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A Shocking Proposition
Northumberland
Madeleine Kirkby must marry quickly�or lose her family estate to a distant cousin! And after a chance encounter with the man she lost her heart to years ago, she has the perfect prospective husband in mind.
Lord Ashton Ravensfell hasn't seen Maddy since before he went to war, but it's clear she has grown into a fetching young woman. So he's shocked to receive a letter from her, proposing a marriage of convenience. They must be married before Twelfth Night! Ash cannot stand by and watch as Maddy and her tenants are turned out of their homes, and there's no denying their obvious mutual desire has him more than looking forward to their wedding night….
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
25 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Rolls
100 books123 followersWe live in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, in a beautiful lush valley full of apple, pear and cherry orchards. We moved here a couple of years back, escaping from the city and it’s just gorgeous. The property is small, only five acres, but we have room for two small noisy boys, three dogs, two cats and several woolly things masquerading a environmentally friendly lawnmowers. Before that we lived in Melbourne, which was fun, but we always wanted to live in the country and now we do.
I’ve been married to an ex-nuclear physicist – don’t ask! for the last 17 years and we have two rowdy little boys, commonly described as “feral”. Most of our friends think we have far too many animals, and everyone knows we have far too many books.I grew up moving around a fair bit. Dad was in the army and every few years we had to up sticks and move on. I was born in England, expelled from kindergarten in Melbourne, started school in Papua New Guinea and finished school in Melbourne. After taking a degree in Music Education I taught music for several years while my husband finished his Ph.D.
How I started writing
I had the writing bug from a very early age. From the time I could read I loved writing stories. Throughout my school days I was nearly always writing something very quietly, and there were several teachers who encouraged me. One student teacher, whose name I have totally forgotten, when I was in sixth grade, as well as a couple of high school English teachers, Mrs Redman and Mrs Mackay.
I started writing my first book after I finished my Masters degree. For one thing I really, really missed my thesis. I’d enjoyed researching it, and I loved writing it. So it seems inevitable now that when I was looking for something to do in the evenings to unwind after work, I started writing again.
I’d been staying with an old school friend. Meg is a fellow Georgette Heyer fan, and she had a very large collection of Regencies on her bookshelves. Well, that was an eye-opener. I’d had no idea anyone else apart from Heyer had actually written them. By the time I went home I had an idea floating around in my brain and I sat down and roughed out some sort of chapter plan. Then I started typing. Six months later I had a story with a beginning a middle and an end which I sent to Meg. After a great deal of talking, she persuaded me to send it off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After doing the rounds of all three editorial offices and undergoing a major rewrite and extension while I was about seven months pregnant with the second small noisy boy, it was accepted for publication and published as The Unexpected Bride.
Most of my writing friends have threatened to lynch me over that story at one time or another. Personally I envy them for having learnt an enormous amount about writing and the industry before acquiring an editor who understandably expects you to know what you are doing.
I’ve been married to an ex-nuclear physicist – don’t ask! for the last 17 years and we have two rowdy little boys, commonly described as “feral”. Most of our friends think we have far too many animals, and everyone knows we have far too many books.I grew up moving around a fair bit. Dad was in the army and every few years we had to up sticks and move on. I was born in England, expelled from kindergarten in Melbourne, started school in Papua New Guinea and finished school in Melbourne. After taking a degree in Music Education I taught music for several years while my husband finished his Ph.D.
How I started writing
I had the writing bug from a very early age. From the time I could read I loved writing stories. Throughout my school days I was nearly always writing something very quietly, and there were several teachers who encouraged me. One student teacher, whose name I have totally forgotten, when I was in sixth grade, as well as a couple of high school English teachers, Mrs Redman and Mrs Mackay.
I started writing my first book after I finished my Masters degree. For one thing I really, really missed my thesis. I’d enjoyed researching it, and I loved writing it. So it seems inevitable now that when I was looking for something to do in the evenings to unwind after work, I started writing again.
I’d been staying with an old school friend. Meg is a fellow Georgette Heyer fan, and she had a very large collection of Regencies on her bookshelves. Well, that was an eye-opener. I’d had no idea anyone else apart from Heyer had actually written them. By the time I went home I had an idea floating around in my brain and I sat down and roughed out some sort of chapter plan. Then I started typing. Six months later I had a story with a beginning a middle and an end which I sent to Meg. After a great deal of talking, she persuaded me to send it off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After doing the rounds of all three editorial offices and undergoing a major rewrite and extension while I was about seven months pregnant with the second small noisy boy, it was accepted for publication and published as The Unexpected Bride.
Most of my writing friends have threatened to lynch me over that story at one time or another. Personally I envy them for having learnt an enormous amount about writing and the industry before acquiring an editor who understandably expects you to know what you are doing.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 18, 2018
3.5. Novella hence a bit underdeveloped.
March 28, 2018
3.5
Madeline Kirkby is in dire straits - to protect her home and livelihood and avoid having to marry her reprobate cousin, she writes to propose marriage to her childhood friend and war veteran, Lord Ashton Ravensfell, knowing that Ash was looking at buying property anyway. Ash agrees but ensures that Madeline will retain ownership of her home. They marry and have their wedding night - the two have desire down pat, but aren't really sure about love. But Maddy's cousin isn't done with his villainous plans.
This was good. Not much happening, but I did like the getting to know each other again moments between Maddy and Ash. Both seem to recognize that the other has grown up quite a bit and had some experiences since the last time they'd met and they realize that they have a lot of desire for each other. I for one really enjoyed the consummation in the carriage and the misunderstanding around it. It added a bit of spice to the story that was otherwise straightforward romantic rather than angsty. Also - Maddy's cousin adds a bit of suspense, but not a lot. Can't say why I enjoyed this as much as I did, but it must have been Maddy and Ash as a couple that did it.
Madeline Kirkby is in dire straits - to protect her home and livelihood and avoid having to marry her reprobate cousin, she writes to propose marriage to her childhood friend and war veteran, Lord Ashton Ravensfell, knowing that Ash was looking at buying property anyway. Ash agrees but ensures that Madeline will retain ownership of her home. They marry and have their wedding night - the two have desire down pat, but aren't really sure about love. But Maddy's cousin isn't done with his villainous plans.
This was good. Not much happening, but I did like the getting to know each other again moments between Maddy and Ash. Both seem to recognize that the other has grown up quite a bit and had some experiences since the last time they'd met and they realize that they have a lot of desire for each other. I for one really enjoyed the consummation in the carriage and the misunderstanding around it. It added a bit of spice to the story that was otherwise straightforward romantic rather than angsty. Also - Maddy's cousin adds a bit of suspense, but not a lot. Can't say why I enjoyed this as much as I did, but it must have been Maddy and Ash as a couple that did it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2017
"Ciò che avvertiva lui era infinitamente peggio di una scheggia. Era un dolore che gli straziava il cuore. Ma doveva abituarcisi perché, per quanto potesse fargli male, non poteva non amare quella donna."
Credevo onestamente che i due si sarebbero dichiarati a 90anni considerando la brevità del racconto e la reticenza del nostro lord...invece le ultime due pagine ti sorprendono sempre XD
Credevo onestamente che i due si sarebbero dichiarati a 90anni considerando la brevità del racconto e la reticenza del nostro lord...invece le ultime due pagine ti sorprendono sempre XD
March 23, 2022
Another good one by this author! A sweet Christmas story with all the necessary elements! Perfect escapist read.
dnf
October 23, 2022I've enjoyed other books by Elizabeth Rolls but I struggled to get into this one.
February 9, 2015
Like it is common for the Undone! series by Harlequin, Elizabeth Rolls delivers a sizzling historical romance short story. A short story about two people who stand beside each other during a difficult time.
Soon-to-be 21-year-old Madeleine Kirkby is desperate and would do everything to save her people and their home Haydon preferable before christmas, yet. Good thing, that an old friend just returned from war with 30-year-old Lord Ashton Ravensfell. Maddy has had a crush on Ash for some time, but she was only fifteen when he left for five years for war in Spain and Portugal. Now, she needs his help and proposes a deal they would benefit from both. But what will Ash make out of this, escpecially with all the sexual tension around them? Is he going to help Maddy and her tenants, even when her cousin is forcibly standing in their way?
Maddy is still very young, but her strong character shows through her thoughts and actions. She is fighting for her right and sees in Ash a possible solution for saving Haydon. Her Cousin Edward, the fifth Earl of Montford, is not making things easy for her. So, Ash as the brother of a Duke is quite up to the task in standing up against him, where everyone else would fail due to lacking the high position in socity. It is not easy to go against an Earl who can buy even the law to rule in his favor which Maddy is painly aware of. Still, she refuses to give up, not right before christmas and this makes her to a remarkable person.
Ash just came back from the war and does not know what to think about Maddy's suggestion at the beginning. Even so, he is sure he wants to spend more time with her and over the next days, he begins to admire Maddy for her commitment to her people. But Ash has his problems as well, what with all the things he has seen in the war. Maybe Maddy can heal his soul while he can take away some of her responsibilities.
There is some seriousness to the writing that is why it is fitting to have the story told in third person by Ash and Maddy. Only in their thoughts we see the changes in their mental state. The story becomes lighter and more joyful.
Another short read to enjoy after a long tiring day.
Soon-to-be 21-year-old Madeleine Kirkby is desperate and would do everything to save her people and their home Haydon preferable before christmas, yet. Good thing, that an old friend just returned from war with 30-year-old Lord Ashton Ravensfell. Maddy has had a crush on Ash for some time, but she was only fifteen when he left for five years for war in Spain and Portugal. Now, she needs his help and proposes a deal they would benefit from both. But what will Ash make out of this, escpecially with all the sexual tension around them? Is he going to help Maddy and her tenants, even when her cousin is forcibly standing in their way?
Maddy is still very young, but her strong character shows through her thoughts and actions. She is fighting for her right and sees in Ash a possible solution for saving Haydon. Her Cousin Edward, the fifth Earl of Montford, is not making things easy for her. So, Ash as the brother of a Duke is quite up to the task in standing up against him, where everyone else would fail due to lacking the high position in socity. It is not easy to go against an Earl who can buy even the law to rule in his favor which Maddy is painly aware of. Still, she refuses to give up, not right before christmas and this makes her to a remarkable person.
Ash just came back from the war and does not know what to think about Maddy's suggestion at the beginning. Even so, he is sure he wants to spend more time with her and over the next days, he begins to admire Maddy for her commitment to her people. But Ash has his problems as well, what with all the things he has seen in the war. Maybe Maddy can heal his soul while he can take away some of her responsibilities.
There is some seriousness to the writing that is why it is fitting to have the story told in third person by Ash and Maddy. Only in their thoughts we see the changes in their mental state. The story becomes lighter and more joyful.
Another short read to enjoy after a long tiring day.
April 3, 2016
Extra 1/2 star
November 7, 2023
Wonderful story
Wonderful story that was a keep on reading to find out what happens next. It is a very good love story.
Wonderful story that was a keep on reading to find out what happens next. It is a very good love story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews