laurenjodi's review
2.0
Any Wicked Thing
2 Stars
After sharing an awkward sexual encounter with his childhood friend, Frederica Wells, Sebastian Goddard escapes to distant lands and only returns after his estranged father dies and he becomes the Duke of Roxbury. In order to settle the debts left by his father, Sebastian is intent on selling Freddie’s home, the crumbling Goddard Castle, but she is determined to buy it herself and will do anything to convince Sebastian - even becoming his mistress.
The romance and tortured hero subplot have real potential but both are unfortunately lacking. Freddie and Sebastian’s relationship is devoid of true intimacy and their sex scenes come across as perfunctory rather than passionate and sensual. The descriptions of Sebastian’s experiences in Egypt fail to evoke any emotional engagement or caring from the reader and by the time he reveals the truth to Freddie, it is difficult to care one way or the other.
The secondary characters are stereotypical and merely serve as background and the secondary plot involving the Archibald treasure comes out of the blue with no foundation or build up.
All in all, disappointing.
2 Stars
After sharing an awkward sexual encounter with his childhood friend, Frederica Wells, Sebastian Goddard escapes to distant lands and only returns after his estranged father dies and he becomes the Duke of Roxbury. In order to settle the debts left by his father, Sebastian is intent on selling Freddie’s home, the crumbling Goddard Castle, but she is determined to buy it herself and will do anything to convince Sebastian - even becoming his mistress.
The romance and tortured hero subplot have real potential but both are unfortunately lacking. Freddie and Sebastian’s relationship is devoid of true intimacy and their sex scenes come across as perfunctory rather than passionate and sensual. The descriptions of Sebastian’s experiences in Egypt fail to evoke any emotional engagement or caring from the reader and by the time he reveals the truth to Freddie, it is difficult to care one way or the other.
The secondary characters are stereotypical and merely serve as background and the secondary plot involving the Archibald treasure comes out of the blue with no foundation or build up.
All in all, disappointing.
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