Bowen never thought he would get over losing the love of his life. He became ruthless in his life and cold to those around him. When he comes across his most hated enemy, Mariketa, she awakens desires in him he lost long ago. The two begrudgingly work together but soon realize there is something between them. They can't be together but there is so much happening between them how can they not try. Will they be able to help each other and stay together or will being together be a risk to each of them.

Wicked Deeds on a Winters Night might be my favorite so far!
I absolutely fell in love with Mariketa, a witch who struggled to control her magic, but a powerful one nonetheless.
Bowen MacRiece, a lykae in mourning has tortured himself for 180 years of not touching a woman after his mate died.. a death he blames himself over.

Both of these characters took part in the Hei, a deadly contest that we read in the previous book.
We know they don’t win but it’s where these two really meet.

And Bowen does not like witches. But this witch? She feels like his mate. He must have been cursed. Right?

I loved Mariketa’s softness. She’s a strong witch but there wasn’t so much tension between these two as precious books. They both connected and it was really fun to read. I loved their romance.

"Mark my words, I will claim you so thoroughly you will no' recall any other."

I also didn’t see the twist at the end which was surprising yet made complete sense looking back on the book.
I cannot wait to continue the series!

If you enjoy your romance with a healthy dose of the supernatural and complex, compelling characters, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Romantasy fans will dive into this one! Sizzle, snark, slow burn, and some very strong willed push and pull between a headstrong witch and a very alpha werewolf. Lots of adventure and tense moments, interesting characters, and a strong, complex plot keep everything moving. I could barely put it down! This is what makes reading fun.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Kresley Cole is THAT girl. I love her romance, it's fun, spicy and filled with my favorite tropes. I am loving this refresh of the series, and appreciate that it's bringing in so many new readers to her books (including myself). A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Full disclosure: I've actually ready this book MULTIPLE times.

Bowen and Mariketa's book is one of my favorites for a whole host of reasons. Enemies-to-Lovers that are actually soul mates? Plus age-gap with a dash of bodyguard romance? I think this book was written just for me. The spice and sexual tension in this one was DIVINE - like, damn. Kresley just never misses.

AND THAT PLOT TWIST, THOUGH.

Bowen is such a roguish, self-assured ass of an alpha male, but also a secret cinnamon roll (my kryptonite!). I'm definitely developing a taste for these Scottish Lykae. Mariketa is such a badass, though.

I just loved this book. Especially the side-characters, which was surprising! Those demons - Rydstrom and Cade? DELICIOUS.

Truly, every reread is better than the last. Literal perfection. Bowen and Mari's chemistry never fails to be excellent and that plot twist still slaps on the reread, like how? HOW?

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Kresley Cole never fails us!
Wicked Deeds was everything I knew it would be.
A true enemies to lovers. Werewolves and witches. A man that grovels, please can I have some more!!!!

Bowen is the ultimate book boyfriend . Loved every minute of this .

Will definitely be stocking in my shop and recommending to all of my paranormal babes.

Thanks to Gallery Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review! Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night had some true enemies to lovers vibes and when Bowe and Mariketa finally use their sparks for good instead of hate - whew, it gets steamy really fast. This world was really fun and I liked the suspenseful, mysterious aspects of the story. I was rooting for this fated mates to get it together and figure out just how much they liked each other. There were a few strange moments where I felt like we were hitting on the 1000+ year age gap a little hard or really leaning into Bowe's old man vibes, but the pining and the magic and the romancing balanced those out I think? All in all, a quick read and a fun little diversion!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, fast-paced, action-packed, steamy and I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I loved this book! Bowen is a new book boyfriend!!! So hot! This one has atmosphere, heat and darkness abound. Mari was a very cool FMC I liked a lot! Kresley Cole never lets me down!

We met Bowen and Mari in book two (so much so that I REALLY think you should read that book before this one) and I was seriously INTRIGUED as to how they would end up mated.

The book sets up two undeniable truths: 1. Lykae have one mate and one mate only for life. Bowen MacRieve’s mate is dead. The third truth is ~deniable: 3. It’s starting to feel like Mari is Bowen’s mate too…

We have our MMC Bowen (a werewolf) and Mari ( a witch), whose relationship is pretty contentious. Bowen starts to fall in love with her but after losing his mate years before, he assumes that she put a spell on him instead. At some point, he will decide whether to be stuck in the past or choose to love again. Unfortunately, the damage has been done and he has to fix what he did. So we have a groveling MMC. Of course, there are some plot twists and turns before a chance at HEA.
I enjoyed this story. It has a great storyline that was fun and very well written.

Aw...it delivers...

Aw....it delivers...Dang it! I have had Kresley Cole on my TBR list for forever. Seriously. But I never had time to commit to her extensive series. This book in particular is the book I've always wanted to read and it delivers! Bowen has known loss and it has turned him into a cold warrior. He has shunned other women until Mari is in need of his protection. She is at her most vulnerable and has to rely on Bowen to keep her safe. He's a wolf, she's a witch.
Such a great read.
Highly recommend. Now, I have to tackle that incredibly long KC reading list...

This series has definitely become one of my favorite fantasy romance series ever. This one is the next on in the series and picks up with Mari, a untrained witch and Bowen, a older lykae, who both have to find a way to work together. I absolutely adored this age gap romance and the dynamic between the two characters the progression of their romance was so well done. This was such a fun read and I just couldn't put the book down at all! I would absolutely recommend this series for anyone who wants to read a great paranormal /fantasy romance!!

Mariketa the Awaited, a powerful witch, and Bowen Macrieve, an old and powerful lykae, have both entered the Hie, a tournament with the powerful reward of a key that can take you back in time. Bowen needs it to step back in time and rescue his deceased mate and Mariketa just needs to win to prove her worth. Bowen is single-minded and ruthless in his pursuit, even as he finds himself startlingly attracted to Mari, the first woman he has truly notices since Mariah died hundreds of years ago, and he cruelly traps Mari in a cave with succubae. When he returns to free her and the other powerful Lore members, he's stunned that his protective instinct is kicking in, and wonders if perhaps Mariketa is his mate reincarnated.

When I reread IAD in 2023, I skipped the first several books, so this is my first time revisiting Bowen and Mariketa in 4 years. Gallery is running reprints on the covers, which I love, and hope that it brings new readers into the IAD Universe. No one does enemies to lovers quite like Kresley Cole. Bowen despises witches basically as a part of his personality, and Mariketa chafes against constraints that others set for her (which is challenging when catching the eye of an overprotective lykae...) The tension between them has big payoff when they finally navigate their HEA.

Wicked Deeds has a big cast of characters, and as a reread, it's fun to see how Kresley is laying groundwork for future stories. She's just starting to stretch her worldbuilding legs.

This book was published in 2007 but I have just now read it for the first time. It was a great reminder of what I love about PNR! Ms. Cole does a great job with intricacies and depth required of strong world building.

The characters Bowen and Mari were dynamic, showing personality and flaws and at times making me quite frustrated lol The buildup, banter, and chemistry was great. The plot kept me engaged and interested.

I will definitely be reading more titles in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for this advanced copy!

Man oh man do I love this series. When I heard that Ali Hazelwood had used this for her ideas in Bride, I knew I had to read it. Romantasy mixed with VERY dumb males- who could ask for more?

This book picks up during the Hie, the month-long contest Kaderin the Cold was competing in in the last book to retrieve her sisters. This book follows Bowen of the Lykaen Clan and Mari the Awaited, who battle during the Hie to get the prize. When neither of them wins, they have to work together to get back to Louisiana and fight the feelings growing for one another. There's just one little problem.. Bowen has already found his mate, and it's not Mari, but Mariah, who died 180 years ago. With these feelings stirring inside of him, surely it's Mari's fault and he's been enchanted by her.
Mari is 23 and still trying to figure out her life and why she always comes in second place for everyone. She wasn't enough for her parents to stick around, wasn't enough for her boyfriend, and now she's got a werewolf up her butt saying she enchanted him. She's pretty sure she didn't... but isn't sure if she did because she does not have a great hold on her powers.

I love this series and cannot wait to read the next one!!

Bowen and Mari’s story is SO PRECIOUS! As I read through this series, I find that fated Kate’s is quickly becoming a favorite trope. Mari’s need to recoup her powers is a fabulous plot mover, and Bowen’s inability to move on from his lost “true love” creates a perfectly delicious way to see him suffer to fall for Mariketa. I do recommend reading these in order if you can manage it, but the stories are all perfectly written imo!

Kresley Cole has a masterful way of creating a plot line that keeps on giving, through one book and into another. I love seeing snippets of characters from other books and how easily their stories are woven into the next books plot line. I adore her writing style & her flawed heroes and heroines.

Mari is a strong, smart but slightly destructive and untrained witch who's no stranger to keeping out of sight until Bowen barrels into her life. Bowen is a traumatized and much older lykae who has the habit of sticking his foot in his mouth without nary a worry about some thoughts needing to stay inside thoughts. It's an age gap that only works in paranormal circles & a love story that makes you want to throw rocks and scream at them during their jungle expedition.

The spice is spicy and once they learn to speak each other's language, their love story is downright adorable. The lykae are some of my favorite from the immortal after dark series, I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent and a man with a filthy mouth. Utterly obsessed with this book and if you haven't started this series, highly recommend it!