Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries

 

Title:  Nearly a Bride

Author:  Sabrina Jeffries

Narrated by:  Beverley A. Crick

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 40 minutes

Source: Audiobook copy from NetGalley and physical book copy from Kensington Books as part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you!

What type of books do you need when you need a lighthearted read?  I like to read romance when I need a good lighthearted book.

The Earl of Hearthbrook, Heath, was trapped in France for ten years.  His first goal upon returning home is to claim guardianship of his brothers.  In order to look respectable, he enters into a faux engagement with Giselle Bernard.  A stranger is threatening Giselle and her mother by saying her immigration papers have been forged. Heath agrees to help her out with this problem, if she helps him with a fake engagement.  Will these two find that their feelings are more than fake?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       There was an intriguing note at the beginning of the novel of how in 1802, the Treaty of Amiens was signed which seemed to be the end of the Napoleonic Wars.  Many British citizens flocked to France to see Paris for the first time since 1792.  The peace did not last, and hostilities started again on May 18, 1803.  Napoleon captured all British male citizen will in France (and their families) and they were held prisoner until 1814. These prisoners were called detenus and the story focuses on them.

·       I loved the great banter between the two leads.

·       This novel is a historical regency romance with a fake engagement and opposites attract tropes.

·       This novel was the second in the Lords of Hazards series.  I read it as a standalone and it worked.  I did feel like there was background that would have enhanced the story that was set up in the first book.  I need to go back and read Hazardous to a Duke’s Heart.

·       I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator, Beverley A. Crick was fantastic.  I enjoyed the distinct voices she gave all the characters and the French accents.  It was a light entertaining book that was perfect for a stressful time of year.

·       I liked the heroine, Giselle, a lot.  She was a caring person who helped those around her including her mother and Heath’s brothers.

·       This was a steamy romance with great chemistry between the leads.

Overall, Nearly a Bride by Sabrina Jeffries is an entertaining historical regency romance that is a perfect way to escape from the stressors of the day.

 

What Happens in the Ballroom by Sabrina Jeffries (TLC Book Tours)

 

What is blooming in your neighborhood right now?  Tulips are up and looking beautiful in my yard.

What Happens in the Ballroom is an enjoyable regency romance.  Eliza Pierce is a young widow that enjoys working with her sisters planning events and helping the gentry find spouses as part of “Elegant Occasions.”  One day, her late husband’s best friend, Nathaniel Stanton, the Earl of Foxstead, stops by to hire Elegant Occasions to help find a husband for his ward, a young war widow.  Mrs. March is young and mysterious.  Is Nathaniel in love with her himself?  What secret are they trying to hide?   Will Nathaniel and Eliza be able to put the past and secrets behind them to forge a future together?

I loved the romance of this novel, the setting, and the characters. The flirting and banter between Nathaniel and Eliza was very fun.  This book was a quick read.  This book did have two steamy love scenes in it.  I guessed the secret, but I really wasn’t sure if I was right until the end.

This is the second book in the Designing Debutantes series.  It was fine to read it as a standalone, but I definitely want to go back and read the first book, A Duke for Diana.

Overall, What Happens in the Ballroom is a delightfully fun regency romance.

Book Source: Review Copy from Kensington Books.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the TLC Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.