Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
Kindle Price: $1.99

Save $7.00 (78%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $13.54

Save: $10.18 (75%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Miranda Neville
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Importance of Being Wicked (The Wild Quartet Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Miranda Neville (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 209 ratings
See all formats and editions

With her captivating romances filled with brilliant intrigue, Miranda Neville has already won legions of fans among readers of historical romance. And her new series set in lusty Georgian England is sure to satisfy. The men are reckless, the women daring, and the hero and heroine The Importance of Being Wicked are no exception. He's a duke who needs to marry a society wife. She's the troublemaker who's going to show him a thing or two about love. The solution: a marriage of convenience rife with powerful passion! If you like Lisa Kleypas and Eloisa James, you'll love the historical romances written by Miranda Neville.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Wild Quartet
  2. Print length
    330 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Avon
  6. Publication date
    November 27, 2012
  7. File size
    4264 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
All 4 for you in this series See full series
See included books
Total Price: $7.96
By clicking on above button, you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like The Importance of Being Wicked (The Wild Quartet Book 1)
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  5. The Wild Quartet    4 book series
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Neville displays a signature blend of froth and history ... Neville's characterizations are down to earth: the women are pretty without being ravishing and principled without being irrational, and Thomas is open to expanding his horizons. The one drawback of such pleasantly believable protagonists is that their problems always appear equally life-sized. Drama may be somewhat lacking in their adventures, but delight is not." - Publishers Weekly

"Miranda Neville really hits the big time with her latest, which launches a new series. Her talent hits brilliant new heights in this insightful tale of a wayward lady and her straitlaced man." Affaire de Coeur

From the Back Cover

The rules of society don't apply to Caro and her coterie of bold men and daring women. But when passions flare, even the strongest will surrender to the law of love . . .

Thomas, Duke of Castleton, has every intention of wedding a prim and proper heiress. That is, until he sets eyes on the heiress's cousin, easily the least proper woman he's ever met. His devotion to family duty is no defense against the red-headed vixen whose greatest asset seems to be a talent for trouble . . .

Caroline Townsend has no patience for the oh-so-suitable (and boring) men of the ton. So when the handsome but stuffy duke arrives at her doorstep, she decides to put him to the test. But her scandalous exploits awaken a desire in Thomas he never knew he had. Suddenly Caro finds herself falling for this most proper duke…while Thomas discovers there's a great deal of fun in a little bit of wickedness.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007HBTBCS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon (November 27, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 27, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4264 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 330 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 209 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Miranda Neville

Miranda Neville

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I grew up in southwest England. During my misspent youth I devoured the works of Georgette Heyer, Jean Plaidy and any other historical novels I could lay hands on. I now live in Vermont where I enjoy skiing and writing romances set in Regency England where it hardly ever snows.

You can learn more about me and my books at http://www.mirandaneville.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MirandaNevilleAuthor

Twitter: @Miranda_Neville

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
209 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Andrea T
4.0 out of 5 stars Flips the Typical H/h Dynamic on Its Head
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2015
Verified Purchase
Having read - and LOVED - The Duke of Dark Desires (The Wild Quartet Book 4), I was excited to go back to the beginning and better know the fascinating characters who kept popping up.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly because the author flipped the typical hero/heroine dynamic. Caro is a slightly scandalous widow who is loud and charming and not the slightest bit interested in what society thinks of her. I love that. Thomas, a very proper Duke, whom she nicknames Lord Stuffy, is handsome but not dashing, doesn't have a particularly charming way about him, and is way out of his league in the "sexual arts". I love that, too. They were a bit of an odd couple, but so endearing. Given the circumstances of Caro's first marriage, they made perfect sense.

I love when books mention historic works of art; Art History was a favorite subject of mine in university. So for art lovers, it's pretty cool to see vague references to classics, and I like how art ties several of the characters (Caro and Julian from book four) together).

I'll admit that Caro's blind devotion to, or more accurately, denial of her first husband's character, was frustrating, particularly to see how it affected Thomas's self-esteem. I do think the author brought great growth and resolution to that aspect of the story, and by the end, I truly believed in Thomas and Caro.

The Wild Quarter is a really good series. If you're looking for something a bit different, I do recommend The Importance of Being Wicked.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars don't miss this one
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
I'm a big fan of this author but not all her books are five stars. The best best thing is that the male characters are NOT bored rakes. All her characters are true to life and not based on troupes of the trade. Thank you Miranda for that!

This latest though is well written with characters that grow to love each other even while they face their own insecurities. Both characters stay true to themselves, honor each other and forgive the other's mistakes.

I don't want to spoil anything, but the hero is fabulous. He is dutiful yet decided to marry the heroine in spite extreme pressure to marry for money based on his need to provide for his illegitimate sisters and make up for the mistakes of his father. The heroine is very reckless and finally makes the right decision committing to this man. She is in denial about her late husband and his friends and lets herself get into precarious financial situations. I thought it was very real to life. Fortunately the hero is the kind of person who she can count on. He doesn't judge her and shows his loyalty again and again. He isn't a beta-male; just willing to risk it all for this woman. The heroine is exactly the kind of person to upset his life and give him a chance for joy in life rather than duty. Their happy ending is well deserved!

This is a keeper! Plus, we now get to learn about a group of people obsessed with art. Fun!
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Claire
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read but sort of missed the mark emotionally
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2012
Verified Purchase
I totally admire Miranda Neville's writing and have loved her other books. This one was pretty good but somehow it dragged and I only occasionally felt that there was any real emotional connection between H/h. I loved the premise: stuffy rule-bound duke and carefree rule-breaking heroine. But there were a lot of side players (I assume to set the stage for future stories about them) and this kept taking me out of the story. The first half of the book was slow but it became more interesting at the half/way point -- when there was more interaction between H/h -- and the story held together well. I just didn't feel that it had much emotional impact and given the great premise, it just fell a bit short of the mark. That said, this is a really good author and I will definitely be reading future books she writes!
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
lark
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed every page!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
It took a while for Caro to grow up; Thomas had been grown all his life. It was interesting to me how they each reacted to similarly overbearing parents. She rebelled and ended up a widow a little on the wild side. He diligently followed his father's lead and became a serious, yet naive, duke.

I really liked this story. Well written, it had many layers. We were able to follow along as Thomas lightened up and became less "Lord Stuffy." At the same time we saw Caro, 'dancing too fast to stop', wind down and gradually mature. It was a fascinating journey watching Thomas and Caro work through the intricacies of making peace with their pasts.

This was really a sweet, fun story that fascinated me. I thought it particularly sweet when Thomas was, at first, a rather inept lover, and Caro coached him in the kindest, gentlest way. She had, of course, been married to a wild young blood. Thomas, on the other hand, had been raised solely to his duty and had never had the opportunity to sow any wild oats as a youth. He was a quick, enthusiastic study!

And I absolutely loved the epilogue. One of the best I've read.

Enjoy your reading! :)
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Shopping Gal
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfectly wonderful and funny story!
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
I do NOT understand the reviewers who did not like the heroine in this story! I found her delightful and strong! She was witty, intelligent and touched by trauma, but trying desperately to put that trauma out of her mind. If you have ever suffered from a trauma, you will recognize the behavior instantly. It is the way we trauma survivors cope. We make jokes, often at our own expense....we act outrageously, trying to desperately forget the blackness in the past....we thumb our noses at conforming to society's strictures, because doing so in the past did not protect us. Oh yes, I recognize Caroline's behavior. I found her to be a model of recovery and practical inner strength to look up to as well.

This story was also not about your typically strong and perfect male hero either. Thomas had many faults. But, I believe the point was to show that there are plenty of good men out there who can be our shining knights, if we will only let them. Perhaps a few edges will need to be polished, and a few overlooked...but since none of us is perfect, that should all turn out well in the end! Loved this story, loved the acerbic wit woven throughout it, and I cannot wait for the next one!
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

LEP
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2012
Verified Purchase
A charming, warm, story with engaging interaction between "Lord Stuffy" and the irrepresible Caro. To ensure that her younger, heiress cousin Anne is being wooed by a man worthy of her, the widowed, penniless Caro Townsend leads Thomas Fitzcharles, Duke of Castleton, a merry dance. Caro delights in trying to shock the man she nicknames "Lord Stuffy". Thomas comes across as a nice, rather sweet natured man, solid and reliable; unlike Caro's late reprobate of a husband who she was pasionately in love with and won't hear a word against. Even though he left her to pay his numerous debts and penniless.

Lighthearted, amusing fun.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Boomworm
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
Good read. was heart breaking at times. But at least the heroine found a man to take care of her even though she was noth what he was looking for
Report
K9
5.0 out of 5 stars Fizzing with romance and humour!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
A fantastic romantic read for cold winter nights just bubbling with humour and warmth! Caro and Thomas are wonderfully drawn characters reminding me very much of the delightful heroines and heroes of Georgette Heyer. Secondary characters are also given depth which makes this altogether a very satisfying read. The historical detail is enough to give credence to the historical setting without taking over and the bedroom scenes are very passionate......I recommend this author whole heartedly and can't wait to read the next in the series!
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report