Felicia Grossman’s latest spicy romance novel is a gender-bent take on the Snow White fairy tale. Wake Me Most Wickedly follows the story of Hannah Moses, an outcast pawnshop owner who must live with the criminal actions of her parents, and Soloman Weiss, a man pursuing a respectable marriage to gain the money and influence he needs to pay back the older brother who raised him. When sparks fly between the two, they must learn to navigate their different worlds and find a way to be together.

Grossman’s novel empowers the female character. Hannah is older than Soloman and she has a life beyond searching for a husband. She enjoys her dangerous work procuring the items and information her customers need, and she cares for her younger sister, saving money so that her sibling can make a respectable match. The budding romance between Hannah and Soloman is filled with fairy tale references to apples and mirrors, but it is set in the neighborhoods of London in 1833. The characters in the novel are Jewish, and Grossman seeks to explore the legal and social antisemitism reflected in British culture in the 19th century. Her author’s note at the end of the book cites Charles Dickens’ Fagin from Oliver Twist as an example of the fears Londoners held toward Jewish immigrants.

If you enjoy spicy romance with a fairy tale twist, give Wake Me Most Wickedly a try. It is an escapist romance that will teach readers about the harmful stereotypes that have plagued Jewish communities, and it will give romance fans a happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

My first book by Felicia Grossman and I'll be reading more. This book is a Regency romance snow white retelling with Jewish main characters Solomon and Hannah. There are so many different dynamics in this book along with the romance like Jewish integration, the MMC's brother marrying a 'gentile', the class system, and the treatment of Ashkenazi Jews by other Jewish people and the community at large. The fmc Hannah is older than the mmc and I enjoyed that aspect along with the meet-cute, the banter, and the steaminess of the book. This book was so interesting with the family drama, gender dynamic, and bit of forbidden romance with two people that society did not want together. If you like historical romance and fairytale retellings you should give this a try! Also, the cover is stunning and sexy and should be a reason for anyone to pick this book up! Thanks to Forever for this arc for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book. The representation was so meaningful and it handled issues of antisemitism, internalized antisemitism, as well as the demonization of Jews with such care. The way Grossman weaved this tale in a way that was true to the original fairytale without feeling derivative was outstanding. And even without the original story of Snow White, this book stands on it's own so well. The connection between Sol and Hannah is so deep, every moment they are together was meaningful and purposeful and every moment they were apart you wanted them to be together again. I needed this book this year and I'm truly grateful for it.

This is the second book in this series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. This story is a Jewish Regency retelling of Snow White. Hannah is a Jewish woman on the outskirts of society, doing what she can to keep her promise to her parents to try to protect her younger sister. Sol is a younger brother doing everything he can to support his older step brother who raised him. I enjoyed the reverse roles where the woman was often the strong hero, and that she was older. And how they both understood each other since they each had a sibling they would do anything for, even at their own expense. There was great chemistry between the two main characters, and an interesting storyline that kept me guessing on who the bad guy was until the end. Another fun story from Felicia Grossman. Do read the trigger warnings at the beginning though to see if reading this book might be difficult for you. I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

I'm a sucker for any sort of romance that retells a fairy tale. Though it took me a few chapters to recognize the references to Snow White, I appreciated the gender reversal in WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY and the strength of Hannah's character. I also really liked the way the story was situated within 19th century Jewish history.

This is the second book I’ve tried by this author, and unfortunately, I think I am going to have to give up. I just can’t get into her books. It’s unfortunate, because I read the descriptions and think they sound great! We need more Jewish historical romance! But I have to force myself to get through the book.

With both this book and the previous one in this series, I think part of the problem is that I simply didn’t like many of the characters. As another reviewer noted, there was just so much scheming. It was exhausting to read about so many people I didn’t like. I also agree that some of the characters from the previous book seemed like entirely different people. What’s that about?

I have read many wonderful reviews of this author’s work—that’s why I tried her books in the first place. I think that I just don’t click with her writing style. There is so little representation of Jewish characters in historical romance, so don’t let my review dissuade you from reading her work.

I love this whole series so much! As someone who’s loved fantasy stories all my life, it means the world to me to see leads of fairytale retellings who are Jewish like I am. The genderswap and Regency setting aspects are also very unique and fun. That being said I did like Marry Me at Midnight and Shtup Me At Sunrise a little bit better than this Snow White version, just in terms of plot pacing. I still enjoyed this one and am excited for the rest of this series now that it got renewed.

Review- Wake me most wickedly

This was such a good read. Every time I read a book by feliciagrossmanauthor, I learn a lot about Jewish customs and history, not to mention vocabulary, which i'm so glad she uses frequently.

This is a snow-white retelling (inearlier mistook it for sleeping beauty. Gaaah) with a gender swap. It's a spicy read, spicier than the first book. Technically, the meet cute vibe of them bumping into eachbother and her clothing is snagged in hers is the 2nd time they bump into each other, but to my #bollywood heart, that's more appealing 😄

Solomon Weiss will do anything for his brother. while Solomon has snagged a good job with the insurance company in the Jewish community, he has failed to marry a heiress so far. He's determined to maty one now. His brother is also trying to marry an english gentlewoman and trying to distance himself from anything related to the jewish heritage.

Solomon still has every intention of making sure his brother succeeds until he comes across Hannah Moses, who is a Pariah in the Jewish community and criminal in the English world? Any connection with her? It's just going to bring him down, and his brother
How is a strong character? You will get a lot of Elsa and Anna wipes from her and her sister's relationship.

Hannah's mission is to protect her sister, save enough money to provide her with a good dowry, and get her out of the east end ragamuffin life. But tangling herself with Solomon Weiss reminds her of her own desires. Although the man does not make it easy as Hannah is continuously either saving him or finding him when he is getting attacked and lost.

Hannah's dangerous job of information hunting, illegal pawn breaking, her life in East end is portrayed very well, gives you chills at some point in time. She's a perfect compliment to the charming, easy-going solomon. I'm so glad to have picked up this diverse read.

Thank you, @netgalley, and @readforeverpub for the ARC copy.
All opinions are my own.

I love Felicia Grossman's books, and this one is no exception. The Jewish rep is always meticulously researched, and I love Hannah as a heroine who will do what she needs to protect her sister and survive. The gender-swapped Snow White retelling made it a delight to read and catch the allusions to the fairytale. And that cover!! I tore through this book.

3.5 stars!

This was my first historical romance and I had such a fun time reading it. The tension between Sol and Hannah was so good. For the most part, I really enjoyed the dynamic between them and there was so much chemistry. Hannah was such a strong and likeable character. Sol had some very swoony moments and I love that he was so transparent with Hannah about how he felt for her despite the workings against them in the Jewish community of the Regency period. The story had a refreshing twist of gender norms in this time period and both Sol and Hannah were characterized very well. The only thing I was frustrated about was how things were handled at the end. It was starting to get repetitive and there was too much back and forth. The ending was kind of disappointing and at some point, I feel like the effort was all one-sided but overall, this was an enjoyable historical romance.

Read the highly recommended and wonderfully written romance story. Solomon wants to do everything his older brother needs him to do, but when he meets Hannah, a pawn broker, he wants her in his life with the passion even though she would not live up to his brother's wishes. Read the must read riveting love story.

An excellent second entry in the Once Upon the East End series -- Felicia Grossman's books are emotional, engaging, and I always enjoy the fairytale-inspired details. This is a Snow White story, so you'll find apples, mirrors, unconsciousness, grumpy sidekicks, evil relatives, and more. Hannah is an absolute gem and if you enjoyed Solomon in Marry Me By Midnight (which, by the way, was a big hit with my library's romance book club), you'll love seeing him fight for his own HEA here. A treat! I can't wait for the next book. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

Wow! Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman was an amazing book! It’s the second book in her Once Upon the East End series and I almost want to say that I loved this more than the first one- Married By Midnight- and I really loved Married By Midnight!! Even though this is second in the series it could be read as a stand alone. Though knowing some background of some of the characters certainly enhanced it for me. There are flawed characters here. Hannah is a strong personality with a sharp tongue and trauma in her background. She’s an intense protector of her younger sister and will do anything to secure her future. Sol is a swoon worthy MMC who is immediately taken with Hannah, even though they aren’t from the same societal circles. Sol also has family drama which causes danger and angst, as these two characters find a way to be together. The story also weaves in a clever retelling of Snow White with symbols such as mirrors and apples and rescuing characters with names like Doc! These are romances set during the regency period in London. The twist is that her characters are Jewish so the stories are from the point of view of the Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewish people who lived there during that time. Felicia Grossman is a meticulous historian and an amazing storyteller. She writes about the antisemitism that Jewish people dealt with, the traditions that they kept and the romance and joy that they found. I cannot wait for her next book! I was lucky enough to receive an arc for Wake Me Most Wickedly from net gallery.

Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?" Thank you @readforeverpub for the #gifted ARC of WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY by Felicia Grossman via NetGalley. (Releases on April 9, 2024)

I loved this book, and I had a hard time putting it down. So just quick thoughts for now.

WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY should go on your TBR, and not just for the gorgeous cover, if it's not already one of your anticipated April releases. It's sexy, it's funny, and there's just enough angst - both internal, and external, to keep one turning the pages. It's also sweet. Plus Mrs. Lira is back in her fairy godmother role.

Going into the reading, I knew it was an homage to Snow White, but I was still always pleasantly surprised by when the Snow White beats showed up - the apples, the dwarves, the poison, the evil stepmother. There are probably a few more that I missed.

I do want to briefly talk about the sibling relationships, without spoiling the book. Hannah, as the eldest sibling, will do nearly anything to protect her younger sister, as she feels very responsible for making her an orphan. Yet, her sister seems to chafe at all the restrictions that make her practically perfect/being able to overcome their current situation so that she might find an eligible suitor. On the other hand, Solomon is the younger brother that was raised by his older half brother - who had to put his dreams on hold to raise a young boy, and he would do anything to please his older brother, even if it's not always something that is good for Solomon.

I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, MARRY ME BY MIDNIGHT, before diving into this one. You won't regret it. Thankfully we get more books in this series, because I already knew I needed a book for Rebecca when she was introduced in MARRY ME BY MIDNIGHT, and after her scenes with Roger in WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY, I need their book now. If that's not the pairing, then color me even more intrigued

Content Notes: antisemitism, sexual assault (not graphic), allergic reaction (peanuts)

This gender-swap Snow White/Huntsman has nods to the original with betrayal and even apples, dwarves, and mirrors. The author writes mutual attraction well, but I this was a little too instalust for me.

I liked the juxtaposition of Hannah raising her younger sister and Sol being the one raised by his older brother. Sol is very likable, but a little hard to read sometimes as he’d be determined to do as his brother asked and stay away from Hannah, and then in Hannah’s POV in the next scene he’d be eager for her and we didn’t see how he made the mental jump from one intention to the other. It wasn’t clear to me until the end that Sol had a trust and that should have been mentioned earlier and throughout. Just like the last book, there was off-page plot development supplied by other characters near the end. I wished we had seen Sol or Hannah figure the solution out rather than be told about it.

It was fun to see Isabelle and Aaron again and I’m glad he and Sol are friends. The setting and community comes alive and I’d read a dozen more romances by this author.

This is a more unique take on historical romance, because while it takes place in London, it happens among the Jewish community, giving the reader a glimpse into another culture, with their specific vocabulary, religion and issues (there's a lot of struggle with anti-Semitism, and author's historical note is included to contextualize it).

The female protagonist, Hannah, is also atypical for historical romance. She's not a pure and naive virgin. She's 32, involved in the criminal underworld, spent time in prison in the past for selling stolen goods, she's tall, not traditionally pretty and fairly stubborn and aggressive. On the other hand, she's very likeable - she's sacrificing all her income to save for dowry for her younger sister to get her out of the bottom layer of society, she feels guilty for her parents being deported to Australia (while it was a prison colony, another interesting historical tidbit) and worries they died on the ship, she has big insecurity problems feeling unworthy for her love interest, and she's very cynical and pessimistic knowing people will always judge her for her past and family of origin.

The male protagonist, Sol, is a good guy - hardworking, kind, devoted to his brother. He's not rich or noble, he's an ordinary man, described as "broad, not tall". I liked these 2, in the world where historical romance usually revolve around rich nobility love interests.

There was an interesting narrative contrast between Hannah's devotion to her younger sister and Sol's devotion to his older brother.

The romance developed nicely and got properly steamy in the second half. The banter was also really enjoyable.

I liked the nod to the Snow White fairy tale (instead of an apple it's something else, but pretty obvious it's a parallel).

As for what I didn't enjoy, one was how 2 characters described as clever were SO SLOW at catching up with the mystery I can't mention without spoilers, but I guessed ages before they did who's behind everything. Sol I can somehow excuse for being young and naive, but Hannah was so blinded by her insecurity she really should have spotted a few things earlier, especially thanks to her "job" experience.

Another trope I really dislike is unearned forgiveness, and again, can't go much here without spoilers but it felt too much like turning the other cheek.

Generally, it was a very interesting read as I didn't know many details about the history of Jews in England, and the characters were a breath of fresh air in historical romance. The plot climax and resolution were a bit of a letdown, but nothing to ruin the joy of the romance.

I have not read the previous book in this series, but it's fully enjoyable as a standalone.

Recommended for readers who want to take break from nobility in historical romance and want to see working class protagonists and a different culture than English people.

4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever / Grand Central Publishing / Hachette Group for the ARC.

I hope the final version gets rid of the typos, because there were quite a few (for example mixing he / his or in one scene mixing tea and coffee between lines).

While I really wanted to like this novel, and I *did* enjoy several scenes (especially the one with the older ladies who shared similar characteristics with several particular characters in the Disney version of Snow White), I had a much more difficult time with this book.

For starters, some of the characters that appear in "Marry Me by Midnight" come back to this story, which is fun; however, a few of them seem to have undergone either personality shifts or transplants. Another thing that was distracting were all the scenes of conniving. It got to be too much for me to want to keep up with: who is trying to scan whom, for what purpose, for how much money, etc. Finally, the bedroom scenes are much more steamy than I wanted to read--especially given the stated fact that one character was bad for another character, and their involvement would be awful. Did that stop them? Nope. It got to be a bit repetitive on that score.

I did, however, want to mention that (a) Hannah finally feels supported by the Jewish community in their synagogue, and I loved that so much; and (b) Sol doesn't convert for business, shows his sincerity in his faith, and always wears his yarmulke. Always (ahem, see steamy remark above).

The historical notes in the back of the novel are *chef's kiss* amazing. I'd love it if Felicia Grossman also wrote more on the Jewish experience in this time period with the whole scope of history and society. Fascinating.

I received a eARC copy of this novel on NetGalley, which had not gone through final copy edits and within which I found multiple errors that were distracting to me. I am confident they'll be fixed before final publication.

Ill read anytbing that joanna shupe has given her stamp of approval because she never disappoints! This book was phenomenal, as expected!!! i didnt realise at the time that this was connected to marry me by midnight and while i loved that book, it was nowhere near as incredibly gripping as this one. im obsessed with wake me most wickedly

Wake Me Most Wickedly is an absolutely stunning follow up to the Once Upon the East End series. I thought that I couldn’t possibly love a historical romance more than I loved Felicia Grossman’s Marry Me By Midnight, but I was so wrong, because Wake Me Most Wickedly was even more delicious and agonizingly gorgeous. Hannah, the main character, is 32, and a character in their 30s is a refreshing twist I always love in histrom, and then layered on top of it is a rich and thoughtful exploration of existing as a Jewish person in 1830s London, in a world where that means something special, but also, more often than it should, means antisemitic people view the characters as scary just for existing. By the way, do make sure to read the author’s notes after the text; they are brilliant and important footnotes to the literary canon that we often leave out of reading Dickens.

But I digress, the main event here is the relationship between Hannah, hardworking, loving Hannah who is determined to give her sister the world, despite the hardships of their childhood, and sunshiny, dapper Sol, who is perhaps a bit too trusting, but an absolute gem of a man who will melt your heart and your undergarments, whether that’s a chemise and corset or something a bit more modern. Sol and Hannah have sizzling chemistry, and though they are seemingly worlds apart, they’re so perfect for each other, and the journey for them to discover that is both achy and joyful in the best possible juxtaposition. Just like Grossman’s first book, this is a gender-swapped fairy tale, so Solomon is the Snow White character and Hannah the dashing rescuer. I pine for them, I swoon, and I await the arrival of my hard copy on release day SO eagerly. I can’t wait to put this beauty next to Marry Me By Midnight, and then to one day get my hands on all four.

Thank you to Forever, NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for the eARC of this book!

Wake Me Most Wickedly is a thoroughly spicy historical romance between Hannah, a Jewish woman surviving as an informant and fence following her parents' conviction and imprisonment, and Sol, a young Jewish man who is struggling to find his place in the Jewish community without alienating his brother whose aspirations lie in the gentile world.

There are a lot of reasons to love this book. It's a reverse age gap romance (Sol is 26 and Hannah is in her mid-30's) between two people who live solidly on the outside of the glittering social circles that we traditionally see represented in Victorian Era romance. The rules and expectations governing their choices are tied to the Jewish community, regardless of how far removed they each feel from it.

From the beginning, you can sense their desire for each other and their compatability, but the author does a really good job of making you feel like there's no way for them to end up together. Hannah makes her living and provides for her sister by participating in the criminal underworld, and Sol has an inheritance and a respectable job at a securities firm. Even Sol's closest, most well meaning friends warn him away from Hannah in the beginning. It's his admiration and love for her that eventually convinces them he will not be dissuaded from his desire to be with her, regardless of what it costs him.

If you like historical romance that explores the Jewish experience and/or romance that has explicit scenes of physical intimacy, Wake Me Most Wickedly is for you.