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Never a Bride
He has a scar on the back of his neck. That's all Mirabella Whittingham knows about the man responsible for her best friend's death—so she's been kissing bachelors all over town in hopes of finding him. London society is shocked—but why should she care what people say? Her fiancé—a man she's never even laid eyes on—has been gone for years, and shows no signs of returning. She's given up hope of ever becoming a bride...
Then, having resigned herself to a lifetime of pretend passion, Mirabella is shocked when a man's kiss makes her tremble with lust. She is even more shocked to discover that he is none other than her long-gone betrothed. His painful past and her ruined reputation may stand in the way of true love, but if there's one thing Mirabella's learned, it's never say never...
Then, having resigned herself to a lifetime of pretend passion, Mirabella is shocked when a man's kiss makes her tremble with lust. She is even more shocked to discover that he is none other than her long-gone betrothed. His painful past and her ruined reputation may stand in the way of true love, but if there's one thing Mirabella's learned, it's never say never...
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
47 people are currently reading
912 people want to read
About the author
Amelia Grey
35 books856 followersAmelia Grey (aka Gloria Dale Skinner) grew up in a small town in the Florida Panhandle. She has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over twenty-five years. She has lived in Alabama, Connecticut, New Hampshire and now lives in Florida.
Amelia has won the coveted Romantic Times award for Love and Laughter, the prestigious Maggie award for best historical and Affaire de Coeur's best American historical award. She has been a finalist for the Golden Heart and the Holt Medallion awards which are given by Romance Writers of America and numerous other awards. Her books have been sold to many countries in Europe, Russia and China.
Amelia likes flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter and sunshine.
Amelia has won the coveted Romantic Times award for Love and Laughter, the prestigious Maggie award for best historical and Affaire de Coeur's best American historical award. She has been a finalist for the Golden Heart and the Holt Medallion awards which are given by Romance Writers of America and numerous other awards. Her books have been sold to many countries in Europe, Russia and China.
Amelia likes flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter and sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 17, 2010
Mirabella Whittingham has been waiting six years for her fiance to return to London and marry her. She hasn't exactly been pining away for Camden, Viscount Stonehurst, since she's never met him and the match was arranged by their parents. Until he returns from America, Mirabella takes it upon herself to find her friend Sarah's killer by kissing half of the bachelors in London! Camden has been hiding from his past, but an urgent letter from his mother brings him back to London. He is shocked to find his family in desperate need of funds and that his beautiful fiance has been kissing half of the ton!
I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me a little of the older, fluffy regencies because it wasn't too dark. The only problem I had was that Mirabella continued to be obsessed with finding the killer even when she knew it was dangerous and it was driving away the man she loved. The killer had already taken one life, and Sarah wouldn't have wanted Mirabella to give up her own life because of him too.
There were some really romantic moments between Mirabella and Camden. Their first meeting was electric, I loved it!!
Camden got under my skin sometimes because he had such a lofty attitude about Mirabella kissing other men when who knows who he was kissing for six years in America! But overall, he was very cute and you could tell he really loved Mirabella. We all know he really just had an attitude about the kissing because he was jealous!
This is a really pleasant, fun read! The book is a reissue of Grey's first regency romance, and I actually enjoyed it more than her recent books!
ARC sent for review by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me a little of the older, fluffy regencies because it wasn't too dark. The only problem I had was that Mirabella continued to be obsessed with finding the killer even when she knew it was dangerous and it was driving away the man she loved. The killer had already taken one life, and Sarah wouldn't have wanted Mirabella to give up her own life because of him too.
There were some really romantic moments between Mirabella and Camden. Their first meeting was electric, I loved it!!
Camden got under my skin sometimes because he had such a lofty attitude about Mirabella kissing other men when who knows who he was kissing for six years in America! But overall, he was very cute and you could tell he really loved Mirabella. We all know he really just had an attitude about the kissing because he was jealous!
This is a really pleasant, fun read! The book is a reissue of Grey's first regency romance, and I actually enjoyed it more than her recent books!
ARC sent for review by publisher in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
February 27, 2014
Mirabella Whittingham is on a quest to get revenge on the man who destroyed her cousin. But in order to do so she must find him and all she has to go on is a few diary entries that tell her he has a scar and is not tall. So she starts kissing the men she knows danced with her cousin. She has been engaged now for 6 years and it doesn't look like the groom is going to show up anytime soon. So her reputation means little to her if she can accomplish this task. But Camden Thurston Brackley, Viscount Stonehurst, has finally come back to England. Finding out his fiancé is out kissing other men has him furious and he is ready to break the engagement but his father's financial status has him hesitating.
While it had its moments it wasn't anything that kept my attention. It was too predictable for my taste. I do give kudos for the added bonus of the mystery and I do freely admit to not knowing until close to the reveal who the "villain" was. I think it would still appeal to Regency Romance lovers.
While it had its moments it wasn't anything that kept my attention. It was too predictable for my taste. I do give kudos for the added bonus of the mystery and I do freely admit to not knowing until close to the reveal who the "villain" was. I think it would still appeal to Regency Romance lovers.
July 8, 2011
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: June 1, 2001 (Reprinted September 1, 2010) (Available Now!)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Jove
Author’s Website: http://www.ameliagrey.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Mirabella Whittingham is engaged to be married. Unfortunately, her would-be husband has been gone for six long years, making his fortune in the Americas. An arranged betrothal, she’s never actually met her wayward fiance, but overheard him speaking to her father years ago, saying that he would return for her when he was “old and gray”.
Mirabella’s best friend and cousin has quietly taken her own life after discovering that the man she thought she loved had discarded her and left her not only ruined, but also with child. Determined to find the vile man, Mirabella sets out on a personal quest to discover his identity. The only clue she has, however, is that the man in question has a thick scar on the right side of his neck — a part of a man’s body that no proper miss would ever have the opportunity to observe outside of marriage.
Having resigned herself to the fact that she will never have a chance to marry, especially not for love, she has little care for her reputation, and seeks out the culprit in the only way she knows how — by narrowing down a list of possible suspects based on clues from her friend’s diary, and allowing these gentlemen to kiss her in the garden. These chaste and occasionally distasteful kisses allow her to discreetly slip her finger inside of their cravats to see if they have the scar in question.
Meanwhile, her missing fiance finally returns to England. While initially intending to break off the match, Camden soon realizes that his family’s financial situation gives him little choice but to continue on as planned and marry the chit. Resigned to his fate, he approaches Mirabella’s uncle at a ball and request an introduction. Unfortunately, Camden’s timing could not be worse, for Mirabella is in the gardens with yet another suspected seducer, and is caught in a passionate embrace.
Disgusted by her behavior, Camden initially berates her, but Mirabella is unapologetic — after all, Camden has exposed her to gossip and ridicule for six long years with his absence, so if anyone should be explaining their behavior, it would be him.
The two soon agree to continue the pretense of a legitimate engagement, for not only would her reputation suffer if her engagement was broken so soon after Cam’s return to England, but his family is in debt and cannot risk having creditors panic with the realization that the money from Mirabella’s dowry will never materialize.
Undaunted, Mirabella vows to stop kissing gentlemen in gardens out of respect for Camden’s reputation, but refuses to stop her secret investigation into the man behind her friend’s suicide. But when she soon finds herself falling for Camden’s heated glances and delicious kisses, will the cost of her investigation finally be too much?
Overall, I found this one quite enjoyable. While it was a bit predictable at times, and honestly, Mirabella needed to be locked into her room for her own good on occasion, I couldn’t help but admire both her spirit and her courage. I also liked that Camden was willing to own up to his own mistakes, despite a bit of occasional arrogant male blustering, as well as the fact that both were willing to make sacrifices for their families.
In then end, this was a fast, fun, and tasty read, and I would highly suggest that fans of regency romances snag this one while it’s still free on Kindle.
4/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: June 1, 2001 (Reprinted September 1, 2010) (Available Now!)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Jove
Author’s Website: http://www.ameliagrey.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Mirabella Whittingham is engaged to be married. Unfortunately, her would-be husband has been gone for six long years, making his fortune in the Americas. An arranged betrothal, she’s never actually met her wayward fiance, but overheard him speaking to her father years ago, saying that he would return for her when he was “old and gray”.
Mirabella’s best friend and cousin has quietly taken her own life after discovering that the man she thought she loved had discarded her and left her not only ruined, but also with child. Determined to find the vile man, Mirabella sets out on a personal quest to discover his identity. The only clue she has, however, is that the man in question has a thick scar on the right side of his neck — a part of a man’s body that no proper miss would ever have the opportunity to observe outside of marriage.
Having resigned herself to the fact that she will never have a chance to marry, especially not for love, she has little care for her reputation, and seeks out the culprit in the only way she knows how — by narrowing down a list of possible suspects based on clues from her friend’s diary, and allowing these gentlemen to kiss her in the garden. These chaste and occasionally distasteful kisses allow her to discreetly slip her finger inside of their cravats to see if they have the scar in question.
Meanwhile, her missing fiance finally returns to England. While initially intending to break off the match, Camden soon realizes that his family’s financial situation gives him little choice but to continue on as planned and marry the chit. Resigned to his fate, he approaches Mirabella’s uncle at a ball and request an introduction. Unfortunately, Camden’s timing could not be worse, for Mirabella is in the gardens with yet another suspected seducer, and is caught in a passionate embrace.
Disgusted by her behavior, Camden initially berates her, but Mirabella is unapologetic — after all, Camden has exposed her to gossip and ridicule for six long years with his absence, so if anyone should be explaining their behavior, it would be him.
The two soon agree to continue the pretense of a legitimate engagement, for not only would her reputation suffer if her engagement was broken so soon after Cam’s return to England, but his family is in debt and cannot risk having creditors panic with the realization that the money from Mirabella’s dowry will never materialize.
Undaunted, Mirabella vows to stop kissing gentlemen in gardens out of respect for Camden’s reputation, but refuses to stop her secret investigation into the man behind her friend’s suicide. But when she soon finds herself falling for Camden’s heated glances and delicious kisses, will the cost of her investigation finally be too much?
Overall, I found this one quite enjoyable. While it was a bit predictable at times, and honestly, Mirabella needed to be locked into her room for her own good on occasion, I couldn’t help but admire both her spirit and her courage. I also liked that Camden was willing to own up to his own mistakes, despite a bit of occasional arrogant male blustering, as well as the fact that both were willing to make sacrifices for their families.
In then end, this was a fast, fun, and tasty read, and I would highly suggest that fans of regency romances snag this one while it’s still free on Kindle.
4/5 Stars
October 19, 2011
This is a romantic and mystery story,I really enjoyed this book,liked Mirabella-Camden but sometimes Camden's attitude irritated me but both are cute in their own ways,as the story progresses you can see how their love grows and the mystery part to find the man who seduced Sarah and left her with child,liked the way author brings about emotions of each characters,adored the strong friendship between Mirabella-Sarah and Mirabella's determination to punish the man responsible for Sarah's destruction
Overall this was a very good read
Recommend it
Overall this was a very good read
Recommend it
August 21, 2016
Interesting premise, delightful characters (especially Bella), even the mystery worked in a way, but the dialogue was contrived, over the top and just plain silly at times. I'll try for another Amelia Grey book at a later time, but this wasn't the great regency escape I was hoping for.
July 17, 2011
Review originally posted at Tea, Toast & Books.
Quick Review: I didn’t much care for this book, sadly. The beginning didn’t grab me; both hero and heroine seem to think in cliches, and the plot is so contrived it’s almost painful. There’s a whole lot of exposition without action, and fact dumps to explain the premise of the novel.
Mirabella and Cam are immediately attracted to one another, presumably based on their scintillating conversation, which wasn’t very interesting to me. And they’re already engaged, but the hero only agreed to it for money and he is bound and determined that he will never be so foolish as to fall in love again. Never! Because his first fiance was caught kissing another man in front of half the ton, right? And what is our heroine doing? Kissing men to track down a killer of sorts, to avenge her best friend, who was physically deformed but had a heart of gold — of course. In case you forget, the author will remind you about once every ten pages.
Naturally, Cam sees Mirabella kissing another man 15% into the book, and thereby we are introduced to the primary conflict, which could be resolved if they would just talk to each other. I might have bought Mirabella’s reluctance to open up if it had been written more convincingly, but no. Also, she thinks of Cam by his Christian name throughout much of the book, which grated, considering she wasn’t even willing to really talk to him.
The conflict was far too contrived for me (really: a villain with a hidden scar and a heroine who decides the best way to find him is to kiss all the boys? and a fiance whose very willingness to love was destroyed by a woman kissing another man?), and I didn’t really buy the characters, either. If this is the author’s first book, that might explain a lot, so I may check out some of her other work, but not soon. I hate writing such a bad review, because it wasn’t a complete wallbanger, but I found myself skimming the last 2/3 of the book just to get through it and say I was done.
In summary: Not my cup of tea.
Quick Review: I didn’t much care for this book, sadly. The beginning didn’t grab me; both hero and heroine seem to think in cliches, and the plot is so contrived it’s almost painful. There’s a whole lot of exposition without action, and fact dumps to explain the premise of the novel.
Mirabella and Cam are immediately attracted to one another, presumably based on their scintillating conversation, which wasn’t very interesting to me. And they’re already engaged, but the hero only agreed to it for money and he is bound and determined that he will never be so foolish as to fall in love again. Never! Because his first fiance was caught kissing another man in front of half the ton, right? And what is our heroine doing? Kissing men to track down a killer of sorts, to avenge her best friend, who was physically deformed but had a heart of gold — of course. In case you forget, the author will remind you about once every ten pages.
Naturally, Cam sees Mirabella kissing another man 15% into the book, and thereby we are introduced to the primary conflict, which could be resolved if they would just talk to each other. I might have bought Mirabella’s reluctance to open up if it had been written more convincingly, but no. Also, she thinks of Cam by his Christian name throughout much of the book, which grated, considering she wasn’t even willing to really talk to him.
The conflict was far too contrived for me (really: a villain with a hidden scar and a heroine who decides the best way to find him is to kiss all the boys? and a fiance whose very willingness to love was destroyed by a woman kissing another man?), and I didn’t really buy the characters, either. If this is the author’s first book, that might explain a lot, so I may check out some of her other work, but not soon. I hate writing such a bad review, because it wasn’t a complete wallbanger, but I found myself skimming the last 2/3 of the book just to get through it and say I was done.
In summary: Not my cup of tea.
March 4, 2023
Fun,light read for those that like regency/historical romance
August 5, 2011
1. Regency romance 2. Arranged marriage 3. Unrealistically independent heroine 4. Dark, brooding hero who 5. Vows never to love again due to 6. Previous public embarrassment 7. Cuckold 8. But financial ruin 9. Forced to marry pretend to be engaged 10. Premarital sex 11. Cock euphemisms -- "lower body" -- "pelvic area" 12. Toga party 13. Extremely brief misunderstanding 14. Epilogue
You know this is a Regency romance because the characters keep mentioning the ton, also repeated use of words like fichu, curricle, pelisse. But that is the only way you know. The Regency aspect is a thin, thin shell around a mystery and a romance that allow the hero and heroine too much personal freedom for their time. The mystery, while central to the plot, is half over by the time we get there and is about a woman we've never met, though we're told she had a droopy eye like that's instantly supposed to make us feel sorry for her. The POV is sloppy, and a lot of the sex is more embarrassing than hot, but it is all consensual and the heroine initiates most of it. I just didn't buy these characters, or the world they lived in.
Two stars. The decisions the hero and heroine made fit with their characters (as unbelievable as they were), the misunderstandings were not manufactured, and there was a part where the heroine dressed like a man and then made out with her fiancé after he caught her.
eBook: Not only did this have a nice cover, tiny though it was, it also had a back cover, and only a few errors. Free from Kobo.
You know this is a Regency romance because the characters keep mentioning the ton, also repeated use of words like fichu, curricle, pelisse. But that is the only way you know. The Regency aspect is a thin, thin shell around a mystery and a romance that allow the hero and heroine too much personal freedom for their time. The mystery, while central to the plot, is half over by the time we get there and is about a woman we've never met, though we're told she had a droopy eye like that's instantly supposed to make us feel sorry for her. The POV is sloppy, and a lot of the sex is more embarrassing than hot, but it is all consensual and the heroine initiates most of it. I just didn't buy these characters, or the world they lived in.
Two stars. The decisions the hero and heroine made fit with their characters (as unbelievable as they were), the misunderstandings were not manufactured, and there was a part where the heroine dressed like a man and then made out with her fiancé after he caught her.
eBook: Not only did this have a nice cover, tiny though it was, it also had a back cover, and only a few errors. Free from Kobo.
July 22, 2011
Oh la la. This is was a cute, romantic read and I liked the plotline and the banter...to a degree. It was pretty predictable, I figured out whodunit and the would-they-end-up-together pretty easily, but getting there, I will admit, was fun!
One particular thing that bothered me about the main character, Mirabella, was her liberties with the "gentlemen" and her reasons for doing so. It just seemed a little out of character. I mean, I get why she did it, it just was a little silly.
Another mild peeve I had was her ignorance of her own sexuality. Asking her lover, "oohhh, why do I feel like this?", "What is this splendid feeling?". It was pretty comical.
I read it very quickly so obviously it grabbed my attention, but thinking back, it was a little bit flaky. I'll give it four stars.
One particular thing that bothered me about the main character, Mirabella, was her liberties with the "gentlemen" and her reasons for doing so. It just seemed a little out of character. I mean, I get why she did it, it just was a little silly.
Another mild peeve I had was her ignorance of her own sexuality. Asking her lover, "oohhh, why do I feel like this?", "What is this splendid feeling?". It was pretty comical.
I read it very quickly so obviously it grabbed my attention, but thinking back, it was a little bit flaky. I'll give it four stars.
December 7, 2018
Loved this book. Another good one by Amelia.
Camden come home from America.
Mirabella is trying to find the man who ruined her friend Sarah.
Camden finds her kissing men but in spite of that he still wants to marry her.
The sparks develop. When he finds her in a men's club she finally tell him everything.
Camden agrees to help.
Mirabella finds that she loved Camden and he has found out that he loves her
They work together to find the man that ruined her friend.
They find their love in spite of all they went through. Their is for them alon
Camden come home from America.
Mirabella is trying to find the man who ruined her friend Sarah.
Camden finds her kissing men but in spite of that he still wants to marry her.
The sparks develop. When he finds her in a men's club she finally tell him everything.
Camden agrees to help.
Mirabella finds that she loved Camden and he has found out that he loves her
They work together to find the man that ruined her friend.
They find their love in spite of all they went through. Their is for them alon
April 9, 2019
Lack luster character development for Camden. This book mainly focuses on Mirabella’s question and a love at first sight connection. But there’s no real emotional connection driving the relationship. Also, no big resolve to the mission. Felt like a cope out. Also, the characters are two dimensional- we don’t have the real opportunity to emotionally connect to them even though Mirabella is driven by an emotional quest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2020
Belle was on a mission to find the man who left her cousin pregnant, causing her to commit suicide. She wasn't about to let a fiancee show up after 6 years and get in her way. Camden is trying to save his family from ruin and needs a little time to do so. He must continue the engagement but Mirabelle is making it difficult with the ton knowing that she's kissing every man around town.
October 21, 2021
Boring lead characters, cliche secondary characters, a ridiculous plot, and THEN we get to the heroine masquerading as a man? I don't think I've ever read so far into a book and abandoned it, but I've got my standards and this book stepped past ridiculous, into farce, and I don't have any reason to believe it was intentional.
November 19, 2012
The best thing I can say about this book was that it was very readable – I got through it fairly quickly. However, it was definitely not the book for me, for several reasons.
One of those reasons was Mirabella. I hated Mirabella. I hated her for not thinking things through, for not seeing all the possible consequences of her actions, and for abusing the power she had over her maid. She didn't care what happened to her reputation, but she worried that it would affect her father's health if he heard what she had been doing. And yet she kept on kissing men anyway, and didn't stop until after Camden came back. Even after Camden came back, she continued to do things that could have ruined her reputation and would have upset her father. Who made sure things didn't go hideously wrong? Camden. He got her out of the club before anyone realized there was a woman dressed as a man among them, and he hushed up anyone he found out had kissed her.
Was that reason enough to confide to Camden why she did what she did? No. Did starting to fall in love with him lead to a greater feeling of trust in him? No, or at least that was the impression I got based on her actions. Had Mirabella worried about telling Camden about Sarah's suicide because suicide is a sin (we're talking about a Regency romance here, after all), then I might have been a bit more sympathetic, but the thought never even crossed her mind. The one reason she used, over and over, to justify not telling Camden was that he would make her stop looking for the man.
I'd have thought that a man worth falling in love with would be worth trusting a bit more, but apparently that's not the case. At the very least, I'd have thought it would have occurred to Mirabella that a man would have an easier time getting to see another man's bare neck. When the thought did finally occur to her, she didn't approach Camden, an actual man, for help, but rather dressed herself up as a man. I found myself wishing someone would catch her, since I seriously doubted she could pretend to be a man so well, so easily.
And, by the way, she didn't dress herself as a man on her own. No, she got her maid Lily to help her, even going to far as to convince Lily to sneak some of her father's clothes into her room. Mirabella also got Lily to help her dress as a maid, implying that she might dismiss Lily if she didn't help. When Lily brought up the perfectly understandable worry that Mirabella's father might dismiss her if he found out what she'd helped his daughter do, Mirabella assured her that her father would never do such a thing and that she'd see to it nothing happened to her. Yeah, right. Mirabella's complete lack of knowledge about the realities of Lily's life was probably realistic (although it made Mirabella's ability to convincingly pretend to be a maid, even just for a few hours, even harder to believe), but that didn't make me hate her any less. Besides, why worry about realism in a book where the hero and heroine spend quite a bit of time alone and unchaperoned?
I shouldn't limit my complaints to just Mirabella, however – Camden inspired a few himself. After what he went through with his first fiancee, I could understand why he didn't want to marry Mirabella after catching her kissing another man. It's not like Mirabella and Camden even knew each other all that well to begin with, so there wasn't much of an emotional attachment to break off. Okay, so I ground my teeth a little at the idea that Camden could kiss a few women while he was engaged to Mirabella and Mirabella was expected not to do the same, but, hey, it's a Regency romance. What really got to me was Camden's reaction when Mirabella started musing that she might make a good mistress.
Camden had basically said that he couldn't marry Mirabella because he couldn't trust that she'd be faithful to him, and that their renewed engagement was a sham. However, even though he didn't think she was good enough for him to marry, he didn't think she was so soiled that she should become someone's mistress. She should find a nice man to marry. Just not him. Maybe someone who didn't know she'd kissed other men and wouldn't worry that she wasn't being faithful to him? But, oh, wait, Camden still had to get a few kisses in, because he found Mirabella so sexy. But not pure enough to marry.
Oh, barf.
So, I hated Mirabella, I was very, very annoyed by Camden, and I figured out who Sarah's former lover was within the first 50 pages, . Like I said, this book is readable, and the pace is fairly good, but it definitely didn't fit my tastes. Had I not disliked Mirabella and Camden so much, I probably would have enjoyed their conversations, so I'm not going to completely cross this author off my personal list. That said, I'd have to spot one of her books at a used bookstore, because I'm not buying DRM-protected e-books and Grey hasn't impressed me enough to make me want to shell out the money for a new book.
(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
One of those reasons was Mirabella. I hated Mirabella. I hated her for not thinking things through, for not seeing all the possible consequences of her actions, and for abusing the power she had over her maid. She didn't care what happened to her reputation, but she worried that it would affect her father's health if he heard what she had been doing. And yet she kept on kissing men anyway, and didn't stop until after Camden came back. Even after Camden came back, she continued to do things that could have ruined her reputation and would have upset her father. Who made sure things didn't go hideously wrong? Camden. He got her out of the club before anyone realized there was a woman dressed as a man among them, and he hushed up anyone he found out had kissed her.
Was that reason enough to confide to Camden why she did what she did? No. Did starting to fall in love with him lead to a greater feeling of trust in him? No, or at least that was the impression I got based on her actions. Had Mirabella worried about telling Camden about Sarah's suicide because suicide is a sin (we're talking about a Regency romance here, after all), then I might have been a bit more sympathetic, but the thought never even crossed her mind. The one reason she used, over and over, to justify not telling Camden was that he would make her stop looking for the man.
I'd have thought that a man worth falling in love with would be worth trusting a bit more, but apparently that's not the case. At the very least, I'd have thought it would have occurred to Mirabella that a man would have an easier time getting to see another man's bare neck. When the thought did finally occur to her, she didn't approach Camden, an actual man, for help, but rather dressed herself up as a man. I found myself wishing someone would catch her, since I seriously doubted she could pretend to be a man so well, so easily.
And, by the way, she didn't dress herself as a man on her own. No, she got her maid Lily to help her, even going to far as to convince Lily to sneak some of her father's clothes into her room. Mirabella also got Lily to help her dress as a maid, implying that she might dismiss Lily if she didn't help. When Lily brought up the perfectly understandable worry that Mirabella's father might dismiss her if he found out what she'd helped his daughter do, Mirabella assured her that her father would never do such a thing and that she'd see to it nothing happened to her. Yeah, right. Mirabella's complete lack of knowledge about the realities of Lily's life was probably realistic (although it made Mirabella's ability to convincingly pretend to be a maid, even just for a few hours, even harder to believe), but that didn't make me hate her any less. Besides, why worry about realism in a book where the hero and heroine spend quite a bit of time alone and unchaperoned?
I shouldn't limit my complaints to just Mirabella, however – Camden inspired a few himself. After what he went through with his first fiancee, I could understand why he didn't want to marry Mirabella after catching her kissing another man. It's not like Mirabella and Camden even knew each other all that well to begin with, so there wasn't much of an emotional attachment to break off. Okay, so I ground my teeth a little at the idea that Camden could kiss a few women while he was engaged to Mirabella and Mirabella was expected not to do the same, but, hey, it's a Regency romance. What really got to me was Camden's reaction when Mirabella started musing that she might make a good mistress.
Camden had basically said that he couldn't marry Mirabella because he couldn't trust that she'd be faithful to him, and that their renewed engagement was a sham. However, even though he didn't think she was good enough for him to marry, he didn't think she was so soiled that she should become someone's mistress. She should find a nice man to marry. Just not him. Maybe someone who didn't know she'd kissed other men and wouldn't worry that she wasn't being faithful to him? But, oh, wait, Camden still had to get a few kisses in, because he found Mirabella so sexy. But not pure enough to marry.
Oh, barf.
So, I hated Mirabella, I was very, very annoyed by Camden, and I figured out who Sarah's former lover was within the first 50 pages, . Like I said, this book is readable, and the pace is fairly good, but it definitely didn't fit my tastes. Had I not disliked Mirabella and Camden so much, I probably would have enjoyed their conversations, so I'm not going to completely cross this author off my personal list. That said, I'd have to spot one of her books at a used bookstore, because I'm not buying DRM-protected e-books and Grey hasn't impressed me enough to make me want to shell out the money for a new book.
(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
January 18, 2019
Never a Bride
This was an excellent book I couldn't hardly put it down because I couldn't wait to see what happened next.I would highly recommend this book to any one who wants an excellent read.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
This was an excellent book I couldn't hardly put it down because I couldn't wait to see what happened next.I would highly recommend this book to any one who wants an excellent read.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
October 29, 2022
Another one from the freebie pile, and another example of "I guess you get what you pay for".
The plot is a bunch of contrived silliness, neither of the protagonists are at all likable, and I mostly just skimmed the sex scenes because there are only so many ridiculous euphemisms I can tolerate.
The plot is a bunch of contrived silliness, neither of the protagonists are at all likable, and I mostly just skimmed the sex scenes because there are only so many ridiculous euphemisms I can tolerate.
August 31, 2023
This was better than I expected! It had a nice amount of angst and I did like the characters though at times, their internal monologues were repetitive and the dialogue felt stilted. I also thought the ending was rather anti-climatic.
December 1, 2017
This is really good.
April 25, 2019
Classic boy meets girl
Enjoyed beginning to .end. Author definitely did her homework. Much attention to detail of the age. Looking forward to reading more.
Enjoyed beginning to .end. Author definitely did her homework. Much attention to detail of the age. Looking forward to reading more.
June 26, 2019
Not to my taste, but I do like some of this author's other books.
April 21, 2020
Neither the relationship not the sub-plot mystery seemed to develop with depth or resolve satisfactorily, but I liked the characters and the style is sweet to read.
April 23, 2020
boring but well written
February 24, 2012
I honestly can't remember if this was a free download or if I bought it — either way, it was an enjoyable read. The heroine was betrothed to a stranger years and years ago, but the fiancé left the country and hasn't come back, hasn't written her, hasn't in any way tried to keep in touch and reassure her or even to set her free to marry someone else. Plus, before he left, she overheard him say essentially that he didn't want to marry her and won't come back to claim her. He said this privately in the heat of the moment because he had just escaped the scandal of his former fiancée's public cheating, so naturally he'd probably just sworn off women forever altogether.
Again, this was all years and years go, and this poor heroine has pretty much given up on her fiancé and any idea of marriage to anyone. She figures she's been left high and dry to wither on the shelf into old maid territory. She's getting a little long in the tooth, so who would want to marry her anyway, right? Besides, she's just found her best friend's diary — her best friend died, and the diary reveals that it was a suicide because she found herself pregnant, and the father of the child, a secret lover that the heroine (as close as she was to her best friend) had never even known about, had absolutely no intention of marrying her.
So the heroine is determined to find out who this secret lover is. She figures it's because of him that her friend is dead, and she wants to reveal him for who he is and destroy his reputation. First thing's first — she must find out who he is, and there are only a few clues in the diary about height, background, and certain marks. Most significant of these clues is a scar in the neck area, and this is a time when men wear neckcloths. What's the best way to find out if a man has a scar?
The heroine must kiss him, of course, and use the opportunity to feel the suspect's neck for scarred tissue.
So you can guess her strategy — narrow down a list of the men with the right height and circumstances, and then try to kiss them all until she's found the man. I mean, what's her reputation anyway? It's not like she has anything going on in the romance department, her fiancé having completely abandoned her. Why not give her life some meaning and try to find a killer.
Here is where the book actually starts. The heroine has already done some kissing, and she's done it in a way that's gotten the men to start talking about her amongst themselves in that locker room kind of way, and there are people who care about her who have started to become concerned about her reputation. After all, she's allowing herself to be taken momentarily to private places ... unchaperoned.
Meanwhile ... the fiancé has come back to the country. His parents are among those concerned about her reputation, so they've pleaded with him to come back, and he returns to find them in financial straits. He'd been trying to earn a fortune in America, but now he'll stay in London and maybe claim his bride.
Luckily for him, he and the heroine have some chemistry. Unluckily for him, the rumors about her remind him too much of the scandal that had him leaving the country in the first place. He's determined not to have history repeat himself, so he breaks off the betrothal ... or tries to. He still needs her dowry because of his family's financial situation. Wow. What to do?
So that's the set up of the whole story, and it unfolds further from that as the heroine continues to try to find the man her best friend slept with. It's a bit of a historical romantic suspense that way, so it was fun trying to figure out who the killer was independent of the heroine.
I like that the heroine was honest with the hero and told him the reasoning behind her actions, which had led to the rumors, and I like that he decided to help her.
All in all, not bad, a fun read.
Again, this was all years and years go, and this poor heroine has pretty much given up on her fiancé and any idea of marriage to anyone. She figures she's been left high and dry to wither on the shelf into old maid territory. She's getting a little long in the tooth, so who would want to marry her anyway, right? Besides, she's just found her best friend's diary — her best friend died, and the diary reveals that it was a suicide because she found herself pregnant, and the father of the child, a secret lover that the heroine (as close as she was to her best friend) had never even known about, had absolutely no intention of marrying her.
So the heroine is determined to find out who this secret lover is. She figures it's because of him that her friend is dead, and she wants to reveal him for who he is and destroy his reputation. First thing's first — she must find out who he is, and there are only a few clues in the diary about height, background, and certain marks. Most significant of these clues is a scar in the neck area, and this is a time when men wear neckcloths. What's the best way to find out if a man has a scar?
The heroine must kiss him, of course, and use the opportunity to feel the suspect's neck for scarred tissue.
So you can guess her strategy — narrow down a list of the men with the right height and circumstances, and then try to kiss them all until she's found the man. I mean, what's her reputation anyway? It's not like she has anything going on in the romance department, her fiancé having completely abandoned her. Why not give her life some meaning and try to find a killer.
Here is where the book actually starts. The heroine has already done some kissing, and she's done it in a way that's gotten the men to start talking about her amongst themselves in that locker room kind of way, and there are people who care about her who have started to become concerned about her reputation. After all, she's allowing herself to be taken momentarily to private places ... unchaperoned.
Meanwhile ... the fiancé has come back to the country. His parents are among those concerned about her reputation, so they've pleaded with him to come back, and he returns to find them in financial straits. He'd been trying to earn a fortune in America, but now he'll stay in London and maybe claim his bride.
Luckily for him, he and the heroine have some chemistry. Unluckily for him, the rumors about her remind him too much of the scandal that had him leaving the country in the first place. He's determined not to have history repeat himself, so he breaks off the betrothal ... or tries to. He still needs her dowry because of his family's financial situation. Wow. What to do?
So that's the set up of the whole story, and it unfolds further from that as the heroine continues to try to find the man her best friend slept with. It's a bit of a historical romantic suspense that way, so it was fun trying to figure out who the killer was independent of the heroine.
I like that the heroine was honest with the hero and told him the reasoning behind her actions, which had led to the rumors, and I like that he decided to help her.
All in all, not bad, a fun read.
March 1, 2014
Mirabella Whittingham ist seit sechs Jahren mit dem Viscount Camden Brackley verlobt, doch dieser ist ebenso lange auch schon in Amerika und nichts deutet darauf hin, dass er sein Eheversprechen bald einzulösen gedenkt. Mirabella hat daher keine Skrupell bei ihrer Suche nach dem Schuft, der ihre Cousine Sarah auf dem Gewissen hat. Diese hatte sich das Leben genommen, nachdem sie entdeckte dass sie schwanger war und der verantwortliche Gentleman überhaupt nicht daran dachte sie zu heiraten. Alles was Mirabella weiß, hat sie aus Sarahs Tagebuch: Ein kleiner Mann aus der Gesellschaft des Ton mit einer Narbe am Nacken. Dies und Sarahs alte Tanzkarten sind ihr einziger Hinweis. Da Gentlemen für gewöhnlich ihre Nacken nicht in der Gesellschaft zeigen, hat Mirabella einen Trick gefunden wie sie herausfindet was sie wissen will: Systematisch lässt sie sich von den fraglichen Gentlemen von Sarahs Tanzkarte bei Gesellschaften zur Abkühlung in abgelegene Ecken eskortieren und dort von ihnen küssen. Dabei fährt sie mit dem Finger in den Nacken und ertastet dort nach der Narbe. Doch leider sind Gentlemen nicht gleich Gentlemen und so ist sie rasch der Gegenstand von Gerüchten. So überrascht auch ihr just zurückgekehrter Verlobter sie in einer solch peinlichen Situation und möchte erbost die Verlobung lösen. Doch die finanziellen Umstände seiner Familie und die Rücksicht auf die schlechte Gesundheit von Mirabellas Vater lassen die beide einen Pakt schließen: Sie spielen das verliebte und verlobte Paar bis zum Frühjahr und lösen dann in beidseitigen Einvernehmen die Sache auf. Doch die gegenseitige Anziehungskraft macht den beiden bald einen Strich durch die Rechnung..
Nichts Neues in diesem Genre und doch eine muntere und abwechslungsreiche Geschichte mit sympathischen Charakteren. Mirabellas Mut und ihre Schlagfertigkeit muss man bewundern und ebenso ihren Gegenpart, der bereits schon mal von einer Verlobten vor der Gesellschaft blamiert wurde. Camden glaubt schon fast an ein Deja-vu ehe er nach und nach Mirabellas Gründe für ihre mutigen und doch auch gefährlichen Taten aufdeckt.
Mir haben auf jeden Fall die spritzigen Dialoge zwischen Mirabella und Camden gefallen, die sich gegenseitig die Butter nicht vom Brot nehmen lassen.
Wer dieses Genre gerne liest, dem kann ich das Buch nur empfehlen, obgleich ich nicht weiß ob von dieser Autorin bereits ein Buch auf dem Deutschen Markt erschienen ist. Ich habe sie mir jedenfalls gemerkt und bereits eine Leseprobe von ihren anderen historischen Liebesromanen gesehen und gemocht.
Unterhaltung auf dem für historische Liebesromane üblichen Niveau der besseren Art und für Fans auf jeden Fall eine Empfehlung!
Nichts Neues in diesem Genre und doch eine muntere und abwechslungsreiche Geschichte mit sympathischen Charakteren. Mirabellas Mut und ihre Schlagfertigkeit muss man bewundern und ebenso ihren Gegenpart, der bereits schon mal von einer Verlobten vor der Gesellschaft blamiert wurde. Camden glaubt schon fast an ein Deja-vu ehe er nach und nach Mirabellas Gründe für ihre mutigen und doch auch gefährlichen Taten aufdeckt.
Mir haben auf jeden Fall die spritzigen Dialoge zwischen Mirabella und Camden gefallen, die sich gegenseitig die Butter nicht vom Brot nehmen lassen.
Wer dieses Genre gerne liest, dem kann ich das Buch nur empfehlen, obgleich ich nicht weiß ob von dieser Autorin bereits ein Buch auf dem Deutschen Markt erschienen ist. Ich habe sie mir jedenfalls gemerkt und bereits eine Leseprobe von ihren anderen historischen Liebesromanen gesehen und gemocht.
Unterhaltung auf dem für historische Liebesromane üblichen Niveau der besseren Art und für Fans auf jeden Fall eine Empfehlung!
September 16, 2010
I liked this one, I can't say what it was, perhaps the dry humour of it all, but this was my to date favourite Amelia Grey book.
Mirabella is the heroine who has been kissing gentlemen in the garden and touching their necks. The buzz is out, but she doesn't care of her reputation suffers because she wants to find the man who ruined her cousin. But sadly her plans fall apart when her fiancé shows up again. He has been gone for 6 years, and by now she had kind of thought that he would never return to marry her. It doesn't get better that since they never met back then they now can't recognize each other.
I must say, her going around kissing men was great fun. And at that time one little kiss was one big scandal. Just because the viscount is back doesn't men she stops, now she makes new plan, and her plans, yes they are great fun to read about.
Mirabella is one forward heroine, I like that she loves so deeply that she cares more for her cousin than herself. Camden, our hero is quite taken by her, but he is also shocked and not sure what to do. So of course I wanted her to just tell him! But then where would the drama be then. Now let things unfold on their own because it did make me want to know what would happen. And if Mirabella ever would find that man who disgraced her cousin.
This was one sweet historical romance with a couple who liked each other, but those kisses kept them apart. There is also the mystery surrounding her cousin, and her putting herself into situations that would be rather reckless considering.
What is left to say, except that this is my kind of historical romance. It suits me well.
October 6, 2011
Mirabella has given up hope that her fiance, Viscount Stonehurst, will ever return to marry her. Their fathers fixed the match six years ago after which he left for the Americas declaring he'd only return and marry her when he was old and gray. Since she was destined to be a spinster what would it hurt if she let a few gentlemen steal a kiss in the garden? Especially if the kisses revealed the identity of the man who drove her best friend Sarah to suicide? When Viscount Stonehurst returns unexpectedly, it creates more than one embarrassing moment for Mirabella.
This is the author's first Regency and it does show. What was surprising is that this isn't this author's first novel, she writes under a different name as well. My biggest criticism of this book was the dialogue. Mirabella is no novice to the ton or to the rules of society. It is not quite believable that she would as if she had no social filter on what she says or that she would be so forthcoming and unguarded with her returned fiance, especially at first.
In addition, the author does not fully establish why some characters would act as they do in the story. The "bad guy" for example, (he's not the actual antagonist in this story) is not really established as someone who would act as he does. There are no flaws revealed in his character until the last handful of pages when he's "revealed". It wasn't a surprise he ends up being the baddie, but Grey does not establish his character in this vein. Finally, the characters are likable, but they don't work as a couple. The chemistry feels forced.
It's a nice little story, just don't have great expectations.
This is the author's first Regency and it does show. What was surprising is that this isn't this author's first novel, she writes under a different name as well. My biggest criticism of this book was the dialogue. Mirabella is no novice to the ton or to the rules of society. It is not quite believable that she would as if she had no social filter on what she says or that she would be so forthcoming and unguarded with her returned fiance, especially at first.
In addition, the author does not fully establish why some characters would act as they do in the story. The "bad guy" for example, (he's not the actual antagonist in this story) is not really established as someone who would act as he does. There are no flaws revealed in his character until the last handful of pages when he's "revealed". It wasn't a surprise he ends up being the baddie, but Grey does not establish his character in this vein. Finally, the characters are likable, but they don't work as a couple. The chemistry feels forced.
It's a nice little story, just don't have great expectations.
December 18, 2011
Overall a cute book which I enjoyed reading, but I had issues with both the hero and heroine at times. As in I wanted to shake them both on several occasions. The hero, even while realizing that he was beginning to fall in love with the heroine, still clung to his foolish, "Well, I was burned badly once before, and even though this woman was nothing like my first impression of her, I still can't marry her, because she's kissed a bunch of men and therefore impure and not trustworthy at all." And the heroine, while trying to do a good thing in finding the man responsible for her friend's suicide, often veered into TSTL territory.
Actually, she could have just asked me, because I had it figured out by the opening pages of the book. And, I think that was my biggest issue with the book: I could get past my issues with the two leads, but the total transparency of the guilty party totally took away from the mystery aspect of the story.
On the good side, I did enjoy the interaction/dialogue between Camden and Mirabella, and the progression of their romance did seem to flow nicely, if a bit rushed at times. Oh, and I loved the fact that when Camden was laying into Mirabella for kissing young what's-his-name that she didn't waste anytime throwing part of the responsibility right back at him. Good for you, Mirabella!
Actually, she could have just asked me, because I had it figured out by the opening pages of the book. And, I think that was my biggest issue with the book: I could get past my issues with the two leads, but the total transparency of the guilty party totally took away from the mystery aspect of the story.
On the good side, I did enjoy the interaction/dialogue between Camden and Mirabella, and the progression of their romance did seem to flow nicely, if a bit rushed at times. Oh, and I loved the fact that when Camden was laying into Mirabella for kissing young what's-his-name that she didn't waste anytime throwing part of the responsibility right back at him. Good for you, Mirabella!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2011
I had forgotten how this one wound up on my shelf, but I'd never read anything by this author before receiving it as RABMK (random act of bookmooching kindness as it came along with some books I'd mooched). This appears to be her first novel, and I can only hope things improve from there. Several premises are just too hokey to be possible, and the bad guy is so obvious from the outset that it's pretty irritating. The very idea of the heroine poking around in men's collars to find a scar is fairly pathetic, and the other efforts she makes to find the killer (working in a tavern, dressing as a man and going to a club -where no one recognizes the travesty, right???!!) are equally implausible, or at least written in such a way as to remain unconvincing.
Why the hero falls for her is a bit of stretch as well, but I guess a certain amount of chemistry has to be allowed for. It feels like there were lots of options the author toyed with but didn't follow up. The relationship between the heroine and her maid feels like more should come of it or at least their outings could be described, Hudson and his romance are introduced and then dropped, the notorious rival who is going to try to trap Camden is dropped, the killer is identified, and then it ends.
Parts of it are not bad, despite what I've said, so maybe in later books the author has more follow-through.
Why the hero falls for her is a bit of stretch as well, but I guess a certain amount of chemistry has to be allowed for. It feels like there were lots of options the author toyed with but didn't follow up. The relationship between the heroine and her maid feels like more should come of it or at least their outings could be described, Hudson and his romance are introduced and then dropped, the notorious rival who is going to try to trap Camden is dropped, the killer is identified, and then it ends.
Parts of it are not bad, despite what I've said, so maybe in later books the author has more follow-through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2010
From My Blog...
Amelia Grey sweeps the reader back to the Regency era where within the ton, all ladies are proper and men are gentleman, or so it appears. Appearances can be quite deceiving and deception is well played in Never A Bride. Lady Mirabella Wittingham has been quite the talk of the ton, first her fiancé Viscount Camden Brackley up and leaves her for America, and worse is Lady Mirabella’s obsession with kissing all the eligible men in the ton. True, Lady Mirabella has just cause for she is searching for the rogue who lead to the tragic end of her young cousin’s life. However in so doing, she may destroy her reputation unless her wayward fiancé is able to assist her in the quest. Never A Bride is a fairly predictable read in one sense and a delightful mystery in another. Grey does an excellent job combining mystery and romance amongst the Regency era backdrop. Grey’s characters are without a doubt interesting and quite unconventional, especially the main characters Camden and Mirabella. Overall, Never A Bride makes for a charming afternoon of reading. Her next Regency book A Viscount to Wed will be released in the spring of 2011. Fans of Regency romance novels with strong and unconventional characters will most likely enjoy this novel.
Amelia Grey sweeps the reader back to the Regency era where within the ton, all ladies are proper and men are gentleman, or so it appears. Appearances can be quite deceiving and deception is well played in Never A Bride. Lady Mirabella Wittingham has been quite the talk of the ton, first her fiancé Viscount Camden Brackley up and leaves her for America, and worse is Lady Mirabella’s obsession with kissing all the eligible men in the ton. True, Lady Mirabella has just cause for she is searching for the rogue who lead to the tragic end of her young cousin’s life. However in so doing, she may destroy her reputation unless her wayward fiancé is able to assist her in the quest. Never A Bride is a fairly predictable read in one sense and a delightful mystery in another. Grey does an excellent job combining mystery and romance amongst the Regency era backdrop. Grey’s characters are without a doubt interesting and quite unconventional, especially the main characters Camden and Mirabella. Overall, Never A Bride makes for a charming afternoon of reading. Her next Regency book A Viscount to Wed will be released in the spring of 2011. Fans of Regency romance novels with strong and unconventional characters will most likely enjoy this novel.
July 11, 2011
This was cute...
Mirabella has been engaged for six years to a man she's never met, a man who left England for America days after becoming engaged to her.
She's an ongoing joke through the seasons as she waits upon the shelf for him to return.
A friend, who is more like a sister to her, dies and when Mirabella discovers that it was a suicide, she decides to try and find the scoundrel that seduced Sarah. She doesn't have a lot of clues to go on, just that he has a thick scar on his neck.
Mirabella decides she has to get close to the men on her list and kissing is really the only way to do it...so she can slide her little finger into their collars to feel for the scar.
Her long missing fiance' arrives just as she is checking out one more man.
To his surprise she blames HIM for her indiscretions...totally throws him for a loop. And she keeps him on his toes from then on.
It was cute, although I had pretty much figured out who the rogue was long before the reveal. A drawback for me was the final conversations...they seemed stilted after the witty repartee that came throughout the book.
This book was a free KINDLE download at Amazon. I would have paid a bit for it...
Mirabella has been engaged for six years to a man she's never met, a man who left England for America days after becoming engaged to her.
She's an ongoing joke through the seasons as she waits upon the shelf for him to return.
A friend, who is more like a sister to her, dies and when Mirabella discovers that it was a suicide, she decides to try and find the scoundrel that seduced Sarah. She doesn't have a lot of clues to go on, just that he has a thick scar on his neck.
Mirabella decides she has to get close to the men on her list and kissing is really the only way to do it...so she can slide her little finger into their collars to feel for the scar.
Her long missing fiance' arrives just as she is checking out one more man.
To his surprise she blames HIM for her indiscretions...totally throws him for a loop. And she keeps him on his toes from then on.
It was cute, although I had pretty much figured out who the rogue was long before the reveal. A drawback for me was the final conversations...they seemed stilted after the witty repartee that came throughout the book.
This book was a free KINDLE download at Amazon. I would have paid a bit for it...
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