A man of honor, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, will not rest until he exacts revenge on the man who destroyed his family. Just one more piece must fall into place for him to succeed he needs to convince his enemy s fiancee, the tragically beautiful Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead.
Lady Claire s curse has always left her one misstep away from social ruin her past three engagements have gone awry, and now her fourth is headed in the same direction. . .until Alex, a man she barely even knows, shocks the ton and Claire by announcing their engagement. What begins as a sham turns into something deeper, and more passionate, than either Claire or Alex could have imagined. But when their secrets are revealed, will the truth behind their union scandalize them both or is their love strong enough to break the curse and lead them toward their happily ever after?
Titles in The Cavensham Heiresses series include: The Bad Luck Bride –
Title: The Bad Luck Bride
Series: The Cavensham Heiresses #1
Author: Janna MacGregor
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: May 2, 2017
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
My Rating: 4.5 stars
If you’re looking for a fluffy Regency romp then… no, that’s not what you’re going to find here. If you’re looking for a deeply detailed plot line, characters who have so many personal issues to get past and the possibility of an amazing love to fight for – then The Bad Luck Bride would be exactly what you’re looking for.
Although being labeled as “cursed” for bad timing and poor choices in her relationships shouldn’t be enough to doom Claire to the shelf for the remainder of her life, it is enough to have her almost desperate to agree to an engagement that she might have otherwise run from. Poor Claire, like the old song, “if it weren’t for bad luck she’d have no luck at all”.
Alex is a man set on revenge. He will do anything – lie, deceive, manipulate and not give one thought to the feelings of others in order to get his revenge on the man he blames for his sister’s death. Granted, the man he’s after is a nasty piece of work, yet Alex is somewhat possessed in his need to end this man in any way humanly possible. Stealing the woman he’s planning on marrying is the latest step in his ultimate plan of revenge. That the woman involved might have emotions engaged is totally beside the point. Alex will get what Alex wants. What he hadn’t counted on was discovering feelings for Claire that went beyond using her as a pawn. Now he’s made a mess, and continues to further destroy any trust or feelings she might have returned for him. Somehow he has to fix what he’s broken – and it’s not going to be easy.
The Bad Luck Bride is Janna MacGregor’s debut novel, and I have to admit that I am looking forward to the next title in this series. Claire and Alex are both flawed characters with major issues. At times, Alex is a very difficult man to actually like during the majority of their romance. But there are bits and pieces that show the man he was before his sister’s death that allowed me to hold out hope for this man. Claire allowed herself to believe in that silly curse, and now she’s developing feeling for the man she’s married. Feelings that will be shredded once she learns his reasons for marrying her in the first place. Love is blooming but can it withstand the harsh realities of how they started. I enjoyed my time with Claire and Alex. Yes, there were times when I wanted to shake my fist at them or sit them down for a stern conversation. But overall, I “got” them, and watching them unravel this mess was completely entertaining.
If you love Historical Romance then I’d suggest trying out a new author’s intense, interesting romance. The Bad Luck Bride is many things, and one of them is entertaining. Give it a try, you may find a new author to follow – I know I have.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Available in paperback and for the Kindle
