole gift boxes and money from the factory. An Irishman Gareth works in the factory. Meg and Gareth seek to solve the mystery, since the guilty person is trying to frame Gareth. Meg has no plans to marry and wants to run the factory after her father dies.

Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: 1892 London. Copyright: 2006. Genre: historical mystery with some romance.

Meg Piddington is a member of the "Ladies Amateur Sleuth Society" as well as wanting to prove to her father that she can be responsible and helpful in the family business. Her two goals are about to collide when she spends a few hours locked in the Chocolate factory with handsome but frustrating Gareth Mandeville. This one incident is going to introduce her to the wonders of kissing Gareth as well as prove to be his alibi when he is accused of a crime he did not commit. This is going to give Meg a chance to finally put her sleuthing skills to work since Gareth would rather face jail than the possibility of marriage and if Meg tries to provide him with an alibi a wedding will be the end result of that. He's still not sure why he allowed himself to kiss the madding woman or why he can't keep his hands to himself, or why he keeps thinking about their shared kiss. There is danger out there and someone wants Gareth out of the way. Can these two find a happy ending while trying to stay alive?

This is the second in Ms. DeHart's "Ladies' Amateur Sleuth Society" yet it is a strong stand alone read if you've not read the first in the series. Gareth and Meg are wonderful protagonists and their romance is at turns humorous and romantic. Ms. DeHart is a fresh voice in the historical romance genre and she has effortlessly combined romance, suspense, humor, and history into her story. This is one author and series you won't want to miss. For CK2s Kwips and Kritiques

Robyn Dehart immediately draws the reader into a deliciously wicked scenario when Meg Piddington finds that she is locked in her father's chocolate factory with Garth Mandeville, a new employee. since her father has been unable to work after a riding accident, Meg is is determined to to see that the factory runs smoothly until he is well. When a special box of chocolates is missing, Garth is accused and Meg finds herself in a difficult situation. Since her reputation is at stake she decides to find the culprit herself and get help from her dearest friends in the Ladies' Amateur Sleuth Stociety. The journey to the solution is a romp of fun and twists and turns. As usual Ms Dehart write a sensouse romance that keeps us reading until THE END.

Did anyone else find Meg to sometimes be a little...dim? There were things she said that I just thought, "Huh?"

For example, in one scene she was talking to her father and she said, "it wasn't him. I know because I asked him and he said so." Um, and she's part of the sleuth society?

Don't get me wrong, she was a very strong individual, and did use her brain. But sometimes I had to re-read something she said with incredulity.