When She Was Wicked (Honeycote, #1)

Jan 24, 2013 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-debuts, historical-romance-european

3.5 stars

Debut

Anabelle (Belle) Honeycote's work as a seamstress in a Bond Street dress shop, pays her barely enough to live on. With her sister and her ill mother to support, other means of income are necessary. Being privy to all sorts of gossip as she tends the ladies of the ton in the dress shop allows Belle to add to her pitiful income....by blackmail. Not for gain, but only enough to pay her debts. When she overhears a scandal concerning one of the Duke of Huntford's sisters, she intends us...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bodice-rippers-and-regencies, first-reads

Okay, this was a First Reads win (thanks) and it was something of a cotton candy sort of book: sweet, fluffy, and quickly gone.
This is apparently Anne Barton's first novel, and she does have a capable way with words and characters within the narrow and expected confines of the genre in which the poor servant/governess/struggling young woman (or in this case, seamstress) encounters Prince Charming (or Owen, duke of Huntford). She is valiant, plucky, innocent but passionate, etc. There are secret...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Misty rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved Anne Barton’s When She Was Wicked. Her characters were well developed, believable and likeable. Annabelle Honeycote is a seamstress in a Bond Street dress shop where she barely earns enough money to make ends meet for herself. Working for the dress shop however does not earn her enough to support her sick mother and younger sister. By working in the dress shop Belle becomes privy to the sorts of gossip that the Ton would be willing to pay to keep a secret, these secrets all Be...more I absolutely loved Anne Barton’s When She Was Wicked. Her characters were well developed, believable and likeable. Annabelle Honeycote is a seamstress in a Bond Street dress shop where she barely earns enough money to make ends meet for herself. Working for the dress shop however does not earn her enough to support her sick mother and younger sister. By working in the dress shop Belle becomes privy to the sorts of gossip that the Ton would be willing to pay to keep a secret, these secrets all Belle to add to her small income via way of blackmail. Belle has rules though, only ask those who can afford to lose a small sum, only use a target once, and do not form a personal relationship with said targets.
When bell overheard the type of gossip that could ruin the Duke of Huntford’s sister, she develops full intentions to make Huntford pay to keep the gossip a secret. Owen Sherbourne, Duke of Huntford doesn’t take kindly to extortion of any kind. Following his father’s suicide and his mother’s desertion he is tasked with raising his headstrong younger sisters. When he catches Belle in the act, he decides to make her work off her debt versus sending her to Newgate. His sisters are coming out and each needs new wardrobes. Annabelle’s sweet personality helps the Huntford sisters to form a close knit bond with Belle. All Huntford wants is to do right by his family and right the wrongs from his parents mistakes. He has no intention of falling in love with Belle, but as Belle works her magic on fabric Huntford discovers a diamond in the rough. Huntford finds himself drawn to Belle’s sweetness and beauty.
Barton has written one of the sweetest romances I’ve read in a long time. The characters are well written and easily believable. The romance between Owen and Belle is natural and not forced. I found myself rooting for these two long before the end of the book. I can honestly say that I would highly recommend any romance reader to try Anne Barton’s debut. When She Was Wicked is the first in Barton’s Honeycote series and if the first one is any example I cannot wait for the follow up book.
Arc provided by Grand Central Publishing.
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Feb 05, 2013 Book Binge Blog added it

...I was very interested in the whole premise of this book when I went in to it but I quickly became confused with Owen and Anabelle and that whole initial situation. I guess it seemed so far fetched that I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Here’s Anabelle extorting money from Owen and while he feels bad for her and her family I couldn’t understand why he would not only not take her to the law but actually invite the criminal into his home. Whaaaaa? I didn’t get that at all. In fact as Anabe...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Shauni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, reading-romance-challenge

There once was a girl who when she was good she was very good but When She Was Wicked, she was even better! *grins* Couldn't help myself. When She Was Wicked is a wonderful story of dreams of life and love coming true. And Anne Barton crafts a delightful tale of deception and delight..

Annabelle Honeycote spent her life in service to the women of the ton and their less than polite counterpart. What was she? She was a seamstress.. rather she was the secret weapon of the ton's favored modiste.. Her...more There once was a girl who when she was good she was very good but When She Was Wicked, she was even better! *grins* Couldn't help myself. When She Was Wicked is a wonderful story of dreams of life and love coming true. And Anne Barton crafts a delightful tale of deception and delight..

Annabelle Honeycote spent her life in service to the women of the ton and their less than polite counterpart. What was she? She was a seamstress.. rather she was the secret weapon of the ton's favored modiste.. Her designs delight the women and she has made her boss a veritable fortune. Sadly, she is working for pennies and doesn't make enough money to pay to board her ailing mother and her sister, who can't work because she stays home to care for their mother. What she doesn't make enough money for is to pay for the doctor and the medicine that is keeping her mother alive. So she does a bit of creative conniving. She listens to her clients then when she is desperate enough she uhmm blackmails them. Now don't hate her too much, she only blackmails those who can afford it, she never blackmails them for much and she never goes back for seconds. Yes, a blackmailer with ethics. Money is once again running short when she hears a secret that could help her family through the next few months. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, she chose Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford as her next victim.

Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford, is certainly not going to succumb to blackmail but he did need to know who the cretin was and what secret they had. So he of course hid and captured the criminal.. Needless to say he was astounded to see the considerate dressmaker he had spoken to just that afternoon. Astounding even himself, he makes her an offer only an idiot would refuse. He will pay her mother's doctors bills, medicine bills, a salary large enough to pay for rent and food.. all she has to do is make his socially inept sisters entire new wardrobes. Figuring that keeping her under his roof would likely put an end to any further blackmailing attempts.

Of course Annabelle is so much more than a mere seamstress and immediately draws his sisters in.. Her warmth and friendship helps these two wonderful girls find their own feet. With a scandal in their past Owen is determined that none of them would do anything to further the family's disgrace, which includes not being too friendly with the servants. Of course he didn't count on falling for the seamstress. What he never knew was that he too needed a friend, someone to share things with and yes someone who loves him.

Annabelle works her magic on the family helping them to learn to lean on each other and slowly falls totally and completely in love with her Duke. Sadly, their stations are too far apart and Annabelle knows nothing will ever come of it. Add to it the current "Diamond" who wants Owen, well the Duke, for herself. Sure she is the "proper" match for him. Yech, what a snot.. Makes me ever so glad I was born in America in the 20th century.. where class doesn't quite matter.. Sadly, I would have probably scratched the twit's eyes out but our Annabelle was a true lady..

This wasn't quite My Fair Lady but it certainly had some Pygmalion aspects to it. Never the less it was an excellent read and for my Historical Romance readers out there.. you will enjoy it. Get the bubble bath, the candles and a bottle glass of wine and prepare to indulge.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of When She Was Wicked provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released January 29, 2013

For more reviews by Shauni check out Tea and Book and
Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy (less)

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Jan 27, 2013 Sandy M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

What lovely breath of fresh air this book is. Annie Barton gives readers a heroine brave enough to do what it takes to support her family and face the duke who catches her red-handed.

Anabelle Honeycote is a lowly dressmaker, and it’s while she’s going about her duties that she hears the latest gossip, which gives her ideas on how to bring in the extra money needed to take care of her younger sister and very ill mother. Now, while her plan may be a bit illegal, it works and she has a set of rules...more What lovely breath of fresh air this book is. Annie Barton gives readers a heroine brave enough to do what it takes to support her family and face the duke who catches her red-handed.

Anabelle Honeycote is a lowly dressmaker, and it’s while she’s going about her duties that she hears the latest gossip, which gives her ideas on how to bring in the extra money needed to take care of her younger sister and very ill mother. Now, while her plan may be a bit illegal, it works and she has a set of rules she sticks to - she only extorts money from those who can afford it, she never demands more than she needs to cover her bills, she would never reveal secrets from current “clients,” and never, ever socially interact with her “clients.” Yes, she’s an extortionist, but she’s trying to be a good one, one with a conscience.

Her luck runs out when she sets her sights on the Duke of Huntford. The man isn’t about to let someone besmirch his sister’s reputation, so he leaves the demanded money and then lies in wait. Needless to say, he’s a bit startled when he realizes he has Ms. Honeytcote from the dress shop dead to rights. Instead of handing her over to the local constable, he proposes she work for her release, creating new wardrobes for both his sisters. Relieved, Anabelle agrees.

Of course, being in the same house, no matter how sprawling it is, is not the best situation for either of them. Feelings neither of them ever expected surface, and when they’re not in each other’s arms, they are trying to say away from one another. Both wishing the time it takes to create gowns of all kinds would take much longer than it truly does. Anabelle becomes friends with Huntford’s sisters, Olivia and Rose, who hasn’t spoken since she witnessed a horrible situation years before. I like how Huntford dotes on his sisters, always worried and willing to do anything for them, pained by Rose’s silence. He allows Anabelle to visit her family, and once he meets them and learns about their hardship, he willingly pays for their every need, even going so far as to have the doctor treating Belle’s mother checked out.

Anabelle is grateful, of course, but she knows better than anyone she and Huntford can never be together. He discovers she’s the granddaughter of a baronet, but for some reason she refuses to even talk about that. Then when he learns she’s harbored a secret that has the potential to hurt one of his sister’s, forgiveness will be hard to come by. I enjoyed both Huntford and Anabelle very much. Especially Anabelle. She has backbone and is loyal to a fault, feels hurt deeply, even when it belongs to someone else. Huntford is the very noble aristocrat with a backbone even more rigid than Anabelle’s. He finds himself rethinking everything he’s worked for. Will it be worth anything without Belle?

There’s action, there’s romance, there’s emotion, friendship, and a lot of fun. I really like the sewing terms used at the beginning of some chapters. Very intriguing. All characters are likable and sympathetic, and you get lost in their lives, travails, and triumphs. Ms. Barton’s debut book is a total hit. I look forward to see what she comes up with next.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com (less)

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Jan 13, 2013 The Window Seat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Miss. Annabelle Honeycote has made her living as a seamstress, creating a reputation for her employer’s shop as one of the finest in London. As the clientele of the shop has become more prestigious, Annabelle has also been privy to the closed-door gossip of the ton. As she struggles to support her ill mother and younger sister, Annabelle makes the choice to use that information as a means to supplement her income by extorting the subjects of the rumors. When a choice piece of gossip about the si...more

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Dec 09, 2012 SOS Aloha rated it 4 of 5 stars

All things truly wicked start from innocence. - Ernest Hemingway

Anabelle Honeycote, the granddaughter of a baron, is a talented seamstress who makes too little to support her younger sister and ailing mother. She often overhears gossip from her patrons, giving her the opportunity to blackmail only those who can afford to lose pin money. Anabelle’s plan backfires when the Duke of Huntford catches her red handed. He is immediately attracted to her, so he makes an offer she cannot refuse. Anabelle...more

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Feb 06, 2013 StScho rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, way-back-when, outa-your-league, employer-employee, buy-x2, hot

Despite the book blurg the whole book was not about extortion. Okay, lemme back up a bit. Annabelle is an impoverished seamstress that desperately needs funds to support her younger sister and ailing mother. The doctor and her medications are costly and she can either have shelter and food or her mom passing away but not both. Against her better judgment, she starts to blackmail her clientele anonymously.

Never more than one.

Never revealing their guarded secrets.

And never someone who cannot affor...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-lot-like-love, first-reads, retro-romance, romancer, the-first-of

An adorably couple perfect for each other if I ever saw one.

Miss Annabelle Honeycote is trying to make ends meet by being aseamstress and when that isn't enough, her talented extortionskills really do come in handy. But just because she's breaking the law doesn't mean she doesn't follow her own code of conduct. So desperate times call for desperate measures, but her encounter withOwen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford, definitely did not go as planned. Owen doesn't take likely toextortion, but fe...more An adorably couple perfect for each other if I ever saw one.

Miss Annabelle Honeycote is trying to make ends meet by being a seamstress and when that isn't enough, her talented extortion skills really do come in handy. But just because she's breaking the law doesn't mean she doesn't follow her own code of conduct. So desperate times call for desperate measures, but her encounter with Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford, definitely did not go as planned. Owen doesn't take likely to extortion, but feels bad for the struggling Annabelle, so he offers her a job as personal seamstress to his sisters to "pay off her debt".

The nice thing about this couple is despite knowing that their possible different status in society is a barrier to a possible marriage (and love), unlike a lot of brooding heroes, Owen doesn't use it as an excuse to be a jerk to Annabelle. They don't try to hide the fact that they enjoy each other's company and that yeah there might be more than just lust here. That being said, the hero and heroine are also very likely and don't do (too many) idiotic things. Annabelle is stubborn and proud but really sweet and signs her extortion letters " A Necessarily Resourceful Citizen" haha) and Owen, this basically instantly makes him hero material:

"I'm glad I got to meet your sister," he said. He was distracted and staring out the window at the buildings rushing by. If [Annabelle] had to guess, dreaming of waltzing with Daphne.

"She's as kind as she is beautiful," Annabelle said softly. Which made it dreadfully difficult to resent her.

"Do you know know what I liked best about her?"

No, No, she did not, but swallowed, nodded, and brace herself for his response. She suspected "her cornflower blue eyes" or "her shining gold hair." Men were predictable creatures.

"I liked the way she made you laugh. I've never heard you laugh that way before." He turned to her then and cupped her cheeks in his warm hands. "And the way she called you Belle. It suits you...Belle."

(Are you swooning yet?)

Yup, the romance/relationship in this book was definitely a winner. The other subplot of the book with Owen's sister Rose was okay, but I felt it was mainly just a catalysis for Annabelle and Owen and seemed a bit weak, considering, I assume it would be a strong source of conflict of the book from what I could tell from the synopsis.

Overall, a strong debut book from Anna Barton. The romance was sweet, the characters not so annoying, and the scandalous secrets kind of scandalous. The second book in the Honeycote series is about Annabelle's sister Daphne. We only got to see her a bit in the first book, so I'm excited to get to know her a little more, seems like she's got her own little hidden secrets!

{*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found at Bookmunchies}(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Miranda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, historical, arc, netgalley, favorites, cover-is-gorgeous, hero-is-yummy, kindle, hotness, erotic, ohhhh-my, unforgettable-hero

4.5 stars!!

Miss Anabelle Honeycote is a seamstress. A really good seamstress. She makes a deplorable wage making beautiful gowns for wealthy, privileged ladies in a small reputable dress shop. Her Mama is sick and her sister stays at home taking care of her.

Anabelle will simply do what it takes to support her family. Even if that means...extortion. She overhears all kinds of the secrets and gossip in the dress shop, which gives her ideas on how to bring in extra money to help her family survive...more 4.5 stars!!

Miss Anabelle Honeycote is a seamstress. A really good seamstress. She makes a deplorable wage making beautiful gowns for wealthy, privileged ladies in a small reputable dress shop. Her Mama is sick and her sister stays at home taking care of her.

Anabelle will simply do what it takes to support her family. Even if that means...extortion. She overhears all kinds of the secrets and gossip in the dress shop, which gives her ideas on how to bring in extra money to help her family survive on. She preferred to refer to it as “accepting coin in exchange for the solemn promise to safeguard secrets”. Her mother would definitely be appalled if she had any inkling about Anabelle’s money-making scheme. She overhears the latest gossip from Miss Starling. Miss Starling is a beautiful woman that has her eyes set on the Duke of Huntford. She’s a spoiled and conniving young lady (I loathed her by the end of the book).

Miss Honeycute does have a set of rules that she sticks to: she can only extort money from those who can afford it, she will never demand more than she needs to cover all her bills for a couple of months, and she will never disclose any of the ‘clients’ secrets. Never.

Meet the Duke of Huntford. He’s absolutely yummy. Anne Barton does a fantastic job of describing all of these characters, but Owen (the Duke) is my favorite. He’s the whole package, ladies. Tall, dark, and sinfully handsome. Oh, and he’s single, of course. Yep, he’s the one all of the ladies of the ton have their eyes set on, especially Miss Starling. Owen, along with his two sisters, first meet Anabelle in the dress shop. He needs some dresses made for Rose and Olivia and it’s all Anabelle can do not to stare at him all day.

With her mind made up, she plans to make the Duke of Huntford her next target. I know it sounds bad but Ms. Barton writes with such passion that you will overlook Anabelle’s illegal activity and feel nothing but compassion for her.

Everything that could go wrong does. Owen catches her red-handed and eventually realizes who she is. Instead of going to the constable, he proposes she work for her release... at his home. She is to make dresses for his sisters and he will supply her family with money. She agrees. Really, what choice does she have? ;)

This book is breathtaking. I loved it! Anne Barton writes beautifully and takes you back in time. You feel as if you are there in the story as well. I could almost hear the swish of the dresses. The characters will draw you in. I fell in love with all the characters...well, except Miss Starling... she’s just one of those characters you love to hate. Owen and Anabelle have chemistry. You will find yourself cheering for them throughout the book. The author does a great job of letting them slowly get to know each other and then have a sizzling romance. I loved getting to know Rose and Olivia. Olivia is such a spitfire and Rose is quite and beautiful inside and out.

I really hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Definitely one of my favorites so far this year. I’ll be waiting in limbo for October to get here. The next book is called “Once She Was Tempted”. I cannot wait to read Daphne’s story!!

**ARC from Hachette Book Group, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING, FOREVER via Netgalley for an honest review**(less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on Reading with Analysis.

My favorite thing about the book is its characters. Anabelle is fantastic - nuanced, resourceful, moral (in her own way), fiercely loyal, deeply conflicted by the choices life has forced her to make. I appreciated her self-reliance and moxie, and -- come on! -- she's an extortionist! Anabelle is the antithesis of the helpless heroine who needs the hero to swoop in and save her from her life. Owen is also a well-drawn character, though not quite a...more This review also appears on Reading with Analysis.

My favorite thing about the book is its characters. Anabelle is fantastic - nuanced, resourceful, moral (in her own way), fiercely loyal, deeply conflicted by the choices life has forced her to make. I appreciated her self-reliance and moxie, and -- come on! -- she's an extortionist! Anabelle is the antithesis of the helpless heroine who needs the hero to swoop in and save her from her life. Owen is also a well-drawn character, though not quite as nuanced as Anabelle, and there are excellent secondary characters in Owen's sisters, Anabelle's sister, and the delightfully awful Miss Starling. I loved Owen's uncertainty and vulnerability when dealing with his sisters, and it is lovely that Anabelle gets to do him a good turn by helping him navigate the sister-brother relationship.

There were a few things that struck me as being less than stellar. The plot line takes a few strange turns -- the house party provided an excellent opportunity for Owen and Anabelle to take their relationship to the next level, to be sure, but it felt like a lot of the action relating to the house party, to the skeevy Earl, etc. was a distraction from the main story line between Owen and Anabelle. Owen's ambivalence towards Anabelle seems to yo-yo around a bit too much: She's a damn, dirty extortionist! She's attractive. She's a sneak. She's a wonderful person. She can't be trusted, but Ima have sex with her anyway. I totally can't marry her. Dude, Ima propose to her. Finally, the ending was a little bit abrupt, and I really felt that more groveling (or any, really) from Owen would have been nice.

The bottom line, however, is that I am very excited to read the next book in the Honeycote series (Anabelle's sister Daphne's book), and I'm looking forward to seeing how Anne Barton's voice develops over her next few books. There is a cleverness in this book (especially evident in the chapter subtitles) that bodes well for the future.(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

WHEN SHE WAS WICKED by Anne Baxter is an delightful historical romance. #1 A Honeycote Novel series. A lowly seamstress meets,and a Duke.Can love blossom as a blackmailer falls in love? Filled with secrets,flaws,romance,fate and love. An amazing story of England's social class,family,the fight to keep one's family happy and healthy. With engaging,realistic characters who will tug at your heart strings and an interesting intriguing plot. You will not regret picking up "When She Was WIcked". As Mi...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Khanh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: uk

Sweet, fluffy read. Not much steam or romance. The heroine is admirable and not out of character for her time. The hero is a nice guy, not a rake, just a genuinely good person trying to do his best to raise two sisters and maintain the family's social position and watch out for their best interest. He is not too overbearing, not too much of an alpha male, and I really liked his character. There's not a whole lot of complexity, there is a mean and beautiful anti as there always is, but the romanc...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the author's debut novel and I am definitely going to keep an eye out for future reads. The book was well written and moved well to give you a full story with a variety of characters with individual personalities. The book begins by showing a seamstress, Anabelle Honeycote, who is talented with a needle but not making enough money for her and her family. She undertakes a secondary mode of financial gain by reluctantly blackmailing a few of the customers from the dress shop. When she att...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Amanda Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anabelle Honeycote has been unable to make ends meet in her modest employment as a seamstress, so she has taken to blackmailing members of the ton. She hears the things they say during fittings, and what better way to make a little extra money on the side to support her ill mother than to blackmail those passing the gossip? She loathes doing it and recognizes the distaste of the task, but she's desperate for the funds. To save face she establishes rules for her game, attempting to keep a bit of...more Anabelle Honeycote has been unable to make ends meet in her modest employment as a seamstress, so she has taken to blackmailing members of the ton. She hears the things they say during fittings, and what better way to make a little extra money on the side to support her ill mother than to blackmail those passing the gossip? She loathes doing it and recognizes the distaste of the task, but she's desperate for the funds. To save face she establishes rules for her game, attempting to keep a bit of class in an unclassy affair. Things take a turn for the awful when her plan to blackmail the Duke of Huntford over a bit of gossip involving his sister. When the Duke himself confronts her at the drop off point, Anabelle knows she's been caught. She expects him to haul her off to jail. Instead, he offers her a chance to work it off, to dress his sister for her coming out in a few weeks. He puts her up in his home, just down the hall from his sister, and Anabelle is given a deadline on when the trousseau is to be complete. What Owen Sherbourne, the Duke, doesn't count on is being fascinated by the who tried to blackmail him and smear his beloved sister's name. He begins to see there is quite a bit going on behind Anabelle's spectacles. His attraction is returned by the woman herself, but Annabelle has always been a rational person, and she knows any sort of relationship between herself and a Duke has no future whatsoever, and Annabelle is not the type to give herself and settle for less than everything a man has to offer.

I really enjoyed the debut novel of Anne Barton! This was such a romantic read. This theme is done often in the historical romance genre, and oftentimes not done effectively. Ms. Barton managed to find the fine line of making the story feel genuine and believable while retaining the romanticism of it all. She's created an interesting character in both Annabelle and Owen, two people who are equally matched in intellect if not caste. Owen has personal opinions he needs to tackle before he can realize what he has with Annabelle. There are plenty of times I found myself wanting to slap him back to reality. Yet he is genuine in his affection for Annabelle, and the things he does for her speak in ways he himself cannot.

Annabelle keeps it real. This woman knows exactly what she's gotten herself into, and there are few surprises that come her way in her adventures with the Duke. Well, except for the whole ERMEHGERD HE ACTUALLY LERVS ME thing. She doesn't always understand why he's attracted to her, but she's thankful he is. Annabelle understands her worth and gradually comes to accept that she will take what she can with what she is given and move on when it's time. She's a gutsy woman, a woman who probably was decades ahead of her time.

I look forward to seeing what else Ms. Barton has coming our way in the future.

Rating: A

Romance: 4/5 Raunch: 3.5/5(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Full disclosure: I won a copy of this through the goodreads first reads program.

Really enjoyable debut. As others have pointed out, the plot is a bit of a stretch. This is pretty common in Regencies nowadays, so as long as the characters are relatable that doesn't bother me too much. Fortunately as the book goes on we are steered away from the original plot and the book focuses more on the building relationship between Anabelle and Owen.

Owen, Duke of Huntford, is fiercely devoted to his sisters...more

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Feb 06, 2013 E_bookpushers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, published-in-2013, historical, romance, series, reviewed

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/01/31/...

Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

SOME RULES SIMPLY BEG TO BE BROKEN
A dressmaker in London’s busiest shop, Miss Anabelle Honeycote overhears the ton’s steamiest secrets—and (occasionally) uses them to her advantage. It isn’t something she’s proud of, but the reluctant blackmailer needs the money to care for her gravely ill mother. To make up for her misdeeds, Anabe...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anabelle is hot and deviant dressmaker with an ability to get what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go for it. But when Anabelle meets Owen, her rules are pushed aside because all she wants is him.

Once and a while I need to read a book that makes me blush a little, I find it keeps me young. Barton's breakout seduction, When She Was Wicked, did just that. Strong characters and a solid plot will push this book far, but I felt it was a little faint through the middle. Perhaps 400+ pages was a li...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Jeanne Murray rated it 3 of 5 stars

“When She Was Wicked” is a fun read, but nothing very extraordinary. The plot centers around a poor seamstress who has an aristocratic—if estranged—grandfather. Her second “job” as an extortionist is abruptly halted when she’s caught red handed. There are the usual worries about reputation and station in life, coupled with conflicts resulting from issues with parents. The characters, while not very complex, are engaging and they have some depth, making the novel entertaining. Not bad, but not th...more

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Feb 27, 2013 SidneyKay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-regency

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Giant chest on cover alert!

When She Was Wicked is the first in the Honeycote series for debut author Anne Barton, and it's a charming beginning. This is a tale of two people from different worlds, sort of. Our heroine, Anabelle, is a seamstress and the only support of her family (mother and sister). The mother has been diagnosed with tuberculosis and any money Anabelle has earned has gone for her mother's medication. This leads us to Anabelle's other occupation: extortion. And, what better place...more Giant chest on cover alert!

When She Was Wicked is the first in the Honeycote series for debut author Anne Barton, and it's a charming beginning. This is a tale of two people from different worlds, sort of. Our heroine, Anabelle, is a seamstress and the only support of her family (mother and sister). The mother has been diagnosed with tuberculosis and any money Anabelle has earned has gone for her mother's medication. This leads us to Anabelle's other occupation: extortion. And, what better place to hear gossip than in a dress shop where a seamstress is pretty much ignored while clientele talk about all kinds of sex-capades.

Well, Anabelle is desperate; she overhears something and sets out to blackmail a duke. This time she has picked the wrong pigeon, and she ends up getting caught by our hero, Owen, Duke of Huntford. Instead of throwing her in prison, he makes her pack up her things and come live with him and design gowns for his sisters as a punishment. Included in this punishment is paying her back rent, providing food for her family and bringing in another doctor to look at her mother. Some punishment. In the process, they fall in love. The end.

I loved the beginning of the book, I thought Anabelle was a nice change from standard heroines. She was smart, strong, and for the most part able to take care of herself. She also wants more out of her relationship with Owen than he's willing to give. So, she is walking a very thin line: she will not be a mistress, she wants to be a wife. She is very much aware she is not trained for some of the complexities built into his social class. He is also aware of these differences and even when it is discovered that her grandfather was/is a viscount, it doesn't change anything. Owen stills does not accept Anabelle as his social equal. So, their struggle with their differences was an interesting process to watch.

Where the author lost me a little was with some implausible scenarios. I know this is a work of fiction, but there is a fine line between fiction and fairytale. I found it hard to buy into Anabelle attending a high society weekend party as Owen's sister's companion. This included her being at the table with all of the invited guests, some of them her clientele from the dress shop. I'm not sure if that would have been acceptable in that time period. I suspect she would have been given the "cut direct" big time, and that didn't happen. One of the other things that had me raising my eyebrows was when she is tricked into attending a ball, she is in the middle of the ball room and Owen approaches her, bypasses everyone, stands before her and what does she think? Why she thinks he is going to ask her to be his seamstress. Puleese. Do you really think a duke is going to make such a public display? Just to find a seamstress. All eyes are turned on him as he walks past everyone, his family, his friends, her family, society gossips - just to employ someone. My smart heroine took a nose-dive into stupidville at that point.

The chapter sub-titles were fun and I read all of them (usually I skip chapter headings). The heroine was a strong woman, who while a little naive sometimes, for the most part didn't let people walk all over her. Owen was a little weaker; it took him a little longer to make up his mind. Overall, this was a good read, nothing too complex, nothing too exhausting, and I will be checking out Ms. Barton's next story in the series.

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Apr 27, 2013 Anna's Herding Cats! rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, need-review, 2013, historical, blackmail, siblings

At nearly 400 pages and over an inch thick When She was Wicked is a big book and still when I got to the last page a "no! It can't be over yet" zipped through my thoughts. Barton's debut novel was a huge hit for me and was filled with characters I easily fell in love with and knew I would miss as soon as I finished reading their story.

I loved the whole feel of the book. The interactions between between Annabelle and Owen, with his friends, between Owen and his sisters and the friendship Annabell...more At nearly 400 pages and over an inch thick When She was Wicked is a big book and still when I got to the last page a "no! It can't be over yet" zipped through my thoughts. Barton's debut novel was a huge hit for me and was filled with characters I easily fell in love with and knew I would miss as soon as I finished reading their story.

I loved the whole feel of the book. The interactions between between Annabelle and Owen, with his friends, between Owen and his sisters and the friendship Annabelle formed with them over time. They were all just wonderful to watch. These people have been through so much heartache in recent years but they have good hearts and still know what's important in life. Their family. And they'll do anything and everything they have to to keep the people they love happy and healthy. How could you not love that?

The relationship between Owen and Annabelle was pretty entertaining. They're supposed to be at odds with each other, seeing she tried to blackmail him and he's pretty much holding her life in his hands because of it but the two can't seem to help their attraction and honestly I felt myself urging them on. I loved both of them and their odd arrangement of her living with his family while she created complete wardrobes for his sisters.

[Just adding in really quick but this is one book I wish had pictures! OMG the descriptions of the gowns Annabelle created were simply amazing and I'd love to see what inspired them.]

Even with the blackmail scheme Annabelle was a lovely heroine. She's hard working, caring, sweet and no push over. I loved that she was a little fiery every now and again and didn't go along with everything Owen demanded. And Owen. He can play the part of the cold, in charge Duke but this man is such a softie when it comes to his sisters and those he cares about that he'll melt ya on the spot. They really were a good pairing for each other. This one wasn't too steamy. There are...relations. But they're pretty tame compared to most of the books I read and most mainstream romances. It's still nice and sigh worthy but nothing too graphic.

If you like sweet books that just leave you with a smile on your face this is one to try. I can't wait to spend more time with this group of people as the series develops. Anne Barton has definitely made my watch list and I'll be snapping her next book up the second it's published.(less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Maria Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

When She Was Wicked by author Anne Barton was as charming as it was romantic. Anabelle Honeycote works by day as a seamstress and by night as a bumbling extortionist. Her heart is in the right place, using the money to pay for a sick mother and to keep a roof over her families' heads. But she still extorts money from the rich. Until she tries to extort from the Duke of Huntford and finds herself terrible over her head as he then forces her to live with him while sewing dresses for his sisters.

A...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Melody May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, netgalley, arc

Originally Posted on What I'm Reading

Good morning everyone. Well, it was a late night. Sometimes I love when I can't put down the book, and sometimes I hate it. However, I'm excited to bring to you a new author who has a fantastic debut to read.

Anne Barton brings an exciting adventure of a seamstress who happens to extort some members in Society to help her family out in When She Was Wicked. It's not like Anabelle Honeycote has been doing it long. Being a seamstress, she tends to hear all the ju...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Lily (Lily Pond Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-2013, favorite, historical-romance, netgalley, romance, reviewed

Courtesy of Hachette Book Group, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING, FOREVER through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I truly love well done historical novels and When She Was Wicked, was the perfect fix for my recent historical need.

Anabelle Honeycote works as a seamstress at one of the London's busiest shop, she is also the reason for it's success. Known for her beautiful craft of work and dresses made for the ladies of the ton that fit their beauty and personality perfectly. Unfortunately, Ana...more Courtesy of Hachette Book Group, GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING, FOREVER through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I truly love well done historical novels and When She Was Wicked, was the perfect fix for my recent historical need.

Anabelle Honeycote works as a seamstress at one of the London's busiest shop, she is also the reason for it's success. Known for her beautiful craft of work and dresses made for the ladies of the ton that fit their beauty and personality perfectly. Unfortunately, Anabelle does not make enough to survive, and with a very sick mother at home – Miss Anabelle Honeycote turns to extortion in order to make the extra money to pay for her mothers medicine and keep the roof over their head. The London's shop just happens to be the perfect place for all the steamy gossip.

Anabelle has a certain set of rules she follows in order to make up for her misdeeds, which protect her and keep her honest. When she tries to extort some money from the Duke of Huntford, not only does he catch her, but proposes her a job at his home under surveillance over the cold and dreary jail cell. Anabelle is to make a certain amount of dresses for his two sisters within three months, but the company of the Duke so close is more then Anabelle was willing to bargain for.

What a beautiful start of a series. I love the characters, loved the interactions, the storyline and Anne Barton's wonderful and clever writing.

Barton knows how to lure you into the story and make you fall under it's spell. I couldn't put the book down, even when I should have been sleeping. I was so engrossed in the storyline and the attraction between Owen and Belle, that I couldn't put the book down. I knew I had to finish it and learn about Anabelle's happily ever after.

Owen is the Duke of Huntford who is a guardian older brother to two of his sisters. One of which Belle has threatened to expose her secrets of befriending a servant. A relationship between his kind and the servants is unheard of, much less a friendship. But when Miss Honeycote is revealed to be more beautiful and far more then he can handle, some rules are meant to go out the window. I loved his character. Loved that he wasn't really perfect. Thought he loves his sisters, he has no idea how to communicate with them. It is even harder with his youngest sister Rose, who stopped talking sometimes years back and he isn't all sure what had caused it. Their father committed suicide and their mother fled after an affair. He is also unsure of what to make of his relationship and attraction to Belle, and makes a lot of mistakes along the way, but their late night meetings and stolen forms of endearment squeezed my heart through the book.

The attraction was there, and it was both sweet and steamy. I couldn't help but feel bad for Anabelle, especially the secret she was harboring and her relationship with Owen – since he didn't want others to know about their attraction. But his caring gestures had touched my heart.

There were some sad parts, especially involving Miss. Sterling. I hated Miss Sterling, a woman who everyone assumed wound end up as the Dukes wife and her hostility to Belle. But the ending ended up being sweet and wonderful and made me squeeze the book from sheer happiness. The Duke really shined and made me fall in love with him myself. I hated Miss Sterling, a woman who everyone assumed wound end up as the Dukes wife and her hostility to Belle. I loved Olivia and Rose, and hope that eventually Barton will write books about them, because I would love to see their stories and how they panned out as well. Looking forward to more from this series and this wonderful author!(less)

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May 02, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-releases, 2013-reads, historical, romance, european-historical, 4-stars, angsty-drama, friendships, regency-era, seriously-series-reading-challenge, debut-novels, reviewed-on-blog, pretty-dress-covers

Well, this was a pleasant surprise!. I am always excited to read something from a debut author, but I was blown away with how good Anne Barton's first book was. For me, the mark of a good book is one that I think about long after finishing it and When She Was Wicked definitely accomplished that feat.

This is the first book in a series about the Honeycote family who have estranged ties with the British nobility, but are forced to survive on their own. Anabelle, spends her days working as a seamstr...more Well, this was a pleasant surprise!. I am always excited to read something from a debut author, but I was blown away with how good Anne Barton's first book was. For me, the mark of a good book is one that I think about long after finishing it and When She Was Wicked definitely accomplished that feat.

This is the first book in a series about the Honeycote family who have estranged ties with the British nobility, but are forced to survive on their own. Anabelle, spends her days working as a seamstress for one of the premier dress shops in London in order to provide for her family. Through her work, Anabelle learns many secrets about the lords and ladies of the ton and uses that knowledge by blackmailing them in order to gain a bit more money.

Everything goes pretty smoothly until she attempts to blackmail the Duke of Huntford (Owen) who discovers her plot. In retaliation, Owen decides to "punish" Anabelle by keeping her as a live-in dressmaker for his two teenaged sisters for two months. This, of course, forces Anabelle and Huntford to interact and discover that they have a definite attraction to one another.

As you can see above, The plot of When She Was Wicked is nothing completely out of the ordinary for historical romance. It is a bit far-fetched if one tries to think about it too hard, but, for me, that is part of the charm of the genre. Once you get past the initial introduction, the book really starts to shine with the development of the characters and the love story really takes off. I think the biggest thing that helps this plot work for Anne Barton is her writing style and the way that it just flows off the page. I never felt like reading this book was work and I had it done within two work days which is unusual nowadays.

Anabelle was a real joy to read about. She is a sweet person who regrets what she is doing with the extortion attempts, but is determined to help her family survive in any way she can. I think this is an admirable quality in a heroine especially because readers get to see the inner conflict that Anabelle deals with on a daily basis. I also like her independent streak especially when the romance gets going. She has spent much of her life taking care of others so it is a foreign concept for someone else to want to take care of her.

I also really enjoyed Owen's character. He starts out acting like, what I would assume, most lords who inherited their title from an early age would, but he is also a genuinely nice person who cares deeply about his family. Years of being duke have left him with a protective streak related to his younger sisters, but he often has issues trusting them with his own feelings. Through his friendship and then later relationship with Anabelle, Owen learns how to be more comfortable with his sisters and show them how much he loves them.

Anabelle and Owen's relationship was very well-developed. They started out in a pretty difficult situation with the whole blackmail thing though things quickly turned into friendship. Both of them were not familiar with trusting others with inner thoughts and feelings, but found something in one another that they could connect with. Some of the best scenes between these two are when they just sit and talk about random things. Their friendship also quickly develops into something more over the course of Anabelle's time working for Owen and his sisters. I thought it progressed naturally despite the shortened time period, mostly because they were in almost constant contact during the story.

I also liked the way Anne Barton developed her secondary characters especially Anabelle's sister, Daphne, and Owen's sisters, Olivia and Rose. The book doesn't spend a lot of time on Daphne, but what I read really made me like her. She was determined and protective of both Anabelle and her mother. I can't wait to read her story and learn even more about her character. Olivia and Rose were very prominent in the story due to Anabelle's working relationship, and, later, friendship with them. They were young and their moments of immaturity, but I was impressed by their outlooks on life and society. I could easily see how Anabelle could become friends with them in such a short amount of time and I hope Barton gives us their stories in the future as well.

Most of the plot of When She Was Wicked involved character interaction with little external drama. There was a bit of conflict in the last third of the book involving Rose's refusal to speak, but it was resolved pretty quickly...almost too quickly for my taste. I love character-centric romances so I did wish the later half wasn't as over-the-top with the drama since I felt like the story didn't need it. But, Barton's writing style kept the story flowing and I easily finished within two days.

In conclusion, this was a well-written and entertaining debut novel full of wonderful characters and almost sugary sweet romance. I definitely plan on watching Anne Barton does next because I think she has a bright future in historical romance.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

A stunning debut by Anne Barton, with an original plot and engaging characters that have renovated the unacceptable-statuses trope.

Anabelle Honeycote is pragmatic and loyal to her family, she will do anything to save her mom and keep food on the table, including resorting to blackmail as her seamstress wages cannot support her mother's medical bills. Granted, her "blackmail rules" are a comical attempt at causing ambiguity in her actions, but it does well to show that she has morals, and really...more A stunning debut by Anne Barton, with an original plot and engaging characters that have renovated the unacceptable-statuses trope.

Anabelle Honeycote is pragmatic and loyal to her family, she will do anything to save her mom and keep food on the table, including resorting to blackmail as her seamstress wages cannot support her mother's medical bills. Granted, her "blackmail rules" are a comical attempt at causing ambiguity in her actions, but it does well to show that she has morals, and really, what's wrong with being a Robin Hood to save her poor family?

Only due to the sheer stupidity of her first four clients that she wasn't caught, but Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford, does catch her and makes her a proposition: complete a set of dresses for his sisters or be sent to prison. And so, Anabelle moves into Owen's home and proceeds to prove how much of a Candy character she is.

Overall I greatly enjoyed the story. Anabelle takes on a confidante role to Owen's sisters, and becomes almost motherly to them by the end of the story. Her interactions with Owen are immensely sweet, a complement to their roles as care-takers of the family, and when they are together, all statuses are thrown aside and it's just them, two souls who found something lovely and admirable in each other. The secondary characters are great as well, from Owen's nice sisters (one of whom I hope will get her own book) to Anabelle's sister and mother, they are all quite nice and supportive, so the fulcrum of the book is internal and on Owen and Anabelle, instead of some evil villain hatching murder plots.

The one thing I didn't quite like was how Owen seemed to only accept Anabelle's potential as his duchess after he learns she's the granddaughter of a viscount. I know the realities of the time would not have allowed for such an uneven match between a dressmaker and a duke, but this is a romance story and Owen has already proven himself as a man who does what he wants, so the hesitation between his declaration of feelings and proposal of marriage leaves me annoyed at the man. Regardless, this is a great debut and I look forward to reading Daphne (Anabelle's sister)'s story, as she is such a sweet girl.
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Mar 16, 2013 Diah Didi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: love-the-cover, 2013, 2013-challenge, adult, challenge-2013-new-authors, english, fiction, gift, historical, like-the-title, my-very-first-of, own, paperback, series, romance, 3-and-half-stars

My very first of Anne Barton. And well, it's her novel debut. :D
I got this book as a birthday gift from one of my book best friends. She knew I love anything related to Wicked things. Besides, since I loved When He Was Wicked from Julia Quinn, which the one I had was the red cover version, she thought this novel would be a great pair for that one. :D

While I found Michael Sterling from When He Was Wicked was indeed very wicked, I can't say the same for Annabelle who I found was not wicked enough,...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Aislynn (Stitch Read Cook) added it

Shelves: arc-s-to-review, hard-copy-from-publisher, read-in-2013, historical-romance

Anabelle will do what she must to make sure her sister and mother have food and medicine. Even if it involves something against he morals, and might hurt someone else. She sees blackmail as the only way to save her family from starvation or death.

Unfortunately for Anabelle, she attempts to blackmail the wrong person. When she meets Owen, the Duke of Huntford her entire plan has to change. Anabelle is packed up and moved into Owen’s home and is given the task of creating beautiful dresses for his...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, anne-barton, netgalley

Miss Annabelle Honeycote has had to turn to a very unsavory way to get money to pay her mothers growing medical bills-extortion from some of her clients. As many of the woman who are getting new dresses pay her no mind, they openly talk about some of scandalous stories about the ton. So while it pains her to do it, Annabelle uses these secrets to her advantage to get some money (never exorbitant amounts!) to help take care of her mother and sister. Unfortunately, her latest target, Owen, the Duk...more Miss Annabelle Honeycote has had to turn to a very unsavory way to get money to pay her mothers growing medical bills-extortion from some of her clients. As many of the woman who are getting new dresses pay her no mind, they openly talk about some of scandalous stories about the ton. So while it pains her to do it, Annabelle uses these secrets to her advantage to get some money (never exorbitant amounts!) to help take care of her mother and sister. Unfortunately, her latest target, Owen, the Duke of Huntford, refuses to just hand over some blackmail money and sets out to trap her instead. He will not tolerate any secret of his beloved sisters to be put out in society but he is very intrigued by the bespectacled woman he catches. He decides the best way to keep an eye on Annabelle is to have her make new wardrobes for his sisters while staying at his home. As much as it pains Annabelle to leave her sister and mother, she has to agree and quickly strikes up a wonderful friendship with Owen's two sisters...and finds herself desperately attracted to a man far, far above her station. How will Owen and Annabelle find a way to be together, while Annabelle holds her shameful secret from his sisters and the full truth of it from Owen? Can Owen forgive her when her secret keeping almost hurts his sister?

I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely debut! I love stories with dressmaker heroines as they fall for someone above their current lot in life and also the attention to detail about dress construction. So much work and time for one garment-and all by hand! Annabelle is determined to do what she can to help her ailing mother, who seems to be fading away and while it pains her to turn to blackmail, it works to help pay for the medicines needed. She is proud, clever, feisty, strong and loyal and I loved watching her fall for Owen. I wish she had explained the full extent of her blackmail schemes as it comes back in a big way but that added some nice drama to the storyline. Owen was a delicious gentleman who takes his responsibilities to his family seriously and I loved the way he took care of Annabelle and her family...even though she tried to resist his help. His love for his sisters was wonderful but the subplot with one of them was a bit odd (how she came to stop speaking) and dragged on a little too long for my taste. The banter between Owen and Annabelle was lovely and the writing crisp and enjoyable. Recommended for fans of determined, fiesty, loyal heroines who work for a living and fall for someone above her class, a hero who is protective, sexy and also determined mixed with lovely attention to details and fun banter and sizzling tension. I know I will be picking up more from Anne Barton! 4 stars

eARC provided by Grand Central Publishing, Forever, by netgalley.com(less)

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When She Was Wicked (Honeycote #1)

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