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A Lady's Letters to her Phantom Captain: A Historical Regency Romance Novel
Lady Annabelle Rockwood, a timid debutante, invents a Scottish fiancé, Captain Campbell, to escape marriage. For years, she pours her secrets and desires into letters, believing no one reads them. When her uncle dies and leaves her a Highland castle, she kills off her imaginary fiancé, no longer needing him—but the real Captain Campbell soon arrives, claiming his right to marry her…
Captain Callum Campbell never expected lovesick letters from a stranger, and yet somehow they become his lifeline during the horrors of war in France. Furious at his “death” in her final letter, he returns home with a marry Annabelle to secure an estate for his men—or reveal her secrets to the ton, shattering her world forever…
As Annabelle and Callum strike a tense bargain, the letters ignite arguments, laughter, and undeniable attraction. Can their love survive the blackmail and mistrust that brought them together?
"A Lady's Letters to her Phantom Captain" is a historical romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Marriage of Convenience, Pen pals, Brooding Hero
Captain Callum Campbell never expected lovesick letters from a stranger, and yet somehow they become his lifeline during the horrors of war in France. Furious at his “death” in her final letter, he returns home with a marry Annabelle to secure an estate for his men—or reveal her secrets to the ton, shattering her world forever…
As Annabelle and Callum strike a tense bargain, the letters ignite arguments, laughter, and undeniable attraction. Can their love survive the blackmail and mistrust that brought them together?
"A Lady's Letters to her Phantom Captain" is a historical romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Marriage of Convenience, Pen pals, Brooding Hero
- GenresHistorical Romance
449 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2025
About the author
Bridget Barton
507 books209 followersBridget Barton was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas.
She has studied English Literature in college and after a brief passage in journalism as a newspaper writer, she stirred her career to what she always loved: becoming an author!
She has always been intrigued by rascals, vagabonds, dukes and rogues, so having the chance to write stories about them is a wish come true for her!
Bridget is married to her own prince charming and is the proud mother of two daughters (and three adorable kittens) and soon to be a grandma!
She is a hopeless romantic who devours romance literature and of course enjoys writing love stories of her own.
When she is not writing, Bridget is relaxing by cooking for her lovely husband, exercising and listening to soft music.
Bridget loves to connect with her readers!
With love and respect,
Bridget Barton
She has studied English Literature in college and after a brief passage in journalism as a newspaper writer, she stirred her career to what she always loved: becoming an author!
She has always been intrigued by rascals, vagabonds, dukes and rogues, so having the chance to write stories about them is a wish come true for her!
Bridget is married to her own prince charming and is the proud mother of two daughters (and three adorable kittens) and soon to be a grandma!
She is a hopeless romantic who devours romance literature and of course enjoys writing love stories of her own.
When she is not writing, Bridget is relaxing by cooking for her lovely husband, exercising and listening to soft music.
Bridget loves to connect with her readers!
With love and respect,
Bridget Barton
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 23, 2026
This book isn’t baaad but the amount of times I was like “girl what??” Was too many. The misunderstandings, really adamant refusal to understand and listen, really get out of hand and make no logical sense. You know Callum doesn’t like drawing so the drawings of the other girl have to be fake but when you call her out on it and she’s like but “I have his baby in me!!” You’re really going to backtrack and believe that??? Huh??? Your man keeps telling you that woman lying and you just pick and choose what to believe. Sigh. Also there’s really no chemistry to be had here… Annabelle just all of a sudden loves Callum despite everything pointing the other way. Also the other couple announcing their engagement at their wedding?? Wild. The scowl on my face at the end was prominent. Everything wrapped up too nicely without fleshing anything out properly so it felt unfulfilling. One other thing is why is the cover a brunette girl when Annabelle is described as having strawberry blonde hair…AI getting lazy fr. The spacing in the book was also weird and there were times where commas would be replaced with periods and other things like that. Editor clocked out on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2026
I liked the main idea for the plot, but it got melodramatic really fast, and there were so many errors! Annie is just kind of dumb. I know she's naive, but her reactions were so unreasonable that it was hard to like her. The Captain's behavior was also extreme, with all his snarling, manipulation, and Rambo-level vigilantism. Other characters passed in and out like it was a play and they were exiting stage left.
Besides the odd extra spaces around certain punctuation, there was so much modern American language ("goons," "come clean," etc.), basic things like character names were switched or misused, "intimate" replaced "intimidate," women were referred to as "beaus," and an artist was referred to as a "drawer." And that's just the beginning. The story itself started falling apart at the halfway mark to the point that I didn't want to continue. This needed better editing.
Besides the odd extra spaces around certain punctuation, there was so much modern American language ("goons," "come clean," etc.), basic things like character names were switched or misused, "intimate" replaced "intimidate," women were referred to as "beaus," and an artist was referred to as a "drawer." And that's just the beginning. The story itself started falling apart at the halfway mark to the point that I didn't want to continue. This needed better editing.
January 3, 2026
traditional historic romance
The hero is a highlander captain returning from war in France. For 5 years he received letters addressed to him from a single lady he did not know, but cherished the letters. His goal after the war was to meet and marry her but also give the soldiers that returned with him a place to farm and live. The heroine had no clue he was real and was blindsided by his arrival. And so begins a series of mistakes and mis communications. There is also a conspiracy to break them up. The captains idea of resettlement of soldiers was not politically favorable by certain people. There is a mean malicious ex. And other characters that wreak havoc, but love concurs all.
The hero is a highlander captain returning from war in France. For 5 years he received letters addressed to him from a single lady he did not know, but cherished the letters. His goal after the war was to meet and marry her but also give the soldiers that returned with him a place to farm and live. The heroine had no clue he was real and was blindsided by his arrival. And so begins a series of mistakes and mis communications. There is also a conspiracy to break them up. The captains idea of resettlement of soldiers was not politically favorable by certain people. There is a mean malicious ex. And other characters that wreak havoc, but love concurs all.
January 2, 2026
premise of story good
While the premise of story is good one, the writing seems full of holes. Things didn't always follow along in a consistent manner and there were several misunderstandings about Scottish terms of speech. One was what a "hand fasting" referred to and what it actually meant. Another anomaly was putting people out of the story only to have them show up again for a scene then disappear again when they definitely should have still been there for that scene. Also the use of the pronouns making it difficult to follow the story, "him" for "her" being an example.
While the premise of story is good one, the writing seems full of holes. Things didn't always follow along in a consistent manner and there were several misunderstandings about Scottish terms of speech. One was what a "hand fasting" referred to and what it actually meant. Another anomaly was putting people out of the story only to have them show up again for a scene then disappear again when they definitely should have still been there for that scene. Also the use of the pronouns making it difficult to follow the story, "him" for "her" being an example.
December 13, 2025
The idea of the plot was new and interesting. I found the writing a little too mushy for me, but what annoyed me was the typos and the many repetitions of sentiments or situations that did not need to be done.
A relatively enjoyable tale.
A relatively enjoyable tale.
December 15, 2025
Great reading
I could not put this story down until the end. Just read it you shouldn't be disappointed. A delightful escape into a world of hope, faith, and love with dash of adventure, and always with wholesome values.
I could not put this story down until the end. Just read it you shouldn't be disappointed. A delightful escape into a world of hope, faith, and love with dash of adventure, and always with wholesome values.
December 28, 2025
A Nice Clean Romance
Loved the psycho of this story. It would have taken me years to forgive a man for trapping me in a marriage to take my home and wealth. That’s why I’m not sure that this is a favorite of mine. There should be grown children before she trusts him again.
Loved the psycho of this story. It would have taken me years to forgive a man for trapping me in a marriage to take my home and wealth. That’s why I’m not sure that this is a favorite of mine. There should be grown children before she trusts him again.
December 12, 2025
Endearing romance
Endearing romance that is full of struggle and enduring love, it is very well written and I enjoyed reading it.
Endearing romance that is full of struggle and enduring love, it is very well written and I enjoyed reading it.
December 15, 2025
Clean Standalone Historical Romance
Can be read as a standalone.
She created a fake fiance years ago that is away at war.
He's survived war with the help of letters not meant for him.
Enemies to more
Blackmail
Political resistance
Wolves in sheep's clothing
Can be read as a standalone.
She created a fake fiance years ago that is away at war.
He's survived war with the help of letters not meant for him.
Enemies to more
Blackmail
Political resistance
Wolves in sheep's clothing
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews