This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words. What a different tale. Yes, yes, there is the same romance aspect however.....the tale is about a "society" of women trying to find their independence within the marriage mart. It is, in turns, witty, sad, malicious and redeeming.

So, you just finished The Bridgertons and are looking for the next book? This is it right here. Someone Wanton His Way Comes by Christ Caldwell is SO GOOD! I love this historical romance and cannot wait for the next in series.

It’s going to tick all your boxes. Big family, physical comedy with a splash, heroine making bedroom discoveries and starting a feminist club!

Sylvia is a widow and mother. Her marriage felt distant to begin with and then her husband died suddenly while she was pregnant. She makes the choice to move herself and her son out of her family’s home. They live with two of Sylvia’s friends who both have quite a bit of personal baggage and I hope they will have their own books.

I love that Clayton Kearsley has a big family full of sisters (six sisters!). They are all scheming, playing or causing a raucous at anytime. Obviously, the Shakespeare quoting Delia is my personal favorite. They bring so much humor to the story and they all love each other. Clayton is also such a great guy. A supportive, cinnamon roll hero with some flaws and a sprinkle of deep regret.

I can’t wait for you to read this one. I’m probably going to reread it now. I really cannot wait for the next one!!

Thank you #Netgalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

#ChristiCaldwell #SomeoneWantonHisWayComes #NetGalley

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Someone Wanton His Way Comes represents somewhat of a stylistic shift for Christi Caldwell. The story remains grounded in emotion and there are hardships the characters must overcome, but it is balanced with a bit more lightness and wit. The very premise itself is both fun and subversive, with widows and scorned women banding together to protest against the double standards of Society that allows for their mistreatment.

I really felt for Sylvia, having had to deal with a loveless marriage to a reckless, unfaithful husband who got himself killed in an underground boxing ring, and is having to deal with the fear of losing her young son to her in-laws if she isn’t above reproach. Even with that in mind, I loved that she took the risk and engaged in a rebellion with her fellow scorned women in forming the Mismatch Society.

Clayton was a nice breath of fresh air as a hero, as I feel like it’s rare to find histrom heroes who are more brains than brawn (or an equal amount of both). While I didn’t understand how he could be friends with the late Lord Norfolk and not want to call him out over his questionable behavior prior to his actions at the beginning of the book, I did get a sense of his complicated emotions, in that he’d always been in love with Sylvia, but encouraged her marriage to Norfolk thinking they would be happy and that he didn’t deserve her, then being dismayed when Norfolk proved an unfaithful husband. While I did feel like it was a bit of a weak conflict to work with—that and the “I’ll die young” thing—I was more or less engaged with him as a hero and their relationship overall.

It should be noted that, while there are some elements that do stand alone, like the romance and the Society, there are some overarching elements in the plot that tie into earlier books in other series, particularly In the Dark with the Duke, which starred Sylvia’s sister, Lila. It provides greater context for the role the villains play into the plot, and in some ways, this book continues the tradition of Caldwell’s Montlake titles being even more closely tied to each other within the wider realm of CaldWorld, as we’ve seen with prior series that spin off into each other (Sinful Brides and Wicked Wallflowers, for example).

I think this will be a gem for her established reader base. And while I would generally discourage new historical romance readers from starting there is still much to enjoy if you do make this your starting point into CaldWorld.

I liked this book. It dealt with a woman's lack of rights in the pre-Suffragist time period. The heroine in a widow whose husband did not treat her well or even like her. On the knowledge that she is pregnant, he tells the hero that he is leaving the heroine to run away with his lover. Since this is part of a series, in previous stories, the readers learned that the heroine's in-laws are evil and were found running an illegal fight club that featured children fights and womans fight. Bare knuckle fighting, sometimes to the death. Evil people. She agreed to keep quiet for her son's sake, but she knows that her brother-in-law is crazy and needs to be locked up. But she is keeping secrets to protect her son. The hero has always been attracted to the heroine and in fact, introduced her to her husband. The hero has not told anyone of his attraction to her. So, on the day her husband plans on leaving, he dies in the boxing ring. The heroine knows that he has a mistress, and in fact, his mistress seeks her out after and tells her that the husband lied to the mistress and said he wasn't married. The heroine and the mistress become best friends even though the mistress is from the lower class and was a fighter in the illegal club.
What I liked about this book was the development of the characters. The heroine learns about keeping secrets that hurt her best friend and brother-in-law, and how to see men in a different light. The heroine hates marriage and advocates against it, but she grows during all of this. The hero is one of 7 children and the only male. He has younger sisters and has to learn to trust them and that he did his best in helping them grow up after their father passed. This story really had it all, secrets, elements if danger and romance. I recommend this book with 5 stars.

Someone Wanton His Way Comes (Wantons of Waverton) by Christi Caldwell
Rating: 3-stars
Summary:
Clayton loves Sylvia, has always loved Sylvia, but alas he is cursed to die an early death and cannot bear the thought of leaving her as a young widow. His solution? Introduce her to one of his friends, Norton, a rake through and through, only to have Norton inform him he is going to leave Sylvia (even though he knows she is pregnant with his heir) for another woman and end up being murdered by his mother’s order the very same day. This leaves Sylvia a young widow all the same, but Clayton stays away because he feels guilty for having introduced Sylvia to Norton and refuses to fulfill Norton’s request to look after her after he is gone.
So, Sylvia has Vallen, her son, and decides to heck with everyone else, ton included, she is going to move into her own home with two scandalous friends and live life on her terms. One friend is her deceased husband’s lover (awkward) and the other is a woman who uses drink to deal with the tragedy she experienced at Peterloo. They unintentionally start the Mismatch Society, which effectively focuses on how women are always screwed by the rules of Society and Marriage, and how to best demolish these institutions. Long story short, Sylvia needs Clayton to give some credibility to the organization as she begins to take heat from Society for her scandalous “club”.
Thoughts:
I liked our hero and heroine, especially Clayton. He is loveably not perfect, nor a rake, yet he has bedroom skills. He is rather upstanding, really. He loves his family fiercely and does not apologize for it. Sylvia is so deadest against marriage and yet we know she is going to end up with Clayton, so it felt a little over the top until suddenly, she wants to marry him to save her reputation but also because she loves him (meh). It is at this point of the story where I was disappointed. There is significant build up to this point and from here to the end of the book it seems rushed. I felt there was extra pages devoted to things early on that were not as important as seeing the resolution at the end. I mean you have a sinister ex mother and father-in-law who need to be punished for horrible crimes and the wrap up is a paragraph or two (say what?!). Also, Clayton is shot, and Sylvia is there and magically knowing everything he wanted to tell her and it’s all okay, practically no conversation needed. I wish 20-30% of the first two thirds of the book was pulled and the page space was devoted to the ending. I think I would have found it to be much more satisfying.
Overall, this is an interesting read and it was an enjoyable book, but the warp speed end of the book bothered me as I wanted to know more about how they worked things out, what happened to the evil in laws, and ahem, what about an epilogue (FYI – I LOVE epilogues and was disappointed there was not on in this book; I enjoy seeing another peek into our characters’ lives for another 5-10 pages to know a little bit more about their happily ever after). I have read many of Ms. Caldwell’s books and am part of her Facebook group, so I know she is a great author and will chalk this one up to just not being my flavor.
I received a free advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this more than I actually did. Though I did love Clayton and thought him mostly a darling. I really disliked Sylvia. She is surrounded by women who suffered a lot more than she ever did and she seems to think she is the most hurt of them all. Not only that but most of the discussions during the Mismatch Society's meetings were boring and overall seemed... trite. I see this with other authors too; it's not particular to Christi Caldwell, whose books I generally like, but a lot of times when authors decide to made their romance novels about "girlpower" and feminism, or to make a statement about women, it usually comes out ringing hollow, lacking depth and sort of like just another chapter of neoliberal feminism or like #girlbossfeminism for the imagined-XIX-century. It doesn't feel like there's real meaning there and the characters end up not being fully fleshed out.
Though Sylvia's bad image of men is somewhat challenged throughout the book (mostly in the form of "good' men, like the hero) and there is the idea that things are a bit more gray than black and white, she is still an unlikable character whose motivations seem weak. Another thing that bothered me greatly is how Clayton was treated by his sisters (there was just a general lack of respect) and, also, how neither Clayton or Sylvia would talk after being intimate - it just seemed weird.
3 stars.

Someone Wanton His Way Comes is the first book in Christi Caldwell's new series, Wantons of Waverton.

Second chance romance. Friends to lovers.

Sylvia is a young widow and mother who is now independent, untrusting of men, and is the head of a group of women who has come to call themselves the Mismatch Society (it's not a Club!). These are women from all walks of life who meet to discuss women's place in society. They don't actually "do" anything, but they talk a lot.

Clayton is a cinnamon bun hero. He believes he's cursed to die young like the other men in his family. He doesn't want to marry for love because he doesn't want to leave a grieving widow. He fell in love with Sylvia when they first met years before, but because Clayton felt he was doomed, he pushed Sylvia towards his best friend. Sylvia and the friend married, but it was never a love match, for which Clayton has a lot of guilt.

This book started strong. I loved the opening "flashback" scene with Clayton and his friend. It was really heartbreaking and sets up Clayton's good guy character. I liked the relationships between Clayton and his sisters, especially 4 year old Eris. There were a lot of older sisters, and honestly, they all started to blend together.

I was really interested in Sylvia's relationships with Valerie (her dead husband's mistress and love of his life) and her other roommate. But the book never really expanded on those stories, which I'm hoping means that they will star in their own books.

This book dragged a bit. It was best when light hearted and fun (great scene with the children). The internal monologues were very repetitive at times. The chemistry between Clayton and Sylvia was just ok. As I said before, I really liked their scenes with other characters, but together they were a bit tepid.

This book is hugely connected to the Lost Lords of London series, specifically In the Dark With the Duke. That book is Sylvia's sister Lila and Hugh's story. I happened to have read that book, so much of what was briefly told in Someone Wanton His Way Comes made sense. But honestly, the villain of Someone Wanton was a major force in In the Dark With the Duke. Someone Wanton should have been a continuation of that series. By not reading In the Dark With the Duke, I don't think the reader gets a sense of just how heinous the villains are in Someone Wanton His Way Comes, and I don't think there's a sense of just how much danger Sylvia may be in.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

I was quite disappointed by this book as I have read other titles from this author. The story line felt flimsy and I wasn't able to feel invested in any of the characters. This is clearly not the first instalment dealing with these characters and it was confusing to try to read it as a stand alone book. The background context of the characters is never clearly explained and so it's difficult to feel sympathy for their travails. There were also several spelling and grammatical errors in the text which was very distracting.

Clayton's family believes that it's cursed. The book has somewhat of a darkness to it because of that. Sad thing is, Clayton's youngest sister was the best part of this book for me and she has a minor part.

If you’re interested in a historical romance with a friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, a cinnamon roll hero who may be cursed, and a strong heroine who starts a society for women to stand against the patriarchy... then this is the book for you!

This book really hammers home that Clayton *pines* for Sylvia — and has for years. Sylvia is the widow of his former best friend, and Clayton has lived with the guilt of knowing he introduced the woman he loved (but was scared to pursue due to his family’s curse) to a man who ultimately didn’t love his wife as she deserved.

Three years after her husband’s death, Sylvia decides to move with her young son into a townhouse with two of her close friends — one of them being her dead husband’s mistress. It’s scandalous and leads to the creation of the “Mismatch Society” — a group of ladies who are fed up and ready to take a stand against how women are treated in London society. And it just so happens that Clayton’s mother, and several of his sisters, are members.

There’s humor, a slow burn, great examples of consent, and two main characters who treat each other with great respect. I enjoyed it!

First, I love Christi Caldwell! She is one of my favorite authors. However, I didnt enjoy this book. The trope was just not for me. I loved the hero and heroine but did not care for the Mismatch Society and there was far too much of that for me. I probably will not finish this series but I highly recommend all her other books and if this trope is for you, I would read as her writing and characters are wonderful.

2.5 magical little stars

Christ Caldwell is one of my most read historical romance authors because her books are fast and addictive reads. I really enjoyed the last 30% of this book because it was exactly those things, but I really struggled with the beginning.

Clayton our hero believes he is cursed to die young. Despite falling in love with Sylvia he tries to save her from the heartbreak of his death by instead introducing her to his best friend who he believes can give her the love and marriage she deserves. Sadly things don't turn out that way and Sylvia is left a widowed mother, with a lot of resentment towards men. Clayton carries a lot of hurt and guilt from this too but he was such a sweetheart and I adored his interactions with his family - I really hope we get his sisters stories!

One of my favourite things about Christi Caldwell is the little connections between her different books and series. There's nothing better than bumping into characters you love and getting glimpses of their life post-HEA. Unfortunately in this case I'm not up to date with all of Christi's latest releases and I really think that impacted my enjoyment of this book. The Lost Lords of London series covers Lila's story (Sylvia's sister) and Sylvia's husband and his family are heavily connected to that plot. Having that knowledge before this would really help with understanding what Sylvia has been through and why she is now so hardened against men.

Alongside the continuation of this drama, Sylvia has inadvertently created the 'Mismatch Society' in which she and a group of ladies meet to have discussions about women's place in society - a big part of which is pushing against marriage. I hate to say it because I love this concept but I think this was my least favourite aspect of this book. I just didn't understand the drama that surrounded their society and it felt like most the book was set during their meetings, which weren't terribly exciting to read about.

To be completely honest I'm not quite sure what the plot of the book was. We have this drama with her husbands family, the Mismatch Society, Clayton's interactions with his family, and passionate encounters (which felt very thrown in most of the time, as though just to tick that box, and were moved on from like nothing had happened) which made the book very convoluted and confusing. It just didn't flow well. I normally read Christi's books in one sitting, this one took me 5 days because I just didn't want to pick it up.

I'm really sad this book didn't work for me but I would totally recommend reading Christi Caldwell's books. Scandalous Seasons and Sinful Brides are probably my favourite series of hers.

Clayton and Sylvia have been in love for years. Due to a secret Clayton has kept silent, he gave her up. Now years later they are reunited. Once they get passed their own fears they find the love they have been missing. I laughed and cried with this story.

Someone Wanton His Way Comes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Christi Caldwell

I had a hard time with this book. Although, Christi Caldwell is one of my favorite authors, the book itself fell short for me.

I loved Clayton and his family. He was a good and caring brother always concerned for their welfare.

Sylvia had been dealt a bad hand. Her husband was unfaithful to their marriage. I found it difficult to believe Sylvia befriended his former lover but he lied to her as well.

Clayton and she renew their long lost friendship.
He originally introduced her to Sylvia whom he always loved. For two people who tried to stay proper they seem to have sex whenever.

I found a lot of reparation in this story which made it hard to stay with it. I gave this book four stars because Christi is a great author whom I dearly love.

Christi Caldwell really hit the mark with this book. Sylvia and Clayton are truly wonderful characters. Her world was not what it seemed before she was a widow. Now, determined to create her own life free of men, she moves into a house with her two friends and by accident create the Mismatch Society. Clayton lives with regret of the past and of now being able to do what his best friend had asked of him prior to his death. Now his sisters have all gone and joined the Mismatch Society and he learns the person in charge is his friends widow.

When their worlds collide again after so long a time, passion between the two explodes as well. Readers will enjoy this wonderful love story of two broken hearts mending into one.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After finding herself widowed while heavily pregnant, Lady Sylvia Elton has had to come with becoming a new mother while grieving, understanding the truth about her marriage, and uncovering an illegal underground boxing ring, run by her in laws, which resulted in her husbands death. While having all of this on her cards, she also has to be above reproach, lest her son is taken from her, but she's had enough of being a perfect lady, and along with two other scandalous woman - one of whom had been her late husband's mistress - and inadvertently starts a society of women who are against marriage, and the stiff rules society places upon them. Clayton Kearsley, the Viscount St. John, has always been in love with Sylvia, since he met her after her Come Out. Because of a family curse that says the men die young, he has never wanted his wife to suffer, so pushed Sylvia towards his friend, Norfolk, which led to her awful marriage. Feeling guilty, he never visited her after Norfolk's death, but when his sisters all proclaim they won't marry, because of the their society, he finds himself forcing his way in. To say he's shocked to discover that Sylvia is the de facto leader of the society, would be an understatement, but he's pleased for a reason to be close to her again. Both have never gotten over their feelings for the other, and it seems that they now might not be able to - or even want to - ignore the attraction any more.

This is somewhat of a sequel to another of Christi's books, In the Dark with the Duke, following Lila's older sister, Sylvia, and it touches on the topic of the Prendergast family, and the boxing ring. If you haven't already read that one, I highly recommend it, because it helps to understand some of the nuances between Sylvia's relationships with her in-laws, and her mother. Sylvia was never a diamond of the first water, rather a bit of a wallflower during her first season, but she became fast friends with Clayton when they met at a ball, and the friendship between them was once filled with care and admiration, and also love. Both clearly loved each other, and even thought that perhaps it would lead to marriage, but Clay got spooked, and ended up pushing Sylvia into Norfolk's arms, which set off a whole sequence of events that leads up to today. Now happy in her widowhood, even content living with her husband's mistress, and over the pain and hurt she felt at his betrayals, she wants to renew her friendship with Clay, but is also worried about the consequences. Clay never got over his love for Sylvia, and was punishing himself by staying away, especially after Norfolk told him on the day of his death that he was planning on abandoning her and their unborn child. If not for the society, and his sister's involvement, Clay probably would still be hiding away, but now that he's back with her, he doesn't want to leave. There is so much chemistry, and such a back story between the couple, that each of their moments was lovely, and full of joy and humour too. The conclusion blew me away, and I really hope we see more from the couple in book two!

Someone Wanton His Way Comes follows Sylvia, a young widow, as she moves in with two female friends and begins to build a life for her and her son. Sylvia becomes the leader of the Mismatch Society, a group of women determined to change societal rules. When she reconnects with Clayton, an old friend and a friend of her deceased husband, old feelings reignite, and the pair must examine their feelings and confront their pasts while also deciding if they have a future.

Sylvia is fascinating. Bold and independent, she refuses to be a victim and instead takes charge of her life. She does not want to be beholden to a man, nor does she want to have to answer to one. She is her own woman, and she won’t accept anything less than equality. Other women look up to her and her feminist ideals, and they all work together to change the rules of their society. I love how these women turn everything upside down!

Many of Clayton’s sisters are part of the Mismatch Society, and they continually manipulate Clayton into bending to their will. Clayton is such a wonderful brother, son, and love interest! He is self-sacrificing and honorable, and his attentiveness and easy comradery with his family is sincere and thoughtful. He is a good man with good intentions and is the perfect match for Sylvia, who he has loved for years. Unfortunately, Clayton fears the family curse so much that he denies himself a happy, wedded future.

The love story is a great friends-to-lovers romance mixed with a bit of unrequited love and angst. Clayton has loved Sylvia for years but never acted on his feelings. Throughout the story, he continues to resist his feelings. Sylvia does as well because of her failed and loveless marriage and her feelings about love. I liked seeing this couple rekindle their friendship and how it grew into something more. Plus, their chemistry is fantastic!! Sylvia often makes the first move with Clayton, which is so fitting with their characters. He is trying to do right by everyone, and she is finally in a place where she feels confident and comfortable acting on her needs and desires.

Something else I liked about both Sylvia and Clayton is how willing they were to listen to opposing ideas and learn and grow from others. Sylvia has very strong and negative feelings toward love and marriage, which isn’t shocking considering the terrible marriage she had. Leading a society of women who support these assertions solidifies her feelings. However, the more time she spends with Clayton, the more she realizes that her ideas are too broad and don’t apply to everyone. I like that Sylvia is willing to see things from other people’s points of view. Clayton does the same when addressing his fears of an early death and his feelings of failing Sylvia. Seeing how they grow and change speaks to their love and respect for each other and those they love.

I love the Kearsley family. Clayton, his sisters, and his mother are a fun, loving, and lively group, and I enjoyed their humorous antics and time spent together. Their conversations and easy way with each other show how much love and respect they have. It also shows how close they are. Clayton’s sisters are hilarious, each unique and memorable in her own way. This strong family unit is one of the highlights of the story.

Though it’s the first in a series, there are many references to people and events from other books, so I assume this is a spin-off series. The author provides ample context to understand what happened before this book, but I wish I had read the other series to better understand different things that happened. I’m also curious to learn more about Sylvia’s two housemates. They had minor roles in this story, but I am hoping that they will be the focus in future books.

Thanks so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book difficult to follow at the beginning. It seemed like it was part of a series and you needed to know some of the back story of some of the characters. I found the storyline dragged and was repetitive at times. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them. I was not a fan of this book.

This is the first try for Christi Caldwell. I do enjoy her writing.
But I don’t know why this story is no satisfied me. I lost my interesting from 30% into the book. I don’t feel the romance, don’t see the chemistry between Sylvia and Clayton.
I finished book anyway. I will gave this author an other try.

Thanks to Netgalley, for providing this arc. The following is my honest review;

This is my first time reading Christi Caldwell and I enjoyed this book. It was a fun quick read and I enjoyed the writing style of the author. There were some truly entertaining moments, and our heroine and hero had potential and so too the premise.

However, I did think that this book perhaps needed to be a bit longer the story felt like it was not fully fleshed out especially for the number of characters introduced throughout the plot. The romance was definitely rushed but I wouldn't say the characters had no chemistry and the premise for the mismatch club may be noble but the discourse and dialogue were a bit too oversimplified and I would have loved to see them delve deeper into the constraints on women in that time, though they do show growth throughout the book.

Overall 3.5

Would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy feel-good read, and I am certainly interested in reading other works from this author.