LOVED this story!!  Normally you have the straight laced heroine and a rake as the hero, but in this story it is reversed. Tobias has made sure to not have any scandal attached to his name since his parents provided so much during their lifetime and Olivia has decided that she is living her life on her terms and those that don't like it can be damned.

I liked watching these two go head to head. The bantering between the two was very entertaining. This is definitely a must read in my opinion!! Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

What happens when a man who’s tried hard to hide his true self under the veil of propriety meets a woman who refuses to hide who she is, who does what she wants – for the most part- and who stimulates both of his heads every time he’s around her?

You get an outstanding, sometimes funny, occasionally steamy, historical romance, that’s what.

What happens when it’s excellently written, smoothly flowing, perfectly-plotted and paced with well-developed, unique characters including a heart-stealing, chivalrous, strong-willed hero and a passionate, willful, loyal heroine, and enough backstory to make you want more? Oh, and throw in a great meet-cute, an unexpected tryst in a closet that somehow didn’t seem the least bit out of place for the usually stuffy, unbendable hero who totally unleashed his own passion, and a somewhat, not-really-a-mystery, mystery that works to bring the story to a lovable, beautiful ending?

You get a book reviewer- namely yours truly- who smiles and itches to write a great review telling everyone they need to read it and report back on her blog telling us how quickly you fell in love with Tobias and how much you want to go to hang with Livvie.

Viscount Bathhurst’s cough jerked his whole frame and Lady Olivia it brought tears to her eyes to see her stepfather so sick when a few months ago he had been hale and hearty then a fall from his horse and after that a heart attack left him weak and frail. Livvie really worked hard to hide her terror when she thought her stepfather wasn’t going to make it. However it did seem to be better. Then the Viscount told Livvie they had to discuss the future. Livvie called him father and said that could wait until later. She also said she had lit a candle every night and her father said he thinks God heard her. Then he told Livvie he had written his cousin the Countess of Blade to sponsor her into the season. Livvie said surely there was no rush but her stepfather said “ you are twenty two”. She didn’t want to face the cruelty of London society again. She did not want to look into high society until she had her own money. Her stepfather thought they hadn’t done the best for Livvie by letting Livvie run wild, fishing. swimming, and selling her paintings when she should have been in Town attaining enough social polish to land herself a good husband. Livvie’s father had a scandal around him and he committed suicide even years after the suicide even years after the suicide the scandal wasn’t overcome. He had gambling debts and a mistress instead of do as he his father asked. After his upbringing Tobias grew up a  abusive father and mother a lot of drama and Blade becomes cold and harsh and concerned with any kind of scandal. Blade meets Livvie at a party and is very drawn to Livvie . But he tries to fight it. There is a lot sexual tension but Blade- Lord Tobias Earl of Blade- tries to fight it There is a lot. Livvie and Blade are caught in a linen closet together and have to marry. After they are married Blade sets up strict rules: no tears, tantrums or scandals. Olivia does try but she can’t help who she is. That is why she wanted to marry a man who would accept her for who she is. Then Blade writes novels and it turns out he writes the novels Livvie loves to read. Blade shows his feelings in his books that he writes. 
I liked this story a lot. I love Livvie and Tobias together and how they struggled to be happy. I would have liked a little more action , I was really mad when William - Livvie’s stepbrother- just decided he would not honor his father’s wishes concerning Livvie and decided she would become his mistress starting right away. I didn’t like that at all, he’s a butt and wasn’t even willing to follow what his father wanted. But William obviously wanted Livvie now and he felt he had an excuse to have her or so he thought. This was an intense story and kept my attention and I didn’t want to put this down. But I did have some unanswered questions like why did Blake like kids so much and his charity was for orphans. I liked the plot. I liked most of the characters and all the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.

I loved this book and really couldnt put it down. I have never read a book by this author before but Im sure it wont be my last.  I really liked Olivia even though she did seem silly at times. Thanks for a good read

I found this book to be very enjoyable as are all of Ms. Reid's books. It was fast paced. You did not have to wait till the end of the book to find out certain things. The heroine was very feisty and not afraid to speak her mind and the hero even though of strong character was very tolerant. I also found myself laughing quite bit as there was much humor especially where the heroine was concerned. I have not read a book by this Author which I haven't enjoyed. looking forward to the next book in this series.

I love historical romances.  Want to know why??  It's the hotness factor that comes from true courting and romance.  I get so caught up in the swooning and stolen kisses - the taboo moments when good ladies get naughty - it's my favorite.

So I especially loved everything about this book.  Wicked in His Arms was AWESOME.  The chemistry that Tobias and Olivia share is off the charts - it's fun.  It's intense.  Passionate.  I was consumed by these two.  I never knew moment to moment if they would be trading verbal barbs or ripping each other' clothes off.

They skirt the edge of scandal throughout the book and it made for an exciting reading experience.  They faced several social and emotional challenges that made for quite the adventure. (One that I highly recommend you don't miss out on.)

Wicked in His Arms was my first book from Stacy Reid but it will definitely not be my last.  Her writing is engaging and it can easily be read as a standalone - alone.  Although, after reading this book, it made me want to read her other books.  So I would definitely say Wicked in His Arms is worth checking out.

Wicked in His Arms is the second book in Stacey Reid's Wedded by Scandal Series, however it can be read as a standalone! 

Tobias Walcott is the Earl of Blade, and he is an extremely handsome man, however after all the scandal that has wrecked their family name, he has learned to exercise complete control in all things.

Unfortunately for him, fate has other plans as his mother has been asked to take Lady Olivia Sherwood under her care and teach her how to act like the perfect Lady in front of the ton, so that at the age of 22, she can be married! However Olivia wants no part of marriage and plans to do nothing to win the favor of anyone!

A beautiful woman, she is also a free spirit, and is known to ride a horse like a man, swim in the lake shoot bows and arrows and fence. and when she is at the Earl's house she does what she pleases until he sets his eyes on her- and the war begins! Who will win, who will lose? Will Olivia cause Tobias to lose all that upper stiff lip attitude of his?

This book is filled with great dialog, angst and the plot just gets better as it goes on! I loved this book and hope you will too!

I gave this book 4 stars~!

So I went back and read the first book in the series before starting this one.  I liked that book but thought it felt rushed.  The pacing in this one is much better.  I enjoyed this book and will check out more by this author.

Children see a weakness in their parents and vow they will never be the same. This is the crux of the conflict that emerges between Blade and Livvie in the Regency-era novel, Wicked in His Arms by Stacy Reid. Livvie's mother was weeping and dependent and Blade's father was impetuous and violent. Both set a course along a life path that will be antithetical to good ole' mom and dad. Blade become harsh and cold and overly concerned with scandal. Livvie evolves into a woman without any concern at all for society and determined to have financial independence, preferably without a husband. But then there is an incident in a linen closet, and all the best intentions fly out a window.

The author does a skillful job illustrating an immediate awareness and growing attraction between Blade and Livvie. I liked them both, and the scenes between them sparked. 

"How like a gentleman to claim his inappropriate speech as blunt honesty, but in a lady it is seen as brash and scandalous behavior. I would have only been honest as you are, my lord."

"Are you attempting to match wits with me, Lady Olivia?"

"I believe I succeeded."

I like how Blade grins when Livvie tells him she wouldn't marry him if he were the last man in England. It is completely against everything the reader knows about his personality, but he just can't help how intrigued he is with her. Clearly, she is his match and he is relishing the fight for dominance between them. Blade prides himself on his rigid control, and Livvie shatters it. It is the rare hero who exposes his own insecurities, and I have to admit that in his "big speech," Blade had things to say that took me aback and made me like him even more. Even though I had been inside his head for 80% of the book, he still had the ability to surprise me. Livvie is just as brave, questioning Blade about his affection. She reveals her own insecurities, and they are heartbreaking. 

There were a few glitches along the way, however, that went unexplained as related to the personality of the leads. I didn't understand how Livvie came to be such a hoyden, particularly with the ever present influence of her mother and step-father. It is never properly explained how she gets away with such a lack of decorum. Similarly, Blades devotion to children and orphans as a charity is weirdly nonspecific and lacks a closely personal reason. The adventure-lover in me wanted a little more suspense or action, but Blade has to prove his alpha-ness with a few fisticuffs. In fact, Livvie was more the action hero. She could be the poster girl for the Regency Woman's Guide to Self Defense.

Basically, though, I really enjoyed this book about two people falling deeply in love. The little moments throughout the story are really well done and make it all the richer. I plan to read more in the series. 4.5 stars.

Book source: ARC from NetGalley.

Have you ever read a book that makes you laugh, cry, sad, ecstatic, and fall in love? The author hits a home run with the back and forth antagonism between Tobias and Olivia. It adds layers of excitement and tension to this fully plotted story. This is not a boring book it is in fact very fast paced and lively. It is a book about allowing yourself to be loved and to love another. 

Olivia is by far one of my favorite feisty heroines. Born in a time when women were not meant to be anything but docile she excels in all things. If there is one flaw in her character it is that she doesn't think before she acts but it makes this story priceless and adds a deeper dimension to the storyline.

Tobias made me cry. Firstly, because of his past life and how it caused him to be the cold person he was in this book. And secondly, because of how he treated Olivia. I admire how well the author presented his anger issues and how he would lose control. It was done in a manner that showed the violence as well as the control he fought to keep.

Of course, there is a villain in this book and the reader will despise him as I did. But....I won't tell you how despicable he is you must read this story to see if he gets his just rewards.

I give this 5 STARS for its layers of excitement and tension.

I received a copy of this book through netgally in exchange for an honest review. And, I honestly loved it. I loathe reading a series out of order, so I read “Accidentally Compromising a Duke” and found Stacy Reid to be a new (to me) and exciting voice in the historical romance market. My hope was that the second book in the series would be about Westfall and Lady Evelyn – since they featured quite a bit in Adel and Edmund’s book. But, it seems we readers must wait with breath that is bated and enjoy time with Tobias and LIvvie first.

The beginning of this book struck me as being like Sense and Sensibility – a father figure on his presumed deathbed asking his heir to provide for his wife and daughters, more than just the unentailed $500 per year he can leave them, with the heir’s wife protesting. From there it takes a turn into new territory and we see Olivia (Livvie for short) being polished up to enter the marriage mart. Plans go awry and the rest of the book unfolds. The book itself is well written, fast paced, and contains plenty of action. Though, there is certainly a lot of similarity in the pacing of the first and second books. I wonder if the third book in the series will follow the same pattern. The romance is hawt, though there is not a lot of build. It is more the avoid contact until you have immediate and spontaneous combustion kind of situation. 

As for Tobias and Livvie, well, all I can say is that I liked Adel and Edmund more. For the life of me, I can’t get behind Tobias as a hero. He is so firmly rooted in his emotional detachment that he is constantly cold and unfeeling towards his friends and family. There are hints at a softer side of him, but he is obtuse in his refusal to acknowledge his own feelings or the roots of his actions. Livvie, on the other hand, is sure of herself and confident in herself, but withers again and again under his icy demeanor.  She is a very modern female in her hobbies, desire for independence, and her actions tend to make sense to me. And, I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but I did not find the ending very satisfactory – he should have squirmed more. The story is woven with past, present, and future scandals – we’re talking multi-generational scandals – that strongly influence both Tobias and Livvie in their daily lives and interactions. Seeing how they come to embrace the risk, process the emotions, and (duh, you’ve read the title) react to the scandals they incur is really at the heart of this story and is what I found the most rewarding. 

All of that is to say that I truly enjoyed this book. It works as a standalone novel, but I enjoyed reading the first one in the series and look forward to the third installation. So, if you’re looking for a fun, hawt, historical romance, add this series to the top of your to-be-read pile!

“Wicked in His Arms” is the second book in the "Wedded by Scandal" series. It’s my first time reading a book by Stacy Reid. It can be read as a standalone. I love a good “marriage of convenience” or in this case “marriage after a scandal” story! That’s why I chose to read this book. 

It’s understandable that Olivia would have modern ideas of independence and marriage, mainly because of her unusual childhood. What was difficult to believe was that her inappropriate behavior and some of her actions, given the times, would simply be ignored. 

I tend to avoid heroes that repeatedly treat the heroine with cruelty, and Tobias was exactly that for half of the book. But my biggest problem with this character was that he lacked consistency, he would suddenly change his mind and go the opposite direction. 

The truth is I only started to like this couple after they got married. Tobias took his vow seriously and started to respect Olivia’s wishes and treat her with kindness. The result of that was Olivia really making an effort to make their marriage work and stop being reckless. That’s when I found myself cheering for them and fully immersed! 

“Wicked in His Arms” didn’t have a great beginning, but as the story developed the book became better and better. The sex scenes were OK, the story had a steady pace and good dialogue.  I would read another book in the series!

I voluntarily reviewed an eARC of this book.

A passionate artist ahead of her time meets her match in a seemingly glacial earl in Wicked in His Arms. The first Wedded by Scandal book, Accidentally Compromising the Duke, was one of my favorite books of 2016, so I eagerly dove into this story.

Livvie is a delightful heroine. She’s bold, outspoken, and completely out of place in society. Of course, this makes it difficult for her to find a husband and since her stepfather’s health is fragile her mother is pushing her to secure a future for herself and her sister. Thus Livvie ends up as a guest of Tobias’s mother who is to give her the polish she needs to catch a husband…and of course winds up in Tobias’s path. Tobias has the weight of his family’s name on his shoulders. With generations of scandalous earls tarring the family reputation, Tobias has taken the opposite path and is instead ice cold with no patience for tears or dramatics. Tobias wants a sensible woman to be his wife, a woman who is nothing like Livvie. Only he can’t stop thinking about her…

Livvie and Tobias’s romance is a rocky one to say the least. I struggled with Tobias’s character because he was hard to like. He can be cruel and deliberately embarrasses Livvie at one point. And he runs so hot and cold that I sometimes had a hard time understanding why she was falling for him. I struggled with rating this book because if Tobias hadn’t been the way he was, there wouldn’t have been much of a story. The conflicts are generally internal and the characters needed room to grow. But as a hero, Tobias wasn’t my favorite, even though I understood why he acted the way he did. It’s no spoiler to say that he redeems himself (what happily ever after would there be if he didn’t?), and I definitely loved the way in which he did. When he and Livvie weren’t fighting, they were fantastic together and the pages of the story flew by. I yearned to see more of that excellent chemistry, because when Wicked in His Arms worked, it worked really well. And even when I had problems with the characters, I still enjoyed Stacy Reid’s excellent writing.

Wicked in His Arms is the second book in the Wedded by Scandal series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Edmond and Adel (the hero and heroine of the first story) do briefly appear, but it’s the dark and mysterious Westfall who threatens to steal the page. I absolutely adore the Wedded by Scandal series and Wicked in His Arms definitely made me excited to see what Ms. Reid delivers next!

Great historical read.  Tobias dealt with a lot of drama as a child and vowed to not have the same as an adult.  He would marry and agreeable demur woman.  Fate had other ideas when he was locked in a closet with Lady Olivia.  This is a fast paced and fun read.  I liked the story as well as the characters.

Hertfordshire England - 1818  -  Riverhill Manor

Viscount Bathhurst is ill and his stepdaughter, Lady Olivia (Livvie) Sherwood, is helping to care for him.  She has loved him as a true father since her real father took his own life leaving her mother and two daughters alone and penniless.  The Viscount has a son, William, from his first marriage, who will inherit everything except for a small cottage, and modest incomes se aside for his wife and two stepdaughters.

When he tells her that he has asked his cousin, the Countess of Blade, to sponsor her for a season, she is not pleased.  Having received a bad reception 3 years ago at her first season in London due to her father’s past, she does not want to go through it again.  Livvie is happy with her life just as it is.  As an accomplished painter, she has been able to earn money by selling her paintings.  She is confident that when her stepfather passes, she will be able to help support them through this pastime.  

But her mother is also insistent that she find a husband.  Yet when her stepbrother, William, tells her he is going to make her his mistress, she is shocked to the point she immediately agrees to go to the Countess of Blade for her assistance in finding a husband for her.

Grangeville Park, South Hampshire

Tobias Theodore Walcott, the Earl of Blade, is riding his horse very fast when he runs into another horse knocking its rider on the ground.  The rider turns out to be Livvie.  Furious at him for knocking her into the mud, he is intrigued by her anger as she scolds him.  Of course, she knows that the Countess will be angry with her if she learns that Livvie was riding astride.

As they get to know one another, Tobias sees that Livvie is not a very ladylike person and tends to be a bit of a hoyden.  She is also very outspoken and enjoys things like fencing and fishing.

Tobias is a very straight-laced man who is not easily moved by young women looking to wed him.  But when he and Livvie are caught in a compromising situation, there is no other choice than that they wed.  How can these two very different people expect to make their marriage last?

This is a good story about two very opinionated people.  I found Livvie to be very likable but Tobias needed a swift kick in the butt.  I’m sure that readers will enjoy their adventures.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

After a disastrous season four years ago Lady Olivia Sherwood is quite happy to say she will never marry.  She will make a living with her painting.  Unfortunately her family do not agree.  They insist she must go to a family friend and be "polished" ready to have another season and find a husband. 
Tobias Walcott,  the Earl of Blade is a cold and controlled man.  He fears his temper will cause scandal, so he ruthlessly suppresses all emotion.  The undisciplined hoyden his mother is training pushes that control past his limits. 
Our heroine is unfairly judged by society for something beyond her control,  but she will not change her personality for anyone. 
Our hero is trying far to hard to deny himself.  His only outlet is in his writing.
A lovely,  fun filled historical romance.  Our characters are fantastic.  I do love a good strong minded heroine.  This is part of a series but each book can be read as a stand alone.  Once you start this you will not be able to put it down.  A terrific lighthearted read.

Wicked In His Arms (Wedded by Scandal Series) is a lovely, first time read from a new author. The writing style is entertaining and we have strong, likeable characters.

☆ Tobias Walcott, the Earl of Blade is not made of stone, his heart still beats. Following an abusive childhood where his father beat his mother all in the name of love. Tobias has vowed to never love. Love causes pain in his eyes. And yet he champions the needs of those less fortunate trying to improve quality of living for women, children and veterans.

☆ Lady Olivia Sherwood is tomboy treated by her dead father as the son he didn't have she can ride, fence and swear like the next fellow. She has also faced hardship when society shun her following the death of her father. Determined to find love she will settle for nothing less. Pushed into find a husband before she becomes homeless. Lady Olivia never thought she fall for Tobias.

Stacy Reid is not afraid to mix things up with a combination of subplots to make things interesting. We have not 1, not 2 but 6 scandals within Wicked In His Arms

☆ Scandal 1. Lady Olivia Sherwood's father brought scandal to his families name when he took his own life over his mistress. He's family were left to fend for themselves in a cruel society that never lets you forget ones sins!

☆ Scandal 2. Unknowingly  Lady Olivia Sherwood  compromises Tobias Walcott, the Earl of Blade when they are caught in together after a heated argument where passions are running high.

☆ Scandal 3. Tobias' sister thinks she's found love and that her brother will not approve once he finds out that she's in love with his steward!

☆ Scandal 4. Lady Olivia Sherwood's stepbrother recognises the difficult situation that Lady Olivia is in and attempts to force her hand in willingly giving up her body to him. Later on he takes it to the extreme and has to face Tobias Walcott, the Earl of Blade

Following Tobias Walcott, the Earl of Blade loss of temper he flees to town and is caught in another compromising situation this time with his ex-mistress. A heated argument ensues where he refuses to admit he loves Lady Olivia and heartbroken she flees to "get over" her husband.

☆ Scandal 5. Lady Olivia Sherwood is a talented artist who sells her painting to improve her family's situation.

☆ Scandal 6. With no idea as to where his wife has disappeared to Tobias Walcott, the Earl of Blade confesses to be famous author to get Lady Olivia Sherwood to return.

☆ Conclusion 4☆☆☆☆ Read  | My only feedback would be that  perhaps there's too much going we flitted here and there never truly delving into either characters.  I would have like to get to know the characters better.

Wicked in His Arms is a Stacy Reid classic. In the way that only she can she gets her point across while staying true to her style. The message is clear. The story is engaging and the characters are unconventional to say the least. Of course there's scandal but there is also a lesson wrapped up in a tight little bow throughout the pages of Tobias' and Olivia's tumultuous courtship. "Be true to yourself and the rest will fall into place."

DNF@20%

Having really enjoyed the first book of this series – Accidentally Compromising the Duke – I was excited to read this one. Sadly, I didn’t get far before I lost all patience with it and had no wish to carry on.

Livvie seemed perfectly reasonable in the first chapter, so I was disappointed by the brainless, rebellious-for-the-sake-of-it twit she turns into once she goes to stay with the dowager countess. She doesn’t want to marry because she’s scared of the level of control her husband will have over her, fine. It’s quite a modern thought, but thanks to her father’s scandalous death and looking after her mother for a bit, I could forgive a measure of independence. I was less sure of the way she rides alone and astride and doesn’t think she’s doing anything scandalous. Throw in the running about outside in her shift in the middle of the day before going swimming and I gave up on her.

I never liked Tobias. He’s a hypocritical prig from the moment he steps onto the page and he only gets worse from there. These two might have hot chemistry, but they have nothing else in common and I really didn’t care about either of them.

Then there’s the issue of titles. (Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine, but if you’re going to do it, do it properly!) Livvie is not a lady. She’s the daughter of a baron. She has no courtesy title. Yes, she is the step-daughter of a viscount, but firstly, daughters of viscounts don’t have titles either, and secondly, it wouldn’t matter because he is not her father. The other cardboard cutout debutante is also the daughter of a baron. She would also have no title. Livvie’s mother is a viscountess. She is Lady Title, not Lady First name, Viscountess Title. There is no excuse for historical authors to get this wrong. If you can be bothered to research period appropriate tableware and clothing, the least you can do is check Debrett’s to ensure you’re getting the names of your main characters correct. Or if you can’t be bothered to do that, at least read KJ Charles’ excellent blog post about it.

So, safe to say, this book and I were not getting along too well, but I wanted to give it a fair shot. When it came to the incident with the slugs, however, I gave up. How old is Livvie, seven? Nope, nope, nope. This one was not for me.