A Savagely Great Read – “Wild” by Margo Maguire

In all seriousness, I’m going to keep Margo Maguire’s “Wild” on my bookshelf long after this whole February/Romance Novel Project ends. The book is a steamy, well-developed blast with interesting characters and a real-life, grown-up plot.

Grace Hawthorne’s parents died a year previous, and the twenty-five year old took on the job of working as companion/secretary to the elderly Lady Sutton.  Years ago, Lady Sutton’s grandson (then 11 years old) fell overboard while on an African safari and was never found.  Now, some twenty years later, a man who very well might be Anthony Maddox has been returned to Lady Sutton, against his will.  The man who returned is not a gentle nobleman, but a savage wild man.  As there are questions as to whether or not he’s truly an Earl, it falls to Grace to quickly get him up to speed on proper dress, manners, and propriety.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Grace are growing more attracted to each other by the second.

Reading “Wild” brought to mind what it might be like if someone turned a Jane-Austen-esque regency tale into a smutty romance novel.  Grace battles her notions of what is proper vs. what she truly desires, and as she explains decorum to Anthony, it becomes obvious that the English of this era were a stuffy people.  Take Elinor Dashwood of “Sense and Sensibility,” throw her in a bodice-ripper machine, and “Wild” might be the result.

Margo Maguire completely gets what the readers want to read.  There’s just enough of the smoldering glances and dirty inner thoughts to sustain the duration of the book.  On top of that, the plot she weaves is actually really good.

This one’s a keeper.

SuchABookNerd Smut Index: 7.  While not as dirty as the cover may suggest, it has it’s moments.