Accidental Brides, Book 1
From the publisher:
Two eccentric orphans bring together a grumpy viscount and the free-spirited heroine who steals his heart in the first novel in Eloisa James’s new Accidental Brides series, in which haughty aristocrats find themselves married to the wrong women.
He wants a nanny, not a bride…
Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.
She wants to marry for love…
Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny.
But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.
“The first in James’s (Not That Duke) new “Accidental Bride” series takes readers on a journey to find love, with a plot that takes shape quickly, even as the dynamic cast of characters are more slowly developed and carefully crafted… James’s latest book is a must-read for fans of historical romance.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Launching her new Regency-set Accidental Brides series, James (Not That Duke, 2023) once again displays her usual perfect sense of literary aplomb by first creating a uniquely appealing pair of protagonists (including a heroine who is not about to let not being able to read or write hold her back) and then setting them loose in a wit-infused plot enhanced by a wildly entertaining cast of secondary characters.” — Booklist
“An unusual dyslexic heroine provides depth to a solid Georgian romance.” — Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/4dcNerz
It’s always a happy day when James starts a new series, and this one is set in the Georgian era. Torie can’t read or write, and not for lack of trying. She has some sort of dyslexia that her governesses tried to unsuccessfully beat out of her. What she does have is a fantastic memory, so her older sister would read to her at night and she could answer the governess the next morning. Torie’s sister is engaged to Viscount Dominic Kelbourne, but it’s been over a year and she hasn’t set a date. Now the Viscount’s sister and brother-in-law have died, so they can’t marry until the year of mourning has passed. Meanwhile, his fiancee is out galivanting with someone else and eventually elopes.
Part of the reason for her elopement is that the Viscount is now guardian to his sister’s twins, a young boy and girl, who have had little to do with their parents and consequently a very poor upbringing. On the other hand, Torie loves how unique their personalities are, and they adore her. The Viscount finds himself strongly attracted to the lush-figured Torie, the opposite of her tall, skinny, proper sister. Torie has been called a fool or worse for most of her life, including from her own father, a drunken gambler, due to her illiteracy. The Viscount is determined to have her, and due to some financial shenanigans, is able to talk her father into the match.
Torie’s passion lies in painting. Since she can’t read, it is what occupies most of her childhood and she is quite good. The Viscount doesn’t know much about art, but he knows his lust for her knows no bounds, and hers for him as well. There are some definite bumps in the road and some heat as well until they reach their happily ever after. I love Eloisa James and always learn something from her books, and this one was a terrific start to this new series. Looking forward to book 2!
Note: I hate the cover and the trend of putting obviously 21st-century men on the covers of historical romances, especially when they don’t match the descriptions in the book. I must be alone in this as it has been happening for a while now.
8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Eloisa James. Avon (July 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063347410. 384p.
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