TOO WILDE TO WED is book two in the Wildes of Lindow Castle series by the redoubtable Eloisa James. Lord Roland Northbridge Wilde has just come back from several years away at war in the colonies to discover that the fiancé who jilted him is living in his house, acting as governess to his young siblings. Diana also has with her in the castle nursery a young boy purported to be North's illegitimate son, and the scandal rags have been accusing North of raping Diana, causing her to flee their betrothal party two years ago.

TOO WILDE TO WED's characters are not quite as likeable to me as those in book one, WILDE IN LOVE. I think Diana's lack of forethought is a serious character flaw, as she blunders about in her life causing upheaval around her. Diana has certainly been hamstrung by her caricature of a mother, a grasping harpy who shoves her daughters toward the aristocracy in her attempts to leave behind her own plebeian background of a grocer for a father. Diana was forced her hide her true flighty self as her mother maneuvered her into an engagement with North, and it's sad to realize the sorry state she was crammed into despite her wishes. My fury toward Diana's mother knows no bounds at many points in the story! It's certainly entertaining to watch Diana "let it all hang out" now that she's been disowned and isn't trying to land an aristocrat. She doesn't have to try to restrain her natural ebullience any longer.

North is patient and kind man, and is certainly more understanding of Diana's peccadilloes than I would be. North is suffering from PTSD, and finds (initially chaste) solace in Diana's room at night when he cannot sleep. She feeds him toast with honey and warm milk, just like her nursery charges, and North discovers he can relax with Diana. His sweetness of spirit combined with his remembered love of Diana from when he first met her do a lot to reconcile me to their budding romance. Diana resists North for "reasons" for far too long. Diana's care of North is beautifully delivered with a glad heart; that is, when she's not spurning his marriage proposals.

There is a good mix of sorrow and silly mistakes in the first part of the story. There is a definite shift in the feeling of the book halfway through, when their physical interactions begin to flower and they begin to communicate on a deeper basis. Eloisa James gets me to buy into the romance, even when I'm not enamored of both characters, so I count that as a win. James does a good set up for book three, and I'm looking forward to watching Diane's cousin Lavinia and North's brother Parth fall in love. TOO WILDE TO WED is a diverting second chance romance.