On the premise, I really really wanted to like it. A Cinderella-like Victorian tale with mystery and intrigue AND a bit of spice? YES. Exactly what I love to read.

But I'm about a half of the way in and I just can't anymore - I've DNF'd as I've been beginning to actively avoid reading it. The holes in the plot are too glaring - at one moment, our FMC is taking care of her mother, but the next chapter she's ditched her without explanation? In the beginning, the masquerade ball is a secret event and you'll not know the time or place unless you're 'in the know' and then we find out it's every Thursday at 6pm at one specific address? Then how does that link from Paris to London? Romance-wise, there's no build up - FMC and MMC meet and both just decide that they pine for each other after one discussion.

It feels like a few different drafts of the same story were pasted together with minimal editing/ensuring the plot is somewhat smooth. It's just distracting. It has a TON of potential, and with a good editor, it could be superb.

This was so much fun! Since watching A Cinderella Story I admit I’ve never understood how you could not recognise someone with just a mask on, but I’m willing to suspend that disbelief for this lovely, cosy read

Such a good read. Steamy, engaging, with excellent side characters and a touch of mystery, this book is definitely worth a read. Love both Emma and James and enjoyed watching their relationship go from clandestine sex to something more.

4.5 stars rounded to 5. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

This book has such a fun plot NF on cover and I loved getting to get to know everyone who is in the town. can’t wait for what comes next from the author.

As far as Historical Romance go, I thought this was fun! It was scandalous, salacious, with a grumpy gorgeous MC James and the sunshine but naughty FMC Emma and the chemistry was sizzling. I’d recommend this book to someone who perhaps wants an introduction to this side of Historical Romances as the language used is more modern compared to its setting. I’ve never read from this author but I would if I wanted to cleanse my reading palate and for a good time.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

This book was so much fun that it made me binge on historic romances! The heroine comes from difficult circumstances, rejected by her biological father, she and her sister did anything they could to survive and help their mother. But when her sister is in danger and goes missing, she goes undercover in a British Lord's house to gain entry to a scandalous masquerade club, which is the only clue she has. She hadn't expect to meet her employer there, nor did she expect to fall into a torrid yet tender affair, all without revealing her identity.
The author develops their relationship so well, paying attention to the power inequality due to her status as a maid and employee. The way the sisters find each other and defeat nefarious forces is another exciting part of the book that makes it a must read.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"A Touch Wicked" by Katrina Kendrick is a captivating historical romance set in the glittering world of London high society, intertwined with the thrills of intrigue and forbidden love. The novel follows the dual perspectives of James, the charming and sought-after Earl of Kent, and Emma Dumont, a woman of modest means who infiltrates the Earl's household to save her sister embroiled in criminal activities.

Kendrick skillfully weaves a tale of mystery and romance against the backdrop of London’s elite and its most scandalous, clandestine club, the Masquerade. The setting is richly detailed, immersing the reader in the opulence and intrigue of the period. James, as London's most eligible bachelor, is a character that combines the allure of wealth and status with a depth that becomes apparent as he becomes entangled with Emma.

Emma's character is particularly well-drawn, portraying her as resourceful and determined, driven by a strong sense of loyalty to her sister. Her struggle to maintain her false identity while working in the Earl's household and her attendance at the infamous masque, where she encounters James under the guise of anonymity, creates a dynamic and compelling narrative.

The romance that unfolds between James and Emma is intense and fraught with the tension of secrets and societal expectations. Kendrick balances the elements of romance and suspense seamlessly, making the story both heart-racing and heartwarming.

However, readers who prefer more conventional historical romances may find the novel's blend of intrigue and criminal undertones a bit unconventional. Additionally, the themes of deception and the high stakes of Emma's mission may add a level of intensity that might not appeal to all.

Content warnings for themes of deception, societal constraints, and criminal activities are appropriate. "A Touch Wicked" will appeal most to readers who enjoy historical romance with a twist of mystery and danger, offering a story that is both romantic and thrilling.

In conclusion, "A Touch Wicked" by Katrina Kendrick is a beautifully crafted novel that offers a mesmerizing blend of romance, mystery, and historical intrigue. Its engaging characters, rich setting, and compelling plot make it a standout read for fans of the genre.

Historical romance with modern sensibilities! This story feels like the Regency equivalent of superhero alter-egos - Emma has to go undercover in the household of the grumpy earl to find her missing sister, but finds her way to the scandalous Masquerade house in her investigation. Naturally the earl is there and falls for her. They have a unique opportunity to get to know each other in all ways - in the spicy, she-takes-charge, masked in bed way and the polite society, get-to-know-the-person way. This has great moments of action and suspense, a plucky feminist sidekick in the earl's younger sister, and fabulous appeal for modern audiences.

This is the first book I've read by the author but I know I'll be reading more. The world of the story is very immersive.

This was a delightfully spicy little novel!

From my understanding, this was originally released as a novella, but has been re-edited and fleshed out into a full novel for a 2024 re-release.

I must say you could kind of tell that the story had once been much shorter, the characters aren't as detailed as they could be, for example. Did this affect my enjoyment of the book, however? Absolutely not! It was such a fun read and I will definitely be picking up the rest of the series at some point.

I wasn't in love with the missing sister sub-plot, but I think the story needed it to keep the plot ticking along, as the masquerade element, although fun, would not have sustained the whole novel.

Give this one a try if you are a Tessa Dare/ Julia Quinn fan - I'm sure you'll love it.

4.5 stars

Looks like the start of a series so there's some setting up to be done. Emma is looking for her sister. Her mother died and they were left destitute by the Duke of Southampton. Isabel turned to crime to help feed them and pay medical bills. The mother left an interesting diary. Emma worked at low paid jobs. She goes round to Isabel's appartment and it is trashed. She finds an invite to a masquerade in London and her mother's old diary all hidden in a place only the girls would know. Emma goes to London and gets a job with the Earl of Kent's sister, Alexandra. James is sceptical about Emma but fancies her. James realises he needs to marry even though his brother thinks he's too stuffy. Lots of passion and mystery, including a home office spy, Some of the ideas were a bit over the top I thought James might have realised who Tempest was especially as they were doing some very close physical contact! I'm interested enough to stick with the series and learn more about Isabel, Miss Sheffield & Alexandra. Good start.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(2.5) Read a little bit too quickly, yet too slowly for me. The characters were alright, if not a bit a shallow, and some parts felt like they could be developed a lot more (ie. the masquerade) I didn’t really feel a good sense of why the MC wanted to find Isobel either.

Nothing special, but also, I just really did not like the main character in this one. It’s insta-love/insta-lust from him from the get-go, and I just feel really bad for Emma throughout the story. But also there’s no character development to be found anywhere — it’s copy/paste from any other historical romance book, but with generic characters added to the mix that are one dimensional. It just didn’t feel like a believable love story.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for providing me an eARC of this book.

I will straight up say that I really did not enjoy this book and almost gave up at 40%. Every character was a cut-and-paste of every other historical romance book I’ve read. It also felt difficult to believe that the mmc didn’t recognise the fmc even though her disguise was a wig and a mask that only covers her eyes? The insta love between the main characters was also very cringe and felt unbelievable.

The pacing of this book was also a huge issue, nothing much happened in the first 50% of the book apart from the main characters lusting over one another. Then in the last 15% we have two assassination attempts that never really get explained? Maybe this just wasn’t the book for me.

Love Katrina Kendrick books and this was no exception.
Very much looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.
THank you for the early copy!

The cinderella style plot line of secret identities at a masquerade club was what ultimately drew me in to this novella. In addition to the cute covers (I find that historical romance is, how else to put this, behind the times when it comes to swearing away from shirtless men on the covers and oddly sensual scenes with real people). However, the nature of the relationship (and the wait progressed) was of the insta-lust variety and not based in enough love, connection, and friendship.

To put it lightly, I did not particularly care for the nature of the spicy scenes. There were a lot of them, and I promise I am not one to complain about the frequency if it fits amongst the plot events and serves a purpose. I understand that the entire plot is based on the characters hooking up at a club, but this brought down my reading experience substantially. You know, I think my primary issue was not the elevated frequency alone but the added aspect of them being written not to my standards. Listen, girl power and all, but it seemed strange and out of character for this woman to act as the supremely dominant one in the bedroom, not to mention a tad historically inaccurate. Let's put it this way: the first scene was not particularly...focused on female pleasure. Not being sold on the first scene really caused me to check out form this book. Plus, the usage of some cringy sexual terminology during those scenes really put me off.

I'd like to mention that people in the reviews for this book kept noting that the heroine is active in the late Victorian Suffragette movement. I wouldn't say that. Other than, after being directly asked by the hero's sister, revealing that she is in favor of women's suffrage (in addition to a few more mentionings), that was practically the extent of her "participation."

Ultimately the ending left much to be desired. This book claims to be a feminist/progressive historical romance, but I did not have that experience. I think that type of story would be possible with the duke's sister as the main heroine. Unfortunately, I have little faith in this author's ability to carefully craft a plot and pursue adequate character development, so I will not be sticking around to find out.

I really liked this book a lot. I feel like their was so much excitement from start to finish & was not hard to immediately get into ! An I was honestly surprised to have such a big story fit in such a small amount of time ! I do wish there was a little bit more expansion on characters though. But I absolutely love the different point of view perspectives. This was a very well written historical romance but also had a modern vibe to it that it made it easy to put myself in the book ! This book absolutely will be among my favorites reads for 2023!

I had to DNF rather quickly. I couldn't get on with the writing style at all, it read like fanfiction or a creative writing project to me. It just didn't flow.

grumpy Earl x mysterious lady’s maid

Reasons why you should read this book:
✔️ scandalous 🌶️ masquerade
✔️ fmc who takes charge in bed
✔️ grumpy Earl obsessing with his mysterious lady’s maid
✔️ strong female characters all rebelling against societal norms & driving men crazy

Wonderful historical romance that weaves together the story of young Emma lost in London and a stern Earl of Kent who is resigned to a dull life of aristocracy. When their worlds collide there are sparks ✨ and some bangs 🌶️🌶️

Don’t be fooled by the cover! This book is extra spicy 🥵 with heroine taking charge in bed and not being shy about it! Even though this is a historical romance the author used ‘modern’ words to describe all bedroom activities which I really appreciated.

I just loved how obsessed James was with Emma. Both the Emma he knew as a lady’s maid as well as the anonymous seductress Emma he met at the Masquerade 🎭

“We all have our ghosts. Would you like my help with yours?”

“She wanted him to forget her? God, but he wished he could. If only to reclaim some scrap of sanity.”

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I will definitely add the rest of the series to my TBR.

grumpy x sunshine
boy obsessed
anonymous 🌶️ escapades
forced proximity
interesting side characters

I loved this book and i loved the title thats what grabbed me to apply for it. thanks to netgalley to give me this book to read and review.

I love how the mc is a maid and she gets a job at this wealthy place with her boss being this woman who has a brother and the brother is like going after her knowing she isnt titled just a nobody. the sex scenes were fire!! this book is super steamy so trigger warnings when you read it.
Loved how the story ended and i just couldn't stop turning the pages. 5 stars!