A Wicked Reputation by Liana LeFey ~ a Review

by MK French

After Lady Diana Haversham's reputation was left in tatters and she was all but thrown out of her home, she reinvented herself as a courtesan for Lord Harrow. She is also friends with his wife and lover Rene and is helping to preserve all of their reputations. Lord Lucas Blackthorn is recently returned to London after performing duties for the Home Office and is intrigued by her behavior. It doesn't quite add up to the licentious reputation she carries now, and he's determined to get to the bottom of it.

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February 2019; 978-1798067574; ebook, print (300 pages)
Regency romance

While this is part of the "Once Wicked" series, each book is a standalone and doesn't rely on having read any of the other books in the series. Diana is very loyal to her friends and is understanding of the precarious position her aunt and cousins had been when her uncle disowned her rather than believe in her innocence. She shows far more grace and patience than I would in a situation like this, that's for certain! Lucas is going after the secret behind all of their relationships because he is attracted to Diana and can't help but puzzle out a mystery. It's a fairly selfish reason to get involved, so it fits with the selfish reputation that he has. Throughout the pursuit, it remains the same.

There's a fair amount of queerbaiting as Lucas pretends to flirt with Harrow to try to get to Diana. For all of the obvious "Leave her alone!" messages that everyone around him keeps giving, he ignores them. A few convenient instances throw the pair together so that Diana can't avoid him to keep her secrets intact. We definitely have amusing antics throughout the "courtship" phase of the novel, and we see all of the close friendships in action. We get our happily ever after, of course, and those that put Diana in the precarious position in the first place do get their comeuppance by the end.

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Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever. 

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