Author:Karen HawkinsTitle: A Belated Bride
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Jan 9, 2001
Buy:Amazon
Book Blurb:She'd Never Marry Him!
The last man Arabella Hadley ever wishes to see again is Lucien Deveraux, the handsome, dissolute Duke of Wexford -- who broke her innocent heart years ago and disappeared to London. So when she finds an unconscious man on her deserted country road and sees that it's Lucien, she's tempted to leave him there. But even more appalling than his presence is the brazen kiss he plants on her shocked lips and her response! So it would be totally insane to take him home to recover -- wouldn't it?
Except For One Small Thing...
Lucien dares not reveal why he's returned to his country estate -- or why he abandoned the strong-willed beauty years ago. Especially since Arabella clearly has secrets of her own. But when her scheming, marriage-minded aunts successfully compromise them, the two are forced to become man and wife. Which makes it ever harder for both to battle the passion that never disappeared...
Review: I read a review of one of Karen's latest books from Addicted To Romance so I went to the library and found this one, to see how well she stacked up to her most recent book.
I'm kind of on the fence with this one.
I definitely like Karen's writing style.
The characters are really interesting and you can't help but love them, especially Lucien. It is easy to see early on that he loves Arabella, though lord knows she can't. Lucien and Arabella have a past though, so that makes it easy to understand why she doesn't go so easily into Lucien's arms. And why this regency isn't as hot an steamy as it might have been.
It takes a good many pages before the two of them really end up without their clothes. Truthfully that's why this story was a bit of a dud for me. It felt too much like 300 pages of Arabella making excuses not to trust Lucien for his past transgressions, without ever hearing his end of the story.
The smuggling operation added a bit of excitement, but what really gives this story life are Arabella's aunts, Jane and Emma. I especially loved how they checked the Duke out when he was injured. And when I say checked him out, I mean, checked under the covers when he was naked to see how well endowed he was! That was a hoot.
I was happy that just about everyone had a HEA in this story, I just wish that in some cases it would have happened a lot faster then it did.
Rating: 3 flowers
Review: I read a review of one of Karen's latest books from Addicted To Romance so I went to the library and found this one, to see how well she stacked up to her most recent book.
I'm kind of on the fence with this one.
I definitely like Karen's writing style.
The characters are really interesting and you can't help but love them, especially Lucien. It is easy to see early on that he loves Arabella, though lord knows she can't. Lucien and Arabella have a past though, so that makes it easy to understand why she doesn't go so easily into Lucien's arms. And why this regency isn't as hot an steamy as it might have been.
It takes a good many pages before the two of them really end up without their clothes. Truthfully that's why this story was a bit of a dud for me. It felt too much like 300 pages of Arabella making excuses not to trust Lucien for his past transgressions, without ever hearing his end of the story.
The smuggling operation added a bit of excitement, but what really gives this story life are Arabella's aunts, Jane and Emma. I especially loved how they checked the Duke out when he was injured. And when I say checked him out, I mean, checked under the covers when he was naked to see how well endowed he was! That was a hoot.
I was happy that just about everyone had a HEA in this story, I just wish that in some cases it would have happened a lot faster then it did.
Rating: 3 flowers
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