The Letter
Reformed Rakes 1

Professional Reviews

5 FLAGS: "Emma Wildes has once again penned a vibrant Regency story. Each word appears to be carefully chosen to develop the characters of this story as well as the atmosphere of the time period. Patricia's teasing and wry sense of humor in one so young as well as her ability to let go of her innocence and take pleasure in her sensuality make her an endearing character while Jared's sexual experience and devotion to his young bride make him an ideal husband. Ms. Wildes' terminology and mastery of the English language immerses the reader into the time period. The possessiveness and depth of emotion shared between Patricia and Jared is heartwarming. This story is very sweet and it brought tears to my eyes. The Letter is a definite must-read as is my experience with all of Ms. Wildes' books!" -- Kerin, Euro-Reviews

5 STARS: "The Letter contains several very hot and amazing sexual encounters between Jared and Patricia, but it also boasts a truly interesting and exciting plot. The characters are well developed; we are privy to their thoughts which show growth through their conversations with confidants who are described only well enough to show their loyalty. Jared asks his mentor to query his own wife as to what a woman desires most as a gift from her husband. Patricia determines to use her newly discovered sexual power to ensure her husband not only falls in love with her, but recognizes her as his closest friend and confidant as well as the only sexual partner he'll ever desire. There is intrigue in the guise of a spurned lover from the distant past determined to do away with Patricia. When the result changes Jared in the most delightful ways, his new attitude and actions cause the plot to develop in the most delightful ways also. The storyline is clever and enticing, very well written, with sex scenes that are interesting as well as arousing, making The Letter a book that stands out far above the rest and a pleasure to read." -- Karen Haas, Just Erotic Romance Reviews

4.5 BLUE RIBBONS: "With her captivating prose, Emma Wildes intimately describes the sensual awakening of Patricia, Duchess of Tellbourne. Though for Jared's part, nothing can quite prepare him for the overwhelming pleasure that he gains form tutoring his wife. It would seem at times, that both our heroine and hero are being awoken to new experiences and intimacies. However, as the Duke and Duchess revel in their newly found passions, a dark specter looms over them in the form of the Duke's former mistress, Lady Alicia Black. Consumed with raging jealousy, Lady Black sets out upon a course of action that is destined to change forever the lives of all those involved. After reading just two of Ms. Wildes' ebooks, I am already a huge fan. The Letter contains a rich and vivid style of writing, with intimate descriptions that are the signature mark of this talented author. Ms.Wildes draws in the reader and almost envelopes them with her sensually descriptive and enormously satisfying historical tales." -- Deborah, Romance Junkies

4.5 KISSES: "The Letter was refreshingly different from many Regency romances I've read; instead of a lengthy courtship culminating in a wedding, this is the story of a married couple testing the bounds of their intimacy. Jared manages to exert his control without being overly domineering, and Patricia enjoys submission despite her spirited personality. I absolutely loved it when Jared decided to stop being a gentleman in the bedroom. Delicious! I could almost feel the heat of Patricia's responsiveness to his creative lovemaking. Their combined sexuality burns up the pages, and I devoured the story in one sitting. The element of danger adds a nice dimension to the drama, and Emma Wildes writes it in a believable way. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of the Reformed Rakes series." -- Lindy, Two Lips Reviews

4.5 STARS: "Emma Wildes spins a tale of a man who does not know he is in love with his wife, but his path to discovery is filled with blazing hot sex. Jared and Patricia live in a time when enjoying sex is not considered proper for the members of society. When Jared teaches Patricia that sex is more then a method of making heirs, Patricia cannot wait to tell her best friend about her adventures in bed. Unfortunately, someone else over hears her and plans to destroy the young Duchess. Patricia is responsible for capturing the heart of Jared Warren but another woman feels the Duke belongs to her! Can Jared save his wife before it is too late?" -- Candy, Ecataromance

Excerpt

STORY AND ADULT EXCERPT

Stretching out his legs, he gazed at her. She looked like a child caught in a naughty act—which was close to being true—only she wasn’t a child. She was an extremely beautiful woman and the glimmer of defiance in her lovely aquamarine eyes made her even more so. Her slender body quivered slightly as he stared at her, and the smooth, soft curves of her firm breasts above the bodice of her evening gown lifted quickly with each breath she took. Tonight she wore rose silk, which complimented her soft blond beauty and flawless ivory skin.

He said coolly, “Did you enjoy the play I expressly forbade you to attend?”

“Jared—”

“Madame, answer my question.”

The color in her face deepened at his acerbic order. “Yes, I did, as a matter of fact. It was both witty and well-acted.”

“It is, as I understand it, about a man juggling a wife, a mistress, and a bevy of parlor maids he is also having indiscretions with, am I correct? A bawdy salute to the infidelity of men and the promiscuity of women.”

“Well, yes, but put that way it sounds terrible, when in truth it was merely quite funny—”

“But not a subject matter I deem suitable for my wife.”

“For heaven sakes, I am not naïve. I’ve read books that—”

He once again interrupted her, something he would normally never do. “I am not your father, who allowed you an exorbitant amount of freedom. The day you became the Duchess of Tellbourne, Patricia, you agreed to obey me. I am obviously tolerant because I have overlooked your escapades so far, but open defiance…public defiance, in fact, irritates me. We have been married only a few months and already you have been dubbed ‘the daring duchess’. I think most of my acquaintances are beginning to believe I cannot control my wife.”

The slightly guilty expression on her delicate, fine-boned face told him she knew of the nickname. She bit her soft, pink lower lip and her lush lashes, much darker than her pale gold hair, lowered a fraction. “I don’t feel I have had any escapades,” she said finally, a stubborn note in her tone. “I don’t know why you are so angry. It isn’t like I’ve broken any laws or caused a sordid scandal.”

“What about coaxing your maid—who is lucky to still be in my employ, by the way—to take you to see a gypsy soothsayer so you could have your fortune told? Or, I think accepting a wager from young Lord Winston, who is openly besotted with you, to climb a tree in a public park smacks of scandalous, my dear.” It still irritated him that Winston had been quoted saying it was worth every coin to have gotten a glimpse of the duchess’s shapely ankles.

“It was a friendly bet,” she argued, her chin lifting. “Since when is climbing a tree scandalous? Children do it every day.”

“But you are not a child, though I am tempted to treat you like one.” It was true, her independent spirit was normally delightful, but she needed to realize she was someone people noticed, and most certainly lately, talked about. Her radiant beauty alone drew the eye, he could attest to that, but being married to a peer of the realm made her the target for gossip and scrutiny.

With icy hauteur, she said, “Don’t worry, you already are treating me like a child. I cannot remember the last time I was scolded like this. Perhaps you should have told me you were a narrow-minded ogre before we were wed.”

Considering his mood, it was the wrong thing to say. He moved so quickly she gasped, reaching across the width of the carriage and hauling her onto his lap, turning her swiftly so she was face down across his thighs. She squirmed furiously as he pulled up her long silken skirts, but he held her easily.

“Jared, what are you doing? Are you mad?”

His wife wore no corset, as it was not necessary due to her natural graceful slenderness. Under her gown she had on only a chemise, and he lifted that lacy garment along with her skirts, exposing her smooth bottom and long legs. The contrast of those two bare, firm mounds above her garters and silk stockings was erotic, as was the intriguing darkness of her female cleft, quite visible with her lovely posterior up in the air.

Lifting his arm, he said calmly, “This is for the Winston incident.” His hand came down, not hard, but enough to maybe sting a little. “And this for the gypsy camp, which was damned foolish, as you could have been snatched and sold or ransomed.”

She made a sound of pure female outrage as he spanked her again.

“This one is for tonight.” He was enjoying himself now, no doubt about it. The sight of her luscious half-naked body across his lap was having a predictable effect on his libido. If she was not so furious, she would undoubtedly have noticed his growing erection. “I hope you realize that my main concern, not just the content of the play, was the unsavory neighborhood of the theater. The thought of anything happening to you is very disturbing to me, Madame.”

He smacked her beautiful buttocks, noticing a slightly pink tint to that mounded flesh now. Patricia fairly panted with fury and he could only imagine her expression. Her glorious blond hair had come partially loose from the confining pins with her squirming resistance and hung down in long waves, brushing the floor of the conveyance as they clattered over the cobbled streets. With a faint sardonic smile, he spanked her once more, and she said in a strangled tone, “What was that for?”

“Whatever I haven’t heard about,” he explained with a hint of humor. His hand then smoothed over her bottom, caressing and slowly slipping down to touch her slim thighs, and then exploring in between. He heard her quick intake of breath as he found her sex, brushing her labia lightly, probing the entrance to her vaginal passage with one finger. He slid it inside her and she jerked slightly, breathing out, “What on earth are you doing now, my lord?”

“I love your body, my dear. I am indulging my wish to touch it.”

“I don’t want you to touch me. Let me go.”

“No.”

“But we are not in bed,” she objected, her voice changing slightly.

“True.” He pushed in farther, testing the satin give of her inner walls. The warm heat made him rock-hard. His rigid cock tightly filled his confining breeches. “And that is something else that is going to change. As a new bride, your reticent sensibilities were to be expected and I agreed to keep the room shrouded for your modesty, making love to you only in the dark, properly under the blankets, knowing you needed to be initiated. That’s over now. Sex is a wide, varied world. We are going to explore it together, starting tonight.”

Patricia had stopped fighting him and he could hear a swift exhale of breath as he slipped a second finger into her. In fact, he noticed with male appreciation that she spread her thighs slightly to allow him more access as he began a slow, deliberate pattern of arousal. Still face down across his knees, her gleaming hair streaming over her ivory shoulders, she lay quietly. The movement of his hand between her legs seemed to hold all her attention. Wetness began to coat his fingers and he found the nub between those moist folds, stimulating it with skillful precision, feeling it swell slightly. When she moaned and shifted restlessly, he increased the pace until she panted erratically, her bottom lifting in time with his hand. She climaxed moments later, her thighs squeezing together to trap his hand inside, the inner muscles of her passage clenching and rippling around his fingers.