What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wedding Affair
You're invited to the wedding of the year!
The Duke of Somervale, whose sister's wedding is the event of the ton, is fighting off debutantes and desperately needs help from beautiful, stubborn Olivia Reyne. But she is engrossed with problems engulfing her dearest friends and family. The last thing Olivia needs is to be embroiled with a duke whose dark gaze makes her forget herself entirely...
383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
15 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Michaels
351 books173 followersLeigh Michaels is the pseudonym used by LeAnn Lemberger (b. July 27 in Iowa, United States), a popular United States writer of over 85 romance novels. She has published with Harlequin, Sourcebooks, Montlake Romance, Writers Digest Books, and Arcadia Publishing. She teaches romance writing at Gotham Writers' Workshop (www.writingclasses.com) She is the author of On Writing Romance.
When Leigh was fifteen she wrote her first romance novel and burned it. She burned five more complete manuscripts before submitting to a publisher. The first submission was accepted by Harlequin, the only publisher to look at it, and was published in 1984.
Michaels was born in Iowa, United States. She received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, after three years of study and maintained a 3.93 grade-point average. She received the Robert Bliss Award as top-ranking senior in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and won a national William Randolph Hearst Award for feature-writing as an undergraduate.
She is married to Michael W. Lemberger, an artist-photographer.
When Leigh was fifteen she wrote her first romance novel and burned it. She burned five more complete manuscripts before submitting to a publisher. The first submission was accepted by Harlequin, the only publisher to look at it, and was published in 1984.
Michaels was born in Iowa, United States. She received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, after three years of study and maintained a 3.93 grade-point average. She received the Robert Bliss Award as top-ranking senior in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and won a national William Randolph Hearst Award for feature-writing as an undergraduate.
She is married to Michael W. Lemberger, an artist-photographer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 9, 2016
Dull, boring, and formulaic - three words I would use to describe the story. Even though it features three different couples and you get three romances for the price of one so to speak, none of them made impression on me. There were not really bad but not good either, just humdrum.
All three were annoyingly paint-by -the numbers predictable. There are probably three checklists somewhere and the author was using them to check off the items.
While reading romance, I don’t expect a masterpiece but at least a little originality which can go a long way. None of it can be found here.
All three were annoyingly paint-by -the numbers predictable. There are probably three checklists somewhere and the author was using them to check off the items.
While reading romance, I don’t expect a masterpiece but at least a little originality which can go a long way. None of it can be found here.
April 8, 2021
Kısacık tatlış bir historicaldi. 3 farklı çiftin hikayesini okuduğumuz bu seride ilk ve ana çiftimiz simon ve Olivia'ydı. Simon bir dük, Olivia ise dul bir baronet. Üstelik bir çocuğu var. Başta ilişkileri kadının paraya ihtiyacı olmasından adamında ünvan peşinde koşan ısrarcı anneler ve kızlarından kurtulmayı istemesinden dolayı bir araya geliyorlar. Kızı başta metres ve anlaşmalı iş ortağı olarak alıyor ve zamanla aşık oluyorlar. Bu hikayede tek şaşırdığım nokta Simonun kardeşi Daphne oldu. Çünkü Daphne ve Simonun annesi o kadar iyi bir kadın ki bu kız nasıl bu kadar şımarık olmuş acaba dedim 😂
İkinci çiftimiz evli bir çift olan Kont ve kontes Charles ve Penolope. Charles anlayışlı, ünvan sahibi fakir bir adamken Penny babadan zengin halktan bir kesim. Hal böyle olunca babası kızını fakir bir kontla evlendiriyor. Tabi bir sorun var. O da kontun çok anlayışlı olması. Şimdi bu nasıl sorun olabilir diyebilirsiniz ama okurken fark ediyorsunuz ki adam kendi kendine yaratmış o sorunları 😂 Neyse ki direkten dönüp aralarındaki sorunları hallediyorlar.
Üçüncü çiftimiz Kate ve Andrew. Gençlik dönemlerinde ufak bir şeyler olmuş ama sonra bir şekilde ayrılmışlar. Yıllar sonra düğünde tekrar buluşuyorlar. Kate babası yakın bir zamanda öldüğü için yarı yasta ama paraya ve işe ihtiyacı olduğu için Düğüne yardım etmeye karar veriyor. Bu sırada Andrew ile tekrar karşılaşıyor.
Roman bu üç çift hakkında olsada kitabın sonunda tatlı bir twist yapıp dördüncü çiftimizi açığa çıkarıyor. Kitabın gerisinden fark edebildiğimiz tatlı ipuçları sayesinde anlıyoruz biz zaten ama kitabın sonunda netleşiyor :)
Tatlış ve uzun olmayan, yormayan bir historical okumak istiyorsanız okumalısınız :)
İkinci çiftimiz evli bir çift olan Kont ve kontes Charles ve Penolope. Charles anlayışlı, ünvan sahibi fakir bir adamken Penny babadan zengin halktan bir kesim. Hal böyle olunca babası kızını fakir bir kontla evlendiriyor. Tabi bir sorun var. O da kontun çok anlayışlı olması. Şimdi bu nasıl sorun olabilir diyebilirsiniz ama okurken fark ediyorsunuz ki adam kendi kendine yaratmış o sorunları 😂 Neyse ki direkten dönüp aralarındaki sorunları hallediyorlar.
Üçüncü çiftimiz Kate ve Andrew. Gençlik dönemlerinde ufak bir şeyler olmuş ama sonra bir şekilde ayrılmışlar. Yıllar sonra düğünde tekrar buluşuyorlar. Kate babası yakın bir zamanda öldüğü için yarı yasta ama paraya ve işe ihtiyacı olduğu için Düğüne yardım etmeye karar veriyor. Bu sırada Andrew ile tekrar karşılaşıyor.
Roman bu üç çift hakkında olsada kitabın sonunda tatlı bir twist yapıp dördüncü çiftimizi açığa çıkarıyor. Kitabın gerisinden fark edebildiğimiz tatlı ipuçları sayesinde anlıyoruz biz zaten ama kitabın sonunda netleşiyor :)
Tatlış ve uzun olmayan, yormayan bir historical okumak istiyorsanız okumalısınız :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2012
The book consists of three intertwined stories. The backdrop is a wedding of a duke's sister on a country estate. A lot of people (including matrimony hungry bridesmaids) came. And six of them went home much happier.
******
The first story is about a poor widowed countess, who out of desperation agrees to play a fiancee to a duke (so that she could intervene if a bridesmaid tries to trap the duke), while of course being his mistress as well.
The story was interesting, and I liked the duke, even though he could be a tad insensitive at times. But he was also gentle and understanding. The countess' first marriage was a nightmare, but she managed to make a life for herself and her daughter. And then she met a handsome duke. :-)
******
The second story is about a vicar's daughter and her old crush. Since her father died she needs to find a place for herself, whether as the new vicar's wife or as a companion to a wealthy aristocrat. What she can't do is fall for a handsome, but penniless, adventurer.
This was my least favorite story. I didn't like the heroine, and wasn't too much impressed by the hero. They tended to fade into the background when compared to the other couples.
******
The third story is about a married couple who are unhappy in their marriage. She's was heiress, but a commoner, and he's was an earl in desperate need of blunt.
This is one is my favorite. I love the stories of couples already married. I adore the earl, even though he could appear cold at times. His countess is great as well. Warm, but desperately wanting a real marriage. And her father is a riot. :D
******
But my favorite character is Lady Stone, a meddling dowager. She is incredible! I adore her, she's not afraid to say what's on her mind, and her romance with the colonel, so sweet. :-)
Rating:
3.5 stars
******
The first story is about a poor widowed countess, who out of desperation agrees to play a fiancee to a duke (so that she could intervene if a bridesmaid tries to trap the duke), while of course being his mistress as well.
The story was interesting, and I liked the duke, even though he could be a tad insensitive at times. But he was also gentle and understanding. The countess' first marriage was a nightmare, but she managed to make a life for herself and her daughter. And then she met a handsome duke. :-)
******
The second story is about a vicar's daughter and her old crush. Since her father died she needs to find a place for herself, whether as the new vicar's wife or as a companion to a wealthy aristocrat. What she can't do is fall for a handsome, but penniless, adventurer.
This was my least favorite story. I didn't like the heroine, and wasn't too much impressed by the hero. They tended to fade into the background when compared to the other couples.
******
The third story is about a married couple who are unhappy in their marriage. She's was heiress, but a commoner, and he's was an earl in desperate need of blunt.
This is one is my favorite. I love the stories of couples already married. I adore the earl, even though he could appear cold at times. His countess is great as well. Warm, but desperately wanting a real marriage. And her father is a riot. :D
******
But my favorite character is Lady Stone, a meddling dowager. She is incredible! I adore her, she's not afraid to say what's on her mind, and her romance with the colonel, so sweet. :-)
Rating:
3.5 stars
April 8, 2013
Favorite lines:
Kate was speechless. The sheer conceit of the man, to think she'd had nothing better to do on any given day than to contemplate where in the world he might be! "The only thing I wonder," she said tartly, "is why no cannibal ever boiled you in your own impertinence. Since none has, the obvious conclusion is that you have never come face to face with one!" --p. 111
Kate was speechless. The sheer conceit of the man, to think she'd had nothing better to do on any given day than to contemplate where in the world he might be! "The only thing I wonder," she said tartly, "is why no cannibal ever boiled you in your own impertinence. Since none has, the obvious conclusion is that you have never come face to face with one!" --p. 111
January 23, 2016
Bir tane değil tam üç çiftin hikayesinin güzel bir şekilde anlatıldığı bir roman oldu benim için. Çok da sevimli bir kitap.
January 26, 2016
Yazarı ilk defa okuyorum...Çok sevimli bir hikaye idi.Okurken elimden bırakamadım..Üç genç kadının hikayesi idi...
June 8, 2021
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce livre. Pas de grosse surprise concernant l'histoire mais de chouettes scènes et personnages qui m'ont beaucoup amusées.
October 6, 2025
2.5'luk çerez bi hisromdu.
3'e yuvarlayasım gelmedi.
➰️En merak ettiğim çift Charles ve Penelope olmasına rağmen bence kitaptaki en az bölüme sahip çift onlardı. Neden ya cidden neden...
➰️En merak etmediğim ve sıkıcı olan çift Olivia ve Simon olmasına rağmen kitapta en çok bölüme sahip olan da onlardı.
➰️En ruhsuz ve saçma çekişmelere sahip olan çift ise Kate ve Andrew çiftiydi.
Kısacası okumasam da olurmuş. Beğenmedim.
3'e yuvarlayasım gelmedi.
➰️En merak ettiğim çift Charles ve Penelope olmasına rağmen bence kitaptaki en az bölüme sahip çift onlardı. Neden ya cidden neden...
➰️En merak etmediğim ve sıkıcı olan çift Olivia ve Simon olmasına rağmen kitapta en çok bölüme sahip olan da onlardı.
➰️En ruhsuz ve saçma çekişmelere sahip olan çift ise Kate ve Andrew çiftiydi.
Kısacası okumasam da olurmuş. Beğenmedim.
November 26, 2011
I wasn't sure how this book was going to be seeing as how it toggles three different stories. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the author handled it beautifully. All three stories and their characters all connect and work together simultaneously. Very well done.
June 10, 2012
Three stories woven artfully together, all with equal emphasis. That's quite a feat. I was equally involved in all of them, and the plots and emotional arcs all worked beautifully. A quick read. I finished it in one day.
April 3, 2017
En ce moment, aucun livre ne me fait envie et c'est encore pire du côté des romances historiques. Du coup, j'ai décidé de m'attaquer à ma PAL papier.
Je n'avais encore jamais lu de Leigh Michaels mais c'est une erreur que je suis contente de rectifier : cette romance avec ses trois histoires entremêlées m'a tenu en haleine une très grosse partie de la nuit (je n'ai pas pu poser ce livre avant de l'avoir fini). Certes, il y a quelques clichés et il n'y a pas de grandes surprises dans cette romance mais j'ai apprécié la façon dont l'auteure avait travaillé ses personnages. Ses héroïnes sont des femmes fortes, qui n'hésitent pas à prendre des décisions, et les couples sont bien assortis. Il était intéressant de les voir tous les trois évoluer, même si j'ai une préférence pour celui du duc de Somervale.
Et maintenant, il me reste un autre roman de Leigh Michaels dans ma PAL papier à découvrir !
Je n'avais encore jamais lu de Leigh Michaels mais c'est une erreur que je suis contente de rectifier : cette romance avec ses trois histoires entremêlées m'a tenu en haleine une très grosse partie de la nuit (je n'ai pas pu poser ce livre avant de l'avoir fini). Certes, il y a quelques clichés et il n'y a pas de grandes surprises dans cette romance mais j'ai apprécié la façon dont l'auteure avait travaillé ses personnages. Ses héroïnes sont des femmes fortes, qui n'hésitent pas à prendre des décisions, et les couples sont bien assortis. Il était intéressant de les voir tous les trois évoluer, même si j'ai une préférence pour celui du duc de Somervale.
Et maintenant, il me reste un autre roman de Leigh Michaels dans ma PAL papier à découvrir !
February 22, 2025
I had read some of this author's modern category romances, way back when, but I didn't know she wrote any historicals. This is set during a houseparty for a wedding, and three interconnected couples sort their affairs out. It was nice enough but a bit busy, given the number of plotlines.
Steam level: All three couples have their turn.
Steam level: All three couples have their turn.
August 14, 2011
GENRE: Adult - Historical Romance
FORM: Book - ARC
REVIEW: In a book of new beginnings, rekindled love, new love and a lot of passion, Leigh Michaels gives you the ultimate romance novel topped with three cherries!
I enjoyed The Wedding Affair from beginning to end. The characters were very well developed and entertaining, each having individual personalities but are so great that you fall in love with them all.
I love books about weddings, and while many historical romance novels end in a wedding, most of the books that I have read are not based completely around a wedding. For this particular novel, the duchess being wed, Daphne, is a minor - however annoying - character in the book. She is spoiled, whines a lot, and is mean as fire, especially to her bridesmaids. I enjoyed her pre-wedding activities/outings though, and the fact that all of the bridesmaids behaved like twittering teenagers lusting after the next hot thing. In this case, the Duke, Simon.
There are many other supporting characters as well, some mean, some overbearing, and some are just outright hilarious. They play their roles in the story well, and really are one of the main things that made this book so entertaining.
All of this "background noise" of the novel just makes for many wonderful scenes and scenarios for the real stories taking place. Neither Simon nor Olivia, both relying on each other for their own reasons, are looking to fall into love or marriage, but as expected - they find it incredibly hard to live without each other. I loved them as a couple. I especially loved Simon. He was such a decent man, and his joy and eventual love for Charlotte, Olivia's daughter, won me over completely!
Kate and Andrew were a little bit harder for me. I liked them both well enough, and it was obvious they were meant for each other, but I think the attitude Kate held for most of the book, and Andrew making suggestions that don't really indicate whether he is serious or joking around, I found that when they finally came together as a couple the fire just wasn't there.
My favorite couple was Penelope and Charles. They are newlyweds who do not have a relationship at all. Penelope is completely innocent and has no idea what to do, which makes her seem scared and shy. Both are operating under false assumptions, but when they finally come together - it is just so sweet and just right! At first I was afraid that Charles was going to be played out to be this really hard menacing character, but in the end he was so sweet and loving. I actually felt sorry for him and the torment he was putting himself through.
WHAT I LOVED: This book was just a fun read. There is a lot of witty dialogue and passionate moments. The characters really are what made this book so good!
NOT SO MUCH: I already mentioned above how I felt about Kate and Andrew's relationship. Outside of that, I found it hard to believe how fast the girls were able to come out of their clothes. For a time when the women are dressed in layers, and as mentioned in the book, they required help getting dressed and lacing themselves up. Therefore it really bothered me every time one the girls (mainly Olivia) was surprised to find her top was hanging open. Silly, I know...but I just kept shaking my head every time I read it.
FORM: Book - ARC
REVIEW: In a book of new beginnings, rekindled love, new love and a lot of passion, Leigh Michaels gives you the ultimate romance novel topped with three cherries!
I enjoyed The Wedding Affair from beginning to end. The characters were very well developed and entertaining, each having individual personalities but are so great that you fall in love with them all.
I love books about weddings, and while many historical romance novels end in a wedding, most of the books that I have read are not based completely around a wedding. For this particular novel, the duchess being wed, Daphne, is a minor - however annoying - character in the book. She is spoiled, whines a lot, and is mean as fire, especially to her bridesmaids. I enjoyed her pre-wedding activities/outings though, and the fact that all of the bridesmaids behaved like twittering teenagers lusting after the next hot thing. In this case, the Duke, Simon.
There are many other supporting characters as well, some mean, some overbearing, and some are just outright hilarious. They play their roles in the story well, and really are one of the main things that made this book so entertaining.
All of this "background noise" of the novel just makes for many wonderful scenes and scenarios for the real stories taking place. Neither Simon nor Olivia, both relying on each other for their own reasons, are looking to fall into love or marriage, but as expected - they find it incredibly hard to live without each other. I loved them as a couple. I especially loved Simon. He was such a decent man, and his joy and eventual love for Charlotte, Olivia's daughter, won me over completely!
Kate and Andrew were a little bit harder for me. I liked them both well enough, and it was obvious they were meant for each other, but I think the attitude Kate held for most of the book, and Andrew making suggestions that don't really indicate whether he is serious or joking around, I found that when they finally came together as a couple the fire just wasn't there.
My favorite couple was Penelope and Charles. They are newlyweds who do not have a relationship at all. Penelope is completely innocent and has no idea what to do, which makes her seem scared and shy. Both are operating under false assumptions, but when they finally come together - it is just so sweet and just right! At first I was afraid that Charles was going to be played out to be this really hard menacing character, but in the end he was so sweet and loving. I actually felt sorry for him and the torment he was putting himself through.
WHAT I LOVED: This book was just a fun read. There is a lot of witty dialogue and passionate moments. The characters really are what made this book so good!
NOT SO MUCH: I already mentioned above how I felt about Kate and Andrew's relationship. Outside of that, I found it hard to believe how fast the girls were able to come out of their clothes. For a time when the women are dressed in layers, and as mentioned in the book, they required help getting dressed and lacing themselves up. Therefore it really bothered me every time one the girls (mainly Olivia) was surprised to find her top was hanging open. Silly, I know...but I just kept shaking my head every time I read it.
August 30, 2011
THE WEDDING AFFAIR is a triple treat of Regency pageantry, romance, and humor. The main event – Lady Daphne’s wedding at her family’s estate – wreaks havoc on her family, the staff, the village, and even the guests.
Daphne’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Somervale, invited the 12 bridesmaids for an extended visit to the ducal estate before the wedding. Her unwed son, Simon, the Duke of Somervale, suspects matchmaking will be a side activity for both his mother and the bridesmaids. So he calls for reinforcements by inviting his friends to distract the bridesmaids. Simon himself is distracted by the village’s widow, Olivia, Lady Reyne. Olivia desperately needs funds so she accepts Simon’s offer to pose as his fiancé during the wedding activities (to also defect the bridesmaids’ attention). But the story pulls in other heroines, including Kate, the daughter of the recently deceased village vicar. Expecting the new vicar to take up residence in the parson’s house, she is living temporarily living with Olivia. But Kate hopes to find future employment as a governess, companion, or even secretary to one of the distinguished guests at the wedding. As the guests travel through the village to the ducal estate, Kate recognizes Penelope, her friend from boarding school. Penelope’s father is a successful brewer who “bought” her marriage to Charles, the Earl of Townsend. The Earl resents the father’s interference and ignores his new bride. The Earl is a distant cousin of the Duke, so he is forced to bring Penelope to the wedding. Kate also recognizes Andrew, Simon’s school friend, who joined Simon for Latin lessons with her father.
Leigh Michaels is an author new to me. After reading one chapter, I realized that Leigh is a romance veteran. THE WEDDING AFFAIR demonstrates that she has honed her skills to deliver an enticing Regency Romance. Michaels leads the reader from one heroine to another with a seamless transition – I felt like I was a fly on the wall as the story unfolded. Each heroine – Olivia, Kate, and Penelope – unexpectedly struggled with who they are, who they wanted to be, and how love would fit into their lives. The heroes – Simon, Charles, and Andrew – unwittingly found themselves pondering the same things. Michaels weaves in humor with secondary characters such as the Dowager Duchess, her close friend, the Colonel, and even Olivia’s daughter.
House parties are staple of Regency England – they offer a wide variety of diversions for its guests. Michaels delivers a house party for the reader to sample romance from the perspective of a widow, newly married, and unmarried heroines. The house party was a roaring success for both the characters and the readers!
I received an ARC from Sourcebooks to review.
Daphne’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Somervale, invited the 12 bridesmaids for an extended visit to the ducal estate before the wedding. Her unwed son, Simon, the Duke of Somervale, suspects matchmaking will be a side activity for both his mother and the bridesmaids. So he calls for reinforcements by inviting his friends to distract the bridesmaids. Simon himself is distracted by the village’s widow, Olivia, Lady Reyne. Olivia desperately needs funds so she accepts Simon’s offer to pose as his fiancé during the wedding activities (to also defect the bridesmaids’ attention). But the story pulls in other heroines, including Kate, the daughter of the recently deceased village vicar. Expecting the new vicar to take up residence in the parson’s house, she is living temporarily living with Olivia. But Kate hopes to find future employment as a governess, companion, or even secretary to one of the distinguished guests at the wedding. As the guests travel through the village to the ducal estate, Kate recognizes Penelope, her friend from boarding school. Penelope’s father is a successful brewer who “bought” her marriage to Charles, the Earl of Townsend. The Earl resents the father’s interference and ignores his new bride. The Earl is a distant cousin of the Duke, so he is forced to bring Penelope to the wedding. Kate also recognizes Andrew, Simon’s school friend, who joined Simon for Latin lessons with her father.
Leigh Michaels is an author new to me. After reading one chapter, I realized that Leigh is a romance veteran. THE WEDDING AFFAIR demonstrates that she has honed her skills to deliver an enticing Regency Romance. Michaels leads the reader from one heroine to another with a seamless transition – I felt like I was a fly on the wall as the story unfolded. Each heroine – Olivia, Kate, and Penelope – unexpectedly struggled with who they are, who they wanted to be, and how love would fit into their lives. The heroes – Simon, Charles, and Andrew – unwittingly found themselves pondering the same things. Michaels weaves in humor with secondary characters such as the Dowager Duchess, her close friend, the Colonel, and even Olivia’s daughter.
House parties are staple of Regency England – they offer a wide variety of diversions for its guests. Michaels delivers a house party for the reader to sample romance from the perspective of a widow, newly married, and unmarried heroines. The house party was a roaring success for both the characters and the readers!
I received an ARC from Sourcebooks to review.
January 2, 2012
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
A young woman in need of a future, a widow hiding from her past and a Lady who is a wife in name only: All three will have to prove they have the courage to take their destinies in hand. Their reward will be worth far more than silver and gold but the risk to their hearts may be just as pricey.
If a theme could be set for the first trilogy by Leigh Michaels, Just One Season in London, it would be “Sacrifice”. In this new trio of stories that overlap within themselves in The Wedding Affair, the theme is clearly “Courage”.
Lady Olivia Reyne has a past that is threatening to destroy any future she might build for herself and her daughter. When the charming and charismatic Simon, Duke of Somervale persuades her to help him avoid a gaggle of bridesmaids, she convinces herself that it will be a short term affair with no lasting effects on her heart. Love is never that convenient or obedient.
Kate Blakely has a very limited window in which to set the course for her future. She has the opportunity to choose the easy, staid and secure way or she can put herself in the path of someone who will whisk her away from the “small town vicar’s daughter” life and onto an adventure. Kate is concentrating so hard on making the best decision she almost doesn’t notice the one man who is everything she ever wanted and wants to give her everything she needs.
The third arc of this book involves the Lady Penelope Townsend. Her story really touched my heart because she appears to have everything on the outside but behind closed doors she missing the one thing her father’s money couldn’t buy. Love. I liked Penelope’s story best because she’s married but obviously in name only and she decides that she wants more than a roommate, she want a husband. I initially got the impression that Penelope was timid and a bit brow beat by her father and the ladies maid he chose for her. Thankfully, that meekness doesn’t last and Penelope comes out of her shell to prove she’s strong enough to stand beside her husband rather than in his shadow.
If you read Just One Season in London, you know the stories transition swiftly and smoothly between one another. There is some head hopping but it lends more detail to a scene rather than making it confusing. Ms. Michaels does a fabulous job of creating characters that have you cheering for their HEA as well as enjoying the journey. Her writing style is flawless for the period and the sensual scenes are hot enough to singe your fingers.
I understand there is to be one more book in the triad story series. I’m looking forward to seeing how Ms. Michaels takes a theme and weaves it into the lives of so many unique and fantastic characters. They draw you in, they make you fall in love, and you won’t want to put it down!
A young woman in need of a future, a widow hiding from her past and a Lady who is a wife in name only: All three will have to prove they have the courage to take their destinies in hand. Their reward will be worth far more than silver and gold but the risk to their hearts may be just as pricey.
If a theme could be set for the first trilogy by Leigh Michaels, Just One Season in London, it would be “Sacrifice”. In this new trio of stories that overlap within themselves in The Wedding Affair, the theme is clearly “Courage”.
Lady Olivia Reyne has a past that is threatening to destroy any future she might build for herself and her daughter. When the charming and charismatic Simon, Duke of Somervale persuades her to help him avoid a gaggle of bridesmaids, she convinces herself that it will be a short term affair with no lasting effects on her heart. Love is never that convenient or obedient.
Kate Blakely has a very limited window in which to set the course for her future. She has the opportunity to choose the easy, staid and secure way or she can put herself in the path of someone who will whisk her away from the “small town vicar’s daughter” life and onto an adventure. Kate is concentrating so hard on making the best decision she almost doesn’t notice the one man who is everything she ever wanted and wants to give her everything she needs.
The third arc of this book involves the Lady Penelope Townsend. Her story really touched my heart because she appears to have everything on the outside but behind closed doors she missing the one thing her father’s money couldn’t buy. Love. I liked Penelope’s story best because she’s married but obviously in name only and she decides that she wants more than a roommate, she want a husband. I initially got the impression that Penelope was timid and a bit brow beat by her father and the ladies maid he chose for her. Thankfully, that meekness doesn’t last and Penelope comes out of her shell to prove she’s strong enough to stand beside her husband rather than in his shadow.
If you read Just One Season in London, you know the stories transition swiftly and smoothly between one another. There is some head hopping but it lends more detail to a scene rather than making it confusing. Ms. Michaels does a fabulous job of creating characters that have you cheering for their HEA as well as enjoying the journey. Her writing style is flawless for the period and the sensual scenes are hot enough to singe your fingers.
I understand there is to be one more book in the triad story series. I’m looking forward to seeing how Ms. Michaels takes a theme and weaves it into the lives of so many unique and fantastic characters. They draw you in, they make you fall in love, and you won’t want to put it down!
May 31, 2012
Simon and Olivia, penny and Charles, and Kate and Andrew. Also lady stone who I thought was in the last book, but wasn't confined until the very end. I suppose she has a romance if her own. The only male character's pov we get is Simon's, which was kind of annoying. I really loved penny and her husband's story line, but would have liked to have been in his head for some of it. Kate's was cute in parts, too. But the main story was pretty generic. I loved the first book in this pairing, and this one was still very good, but just not as good. Also, like I think was a complaint I had in the last one, with so many simultaneous stories, sometimes the timing and repetitive jumping around was annoying.
July 30, 2016
A surprisingly good novel. I don't know why I say that but it could be the ghastly cover (the woman looks like a wax doll), or perhaps that the synopsis on the back is somewhat lacking description.
However, when I began reading, I thought this could be really interesting. A wedding party in a grand country house that's packed to the rafters.
Although the story is mainly about Simon and Olivia, there are other people with their own individual stories. You can probably guess who ends up with who at the country wedding party, but it's the getting there that's really entertaining, especially when there are 'happy ever afters'.
I found this a very enjoyable read.
4.5* [rounded it up].
However, when I began reading, I thought this could be really interesting. A wedding party in a grand country house that's packed to the rafters.
Although the story is mainly about Simon and Olivia, there are other people with their own individual stories. You can probably guess who ends up with who at the country wedding party, but it's the getting there that's really entertaining, especially when there are 'happy ever afters'.
I found this a very enjoyable read.
4.5* [rounded it up].
May 12, 2015
The Wedding Affair is one of three books set in Regency England by author Leigh Michaels, who is best known for writing sweet traditional romances. These three books (the others being The Mistress House and Just One Season in London) are funny and sexy. Each has several related story lines and you don't want to read them unless you can finish the book in an afternoon or evening. They are that much fun. You will not want to put down the Wedding Affair.
June 4, 2015
This book was just so-so for me. The story revolved around 3 main relationships, but none of them really connected with me. The writing was fine, but I think because there was more than 1 main relationship, the author didn't have time to really elaborate and connect with the reader.
March 30, 2018
This is a lively book mostly because of a wealth of characters and use of a style where relatively short scenes jump usually from one character to another. Usually I find many main characters and constant scene jumps to be annoying at best, but somehow LM brings it off and I found it enjoyable instead.
There are four characters with 3rd person POV including three leading ladies who attract the sympathy and interest of the reader plus the Duke. I'm not sure why the other two leading men never really reveal their own POV.
Olivia is the widow of an Earl with a young daughter but an increasingly desperate financial situation. Her landlord offers to keep her rent low if she will be his mistress. He is not a pleasant fellow.
Kate is the daughter of the village Parson who just passed away thus leaving her basically homeless but Olivia has taken her in despite her own issues.
Penny is the daughter of a man of wealth but not nobility who is married to an Earl. The Earl appears to have no interest of any nature in Penny.
Simon, the Duke, is hosting his spoiled sister's wedding house party. Since there are 12 very eligible bridesmaids, Simon is looking for ways to avoid getting trapped by a bridesmaid. From this we get a scenario similar to the famous fake betrothal, except it is a fake courtship.
The story has a lot of activity and decent dialogue without an overabundance of introspection. There are a couple of minor mysteries that aren't really earth shattering. The climax fits in with what you would expect, however it isn't very climatic.
There is a lot of sex which is a little more explicit than I like to see.
There are four characters with 3rd person POV including three leading ladies who attract the sympathy and interest of the reader plus the Duke. I'm not sure why the other two leading men never really reveal their own POV.
Olivia is the widow of an Earl with a young daughter but an increasingly desperate financial situation. Her landlord offers to keep her rent low if she will be his mistress. He is not a pleasant fellow.
Kate is the daughter of the village Parson who just passed away thus leaving her basically homeless but Olivia has taken her in despite her own issues.
Penny is the daughter of a man of wealth but not nobility who is married to an Earl. The Earl appears to have no interest of any nature in Penny.
Simon, the Duke, is hosting his spoiled sister's wedding house party. Since there are 12 very eligible bridesmaids, Simon is looking for ways to avoid getting trapped by a bridesmaid. From this we get a scenario similar to the famous fake betrothal, except it is a fake courtship.
The story has a lot of activity and decent dialogue without an overabundance of introspection. There are a couple of minor mysteries that aren't really earth shattering. The climax fits in with what you would expect, however it isn't very climatic.
There is a lot of sex which is a little more explicit than I like to see.
May 5, 2017
Comme pour la saison du péché chez le même éditeur, j'ai profité de la promotion pour me le procurer.
Ici nous n'avons pas un couple de héros mais trois. Charles et Penelope mariés depuis trois mois mais n'ayant toujours pas consommés leur mariage. Kate, fille de feu l'ancien pasteur qui cherche un nouveau travail et qui n'a jamais oublié le baiser que lui a donné Andrew. Simon, le frère et duc de la future mariée qui essaie d'éviter ses amies demoiselles d'honneur et est attiré par la jeune veuve Olivia.
Je ne connaissais pas cette auteure avant de lire ce premier livre et j'avoue que j'ai été agréablement surprise. Il y a un mélange d'humour, de sentiments bien maîtrisé. L'alternance des points de vue entre les différents personnages, les événements se recoupant de tant à autre, apporte un rythme soutenu à l'histoire. On ne s'ennuie pas du tout. Tout s'enchaîne rapidement, si bien que ce petit malgré ces presque 500 pages ne m'a fait que deux jours.
J'ai vraiment aimé cette histoire, elle change de ce que j'ai l'habitude de lire. Elle se lit vite et est prenante. J'avoue avoir été surprise par le comportement de la mère de Simon, pour une duchesse douairière, je l'ai trouvé sympathique et différente des personnages comme elle par rapport à d'autres récit.
Bref, J'ai adoré ma lecture .
Ici nous n'avons pas un couple de héros mais trois. Charles et Penelope mariés depuis trois mois mais n'ayant toujours pas consommés leur mariage. Kate, fille de feu l'ancien pasteur qui cherche un nouveau travail et qui n'a jamais oublié le baiser que lui a donné Andrew. Simon, le frère et duc de la future mariée qui essaie d'éviter ses amies demoiselles d'honneur et est attiré par la jeune veuve Olivia.
Je ne connaissais pas cette auteure avant de lire ce premier livre et j'avoue que j'ai été agréablement surprise. Il y a un mélange d'humour, de sentiments bien maîtrisé. L'alternance des points de vue entre les différents personnages, les événements se recoupant de tant à autre, apporte un rythme soutenu à l'histoire. On ne s'ennuie pas du tout. Tout s'enchaîne rapidement, si bien que ce petit malgré ces presque 500 pages ne m'a fait que deux jours.
J'ai vraiment aimé cette histoire, elle change de ce que j'ai l'habitude de lire. Elle se lit vite et est prenante. J'avoue avoir été surprise par le comportement de la mère de Simon, pour une duchesse douairière, je l'ai trouvé sympathique et différente des personnages comme elle par rapport à d'autres récit.
Bref, J'ai adoré ma lecture .
October 24, 2018
J'aime bien cette autrice, ses romances historiques ont toujours une pointe d'originalité plaisante dans un genre extrêmement codifié (et rebattu). Une affaire de mariage entrecroise les destins amoureux de trois couples. Olivia, la comtesse déchue et Simon, le duc sexy forme le couple "érotique", même sices personnages restent très conventionnels. Kate, la fille de pasteur et Andrew le fils cadet de petite noblesse tiennent un second rôle. Ils permettent de lier les couples entre eux, mais en soi, leur histoire n'a aucun relief. Puis vient le couple formé par Peneloppe, fille d'un riche industriel et Charles, comte ruiné qui ont contracté un mariage de raison. J'ai beaucoup aimé la sensibilité de leur histoire (un amour qu'on croit à sens unique) tout en regrettant que les raisons animant Charles pour fuir son épouse n'aient guère été développées. J'ai expédié pas mal de paragraphes consacrés à Kate, parfois même à Olivia, dont les histoires déjà vues et revues méritaient moins d'importance, pour me jeter sur les pages consacrées au couple "mal" marié. Au final, la plume simple et élégante de Leigh Michaels a remporté la partie, la multitude de personnages n'est pas gênante, même si je n'ai pas été convaincue par toutes les romances.
April 25, 2022
Merhaba herkese regency era alakalı bir kitapla geldim.
Bu tarz çok okumuyorum biliyorsunuz ancak farklı şeyleri arada denemek lazım.
Somervale dükünün kız kardeşi Daphne evleniyor. Halstead köşküne bir sürü soylu davetli. O sırada ekonomik sorunlarla uğraşan Dul kalmış Olivia da düğüne davetli. Papazın kızı Kate de. Towndend kontunun kocasından sevgi görmeyen eşi Penolope de. Olivia Somervale dükü ile karşılaştıktan sonra ikisi de birbirini düşünmeye ve tartmaya başlarlar.
Dul Olivia, Kate ve Penolope karakterlerini takip ediyoruz. Olivia içinden geçeni pat diye söyleyen sevilesi bir karakter, kate ise temkinli olmakla akışa kapılmak arasında gidip geliyor, penelope ise pişmanlıkları ve tereddütleri olan bir karakter.
Durağan, çok fazla dönüm noktası olmayan romantik bir kitaptı. Karakter bazında kendime yakın hissettiğim olmadı. Bu tarzı sevenlere öneriyorum sadece.
"Majesteleri Somervale Düşesi, kızı Harcourt Markizi Leydi Daphne Elliot'un 30 Ağustos 1816 Cuma günü Halstead'te yapılacak düğün törenini, Kraliçe Ceviz'in katılımı ile onurlandırmasını rica eder."
Bu tarz çok okumuyorum biliyorsunuz ancak farklı şeyleri arada denemek lazım.
Somervale dükünün kız kardeşi Daphne evleniyor. Halstead köşküne bir sürü soylu davetli. O sırada ekonomik sorunlarla uğraşan Dul kalmış Olivia da düğüne davetli. Papazın kızı Kate de. Towndend kontunun kocasından sevgi görmeyen eşi Penolope de. Olivia Somervale dükü ile karşılaştıktan sonra ikisi de birbirini düşünmeye ve tartmaya başlarlar.
Dul Olivia, Kate ve Penolope karakterlerini takip ediyoruz. Olivia içinden geçeni pat diye söyleyen sevilesi bir karakter, kate ise temkinli olmakla akışa kapılmak arasında gidip geliyor, penelope ise pişmanlıkları ve tereddütleri olan bir karakter.
Durağan, çok fazla dönüm noktası olmayan romantik bir kitaptı. Karakter bazında kendime yakın hissettiğim olmadı. Bu tarzı sevenlere öneriyorum sadece.
"Majesteleri Somervale Düşesi, kızı Harcourt Markizi Leydi Daphne Elliot'un 30 Ağustos 1816 Cuma günü Halstead'te yapılacak düğün törenini, Kraliçe Ceviz'in katılımı ile onurlandırmasını rica eder."
May 6, 2020
Une excellente lecture ! Certes, ça ne casse pas 3 pattes à un canard, mais on est tellement bien embarqué. Les personnages sont attachants, les 3 couples qu'on suit sont adorables... Bref, cette lecture a été addictive ! :)
------
An excellent read! Sure, it doesn't break three legs for a duck, but we're so well on board. The characters are endearing, the 3 couples we follow are adorable... In short, this reading was addictive! :)
------
An excellent read! Sure, it doesn't break three legs for a duck, but we're so well on board. The characters are endearing, the 3 couples we follow are adorable... In short, this reading was addictive! :)
November 12, 2020
I like this book immensely. Just came at the right time to take me out of my reading funk.
There weren't much character development or meat in the story as it's about 3 couples and it's a short book (I think), but the story developed well even given the limitations and I do like that the side characters kinda surprises you (not the villains though).
Won't appeal to those who like more conflict in their stories though.
There weren't much character development or meat in the story as it's about 3 couples and it's a short book (I think), but the story developed well even given the limitations and I do like that the side characters kinda surprises you (not the villains though).
Won't appeal to those who like more conflict in their stories though.
April 7, 2019
The right mix
Written well. Takes you back to the era when light was still from candles! The story does full justice all the six important characters without the reader losing the thread
Written well. Takes you back to the era when light was still from candles! The story does full justice all the six important characters without the reader losing the thread
August 16, 2017
Actually not quite 4 stars.
June 17, 2018
Characters were likeable, it was a smooth, entertaining read.
January 6, 2023
I liked it. The author managed to entwine 3 romances in one story line. Very ingenious in how she wove them all together for a happy ending for all.
January 8, 2025
I’m not usually a low(er) angst girly, but this worked, and was well written. I also loved that it focused on several love stories that really complimented the main one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews