Just a Little Wickedness

Just a Little Wickedness (2020) Merry Farmer (The Brotherhood)

Set in London in 1890

Joe Logan came to London to search for his sister, who went missing while working as a maid at Eccles family, so he’s become a valet to the son.

Lord Alistair Bevan is his father’s heir, and is feeling pressured to marry, especially since his father’s health is ailing.

This is a mystery and a romance. And I had problems with both elements of the book.

Not deal breaking elements, but definite issues.

The mystery was interesting, but I felt like Alistair was being exceptionally blind to some elements.

The romance was more problematic. First, Joe was right to have issues with the power imbalance in the relationship, and I disliked that Joe’s worries and concerns were essentially swept under the carpet.

Secondly, Alistair’s brother’s reaction to discovering his brother was in an unnatural relationship was most likely accurate for the time. His (relatively) quick turn around in attitude was more problematic. To feel more realistic, either the brother needed to have been more accepting from the get-go, or less accepting after and extremely short time.

Attitude changes are all well and good, but they usually aren’t realistic, which gave the entire thing an off note.

I also wondered about the “marriage list” of women who would be willing to put up with a husband who was physically uninterested in them. If Dandie & Worth knew ridiculously accurate details about seemingly everyone in London, wouldn’t it have been more logical they’d also have an idea of women with similar (but opposite) interests? After all, men weren’t the only ones being forced into marriages they didn’t want.

So, it was interesting, but somewhat problematic. I’m going to think about it before I decide if I want to read the next book. (Also, it didn’t end cleanly, which is always an irritation.)

Rating: 6/10

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