Review (ARC): The Duke's Wicked Wife (Wicked Secrets 4) by Elizabeth Bright

Title: The Duke’s Wicked Wife

Series: Wicked Secrets 4

Author: Elizabeth Bright

Release Date: March 16, 2020 

(ARC Version)

Published By: Entangled Scandalous

Category: Historical – Romance – Regency

Type: Digital – Paperback

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Elizabeth Bright Website

Blurb: 

Sebastian Sinclair, the Duke of Wessex, is not in love with Eliza Benton—nor anyone else, for that matter. But he must marry and produce an heir, and love is not required for either. His future duchess must be of high birth and good nature, a lady unlikely to snipe at him over breakfast. In short, the complete opposite of Eliza. So who better to help him find a bride?

Eliza Benton is not in love with the Duke of Wessex. He’s infuriating, arrogant, and an ass of the first order. Not that she has any intention of marrying anyone now that her secret dream is on the cusp of becoming reality. A husband would ruin all her careful plans. But she’s all for finding her nemesis the perfect bride, anything to get him from underfoot so she can focus on her writing.

Thank goodness Sebastian and Eliza aren’t in love. That would be disastrous.

 By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please exit this site.

Favorite Lines:

It was only that he wanted to tell her … something …  ~  Sebastian

…he ought to be horrified at their compromised position. But instead, the relief was so great he nearly fell to his knees and wept.  ~ Sebastian

“Well,” she said mildly, “this might come as a shock to you, but I hardly expect to survive my own death.”  ~  Eliza

Excerpt:

          Sometimes an epiphany came like a crack of lightning, sharp and brilliant, and sometimes it came like a bit of hothouse strawberry lodged in one’s throat. Unfortunately for Sebastian Sinclair, Duke of Wessex, Earl of Badington, and Knight of the Garter, it was the latter. 
          This was what came of eating strawberries in October. It was unnatural to enjoy a summer fruit when the world had taken a turn toward gray and dreary. One could not expect to bend the laws of nature without dire consequences. He had made a mistake in insisting his gardener provide the fruit year-round. Yes, yes, he understood that now. 
          His eyes watered. He would have wheezed had he been able to draw breath. 
          He had been a fool about the strawberries, that much was abundantly clear now. And what would be the result of that blunder? His new winter boots had only just been finished, and now he would never get the chance to wear them. He had an assignation with Mrs. Dabney tonight, and she would go unsatisfied. 
          More important, if he were to die this very instant, his father and mother would have no grandchildren. Perhaps they would not care, being dead these past fourteen years. But as the corners of his vision blackened, Sebastian found he cared, even if they could not. He cared very much, indeed. 
          And as he admittedly possessed the soul of a butterfly, it was a rare experience for him to truly care. The intensity of the emotion left him breathless and shaken. Or was that the strawberry? 
          But still. He cared. 
          He was all that was left of his parents. 
          Oh, there were drops of his mother’s blood sprinkled about England. A second cousin in Derby, and an even more distant relative in Shropshire. His father’s brother had gone to the Colonies, of all things, and was now the grandfather of three American brats. Sebastian hadn’t heard from him in nearly a decade. They hadn’t even crossed the ocean for the funeral, and he’d been left to bury his parents alone. 
          But all of these distant and American relations had as little to do with his parents as a robin to a falcon. They were both birds, to be sure, but that was where all similarity ended. None of these relatives were the product of who his parents were as husband and wife, of the life they had built together. None of them had been created in their image and raised on their morals and guidance, such as they were. 
          There was only Sebastian. 
          And if the strawberry stole his life this very moment, before he could marry and beget an heir, that was all there would ever be. As Duke of Wessex, he’d had but one true duty. One. To beget an heir who would continue the line of succession. If he couldn’t do that, did anything else matter? For heaven’s sake, if he expired now, childless, the dukedom would fall to a bloody American. 
          Dear God. Dear God. 
          Something thumped hard against his back. The offending strawberry flew up his throat and past his lips, landing on the plush, costly carpet at his feet. He drew in a deep, life-saving gulp of air. 
          “Are you all right?”Lord Abingdon asked. 
          Sebastian’s vision was still hazy. It looked like there were four identical men standing in his sitting room rather than just two. 
          He blinked. Abingdon and his twin brother, Nicholas Eastwood, came into focus. He blinked again. Miracle of miracles, he was alive! 
          But who knew for how long? Human bodies were ridiculously frail. Today he, one of the most powerful dukes in all England, had nearly met his demise from a ruby fruit the size of his thumb, despite having all his teeth intact. Tomorrow might be a riding accident, or an overturned carriage, or a cuckolded husband. Or a parsnip. Imagine, death by parsnip! That would be even more humiliating than by strawberry. 
          He drew himself up to his full height, which was still not quite as tall as the lanky gentlemen who faced him. 
          “Gentlemen, I’ve had an epiphany,” he announced. 
          They stared at him, then at each other. 
          “Dear God, no,” Eastwood said. 
          “Perhaps it would be better to keep such thoughts to yourself,” Abingdon suggested. 
          Ungrateful louts, the both of them. Had he not had a hand in both their marriages? They would still be blundering about, wifeless, had he not, at the critical moment, insisted they come to their senses. If he had kept his thoughts to himself, as Abingdon suggested, they would both be miserable now. 
          But no matter. They would do as he said, despite their protestations. Sebastian had yet to meet the man who did not do as he said. Such were the benefits of being a powerful, wealthy duke. 
          He moved to the walnut desk, removed a sheet of thick, cream-colored paper and his inkwell, and scribbled a few lines. “As it happens, your opinion on the matter is inconsequential.”He beckoned to the footman. “Inform Selkirk we will discuss the hothouse at four o’clock. And deliver this to Miss Eliza Benton.”
          The footman bowed crisply, removing the half-chewed strawberry from the carpet as he did so. 
          “Wessex,” Abingdon said sharply. “Why must you persist in annoying Miss Benton? Is it really necessary to involve her in your schemes?”
          Sebastian ignored the absurd question. Miss Benton was always necessary. 
          “I have decided to have a house party.”
          Most of the marriageable ladies had departed London at the end of the social season and would not return until spring. But he did not want to wait until spring. The course was decided; now he must act. He would simply have to lure them from their snug homes and watchful families. 
          Abingdon looked baffled. “A house party in London? It will be the first of its kind.”
          “I meant in Derbyshire, of course. At Perivale Hall.”
          The bafflement increased. “But you hate the country.”
          This was true. Weekly deliveries of unnatural strawberries aside, the country was dreadfully dull. It was also a repository of memories better left to the haziness of time. While he did not wish to forget, exactly, he much preferred the past to be pleasantly blurry. At Perivale Hall, those memories came into painfully sharp focus. Like all unpleasant things, he avoided it whenever possible. 
          “Wessex has his eye on Lady Whistall.”Eastwood sounded bored. “The house party is merely a means to cuckold her husband.”
          “Nonsense.” Sebastian dismissed the notion with a wave of his hand. “The cuckolding happened last month, and I’ve no wish to repeat it. I don’t intend to invite any married ladies at all, except as chaperones for their maiden daughters. And Lady Abingdon and Mrs. Eastwood, naturally.”
          Eastwood’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. Likely he was remembering that Sebastian had once offered for Mrs. Eastwood. Sebastian smiled. He was indeed fond of Mrs. Eastwood, and not only because it annoyed her husband. It was, however, a delightful side effect, and one he took advantage of at every opportunity. 
          “The point of the house party is not to dally with willing wives and cuckold their husbands. The point is to become a husband myself,”Sebastian announced. 
          This pronouncement was met with blank stares, as though he had suddenly sprouted a half dozen more heads and his friends weren’t sure how to break the news gently. 
          He sighed. 
          “Gentlemen, the time has come for me to find a wife.”

Highlight:

          She was spared further discourse on the merits of Lady Anonymous by the arrival of Wessex. He greeted the ladies and sauntered closer to the settee upon which Eliza sat. She shifted, spreading her wool skirt to take up more space. Alice gave her an amused glance before likewise arranging her own skirt. There was scarcely an inch between them now; certainly there was no room for a duke. But he only arched an eyebrow and changed direction to the fern gracing a table across from her. 
          “About whom are we gossiping?” the duke asked. “Do tell.”
          “My husband and his campaign for a Commons seat,” Adelaide said. “Have you anything to say on the matter?”
          “Politics!”He gave her an aghast look. “No, indeed.”
          He reached a finger toward the fern—a plump, silky thing that spilled over its pot in a delightful tangle of greenery—and stroked the underside of a tendril in a languid glide. Eliza, watching him, felt her neck tingle in response, as though it was her nape the duke touched rather than the fern. 
          “It is of no interest to you who fills the seat?” she demanded, her voice sharper than she had intended. “Whomever has the seat will vote on bills that affect every man, woman, and child—most of whom have no say in the matter, at all. That does not concern you?”
          “Should it?” he asked. 
          Eliza drew in a long, deep breath—long enough and deep enough to give him a very large piece of her mind. But then she paused. The nonchalance in his voice was too studied, the glimmer in his eye too hopeful. Oh! He was baiting her again, the insufferable man-child. She gave an indignant huff and deliberately turned away from him. 
          “Well,” the duke said after a moment’s silence, “though I have no interest in politics, of course Eastwood has my support. Anything for you, Mrs. Eastwood. My services are at your command.”
           “Thank you, Your Grace,” Adelaide said. “My husband, ah, is very grateful to you.”
           Alice coughed, and Eliza hid her grin behind her teacup. The last thing Mr. Eastwood would ever feel toward Wessex was gratitude. 
          Wessex smiled, unperturbed by the lie. “Indeed.”
          He bent closer to the fern, so close that his mouth nearly brushed the glossy tendrils. His lips moved, whispering something indecipherable, though Eliza strained to catch the words. The fern seemed almost to perk up in response. Eliza gave the plant a disapproving frown. The duke could charm a widow from her weeds, but a plant ought to be immune to such things. 
          “I noticed an orchard as we approached the house,” Riya said. “Is it too much to hope that the apples are still good?”
          “They are not yet rotted,” Wessex said, before once again whispering to the fern. 
          Eliza stared. Were her eyes deceiving her? Or did the fern appear happier from the duke’s attention? A fern couldn’t be happy, could it? She stood and sidled closer, listening. 
          “Splendid!” Lady Freesia said. “An afternoon in the orchard will be just the thing after a morning of travel.”
          Eliza was close enough now to hear the low murmur of the duke’s voice, as sweetly dark as molasses. 
          “See, now. Am I not proved correct?” he whispered to the fern. “She cannot resist. She does not wish me to sit next to her, oh no, yet she cannot stay away.”
          Eliza drew to a halt and glared. “You did this on purpose.”
          He blinked his large eyes at her, looking as dumbly innocent as a cow. “What? What did I do?”
          “You…” She hesitated, remembering they were not alone, and lowered her voice. “You made me come to you.”
          “I merely stood in a corner and conversed with a plant.”He shook his head sadly. “Poor Miss Benton. When will you realize that you find me utterly irresistible?”
          “When pigs sprout wings and take to the sky, which, coincidentally, is when it will be true.”
          He grinned. “And yet, here you are.”
          So she was. How galling. “I was merely curious as to why you were making love to a fern instead of finding your future wife. Unless a fern is the best you can do?”
          Before he could reply, she turned her back on him. 

Review: 

Eliza Benton has always had a bit of an odd relationship with Sebastion. They have known each other for years and even aided in the relationships of their close friends, helping them to realize their love for one another. But what is good for others does not translate as good for either of them. Sebastian plans to remain single for as long as he can hold out. Eliza determined never to marry, period. But after a sudden epiphany, Sebastian enlists Eliza to help him choose a bride. She must lessen the odds, so to speak and lead him on a path towards a few young ladies she finds acceptable to the station befitting a Duchess. Suddenly she finds herself at a country party that Sebastian is hosting with the goal of choosing a bride. He seeks her out and coaxes he guidance at every turn. But something shifts unexpectedly and they are caught in a compromising situation. Blast the man for ruining her carefully constructed plans for her life. Somehow she must maintain the secretive aspects of her life … but the more time they spend together, the more life with Sebastian doesn’t seem so bad. And before too long, rather than negotiate the terms of her surrender as Sebastian’s Duchess, Eliza is making a play to save her marriage, taking a chance that he could return her affections.

Sebastian Sinclair – Duke of Wessex – never intended to marry Eliza. Admittedly, she is always necessary within his life in one way or another, yet he continues to deny what is right in front of him. He isn’t capable of love, after all. It is a weakness and he refuses to feel anything. To be fair, Eliza has played much the same game in the form of denial. But a couple of weeks at his country home and a life-altering conversation with a friend suddenly forces Sebastian to realize that his separation from Eliza is an inevitability once he's married … a reality that is one hundred percent unacceptable. As luck would have it, he ends up married to Eliza instead of the young lady he was supposed to offer for. Given her marriage demands prior to the wedding, he knows for certain that Eliza is guarding a secret - or ten - of her own. But when those secrets come to light, Sebastian believes he has thwarted every plan Eliza ever had for her future. Lug that he is, he doesn’t give her a chance to weigh in on the subject, never realizing that plans have a way of changing.

In my review of the second book in the series, Lady Gone Wicked, I created a couple of hashtags in support of #BentonWessex #ElizaSebastian – I am giddy with joy as my prediction way back from the first book in the series, Twice As Wicked, has finally borne fruit! And damn if it wasn’t glorious! To recap, here is a quote from my review back in 2017. “The secondary cast was wonderful and a truly brilliant addition. I can’t wait to read about Ms. Benton and Wessex as I am sure their turn will be coming soon.” Did I call it? Yes. I did! It’s been a long 3 years since first we met Eliza and Sebastian. But finally! An HEA for this enchanting couple! Some of you may ask if I am biased. I suppose on some level I may be. However, I do not believe the case is any different for other reviewers who share a love for a particular author or series as I do with this one. I have been with this series since book 1 was an ARC. I had little choice but to adore these characters and become completely invested in their HEAs as the series progressed. And do you know what? I do not regret a minute of it. In fact, I so enjoyed Sebastion, that I began the review of the second book in the series by speaking entirely of him!

So what did I love? Every part of it! Sebastian (or Wessex) and Eliza have been dancing around one another since the very first time they met. He was caught by her beauty. She wanted nothing to do with a Duke. Both were caught off guard. A bet occurred and Sebastian delivered. And from there, their delightful game of wit and schemes began. The two became almost an invisible life force for one another. Eliza acting annoyed, Sebastian seeking approval at every turn. Because of this “slow burn”, if you will, I cannot stress strongly enough that the series would be best if read in order. Knowing everything I know, the joining of Sebastian and Eliza wouldn’t be near as poignant as it truly is if read without all of the beautifully crafted back story of not only their relationship as it grows, but that of all of their friends finding love before they do. Of course, they actually found it first, they just had yet to realize it. I had actually made another prediction regarding Sebastian back in the second book. I had mentioned in my review that I had a strong feeling that there was a reason behind everything that Wessex says and does. He was a man of few words, but somehow, each time he spoke, it was something profound or life-altering. And damn if I wasn’t spot on with that supposition as well. To all – and I mean EVERYONE – Sebastian has little interest in anything of importance. He’s known to be a rake of the worst sort and he’s perfectly content with that brand. But what no one realizes is that he is always paying attention. Rather than tossing his title around to get results, he brings people around in other ways. Almost like a game. He downplays his part, making it seem as if he had no part at all, but he ultimately describes his intent in a nutshell with this quote, “I provided the right people with the right information, and then created an opportunity for which they could use it. Nothing more.” Who wouldn’t fall madly in love with that? Good grief!

The turning point for this couple was a discussion Sebastian has with Freesia and her news that he would have to give Eliza up. No wife would put up with such a friendship however innocent. So he seeks Eliza out as he commonly does, and ask her point-blank if she will give him up. It’s the catalyst to their relationship and helps nudge them along toward their HEA they always had sitting in front of them, but never allowed themselves to believe existed. At one point I was thinking that Freesia had planned their talk in an effort to make Sebastian see what he needed to do next, but since it was never again mentioned, I figured it was just a well-timed discussion that had nothing to do with good intentions. Speaking of the marriage is no great secret given the title of the book. It’s all about what happens afterward. Yes, everything prior is entertaining and full of the wit and banter I have come to recognize as a trait Ms. Bright has mastered, but the meat of the story occurs after the marriage and anyone who has followed this series will be digging in even more so at that point. And of course, I adored getting a chance to see Alice, Adelaide, Nate, and Nick once again. I could never get enough of any of them. Added to the story this time was a sort of secondary love story occurring between Riya and Ram. I was not nearly invested in them as our “regulars”, but they were fun getting to know and experience, none-the-less. Also provided is a short epilogue that takes place four years later. It absolutely destroyed me. Sebastian was amazing and all I can describe without providing any sort of spoiler is, “My heart!” But back to those predictions … in my review of book 2, I had mentioned that the Wicked Secrets series has the makings of Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory family. Given that the book ends with a letter from Riya and there might be something mentioned about a possible time-lapse and children, I may have hit the nail on the head once again. As the books tend to toss in a nod toward the next book in the series when they conclude, I pray I am correct. For the love of God, don’t let it be over! #WickedSecretsForever For those of you who have yet to experience Ms. Bright … What the heck are you waiting for? Pick up this series immediately! But be sure to begin with the first book! #BeneficialToReadInOrder #YouveBeenWarned Seriously though, I’ve had a blast with this series and author and I wish for many more entertaining times to come!

Kindle version provided by NetGalley/Entangled in exchange for an honest review.