This is the first historical I have read by Victoria Dahl but I am a huge fan of her contemporary romances. To be honest, I sometimes find it difficult to read certain authors when they jump between genres. This, thankfully, was not the case when I finished A Little Bit Wild.

Marissa York is ruined, thoroughly. At her family’s house party she is caught by her brother Edward, Baron York, and her cousin Harry, so the solution is that she must marry the man. But Marissa refuses to marry him since he did not perform to her expectation. However, with the scandal sure to bring her down, she is forced to marry someone. She just never expects that person to be Jude Bertrand.

Jude is a family friend and has admired Marissa from afar. He notices the fire and wildness in her eyes that others ignore. Marissa, on the other hand, has never taken notice of Jude because she prefers to look at the pretty boys and Jude is far from pretty. He is tall, strapping and thoroughly masculine, and according to Marissa, looks like a ruffian.

In spite of his looks, Marissa agrees to spend time with Jude and he decides to use his time wisely and show Marissa the difference between boys and men. Marissa soon sees Jude as friend and confidant. But does that mean she should marry him, even if she finds herself looking at Jude more than the pretty boys?

I love Jude Bertrand! He made the story for me. He is a man’s man. He is not one of those dandy gentleman worried about the line of their coat. In fact, he is not technically a gentleman but the illegitimate (but recognized) son of the Duke of Winthrop. Though, if you ask me, he is more of a gentleman than those born with that privilege.

Victoria Dahl masterfully manages to make you love someone you just want to hate. Marissa York is a selfish and spoiled girl. Not to mention, she is also naïve enough to think that being free with her favors won’t hurt her reputation or that of her family’s. Even when, after all he has done, she says some really hurtful things to Jude, you feel sorry for her because she really doesn’t understand.

“If you haven’t so much as touched her, why would she be falling in love with you?”

That was far more then a question. It was an insult wielded with all the subtlety of a medieval mace. “You can’t believe a woman would love me for any other reason?”

“How would I know?”

But somehow, in the end, despite Marissa’s mistakes and her wayward attempts at understanding things, I loved her.

Sometimes, if a book is really good, I get a little flitter in the pit of my stomach during the really emotional or intense scenes. In A Little Bit Wild, the emotions and heartache are so intense, I felt as if I had a whole swarm of butterflies in my belly while reading. This is not a fluffy romance, there is depth to the characters and I applaud Ms Dahl for showing their true colors.

A Little Bit Wild is a must read. There is nothing I can think of to make this a better book. But be warned, this is not a light and easy romance. It is rough and hard, and Jude and Marissa have to come a long way to appreciate each other and their love. This is the first in Victoria Dahl’s York Family series and I personally cannot wait for the next, Aidan’s story. ~ Jamie