Customer Reviews

Wicked

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This was a boring one. Oh yes, there was a LOT of sex. The sex scenes were frequent, meaning one scene per chapter. However, the scenes were short and after awhile got kind of boring. The characters and plot seemed fake and unreal. For instance, I don't understand why Serena wanted Beau. Why the heck they like each other? Because they sure get into bed pretty fast and often. There was some attempt to make a real plot with the addition of Napoleon, but I couldn't quite get it and it seemed incongruous. But it's really boring because all Serena and Beau seem to do is pig out and have sex, at the same time.

Like other common female characters, Serena is big-breasted and can play cards really well. Honestly,. Can't romance writers think of more unique qualities, instead?

However, the majority of this book has too much sex AND food, at the same time. It's like a bad imitation of Gone With the Wind. All that eating rich foods while getting screwed at the same time left me feeling motion-sick.

But hey, I'll admit my heart started racing and kind of cringed when Beau said something like, "I want to fill you up with so much sperm" all to get her pregnant. I'm not really into the younger man. Beau is 22, and Serena is 23. But if young hormone-driven lovers are your thing, then go for it!

However, if you want some escapist literature, I would not recommend this. The lack of structure left me feeling arrogant, thinking I could write better. The other flaws are also too annoying to provide any type of escape.

I've read review of Susan Johnson's books, especially how much they complained about gratuitous sex. I don't think this is one of her dirtier ones. The boring sex scenes should make this one CLEAN.

Susan Johnson creates Serena and Beau almost as charicatures of the romance novel genre. An inexperienced, idealistic, beautiful woman - a hard, egnigmatic, incredibly virile man. (The cover is GREAT, by the way.) Although the story line doesn't contain as many twists, turns, or subplots as others I've read, it certainly makes a thorough exploration of the character's thoughts, sexual discoveries and passionate intrigues. It was a fantastical change from the standard romance novel - definitely steaming - and surely worth the whole 2 days it took me to read it. (Sorry, couldn't put it down.) Because of this book, and because of other rave reviews I have read on Susan Johnson, I am tracking down everything else she has written! I think her books will make this impending winter weather very bearable!

Dear readers, this was the book that did it for me. This was the book that had me running mad all over the place looking for any Susan Johnson book that I could possibly find, so that I could devour them! I was so fascinated that I could not even borrow her books from the library. I had to buy them! This book about Beau and Serena was so darn delicious that I read it twice! Serena, A servant, stowed away on Beau's yacht , and Beau who is A very naughty boy was A very happy man indeed! This book had everything you would want in A novel. A sweet and impulsive heroine, A hero who is so darn sexy, you'll wish he was real, an interesting story line, and HOT, HOT, sex!! Just take A gander at the cover of the book, and you'll get an idea what your in for. Don't get me wrong, this book is not all about sex. I hate it when critics call Susan Johnson books erotica's. She is so much more talented than that. Whenever I read one of her books, I become so engrossed that I forget all of my problems for A day or two. I laugh, I cry, I can feel the love that the heroes and heroines have for each other. She captures the emotions and essence of each and every one of her characters perfectly. You will never forget one of Susan Johnson's novels. So, if your looking for A novels with A little bit of everything, try Wicked. Get A taste of how A women can first capture A man's body, and then his heart.

In typical Johson fashion, the pages fairly burn before you can read them; despite the intense, trademark sex scenes that Johnson writes so well(and with so little inhibition! :^) )this book falls flat. As with several of her more recent publications, the story seems to be more a string of encounters with not much else to hold it together. I really didn't feel much of a relationship ever got started between hero and heroine(they were too busy groaning and gasping to talk for long enough to get to know each other). The best part of the entire book was a glimpse into the lives of Beau's parents that contained emotional impact enough to carry the book if they'd had another scene. Bring back the days of FORBIDDEN, GOLDEN PARADISE, BLAZE, and SINFUL, where there was more to the protagonists' relationship than what went on between the sheets!!!!!

I enjoyed Wicked only due to some of the erotic love making scenes. That's it. It is because of heroes like Beau St Jules that the the term 'male chauvinist pig' has been coined. Inspite of being REPEATEDLY unfaithful to the heroine, he was always getting jealous even if she spoke to another guy!
Susan Johnson can write a good erotic romance as evinced in Brazen and Forbidden, where the heroes (inspite of being male sl*ts) were redeemable and lovable.
Susan Johnson went so over the top with her description of Beau being the biggest rake in England that I have a hard time imagining Beau being faithful to Serena afer their marriage...

I think the only problem I had with this story was the age of Beau - I think for him to have that much sexual history and still that much desire for variety it is unrealistic to expect that he would really be faithful at 22 years of age to anyone. Most of the books about such rakes are usually about those in their late 20's at least. Even Beau's father Sinjin was 30 when he finally gave in to one woman. So, having said that I still enjoyed the story of Beau and Serena and while not quite as compelling as Sinjin's and Chelsea's, in Sinful it still is a worthy read for all Susan Johnson lovers. I hope at some point Susan writes a story about Beau's sisters and their dealings with men and their sexual liaisons - it would be interesting seeing Sinjin and Beau deal with daughters and sisters and libertines, as they were!!!

Great book! A much more realistic approach to romance than, "Oh, my dearest love...blah, blah,blah." When I pick up a romance novel, I want some heat, not a bunch of flowery words and a man chasing a woman who pretends she doesn't want to be caught. Everybody loses the pomp and circumstance when it's time to get to it - we just don't admit it...Bravo, Ms. Johnson, for showing that woman are just as primal as men - and we enjoy it just as much!

This was one of the most unromatic Romance novels I've ever read. It was very hot, very erotic, but the characters were unbelievable and unlikable, and the paper thin plot full of unmotivated decisions.

There were good things here: The historical research was obviously thorough, but it was an odd mix with what was essentially an erotic novel, despite its being marketed as a Historical Romance. Johnson's voice and prose was very good. Certainly, it is evocative. The sex scenes were extremely hot and the prose was nicely emotional. So much so that the raw word choices in describing anatomy and acts was very intrusive in what was supposed to be a Historical Romance, or at least a love story.

There is more that is bad: The plot is almost non-existant. The two main characters make decisions without much rhyme or reason, and change their minds without any kind of justification.

The characters were unlikeable and unbelievable. The hero, who at the tender age of 22 has apparently slept with every woman in England, Italy, and Naples, objectifies women in an apalling way. I thought perhaps he'd change as his feelings for the heroine developed, but he's basically doing the same thing right up to his last minute unmotivated
"epiphany". The heroine is completely unmemorable except in her whining jealousy and utter capitulation to the hero in every matter. She's inconsistant, as well, accepting money from the hero, but not gifts (though she accepts those after token objection as well), sniping jealously, then saying she's not jealous. And why she loves this misogynistic phillanderer is a mystery.

This was obviously not the Johnson book to start with. There was more believable affection between the hero's parents in two scenes than all of the (many) sex scenes between the main characters. Perhaps this is a good author, but a bad book.

I would split the five in the author's favor at give it a 3, but the hero's treatment of the heroine (and all women) gets it a 2.

After reading several weighty historicals, I found "Wicked" a good read and a sexy romp - without the relationship between the characters being burdened down by too many secondary plots. The history contained was well researched and fit right in. There was plot, but it mainly centered around the relationship between the two characters, who obsessively have sex with one another from cover to cover. I would classify this more as an erotica, rather than a romance - although the romance was vivid and really the main theme. Beau is a rake and a scoundrel, but a likable (and sexy!) one. The main female character is strong-minded and unashamed to explore her sexuality awakened by Beau. The sex scenes were HOT! Not your usual for this type of book. The dialog flowed and was incredibly STIMULATING : )
Unlike many books with the plot of "reforming" the rake, I was actually convinced by the end that this was "true love". Not for you if you don't like arrogant alphas and take control types, however, he heroine gives as good as she gets! No shy doormat here! She holds her own against Beau, and as a reader, I felt satisfied (for once) that that this guy was made to pay his dues before he got the prize. Loved it! Its going in the keeper stack for another rainy day when I don't feel like too much thinking - just being sensually entertained!

I purchase novels by the look of the cover - and what a cover this was!! This book was a nice change from the typical run/chase scenario that is typical of romance novels. I will be reading more Susan Johnson books in the future.