A Waltz on the Wild Side
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Saving the day has never been so fun when two enemies must fight their attraction and work together.
Advice columnist Miss Vivian Henry hates how the Wild Wynchesters flaunt so many privileges ordinary people could never emulate. But when her beloved cousin goes missing and the authorities shrug, Viv has no choice but to beg for help from the vigilantes she despises.
Aspiring poet Jacob Wynchester prefers animals to people. He’d rather stay behind the safety of a quill than interact with prickly clients. But when he's appointed lead investigator, Jacob finds he admires Vivian's resourcefulness and intelligence—including the sharp wit he must parry. As they team up to rescue her kidnapped cousin, they discover just how compatible they are.
Together, they must not only save the day, but also decide how far they’re willing to go to be who they really are. And determine whether their partnership is a mistake… or the missing piece that completes them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A missing-person case animates Ridley's raucous and somewhat overcrowded sixth Wild Wynchesters Regency (after Hot Earl Summer). Aspiring playwright Vivian Henry, 28, devotes much of her life to looking after her idealistic 18-year-old cousin, Quentin, the illegitimate, mixed-race son of a nobleman. Quentin idolizes the Wynchesters, a famed adoptive family of "do-good scoundrels" with a hodgepodge of extraordinary talents, while Viv, an immigrant from Demerara (present-day Guyana), where she was enslaved, resents the Wynchesters' privilege and apparent disregard for the consequences of their heroics. When Quentin goes missing, however, Viv turns to the Wynchesters to track him down—and feels immediately drawn to "insufferably handsome" Jacob, an animal handler and a pseudonymous poet. He's eager to help, but a frustrating lack of follow-up questions during the initial meeting leads to miscommunication and a mid-book revelation that feels obvious from the jump. Meanwhile, Viv and Jacob are in lust at first sight, and it's fun, if somewhat dizzying, to watch as Viv's case dovetails with several other zany crimes the Wynchesters are looking into. Underneath the chaotic hijinks runs a current of thoughtful social commentary as Ridley emphasizes how her Black leads' contrasting life experiences have given rise to differing relationships to power and oppression. Despite some hiccups this time out, Ridley remains very good at what she does.
Customer Reviews
A difficult read for me
I have loved all the previous Wynchester novels. I found the idea of animal loving Jacob a delightful idea and looked forward to his story. However, I came close to not completing the book owing to the irascible personality of Vivian. She was, of course, well-meaning and justified in many ways, but was also a difficult character to tolerate chapter after chapter. Alas, a rating of 3 stars.