The Wicked Ways of a True Hero : All About Romance

The Wicked Ways of a True Hero

Grade : B

Although the title and cover of The Wicked Ways of a True Hero made Barbara Metzger’s newest a little hard for me to pick up, I’m glad I did. Told primarily from the hero’s point of view, the author spins a story with a lovable and entertaining hero who brought to mind another of my favorite heroes – Loretta Chase’s Rupert Carsington.

Set in his bachelor ways of drinking, gambling, and other guy pursuits, Daniel Stamfield is sorely displeased when his mother requires his presence at the family’s London home to help launch his younger sister and her dubious friend, Miss Corisande Abbott. Not only does this mean he has to purchase town clothes and employ good manners by not scratching in public, he must now protect the two women he holds most dear from the scandalous ways of Corie Abbot, a woman he knows has a history that could besmirch his family’s reputation.

Corie is desperate to come to London for the Season. Her biggest worry, other than not finding the husband she is determined to land, is that Daniel Stamfield will tell the secret that only he, her father, and a dead man know. If he does, her reputation will be ruined, the Stamfield family will be damaged, and Corie will fall back into the clutches of a cruel father determined to use her for his own nefarious purposes. To prevent all of this from happening, she plans to be on her best behavior, find an acceptable husband quickly, and avoid Daniel whenever possible. Unfortunately, plans are much easier to make than to carry out.

Daniel, like other men in his family, has an unusual gift – he can tell when someone lies to him. The ‘how’ of how he can tell is the unfortunate part: He develops an itchy rash anywhere and everywhere on his body whenever he hears a lie. Through his gift however, he is able to open up to Corie a bit and become less suspicious of her. As he spends more time with her and his family, she is like a magnet to him. For Corie, Daniel’s continued presence is a nuisance. She fears that he will inadvertently reveal her secret at the most inopportune time, thus ruining all her plans. Also, she begins to compare every man she meets to him – the worst possible choice for her in the world – and, sadly for her, all other men are found lacking.

For me, Daniel is a perfect hero in a bull in a china shop kind of way. Despite the constant trouble in which he finds himself throughout the story, he is a good man with honorable intentions that at times only his mother can recognize. There are moments when he tries to reassure Corie that are truly charming and kind. He is also one who recognizes that he wants the heroine and doesn’t try to fight it. Once he realizes the truth, he embraces it. As I read, the old adage “boys will be boys” constantly popped into my head, as Daniel is all male – but in good, humorous ways.

However, my one complaint about the story is the heroine. Though she’s desperate and fleeing a truly horrible situation, I grew frustrated with her refusal to see the good in Daniel. Her stubbornness kept me from growing close to the character as a reader and prevented me from having any sympathy for her.

I enjoyed The Wicked Ways of a True Hero as a break from all the dark and angsty heroes that abound. Also, the characters are numerous and the plot is much more intricate than described. Both of these qualities give it a richness and flavor that I enjoyed wholeheartedly.

Reviewed by Heather Brooks

Grade : B

Book type : European Historical Romance | Historical Romance

Sensuality : Kisses

Review Date : March 17, 2009

Published On : 2009