I really enjoyed Fresina’s The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine and though I didn’t find Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne to be as unique I still liked it a lot. Ellie Vyne has been responsible for taking care of her family for years. Her latest scheme involves dressing up as the Count de Bonneville and playing cards with unsuspecting aristocrats. One night, after getting a diamond necklace from a lady as payment of her card debts, Ellie finds herself face to face with her childhood nemesis, James Hartley. The last time she’d seen James they’d shared an anonymous kiss at a masked ball. James is now looking for the Count to get back his necklace and, finding Ellie instead, he believes her to be the man’s mistress. Up until now, he’s found Ellie to be just an irritant. But now that he’s seen her in nothing but a man’s shirt, he can’t get her out of his mind. Thinking to use her to get his necklace back from the count, James is stunned to discover that Ellie was the mystery woman he kissed the past summer … the one woman he’s looked for all these months has been right in front of him all along.

This was a fun book – the two constantly bicker and snipe, obviously hiding a deeper attraction. This could have gotten old quickly in the hands of a less talented author, but Fresina does a great job of keeping it entertaining, while moving the story along. Neither Ellie nor James is faultless and they both have a lot of growing to do, but they are a great match. I was a little frustrated with the lack of communication between the two, but based on their history and their issues it worked with the story.

If you read Sophie’s story, you’ll likely remember James – he was Sophie’s suitor before she fell for Lazarus. In this story, you’ll get an update on Sophie and her family, as they are close to both James and Ellie, as well as tidbits of others living nearby. This was a nice continuation of the world Fresina has created and I hope that she’s planning to give us more glimpses in the future.

Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne is a great fit for readers looking for a mix of romance, humor, and misadventure. Ellie and James may have a rocky road but everything turns out wonderfully well in the end.