A Hint of Wicked

I just finished "A Hint of Wicked". This is a Historical Romance packed full of action, mystery and plenty of romance. The books main characters are: Sophie, Garrett and Tristan. As the story explains, Garrett has been missing from the war for 7 years. Tristan which is Garrett and Sophie's friend since childhood helps her look for Garrett and ultimately he is declared dead. Sophie and Tristan marry. Then out of the blue Garrett shows up, decides that Sophie is still his wife and claims his place in her life. Now as if that isn't enough of a story, we also have a character by the name of Fisk who Garrett credits with saving his life and feels he owes him everything. This is where the mystery comes in. Who really is this Fisk character and what exactly are his motives. We do eventually find out what has happened to Garrett during those lost 7 years. This was a great story with many twists. I loved the characters, I liked not only the intrigue of what Sophie would do now that she was faced with having two husbands, but also the huge mystery of where Garrett has been and who this Fisk person is. The book is an all around great read. I enjoyed it very much. It wasn't your typical romance in any way. It had a great plot with believable characters and situations. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read not only a romance but just a good solid story line. I can hardly wait to start her next book. If it is anything like this one - I know it will be good.

Author Jennifer Haymore grew up in Hawaii , where she surfed, learned how to fly airplanes, raced bicycles, and developed a love for sailing. She has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from UC Berkeley and a master's degree in Education from UCLA. Before she became a full-time writer she held various jobs from bookselling to teaching inner-city children to playing bit roles in soap operas. A Hint of Wicked is her first published title. Jennifer resides in Southern California with her husband and their three children. When Sophie's husband, Garrett, died at the battle of Waterloo , it was their childhood friend, Tristan who picked her up and helped the Duchess of Calton get over the tragedy. Giving her body and soul to him, Tristan introduced her to a passion she never knew. Now married seven years later, they are happy with their newly formed family and life together. That is until Garrett returns and wants his land, his title, and his wife back. Garrett, scarred in both body and mind, will do anything to regain all of his memories and make up for lost time. Unsure which man she is even legally married to, Sophie is forced to choose between the childhood love from then, and the best friend she grew to love after. As the two men battle for her affections, Sophie begins to question the motives behind the man Garrett brought home with him- a supposed confidant and war hero. They soon discover that this is more than a question of love, it is a dangerous game of revenge and reprisal. One in which someone may not survive. The only fault I can find with the book was the title. I understand why it was chosen, or used, but it didn't seem a great fit for me. I have to give a lot of credit to the author, Jennifer Haymore. To use this plot in a regency historical romance, and in a debut novel no doubt, was brave, unique, and intriguing. So, bravo Jennifer! She truly understands the style and period for regency. The characters were relatable and engaging. You could feel their frustration and torment seeping out of the page. The secondary characters moved the plot along nicely and were charming, as well. There weren't any moments throughout the story where I lost interest, nor were where any dead spots. The setting was spectacular and you could envision it easily. A Hint of Wicked is a clever, provoking, and steamy story from an upcoming author to keep your eye out for! Kelly Moran Author and Reviewer

This is one of the most satisfying books that I've read in a long time. I loved the characters, and the story enthralled me from the onset. I immediately felt Sophie's angst in trying to choose between two men she truly loved while balancing the fact that she really didn't want to hurt either man. Both men were delicious in their own right, and Jennifer Haymore did a wonderful job of making them both susceptible, masculine, and human-- not an easy task given the quandary they found themselves in. I especially understood the character of Sophie. She didn't just sit around waiting for fate to determine her choice. Although some readers may feel she was weak because of her indecision, I believed the fact that she was doing her best to work out all her conflicting emotions while trying desperately not to hurt either man she adored. Be forewarned that Hint of Wicked is not your stereotypical romance. Both men are equally desirable, and neither becomes unlikeable (or dies!) at the end to make Sophie's choice any easier. All in all, I agreed with Sophie's decision at the end. It's not your typical Hollywood ending, but at least, we know at the end that the other guy may find true love in the sequel. The book may irritate some readers because she doesn't choose both men (somehow the guys would have agreed to share Sophie--a fantasy yes, but highly unrealistic). If you're looking for that kind of book, Hint of Wicked is not for you. Overall, I loved this book because of the story, characters, and realism. I especially respected the fact that Jennifer Haymore (first time author--wow!) did not shy away from tackling Sophie's predicament head on and painted a beautiful tale with vibrant, human characters. If the author had chosen an easier (less believable) way out for Sophie, I would have enjoyed the book less but would have still given Hint of Wicked 4 stars. Because she did NOT pull her punches, I give Hint of Wicked a resounding 5 out of 5 stars.

Sophie's husband is wounded at the battle of Waterloo and his body is never found. After eight years of heartbreak and fruitless searching, Garrett is declared dead and Sophie finally starts to rebuild her life with Tristan. She finds love again, remarries and starts to heal -- and then Garrett returns. One woman, two husbands. And Sophie truly loves them both. How can you not want to read every word to find out how this dilemma can be resolved? This is the sort of emotionally charged scenario that only masters such as Julia Quinn and Lavyrle Spencer dare to attempt, yet Jennifer Haymore takes this on in her New York debut. None of this would work if you didn't believe in the emotions and Ms. Haymore handles them beautifully. You yearn for what Sophie and Tristan and Garrett have lost, you'll cry for them. This is not an easy emotional journey and at times, you may wonder how this can all work out. When Sophie says, "I want them both", it's not out of selfishness, but out of a deep connection with Garrett, the first love of her youth as well as with Tristan, the new love she's discovered after the years of pain and loss. I loved this book for how fearless A Hint of Wicked is in delving deep into the difficult decisions people have to make. Then, on top of that, it's wonderfully plotted, fits in perfectly with its time period and creates such a sensual and intimate mood that I had to give a deep sigh when it was all over. I have often wondered a book generates a buzz prior to its release. In this case, the attention is well deserved. I'd read the follow up novel, A Touch of Scandal, today if someone were to put it in my greedy little hands.

Wow. I could leave the review with that but the page might look oddly blank and lonely so I'll continue on. Wow, wow, wow. Jennifer Haymore is one heck of an author and A Hint of Wicked just made its way toward the top of my all time favorites list. This book was so far beyond phenomenal that I can't find a word to describe how awesome it was. Movie over Stephenie Meyer and Jane Austen, in my book, Haymore currently rules the land of Romance and Regency. A Hint of Wicked is the story of one voracious woman and two very hunky men. As is always the case when we find ourselves in this situation, there is bound to be some great drama. Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, is our heroine and although she's different from the normal rear-kicking tough girls I've been reading lately, she's still strong in her own right. She might not go around wearing tight leather, chasing down the world's evil, but she has a fantastically strong personality that just bleeds off the page. Haymore has done an excellent job with creating a strong woman in this time period and has obviously done her research. For the most part, Sophie conforms to the time period's rules of propriety without coming across as meek, mild and completely bland. Just as the colors of the cover pop out and dance with the eyes, Sophie is a wonderfully colorful character who draws the reader in, becoming a real, flesh and blood person rather than just black words on a grey page. As in any good romance, there's the beautiful femininity of the heroine and the roguish attraction of the hero. In this case we have two heroes. Holy cow, ladies, you better grab your loveliest fan because these guys are guaranteed to steam up the room. Garrett, Sophie's childhood sweetheart and husband is powerfully built and comes complete with roguish charm. Nothing holds sway over his heart the way that Sophie does. If possible, he would literally turn the world upside down for her. Enter Tristan. Impeccably dressed to the nines, he holds a different charm from Garrett. Completely attractive, his personality is as much as turn-on as Garrett's body is. When Garrett leaves for war and news of his possible death at the battle of Waterloo reaches Sophie and Tristan, it just about breaks them both. Years later, when hope of Garrett's return finally dies away, the two friends realize the flame of desire between them and wed, beginning a happy life as husband and wife. What could be better? They are Duke and Duchess, wanting for nothing, safe in each other's arms. Right up until the moment that Garrett returns that is. What follows is a harrowing story of love, betrayal, passion, madness and intrigue. What will Sophie's fate be when she's confronted by two husbands? Will she have to choose between them? Is she even capable of doing that? With her two men vying for her heart and fighting against one another, Sophie wants no more than to welcome happiness back into their lives, but it seems that the entire world is set to fight aga