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Wicked Game
Niels got more than he bargained for when he broke into a certain townhouse in the fashionable section of London. The arrogant and dictatorial lord who caught him red-handed was more than willing to take advantage of the situation.
Temporarily forced into a unique form of servitude, Niels learns more than he ever expected to about the decadent ruling class that he wants so badly to emulate. Masquerading as a foreign nobleman is easy for the charming Fin who grew to manhood on the streets of London, abandoned by the only family he had.
But will his experience at manipulating people and winning their confidence help him with Richard? Or get him into even more trouble?
Temporarily forced into a unique form of servitude, Niels learns more than he ever expected to about the decadent ruling class that he wants so badly to emulate. Masquerading as a foreign nobleman is easy for the charming Fin who grew to manhood on the streets of London, abandoned by the only family he had.
But will his experience at manipulating people and winning their confidence help him with Richard? Or get him into even more trouble?
256 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2007
1 person is currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Jade Falconer
35 books46 followersInspired by the important things in life: beauty, love, and passion, Jade has spent several years writing erotic fiction. The forbidden nature of homoeroticism has been the basis for many megabytes of fiction that has delighted a wide circle of online readers.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 11, 2011
Niels Eriksson is a charming and clever thief with a taste for the finer things in life. Lord Richard Essex is a wealthy aristocrat who caught Niels red handed robbing his mansion. Instead of having Niels sent to prison, Richard makes him an offer he is in no position to refuse.
After Niels overcomes his initial shock and begins to enjoy atoning for his crime, Richard starts to develop feelings he never thought he had.
I thought Wicked Game was a very well done historical romance. The author does a great job showing the difficulties faced by two men from vastly different social classes living in a time when homosexuality was illegal. Richard and Niels both came from dysfunctional family backgrounds and had difficulty expressing their growing feelings for each other. The main characters are very appealing, the sex scenes were hot and the romance very satisfying. I found the historical aspect of the story rather weak. When I read an historical novel, I like to see evidence of thorough research - accurate details of the period, believable settings, and convincing portraits of people. Because these details were lacking, the past did not come alive for me. Richard and Niels could just as easily have lived in modern times with just a few changes in setting, costumes, and situations. I was also disappointed that the author did not spend much time exploring the character and motivations of Julian, Richard’s closest friend, and Jacob, an acquaintance from university who shares Richard’s secret desire for men. Despite the story’s flaws, Wicked Game was a very enjoyable read.
After Niels overcomes his initial shock and begins to enjoy atoning for his crime, Richard starts to develop feelings he never thought he had.
I thought Wicked Game was a very well done historical romance. The author does a great job showing the difficulties faced by two men from vastly different social classes living in a time when homosexuality was illegal. Richard and Niels both came from dysfunctional family backgrounds and had difficulty expressing their growing feelings for each other. The main characters are very appealing, the sex scenes were hot and the romance very satisfying. I found the historical aspect of the story rather weak. When I read an historical novel, I like to see evidence of thorough research - accurate details of the period, believable settings, and convincing portraits of people. Because these details were lacking, the past did not come alive for me. Richard and Niels could just as easily have lived in modern times with just a few changes in setting, costumes, and situations. I was also disappointed that the author did not spend much time exploring the character and motivations of Julian, Richard’s closest friend, and Jacob, an acquaintance from university who shares Richard’s secret desire for men. Despite the story’s flaws, Wicked Game was a very enjoyable read.
June 11, 2010
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad book – but I did find it difficult to read, difficult to stay with and difficult to finish. For a start off, it’s NOT a Regency. In fact I don’t blame the publisher for thinking it is, because – like so many historicals – it’s a wallpaper historical and pretty hard to work out which era this IS in. I was more than half way through the book before I spotted a mention of trains and of Victoria Station which jolted me considerably – suddenly I had to jump forward to the Victorian era and re-set the story in 1862 onwards.
But really, that’s the only clue of the era – the historical background is almost invisible (unsurprising as most of it is set between the sheets) and you could remove the candles and carriages and you would have a modern romance with about four minutes editing.
From the first page I could tell this was going to be one of those books where the sex outweighs the plot and I wasn’t wrong, and apart from the last couple of chapters you could summarise this as “sex” and “shopping.” There’s sex near enough from the first page which continues almost non stop for about 40 or so pages as the reluctant thief is seduced and shown a good time by the randy lord. It starts in a promising fashion – the lord is suitably remote and brooding, due to a bitch of a mother – and the set up was a fun way to get Niels into Richard’s bed but I was expecting a bit more than “Niels gets jiggy with it pretty quickly.”
Don’t get me wrong. I like erotica – I do! It’s just that if I pay for a decent sized book (66,000 words) – and you can call me Ms Picky if you like – I actually like some plot with it. I feel a bit cheated if I find myself skipping entire chapters because the MC’s are “at it again.” It’s like buying a ham and lettuce sandwich and finding that there’s 10 leaves of lettuce and one wafer thin slice of ham.
I quite liked the characters despite all that. Richard was, as said before, nicely brooding and Niels, albeit pretty and virgin to men, is not your typical girlie submissive. I got the feeling that they’d be switching roles at some point. They act like men too in as much as they are totally incapable of saying what needs to be said at the right time, like “don’t go.” The two minor characters are nicely done, too, but this is one of the reasons that I can’t mark the book higher, because at 66,000 words, I’d expect more than four characters – it’s the marathon sex sessions that elbow any possibility of more plot/more characters out of the way, and that’s a pity.
No – or very little -OKHomo, which was a refreshing change – the characters are aware of the illegality of their liaison and the unlikelihood of their being able to just “set up house” together without major problems. But despite that, the anachronisms are legion, a duel in the late 19th century, when the last one was at least 10 years previous – characters saying “piss off”(1950′s) and “that’s brilliant!” and “sexy” (1925) just to mention a few. Oh and “gotten” but that almost goes without saying.
There are other technical problems, subject confusion abounds – and this is caused by switches in POV that make it very hard to understand who is thinking, who is talking. Reviews of Standish pointed this “sin” out to me, and now – as I attempt to keep faithful in POV for longer sections – I’m very glad they did. Phaze should have edited these switches out, especially when it led to me going “who’s talking? what’s he talking about?”
Falconer appears to be a collaboration of writers, as s/he speaks on her LiveJournal in the royal we. I think they aren’t bad writers, but they need to tighten up in a good few aspects, and then they’d have a book I’d really enjoy to read.
But really, that’s the only clue of the era – the historical background is almost invisible (unsurprising as most of it is set between the sheets) and you could remove the candles and carriages and you would have a modern romance with about four minutes editing.
From the first page I could tell this was going to be one of those books where the sex outweighs the plot and I wasn’t wrong, and apart from the last couple of chapters you could summarise this as “sex” and “shopping.” There’s sex near enough from the first page which continues almost non stop for about 40 or so pages as the reluctant thief is seduced and shown a good time by the randy lord. It starts in a promising fashion – the lord is suitably remote and brooding, due to a bitch of a mother – and the set up was a fun way to get Niels into Richard’s bed but I was expecting a bit more than “Niels gets jiggy with it pretty quickly.”
Don’t get me wrong. I like erotica – I do! It’s just that if I pay for a decent sized book (66,000 words) – and you can call me Ms Picky if you like – I actually like some plot with it. I feel a bit cheated if I find myself skipping entire chapters because the MC’s are “at it again.” It’s like buying a ham and lettuce sandwich and finding that there’s 10 leaves of lettuce and one wafer thin slice of ham.
I quite liked the characters despite all that. Richard was, as said before, nicely brooding and Niels, albeit pretty and virgin to men, is not your typical girlie submissive. I got the feeling that they’d be switching roles at some point. They act like men too in as much as they are totally incapable of saying what needs to be said at the right time, like “don’t go.” The two minor characters are nicely done, too, but this is one of the reasons that I can’t mark the book higher, because at 66,000 words, I’d expect more than four characters – it’s the marathon sex sessions that elbow any possibility of more plot/more characters out of the way, and that’s a pity.
No – or very little -OKHomo, which was a refreshing change – the characters are aware of the illegality of their liaison and the unlikelihood of their being able to just “set up house” together without major problems. But despite that, the anachronisms are legion, a duel in the late 19th century, when the last one was at least 10 years previous – characters saying “piss off”(1950′s) and “that’s brilliant!” and “sexy” (1925) just to mention a few. Oh and “gotten” but that almost goes without saying.
There are other technical problems, subject confusion abounds – and this is caused by switches in POV that make it very hard to understand who is thinking, who is talking. Reviews of Standish pointed this “sin” out to me, and now – as I attempt to keep faithful in POV for longer sections – I’m very glad they did. Phaze should have edited these switches out, especially when it led to me going “who’s talking? what’s he talking about?”
Falconer appears to be a collaboration of writers, as s/he speaks on her LiveJournal in the royal we. I think they aren’t bad writers, but they need to tighten up in a good few aspects, and then they’d have a book I’d really enjoy to read.
March 24, 2009
I like gay themed historical novels for many reasons, but the main is pretty boys in pretty clothes aka I like all those little things, which makes dandy. Stripping man in Victorian era is challenge, but more challenging is quickie and then dress in ball suit and be again in perfect order. Yes, that is sci-fi or romance novel stuff.
The plot is very narrow Niels, Finn, was robber and one day he robbed wrong house only to be caught by lord who was as handsome as gay. He was very handsome. Lord Essex decided to punish pretty thief by choosing prison or servicing him for 72 hours. Yes and that was the way how Niels lost his virginity, and no it was not in prison. The men were trying to find the way to each other beyond very hot sex well they did. The story and its settings is as believable as U.F.O landing on your backyard, but again who is reading romance ehm porn novels for believable and accurate settings and plot. The forced sex is one of the theme but do not expect anything drastic...it is more psychological then actually kinky.
The plot is very narrow Niels, Finn, was robber and one day he robbed wrong house only to be caught by lord who was as handsome as gay. He was very handsome. Lord Essex decided to punish pretty thief by choosing prison or servicing him for 72 hours. Yes and that was the way how Niels lost his virginity, and no it was not in prison. The men were trying to find the way to each other beyond very hot sex well they did. The story and its settings is as believable as U.F.O landing on your backyard, but again who is reading romance ehm porn novels for believable and accurate settings and plot. The forced sex is one of the theme but do not expect anything drastic...it is more psychological then actually kinky.
March 5, 2011
If there were historical/environmental inaccuracies about this book they certainly didn't bother my reading enjoyment. Very nice, well-paced and well resolved.
June 28, 2018
Whaaaat happened here? How was this published? No one checked anything? The clothing (vest?!) Sounded like it was late 18th century, we have a huge tub for two with indoor plumbing and hot water, but they're using candles, Victoria Station, duels... my mind is effed completely.
But wait, there's more! The sentence structure was awkward, pov kept changing, and the same sentiments and ideas kept repeating ad nauseum. For a book determined to be erotic, it failed, very one-sided (how many times did Niels go down on Richard and only got a hand in return?!), and honestly lacked imagination. We all understand roll-play and what it means. Every other sentence explaining they didn't mean what they said or it was all an act... falls under roll-play!
No backstory or plot. Either one would have saved this mess. Btw, 2nd IF novel I've read, both with the same problems so won't be reading more.
But wait, there's more! The sentence structure was awkward, pov kept changing, and the same sentiments and ideas kept repeating ad nauseum. For a book determined to be erotic, it failed, very one-sided (how many times did Niels go down on Richard and only got a hand in return?!), and honestly lacked imagination. We all understand roll-play and what it means. Every other sentence explaining they didn't mean what they said or it was all an act... falls under roll-play!
No backstory or plot. Either one would have saved this mess. Btw, 2nd IF novel I've read, both with the same problems so won't be reading more.
Read
April 8, 2009Do you like the classical regency romance stories? Where our hero is rich and handsome, and dark but honest, and our heroine is poor but beautiful, fair but clever? Well, if you like it with also a twist, Wicked Game is your book.
Richard is an pair of the kingdom, Lord Essex, and he is rich and bored. He likes both women and men, but much more men. He obviously has always lead his relationships with discretions and has never married before: not for a point, but because he has never found someone to hold his interest for long. He has a reputation as a rake, but really he only enjoy himself with sex when finds the right companion. And know he has found Niels, a thief he has surprised in his town home.
Niels is the empoverished son of a mid-wealth family. When he was all alone in London at twelve years old, he has resolved himself to find his way as a thief. But he is always fascinated from the aristocracy and when Richard makes a pact with him, he is eager to accept: 3 days as Richard's lover in exchange for new clothes and the freedom from jail. Even if Niels has never before experienced sex with a man, he knows it's possibile and Richard has a way to convince him that is irrisistible. And so he is lured in this new world, of wealthy and laziness, where he can spend the day eating and napping and making love... he is becoming a whore? or Richard feels for him something more?
Richard is a strong character, very dominant like. Also in sex he is the master, the absolutely top of the situation. Is Niels the bottom? Yes, cause he willingly leaves the up hand to Richard. But, according to me, he is not too feminine. When he is among other people, he acts and talks as a man, he likes to woo women and play and drink with men (well, what other has to do a kept gentleman in the regency period?): in bedroom maybe he is a little too submissive, but it goes right with the story (Richard is the master, the richer and noble who teaches to Niels how to play, in and out the bedroom).
Is it an historical romance? Yes. Is it very historical detailed? No. Is it important? No, cause the story is mainly setting in Richard's house, with only two excursions to the theater and to the country estate of Richard. The fact that their relationship has to be hidden from the society is often underlied, and maybe I have only to object to the "don't see don't talk" behaviour of the staff: but if they are well paid and Richard is a good master (as he seems to be) maybe it's a possible behaviour.
I like very much this story, it satisfies my romantic side.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013ZA0BU/?...
Richard is an pair of the kingdom, Lord Essex, and he is rich and bored. He likes both women and men, but much more men. He obviously has always lead his relationships with discretions and has never married before: not for a point, but because he has never found someone to hold his interest for long. He has a reputation as a rake, but really he only enjoy himself with sex when finds the right companion. And know he has found Niels, a thief he has surprised in his town home.
Niels is the empoverished son of a mid-wealth family. When he was all alone in London at twelve years old, he has resolved himself to find his way as a thief. But he is always fascinated from the aristocracy and when Richard makes a pact with him, he is eager to accept: 3 days as Richard's lover in exchange for new clothes and the freedom from jail. Even if Niels has never before experienced sex with a man, he knows it's possibile and Richard has a way to convince him that is irrisistible. And so he is lured in this new world, of wealthy and laziness, where he can spend the day eating and napping and making love... he is becoming a whore? or Richard feels for him something more?
Richard is a strong character, very dominant like. Also in sex he is the master, the absolutely top of the situation. Is Niels the bottom? Yes, cause he willingly leaves the up hand to Richard. But, according to me, he is not too feminine. When he is among other people, he acts and talks as a man, he likes to woo women and play and drink with men (well, what other has to do a kept gentleman in the regency period?): in bedroom maybe he is a little too submissive, but it goes right with the story (Richard is the master, the richer and noble who teaches to Niels how to play, in and out the bedroom).
Is it an historical romance? Yes. Is it very historical detailed? No. Is it important? No, cause the story is mainly setting in Richard's house, with only two excursions to the theater and to the country estate of Richard. The fact that their relationship has to be hidden from the society is often underlied, and maybe I have only to object to the "don't see don't talk" behaviour of the staff: but if they are well paid and Richard is a good master (as he seems to be) maybe it's a possible behaviour.
I like very much this story, it satisfies my romantic side.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013ZA0BU/?...
April 29, 2016
Geez, I just couldn't feel these characters. There is a good story there but this one wasn't alive for me.
Funny, a previous book I read by this author was so good, so riveting I bought this one.
Funny, a previous book I read by this author was so good, so riveting I bought this one.
March 5, 2014
Gay romance with a thief and a lord. Smoking hot sex scenes, not much other substance.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews