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Once Upon the East End #2
Wake Me Most Wickedly
Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner.
Forever tainted by her parents' crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own.
Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?
Forever tainted by her parents' crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own.
Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 9, 2024
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April 8, 2024
Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman
Once Upon the East End series #2. Historical romance, own voice, Jewish. Can be read as a stand-alone. One character from the prior book is a minor secondary character in this story.
Solomon Weiss feels he owes a debt and support to his older brother Frederick. After all, Frederick was only a teen himself when he was forced to care for Solomon. Now they are both adults, Frederick is an influential man and intends to marry soon. He’s asked Solomon to be on his best behavior and focus on the bank work and perhaps do an errand or two for him. Of course Solomon will do whatever his brother asks.
One night, Solomon is cornered by a couple of rough men in an unsafe neighborhood and Hannah Moses comes to his rescue. She runs a pawnshop and deals with small, mostly legal items like button and ribbons. Sol has seen her slip a small amount of money to one man that she refused to buy anything from just so he could get a bowl of soup. Sol is charmed and attracted to Hannah and the feeling is mutual. But she’s not at all what Frederick has in mind for Solomon.
Not your average historical romance. Hannah is poor and takes jobs that may not be exactly legal. She doesn’t see herself as worthy of love and she’s past the age of impressionable. Solomon is drawn to Hannah and can’t seem to stay away. He isn’t willing to leave his yarmulke or prayers behind, nor can he leave Hannah behind even though a pawn shop isn’t considered acceptable by his brother.
Adventurous and steamy. Solomon is way nicer to his brother than he needed to be.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Once Upon the East End series #2. Historical romance, own voice, Jewish. Can be read as a stand-alone. One character from the prior book is a minor secondary character in this story.
Solomon Weiss feels he owes a debt and support to his older brother Frederick. After all, Frederick was only a teen himself when he was forced to care for Solomon. Now they are both adults, Frederick is an influential man and intends to marry soon. He’s asked Solomon to be on his best behavior and focus on the bank work and perhaps do an errand or two for him. Of course Solomon will do whatever his brother asks.
One night, Solomon is cornered by a couple of rough men in an unsafe neighborhood and Hannah Moses comes to his rescue. She runs a pawnshop and deals with small, mostly legal items like button and ribbons. Sol has seen her slip a small amount of money to one man that she refused to buy anything from just so he could get a bowl of soup. Sol is charmed and attracted to Hannah and the feeling is mutual. But she’s not at all what Frederick has in mind for Solomon.
Not your average historical romance. Hannah is poor and takes jobs that may not be exactly legal. She doesn’t see herself as worthy of love and she’s past the age of impressionable. Solomon is drawn to Hannah and can’t seem to stay away. He isn’t willing to leave his yarmulke or prayers behind, nor can he leave Hannah behind even though a pawn shop isn’t considered acceptable by his brother.
Adventurous and steamy. Solomon is way nicer to his brother than he needed to be.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Read
April 23, 2024Unfortunately it’s a DNF. It was already so instalove at the 30% I read and they were clearly not going to get together until they made everyone—including me—suffer. Aka both characters were trying so desperately to sacrifice themselves for their siblings and that’s like my biggest turnoff in romances (I know it makes me sound shitty but I’m reading the book for them not their siblings!!). I also don’t like Justine Eyre very much and she really wasn’t selling me here. Twas a shame since the cover is so good, there was historical Jewish culture, and her name was Hannah 😩
June 13, 2024
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? a mix of both, but maybe more plot leaning
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in, first chapter
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later
Format: voluntarily read an e-book copy through NetGalley
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
You could – book 1’s characters are heavy side characters in this one – I’m not sure how much depth you get for these characters in the prior book. I did find myself wishing I had dove into that one first.
Basic plot:
Sol finds himself saved by a mysterious Hannah and can’t stay away even though she is everything he needs to avoid...
Give this a try if you want:
- England 1832 (What do I call this period? I usually did Victorian at 1837, but it’s not really late Regency at the point of William’s reign….let me know what you call this!)
- London setting
- she rescues him
- Snow White retelling (twist – the hero is Snow White)
- age gap with older heroine (heroine is 32/hero is 26)
- pawnshop owning heroine
- Jewish mains
- bit of grumpy heroine/sunshine hero vibes
- class difference
- the sweetest hero
- medium steam – 3 full scenes
Ages:
- Heroine is 32, hero is 26
First line:
Night was the best time to hunt – especially if you relied on stealth, not strength, to snare your prey.
My thoughts:
There is so much to love about this novel! But overall, I ended up wanting them together more, and the romance got a bit lost for me in all the plot antics.
I love the older heroine pairing, and Sol is so, so sweet. Oh he’s so caring and gentle and loving and I just adored him. I love his optimism. Hannah has been through hell and is a survivor. She tries to protect her heart as well as keep her family safe. So this leads to a lot of push and pull between them that I enjoyed.
Outside forces started taking over this book for me though. We have multiple side characters, and I found Sol spending a lot of time alone or with his brother, and Hannah alone, on the streets, with nefarious side characters or her sister. I wanted them together more. I also wanted more tension between them – I feel like when they were together it was a bit of instalust and then they’d separate and come together again and be glued to each other (but only for a short time because forces)
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? a mix of both, but maybe more plot leaning
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in, first chapter
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later
Format: voluntarily read an e-book copy through NetGalley
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
You could – book 1’s characters are heavy side characters in this one – I’m not sure how much depth you get for these characters in the prior book. I did find myself wishing I had dove into that one first.
Basic plot:
Sol finds himself saved by a mysterious Hannah and can’t stay away even though she is everything he needs to avoid...
Give this a try if you want:
- England 1832 (What do I call this period? I usually did Victorian at 1837, but it’s not really late Regency at the point of William’s reign….let me know what you call this!)
- London setting
- she rescues him
- Snow White retelling (twist – the hero is Snow White)
- age gap with older heroine (heroine is 32/hero is 26)
- pawnshop owning heroine
- Jewish mains
- bit of grumpy heroine/sunshine hero vibes
- class difference
- the sweetest hero
- medium steam – 3 full scenes
Ages:
- Heroine is 32, hero is 26
First line:
Night was the best time to hunt – especially if you relied on stealth, not strength, to snare your prey.
My thoughts:
There is so much to love about this novel! But overall, I ended up wanting them together more, and the romance got a bit lost for me in all the plot antics.
I love the older heroine pairing, and Sol is so, so sweet. Oh he’s so caring and gentle and loving and I just adored him. I love his optimism. Hannah has been through hell and is a survivor. She tries to protect her heart as well as keep her family safe. So this leads to a lot of push and pull between them that I enjoyed.
Outside forces started taking over this book for me though. We have multiple side characters, and I found Sol spending a lot of time alone or with his brother, and Hannah alone, on the streets, with nefarious side characters or her sister. I wanted them together more. I also wanted more tension between them – I feel like when they were together it was a bit of instalust and then they’d separate and come together again and be glued to each other (but only for a short time because forces)
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
April 2, 2024
Wake Me Most Wickedly was such a fun read! Given the diverse perspective of a Jewish romance (which I haven't read much of), my interest was peaked as I dove headfirst into 19th-century life for the Jews amongst Gentiles in London!
THOUGHTS:
- Our heroine, Hannah, is the type of girl you want to be friends with!! She would do anything for those she loves and works so stinking hard!!
- There's a lot I don't know about Jewish culture, but that didn't take away from my reading at all. I think it made me more interested because religious groups with their own insular cultures are still alive and well today, so it felt familiar. However, it was still something new and a break from traditional regency/Victorian Era romances.
**Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
THOUGHTS:
- Our heroine, Hannah, is the type of girl you want to be friends with!! She would do anything for those she loves and works so stinking hard!!
- There's a lot I don't know about Jewish culture, but that didn't take away from my reading at all. I think it made me more interested because religious groups with their own insular cultures are still alive and well today, so it felt familiar. However, it was still something new and a break from traditional regency/Victorian Era romances.
**Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
March 22, 2024
My first book by Felicia Grossman and I'll be reading more. This book is a Regency romance snow white retelling with Jewish main characters Solomon and Hannah. There are so many different dynamics in this book along with the romance like Jewish integration, the MMC's brother marrying a 'gentile', the class system, and the treatment of Ashkenazi Jews by other Jewish people and the community at large. The fmc Hannah is older than the mmc and I enjoyed that aspect along with the meet-cute, the banter, and the steaminess of the book. This book was so interesting with the family drama, gender dynamic, and bit of forbidden romance with two people that society did not want together. If you like historical romance and fairytale retellings you should give this a try! Also, the cover is stunning and sexy and should be a reason for anyone to pick this book up! Thanks to Forever for this arc for an honest review.
April 9, 2024
4.5/5 stars
Wake Me Most Wickedly is a Snow White retelling/historical/Regency Jewish romance. It is the second book in the Once Upon the East End series.
Even though historical romance is not my typical genre I really enjoyed this book. The Snow White retelling aspect was clever. And the Jewish rep was so good. I also really enjoyed getting to see characters from Marry Me By Midnight.
This series is set in 1830s London and focuses on Jewish characters. It is a gender bent Jewish Snow White retelling where Snow White is a Jewish male banker (Solomon Weiss).
The heroine is 32 year old Hannah Moses. She runs a pawn shop and does what she needs to do to survive (dealing with criminals) in order to make money for her sister's dowry.
The hero is 26 year old Solomon Weiss, who we met in Marry Me By Midnight. Sol's brother Frederick is featured in this book too. Frederick is distancing himself from Jewish culture and wanting Sol to be on his best behavior.
Isabelle and Aaron made this book so much better for me (the main characters from book one). Knowing a few of the characters and the world made it much easier for me to feel connected to the story.
It was so fun having Hannah be a bit older than Sol. I liked that she didn't have an easy life. This book was so sexy. But in such a fun way! I really enjoyed this retelling and cannot wait to see what the author has in store for her next one.
Thanks to netgalley and Forever Publishing for allowing me to read this book.
Wake Me Most Wickedly is a Snow White retelling/historical/Regency Jewish romance. It is the second book in the Once Upon the East End series.
Even though historical romance is not my typical genre I really enjoyed this book. The Snow White retelling aspect was clever. And the Jewish rep was so good. I also really enjoyed getting to see characters from Marry Me By Midnight.
This series is set in 1830s London and focuses on Jewish characters. It is a gender bent Jewish Snow White retelling where Snow White is a Jewish male banker (Solomon Weiss).
The heroine is 32 year old Hannah Moses. She runs a pawn shop and does what she needs to do to survive (dealing with criminals) in order to make money for her sister's dowry.
The hero is 26 year old Solomon Weiss, who we met in Marry Me By Midnight. Sol's brother Frederick is featured in this book too. Frederick is distancing himself from Jewish culture and wanting Sol to be on his best behavior.
Isabelle and Aaron made this book so much better for me (the main characters from book one). Knowing a few of the characters and the world made it much easier for me to feel connected to the story.
It was so fun having Hannah be a bit older than Sol. I liked that she didn't have an easy life. This book was so sexy. But in such a fun way! I really enjoyed this retelling and cannot wait to see what the author has in store for her next one.
Thanks to netgalley and Forever Publishing for allowing me to read this book.
April 13, 2024
Wake Me Most Wickedly is a new historical romance release with a gender-swapped Snow White retelling and has Jewish representation.
Hannah is a pawnshop owner and actually saves Solomon one day when he’s cornered by men in an unsafe neighborhood. He is kind of taken with her right away and it isn’t until months later when they run into one another again. I liked how we get an older heroine in this one, she’s 32 and he’s 26. Solomon’s been raised by his brother after their parents died when he was younger.
This one was a decent read! I’ve read both books from this author now in this series and there are parts I like about the books, but they aren’t new favs. This one was a little too insta love and I wanted a little bit more on-page development. I did like the setting of this being a regency historical in London, but it taking place in a Jewish community.
CW: attempted SA
Hannah is a pawnshop owner and actually saves Solomon one day when he’s cornered by men in an unsafe neighborhood. He is kind of taken with her right away and it isn’t until months later when they run into one another again. I liked how we get an older heroine in this one, she’s 32 and he’s 26. Solomon’s been raised by his brother after their parents died when he was younger.
This one was a decent read! I’ve read both books from this author now in this series and there are parts I like about the books, but they aren’t new favs. This one was a little too insta love and I wanted a little bit more on-page development. I did like the setting of this being a regency historical in London, but it taking place in a Jewish community.
CW: attempted SA
March 5, 2024
Perfection. My most memorable book of this year. INCREDIBLEEEE.
This cover was posted in an article and it is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life😍😍😍😍 she's ONLY in a corset and he's shirtless with a KIPPAH <3 and they are in bed and it's classic clinch but BETTER because the characters are Jewish like I already love these sephardi/mizrahi/ashkenazi babes
This cover was posted in an article and it is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life😍😍😍😍 she's ONLY in a corset and he's shirtless with a KIPPAH <3 and they are in bed and it's classic clinch but BETTER because the characters are Jewish like I already love these sephardi/mizrahi/ashkenazi babes
April 24, 2024
Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel! And it definitely did not disappoint. This series is just so easy to love - even for non-seasoned historical readers.
Felicia Grossman's stories feel unique and fresh while still hitting plenty of fan favorite beats in the genre.
This is a lose, gender-bent Snow White retelling. (From what I understand each book while be a different gender bent twist on a fairytale).
Our hero was raised by his brother after losing both parents very young. Now as adults, he feels indebted for all his brother has done, and wants nothing more than to help him reach his goals.
But he also can't help but fall for the feisty, ostracized woman he meets while escaping a robbery. Putting him in the difficult place of fighting for what he wants, or helping the brother that raised him.
This story (and series) features so much Jewish culture and history. It's a side of Victorian London we don't often get to see in this genre and I can't get enough. Felicia Grossman seamlessly integrates the history into her stories, making it not just a setting or side note, but a focal point.
There were so many themes of community, obligation, inequality, classism, antisemitism, and more. And all of this was handled expertly in my opinion.
But none of it overpowered their romance. The heroine is the definition of reluctant while the hero is gone for her early on. And while he may have fallen early, this did an amazing job making you wonder and question how they could make their romance work.
The stakes were real and seemingly insurmountable.
I know absolutely nothing about the next book, but it's already on my most anticipated list.
I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel! And it definitely did not disappoint. This series is just so easy to love - even for non-seasoned historical readers.
Felicia Grossman's stories feel unique and fresh while still hitting plenty of fan favorite beats in the genre.
This is a lose, gender-bent Snow White retelling. (From what I understand each book while be a different gender bent twist on a fairytale).
Our hero was raised by his brother after losing both parents very young. Now as adults, he feels indebted for all his brother has done, and wants nothing more than to help him reach his goals.
But he also can't help but fall for the feisty, ostracized woman he meets while escaping a robbery. Putting him in the difficult place of fighting for what he wants, or helping the brother that raised him.
This story (and series) features so much Jewish culture and history. It's a side of Victorian London we don't often get to see in this genre and I can't get enough. Felicia Grossman seamlessly integrates the history into her stories, making it not just a setting or side note, but a focal point.
There were so many themes of community, obligation, inequality, classism, antisemitism, and more. And all of this was handled expertly in my opinion.
But none of it overpowered their romance. The heroine is the definition of reluctant while the hero is gone for her early on. And while he may have fallen early, this did an amazing job making you wonder and question how they could make their romance work.
The stakes were real and seemingly insurmountable.
I know absolutely nothing about the next book, but it's already on my most anticipated list.
July 14, 2024
Tropes: grumpy MFC/sunshine MMC; older MFC/younger MMC; class difference
Steam level: 3
Part of a series, but works fine as a standalone.
4.5 stars. This is my first time reading a book by this author, and its strength for me lies less in the romance and more in way it presents insights into Jewish culture during the Regency period, as well as the sheer likability of the MC's. I'm not Jewish myself, so the excellent world-building and period details opened my eyes to the different "tiers" of social acceptance in mainstream society in 1800's England. Not only is tough, streetwise MFC Hannah eking out a dangerous living with her younger sister on the margins of East London, but she has also been shunned by her own people for being the epitome of the "bad Jew." The author does a terrific job of drawing the reader into this world. In contrast, happy-go-lucky MMC Sol lives closer to the upper echelons of Jewish society--yet he still knows that acceptance into the top reaches of the Ton may never be a possibility. The struggles that Hannah faces are dire, but you also feel for Sol, who has been pressured by his older brother since he was a boy to fit into a vicious straightjacket of conformity so they can attain monetary and social success.
Not that this book is overly dark in tone. Despite some harrowing and frankly heartbreaking scenes, there is plenty of humor and the banter between the MC's is witty. The steam is also well-written (although the timing was a bit awkward and unrealistic during one scene). For the most part, there is a nice balance between reality and escapism, with the author pulling off a loose homage to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" .
Quibbles: although there is strong tension in the later chapters, I felt that the pacing in the first 60% was occasionally uneven, and there is some repetitive "interior monologue-ing". One of my pet peeves is when the fears a character keeps ruminating over aren't reflected in their actions, and Sol jumped into the relationship with Hannah quite suddenly, after spending so long worrying about how this would negatively impact his and his brother's social standing. I felt that a few pages were needed to bridge his decision to avoid her and then his sudden appearance in her store.
One other issue I had was that "the baddie" is morally bankrupt to the point of being evil, yet the comeuppance was relatively mild. I appreciate that Sol is a sweetheart and that he and Hannah needed to be very careful to preserve their future, but I really wanted fate to be less kind (a true "Grim"-style fairytale ending).
Overall, however, this was a book that keep me reading and at times transcended the standard HR. I highly recommend it.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity. This book is expected to be published April 9.
Steam level: 3
Part of a series, but works fine as a standalone.
4.5 stars. This is my first time reading a book by this author, and its strength for me lies less in the romance and more in way it presents insights into Jewish culture during the Regency period, as well as the sheer likability of the MC's. I'm not Jewish myself, so the excellent world-building and period details opened my eyes to the different "tiers" of social acceptance in mainstream society in 1800's England. Not only is tough, streetwise MFC Hannah eking out a dangerous living with her younger sister on the margins of East London, but she has also been shunned by her own people for being the epitome of the "bad Jew." The author does a terrific job of drawing the reader into this world. In contrast, happy-go-lucky MMC Sol lives closer to the upper echelons of Jewish society--yet he still knows that acceptance into the top reaches of the Ton may never be a possibility. The struggles that Hannah faces are dire, but you also feel for Sol, who has been pressured by his older brother since he was a boy to fit into a vicious straightjacket of conformity so they can attain monetary and social success.
Not that this book is overly dark in tone. Despite some harrowing and frankly heartbreaking scenes, there is plenty of humor and the banter between the MC's is witty. The steam is also well-written (although the timing was a bit awkward and unrealistic during one scene). For the most part, there is a nice balance between reality and escapism, with the author pulling off a loose homage to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" .
Quibbles: although there is strong tension in the later chapters, I felt that the pacing in the first 60% was occasionally uneven, and there is some repetitive "interior monologue-ing". One of my pet peeves is when the fears a character keeps ruminating over aren't reflected in their actions, and Sol jumped into the relationship with Hannah quite suddenly, after spending so long worrying about how this would negatively impact his and his brother's social standing. I felt that a few pages were needed to bridge his decision to avoid her and then his sudden appearance in her store.
One other issue I had was that "the baddie" is morally bankrupt to the point of being evil, yet the comeuppance was relatively mild. I appreciate that Sol is a sweetheart and that he and Hannah needed to be very careful to preserve their future, but I really wanted fate to be less kind (a true "Grim"-style fairytale ending).
Overall, however, this was a book that keep me reading and at times transcended the standard HR. I highly recommend it.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for this opportunity. This book is expected to be published April 9.
life-is-too-short
June 2, 2024This needs to go back to the library and I'm just not connecting like I'd hope to the characters - perhaps one to try again later
Dnf - 33%
Dnf - 33%
February 10, 2024
I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman is a Regency Jewish retelling of Snow White and the sequel to Marry Me by Midnight. Words cannot express how much I loved Marry Me by Midnight, my favorite Romance novel last year, and how much I loved this one, too.
Sol Weiss’ older brother is courting Lady Drucilla, a gentile, while Sol is becoming more integrated in the Jewish community, contributing to tension between the two brothers. Hannah Moses is an older sister doing everything she can so her younger sister can have a good life, even at the cost of her own happiness.
I loved the dynamic of the older woman-younger man paired with Hannah being an older sister who raised her younger sister and Sol being a younger brother raised by his older brother. The juxtaposition of their situations really served to highlight positive and negative aspects of sibling relationships while also weaving in how Hannah and Sol’s different perspectives are still connected by wanting to make sure their sibling has everything they wanted.
Like with Marry Me by Midnight, Grossman shows different aspects of the Jewish community during the Regency era, from the treatment of Ashkenazi Jewish people to the class system to the use of Yiddish.
There is so much to love here and it all boils down to how Felicia Grossman writes dynamics, integrates the world of the Jewish community of the Regency period, and the ways the fairy tale aspects are used.
I would recommend this to fans of the original book, fans of fairy tale retellings, and fans of Regency Romances.
Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman is a Regency Jewish retelling of Snow White and the sequel to Marry Me by Midnight. Words cannot express how much I loved Marry Me by Midnight, my favorite Romance novel last year, and how much I loved this one, too.
Sol Weiss’ older brother is courting Lady Drucilla, a gentile, while Sol is becoming more integrated in the Jewish community, contributing to tension between the two brothers. Hannah Moses is an older sister doing everything she can so her younger sister can have a good life, even at the cost of her own happiness.
I loved the dynamic of the older woman-younger man paired with Hannah being an older sister who raised her younger sister and Sol being a younger brother raised by his older brother. The juxtaposition of their situations really served to highlight positive and negative aspects of sibling relationships while also weaving in how Hannah and Sol’s different perspectives are still connected by wanting to make sure their sibling has everything they wanted.
Like with Marry Me by Midnight, Grossman shows different aspects of the Jewish community during the Regency era, from the treatment of Ashkenazi Jewish people to the class system to the use of Yiddish.
There is so much to love here and it all boils down to how Felicia Grossman writes dynamics, integrates the world of the Jewish community of the Regency period, and the ways the fairy tale aspects are used.
I would recommend this to fans of the original book, fans of fairy tale retellings, and fans of Regency Romances.
March 12, 2024
3.5 stars!
This was my first historical romance and I had such a fun time reading it. The tension between Sol and Hannah was so good. For the most part, I really enjoyed the dynamic between them and there was so much chemistry. Hannah was such a strong and likeable character. Sol had some very swoony moments and I love that he was so transparent with Hannah about how he felt for her despite the workings against them in the Jewish community of the Regency period. The story had a refreshing twist of gender norms in this time period and both Sol and Hannah were characterized very well. The only thing I was frustrated about was how things were handled at the end. It was starting to get repetitive and there was too much back and forth. The ending was kind of disappointing and at some point, I feel like the effort was all one-sided but overall, this was an enjoyable historical romance.
This was my first historical romance and I had such a fun time reading it. The tension between Sol and Hannah was so good. For the most part, I really enjoyed the dynamic between them and there was so much chemistry. Hannah was such a strong and likeable character. Sol had some very swoony moments and I love that he was so transparent with Hannah about how he felt for her despite the workings against them in the Jewish community of the Regency period. The story had a refreshing twist of gender norms in this time period and both Sol and Hannah were characterized very well. The only thing I was frustrated about was how things were handled at the end. It was starting to get repetitive and there was too much back and forth. The ending was kind of disappointing and at some point, I feel like the effort was all one-sided but overall, this was an enjoyable historical romance.
April 7, 2024
Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner. Forever tainted by her parents' crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror.
The first book I’ve read by the author & it won’t be the last. It was different as both Solomon & Hannah were Jewish & I enjoyed the customs & history included in the story. I really liked both Solomon & Hannah & was drawn in from the beginning & engrossed until the end, life in the East end of London was well described & it was chilling at times. I well written book, which I thoroughly enjoyed
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The first book I’ve read by the author & it won’t be the last. It was different as both Solomon & Hannah were Jewish & I enjoyed the customs & history included in the story. I really liked both Solomon & Hannah & was drawn in from the beginning & engrossed until the end, life in the East end of London was well described & it was chilling at times. I well written book, which I thoroughly enjoyed
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
February 20, 2025
I enjoyed this book a lot. It had really good Jewish representation, and I loved it in a historical romance setting. It was definitely more insta love, but very much enjoyable to see how the characters interacted with each other. I was surprised with how much danger was in the book and wasn’t really expecting that. My heart was honestly racing at times with what the characters were experiencing. This had a great twist to the Snow White retelling. Overall, this was a good read and I look forward to reading more by this author.
February 2, 2024
To me, this series is like a darker, English version of fractured fairytales. Instead of damsels in distress, it's dudes. And as recent events have show, antisemitism never goes away, because evil and ignorance go hand and hand.
Most of the characters in the previous book, reappear here, but the heroine is Hannah Moses, trying to raise her younger sister and keep her away from the dangers of the more seedier part of London. She runs the pawn shop that her parents had owned, her parents now gone; they know not if dead or alive, because they were accused of some crime by an antisemite. She is also shunned by the Jewish community. Solomon Weiss, who had failed to win the "princess" in the previous book, becomes obsessed with her after she saves him from a robbery. He seems more naive here then in the previous book. And he is torn between his loyalty to his older half brother, Fredrick, the one who had himself baptized in the previous book in order to pursue wealth and acceptance with the goyim and the woman he loves. The author cleverly inserts apples, mirrors, dwarves (actually little old ladies, four who moved away to live by the shore) and the fairy godmother. But who is the wicked stepmother? Pay attention as you read. Sol gives a lovely soliloquy to win his lady love towards the end and the Author's Notes are well worth reading. I like the characters, story and intrigue, but the bit about what happened to Hannah's parents is not quite clear to me.
I read a gifted copy of this book via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Most of the characters in the previous book, reappear here, but the heroine is Hannah Moses, trying to raise her younger sister and keep her away from the dangers of the more seedier part of London. She runs the pawn shop that her parents had owned, her parents now gone; they know not if dead or alive, because they were accused of some crime by an antisemite. She is also shunned by the Jewish community. Solomon Weiss, who had failed to win the "princess" in the previous book, becomes obsessed with her after she saves him from a robbery. He seems more naive here then in the previous book. And he is torn between his loyalty to his older half brother, Fredrick, the one who had himself baptized in the previous book in order to pursue wealth and acceptance with the goyim and the woman he loves. The author cleverly inserts apples, mirrors, dwarves (actually little old ladies, four who moved away to live by the shore) and the fairy godmother. But who is the wicked stepmother? Pay attention as you read. Sol gives a lovely soliloquy to win his lady love towards the end and the Author's Notes are well worth reading. I like the characters, story and intrigue, but the bit about what happened to Hannah's parents is not quite clear to me.
I read a gifted copy of this book via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
April 20, 2024
Loved this book! Felicia Grossman is doing such interesting work in the realm of historical romance with her focus on Jewish characters and their experience within British society. I loved that Hannah was an older heroine, very world-weary and jaded, but still caring. Sol was a sweetheart. I love a gender swap role reversal, too. The allusions to Snow White were so inspired and fun to pick out as you read. Excited for the next two in the series!
July 21, 2025
1832, East End, London.
Hannah Moses has sacrificed a lot, including her morals, to provide for her 20-year-old sister. Ten years ago, scandal rocked her family, and Hannah herself served some time in prison. For all intents and purposes, this exiled Hannah and Tamara from the Jewish Community in London. Solomon Weiss is a well-off Jewish banker, younger brother of newly baptized social climber. He knows he ought to marry a Jewish girl from a well-respected family, and yet it's Hannah he's drawn to; Hannah, who works in the seedy underground, sometimes as a fence and sometimes carrying out other unsavory activities.
I enjoyed Wake Me Most Wickedly. I listened to the audiobook, which I think helped me stay engaged through the early setup for the story, which starts slowly. It's billed as a spin on Snow White, but that's really only the last 25% of the story, so don't expect the fairy tale to ramp up quickly. I found the book steamy, which fit the experienced main characters. Hannah is 30 and Sol is 26, and she teases him about his youth, but that also fits.
I'm glad I finally picked this up. I didn't love Felicia Grossman's Cinderella retelling, but the balance of fairy tale and romance worked well for me here. We still get the history of the Jewish Community in London in 1832 in great detail, which I appreciated. But we are rewarded with a giant bathtub, sick-care scenes (Sol can't stop himself from getting into scrapes), and an HEA suited to two characters outside of the aristocracy.
Hannah Moses has sacrificed a lot, including her morals, to provide for her 20-year-old sister. Ten years ago, scandal rocked her family, and Hannah herself served some time in prison. For all intents and purposes, this exiled Hannah and Tamara from the Jewish Community in London. Solomon Weiss is a well-off Jewish banker, younger brother of newly baptized social climber. He knows he ought to marry a Jewish girl from a well-respected family, and yet it's Hannah he's drawn to; Hannah, who works in the seedy underground, sometimes as a fence and sometimes carrying out other unsavory activities.
I enjoyed Wake Me Most Wickedly. I listened to the audiobook, which I think helped me stay engaged through the early setup for the story, which starts slowly. It's billed as a spin on Snow White, but that's really only the last 25% of the story, so don't expect the fairy tale to ramp up quickly. I found the book steamy, which fit the experienced main characters. Hannah is 30 and Sol is 26, and she teases him about his youth, but that also fits.
I'm glad I finally picked this up. I didn't love Felicia Grossman's Cinderella retelling, but the balance of fairy tale and romance worked well for me here. We still get the history of the Jewish Community in London in 1832 in great detail, which I appreciated. But we are rewarded with a giant bathtub, sick-care scenes (Sol can't stop himself from getting into scrapes), and an HEA suited to two characters outside of the aristocracy.
April 27, 2024
**I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest voluntary review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**
I've really enjoyed how layered this series is. Not only do you have a loose fairy tale retelling where the typical gender roles are reversed, but you also have complex characters and social expectations. It isn't just a romance for the sake of sexy times and swoon worthy moments (though there are plenty for sure), but an exploration of how people from the Jewish community loved and lived in the 1800s.
The integration of Jewish culture and religion is seamless and never feels like it is there to check the "diversity" box. It is so vital to every aspect of the the characters and the plot right from the start. While most historical romances I've read in the past focus on gender roles and societal expectations of said genders. So I've really enjoyed this Jewish lens applied to the story as I read this series.
My only "downside" to this story is that I find the writing rather wordy at times. This book feels long simply because of the writing. Plot-wise, the pacing is good and there is enough to keep me interested. I love the chemistry between our leads. I just find my mind wanders as I read long paragraph after paragraph.
Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!
Full Review: https://seriesousbookreviews.com/once...
Actual Rating: 3/5
I've really enjoyed how layered this series is. Not only do you have a loose fairy tale retelling where the typical gender roles are reversed, but you also have complex characters and social expectations. It isn't just a romance for the sake of sexy times and swoon worthy moments (though there are plenty for sure), but an exploration of how people from the Jewish community loved and lived in the 1800s.
The integration of Jewish culture and religion is seamless and never feels like it is there to check the "diversity" box. It is so vital to every aspect of the the characters and the plot right from the start. While most historical romances I've read in the past focus on gender roles and societal expectations of said genders. So I've really enjoyed this Jewish lens applied to the story as I read this series.
My only "downside" to this story is that I find the writing rather wordy at times. This book feels long simply because of the writing. Plot-wise, the pacing is good and there is enough to keep me interested. I love the chemistry between our leads. I just find my mind wanders as I read long paragraph after paragraph.
Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!
Full Review: https://seriesousbookreviews.com/once...
Actual Rating: 3/5
dnf
April 20, 2024I DNF'ed Grossman's debut historical romance, and did not intend to take up book 2, even though her depiction of Victorian Jewish society is sorely needed in the genre. But one of my favorite bloggers wrote that Grossman's control of her material in her second Historical romance effort had improved markedly from that in her first book, so I decided to give it a try.
The author may have more control over the story, but her prose is still markedly lacking. So clunky and awkward, with so many word usages just enough off that I was thrown out of the story nearly every paragraph.
For example, take this horrible run-on of a sentence:
"And while he didn't quite share Aaron's single-minded desire to protect the community at all costs—a good reason his friend was the one on the Commission of Delegates—the communal body, who, in addition to advocating with the Crown for the community's safety, solving internal disputes, and organizing their various factions, maintained tight control of the community's image to the outside world—he most certainly understood why a woman like Hannah was not only someone of no use to his or his brother's goals, but also someone he should not want to be around" (43).
Does Forever, Grossman's publisher, employ no copyeditors??
No. Just no. DNF's this one at 15% in.
The author may have more control over the story, but her prose is still markedly lacking. So clunky and awkward, with so many word usages just enough off that I was thrown out of the story nearly every paragraph.
For example, take this horrible run-on of a sentence:
"And while he didn't quite share Aaron's single-minded desire to protect the community at all costs—a good reason his friend was the one on the Commission of Delegates—the communal body, who, in addition to advocating with the Crown for the community's safety, solving internal disputes, and organizing their various factions, maintained tight control of the community's image to the outside world—he most certainly understood why a woman like Hannah was not only someone of no use to his or his brother's goals, but also someone he should not want to be around" (43).
Does Forever, Grossman's publisher, employ no copyeditors??
No. Just no. DNF's this one at 15% in.
May 17, 2024
3.5/5 stars, rounding up
This didn't reach the highs for me of Marry Me By Midnight, but I loved Hannah and just wanted good things for her. I did like Sol too, but their story didn't speak to me the same way. Sam and I discussed this and I think it may just be I am a Cinderella girl at heart. I thought some of how Hannah and Sol kept running into each other felt a bit contrived, too. I will say that I thought
This didn't reach the highs for me of Marry Me By Midnight, but I loved Hannah and just wanted good things for her. I did like Sol too, but their story didn't speak to me the same way. Sam and I discussed this and I think it may just be I am a Cinderella girl at heart. I thought some of how Hannah and Sol kept running into each other felt a bit contrived, too. I will say that I thought
July 29, 2024
I really wanted to like this one as it's Jewish historical romance. What's not to like? But just because something has Jewish characters, doesn't mean the story will hook me. I got to page 130 and just didn't care to read anymore. I had already forced myself to read to page 100.
I feel like a failure DNF-ing. I don't think the author's bad; I just wasn't connected to the story or the characters.
I liked Solomon, the hero, but wasn't a fan of the heroine. The heroine being older is also not sexy to me. And I kept thinking how she should just leave the area and start over somewhere new in a different profession if this one wasn't working out well. I also didn't like how she was sacrificing her whole life for her younger sister.
When the first few pages turned me off, that should have been a sign. I started reading it on July 15th and put the book down immediately and tried again yesterday, July 27.
I also got the first book from the library after this one, but I'm not sure if I want to give that a shot. Maybe I'll read it, or at least try to, once I finish all my other paperbacks from the library.
I feel like a failure DNF-ing. I don't think the author's bad; I just wasn't connected to the story or the characters.
I liked Solomon, the hero, but wasn't a fan of the heroine. The heroine being older is also not sexy to me. And I kept thinking how she should just leave the area and start over somewhere new in a different profession if this one wasn't working out well. I also didn't like how she was sacrificing her whole life for her younger sister.
When the first few pages turned me off, that should have been a sign. I started reading it on July 15th and put the book down immediately and tried again yesterday, July 27.
I also got the first book from the library after this one, but I'm not sure if I want to give that a shot. Maybe I'll read it, or at least try to, once I finish all my other paperbacks from the library.
March 15, 2024
This book is delicious in every way possible. And heartbreakingly timely. Thank you so much for your words and this story, Felicia Grossman! You’ve helped my heart heal a little more.
February 29, 2024
In this follow up to Marry Me at Midnight set in a Jewish community in 1830s London, Solomon Weiss—who failed to get the girl in book 1—is a struggling business man drawn to pawnshop owner Hannah Moses who rescues him from thieves. Hannah will do anything to protect her younger sister from the dark life she’s lived. Neither one suits the other’s long term goals.
This gender-swap Snow White/Huntsman has nods to the original with betrayal and even apples, dwarves, and mirrors. The author writes mutual attraction well, but I this was a little too instalust for me.
I liked the juxtaposition of Hannah raising her younger sister and Sol being the one raised by his older brother. Sol is very likable, but a little hard to read sometimes as he’d be determined to do as his brother asked and stay away from Hannah, and then in Hannah’s POV in the next scene he’d be eager for her and we didn’t see how he made the mental jump from one intention to the other. It wasn’t clear to me until the end that Sol had a trust and that should have been mentioned earlier and throughout. Just like the last book, there was off-page plot development supplied by other characters near the end. I wished we had seen Sol or Hannah figure the solution out rather than be told about it.
It was fun to see Isabelle and Aaron again and I’m glad he and Sol are friends. The setting and community comes alive and I’d read a dozen more romances by this author.
I received and arc from NetGalley
This gender-swap Snow White/Huntsman has nods to the original with betrayal and even apples, dwarves, and mirrors. The author writes mutual attraction well, but I this was a little too instalust for me.
I liked the juxtaposition of Hannah raising her younger sister and Sol being the one raised by his older brother. Sol is very likable, but a little hard to read sometimes as he’d be determined to do as his brother asked and stay away from Hannah, and then in Hannah’s POV in the next scene he’d be eager for her and we didn’t see how he made the mental jump from one intention to the other. It wasn’t clear to me until the end that Sol had a trust and that should have been mentioned earlier and throughout. Just like the last book, there was off-page plot development supplied by other characters near the end. I wished we had seen Sol or Hannah figure the solution out rather than be told about it.
It was fun to see Isabelle and Aaron again and I’m glad he and Sol are friends. The setting and community comes alive and I’d read a dozen more romances by this author.
I received and arc from NetGalley
April 19, 2024
Full review here: https://readwithme2018.com/2024/04/19...
I enjoy reading historical romances, but reading the same romance format gets boring after a while. So, I am always on the lookout for different historical romances (but do keep in context with the era the book is written in). So, when the Wake Me Most Wickedly widget slid into my inbox, I accepted immediately. Also, I had read the first book in the series and liked it.
Wake Me Most Wickedly is also a fairy tale retelling. I like reading fairy tale retelling and discovering how different authors interpret fairytales. Wake Me Most Wickedly is the retelling of Snow White. I admit I had an issue figuring out how Snow White fit into this. Thankfully, that only lasted for the first couple of chapters, and I enjoyed seeing how this retelling played out.
The main storyline of Wake Me Most Wickedly was your typical romance storyline. Hannah was an outcast in the Jewish community due to crimes that her parents and herself committed while running their pawnshop. Hannah spent two years in prison, and her parents were deported to a penal colony island (I figure it was either Australia or New Zealand). She continued running the pawn shop and took up a side gig of illegally hunting down things for her fence and clients. During one of those jobs, she saved Solomon from being attacked. Solomon, raised by his older brother after their father and his mother died, grew up very sheltered and had almost no worldly experience. Solomon soon becomes enamored with Hannah, much to her dismay. But even she can’t deny the scorching heat between them. When Solomon is injured after being chased by a group of men, Hannah investigates his accident. What she uncovers will rock Solomon’s world. Will her discovery mean the end of her relationship with Solomon?
The author graciously included content guidance at the beginning of the book. I love it when authors do that because I don’t have to take notes about content. At the end of the book (and she did this with the first book), she explains the history of the Jewish people in London’s East End and their treatment throughout the centuries.
I found Wake Me Most Wickedly’s storyline much darker than the first book. I wasn’t sure if I would like it (the first chapter has nonconsensual sexual contact). But, the deeper I got into the storyline, the more I understood why the author wrote this book the way she did. Not everything was sunshine and roses in Victorian London. For people experiencing poverty and those forced to live on the outskirts of their communities, life was awful. The author was correct in reflecting the tone of the book. It made the book much more interesting to read.
Hannah started the book off with me not liking her very much. She had a chip on her shoulder that came across in her words and actions. But, the more the author got into her backstory, the more I saw how those events shaped her into the woman she was in the book. I felt terrible for her because she honestly didn’t think she was attractive enough to a man to commit to and was focused on getting a dowry for Tamara. What got me onto Team Hannah was her fantastic character growth. By the end of the book, I was amazed by her strength and devotion to those she considered family and friends.
I liked Solomon, but he reminded me somewhat of a puppy. How? Well, he was hard to train (no matter what Hannah did to push him away, he still came back), he was loyal, even when the person he was faithful to didn’t deserve it, and he was fiercely protective of his family and friends. I was also on Team Solomon because he deserved to be seen for the man he was instead of the image that he put out for family and friends. The one thing that I didn’t like was that he had a prominent blind spot when it came to his brother. But I also understood. It made what Hannah told him so painful to hear.
The romance angle of Wake Me Most Wickedly was spicy. The author turned the heat up on the sex scenes, and they had me fanning myself. But the sex was only a part of the romance. Solomon and Hannah falling in love was sweet. While Solomon immediately knew that Hannah was the one for him, Hannah fought it tooth and nail. She used every excuse in the book (the age gap: her 32 to his 26), her past, that he was just infatuated with her, his brother, and the considerable class divide to try and drive him away. Thankfully, Solomon didn’t care and pursued her anyway.
A secondary storyline that cropped up around the middle of the book involved Solomon, his brother, and Hannah. I was absolutely disgusted by what Solomon’s brother did, but I like how Solomon’s friends rallied around him and turned it around. It was poetic justice how that storyline ended.
I loved how Wake Me Most Wickedly ended. It was your typical HEA. The epilogue, which takes place five years later, almost made me cry. It also made me wonder who the next book will be about. I have a feeling I know who, but I can’t wait to see if I am right.
Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Wake Me Most Wickedly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
I enjoy reading historical romances, but reading the same romance format gets boring after a while. So, I am always on the lookout for different historical romances (but do keep in context with the era the book is written in). So, when the Wake Me Most Wickedly widget slid into my inbox, I accepted immediately. Also, I had read the first book in the series and liked it.
Wake Me Most Wickedly is also a fairy tale retelling. I like reading fairy tale retelling and discovering how different authors interpret fairytales. Wake Me Most Wickedly is the retelling of Snow White. I admit I had an issue figuring out how Snow White fit into this. Thankfully, that only lasted for the first couple of chapters, and I enjoyed seeing how this retelling played out.
The main storyline of Wake Me Most Wickedly was your typical romance storyline. Hannah was an outcast in the Jewish community due to crimes that her parents and herself committed while running their pawnshop. Hannah spent two years in prison, and her parents were deported to a penal colony island (I figure it was either Australia or New Zealand). She continued running the pawn shop and took up a side gig of illegally hunting down things for her fence and clients. During one of those jobs, she saved Solomon from being attacked. Solomon, raised by his older brother after their father and his mother died, grew up very sheltered and had almost no worldly experience. Solomon soon becomes enamored with Hannah, much to her dismay. But even she can’t deny the scorching heat between them. When Solomon is injured after being chased by a group of men, Hannah investigates his accident. What she uncovers will rock Solomon’s world. Will her discovery mean the end of her relationship with Solomon?
The author graciously included content guidance at the beginning of the book. I love it when authors do that because I don’t have to take notes about content. At the end of the book (and she did this with the first book), she explains the history of the Jewish people in London’s East End and their treatment throughout the centuries.
I found Wake Me Most Wickedly’s storyline much darker than the first book. I wasn’t sure if I would like it (the first chapter has nonconsensual sexual contact). But, the deeper I got into the storyline, the more I understood why the author wrote this book the way she did. Not everything was sunshine and roses in Victorian London. For people experiencing poverty and those forced to live on the outskirts of their communities, life was awful. The author was correct in reflecting the tone of the book. It made the book much more interesting to read.
Hannah started the book off with me not liking her very much. She had a chip on her shoulder that came across in her words and actions. But, the more the author got into her backstory, the more I saw how those events shaped her into the woman she was in the book. I felt terrible for her because she honestly didn’t think she was attractive enough to a man to commit to and was focused on getting a dowry for Tamara. What got me onto Team Hannah was her fantastic character growth. By the end of the book, I was amazed by her strength and devotion to those she considered family and friends.
I liked Solomon, but he reminded me somewhat of a puppy. How? Well, he was hard to train (no matter what Hannah did to push him away, he still came back), he was loyal, even when the person he was faithful to didn’t deserve it, and he was fiercely protective of his family and friends. I was also on Team Solomon because he deserved to be seen for the man he was instead of the image that he put out for family and friends. The one thing that I didn’t like was that he had a prominent blind spot when it came to his brother. But I also understood. It made what Hannah told him so painful to hear.
The romance angle of Wake Me Most Wickedly was spicy. The author turned the heat up on the sex scenes, and they had me fanning myself. But the sex was only a part of the romance. Solomon and Hannah falling in love was sweet. While Solomon immediately knew that Hannah was the one for him, Hannah fought it tooth and nail. She used every excuse in the book (the age gap: her 32 to his 26), her past, that he was just infatuated with her, his brother, and the considerable class divide to try and drive him away. Thankfully, Solomon didn’t care and pursued her anyway.
A secondary storyline that cropped up around the middle of the book involved Solomon, his brother, and Hannah. I was absolutely disgusted by what Solomon’s brother did, but I like how Solomon’s friends rallied around him and turned it around. It was poetic justice how that storyline ended.
I loved how Wake Me Most Wickedly ended. It was your typical HEA. The epilogue, which takes place five years later, almost made me cry. It also made me wonder who the next book will be about. I have a feeling I know who, but I can’t wait to see if I am right.
Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Wake Me Most Wickedly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
December 12, 2025
I came upon Felicia Grossman’s historical Jewish romances when I got a copy of the first book in this series, Marry Me by Midnight, and immediately fell in love with her stories and how she represents the Jewish community in her gender-swapped Cinderella retelling. It was simple to snap up this as an audiobook from Libby, without even having to read the description. I knew this was loosely connected to the first book, and was curious to see where Grossman would take this story.
It’s only in recent years that I’ve discovered explicitly Jewish stories appearing in mainstream novels. When I was growing up, Jewish representation was hard to find—usually only in translated tales from Yiddish or in Holocaust stories. Now, I’ve found some incredible Jewish stories and authors in so many different genres: romance, fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery to name a few. If you are looking for any recommendations, feel free to comment and ask for some in your favorite genre. I’ve found that reading books with good representation about marginalized groups is a great way to learn more about others.
In this novel, Grossman takes us back to the Regency-era Jewish community in 19th century London. Before reading this, I didn’t know much about British Jews, but through MMBM and some nonfiction reads I’ve learned that there has been a long-standing Jewish community of Sephardi Jews, and that it included some very affluent people, some of whom held high positions in society. In this book, Hannah Moses is an Ashkenazi Jew who is outcast from the Jewish community because of her parents’ actions, and she is exclusively focused on taking care of and providing for her younger sister Tamar, so she can have a better life. Hannah carries a lot of guilt about the situation which led to the transport of her parents to the penal colony of Australia, and has fully devoted herself to improving Tamar’s circumstances. Meanwhile, Hannah runs the pawnshop that her parents owned, and at times resorts to less than legal activity.
Solomon, on the other hand, was raised within Jewish society by his half-brother Frederick, and feels indebted to him. As a result, he chases material success that he has no interest in, but his place in Jewish and British society means he is also pushed into a search for an appropriate wife. Hannah isn’t anywhere on the radar as an appropriate wife—she is lower in socioeconomic status, separated from the Jewish community, and there is also her Ashkenazi-ness, which is viewed negatively in the predominantly Sephardi community.
I love all kinds of fairy tale retellings, especially when they’re subtly incorporated into other genres like this book. Snow White isn’t usually my favorite fairy tale, but the way Grossman incorporated it in a gender-swapped and quiet way allowed this story to have a lot of conflict and tension and kept it moving along at a nice, steady pace. The dynamic between Hannah and Solomon was well-done, although it had some elements of insta-love to it initially. However, the dynamic between sweet, cinnamon roll Solomon and older, jaded Hannah was full of genuine chemistry and witty banter that was highly enjoyable.
It is obvious that this is a well-researched historical series, accurately portraying the division between Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews in Regency London society, as well as antisemitism from outside the community and how it affects the characters. Speaking of characters, they’re complex and realistic, even the side characters, and typically work to move the plot forward through their own role in the story, whether it is Tamar, Frederick, or even Aaron from the first book.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable read. The writing transformed my surroundings into 19th century London, as I was transported by the story and the talented narration of Justine Eyre, who is especially skilled in the various accents while also pronouncing the difficult sounds of Hebrew and Yiddish words correctly. Although there was a lot of repetitive back-and-forth between Hannah and Solomon, there wasn’t so much that it became tiresome. Other than that and the initial feeling of insta-love, the book was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to the third book coming out next year. Luckily, each of these read well as standalone romances, although I love seeing characters from the first book appear.
It’s only in recent years that I’ve discovered explicitly Jewish stories appearing in mainstream novels. When I was growing up, Jewish representation was hard to find—usually only in translated tales from Yiddish or in Holocaust stories. Now, I’ve found some incredible Jewish stories and authors in so many different genres: romance, fantasy, historical fiction, and mystery to name a few. If you are looking for any recommendations, feel free to comment and ask for some in your favorite genre. I’ve found that reading books with good representation about marginalized groups is a great way to learn more about others.
In this novel, Grossman takes us back to the Regency-era Jewish community in 19th century London. Before reading this, I didn’t know much about British Jews, but through MMBM and some nonfiction reads I’ve learned that there has been a long-standing Jewish community of Sephardi Jews, and that it included some very affluent people, some of whom held high positions in society. In this book, Hannah Moses is an Ashkenazi Jew who is outcast from the Jewish community because of her parents’ actions, and she is exclusively focused on taking care of and providing for her younger sister Tamar, so she can have a better life. Hannah carries a lot of guilt about the situation which led to the transport of her parents to the penal colony of Australia, and has fully devoted herself to improving Tamar’s circumstances. Meanwhile, Hannah runs the pawnshop that her parents owned, and at times resorts to less than legal activity.
Solomon, on the other hand, was raised within Jewish society by his half-brother Frederick, and feels indebted to him. As a result, he chases material success that he has no interest in, but his place in Jewish and British society means he is also pushed into a search for an appropriate wife. Hannah isn’t anywhere on the radar as an appropriate wife—she is lower in socioeconomic status, separated from the Jewish community, and there is also her Ashkenazi-ness, which is viewed negatively in the predominantly Sephardi community.
I love all kinds of fairy tale retellings, especially when they’re subtly incorporated into other genres like this book. Snow White isn’t usually my favorite fairy tale, but the way Grossman incorporated it in a gender-swapped and quiet way allowed this story to have a lot of conflict and tension and kept it moving along at a nice, steady pace. The dynamic between Hannah and Solomon was well-done, although it had some elements of insta-love to it initially. However, the dynamic between sweet, cinnamon roll Solomon and older, jaded Hannah was full of genuine chemistry and witty banter that was highly enjoyable.
It is obvious that this is a well-researched historical series, accurately portraying the division between Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews in Regency London society, as well as antisemitism from outside the community and how it affects the characters. Speaking of characters, they’re complex and realistic, even the side characters, and typically work to move the plot forward through their own role in the story, whether it is Tamar, Frederick, or even Aaron from the first book.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable read. The writing transformed my surroundings into 19th century London, as I was transported by the story and the talented narration of Justine Eyre, who is especially skilled in the various accents while also pronouncing the difficult sounds of Hebrew and Yiddish words correctly. Although there was a lot of repetitive back-and-forth between Hannah and Solomon, there wasn’t so much that it became tiresome. Other than that and the initial feeling of insta-love, the book was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to the third book coming out next year. Luckily, each of these read well as standalone romances, although I love seeing characters from the first book appear.
March 15, 2024
Review- Wake me most wickedly
This was such a good read. Every time I read a book by feliciagrossmanauthor, I learn a lot about Jewish customs and history, not to mention vocabulary, which i'm so glad she uses frequently.
This is a snow-white retelling (inearlier mistook it for sleeping beauty. Gaaah) with a gender swap. It's a spicy read, spicier than the first book. Technically, the meet cute vibe of them bumping into eachbother and her clothing is snagged in hers is the 2nd time they bump into each other, but to my #bollywood heart, that's more appealing 😄
Solomon Weiss will do anything for his brother. while Solomon has snagged a good job with the insurance company in the Jewish community, he has failed to marry a heiress so far. He's determined to maty one now. His brother is also trying to marry an english gentlewoman and trying to distance himself from anything related to the jewish heritage.
Solomon still has every intention of making sure his brother succeeds until he comes across Hannah Moses, who is a Pariah in the Jewish community and criminal in the English world? Any connection with her? It's just going to bring him down, and his brother
How is a strong character? You will get a lot of Elsa and Anna wipes from her and her sister's relationship.
Hannah's mission is to protect her sister, save enough money to provide her with a good dowry, and get her out of the east end ragamuffin life. But tangling herself with Solomon Weiss reminds her of her own desires. Although the man does not make it easy as Hannah is continuously either saving him or finding him when he is getting attacked and lost.
Hannah's dangerous job of information hunting, illegal pawn breaking, her life in East end is portrayed very well, gives you chills at some point in time. She's a perfect compliment to the charming, easy-going solomon. I'm so glad to have picked up this diverse read.
Thank you, @netgalley, and @readforeverpub for the ARC copy.
All opinions are my own.
This was such a good read. Every time I read a book by feliciagrossmanauthor, I learn a lot about Jewish customs and history, not to mention vocabulary, which i'm so glad she uses frequently.
This is a snow-white retelling (inearlier mistook it for sleeping beauty. Gaaah) with a gender swap. It's a spicy read, spicier than the first book. Technically, the meet cute vibe of them bumping into eachbother and her clothing is snagged in hers is the 2nd time they bump into each other, but to my #bollywood heart, that's more appealing 😄
Solomon Weiss will do anything for his brother. while Solomon has snagged a good job with the insurance company in the Jewish community, he has failed to marry a heiress so far. He's determined to maty one now. His brother is also trying to marry an english gentlewoman and trying to distance himself from anything related to the jewish heritage.
Solomon still has every intention of making sure his brother succeeds until he comes across Hannah Moses, who is a Pariah in the Jewish community and criminal in the English world? Any connection with her? It's just going to bring him down, and his brother
How is a strong character? You will get a lot of Elsa and Anna wipes from her and her sister's relationship.
Hannah's mission is to protect her sister, save enough money to provide her with a good dowry, and get her out of the east end ragamuffin life. But tangling herself with Solomon Weiss reminds her of her own desires. Although the man does not make it easy as Hannah is continuously either saving him or finding him when he is getting attacked and lost.
Hannah's dangerous job of information hunting, illegal pawn breaking, her life in East end is portrayed very well, gives you chills at some point in time. She's a perfect compliment to the charming, easy-going solomon. I'm so glad to have picked up this diverse read.
Thank you, @netgalley, and @readforeverpub for the ARC copy.
All opinions are my own.
April 9, 2024
"Wake Me Most Wickedly" is a Regency romance set in the East End of London - it is the second in a series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Hannah Moses is the older sister who is doing everything she can to ensure a better life for her younger sister, Tamar, after their parents' arrest for dealing in stolen items at the family pawn shop which Hannah is still running.
Sol Weiss is a banker, working to restore his family business, so he is trying to get more respect (and thereby earn more business) in the Jewish community meanwhile his older brother is courting a gentile lady of the Ton after getting baptised to distance himself from his Jewish roots.
I loved the meet cute of Sol & Hannah which was unexpected and fun without being typical! I also loved the older woman-younger man trope, as it is not done often enough and it is perfection in this romance! Both Hannah and Sol want the best for their siblings even when they sometimes don't seem to want the best for themselves.
I enjoyed the historical Jewish aspects of this novel and appreciated the earnestness in which it is portrayed and the fact Grossman doesn't skip over the less desirable aspects of how difficult it was to be Jewish at that time. I look forward to more romances from this wonderful author!
I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I just reviewed “Wake Me Most Wickedly” by Felicia Grossman. #NetGalley
Sol Weiss is a banker, working to restore his family business, so he is trying to get more respect (and thereby earn more business) in the Jewish community meanwhile his older brother is courting a gentile lady of the Ton after getting baptised to distance himself from his Jewish roots.
I loved the meet cute of Sol & Hannah which was unexpected and fun without being typical! I also loved the older woman-younger man trope, as it is not done often enough and it is perfection in this romance! Both Hannah and Sol want the best for their siblings even when they sometimes don't seem to want the best for themselves.
I enjoyed the historical Jewish aspects of this novel and appreciated the earnestness in which it is portrayed and the fact Grossman doesn't skip over the less desirable aspects of how difficult it was to be Jewish at that time. I look forward to more romances from this wonderful author!
I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I just reviewed “Wake Me Most Wickedly” by Felicia Grossman. #NetGalley
August 21, 2024
The first book in the ONCE UPON THE EAST END series, MARRY ME BY MIDNIGHT, is one of my favorite historical romances. I’ve been anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY, and Felicia Grossman did not disappoint me! The first book was a gender-swapped Cinderella retelling, and this book is a gender-swapped Snow White retelling. And I absolutely adore that it’s historical/Regency with Jewish representation!!
Things I love about this are that you don’t have to read the first book to read the second, but for fun Easter eggs and to get to know some characters, you should! Plus, it’s a good book! You learn a lot about Jewish culture in this time period. With this book, you learn about two social statuses: Hannah is from a lower Jewish society, and Sol is from an upper Jewish society.
I also love that we experience a range of emotions with the characters. There are dark moments, humorous ones, spicy ones, moments that warm your heart, and moments that have you cheering for your favorite character to succeed.
As long as Felicia Grossman keeps writing these couples that give me all the feels, I will keep reading the OONCE UPON THE EAST END series.
Thanks, Forever, for the arc!
Content warnings (per the author): This book contains attempted (nongraphic) sexual assault, nonconsensual sexual contact, depictions of emotional abuse, and discussion and depiction of antisemitic language and behavior.
Things I love about this are that you don’t have to read the first book to read the second, but for fun Easter eggs and to get to know some characters, you should! Plus, it’s a good book! You learn a lot about Jewish culture in this time period. With this book, you learn about two social statuses: Hannah is from a lower Jewish society, and Sol is from an upper Jewish society.
I also love that we experience a range of emotions with the characters. There are dark moments, humorous ones, spicy ones, moments that warm your heart, and moments that have you cheering for your favorite character to succeed.
As long as Felicia Grossman keeps writing these couples that give me all the feels, I will keep reading the OONCE UPON THE EAST END series.
Thanks, Forever, for the arc!
Content warnings (per the author): This book contains attempted (nongraphic) sexual assault, nonconsensual sexual contact, depictions of emotional abuse, and discussion and depiction of antisemitic language and behavior.
May 21, 2024
I discovered Felicia Grossman through an online book club reading books from a different series that is still a Jewish series. It was such a treat for me to find a Jewish historical fiction writer. I received this book from Netgalley, so I am reading it out of order. I do plan to read the first in the series.
I truly did not know where the author was going with this book. Our heroine Hannah was a pawnshop owner whose parents were arrested, so she was quite the outcast. Yet, when she saves the life of Solomon Weiss, he is immediately smitten with her. But he is the brother of a respectable banker brother, who has converted and is engaged to the sister of a Viscount.
In an author's note, Grossman explains some Jewish history that non-Jewish readers might not know.
Dicken's Fagin was purportedly based on an actual person but very misrepresented. One of my favorite authors, Georgette Heyer, has a wicked Jewish pawnbroker in my favorite book of hers, The Grand Sophy, and I always warn people when I recommend it. England has a long history of antisemitism and this series has sad examples.
The book played out in a surprising direction and had a very happy ending. I will look forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. I now have a new author to follow.
I truly did not know where the author was going with this book. Our heroine Hannah was a pawnshop owner whose parents were arrested, so she was quite the outcast. Yet, when she saves the life of Solomon Weiss, he is immediately smitten with her. But he is the brother of a respectable banker brother, who has converted and is engaged to the sister of a Viscount.
In an author's note, Grossman explains some Jewish history that non-Jewish readers might not know.
Dicken's Fagin was purportedly based on an actual person but very misrepresented. One of my favorite authors, Georgette Heyer, has a wicked Jewish pawnbroker in my favorite book of hers, The Grand Sophy, and I always warn people when I recommend it. England has a long history of antisemitism and this series has sad examples.
The book played out in a surprising direction and had a very happy ending. I will look forward to the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. I now have a new author to follow.
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