When you start your novel with a kidnapping of several titled ladies, the pace can only increase from there, and for the most part Camp delivers. Con and Lilah dislike each other, but have to remain civil because his twin brother is now married to her best friend. As they race to solve the kidnapping and figure out what’s behind it, they realize they might actually make a pretty good team.

The plot of this story is pretty outlandish, even by the standard of the rest of the series. I enjoyed the book but found some of it just too ludicrous to swallow.

DNF. This book did not grip me and I was not interested in going past a few chapters. Candace Camp's newest books haven't gripped me like her previous works.

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

His Wicked Charm is the sixth book in The Mad Morelands series by Candace Camp. You don’t need to read the other books in the series to fully understand and enjoy this one.

Where does one begin to describe this book? One word springs to mind…Unique. There I was expecting a regular romance then I was happily surprised when psychic abilities came into play. From the very mention of one of the character’s visions, I was absolutely hooked.

That vision was of Con’s sisters and mother being kidnapped. Con is the hero of our story. He is one of twin brothers, and his twin recently married Lilah’s best friend. Lilah is the heroine of the story. Lilah and Con do not get on. When they find out about the kidnapping Lilah insists on helping Con find the women which in turn has them spending enough time together to realise that perhaps they have both missed the finer qualities of each other. When it later comes to light that Lilah herself is in danger from somebody looking for her key, a key that she has no idea about, it takes her and Con to her family home in order to do some searching.

While searching for the key, which is like a needle in a haystack, they open up a whole can of worms with regards to what they discover about her family, and about supernatural forces seemingly attached to the property. What they discover and how they discover it made for a fascinating read, then add to that the developing romance between Lilah and Con and you have the perfect story. Do they find the key, what is it for, and why are people willing to kill for it? This book has it all, and I absolutely can’t fault it.

I truly tried to read this book, but I kept putting it down and going back to it until I had to DNF it. I like Candace Camp books, but I was just not feeling this title

A nice blend of RomCom and Romantic Suspense is presented in a Victorian setting. Con is a scamp, and Lilah is a prude; they are paired to catch kidnapers and rescue the victims. Will opposite attract for an HEA? This is No. 6, but you can enjoy it as a standalone; however, you may want to read the first 5 afterward. Candace Camp has penned another witty romance.

This is the sixth book in Candace Camp’s Mad Morelands series, which originally comprised four books, but which has been expanded to include stories for the two youngest Moreland siblings, twins Alex and Con. His Wicked Charm opens not long after His Sinful Touch ended; I wasn’t overly impressed with the storyline of that book (my content grade was C+) which I found clichéd and somewhat clumsily executed. His Wicked Charm is an improvement, mostly due to the fact that Con is a more engaging character than Alex – Con is lively and funny where Alex was quite dour – but even so, the story meanders and lacks focus, and the paranormal elements are rather corny and melodramatic.

Constantine Moreland and Lilah Holcutt disliked each other from the moment they met. She thinks he’s too impulsive and not serious enough, and he thinks she’s too proper and bound by convention, but now Con’s brother has married Lilah’s best friend, they have to play nice. Needless to say, they are rarely successful; Con delights in needling Lilah by flirting with her outrageously, and most of their interactions end up as arguments. So, it amazes both of them to find that when the situation calls for it, they can actually set those differences aside and work together to achieve a desired outcome – in this case the rescue of Con’s mother and sisters, who are abducted off the street during a demonstration in support of female emancipation. Lilah insists on accompanying Con when he sets off in pursuit, but it turns out that the ladies are on the verge of rescuing themselves when the couple arrives (as detailed in the short story included at the end of the audiobook, Their Unexpected Adventure), but they still have to work out who kidnapped them and why.

Piecing together the various bits of information gleaned from his mother and sisters, Con comes to the conclusion that the Moreland ladies were not the kidnapper’s intended targets, and that they were actually after Sabrina, Alex’s new wife. This poses a lot more questions to which Con and Lilah are determined to find answers, and Con thinks they may be found at Carmoor, Sabrina’s family home in Somerset. But with Sabrina away on her honeymoon, Carmoor is closed up, so Lilah very reluctantly extends an invitation to her childhood home, Barrow House, which is nearby.

Lilah’s unwillingness to go to Barrow House is due to the fact that it’s the home of her very eccentric Aunt Vesta, a spiritualist and mystic who used to hold séances on behalf of Lilah’s father, who was desperate to contact his dead wife. After a séance-gone-wrong when she was twelve, Lilah was sent to live with her other aunt – the complete opposite of Vesta – who drummed into her the need for strict propriety and correct behaviour at all times. Lilah has been the very model of decorum ever since, and keeps herself under very strict control; and it’s this tightly restrained aspect of her that proves such an irresistible challenge to Con, who becomes determined to draw out the daring, passionate woman he is sure lies beneath her prim and proper exterior.

Con and Lilah are one of those classic antagonistic, opposites-attract couples, and there is definite chemistry between them, but Lilah really is a bit of an antidote for most of the book. It’s true that she’s hiding a pretty big (and pretty far-fetched) secret and is desperately trying to cling to the respectability and normalcy she craves, but she’s quite judgemental and difficult to like a lot of the time, making it difficult, sometimes, to understand what Con sees in her. That said, though, the romance is done reasonably well, although it’s a little hard to believe that buttoned-up Lilah would fall so readily into bed with Con. And then, of course, the author has to throw in a Big Mis born of miscommunication; and this is in addition to an already convoluted plotline concerning a shadowy brotherhood, blood oaths, a mystical goddess, a mysterious Sanctuary and other supernatural shenanigans. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy paranormal romances or stories with mystical elements, and I’m aware that there has been a paranormal element running throughout the series (all the “Mad Morelands” are gifted with supernatural talents) – but this is old-fashioned, not-at-all-subtle hokum that sometimes feels as though the author just threw her various ideas into the pot and didn’t cook them properly. She does, however, do a very good job of concealing the identity of the villain of the piece; it wasn’t until fairly late in the day that I realised who it must be (because of the absence of many other suspects).

I enjoyed His Wicked Charm more than I did His Sinful Touch, but I still can’t say that the story – which goes into completely bonkers territory near the end – is one I’d recommend without some serious caveats. Take this one with a big pinch of salt and read it when you’re in the mood for a bit of silliness.

Available now: His Wicked Charm

**** 4 stars: Another expectedly good, action-packed historical romance from The Mad Morelands Series



Recommended readers:

If you like Candace Camp
If you want a historical romance with a dash of action
Here's my Rankings:

4/5 for characters
4/5 for plot
4.5/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:
There's something to love about action-packed historical romances - as Candace Camp does so well and consistently in The Mad Moreland Series. In His Wicked Charm we meet the other twin brother, Constantine, who's a flair for mystery and meets the ever-proper, always-behaved Lilah. When a kidnapping is attempted on Lilah, Con's help is needed to uncover the truth.

In this action packed romance - with a touch of supernatural - you'll enjoy Camp's classic flare for drama, action and passion. It's what you'd expect from the historical romance veteran.

Available now: His Wicked Charm

Con and Lilah are a great pair. They have the initial repulsion-turns-into-attraction thing, and Camp writes it really well. Lilah's initial disgust of him rings pretty true, as does his initial misunderstanding of her character as uptight and unbearable. I enjoyed them, and there was enough suspense to keep things interesting.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Another mad caper!

Lord Constantine Moreland at last meets his match in the rigid, rule abiding Lilah Holcutt. He's intrigued by her, and Lilah is drawn to Con, despite her disapproval of him. When the Moreland women are kidnapped its Lilah who charges off with Con to find them.
Lilah is hiding a secret and that secret leads her to repress the more open aspect of her nature. It's only after she and Con go to her family home, a weirdly wonderful place, Barrow House with its maze and the Faire Track "a place of power for thousands of years" that things become complex and otherworldly. As with all things to do with love, Con and Lilah tread that delightful line between the 'does she, doesn't she', no mans land of love undeclared, yet not unrequited!
I loved that Com was first attracted to Lilah by the glimpse he had of her stockings. She was, "wearing bright lilac stockings. And [Con] thought, there’s more to her than meets the eye.” And there is! So much more!
Another Mad Moorlands treasure!

A NetGalley ARC

This is another delightful 'Mad Morelands' book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Lilah Holcutt and Constantine Moreland are like oil and water--never to mix. Lilah always follows the rules and Con loves to break them. From the moment they met, sparks fly and not in a good way. When Con's twin brother Alex marries Lilah's best friend, these two are thrown together. Throw in a mystery steeped in the paranormal and madness and you have a book that will keep your interest until the very last page.

I adored Con, his wit, his caring personality and his ability to charm everyone he meets--everyone except Lilah. Lilah has a deep dark secret that she's been hiding since she was a child and she believes the only way to avoid scandal is to be prim and proper at all times. Being around Con upsets her neatly ordered world and she tries to avoid him at all costs. Ms. Camp is a talented author and leads the author on a merry chase to uncover the mystery. Definitely recommend this book.

Sorry but I couldn't get into the book at all. I tried though, I'm so sorry for my ADD brain.

A little part of me was sad to put this book down. Not because anything in the story was particularly sad or the book was disappointing, but because the end of this book symbolises the end of an era and a series that I have come to love like a comfy old sweater. The characters have grown with me through the years since the first 4 books in the series were written and this final book tells the love story of the last Moreland sibling. A part of me had a little cry inside that this would be my last adventure with the Moreland’s so the wonderful ending was a touch bitter sweet.

Constantine Moreland is a fun loving, flirtatious man who appears to never take himself or life too seriously. He puts on silly outfits and masquerades as other people to help solve the cases that come into his investigation agency all while playing the care-free bachelor in society. He is well known throughout the ton as the outgoing twin, the son of a duke and the youngest of the Mad Moreland’s. His family has always been a little odd and dipping into the occult is right in their wheelhouse. When one heck of a paranormal mystery falls right into his lap… so does Lilah Holcutt, the best friend of his twin’s new bride. They can’t stand each other and can barely spend more than a few moments in the same room together without having an argument. Somehow, they have to discover the true motivations and target of a kidnapping, navigate a secret society and possibly save the world… possibly. Oh, and try not to fall in love in the process.

I am not a huge fan of books with a strong paranormal storyline but I am totally down for a hint of the mystical and have found this entire series to feed that appetite well. You get a dash of characters with psychic abilities, some ghostly happenings, powerful natural forces, and bonds between characters that transcend the normal links of friendship and love. These aspects add something special to the stories that Ms. Camp has told and this last novel in the series satisfies the reader’s love of romance and their love of all things odd and unexplainable.

I adore how Lilah and Con do everything they can not to admit that they are overwhelmingly attracted to each other and likely fight even more because of it. The little bouts they get in followed by the moments of powerful attraction make for one heck of an interesting love story and one that had me reading this book in 1 sitting on plane ride to Asia. I should have been sleeping but I just couldn’t put it down. The contrast between the easy-going Con and the rigid, stick-to-the-rules Lilah created a wonderful tension which is one of my favorite aspects of a good love story. I don’t want it to be easy, I don’t want it to be a quick ride… I want my leading characters to work for their happily ever after and Ms. Camp gives her readers a very satisfying ending to a well written, magical book.

If you like a good love story filled with sensual tension and a touch of the paranormal, this is a book for you. Hopefully you will be hooked on the wonderful family that is the Moreland’s and pick up the other 5 books in this series as soon as you are done this one. I promise you will not be disappointed in one of the best book series written in the last 15 years, at least in my humble opinion.

~ Danielle

Candace Camp's latest novel in the Mad Moreland series is a captivating romp through late 1800's England. In a time where the paranormal was not only believed but accepted, His Wicked Charm is simply magical! Camp's ability to make believer's out of skeptic's serves her well in this adventurous novel with a mystical twist. This book is a case of opposites who are definitely attracted. Though the hero and heroine constantly pretend to dislike each other it is obvious to the reader that there is romance in the air. Possibly, my favorite book by this author...


What I liked:


There was a lot to like in this book. I haven't talked to many readers who have read the book who did not find it one of Camp's best. The overall tone of the novel was adventurous and fast paced. Readers will enjoy how the plot develops, as well as, how the romance picks up speed right along with it. Sometimes that is the issue with novels like this. You have a very good plot but the romance falls flat or the plot drags and the romance is steamy. I'm happy to report that is not the case with this one. The plot was riveting and the romance was spicy.


The hero, Constantine Moreland was quite the flirt. He was fun loving and full of vinegar, but he was also devoted to his eccentric family. Camp does a wonderful job of showing the familial bonds between the Moreland's and the other families in this book. I liked the fact that Camp was able to show readers Con's cheeky side and still allow them to see his more heroic and thrill seeking side as well. His attraction to Lilah Holcutt was surprising since she was the complete opposite of everything he was. Their meeting in the previous book, His Sinful Touch was less than stellar, but they tolerated each other for the sake of his brother and her best friend. The sparks certainly start flying when they meet again, though.


Oh, Lilah! lol... I just couldn't put my finger on the reason she was sooo uptight. I understand the concept of following the rules and doing the right thing and not being looked on as being out of the ordinary, but it simply isn't any fun. I really enjoyed seeing Lilah open up and show her more authentic self as Con was able to peel back her layers. There was certainly a lot more than met the eye with that one. Those lilac stockings were just the first clue.


I loved the way that Camp weaved the magic throughout this story. She has used a deft hand with the paranormal in the previous books in this series. Con's family has always shown a propensity for the eccentric and he believes in the beginning that it has basically skipped over him, but readers can tell that's not quite the case. And Lilah isn't exactly as prim and proper as she seems. Camp uses magic a bit more liberally in this novel and it makes all the difference. I loved this aspect of the book and I think most readers will agree, love is a magical thing no matter how you look at it.


What I didn't like:


The reader does have to dispense with their hard and fast ideas on magic and the paranormal here. If you are a reader who doesn't not want to consider anything out of the ordinary even in your reading, this one might not be your cup of tea. Other than that, I don't have a bad word to say. And that's a reader thing, not a writer thing. Camp was outstanding here.


Bottom Line:


If you've read the other books in the series, it's a no brainer, you gotta read it. If this is your first one, be prepared, your book budget is gonna suffer cause the first five will be on your list. This is a stand alone novel, but why would you want to? In my opinion this is one of Camp's best and my favorite in this series, for sure. Can't say enough good things about the magical elements of the story and about the romance of it all. Camp at her best!

Normally I love Candace Camp, but His Wicked Charm just didn't grab me. The subtle paranormal aspect to this one didn't quite work, perhaps because it was too subtle. I love the fantasy genre and quite frankly would like to see more of it in historical romance, but I think it wasn't as overt as I would have preferred. The romance between Con and Lilah was okay, but I wasn't as invested as I have been with previous titles by Camp. As a result of my lack of enjoyment, I didn't finish reading His Wicked Charm.

You knew from the first time Lilah and Con met in His Sinful Touch that they were meant to be together. They bickered nonstop and went out of their way to avoid being alone together. But since Con's twin Alex has just married Lilah's best friend Sabrina, they are sure to be thrown together often. Con is impulsive, flirtatious, and more than willing to embrace the hint of mystic that clings to most of his family- his one complaint being that their mysterious gifts seem to have passed over him! Lilah, with her stiff attitude, adherence to society's rules, and seeming lack of humor, constantly rubs him the wrong way. But when Lilah doesn't hesitate to jump into a search for Con's family when they are kidnapped, he begins to think there may be more to Lilah than meets the eye. The reader sees Lilah's layers mostly at the same time that Con does, knowing that there is plenty beneath her proper surface and getting hints but waiting along with Con until she reveals them to us. Lilah is a wonderfully multifaceted character who tries hard to be the prim model of society her aunt has raised her to be, but finds herself chafing at the restrictions placed on her.

When she and Con go to her childhood home, Barrow House, and we meet her eccentric Aunt Vesta, things get really complicated. The Moreland family kidnapping seems to have less to do with the Morelands than with Sabrina and Lilah and their families. All of Camp's Mad Morelands series touch on the supernatural or paranormal, some more than others, and His Wicked Charm twines modern Victorian ideas with a heavy does of the appeal of the paranormal that was popular during Con and Lilah's parents and grandparents time. Past and present are inseparable though, because the puzzle they are trying to solve may have its origins two generations ago, but is very much alive in the present.

Like the rest of the Mad Morelands series, this book can be read as a stand alone, although there are enough references to events in His Sinful Touch that readers may want to start with that book first. His Wicked Charm is a fast-paced, brilliantly written thriller from start to finish. Con and Lilah have smoldering chemistry that, when they finally allow themselves to give in to it, becomes a beautiful and passionate relationship that was one of the best I've read in a long time. A perfect blend of logic and mystic, normal and paranormal, Lilah and Con balance each other and turn into a perfect team. The mystery's twist at the end was shocking- and completely perfect. His Wicked Charm may be my new favorite Candace Camp book!

His Wicked Charm by Candace Camp is book Six in The Mad Morelands series. This is the story of Lilah Holcutt and Constantine Moreland. I have read the previous book but feel this is easily a standalone book.
Lilah does like Con but since his brother has married her good friend he now seems to be a regular part of her life. Con knows that he isn't on Lilah most liked person list but he can't fight the feelings that her beauty brings to him. When his sister ends up missing Lilah comes forward to help him find her. But can these two opposite people work together?
This does have a hint of paranormal theme.
Ms. Camp is one of my favorite authors and I truly enjoyed this book.

What do you get when you combine a conservative young woman in regency dress with a charming scamp? A lively and fun historical romance novel by Candace Camp! Constantine Moreland is handsome and almost too charming for his own good. His flirtatious personality makes him very well liked by the ladies, with the exception of Lila Norcutt. However, his twin brother just married her best friend so they are paired together more than she’d like. When his mother and sisters end up being kidnapped while at a suffragette rally, Lila joins Con in the hunt to rescue them and ends up loosening up her corset strings and actually having fun with the man she professes to hate.

I found His Wicked Charm to be a lot of fun to read. It wasn’t a very serious historical romance (thank god!) and I was able to just relax and read it in an afternoon. Although Con’s personality annoyed Lila at the outset of this novel, he was the perfect remedy for a gloomy Saturday afternoon. Luckily Lila changed her tune and started to relish the chemistry that she and Con had and their romps through the countryside turned into a different kind of romp altogether!

I have not read any of the other books in this series but the characters do all seem to be a bit mad, or at least different for the time period. It seems that they each have a different psychic gift which may make their romantic pairings a bit more interesting. I liked this novel and am willing to give another Mad Moreland a try!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review, and it was honest!

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is Candace Camp at her best. The story is of Delilah, a very prim and proper young debutante who is perhaps not what she seems and Constantine, the debonair smooth talking brother of her best friend’s husband. The two cannot seem to get along for even a moment, but maybe that’s not quite how it seems.
This book centres around an occult theme which I was not expecting at all. However, even if it isn’t my regular read, this book was fast paced, entertaining and thoroughly engaging. I wanted to know what was coming next! I Camp did not disappoint and the action was in full swing by the third chapter and continued through to the last page. loved how Delilah was being pulled in two different directions and really had to search deep for her true self. I also liked how Con had two very different sides to his nature and Lilah came to realize both were valuable.
I think anyone who enjoys a little mystery, the occult or just an entertaining historical romance will enjoy this book!

Candace Camp returns her readers to the world of the Mad Morelands in this latest book in her series. I have only read one other book in the series and find the madcap adventures of the Morelands compelling. Each one of them is unique and they all have unique abilities which help them when they are in trouble. In this latest installment, the abilities of Constantine Moreland come in particularly handy.
Con, as he is called, isn’t sure what he feels about his twin, Alex, getting married. He is thrilled for him, but also wonders if the bond they share will be altered by Alex having a wife. Con is also struggling with his attraction to Lilah, his new sister-in-law’s best friend. Although all Lilah and Con seem to do is argue, he finds himself enthralled with her.
Lilah Holcutt has spent the last several years of her life doing what is proper and trying to distance herself from the scandal that is her paternal aunt. Lilah lives in London with her maternal aunt and struggles with knowing her place. She loves being with the Morelands, but it isn’t proper to inviter herself over or to hang out with them now that her best friend is on her honeymoon. Lilah is pulled into the adventures of the Morelands when she assists Con in finding his kidnapped relatives. Lilah has never felt more alive.
As they seek answers for why Con’s female relatives were taken, Lilah and Con spend more time together. This additional time only increases their attraction to each other and as the readers, we know there are quite a few misunderstandings along the way. Watching them figure out what to do is intriguing.
I greatly enjoyed the blend of suspense and romance with a touch of the paranormal. This book is not easily categorized since it includes all three. The story moves along quickly and definitely surprised me in places with the twists and turns that it took. Ms. Camp gives her readers a great story with a satisfactory ending that will make all readers sigh in delight.

You have to love both Lilah Holcutt and Constantine Moreland. While Lilah tries to follow all the rules Con seem to follow none. After all he is a mad Moreland. Turns out that in spite of all that Lilah tries to do her family is just as mad. This has a big touch of the paranormal (the other books in the series had some but not as much) while following the rules of historical romances. Lilah and Con tell their story with great dialog, with others and between the two. I was surprised by who turned out to be the villain. The afterward was a nice addition. It provided a window into action where we only saw the result. Nice to get the inside scoop. This is an interesting and fun series to follow.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.