Customer Reviews

Wicked Under the Covers (Carlisle Family, Book 1)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ms Pierce has definitely written a winner with Wicked Under the Covers. I loved the way this story both drew me in, and burned me up with the explicit and delightful passion between Maccus and Fayre. Maccus was a hero to die for....hot and wicked while being delightfully tender with Fayre. Fayre was a heroine that touched my heart while I cheered her on. I could not put this book down until I finished it. Great plot. Wonderful characters, both main and supporting. I can only hope that Ms Pierce will do sequels and give us Temmes and Trevor's stories. Bravo, Ms Pierce for a delightful book.

As the daughter of a Duke, Lady Fayre Carlisle was a prime catch. After an intense campaign to win her, Fayre fell in love with the dashing handsome second son of a Marquis giving him her innocence. Unfortunately, Fayre immediately discovered she'd been tricked -- purposely ruined for revenge upon her father was crushed to think she'd loved so foolishly, but was now determined to not let the perpetrators of her ruin get away with it.

Maccus Brawley was handsome and ambitious. He'd worked hard to put his dangerous past behind him and had been lucky in lucrative legitimate pursuits in making him very wealthy, but he still needed polish for entrance into the elite ton. Not only was he attracted to the beautiful Lady Fayre, but they could help each other. With Maccus' expertise he would help to formulate a plan for Fayre's revenge, and Fayre in turn would polish and gain him entrée into society. Their bargain made, neither expected their lessons to incorporate falling in love!

This was an impressive sensual read that will grab the reader from the first pages and not let you go until the very amusing and delightful end. The author put a nice twist with the scorned ex-mistress lover taking revenge upon the daughter to get back at the duke for dumping her - only this ex-mistress would find payback at the instigation of Maccus to be a just vindication! Fayre and Maccus were brought together gradually as Maccus' campaign to gain her trust was enjoyably brought to fruition and their sensual `adventures' were delightful and tastefully executed. The secondary characters were all very well portrayed and one can only hope to see further stories generated that might feature Fayre's brother Tem or Maccus' brother Trevor being featured in their own stories. Don't cheat and read it first, but note must be taken on the ending of this story which is absolutely hilarious and will leave you chuckling out loud and completely satisfied with this delightful read by newer author Barbara Pierce who has earned a place on my watch list.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

I love this book. Rarely is a budding relationship between to people illustrated so well in a romance novel. I really cared about Fayre and Maccus. I only wish that the plot had been more well developed. Fayre and Maccus strike a bargain: she introduces him into high society and he helps her get revenge on a scheming twosome that ruined her. This sounds wonderful, but it never really goes anywhere. The author only makes passing references to Lady Fayre teaching Maccus how to behave, to dance, etc. And the revenge, well...I don't want to put in a spoiler so I'll just say that it is an anti-climax. And even though these sound like grievous faults, they're not too bad because you still really come to love the two lead characters and want to see them together in the end. I think it is a worthwhile read for historical romance lovers.

For many readers, English historicals just move too darn slowly and the environment--typically London and the surrounding countryside, a select groups of nobles and their families known as the "ton"--is too restrictive for any action or adventure. This story fits right into that category, but has unique touches that make it worth the read. First, the male lead is not only gorgeous, but a "rough and ready"
nouveau riche newcomer trying to angle his way into the closed
ranks of upperclass English society. His unwilling guide, a young miss out for the season, who became the victim of her father's discarded mistress' revenge plot. Each lead individual has a bone to pick, either entrance into or revenge on the society and both are now outsiders. Should they use each other to obtain their goals? A lovely little twist of a plot that is emotionally satisfying and has a hilarious ending--one might say one needs to go door-to-door to truly enjoy this charmer.....

Lady Fayre Carlisle has been ruined; she was seduced and deceived by Lord Thatcher Standish. Her father's mistress, Lady Othilia, set her up as a form of revenge against her father the Duke of Solitea for his waning interest in her.

When Maccus Knight Brawley first sees Fayre he desires her instantly. When he discovers who she is and the secrets that she is hiding, he is convinced that he and Fayre would make a perfect team. Fayre is distrusting though; the scandal Standish caused has made her wary of others intentions, especially men's. It will be very difficult for Maccus to convince her to become his partner.

Fayre reluctantly agrees to assist Maccus in his emergence into society because he promises to assist her in striking back at Standish and Othilia and in the process she and Maccus become close. When it seems that their relationship is becoming serious, Maccus is caught in a compromising position that has Fayre convinced he is no better that Standish. Can Maccus convince Fayre that seeing is not always believing?

Passion and revenge abound in Wicked Under The Covers. It is a love story that captivated me immediately. The characters are intriguing, the storyline is engaging, the sex is hot, and the romance is tender. Fayre and Maccus are strong characters who had me rooting for them throughout the story. I thoroughly relished Wicked Under The Covers and am really looking forward to Fayne's story next!

Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Lady Fayre has been thoroughly compromised. Giving way to what she believed to be love, she forfeited her innocence to Lord Standish. Her perception of her love drastically changed when she woke to find her lover in the arms of Lady Hipgrave, her father's former mistress. If that betrayal wasn't shocking enough, the words Lord Standish was whispering in Lady Hipgrave's ear were not words of love, rather those of betrayal and Fayre's ruin. As the truth comes crashing in on Fayre, she realizes that he never loved her; she was only a means to her father's end. Determined not to let their plot get her down, Fayre faces the ton with her head held high.

Maccus Brawley may have spent his youth as a two-bit smuggler, but after some smart investing, he's become a wealthy man. While money might buy him respect, it can never make him one of the elite. Desperately desiring to rise above his questionable past and to be accepted as one of the ton, Maccus searches for a special lady who might provide a gateway for him. Once he lays eyes on Lady Fayre, he knows she is the one. Overhearing a conversation between Fayre and her mother, Maccus quickly surmises that Fayre is not only gorgeous, but she is also in need of some assistance - his assistance. With Lady Fayre in trouble, Maccus proposes a quid pro quo: He will help her gain revenge against Lord Standish and Lady Hipgrave in exchange for her providing an entrance into the ton.

While Fayre is attracted to Maccus, she finds his arrogant and bullish ways deplorable. Maccus, however, is fascinated with Fayre from the very beginning. When their relationship turns physical, things become even more complicated. Maccus knows he has passionate feelings for Fayre, but is unsure of how far those feelings go. Fayre knows she's in love with Maccus, but he's made it clear he wants a perfect wife, someone unlike her. So Fayre accepts ever moment with Maccus for what she believes it is, a passionate affair between a man and his mistress.

When the revenge Maccus plans for Lord Standish and Lady Hipgrave takes an unexpected turn, Maccus decides it's best for Fayre if they stay away from each other. When Fayre secretly sees Maccus kissing Lady Hipgrave, the feeling of betrayal are so immense that Fayre is shattered. Maccus will have to do a lot of begging to return to Fayre's good graces.

Wicked Under the Covers is steamy, passionate, and entertaining. Fayre and Maccus are perfect together, and you can't help rooting for them through the numerous obstacles they encounter. This is an excellent story. While this is the first story by Barbara Pierce that I have read, I thoroughly look forward to future ones.

Kristin Young
Rakehell

This is supposed to be a delicious tale of revenge for a cruel betrayal perpetrated by our heroine's first love. Instead, the novel feels sluggish and is finally quite unsatisfying for the reader who slogs through the author's overwritten prose to the bitter end.

The storyline is promising. Lady Fayre Carlisle, the only daughter of the womanizing Duke of Solitea, is seduced and abandoned by a man who is working on behalf of one of her father's cast-off mistresses. Deciding to face the gossip-mongers of the ton rather than running from the scandal, Fayre finds an unexpected ally in the person of Maccus Brawley, a man with an unsavory past but plenty of money, who is looking to buy himself into an advantageous marriage to advance his position in society. Brawley proposes that Fayre aid his entree into the upper echelons of society in exchange for his help in exacting revenge against her seducer and her father's former mistress.

However, this enticing storyline is so buried under descriptions of Fayre's family and Maccus' background, not to mention the decidedly un-exciting (and totally unbelievable) sexual relationship which develops between Fayre and Maccus, that the reader soon loses interest and finds herself paging ahead to see where the plot is.

The pay-off for the revenge scheme comes only in the last ten pages of the novel, and is most unsatisfying. Fayre never really triumphs over her adversities at all -- all the comeuppances for her seducer and the former mistress happen off-stage, out of her presence, and are only related to her in a long-winded speech.

This book is most definitely not recommended -- it's too long and not erotic in the least. This is not an author I will be purchasing again.

On a personal note, even if the author had pulled off her plot lines in a satisfactory manner, I would still have subtracted one star for the annoying names she chooses for her characters -- Fayre, Maccus, Temmes, Duke of Solitea, Lord Yemant, Lord Mewe, Lady Othilia Hipgrave (to name a few of the most egregious) -- by the end of the book, I was praying for just one character named John.

I enjoyed this book. It starts right off and just goes. Both main characters are very likeable. I found the book to be well written and edited. Some of the secondary characters have room for their own stories... I did not care for the way this book ended. Could have used an epilogue. Just built up to so much and SPLAT! it ended.

This is my first pierce book but not the last.The first chapter hooked me in. When she meets up with marcus Brawley the revenge begins. This is a great read. i have read all 3 in the Carlisle series and they get better. She has just come out with the 4th I can't wait to read it.

I'm really surprised this book has so many 4 and 5 star reviews. I was tempted to give it 2 stars but the writing is decent even if I didn't like the plot or the hero and didn't believe the way the heroine acted.

Fayre, the heroine, starts the book by sleeping with Lord Standish because she loves him and believes he loves her. Soon she discovers she is merely a pawn in a revenge plot by her father's ex-mistress. She is "ruined" but there seem to be few consequences other than not being invited some places and putting up with snide innuendo. What seems more unbelievable is that Lord Standish was free to go about trashing her reputation without any social consequences. Fayre asked her father and brother not to challenge Standish but it's hard to believe a duke wouldn't have some pressure to bear on Standish (directly or through his father) to get him to stop talking about her.

I really disliked the hero, Maccus. He has some characteristics of a good romantic hero -- rising from humble beginnings to become wealthy -- but he acts like a bully and a manipulator and I cannot tolerate that in a romantic hero. Knowing what happened to Fayre, he badgers her and treats her rather badly to get her to help him gain entry into society. If he had simply gotten an introduction and explained how his plan could benefit them both, it would have made sense. But he grabs her out of her carriage at the park and basically acts like a jerk around her. Despite this, Fayre agrees to his plan and then proceeds to act in a way that makes no sense for someone trying to overcome social ruin. She starts meeting Maccus regularly at his house for lessons on how to fit into society. (One would think a family with a ruined daughter would keep closer watch on her so this wouldn't happen.) Meanwhile, Maccus is all over Fayre physically with no consideration for her reputation. Some readers might consider him a handsome rogue but it wasn 't romantic or heroic to me. He came off as a jerk and bully. And with no thought to how badly sleeping with Standish turned out for her, Fayre gets physically involved with Maccus. She is supposed to be a smart and spunky heroine but she came across to me as careless and foolish, which didn't make sense considering the social position she was in. And that's even given the romance genre where young innocent women are overcome with passion and sleep with men to whom they are not married or betrothed.

I see there are other books in the series about the Carlisle family: Sinful Between the Sheets (Carlisle Family, Book 2) and Naughty by Nature (Carlisle Family, Book 3). I won't be reading them.