I really liked the heroine Anabelle Honeycote. She, Olivia, and Rose are very amazing and selfless people.
I can't stand the hero most times. He is a hypocrite, close-minded, short-tempered, insensitive idiot. He is also nice, kind, generous, big-hearted, vulnerable, and a good person. He will probably be in the top 10% nicest aristocrat. I still don't like him.

Delightful. This book kept me up, turning pages, long after I should have been asleep.

“A lonely cloud drifted in front of the sun, casting long shadows beside him, and he clenched the reins in his fists. They’d enjoy a few weeks of stolen moments, clandestine meetings. After that, they’d say good-bye, and he’d pretend she wasn’t the best thing to ever happen to him. He’d make sure she and her family never wanted for anything, if her stubborn pride would let him. And in time, she’d meet a kind man, get married, have children, and forget him.

But never, ever, would Owen forget her.”


I give this a 3.5. I thoroughly enjoy the book however I felt like I was tricked because the blurb exmphasise on Belle extortion but it doesn't heavily focus on it but everything that happen was because of it. So I was getting ready for a fun scandolous extortion adventure but not really.

However, the story was still a good read!
Although in the beginning I felt like the romance just clicked immediately.
I love the secrets they both have and how it revolve around each other.

The story focus not just on romance but family, friendship, sisters, PTSD, trauma and such.
The two main characters Belle and Owen have their own storyline and their own problems that we get to follow.
Owen is not an alpha male but a sweet one that wants the best for his sister especially.
He is just the sweetest.

Our sweet Belle puts on a brave front to save her family but through her sweetness she fight her own battles in her own way and she knows what she wants, she just needs a little push and believe from herself so that she put herself first for once rather than others.

I can't wait to see where the rest of the series will take me.


“I’m glad I got to meet your sister,” he said. He was still distracted and staring out the window at the buildings rushing by. If she had to guess, dreaming of waltzing with Daphne.

“She is as kind as she is beautiful,” Anabelle said softly. Which made it dreadfully difficult to resent her.

“Do you want to know what I liked best about her?”

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

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

WHEN SHE WAS WICKED (HONEYCOTE:#1)

Written by Anne Barton
2013; Forever (379 Pages)
Genre: series, historical fiction, historical romance, regency, romance

RATING: 4 STARS

Working in a dressmaker’s shop allows Annabelle to be invisible and listen into the gossip of the wealthy. To support her ill mother and sister (who must stay home to care for their mother) she turns to blackmail. Unfortunately, this time she picked the wrong man to extort and finds herself working for him and his unmarried sisters. As Annabelle becomes friendly with Owen’s sisters she realizes that the gossip she heard was not entirely true but could still harm them. Not only can his family be involved in a scandal but her passion for Owen can also cause her ruin.

A fun little regency tale. I really enjoyed this story and loved Owen’s two sweet sisters. Owen is a strong quiet hero and Annabelle is just what he needs. I really enjoyed Barton’s writing.

***I RECEIVED AN eARC FROM THE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY***

My Novelesque Blog

I really enjoyed that book! Even though it was not the best historical romance. It was a bublle of joy smthng new I really liked

I liked the premise of the book and the characters, but I had trouble getting a feel for the historical period. I know it was set in 1815, but nothing really felt historically right. I believe this was the author's first book, so I will give another in the series a try to see if things work better for me next time around.

Londra, 1815



„Jecmănire” era un cuvânt urât. Te trimitea cu gândul la un ticălos care fura din buzunare sau calomnia numele nefericitelor victime.

Ce făcea domnişoara Anabelle Honeycote ca să-şi întreţină familia nu se putea considera aşa ceva.

Poate că acţiunile ei se potriveau celei mai brute definiţii a cuvântului, dar ea prefera să spună că „accepta nişte mărunţiş în schimbul promisiunii solemne de a păstra secrete”. Mult mai puţin infam iar o fată trebuia să aibă un acoperiş deasupra capului.

Locul principal din care aduna Anabelle secrete nu era o alee mizerabilă sau un tripou, ci un magazin respectabil de îmbrăcăminte amplasat pe Bond Street, unde era croitoreasă. Mama ei ar fi fost îngrozită dacă ar fi ştiut cum câştiga ea bani, dar adevărul era că Anabelle ar fi stors bani şi de la arhiepiscop ca să plătească consultaţiile doctorului Conwell. Acesta reprezenta singura rază de speranţă a mamei – şi nu era ieftin.

Cineva din casa lor trebuia să fie pragmatic. Acel cineva era Anabelle.

Îşi şterse fruntea asudată cu mâneca şi trase draperia de muselină de la atelierul din spatele magazinului de îmbrăcăminte al doamnei Smallwood. Cupoanele de materiale rânduite cu grijă pe rafturile de pe un perete lung alcătuiau un mozaic multicolor care reuşea întotdeauna să stârnească imaginaţia lui Anabelle. Din unele materiale urma să se facă lenjerie practică pentru vreo mătuşă celibatară, iar altele aveau să fie destinate trenei unei rochii de ducesă, fiind destul de frumoase încât să împodobească salonul unde se făceau prezentările la regină. Lui Anabelle îi plăcea să creadă că era posibil un asemenea salt în poziţia socială – din atelierul modest la Palatul St. James. Nu că avea mari ambiţii, dar o supăra să rămână în situaţia ei actuală toată viaţa, ca un fluture ţintuit în colecţia unui entomolog.

Trecu uşor pe lângă o masă mare, încărcată cu bucăţi de rochii etalate ca piesele unui puzzle. Mâneci detaşate, gulere şi aplicaţii pentru fuste zăceau fără viaţă, aşteptând ca ea să le transforme în ceva palpitant – ceva mai mult decât suma părţilor componente. La urma urmei, oricine putea să facă o rochie practică. Provocarea consta în a crea un veşmânt care să pară magic – textura materialului, croiala rochiei, podoabele îmbinându-se într-o armonie perfectă.

“A lonely cloud drifted in front of the sun, casting long shadows beside him, and he clenched the reins in his fists. They’d enjoy a few weeks of stolen moments, clandestine meetings. After that, they’d say good-bye, and he’d pretend she wasn’t the best thing to ever happen to him. He’d make sure she and her family never wanted for anything, if her stubborn pride would let him. And in time, she’d meet a kind man, get married, have children, and forget him.

But never, ever, would Owen forget her.”


I give this a 3.5. I thoroughly enjoy the book however I felt like I was tricked because the blurb exmphasise on Belle extortion but it doesn't heavily focus on it but everything that happen was because of it. So I was getting ready for a fun scandolous extortion adventure but not really.

However, the story was still a good read!
Although in the beginning I felt like the romance just clicked immediately.
I love the secrets they both have and how it revolve around each other.

The story focus not just on romance but family, friendship, sisters, PTSD, trauma and such.
The two main characters Belle and Owen have their own storyline and their own problems that we get to follow.
Owen is not an alpha male but a sweet one that wants the best for his sister especially.
He is just the sweetest.

Our sweet Belle puts on a brave front to save her family but through her sweetness she fight her own battles in her own way and she knows what she wants, she just needs a little push and believe from herself so that she put herself first for once rather than others.

I can't wait to see where the rest of the series will take me.


“I’m glad I got to meet your sister,” he said. He was still distracted and staring out the window at the buildings rushing by. If she had to guess, dreaming of waltzing with Daphne.

“She is as kind as she is beautiful,” Anabelle said softly. Which made it dreadfully difficult to resent her.

“Do you want to know what I liked best about her?”

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

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

I love this hero, Owen is seriously high on my list of fictional boyfriends right now. The love he has for his sisters melts heart.

And Annabelle! I *love* her.

Thanks Hannah, I wouldn't have read this if it wasn't for you.

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

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

eARC provided by Grand Central Publishing, Forever, by netgalley.com