Too Wicked to Marry

by Susan Sizemore

Set in Victorian England, this sizzling tale of romance and deception features a manipulative woman, an arrogant lord and a betrayal. To win Lord Kestrel's trust, Abigail must pose as his mistress. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380816520
• ISBN13: 9780380816521
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Totally Absorbing Read

Setting - Great Britain 1880 - Lord Martin Kestrel, a diplomat is suffering from boredom at a house party in which the happily and newly married host has brought together many of the seasons most eligible young misses in an attempt to tempt the more than eligible, handsome and debonair widower to join him in wedded bliss. After several attempts by the young ladies to attract his regard he realizes what is missing in his life and making him so lonely amongst a houseful of people. He misses Abigail - furthermore - if he must marry, why not the woman who has become his best friend and confidante over the last four years, the strait laced and lovely governess to his daughter, Miss Abigail Perry. He leaves the party abruptly to find and propose to this no nonsense paragon of virtue who will make him a splendid wife! The problem is Miss Abigail Perry is not at all what she seems. Abigail, aka Harriet MacLeod, is actually a spy assigned to watching over the Queen's highly regarded diplomat. Originally posing as a governess, the truth of the matter is that Harriet truly came to love Martin's daughter Patricia. She has cushioned herself for years, looking the other way as Martin worked through his many mistresses, being a friend and confidante, recognizing that he needed to heal as he worked to dismiss the heartbreak of the wife who abandoned him and their daughter years before. Secretly loving him, she was floored by Martin's sudden declaration of love and marriage! She knew that discovering that she had deceived him all these years would be another act of betrayal and she took the only way out she could. She ran away to the Isle of Skye and her very unique family to lick her wounds. Still clueless as to why she would run from him, Martin, through a letter that arrived addressed to Abigail, got his first clue to tracking down his errant bride-to-be! Finding her, and finding out the truth, devastates him and he is furious to find that a woman he had come to love had deceived him. After coming clean with the truth and Martin huffs off to lick his wounds, Harriet is then placed in the awful position of having to beg him to help her in her next mission. He and he alone is the key to getting her into a house party to make contact with a courier that would aid in saving her brothers life. She didn't divulge the details to Martin but only asked for his assistance. Still hurt, Martin is more than willing to make her pay the ultimate price for his help - she will pose as and perform the duties of his mistress! Ms. Sizemore's style is vividly fresh, witty and her story is original - I just loved it! The plot was so outrageous, the double entendres and argumentative dialogs with an outstanding strong female lead and her protagonist counterpart were truly amusing. Top this off with a family that is so unique that it opens the door for some marvelous sequels which I cannot wait to see this author capitalize on! The eccentric secondary characters, Aunt P

To Wicked to Marry is Awesome

My first Susan Sizemore read and I loved it!!! Martin Kestrel, a British diplomat is in love with Abigail, his daughter's governess, but he's also in love with Harriet the Spy, and Cora the Mistress. Yes, Martin Kestrel is in love with all three women, yet he's in love with one woman. Yet Martin was not aware that Abigail was placed in his household to have 'someone to watch over him'. Confusing!! Very, but funny and sensual. Abigail, aka, Harriet the Spy, is deposited in Martin's to protect his negotiations for the British Foreign Service. As a diplomate, Martin is privy to making political contracts and deals that ultimately could dispose the British government. Martin;s choice in wive's and mistresses doesn't help either. Most were proven to be less than trustworthy and patriotic. Yes, Abigail performs her duty to his daughter and to Martin unknowingly. But when Martin proposes to Abigail, he doesn't realize he's in love with a fictional character. Therefore, the real Harriet the Spy takes flight and returns home to contemplate her assignment or her affection for Martin.Martin manages to track Harriet down and late realize that the entire possible deranged family is involved in espionage. Yes, Harriet's family decides to use Martin's availability to locate a secret courier and rescue their wayward offspring that has been captured and tortured by the enemy. But whom had captured their beloved Michael and who and where was the courier. Thus the games begin. This book is a one night sitting read. Susane Sizemore writes with humor, sensuality, and an intrique that keep you page turning. Martin may not be the 'James Bond' of the 1860s, but his common sense and ability to reason and negotiate aids Harried MacLeod and her family of spies. Hope you love it as much as I did!

Sensual, Sophisticated, and Funny

This is a romance not only about grown-ups, but for them. I enjoyed reading about Harriet and Martin because they so enjoyed each other. My only complaint is that the writing seemed a bit stiff in the beginning, but once the story got going...wow!She's a spy. He's a diplomat. While posing as a governess, she's used him as cover for covert operations and has nearly been killed protecting him, though he doesn't know it. After several years of knowing "Abigail", Martin Kestrel asks her to marry him. She's says no. He's affronted when she runs off. She confesses to really being "Harriet" when he tracks her down at her family home on the Isle of Skye, and then the verbal fireworks really begin. These two know how to argue! Their conversations are the best part of the book. So's the sex. They were a pair of adults who liked each other as much as they loved and lusted and fought. They liked each other's company even when they were the most hurt and angry. They didn't act like a pair of spoiled kids having a Big Misunderstanding. The issues of trust, betrayal and duty over personal desire were very well explored, but somehow treated with a light hand as well. The author's style is fresh, witty and sophisticated. The plot is outrageous - featuring a family of spies, a high-handed, handsome lord of the manner, a heroine who is in no way intimidated by this overbearing man, and eccentric secondary characters (Mrs. Swift is a hoot). If this is the start of a series, I'm looking forward to the next adventure of the MacLeod clan.

I love governess stories!

I have bags under my eyes because I started reading last night at 9:30 and finished at 4:30, which was NOT the plan. Work this morning is rough, but I keep smiling because I remember how Abigail handled Martin -- and how Martin handled Abigail. This author really knows how to create tension while making her reader laugh and lust. Get this book at once!

exciting Victorian romantic intrigue

In 1880 while attending a decadent party, Lord Martin Kestrel realizes he loves his daughter's governess, Abigail Perry. He immediately leaves for London to propose marriage. A stunned Abigail says no and vanishes before Martin can persuade her otherwise. Martin cannot find Abigail until a letter from her great aunt arrives. He visits her relative who sends him to meet Ian and Hannah MacLeod on the Isle of Skye where Martin demands to see Abigail who informs him that she is actually Harriet MacLeod, an English spy assigned to protect his daughter and him. An angry Martin, already filled with mistrust after the infidelity of his deceased wife, calls Harriet a liar before leaving. However, she finds that she needs his services to gain entry to a house where her brother might be held prisoner. He accepts the job only if she agrees to be his mistress during the scenario, making a permanent relationship even less likely between them. Susan Sizemore is known for her strong historical novels, but her current tale, TOO WICKED TO MARRY, may be the awesome author's best work to date. This exciting Victorian romantic intrigue stars a gender-bending heroine assigned to protect the lead male protagonist and a strong support cast. With a refreshing action-jammed story line for the ensemble to star in, Ms. Sizemore provides one of the best historical tales of the year.Harriet Klausner