What do you think?
Rate this book
Lady Sophia's Rescue
Novella – Regency Romance
Sensuality Sweet
Approximate word 20,000
* * *
As Lady Sophia passes through the gates of her new bridegroom’s country estate and he begins to whisper in her ear the delights that await her in his bed, Lady Sophia realizes she has made a most dreadful mistake. There’s only one thing to do. She must bolt.
The bride-on-the-run is rescued by the exceedingly handsome William Birmingham who thinks she’s a woman named Isadore, and though he’s the richest man in England, she mistakes him for a common (but well-to-do) criminal. Since she’d rather be dead than wed to her wretched bridegroom, Sophia pretends to be Isadore and take her chances with the provocative Mr. Birmingham. But how could she have known that her ruse would bring the gallant Mr. Birmingham into such peril from the wicked man she married? And how could she have known her enigmatic rescuer would ignite passions she never knew she possessed?
* * *
“Just what are you suggesting, sir?”
“You -- and your sister -- will stay at my home until I’m assured that you’re out of danger.”
She shook her head. “I’m . . . an unmarried woman.”
The very suggestion of impropriety stirred his lust for her. She was an unmarried woman, a very beautiful unmarried woman, and he was an unmarried man. He had never been more aware of a woman. A sizzling heat flared between them as he drank in her sensuous loveliness, as his heated gaze poured over her exquisite face, down the creamy flesh of her neck and the tops of her breasts swelling against the blue gown.
Bringing a wellborn lady to his house was not a good idea. How would he be able to stay away from her bed?
He drew a deep breath. “I give you my word to behave as a gentleman. And my servants are very discreet. Your reputation will not suffer.”
Her eyes sparkled with mirth. “How can I know you’re a gentleman? I know of no gentlemen whose valets are skilled swordsmen.” Her gaze darted to Thompson, whose face was inscrutable.
William shrugged. “The manner in which I conduct my business and the manner in which I live in polite society are two completely different things.”
“I may regret it, Mr. Birmingham,” she said, “but I’m willing to put myself in your hands. Until this business is completed.”
Sensuality Sweet
Approximate word 20,000
* * *
As Lady Sophia passes through the gates of her new bridegroom’s country estate and he begins to whisper in her ear the delights that await her in his bed, Lady Sophia realizes she has made a most dreadful mistake. There’s only one thing to do. She must bolt.
The bride-on-the-run is rescued by the exceedingly handsome William Birmingham who thinks she’s a woman named Isadore, and though he’s the richest man in England, she mistakes him for a common (but well-to-do) criminal. Since she’d rather be dead than wed to her wretched bridegroom, Sophia pretends to be Isadore and take her chances with the provocative Mr. Birmingham. But how could she have known that her ruse would bring the gallant Mr. Birmingham into such peril from the wicked man she married? And how could she have known her enigmatic rescuer would ignite passions she never knew she possessed?
* * *
“Just what are you suggesting, sir?”
“You -- and your sister -- will stay at my home until I’m assured that you’re out of danger.”
She shook her head. “I’m . . . an unmarried woman.”
The very suggestion of impropriety stirred his lust for her. She was an unmarried woman, a very beautiful unmarried woman, and he was an unmarried man. He had never been more aware of a woman. A sizzling heat flared between them as he drank in her sensuous loveliness, as his heated gaze poured over her exquisite face, down the creamy flesh of her neck and the tops of her breasts swelling against the blue gown.
Bringing a wellborn lady to his house was not a good idea. How would he be able to stay away from her bed?
He drew a deep breath. “I give you my word to behave as a gentleman. And my servants are very discreet. Your reputation will not suffer.”
Her eyes sparkled with mirth. “How can I know you’re a gentleman? I know of no gentlemen whose valets are skilled swordsmen.” Her gaze darted to Thompson, whose face was inscrutable.
William shrugged. “The manner in which I conduct my business and the manner in which I live in polite society are two completely different things.”
“I may regret it, Mr. Birmingham,” she said, “but I’m willing to put myself in your hands. Until this business is completed.”
74 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2011
176 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Bolen
79 books1,667 followersSince being named Notable New Author for 1997, Cheryl Bolen has published more than 35 books with Kensington/Zebra, Harlequin, Love Inspired Historical, Montlake, and independently. She has broken into the top 5 on the New York Times and hit the USA Today bestseller list. Her 2005 One Golden Ring won Best Historical, Holt Medallion, and her 2011 My Lord Wicked was awarded Best Historical in the International Digital Awards, the same year her Christmas novella was chosen as Best Novella. Her books have been finalists for other awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, and have been translated into eight languages. She’s also been the number 1 bestselling historical romance author in Germany.
She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from the University of Texas and a master's degree from the University of Houston. Her favorite pursuits are reading diaries of dead English women, traveling to England, and watching the Texas Longhorns play football and basketball. She and her recently retired professor husband are the parents of two sons. One is an attorney, the other a journalist.
Website: www.CherylBolen.com
Blog: www.cherylsregencyramblings.wordpress.co
Facebook: http://fbl.ink/Facebook
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
November 6, 2015
To be a novella, it was OK. They say that novellas are supposed to be short and rushed. That is a lie. I have read novellas where the pacing was good, and nothing seemed rushed (Romantic Vignettes: The Anthology of Premiere Novellas). In this story, the love between Sophia and William was not believable to me. Why did William fall in love with her? Only because of her beauty, and of her "past": she was posing as a smuggler, but he noticed she was a Lady. And the same in her case: he was also beautiful, and a gentleman. But they did not spend too much time together to know each other and fall in love. It was not convincing. The other thing is that, to me, Sophia was dumb. She married Lord Fickle, and right after say "I do", she despises him and runs away? But luckily for her, Destiny takes care of that and eliminates her husband in a second.
So, it was not a bad novella; actually, I read it pretty fast. I enjoyed it. But it was lacking that 'something' that makes Regency stories so memorable.
So, it was not a bad novella; actually, I read it pretty fast. I enjoyed it. But it was lacking that 'something' that makes Regency stories so memorable.
May 29, 2012
When one reads a novella you must always expect it to be rushed and underdeveloped and though this was the case in this story it was a sweet little live story. my main problems were 1. they only know each other for a day and they are already in love ( I like to read more realistic love stories) 2. the woman William is looking for... the real isadore never appears throughtout the entire story so the smuggling plot was anlittle empty though a good excuse for lady Sophia. I believe if this could have been a full novel where the characters were more in depth and the two actually got to know each other and had a deep love and understanding it would be a much better story. also the demise of the villain was short and pathetic. a villain never just gives up that easily.
January 2, 2022
Another one that’s far too short with not enough information to get full enjoyment from.
The h is actually a very shallow spoiled lady which is swept under the carpet very quickly. Sure she made a mistake marrying the OM and he was an awful person but she got herself into the mess that she did
The H was also a bit dodgy he’s got a regular mistress tucked away in a very expensive house who is conveniently forgotten about during his proposal.
The OM conveniently committed suicide leaving the path clear for these 2 who fell in instalove in about 2 days.
The mysterious Isadore never turns up leaving this thread also open.
The h is actually a very shallow spoiled lady which is swept under the carpet very quickly. Sure she made a mistake marrying the OM and he was an awful person but she got herself into the mess that she did
The H was also a bit dodgy he’s got a regular mistress tucked away in a very expensive house who is conveniently forgotten about during his proposal.
The OM conveniently committed suicide leaving the path clear for these 2 who fell in instalove in about 2 days.
The mysterious Isadore never turns up leaving this thread also open.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2013
So not worth my time making myself read this. Was so boring, and typical.
Lady Sophia "forced/choose" to marry, then realized she married wrong man, ran away. Runs into a handsome man, she pretends to be someone else and falls in love with stranger. blah blah blah.
On the front cover there is a quote " One of the best authors in the Regency romance field today" really? I could not tell that from this story!!
Lady Sophia "forced/choose" to marry, then realized she married wrong man, ran away. Runs into a handsome man, she pretends to be someone else and falls in love with stranger. blah blah blah.
On the front cover there is a quote " One of the best authors in the Regency romance field today" really? I could not tell that from this story!!
July 20, 2013
It was a while ago that I read this, but it was a fun quick read about mistaken identity and cat and mouse. I enjoyed the humor in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAVORITE QUOTE
"Poetry answers very well for my blue devils."
He offered her a lazy smile. "Have you a request?"
"Cowper or Blake. I like them both very much."
He raised his brow. "What, no deathbed stanzas? I thought all ladies were enamored of poems that can only be read with handkerchief in hand."
She shot him an amused gaze. "Oh, I adore that kind of poem," she lied, "but I assumed a gentlemen such as yourself would not have such in his library."
"I don't." He excused himself to go to his library.
He was more convinced than ever that Isadore was a well-borne lady. Instead of the insipid, flowery love poems of third-rate poets embraced by women of society's lower rungs, Miss Isadore Door had superb taste in poetry. As in everything else.
Save her penchant for embroiling herself in danger.
It occurred to him when was pursuing the volumes of Blake and Cowper and Pope that he and Isadore had a great deal in common. If she had added Pope's name to her list of favored poets, it would surely have been a sign from the Almighty that this woman was his fate. Even if she was a shady lady.
The moment he reentered her bedchamber and beheld her considerable beauty he grew angry that she was endangering that lovely, lovely neck of hers. By God, he would not have it! He would make her turn straight, even if he had to give her, gulp, eighty thousand pounds from his own pocket.
"I brought Cowper," he informed her.
Her only response was a flutter of her lashes and a faint smile.
He brought a chair to her bedside. "Do you have a favorite?" he asked, opening the book.
"You select."
He began to read from The Winter Evening. She smiled at his selection, and though it was a long poem, she mouthed along with several lines.
And when he finished, she said "This Sylvan Maid thanks you deeply."
Good lord! Sylvan Maid was from an obscure line in Pope's Windsor Forest.
She must be The One.
Even if she was a Shady Lady
William and Sophia (Isadore)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAVORITE QUOTE
"Poetry answers very well for my blue devils."
He offered her a lazy smile. "Have you a request?"
"Cowper or Blake. I like them both very much."
He raised his brow. "What, no deathbed stanzas? I thought all ladies were enamored of poems that can only be read with handkerchief in hand."
She shot him an amused gaze. "Oh, I adore that kind of poem," she lied, "but I assumed a gentlemen such as yourself would not have such in his library."
"I don't." He excused himself to go to his library.
He was more convinced than ever that Isadore was a well-borne lady. Instead of the insipid, flowery love poems of third-rate poets embraced by women of society's lower rungs, Miss Isadore Door had superb taste in poetry. As in everything else.
Save her penchant for embroiling herself in danger.
It occurred to him when was pursuing the volumes of Blake and Cowper and Pope that he and Isadore had a great deal in common. If she had added Pope's name to her list of favored poets, it would surely have been a sign from the Almighty that this woman was his fate. Even if she was a shady lady.
The moment he reentered her bedchamber and beheld her considerable beauty he grew angry that she was endangering that lovely, lovely neck of hers. By God, he would not have it! He would make her turn straight, even if he had to give her, gulp, eighty thousand pounds from his own pocket.
"I brought Cowper," he informed her.
Her only response was a flutter of her lashes and a faint smile.
He brought a chair to her bedside. "Do you have a favorite?" he asked, opening the book.
"You select."
He began to read from The Winter Evening. She smiled at his selection, and though it was a long poem, she mouthed along with several lines.
And when he finished, she said "This Sylvan Maid thanks you deeply."
Good lord! Sylvan Maid was from an obscure line in Pope's Windsor Forest.
She must be The One.
Even if she was a Shady Lady
William and Sophia (Isadore)
May 17, 2012
This is a short novella so I rated it as such. In a story this short, you really can't expect a whole lot of character development. I think this would have been fun to read as a full-length novel where we could have learned more about the characters!
But for a short, fun read -- which is all I was looking for when I read this -- it worked for me!
But for a short, fun read -- which is all I was looking for when I read this -- it worked for me!
June 11, 2012
Couldn't finish
July 9, 2012
Short and sweet. Appropriate for the time period. Enjoyed it. Would have liked to find out what happened to the real Isadore. hope to see more by this author.
July 15, 2012
A short sweet Regency Romance story of a marriage forced. The tale was fast and short....I would love a hot Rake going after me....Yummy...a clean romance that is short.
August 1, 2012
Haven't read historical for so long, it kind of is a bit of fresh air although this book was pretty ordinary. No action, very melow but i guess it was an easy read
August 20, 2012
Cute novella, fun read!
January 5, 2012
okay, maybe a one-and-a-half, but poor.
September 5, 2023
After waiting so many years to marry Sophia makes the mistake of marrying the wrong man. She leaves by her window the night of her wedding in a rain storm with her maid. They wind up at an inn that is full. In comes William Birmingham who is suppose to meet a woman that he knows as Isadora and get bullion from her. Sophia needs help and this looks like the man who can help her even if she pretends to be someone she isn't. Her husband's henchmen come after them but they get away. This is quite an adventure.
August 8, 2020
A Romping, Galloping Good Read
If You want a great story, well told, with a bit of humour, this will do. You have to furnish the Regency background yourself mostly, but once done, you can read and enjoy the fast moving story. It has a few twists and turns, a few turnpikes, a few coaching inns, good sorts, bad sorts, good ends, bad ends. It’s a like a nice afternoon tea of a book. If you like Regency Romance, this is a quick satisfying elegant snack.
If You want a great story, well told, with a bit of humour, this will do. You have to furnish the Regency background yourself mostly, but once done, you can read and enjoy the fast moving story. It has a few twists and turns, a few turnpikes, a few coaching inns, good sorts, bad sorts, good ends, bad ends. It’s a like a nice afternoon tea of a book. If you like Regency Romance, this is a quick satisfying elegant snack.
November 4, 2017
Good read but....
A good read right up to the last few pages. The story ended too quickly and neatly. It ended as if there were a word limit to the story which had been reached, so it ended abruptly.
A good read right up to the last few pages. The story ended too quickly and neatly. It ended as if there were a word limit to the story which had been reached, so it ended abruptly.
April 20, 2018
Adorable!
Although shorter than I would have wished it, this story was not only adorable but held characters that were witty and charming! Action, adventure and respectable romance flitted across the pages. I loved it!!!
Although shorter than I would have wished it, this story was not only adorable but held characters that were witty and charming! Action, adventure and respectable romance flitted across the pages. I loved it!!!
August 19, 2023
A quick, low-stakes read...
Fun, very low-stakes. Good for if you just needed something to read, but very one note. Characters were pretty flat, and it wrapped up a little too nicely.
Fun, very low-stakes. Good for if you just needed something to read, but very one note. Characters were pretty flat, and it wrapped up a little too nicely.
January 17, 2019
I forgot the plot and how things got solved. So it was not good or horrible.
October 12, 2020
Cute short story!
June 12, 2024
Spice 🌶️: 2/10
This read was pretty much “meh” throughout. A disappointment for sure.
This read was pretty much “meh” throughout. A disappointment for sure.
January 25, 2015
Lady Sophia may have made a big mistake when she choice to her new husband. She is just a bride and she runs away to immediately bump into another man who may or may not be worse then her husband in a posting inn. In a different mission, Mr William Birmingham is looking for smugglers and is expecting a Isadore to contact him about 80,000 pounds of gold bullion. He immediately mistakes Lady Sophia for Isadore and takes her with him to London. Without his aid, she would have never escaped from Lord 'Finkie' and his muscle-bound servants.
Long story short, this was a ridiculous series of coincidences and badly told lies. This was thank goodness free and not a great example for this author's style and talent because she has written so fun historical English reads like The Bride Wore Blue.
No sexy scenes so this is fine for any age.
Short historical English romance story about 70 pages, free for kindle on May 12, 2012.
2 stars
Long story short, this was a ridiculous series of coincidences and badly told lies. This was thank goodness free and not a great example for this author's style and talent because she has written so fun historical English reads like The Bride Wore Blue.
No sexy scenes so this is fine for any age.
Short historical English romance story about 70 pages, free for kindle on May 12, 2012.
2 stars
April 14, 2013
When I saw that this story was a novella I was expecting it to be rushed as novella's inevitably are. But I was looking forward to it nonetheless for a quick, fun read with a heroine with a great name ;)
And I was not disappointed. For a novella there was a considerable amount of character development and it felt more like a novel then novella. The story was full of adventure and it was all good fun! The hero was very dashing and swashbuckly ;) The ending was maybe resolved rather quickly, but then again the ending couldn't really have been draw out, so maybe I just didn't want it to end! It was a romantic love story, maybe a little more than just sensuality level: sweet, but it was still clean. :) it would have been nice to see this as a full length novel but it really was a well flowing, funny story full of adventure and romance.
Well developed and well written for the limitations of a novella. I will be looking into other works by this author.
And I was not disappointed. For a novella there was a considerable amount of character development and it felt more like a novel then novella. The story was full of adventure and it was all good fun! The hero was very dashing and swashbuckly ;) The ending was maybe resolved rather quickly, but then again the ending couldn't really have been draw out, so maybe I just didn't want it to end! It was a romantic love story, maybe a little more than just sensuality level: sweet, but it was still clean. :) it would have been nice to see this as a full length novel but it really was a well flowing, funny story full of adventure and romance.
Well developed and well written for the limitations of a novella. I will be looking into other works by this author.
July 23, 2012
It was pretty good novella, but I had the feeling that it wasn't enough to end it there. The character, Sophia and William, were bit funny yet they kinda of bored me because I wish the book was longer so it could have more scene between Sophia and William. I must admit that I like that Sophia disguise herself as Isadore so she can be protected by William from her dreaddlful husband Lord Finkel. I admire her willingness take the risk to pretend to be someone because she did a pretty good con artist and almost made a fool of William It was so funny to see they had their misadventure with William's valet Mr. Thompson and Sophia's maid Dottie. Sure it did had it action and bit a romance but I wish it was longer. Beside I didn't get the plot much I guess I didn't really pay attention on this story much.
June 7, 2012
This is my first exposure to a Regency Romance and to Author Cheryl Bolen as well. I very much enjoyed this historical romance. I loved the intriguing circumstance created right at the onset in "Lady Sophia's Rescue" as Lady Sophia and her maid escaped on the eve of her marriage to Lord Finkel. The plight of these two women on this stormy night and the feminine wiles used by Lady Sophia to help secure their safetly captured my interest.
The immediate mutual attraction betweem Lady Sophia and Lord Birmingham helps set the stage for the delightful story that unfolds. Due to the fact that this is a 20,000 word novella, it seems that the plot is a little underdeveloped. I would have liked Isadore to show up and see more possibilities of conflict created to add to the already suspenseful situation. Very good job, nonetheless, by Author Cheryl Bolen!
The immediate mutual attraction betweem Lady Sophia and Lord Birmingham helps set the stage for the delightful story that unfolds. Due to the fact that this is a 20,000 word novella, it seems that the plot is a little underdeveloped. I would have liked Isadore to show up and see more possibilities of conflict created to add to the already suspenseful situation. Very good job, nonetheless, by Author Cheryl Bolen!
March 25, 2017
Lady Sophia is a runaway bride, having decided at the very last minute that she made a horrible mistake. Mistaken by William Birmingham for a woman named Isadore, Sophia decides this has to be better than what she left behind. Too bad her husband wasn’t inclined to let her leave.
I am a huge Regency fan, have been for as long as I’ve read romances. I bought the Signet Regencies without fail every month and rarely was disappointed. I wish I could say that about this story. I struggled to complete this novella. I just couldn’t connect with either character, although William had potential. Maybe it was due to Sophia being a married woman, maybe it was just the rushed, yet choppy flow of the story. All I know is that I was very disappointed at something I love to read being so blah. 2 out of 5.
I am a huge Regency fan, have been for as long as I’ve read romances. I bought the Signet Regencies without fail every month and rarely was disappointed. I wish I could say that about this story. I struggled to complete this novella. I just couldn’t connect with either character, although William had potential. Maybe it was due to Sophia being a married woman, maybe it was just the rushed, yet choppy flow of the story. All I know is that I was very disappointed at something I love to read being so blah. 2 out of 5.
May 17, 2012
This is the first book by Cheryl Bolen that I've read and I promise, it won't be the last. For a short. sweet story with no element of heat, the characters were well-developed and likable. My only complaint was because it was so short, the ending felt rushed and wrapped up too quickly. I would like to have known more about that bag of gold bullion and why William wanted it. I wish the author wrote about another 50 or so pages to bring the ending to a more satisfying (for me anyway) close. In all, I gave it 3.5 stars (4 on the scale) and recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good Regency Romp.
March 2, 2013
This novella was a welcome distraction and served its purpose as a spot of before bed reading, but I was disappointed overall. I've read Cheryl Bolen's books before and usually the characters all appeal to me nicely. But I wasn't a fan of Sophia and I have to agree with other reviewers who think she seemed rather stuck up and shallow. William Birmingham served well as the hero, handsome and heroic, but there wasn't a lot of development for him- even for a short novella! Lord Finkel's suicide seemed very random and unnecessary, it was just a convenient way to get rid of him.
This book is good for a quick read, but don't get your hopes too high!
This book is good for a quick read, but don't get your hopes too high!
April 28, 2013
I contend that it ought to be possible to write a historical female character without turning her into a simpering, mindless idiot.
Proof:
I dislike the usual bitchy "strong females" foisted upon other eras myself, but women needn't be doormats or so stupid they can't walk straight. Marriage most assuredly was THE main occurrence for any female of that era. I can't believe in a woman of the time doing so without giving it due reflection.
Not everything which sounds funny at first thought is so.
Proof:
I dislike the usual bitchy "strong females" foisted upon other eras myself, but women needn't be doormats or so stupid they can't walk straight. Marriage most assuredly was THE main occurrence for any female of that era. I can't believe in a woman of the time doing so without giving it due reflection.
Not everything which sounds funny at first thought is so.
August 6, 2012
Bolen has written a superbly sweet romantic novella in LADY SOPHIA'S RESCUE. Tastefully written, Bolen perfected the "damsel in distress" adventure with Sophia and William.
I would like very much to read more novellas by Bolen. She's certainly a talented storyteller.
I would like very much to read more novellas by Bolen. She's certainly a talented storyteller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews