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Born to Be Wilde: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Born to Be Wilde: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Born to Be Wilde: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Audiobook9 hours

Born to Be Wilde: The Wildes of Lindow Castle

Written by Eloisa James

Narrated by Susan Duerden

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

The richest bachelor in England plays matchmaker…for an heiress he wants for himself! 

For beautiful, witty Lavinia Gray, there’s only one thing worse than having to ask the appalling Parth Sterling to marry her: being turned down by him.

Now the richest bachelor in England, Parth is not about to marry a woman as reckless and fashion-obsessed as Lavinia; he’s chosen a far more suitable bride.

But when he learns of Lavinia's desperate circumstances, he offers to find her a husband. Even better, he’ll find her a prince.

As usual, there’s no problem Parth can’t fix. But the more time he spends with the beguiling Lavinia, the more he finds himself wondering…

Why does the woman who’s completely wrong feel so right in his arms?

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateJul 31, 2018
ISBN9780062885173
Born to Be Wilde: The Wildes of Lindow Castle
Author

Eloisa James

Eloisa James is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author and professor of English literature, who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

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Reviews for Born to Be Wilde

Rating: 4.225925894814814 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Could listen to this book over and over again! I cannot wait for the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ooooh I am sooooo happy Lavinia got her Perfect Parth. The misunderstood and under estimated Lavinia got her happily ever after. Lovely story
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Lavinia Rose Gray and Parth Sterling have been quarreling with each other for years. She finds him appalling, condescending, and rude while he considers her to be shallow. The last thing either of them wants is an attachment with each other, but when Lavinia realizes that marrying Parth would save both herself and her mother from ruin, she determines to swallow her pride and propose.

    Parth is completely taken aback by Lavinia's insistence they marry. He cannot for the life of him understand why she'd suggest such a preposterous thing and offers an alternative: to find her another fiancé while he romances a widow. The plan seems perfect, the potential outcome less so, for the more time Parth spends in Lavinia's company, the more he realizes that he wants her for himself.
    This is a wonderfully entertaining and romantic book. It is excellently written, well-plotted, and filled with wonderfully lovable and relatable characters. Now, the Wilde’s seem a little over the top, but they are such a joyful, happy family. This is the first book I have read in the series and I had absolutely no trouble at all keeping up. However, I can say that reading this one just made me want to go back and read the earlier books.

    The hero and heroine from the second book are heavily featured in this book and they are a delight. I definitely want to go back and read their story.

    Lady Lavinia Gray is the toast of London a diamond of the first water. She is a rich heiress and receives proposals on a daily basis. Well – except she isn’t a rich heiress anymore. Her mother has not only lost Lavinia’s dowry but she’s also stolen from friends and family to support an addiction to laudanum. Lavinia is desperate! Somehow, she has to find the money to repay the friends and family her mother stole from, she also has to find someone powerful enough to keep her mother from going to jail. She has but one choice – marry a powerful and rich man.

    Parth Sterling is obscenely rich, a much-loved ward of the Wilde’s, and a fixer of problems. Imagine his shock when Lady Lavinia Gray appears at his door one evening and proposes marriage. Why in the world would she be there? While she smiles at and charms everyone else, she meets, she derides him and calls him names. Heaven help him – he likes it – but he’ll never admit that. So, he very promptly refuses her offer and she flees his lodgings quickly.

    Parth has already found the woman he intends to marry. An Italian countess who is bright, funny, beautiful, and she certainly doesn’t need his money. They will have a companionable, amicable marriage. He certainly has no desire to saddle himself with a termagant like Lavinia Gray.

    Parth decides to help her find a husband and, to his dismay, is very successful at it. He introduces her to a Norwegian prince – and the prince immediately falls head-over-heels for Lavinia. Lavinia really wants Parth, she’s always wanted him, but every time she’s around him she’s tongue-tied and can’t think of anything to say that isn’t an insult. However, she may have to let him go and marry the prince instead.

    It is a fun romp to watch these two dances around each other. Each wants the other, but neither is able to own up to it. Throw a wedding for North and Diana in the mix and things are busy and about as mixed up as they can get.

    I can highly recommend this fun read and I’m really looking forward to going back and reading the previous books in the series.
    This was a wonderfully written romance. Watching the hero and heroine argue with each other in the most creative ways imaginable was thoroughly entertaining. A story to be savored and one I would highly recommend.


  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This couple had been squabbling like children in the previous book and it really seemed like they might bring out the worst in each other or stay in that juvenile ‘pull her pigtail’ phase for too long. But thankfully they moved on to other things in good time and I ended up enjoying their story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh, finally! Lydia and Parth's story, and in every way as satisfying and difficult to put down as the first 2 books. I particularly love Lydia's emotional growth and flowering self-confidence as she learns to turn her amazing style talents into commissions. Not only am I fascinated by how fashion works in the time period, it's a joy to see a believable scenario for her to come into her own. Also, I really enjoyed James' notes about Anglo-Indian children and how race was regarded in this part of Britain's history. I love the romantic tale, but I appreciate so much how she makes the time period come alive.

    Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Four stars, but five stars for the fashion. The descriptions of the clothes are to die for.

    Other things to love:

    > A hero whose mother was from India, but it's not the whole of his identity, nor is he fetishized by the heroine.

    > A hero who is in trade. He's still wealthy—he owns a bank and seven other businesses—but he works for a living.

    > A heroine who, when circumstances require, creates a career for herself utilizing her eye for fashion and fabrics, which others (and occasionally she) have dismissed as shallow.

    > A sub-plot which deals compassionately with the issue of addiction. I'm glad to see more historical novels doing this, rather than treating laudanum like it was aspirin.

    But, damn! Those clothes, though.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is the third in the Wilde family series. Parth Sterling was sent to the Wildes at the age of five by his parents who were living in India and planned to follow him soon, but ended up getting sick and died along with his young brother. He became a ward of the Wildes, but really he became a member of the family. He had no title so he worked hard in business to make something of himself and became a huge success owning many businesses including a lace factory and creating his own bank. Lucinda Grey is the daughter of a Lord who died some years ago and is being watched over by her mother. She grew up with Willa from the first book and her cousin is Diana from the second book. She was an heiress and has had countless marriage proposals both in England and in Paris until recently when her mother confessed that they were broke and more importantly she has stolen from Willa's accounts when she stayed with them and then she stole Diana's emerald necklace and tiara that Diana was blamed for stealing by her mother and sold them to finance the Paris trip.Diana tells Lavina to go to Parth and propose marriage. Parth is rich and more importantly a real problem solver who can fix her problem with her mother. He also might not mind that she has no dowry. But it all goes wrong and he turns her down. Then Lavina gets sick with influenza and Parth becomes rather concerned and sits by her bedside for a night and promises to find her a husband since he has figured out that she has no dowry.While she has been sick she learns that her mother's taking of her laudanum drops has long been an addiction and has become deadly and needs to be dealt with. Lady Knowle, the Duke's sister has her mother placed in a nice home for addicts. Lavina suggests that Diana have a trousseau and the Duke agrees to pay for it. Diana insists that Lavina help her with it and Lady Knowle agrees to go with them in order to organize the family's clothing for Diana's wedding. Before leaving Lavina finds out that Parth plans on asking an Italian countess named Elisa to marry him and her heart is broken because she has been in love with him for years as they have traded barbs and argued over everything.In London Parth and Lavina meet up at a silk sellers shop where he insults her looks by saying she is pale and skinny and sickly looking and had earlier insisted on her being seen by a doctor. They then share an intense kiss outside of the shop in the rain. Parth still introduces her to a Prince of Norway who is so captivated by her he plans on asking her to marry him when he gets back from Norway. Parth hates him, of course, and doesn't think he's good enough for Lavina. Lavina can't help but like Elisa who is charming and delightful which makes it even harder knowing that the two of them will be married.While Lavina is going around to the shops putting together Diana's trousseau, she stops at the silk store and Mr. Felton the owner offers her a commission if she buys her silk from him. Now Lavina sees a way to make some money to pay for the emeralds and Willa's account. The other merchants also agree to offer her a commission as well and when one of the ladies of society finds out that she is putting together Diana's trousseau she wants her to put together her trousseau for a commission. Now she may earn money for a dowry.But Parth is appalled at the idea. Parth also made the comment to North that she is as"shallow as a puddle" and he keeps harping on the fact that she bought a lot of bonnets. He seems to think that she was the reason that there is no dowry, when in fact it was her mother who went through the money. He seems to think the worst of her and not respect her or think much of what she seems to find interesting which is fashion. Or that she can or should make a living doing something with it. But their kisses tell a different story altogether--that they should be with each other. I really adore this series and I have been waiting patiently for Parth and Lavina's story and I wasn't disappointed. Lavina has learned some things over the past three books and grown and Parth has changed a bit too in that he has decided to actually get married. He still overreacts when people get sick due to his parents' death. He also doesn't want to be hurt and guards his heart savagely. Lavina is terrified of losing him so she refuses to tell him about her mother's thefts. You really do wonder if these two will get together because he injures her so badly. This book also sets up the next Wilde book which promises to be even better than the previous three. This was a fantastic novel that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can until you finish it. I highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Lavinia Grey has had a tempestuous relationship with Parth Sterling, one of the richest men in England. Now that she's poor, she needs him and asks him to marry her. Parth refuses, stunned that one of the most eligible but shallow, in his opinion, ladies wants him. He has other plans for himself but he does agree to find Lavinia a husband. I admit I didn't like Lavinia and Parth in the previous books. They were childish and just irritating so I wasn't looking forward to this book and expected to be annoyed. Instead, Lavinia has grown up finally, pushed partly by the impact of her laudanum-addicted mother and her thievery and partly because she finally becomes comfortable in her own skin.I liked that Parth quickly abandoned his plans once he finally admits his attraction to Lavinia. I hate when a hero stubbornly sticks to his original plan just to keep the conflict going, but here there were enough other issues that it wasn't necessary for him to adhere to his original plan and he could adapt once he realized he might have a chance with Lavinia.It's fun to see the other Wildes and the culmination of North and Diana's romance. I'm looking forward to the next book if it's about who I think it is. They look to be a fiery match.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was fun! I knew that I would have to read Parth and Lavinia's story just as soon as I knew that it was scheduled for release. This is the third book in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series which could be read as a stand alone although I think that it really would work best if the series is read in order since a lot of this story is set up in the previous installment. I went into this book with some pretty high expectations and I am happy to report that they were met. I really enjoyed my time reading about these wonderful characters.This is Parth and Lavinia's story. Parth became a part of the Wilde family as a young child when his family died. He had done very well for himself and is a very successful businessman. Lavinia is good friends with Diana, North's soon to be wife, and grew up with Willa, who is married to Alaric. When Lavinia learns that her family is almost out of money, she realizes that she needs to marry soon and marry well. She asks Parth to marry her but is promptly turned down.I loved both of these characters. Lavinia was so determined to make things right. She knew that her skills were somewhat limited but she was able to use those skills to start making her own money and took a lot of pride in her work. I really loved watching Lavinia find out for herself exactly how capable she really was. Parth was a great character as well. Despite the fact that he is not biologically a Wilde, he knows that he is a part of the family. His business pursuits are important to him but not more important than the people he cares about.I had such a good time watching these two come together. They were both attracted to each other and I thought that they had some great chemistry. Their personalities fit together very well. They were both very intelligent people that took responsibility very seriously. I actually enjoyed their dates with other individuals and thought that each of those dates just proved how perfect these two were for each other.I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. I found this book to be a delightful read full of wonderful characters and a few more serious topics. I cannot wait to read more from Eloisa James in the future.I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    OMG, you guys, this series. It gets me right here, every time--and then, before I've even had a chance to really bask in the glow of the current couple's HEA (here, Parth and Lavinia), Ms. James has me all but salivating for the next book to come out. I don't know how she does it.Okay, I take that back. I know exactly how she does it. Before the book ends (just before the epilogue, here) we get a chapter not from our current hero or heroine's POV, but from a future one (here, Betsy Wilde) that confirms our suspicions that she's going to be a future heroine and who her hero will be (Jeremy!) and gives us just enough of a preview of their story to make us want to read it yesterday...before throwing us right back into Lavinia and Parth's story for an absolutely adorable epilogue with them. But do we have a title? A release date? Not yet. Well played, Ms. James.But I digress...Parth and Lavinia's story was just as delightful as I hoped it would be after Ms. James teased their story in the last book ( Too Wilde to Wed ). Secretly attracted to each other, they've each decided that it's a hopeless cause and hidden that attraction behind disdainful nicknames (her) and seeming indifference (him). Until Livinia's situation changes drastically and desperation drives her to make him a shocking proposal...which he naturally shoots down. Oh, but he'll help her find someone else to marry....suuuuuure you will, buddy. (That bit lasts even less time than you think it will going in.)I really enjoyed some of the places Ms. James took the plot here--addiction, Anglo-Indian relationships, Lavinia's rather ingenious way of solving her money problems on her own--and absolutely adored all of the relationships: Lavinia and Parth, of course, but also Lavinia and Diana, Lavinia and Parth and all of the Wildes, Lavinia and her maid and the seamstresses...each added an extra dimension to the overall story. Coupled with Ms. James's delightful writing (lines like "'I love you.' The words were so deep and true that they must have been engraved on his heart," and "It turned out love had a scent. It smelled of fresh wood, of bolts of silk and wool, of boxes of buttons," got highlighted almost before I finished reading them) they made reading this book an absolute pleasure (and almost allows you to forget about the times that Parth goes above and beyond in being a bit of an alphahole...fortunately, he snaps out of it before long and comes to appreciate the awesomely resourceful and altogether delightful fashionista that is Lavinia.)Though it could probably work fine as a standalone, reading this book after you've read the first two ( Wilde in Love and Too Wilde to Wed ) will give you a more complete picture of Lavinia's plight, since her closeness to Willa and Diana factors into why she's so desperate to marry ASAP. As a bonus, reading them will also help keep you busy until we find out more about when Besty's story will come out...Rating: 4 stars / A-I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Lavinia Gray is devastated when she learns that her mother is a thief and an addict. In attempt to save them from public opprobrium, she proposes to Parth Sterling, who is rich enough and clever enough to find a solution to Lavinia's problems. Parth turns her down, in part because she has always disdained him, and in part because he thinks her a useless fribble. But he is still attracted, as is she. Lavinia's deep knowledge of fashion may solve her money woes, but Parth's lack of respect for her expertise may doom any chance they have of making a life together.A sexy romance with a great deal of heart.