Wicked Temptation by Zoe Archer (Nemesis, Unlimited #3)
Released: June 3, 2014
Historical Romance
St. Martin’s
Reviewed by May
Widow Bronwyn Parrish has no money and grim prospects. Her husband’s fortune is simply gone, and she’s being thrown out of her home and is planning on hiring herself out as a companion. A woman of noble birth, she’s falling and fast.
That is, until Nemesis Unlimited steps in and offers her assistance in restoring her fortune.
Marco Black doesn’t want this job. He doesn’t like this woman. He certainly doesn’t think she needs their help. Yet he can’t deny that she has more depth and backbone than he expected. He also can’t help but feel a growing sense of connection to the woman at his side…
Let’s start with the obvious: Zoe Archer writes the world’s best heroines. Independent. Strong. Capable. Smart. Never a too stupid to live moment or idiotic notion of some man swooping in to fix it all in their minds. Heck no. This is an incredible gift to us as readers, and sets an example I wish more writers would follow. Unusual, unique, talented, and singular are just some of the words I’d use to describe her leading ladies.
This book is part of her Nemesis Unlimited series which I find vastly entertaining as it combines spy antics, a sense of Robin Hood type teamwork, and steamy romance all set in ye olde England. I can’t say enough good things about this series it is absolutely hitting the mark for me.
The chemistry between these characters was explosive from the start, and Archer gives them scenes and dialogue to really show us how (and why!) they are falling for each other and will be so good together.
“Nothing’s stopping you.” He smiled. “Except for me.”
His smile seemed to alarm her. She collected herself. “I could slip away, out of your clutches.”
“Mrs. Parrish,” he said, “I’m thirty-eight years old. DO you honestly think that I would’ve made it to this adanced age if I wasn’t very good at my job? One mostly ingenuous widow presents little challenge, no matter how clever that widow might happen to be.”
Color drained from her cheeks. “That sounded suspiciously like a threat.”
“No more a threat than you suggesting you’d sell me out to the Russians.”
As they track down the thief of her fortune and sort out how to get it back Bronwyn learns new skills, and is able to open up and be more her true self. Meanwhile, watching and learning the depths of this woman Marco can’t help but wonder if he’s capable of more than a spy’s life.
“There’s a certain way people – women especially – react to me when they look at me. All I can deduce is that either I’m handsome or ugly, and most women don’t favor ugly men in their beds.”
She thought she might go up in absinthe-doused flames. “Perhaps they do like ugly men,” she countered. “Maybe ugly men make better lovers because they have to work harder.”
Throughout the book we stay focused not only on the mission, but on Marco and Bronwyn specifically. Almost every scene features them together, often verbally sparring or being unable to help falling deeper into love with each other. Despite all the circumstances – there is always an honesty between them that I adored.
“I don’t want your job,” she replied. “I want to know you.”
Frowning, he asked, “Why?”
“Because I’ve never met a man who carried a knife in his lapel. Because you murmur beautiful curses in Italian. Because you fascinate me.” Her own candor came as a surprise.
“I’m just a means to an end.”
She stared at him. “Not to me, you aren’t.”
This book delivered an excellent, entertaining, most romantic read. I was somewhat unsatisfied by the suspense of aspects of the ending and overall that there weren’t more “Nemesis-like” antics and twists. I simply wanted a bit more there. Not enough to harm my enjoyment of this lovely story, just enough to make note of here as to why it isn’t receiving an A grade.
I definitely recommend this book, as well as the series in general.
Grade: B+
More Zoe Archer reviews.
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