3.5 stars.
“Fie on you, sir. I hope you don’t mean to compromise me more than you already have.” “I will if you will let me. Will you? Think carefully before you answer,” he said with a devastating smile. “My heart is in jeopardy.” She giggled, delighted. “Stuff! Rakes like you don’t have hearts. Everyone knows that.” Lady Regina’s reputation is sullied when she was mistakenly abducted. Nicholas Eden only wanted to teach his mistress a lesson before he leaves her and instead — he gets the wrong lady. The Malory family will accept nothing but marriage, even if the viscount Eden is an unwilling participant. Regina seeks to reform the rake but Nicholas is someone who does not take kindly to being told what to do.
Love only once is the first book from Johanna Lindsey’s historical romance series, Malory-Anderson family. This is Nicholas Eden and Lady Regina Ashton’s book. This is my first Johanna Lindsey book as well. I have always wanted to read a book from her and I thought why not start at the beginning of this series? I think it is safe to say that I will continue reading more of her work.
Meet Lady Regina Ashton: The only daughter to the Earl of Penwich and Lady Melissa Ashton (née Malory). Her parents died when she was only two years old. Her four uncles, the Marquess, Lord Edward, Lord James and Lord Anthony raised her up. Like any marriage minded lady, Regina had been looking for the perfect husband for quite some time before she got abducted by Nicholas. She is spoiled and loved dearly by her family.
Meet Nicholas Eden: He is the Viscount Eden of Montieth. A typical unapologetic asshole Rake. With his status, his duty is to marry and to sire an heir. But Nicholas does not want to marry for a reason: He is a bastard. (I do not think this is a spoiler, he has this internal dialogue very early on). He is afraid that if his bastardy is known by society, his wife might suffer, so he chooses not to marry instead.
The book starts off with Nicholas’s mistress, Lady Eddington’s perspective. She talks of Nicholas escorting her to this very important ball. And at some point, admits to wanting to marry him. Although, it is impossible because he has an aversion to marriage. After an argument, she decided to end their relations, with the intention to make him chase her, I think. She was escorted by Lord Marshall Malory instead. At the Malory house, a chit wanted to borrow the family carriage but since Lady Eddington couldn’t afford to be late, she lent Regina her carriage instead. And from there, the plot moves forward. Regina was wrongly abducted and when Nicholas realized his mistake, he quickly went home to his townhouse where he was keeping the lady. But being alone with Nicholas just does not happen without some repercussions. When the gossip was out, Regina’s reputation is quickly left in tatters. Her uncle, Anthony, insisted a duel but Regina won’t have it. So, they forced Nicholas to marry her instead. And from there, we have the miscommunication trope until towards the end.
I have mixed feelings about the heroine. For one, she was very entertaining. But at the same time, she came off spoiled. I do feel sorry for her, though. I think she was quite young so she has some immaturity in her. She does come off very spoiled at times but she was endearing as well. She stood up for herself most of the time. She is likeable. And it is cute how much she loves her family. She was funny at times, too.
As for the hero, I have mixed feelings about him too. He was entertaining to read about. I hated his rakish ways — it was a turn off because he seduced innocents too. He was an asshole to the heroine for most of the book, as well. However, when he had a verbal sparring with Anthony or James, he becomes so funny that I can’t help but be endeared with him. He has this dry sense of humor that is oddly so funny. He’s greatly attracted to his wife but of course he has his silly reasons about why he’s so mad that he’s married to her. And after coming to the conclusion that he does think about her a lot, he decided it’s time to come home six months later.
This book has the miscommunication trope. I am just so glad that Johanna Lindsey wrote this book it in a way wherein I just could not help but continue reading. The miscommunication is annoying because things would’ve been solved if only they talked to each other, but of course, they’re both stubborn and jumped to conclusion even when they haven’t even talked about their problems. However, the miscommunication had to be written because there would be no conflict, otherwise. Also, the hero had the audacity to doubt that Regina’s son is his. She tells him that it is his child and he’s like, “I don’t believe you,” and she’s like, “fine” and he was like, “why doesn’t she convince me?”
They had so many problems that it was almost toxic, and perhaps they were toxic. And there lay the problem. They had so much conflict, and instead of fixing things slowly but surely, it all happened so fast to the point it felt so rushed. I do not believe that they loved each other even when I finished the book, I think they were more in-lust with each other. Perhaps, after a few years together, they might come to actually love each other. Oh, there was a love declaration, of course. But it was just not believable to me because they spent the book being mad at each other because they did not talk like normal adults. I think it needed at least more pages for the readers to actually feel that all’s well and that they actually love each other. I am quite sure the heroine loved the hero because she wouldn’t put up with him if not, but it is the hero’s love that was rather unconvincing. It needed more time for his declaration to be plausible.
Aside from the main characters, I loved the Malory family! At first, I was so confused because there were so much characters and I couldn’t keep up who’s who but I eventually learned who they were. This book does not only focus on the romance and there were many moments about the family too. The hero did not appear for about 15% or more towards the middle but it did not bother me that much because the Malory family was entertaining. Although it was weird to me how Regina kept mentioning how much she wanted to marry someone who reminded her of her uncles. It was sweet but at the same time, why?
Over all, I am satisfied with my first Johanna Lindsey book and I look forward to reading more of her work. Hopefully, there is less miscommunication between the characters. Kind of want to skip book 2 because there is so much miscommunication, apparently. Johanna Lindsey writes well, although at first her style is confusing, I grew to like it.
Some Quotes:
“What does the truth matter when it is the untruth that is believed by everyone?”
“Don’t do it, Regina,” he warned darkly. “You will regret it.” “I already do,” was the whispered reply. It took him aback. “Then why?” he asked desperately. “I—I must,” she replied. He let go of her arm and stepped away, his face a mask of fury. “Damnation take you then! I will be no husband to you, this I swear. If you persist in this farce, then that is what you will have, a mockery of a marriage. I wish you happy.” “You don’t mean that, Nicholas!” There were tears in her eyes. “I give you my word, madame, and a last warning: Do not come to the church.”
James caught sight of the couple racing out of the room, hand in hand, Reggie holding her other hand against her mouth to stifle her laughter. “Will you look at that?” he cut into Anthony’s speech. “Did I tell you he was the man for her?”“You did not,” Anthony retorted hotly. “But of course I knew it all along.” (This was so funny to me because we all know you did not, Anthony!)
They seemed to touch each other without hands, a current passing between them that transcended their differences.
“You just won’t admit that you were wrong, that you have a wonderful wife and no good reason not to cherish her.” “I do admit that. It is my wife who now regrets her choice of husband. I once told her she would. Bitter thing,” he added, “to find yourself proved right about the one thing you wanted to be wrong about.”