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My Scandalous Bride
written by Christina Dodd, Stephanie Laurens, Celeste Bradley, Leslie Lafoy
Studio : St. Martin's Paperbacks
by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date : 2004-05-04
Publisher : St. Martin's Paperbacks
Released : 2004-05-16
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780312995225
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 5 reviews)
List Price : $6.99
Our Price : $0.01
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Product Description |
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Christina Dodd, "The Lady and the Tiger"
Laura Haver will stop at nothing to find out who killed her brother-even if it means posing as the wife of notorious rogue Keefe Leighton, the Earl of Hamilton. But things go too far when Keefe engages Laura in an artful game of seduction-a game that can have only one winner...
Stephanie Laurens, "Melting Ice"
Once, Dyan St. Laurent Dare, Duke of Darke, dreamed of making Lady Fiona his bride. Now they're together again-at a scandalous dinner party where debauchery is the menu's main course. But will wedding bells ring after the guests get their just desserts?
Celeste Bradley, "Wedding Knight"
Alfred Knight will do anything to avoid a scandal-even marry a woman he barely knows. But his bride has a most titillating secret...one she'll share as soon as she conquers her temptation for the man she was never supposed to marry!
Leslie LaFoy, "The Proposition"
Rennick St. James, the Earl of Parnell, has four days to seduce London's most popular widow into becoming his wife-or else she'll marry another man. It won't be easy...but Rennick has been lusting after the beguiling Julia Hamilton far too long to let her go now...
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Five stars for the last two stories |
As the editorial states, this is a star studded line-up. I rated this book five stars, but that's because I only read the last two stories, and they were both worth five stars. I don't normally read either Christina Dodd or Stephanie Laurens, and I didn't read those stories here, so I can't comment on them.
Celeste Bradley is one of my favorite authors, (she's why I actually picked up this book, truthfully), and true to form, this story was excellent - and exactly what you would come to expect from Celeste Bradley - a *really* strong and unusual heroine, lots of twists and turns to the storyline, and most of all, lots of fun. I absolutely *adore* strong heroines, so this story had my votes from the start. It does suffer a little bit because of the length, this IS a short story, so it resolves quite quickly, but all in all, good enough for five stars.
This was about two twin sisters, Kitty and Bitty, Bitty is getting married, and Kitty is left out of the fun. Until... Bitty gets cold feet at the last moment, and Kitty decides to try to save the day by pretending that she is Bitty... just for a *very* short time. Truthfully, this plot has been done before, but this one was just done *so very well*, Kitty and Bitty are both truly hilarious (each in their own way). If I had a complaint to make I would perhaps say that Kitty is a bit *too* strong in a heroine - but that's not possible (a heroine can't be too strong) so I won't say it. When I mean a strong heroine, I mean it, I don't mean strong-until-the-man-comes-in-to-save-the-day. Like I said before, this story suffers from the length, I would have liked to see more of a reconciliation at the end.
This was the first I've read of Leslie Lafoy, and I have to admit that I was quite impressed. The writing was excellent, really, really unusually good, and there was a good storyline, plus character development, there as well. This one also suffered because of the length - the dilemma the heroine finds herself is a hard one, and was resolved much too easily. But even so, this was still a five star read. I will definitely be searching out more books by this author!
I do enjoy these short story anthologies, because as a general rule I like short stories better than long ones (due to my time crunch - I hate waiting a few days to find out the ending of a story) and as a bonus, you get to find some excellent new authors. And although some anthologies, are, to be blunt, somewhat stupid, this one was, IMO, definitely worth reading.
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so-so at best |
As always, anthologies are a hit or miss situation. The stories are short so there is not much character or situation development which is why the short stories that are about couples who have previous relationships work best. That was the set-up for most of these stories.
"The Lady and the Tiger' by Christina Dodd was a poor story. Laura's brother, first secretary to Lord Keith Leighton, dies and she decides to find his killer. Really, I know regency/romance authors go for this sort of spunky heroine sort of thing, but it was sort of silly. To catch a spy does require some experience but apparently not in romance stories. Laura is a commoner and Keith a noble. The romance between the out of place Laura in the glittering regency world could have been interesting but never explored. But when Laura ties up Keith when she thinks he is to blame for her brothers death and leaves him in a dangerous situation which could have resulted in his death, well, he certainly took it in stride. I would not have been as forgiving as Keith. A one star story at best.
"Melting Ice" by Stephanie Laurens has our hero, Dyan St. Laurent, Dare, coming home to take his brothers place as Duke and meets up with an old flame at a house party rife with orgies. Story was better than the others as it was fun to watch him rescue her and I liked her bookish brother. But refusing to marry him the morning after even after she had realized the miscommunication years earlier made for zero sense.
"Wedding Knight" by Celeste Bradley was just stupid. The fact that Kitty takes her sisters place and marries Knight and when he founds out he forgives her? It would have been more realistic if she had to fight for him to prove her love not the other way around.
"Proposition" by Leslie LaFoy has Lord Rennick St. James fighting for his beloved Julia Hamilton, a widow, who is all set to marry yet again a man she does not love. This story too made no sense. It was not as if she even liked the man she was to marry. He was as jerk!!!! He could not remember her children's names and she would marry him? Why? She was not poor so money was not a factor. That just was illogical. Also, she loved Rennick and after the four days, why would she not believe him? That made no sense. I did like that she was 33 but really, to already have a 16 year old son was sort of stretching it for me. Also, I think that too many authors fail to properly finish their stories. If Rennick dies without legal issue, the estates and title would die. He married an older woman so did they have any children or not? Would be fun to know. After all, if the story of Henry VIII ended with his marriage to Anne Boleyn, we might have assumed everything worked out! So as an FYI to authors, finish your stories!!!
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Do You Take This Woman? |
The heroine, Laura Haver, in Christina Dodd's The Lady and the Tiger is out to avenge the death of her brother. She sets out on her own investigative mission and enters into a fabricated marriage to get to her target. What she does not anticipate is the unbridled passion that develops between them.
In Melting Ice by Stephanie Laurens, childhood sweethearts Dyan St. Laurent and Lady Fiona have found each other and the love they lost in a most uncommon place, an orgy! Despite their odd meeting they clear up all misconceptions that have kept them separated for years and rekindle the fire between them.
Alfred Knight, in Celeste Bradley's Wedding Knight, has lived his entire life trying to avoid scandal. Little does he know he will marry directly into it when he chooses his bride to be. She is nothing she appears to be, but everything he needs.
Julia Hamilton, a recent widow, is now engaged to be married in three days, but a secret love has returned and intends to seduce her and make her his wife. Leslie LaFoy's The Proposition keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering who will Julia choose.
Not one for romance, I found myself enjoying the four tales of love, lust and deceit. These ladies know their craft and have converted me into a fan of romantic fiction.
Reviewed by Aiesha Flowers
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
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A mixed bag but better than the usual anthology |
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Christina Dodd's story is first and, sadly, abysmal. The tale is almost entirely unbelieveable, but perhaps the worst part is that I don't believe they're in love. Dodd does not convince the reader that these two people knew each other well enough before the night of the story to act as they do. I had hopes for it, but it just kept getting worse. The few really nice moments could not counteract the pathetic whole. 1 measley star. Stephanie Laurens' entry is better at 2 1/2 to 3 stars. The raucus house party is a poor device for getting the lovers together, but the two leads make even that work. The story is lovely in places, particularly the dinner scene and at the end (with her brother). It's about a love that's denied through youthful misunderstandings getting a second chance. It's also typical Laurens, with heavy emphasis on sex. Celeste Bradley raises the bar again with her marvelous story about an arrogant, obnoxious hero who finally redeems himself and a fresh, provocative, unique heroine who is the best leading lady of the bunch. There is some incredulity at times that nobody can tell these not-quite-identical twins apart, but the story is still great fun. 4 stars. This is my first experience with Leslie LaFoy, but it won't be my last; hers is the best story in the book (5 stars). Rennick is the epitome of the reformed rack & Julia's his loving but sensible love interest. This is an excellent variation on the typical plot with Julia being an older woman (in her 30s) who was happily married...at least until she met Rennick. They fall instantly in love, but both respect her husband and her marriage vows too much to act on their feelings and attraction. Then hubby dies. But before Rennick gets the chance to sweep her off her feet, she gets engaged to someone else. And her fiance? Gads! This little story has a wealth of wisdom for life in it, too. Superb! Buy the book for the last two stories. They're good enough to make it worthwhile. |
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four fun nineteenth century historical romances |
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"The Lady and the Tiger' by Christina Dodd. In 1813, Laura Haver obsesses over who killed her brother, first secretary to Lord Keith Leighton. Clues take her to a smuggler's cove where she poses as Keith's wife not knowing that her "husband" is there seeking the identity of who murdered his employee. "Melting Ice" by Stephanie Laurens. After a decade in India, Dyan St. Laurent Dare comes home when his brother died making him a duke and quickly wants Lady Fiona Winston-Ryder as his wife because he loves her. A debauched gala gives him the opportunity to serve as her gallant rescuer and hopefully forever lover. "Wedding Knight" by Celeste Bradley. In 1813 Alfred Knight avoids scandal so no one can point the finger that he is just like his mother, which leads to his agreeing to wed Betina Trapp who wants nothing to do with him. Betina persuades her twin Kitty to take her place temporarily as Alfred's fiancée. Kitty falls in love but she fears he will drop her once the subsequent scandal erupts that the switch will cause. "Proposition" by Leslie LaFoy. In 1877 Lord Rennick St. James knows that the clock is ticking against him as the woman he always loved Julia Hamilton is engaged to someone else. Just back in England, he has four days to seduce the widow into marrying him or face cold self imposed exile again. These four nineteenth century historical romances are fine novellas that fans will appreciate because the lead couple in each case seems genuine as they star in a scandalous fun frolic. Harriet Klausner |
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