Once Again a Bride by Jane Ashford

I was pleasantly surprised on how much I loved this regency romance novel by Jane Ashford. With shades of My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier as part of the plot, I was quickly caught up with the compelling characters and raced through this novel. It was another perfect romance for the month of February.


Charlotte Wylde married a much older gentleman, Henry Wylde, at eighteen. While he was a friend of her father, he proved to be a terrible husband that was more interested in using Charlotte’s inheritance to purchase antiques than in Charlotte herself. Needless to say, Charlotte is not as unhappy as she should be at her husband’s demise.

Charlotte and her trusty maid Lucy are shocked to discover that Charlotte has been left with no money. The servants soon leave and Henry’s nephew Alec meets Charlotte for the first time. Henry was eccentric and never bothered to tell any of his family that he had married. Alec is determined to help Charlotte and to discover the mystery of who killed his Uncle. As the two are thrown together, they discover there is a spark between them. A spark that is threatened by the fact that Charlotte is the prime suspect in her husband’s murder.

I also loved the side love story that was happening below stairs between Charlotte’s maid, Lucy, and Alec’s footman, Ethan. Ethan is instantly smitten with Lucy, but Lucy is afraid to throw herself away on a philanderer. Their love grows and it is very sweet.

Overall, I loved this romance. Wonderful characters and a great mystery for a plot drove this novel to a satisfying conclusion. I definitely need to read more Jane Ashford!

Source: A review copy from Sourcebooks – Thanks!