A Little Bit Wicked (Last Man Standing, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Victoria Alexander (Author)
Key Phrases: little bit wicked, gaze toward the ceiling, lofty manner, Lady Chester, Lord Warton, Aunt Louisa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Bestselling author Alexander returns to Victorian England for her latest, the promising kickoff to a four-book series. In 1854 London, four titled gentlemen make a bet: the last man to avoid the inevitable trap of marriage wins an expensive bottle of brandy-as well as his precious freedom, for as long as necessity will allow. The first to face his trial is Gideon Pearsall, Viscount Warton, who lost his heart years ago to a conniving woman who briefly married him to make another lover jealous. Gideon firmly believes he will never love again, and the new "adventure" he's begun with Lady Judith Chester is merely that-a chance for excitement, a quenching of desire. Lady Chester, for her part, feels the same. A widow whose former husband abused her in secret, Lady Chester simply wants to enjoy her freedom with a man who's merely bad, rather than controlling and cruel. But the wounds of the past have a way of catching up with the carefree lovers, conspiring to expose their real, raw feelings for each other. The rich characters in this first installment of Alexander's "Last Man Standing" series (wickedly similar to Stephanie Laurens's Bastion Club novels) make this a satisfying start, though one hopes for a little more action and passion in future installments.
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Product Description

Who will be the last unmarried man standing?

No man in his right mind would want to get married, but every duke, earl, and viscount knows that a fellow must do his duty in the end. So four of London's most desirable gentlemen make a wager—the prize going to the one who remains unwed the longest.

Gideon Pearsall, Viscount Warton, thinks he has a fair shot at winning. After all, he's managed to enjoy the favors of many a lady while resisting the parson's noose. Even when he's stopped dead in his tracks by the most scandalous woman in all of London—Judith, Lady Chester—he vows to have her bedded but never wedded.

Beautiful, and more than a little bit naughty, Judith has always kept herself within the bounds of respectability, even while playing by her own rules. And the experience has taught her to avoid marriage. She has no desire to resist Warton's hot kisses, and his tempting touch is impossible to ignore.

But soon both Judith and Gideon can't help but wonder . . . is it possible to be a little bit wicked and still follow your heart?

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006088262X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060882624
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #201,583 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 1 in The Last Man Standing Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing story with a dose of humor, March 9, 2007

By	Maggie (Amsterdam, Netherlands) - See all my reviews

The newest series by Alexander deals with the love stories of four confirmed bachelors who have no plans to get married anytime soon. The series starts off with this refreshing regency romance that tells the story of Judith and Gideon: they have both been in love and married before and, now in their early thirties, start what they both want to be a temporary affair, each intent on keeping their independence and avoiding marriage. However, they find that their attraction is stronger than anticipated and that they feel more for each other than just desire... as always, Alexander manages to infuse the story with a substantial dose of humor and with sympathetic characters who have a healthy dose of self-reflection. Warmly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little predictable, but a fun and entertaining read nonetheless..., June 2, 2008

By	Tringle "Steamy and Spice make every read nice!" (Texas) - See all my reviews

I really enjoy good historical romances. Something about being whisked away to another time and place and learning to live with all the customs of that era is rather appealing.

When I first picked up this book, I was quite intrigued by the unique boldness of the leading lady. The fact that Judith is a widow with no desire for yet another husband, and feels no need to ignore her physical needs/ desires, was interesting and ballsy to say the least. Although I had to admit that I didn't think the main character, Gideon, was as interesting as he could have been, the chemistry between these two was HOT HOT HOT!

The love scenes were scorching, and although the end was fairly predictable, who doesn't love a happy ending?! All in all, I would say this is another good read if you have extra time and want something that doesn't require too much time or effort.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Little Bit Boring, March 6, 2008

By	MJ Ficke (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Little Bit Wicked (Hardcover)

I really do hate to be so harsh, but a little bit boring is an understatement. I barely finished this book. I almost gave up twice. The dialogue between the characters was witty for all of five minutes and then it was just tedious. There was practically no build up to the consummation. I admit to getting frustrated with books that take the entire story for just a kiss. This book was the complete opposite and I found myself liking this scenario even less than waiting until the end of the book for a mere kiss.

I find myself puzzled by reference to the "wicked" or "steamy" sex scenes. While I admit they were not boring, I would not use these words to describe them. If you want wicked or steamy, read Stephanie Laurens, Liz Carlyle, Sabrina Jeffries, or Lisa Kleypas to name but a few.

I agree with another reviewer's advice. Do not buy this, borrow it. Better yet, save yourself some time and don't bother.