I received this through BookBub. The title and cover art are what initially caught my eye.

The book is a duo-storyline about two women in two different eras. 1998 - Ella, who is faced with some very serious life decisions in 1998. She quits her job, moves out from the home she has shared with her soon-to-be-ex-husband (due to his unfaithfulness), finds a new lover and sets out to find out about the mysterious Gin Kelly, a model for 1920s pin-up cards. She was well known but seemed to have mysteriously disappeared in the mid-1920s.
1924 - Ginger Kelly, Gin for short, did model for those cards but that wasn't the only thing in her life. She is responsible for raising her young sister, who is now orphaned. Gin has taken up with Oliver Anson Marshall, a Prohibition Agent, who has been dismissed from the agency. They have gone south, to Florida, for safety. Things change drastically when Anson is re-instated and is sent north. Gin winds up going north with Anson's mother and finds herself also faced with life changing decisions.

The book bounces back and forth between the 2 story lines as each character deals with their problems and choices. They each make discoveries about themselves and the people they are involved with.

It is a book that you don't race through, but take time to read about each character and their choices. Things discovered about family, friends, loyalty, love and life. Not a quick cozy read. But it is good.

Now I'm curious about the previous book, "Cocoa Beach" where Gin makes her first appearance.... ( )

The Wicked Redhead is a sequel to Wicked City. The main characters - Ginger in 1924 and Ella in 1998 are recovering from the difficult events in the previous book. They're also building new lives and loves.

Julie Schuyler has a pretty significant role in this novel. She's often the wise and rebellious aunt in the Schuyler stories. She's still that but we see her in her prime with Ginger.

I am a fan of Beatriz William's writing and storytelling. This novel was very enjoyable. ( )

In 1924, after a daring escape from her stepfather, Gin Kelley and Anson Marshall make their way to Cocoa Beach with Gin's little sister Patsy. Gin and Anson believe they are outlaws and need time to heal, however Anson is reinstated as a Prohibition Agent once again and put on assignment up north. Anson wants Gin to stay put in Florida, but as soon as an opportunity arises to leave for New York, Gin takes it. However, the opportunity is double sided. Anson's mother wants Gin to return to New York with her in order to help Anson's brother, Billy recover from the injuries sustained by Gin's father with the catch that Billy now believes that he and Gin are engaged.
Meanwhile, in 1998 Ella Dommerich is on the hunt for the red haired woman who graces the card she found in her new apartment. Ella would much rather focus on the mystery woman than trying to figure out how to move on with her life after she found her husband cheating, quit her lucrative career and found a refuge in a Greenwich Village apartment building and it's handyman, Hector. Even after life altering news, Ella would rather focus on discovering Gin's secrets, although Gin might have a lesson for Ella if she chooses to listen.

The Wicked Redhead continues the story of Gin and Ella from The Wicked City. There are also characters thrown in from several of Beatriz Williams' other books, so I would highly recommend reading The Wicked City first. The Wicked Redhead jumps right back into the action with Ella making a tough decision and Gin and Anson on the lam. I still absolutely adored Gin's feisty, strong, witty and unapologetic character even though she seems to have less control over everything. Ella's character takes a few lessons from Gin and begins to take control and make more decisions in her life. As with the first book, I did feel a stronger pull towards Gin's story line, however as the story went on and their decisions collided, I could see the parallels better and was racing to read between each point of view in order to know what each woman did next. Beatriz Williams' writing flows well between each time period giving each woman a distinct voice and captured the spirit of the different decades. With plenty of romance, action, mystery, danger and suspense, The Wicked Redhead continues to weave together the lives of two woman living decades apart, yet facing many of the same challenges in life. I can't wait to see what both women will do with their lives next.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

When we last left Gin Kelly, she had just had a harrowing encounter with her violent stepfather and his gang of Prohibition-violating criminals that left Billy Marshall, the man who loved her, badly beaten in Beatriz Williams' second Wicked City series novel, The Wicked City.

The third novel of the Wicked City series, The Wicked Redhead, picks up in 1924 in the aftermath of the violent event. Gin and Billy's brother Anson, a Prohibition agent who is Gin's lover, have escaped to Cocoa Beach, Florida with Gin's young sister Pasty. They are staying with Anson's friends Simon and Virginia to recuperate.

Although Anson wants to provide a safe life for Gin and Patsy, he is drawn to helping the feds fight the scourge of pirates who are attacking the illegal rum runners, as well as the unlawful liquor distributors filling the waters off the east coast.

Gin is angry that Anson would undertake such a dangerous mission. When Anson and Billy's indominable mother comes to Cocoa Beach, she wants to bring Gin back to Long Island to help her son Billy's recovery. She offers Gin a quid pro quo- if Gin comes backs to New York to help Billy, she will give Gin some information about her family that could change her life.

The scenes between Gin and Mrs. Marshall are the strongest of the book. These two characters are tough, strong ladies. Mrs. Marshall may not be sympathetic, but she loves her seriously injured son and will do anything to help him. As the mother of sons, I understand that.

In 1998, Ella's story also picks up where we left her in The Wicked City. Ella has left her cheating husband and moved into a small apartment where Gin used to live. Ella finds racy vintage photographs of Gin, and wants to know more about this redheaded woman who also has a connection to her great-aunt Julie.

Once again, there is a violent confrontation involving Anson and Gin at the end of their story. There are also a few explicit sex scenes early on in the book, and Williams knows how to raise the pulse of her readers. Williams' leaves readers with more to tell in Gin and Ella's stories, so I'm sure we will see these ladies again in another book.

I enjoy Williams' style of writing, and I found one particular passage enlightening. Gin thinks-

"That's the trouble, isn't it? You never can see yourself from the perspective of someone else. You never do know how you look."

For those who read the Schuyler Sisters novels by Williams, you'll be happy to know that they play a part in this series as well. And I loved that the law firm of Willig, Williams & White is mentioned, a nod to Williams' writing partners authors Lauren Willig and Karen White, whose latest book, All the Ways We Said Goodbye publishes in January.

Fans of Beatriz Williams will enjoy The Wicked Redhead, but I do suggest that you read The Wicked City first in order to fully appreciate the new novel. ( )

This is the second book of a trilogy. It is meant to be a stand along but I have to admit that I am glad that I had read the first book, The Wicked City. In the case with most books in a series it is often helpful to have read any preceeding volumes but with this one I think it’s particularly helpful.

The Wicked Redhead tells its tale in two time periods; in 1924 where Oliver and Ginger have run from her rum running stepfather. In 1998 Ella is living in the same apartment that Ginger once inhabited and feels a connection. She has found some belongings of Ginger including a tinted photograph hidden in the apartment and they intrigue her so that she wants to learn more about the beautiful woman she sees.

The book takes the reader on a tale of love and redemption with a wild ride through Prohibition. It starts in the steamy heat of Florida but New York also plays a big role. Ms. Williams brings both locales to vivid life in each era. The relationships are rich and the characters and their actions will keep you reading. I did prefer the story from the past more but that generally happens when I read these dual timeline tales. I will look forward to the next book in the series. ( )