Wicked Angel [Mass Market Paperback]

Shirl Henke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001

Jocelyn Woodbridge cares nothing for the vanities of Regency London. Although the niece of an earl, she prefers tending the sick and reforming the fallen. Called a “Holy Hannah” by the ton, Joss is content with her life until the day a handsome, golden man rescues her from an angry mob. When she looks at his face, she knows he must be an angel. Tall, gawky Joss falls secretly in love with a man whose love she may never possess.

Alexander Blackthorne is no angel. Part American Indian and the son of an English aristocrat, he arrives in London to enjoy its taverns and trollops, not to mend his reckless ways. Alex has always placed women in one of two categories—beloved family members or sexual diversions. But kind and keen-witted Joss is unique. She becomes his friend…until a marriage of convenience between them changes everything.

Joss will need more than prayer to make a loving husband of her…
WICKED ANGEL

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 395 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084394854X
• ISBN-13: 978-0843948547
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,057,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Refreshingly Original Historical Romance!, December 3, 2003

By 

Jana L. Perskie "ceruleana" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wicked Angel (Mass Market Paperback)

"Wicked Angel" is an unusually original romance set against the backdrop of the War of 1812. Miss Jocelyn Angelica Woodbridge, (Joss), is the plain, ungainly daughter of a Methodist preacher. She is known as "Holy Hannah" by the ton, as she would much rather work nursing London's destitute and reforming her fallen sisters than taking her place in society. Her father is the 2nd son of an earl who was disowned by his family when he left the Church of England and married a governess.

During a brawl on the London docks, started by one of Rev. Woodbridge's sermons, Joss is saved from being trampled by Alexander Blackthorne, a newcomer to England. Alex, the American son of an English noblewoman and her Muskogee Indian husband, has been sent to live with his mother's people to reform his rowdy ways and become a gentleman. Alex is immediately drawn to Joss' intelligence, wit and unconventionality. She is smitten at first glance by his tall good looks and kindness. A fast friendship forms between the two. However, Joss accepts her plain, gawky appearance and understands that Alex can never love her as a woman - especially as he has most of London's females, society ladies and Cyprians, at his feet. The two seem to continuously get into humorous and dangerous scrapes from which they rescue each other, until Joss finds herself in a terrible predicament that may be impossible to escape. True to form, Alex comes to the rescue with a most unusual proposal. And the excitement, steamy and otherwise, really begins.

Shirl Henke has written a delightful romance, one of her best. The novel clips along at a nice pace. Her characters, from the hero and heroine to their friends, family and enemies, are wonderful and very original. The subplot, the War of 1812 and the British plans to woo the American Creek and Seminole Indians to their side is fascinating. Ms. Henke's research is impeccable. "Wicked Angel" is light entertainment at its best.
JANA

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Regency tale, April 10, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wicked Angel (Mass Market Paperback)

Half Muskogee and half-English aristocrat, Alexander Blackthorn leaves Coweta, Georgia to spend time in London. The simpering women of the Ton leave Alex cold. That is until he rescues Jocelyn "Joss" Woodbridge from an unruly mob threatening her preacher father.

Joss is so different than the ladies he has met, as she is intelligent, braver, and taller than those that have turned Joss off from his English heritage. Soon Alex and Joss begin to become better acquainted and they begin to fall in love. However, before their love can firmly cement, they are forced to marry even as a second war of independence between the two Anglo nations separated by the ocean is imminent and threatening to destroy their relationship.

WICKED ANGEL is clever blending of humor, romance, and history into a powerful Regency tale. The story line is fast-paced, filled with amusing moments, and loaded with tidbits that anchors the time and place without slowing the plot one iota. The two delightful lead characters and a strong secondary mix leaves the audience with another powerfully entertaining Shirl Henke novel to savor.

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing Regency, May 15, 2001

By 

Sheri Melnick (Enola, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wicked Angel (Mass Market Paperback)

Alex Blackthorne is sent from America to England by his parents to visit his mother's aristocratic family and tame his roguish behavior. There he meets Jocelyn Woodbridge, preacher's daughter, and the two become friends. Though Joss is in love with Alex, he fails to see the woman behind the drab clothing, and he continues on with his wild ways, bewitching English women with his American Indian heritage.

Circumstances lead Alex to marry Joss to form a union in name only. Alex finds difficulty in keeping to the original terms of the bargain when he uncovers the beautiful woman that he has married. Their marriage must endure further tests as they return to America, and Joss meets some of Alex's Indian relatives.

The depth of these two main characters makes this a very enjoyable read. Neither hero or heroine are perfect-both are very likeable, human characters with believable flaws. Though Joss' initial appearance is rather dowdy, Alex finds that he is attracted to her anyway and later discovers that it wasn't her beauty initially that drew him to her, but her compassionte character, a rare find in a genre where beauty is almost everything. Readers will definitely want to explore LOVE A REBEL...LOVE A ROGUE, the story of Alex's parents.