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The Unwanted Wives #2

The Earl’s Unwanted Bride

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"Are you scared I will ruin you? Or that you will like it?"

Mary-Jane must choose between marrying her late husband’s cruel cousin or she and her daughter living on the streets. But then, the worst rake of the ton offers her a deal she can’t a marriage in name only.

The Earl of Lindburg had vowed to never marry, or fall in love. Yet, the desire Harrison feels for his new bride is enough to break his own rules.

She is his weakness…and his only exception. Will he be able to resist her?

*If you like a realistic yet steamy depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then The Earl’s Unwanted Bride is the novel for you.

An enchanting regency romance of 80,000 words (around 400 pages), written by Daphne Byrne and published by Cobalt Fairy.

No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a strong happily ever after.

Get "The Earl’s Unwanted Bride" today to discover Daphne's splendid new story!

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2023

316 people are currently reading
67 people want to read

About the author

Daphne Byrne

46 books49 followers

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5 stars
364 (44%)
4 stars
243 (29%)
3 stars
132 (16%)
2 stars
49 (6%)
1 star
28 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Joanne.
426 reviews5 followers
November 4, 2023
Oh dear.

This was simply atrocious. I'm really sorry, Daphne Byrne.

Why, (oh why) do people write British historical fiction and bring in modern sensibilities and terms? Watching a couple of Jane Austen films does not an expert make.

There were too many instances where this fell down as far as Georgian British culture, norms and reality just fell short. But the best/ worst one was where the heroine gets the hump over her marriage of convenience (her hubby kindly arranges for her daughter to attend a very prestigious school- how terrible!) and she tells him "Expect the annulment papers within two weeks".

Oh boy. I'm currently too tired to actually explain the difficulties for a marriage to be annulled in the early 19th C, but the issue which slaps you most in the face with this is that A WIFE COULD NOT BRING ANY ACTION AGAINST HER HUSBAND...AT ALL. It wasn't until a bit later in the century where laws were brought it which limited a husband's right over his wife, and by limited I mean by half an inch- they were not allowed to beat their wife with a stick thicker than his thumb. Divorce was practically unheard of and cost the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of pounds, which as a woman, this heroine did not have. But as I said, legally, she could not bring the action against her husband.

On top of the woeful lack of understanding of some basic stuff, the story itself was as insipid as the heroine herself. Will not be looking up other titles by the author.
Profile Image for Heather.
1,191 reviews
September 26, 2023
DNF at 12%. I think this must be the lowest percentage I've ever abandoned a book, but it actually made me angry, it was so bad.

Her husband died a few months ago, and she's at a party (what?). Her abusive husband's even more awful brother comes to find her (how?) and says she needs to marry him or he'll go against the will and throw her out. So she cries.

Enter mister awful number 3, who stands in the doorway and makes snide remarks on how overemotional she is, teases her until she leaves, then continues to talk bad about her (a recent widow) until he goes home. So then he goes to bed, wakes up from a nightmare in which she's crying again (yep apparently all it takes to scare the hell out of him is a woman's tears) and it bothers him so much that HE TAKES A HORSE AND RIDES TO HER HOUSE AT LIKE 2am TO ASK HER WHY SHE WAS CRYING!

Like, hello... random buttface from a party earlier busts into your house to ask you why you were crying?!?! Absolutely creep factor. Then he pretty much berates her until she tells him what's going on. This guy has zero redeeming qualities and I couldn't possibly care less about him.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
24 reviews2 followers
October 3, 2023
Redundant

There was a lot of predictability, which took away any mystery or interest. The evil grandmother everyone listens to rather than the characters actually speaking to each other. Lots of endless “thinning of lips” “squaring of shoulders” “pinching the bridge of one’s nose”….there is also a typo “your” for “you’re when The Earl is drunk. The two go from intimate speech to “ my lord” in one page and no one seems to have a clue why. It's a mystery! These two seem to be on the dense side. There are side stories never fleshed out - her first marriage, the blackmail, the evil grandmother and why she hates Mary Jane so much, why the Grandmother lives with the Earl, what happened to the Duke's family, why he's a rake and why he so suddenly falls in love with this rather unlikable woman - even the passion is weirdly presented.
I would recommend a good edit to weed out the repetitive descriptions of behavior, the typos, and the endless and unnecessary back and forth when the cause of it is clear to everyone but the two main characters.
112 reviews1 follower
September 6, 2023
Unwanted to wanted

This was a cute little story, not as much steamy scenes but that is okay. The Earl is besotted by Mary Jane who is being threatened by her husband’s cruel cousin. The Earl proposed a marriage of convenience. The Earls evil grandmother is opposed and causes trouble, since Mary Jane is unsure of herself and the Earl.

I read this as part of an ARC which has no bearing on my review.
308 reviews4 followers
September 21, 2023
Harrison and Mary Jane

I really like Mary Jane and I was excited for her book! This book immediately had me hooked and I finished in a few hours. Mary Jane really is a strong independent personality and Harrison liked that about her. I did like the book but I took a star away because I felt like the response Mary Jane had to the conflict right at the end just didn't fit her personality compared to the rest of the book. The epilogue chapter made up for it. I am really liking this series so far!
466 reviews5 followers
September 23, 2023
Good Read ,

First time reading this author and I did enjoy the read ,the characters were written well I really enjoyed Harrison he was truly a strong alpha man who controlled his own. But Mary Jane was about to get on my nerves especially after being presented as a strong Woman which I love because Women Rock !!!😊😊, anyway this is a really good read and I did enjoy it it held my interest from beginning to end, so now I'm going to go read the first book in this series Teresa's story. Again a good read .
145 reviews
September 26, 2023
A widow with a daughter is approached by her late husband’s heir. He threatens to take everything her husband left her if she doesn’t marry him. Even the servant warn her of his cruel nature. Not wanting to end up on th streets homeless with a child, she confides to her friend her situation. Being overheard by a Earl who has sworn never to marry but to remain a rake, he comes up with a compromise. A marriage of connivence. She will be his wive in name only and he will give her the protection of his name, stopping her husband’s cousin.
She agrees to his plane with conditions. Thing rarely go according to plan.
690 reviews
December 30, 2025
A Proposal/A Horse/A Love Like None Other..

Lady Mary Jane cannot stand to be around The Earl, Harrison. And the feeling is mutual..until he thinks of a proposition for her. He cannot stand to remember her sadness & tears he happened upon. The only problem is his grandmother..she is despicable & says the most disgusting things when others aren’t around. When he realizes his feelings have changed for her & her daughter, Rosemary, it will be a challenge to prove it to her. But he’s up for it.
548 reviews2 followers
September 7, 2023
How to Change a Rake

I enjoyed this story. At first, I thought that Harrison would always be a rake but his commitment to Mary-Jane was strong. His grandmother was a nasty woman and had such a strong effect on the story. However, love was stronger. When Harrison and Mary-Jane realised their love could conquer evil happiness followed. A good story.
110 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2023
My Favorite

I read many books. I believe this is my favorite Regency romance by this author. I read it in one weekend day. It has a few typos, but not enough to keep it from being enjoyable.
339 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2023
Hot and steamy

Harrison is a rake who has fallen for Mary Jane when her late husband cousin threatens her he offers a marriage of convenience what follows is a hot and steamy romance leading to a NEW and a mystery being solved I would recommend this book.
514 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2023
Good series

This was a good book with interesting characters and an enemies to lovers theme. I really enjoyed the previous book in this series and reading it prior to this one provides some background for this book's characters.
Profile Image for Alice.
2,878 reviews
September 14, 2023
Inconsistant
Her 1st marriage was supposed to be horrible, but there are hints that she enjoyed sex with her first husband.

He wasn't supposed to be in love with her, but certainly acts like he was.

His grandmother is horrible but he just bans her-- illogical given that he has all the money
267 reviews
September 15, 2023
Mary-Jane enters a marriage of convenience with Harrison to avoid her ex-husbands awful cousin. Feelings between Mary-Jane and Harrison but there is still evil lurking with the intention of splitting them up. Great story really enjoyed it
285 reviews
October 15, 2023
The trials of love.

Love is a learning experience as told in this story through the characters and the ups and downs they experience. A wonderful story that will pull you in and keep hold.
Profile Image for Suzette Edwards.
247 reviews
October 30, 2023
The Earl's Unwanted Bride

Harrison needed a project to keep him going, Mary Jane was that project. She needed to be saved. Elena was evil bitter old loveless lady that just wanted to control everything.
22 reviews
January 6, 2024
Dreadful! Full of bad spelling, bad grammar, anachronisms, and the plot was ridiculous. Complete ignorance of English law and customs. I gave up when the heroine spoke about spending quality time with her child.
Profile Image for Marjorie.
2,099 reviews4 followers
February 18, 2024
Exciting Love Story

This was a good book. Harrison and Mary Jane had a time with his grandmother and her late husband’s brother but in the end they were able to settle down and live happily ever after.
Profile Image for Michelle.
106 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2024
4.5 I really could have done with a couple more chapters. Love love Harrison and I love him for her. Some slow parts and pacing was a bit weird and jumpy but overall I have no regrets to having read this and glad I did!
76 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2024
Very angsty, but fast moving!

I have to admit I talked out loud several times to the heroine in this book And even to her her husband. More like 'don't listen to her, she is poison. She is poison!' It has a very happy ending.
463 reviews
August 18, 2024
Brilliant story

This is brilliant story of danger, hope, love and especially romance! What starts with determination it becomes more complicated until it becomes more of passion and love.







1,056 reviews4 followers
September 4, 2023
Great story

This is a great story of relationships being steered by other members of the family. And not for the benefit of the couple.
130 reviews
September 5, 2023
Throughly enjoyed the book. Great strong characters so the story flowed. I enjoy the authors work very much. Well done.
2 reviews
September 7, 2023
Responding to the request for a review

The story and chzracters were really good. Unfortunately the proof reader missed quite a few incorrect words which is a shame.





51 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2023
The unwanted grandmother!

Needs an editor… a lot of stilted language… A bit unbelievable! Could’ve been so much better. Book needs work! Get her some help,
277 reviews2 followers
February 4, 2024
A True Love Story

Well it went to and fro, will they, won't they. It was a wild ride of evil schemes and. Love. Read it for one of the most beautiful love stories
145 reviews
February 20, 2024
Must read series!

I loved this book! I always love when there’s someone trying to break up a relationship and they fail miserably!
Profile Image for Tan.
37 reviews
January 11, 2024
From excitement to boredom

This book started off interesting. I was How Harrison and Rosemary developed. However, the slow progression in the relationships and the continued dialog between Mary Jane and Edna slowly made the story a bore. Mary Jane went from a strong motivated widow to a simpering miss.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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