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The Defiant Bride
Dariana refuses to be forced into marriage, even if it has been ordered by the king, so she fakes her own death only to be discovered and tricked into marriage with William, a man she may not be able to forgive.
Furious at being used as a political pawn, the Lady Dariana defies King Henry VII by faking her own death to avoid marrying a man she has never met. Praying the king will not retaliate against her father, she seeks refuge in the forest and learns to fend for herself. When William, a warrior knight, is felled by an arrow, she saves his life and arranges his rescue before fleeing to avoid discovery.
William awakes from his injury to be told he imagined the beautiful woman in the forest. Besotted and determined to make her his own, he hunts her down and tricks her into marrying him, intent on turning her defiance into love. But even as he begins to succeed, their enemies join forces to end the marriage—even if it means that Dariana must die.
When Dariana is abducted, William must track her down to fight for her life and their happiness. And, Dariana, once the most defiant of brides, must channel her own strength of will into survival, both for herself—and for the child she now carries.
Furious at being used as a political pawn, the Lady Dariana defies King Henry VII by faking her own death to avoid marrying a man she has never met. Praying the king will not retaliate against her father, she seeks refuge in the forest and learns to fend for herself. When William, a warrior knight, is felled by an arrow, she saves his life and arranges his rescue before fleeing to avoid discovery.
William awakes from his injury to be told he imagined the beautiful woman in the forest. Besotted and determined to make her his own, he hunts her down and tricks her into marrying him, intent on turning her defiance into love. But even as he begins to succeed, their enemies join forces to end the marriage—even if it means that Dariana must die.
When Dariana is abducted, William must track her down to fight for her life and their happiness. And, Dariana, once the most defiant of brides, must channel her own strength of will into survival, both for herself—and for the child she now carries.
178 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2015
222 people are currently reading
1001 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Hachtel
30 books320 followersLeslie Hachtel was born in Ohio, raised in New York and has lived all over the country. Her various jobs, including licensed veterinary technician, caterer, horseback riding instructor for the disabled and advertising media buyer have given her a wealth of experiences.
However, it has been writing that has consistently been her passion.
Leslie lives in Florida with a fabulously supportive engineer husband and her writing buddy, Josie, a doodle.
However, it has been writing that has consistently been her passion.
Leslie lives in Florida with a fabulously supportive engineer husband and her writing buddy, Josie, a doodle.
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October 23, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/23/2017)!
August 23, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
This book was entertaining. Dariana is the only (spoiled) child of a titled landowner that is ordered to marry a Spaniard to solidify the connection between England and Spain. Dariana’s father was placed in the difficult position of losing his only child or losing everything. The king would not allow any disobedience and likely both Dariana and her father would be killed if she refused to wed the Spaniard.
Dariana is feisty and determined to find love on her own terms. She conspires to fake her own death and hides out away from everyone. She acts as angel of mercy when she nurses an injured knight, William, back to health. William is determined to find her despite being told that she is a hallucination. I loved the twist where the female was the rescuer instead of the male. William finds and marries Dariana only to face a litany of stumbling blocks. They have to survive while foiling plots designed to destroy their union. It seemed like just when I thought they were ready to be happy another villain showed up to threaten their happily ever after. The plot moved along with a lot of action.
The only thing I felt was really lacking was romance. I didn’t really feel like there was a romantic connection between William and Dariana. It just didn’t ring true. There were some bright spots, but I think the author could have done more to illustrate the passion between them. There were also the parts of the story that were just a little too tidy. The father is on his death bed until Dariana returns. Then miraculously he recovers. I rolled my eyes during this part because I just felt it was too predictable.
All things considered it was still a good story, and I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
This book was entertaining. Dariana is the only (spoiled) child of a titled landowner that is ordered to marry a Spaniard to solidify the connection between England and Spain. Dariana’s father was placed in the difficult position of losing his only child or losing everything. The king would not allow any disobedience and likely both Dariana and her father would be killed if she refused to wed the Spaniard.
Dariana is feisty and determined to find love on her own terms. She conspires to fake her own death and hides out away from everyone. She acts as angel of mercy when she nurses an injured knight, William, back to health. William is determined to find her despite being told that she is a hallucination. I loved the twist where the female was the rescuer instead of the male. William finds and marries Dariana only to face a litany of stumbling blocks. They have to survive while foiling plots designed to destroy their union. It seemed like just when I thought they were ready to be happy another villain showed up to threaten their happily ever after. The plot moved along with a lot of action.
The only thing I felt was really lacking was romance. I didn’t really feel like there was a romantic connection between William and Dariana. It just didn’t ring true. There were some bright spots, but I think the author could have done more to illustrate the passion between them. There were also the parts of the story that were just a little too tidy. The father is on his death bed until Dariana returns. Then miraculously he recovers. I rolled my eyes during this part because I just felt it was too predictable.
All things considered it was still a good story, and I enjoyed reading it.
Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.
November 27, 2017
This was an entertaining read, not too heavy on the history in terms of historical romance, but with enough action to keep me reading until the end. Some of the dialogue was a bit stilted, like the writer was trying too hard to make the characters sound like they live in the olden days, but otherwise recommended for romance fans.
August 7, 2015
The Defiant Bride by Leslie Hachtel is a historical romance. Dariana refuses to be forced into marriage, even if it has been ordered by the king. With few options she fakes her own death. Praying the king will not retaliate against her father, she seeks refuge in the forest and learns to fend for herself. When William, a warrior knight, is felled by an arrow, she saves his life and arranges his rescue before fleeing to avoid discovery. William awakes from his injury determined to make her his own, so he hunts her down and tricks her into marrying him, intent on turning her defiance into love. But even as he begins to succeed, their enemies join forces to end the marriage, even if it means that Dariana must die. When Dariana is abducted, William must track her down to fight for her life and their happiness. And, Dariana, once the most defiant of brides, must channel her own strength of will into survival.
The Defiant Bride started strong. Dariana is a strong, smart, and independent woman that cares about her father and friends, but cannot stand the idea of being sent away to marry a foreign stranger. So, she fakes her death and learns to survive with the help of a good friend. She stumbles across a plot to kill a lord, saves him, and sends him on his way. But he searches her out, knowing she was not a fever dream. So far, so good right? Well, then it all goes wrong.He kidnaps her from the forest and tricks her into marrying him, even though he is already betrothed to another. They have some issues from there, but then there are added outside dangers because of people that think William and/or Dariana have taken what is rightfully theirs. Of course Dariana comes to her senses and is head over heals in love with William and forgives him, even though he never admits that he was wrong or even thinks that he was wrong in his high handed actions. While I loved the action and the majority of Dariana's character, this bit of handsome hero is right even if he is incredably wrong and arrogant just drove me crazy and rather ruined the rest of the book. Both Dariana and William’s sister tell him that he is wrong, but they all just shrug it aside and move on! If they ever had a real argument about it, without leaving it behind to fall into bed, and had William every really apologized rather than just having it land in the territory of “but I was right and you love me so it is okay” I would have felt much better about the whole thing.
The Defiant Bride is a decent read overall, if you can get past the fact that Dariana ends up married without the opportunity to make the choice herself, then the book would be so much better. I could not move past that, since that was at odds with the strength of character she starts the story with. I had such high hopes when starting this book, and am disappointed in the path it takes.
The Defiant Bride started strong. Dariana is a strong, smart, and independent woman that cares about her father and friends, but cannot stand the idea of being sent away to marry a foreign stranger. So, she fakes her death and learns to survive with the help of a good friend. She stumbles across a plot to kill a lord, saves him, and sends him on his way. But he searches her out, knowing she was not a fever dream. So far, so good right? Well, then it all goes wrong.He kidnaps her from the forest and tricks her into marrying him, even though he is already betrothed to another. They have some issues from there, but then there are added outside dangers because of people that think William and/or Dariana have taken what is rightfully theirs. Of course Dariana comes to her senses and is head over heals in love with William and forgives him, even though he never admits that he was wrong or even thinks that he was wrong in his high handed actions. While I loved the action and the majority of Dariana's character, this bit of handsome hero is right even if he is incredably wrong and arrogant just drove me crazy and rather ruined the rest of the book. Both Dariana and William’s sister tell him that he is wrong, but they all just shrug it aside and move on! If they ever had a real argument about it, without leaving it behind to fall into bed, and had William every really apologized rather than just having it land in the territory of “but I was right and you love me so it is okay” I would have felt much better about the whole thing.
The Defiant Bride is a decent read overall, if you can get past the fact that Dariana ends up married without the opportunity to make the choice herself, then the book would be so much better. I could not move past that, since that was at odds with the strength of character she starts the story with. I had such high hopes when starting this book, and am disappointed in the path it takes.
December 17, 2015
Predictable romance novel. Easy, fast read, but a good steady story set in early times (1508 in England) with a knight in shining armor twist. It is totally enjoyable and lovely. Leslie Hachtel writes like she has been there with language that is seemingly authentic for the period with descriptions of the setting that are believable and interesting. What woman wouldn't want to be in Dariana's shoes? The perfect black horse for her time, a rich up-bringing where she has everything she desires and some excitement to keep her on her toes. This is an adult novel that will appeal to most light-hearted women readers and I would recommend it to my female friends for a nice read on a rainy day!
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2021
Action took place starting in 1508.
Beauty Lady Dariana was an earl's dtr & her eventual
love interest was William, also an earl.
Lady D was described as spoiled. I could not picture
her fending mostly for herself for a year in a cabin
in the woods. Done to defy the King's decree on who
she must wed. She didn't validate a possible treason
charge or the penalty her father could receive.
She rescued William when he was shot by an arrow.
She acted like a shrew towards him until near the
60% mark. This couple had frequent, mostly wooden
s8x. He was too forgiving of her moods.
The focus of the story would have been better served
on Leah ( Wm's sister) & her beloved Richard.
Beauty Lady Dariana was an earl's dtr & her eventual
love interest was William, also an earl.
Lady D was described as spoiled. I could not picture
her fending mostly for herself for a year in a cabin
in the woods. Done to defy the King's decree on who
she must wed. She didn't validate a possible treason
charge or the penalty her father could receive.
She rescued William when he was shot by an arrow.
She acted like a shrew towards him until near the
60% mark. This couple had frequent, mostly wooden
s8x. He was too forgiving of her moods.
The focus of the story would have been better served
on Leah ( Wm's sister) & her beloved Richard.
October 28, 2017
An average read for someone who enjoys historical romance
OK for an historical romance.. Fun quick read. Was a book I enjoyed but will not read again. That's it
OK for an historical romance.. Fun quick read. Was a book I enjoyed but will not read again. That's it
December 31, 2017
I did like it, thus the 3 stars.
However, it deserves no more than 3 because every single 'matter' was written as mater, and every single 'off' was written as of... along with a few other type-o's.
It was too distracting for me, and now I'm 'saying' uff because I kept starting to read OF when I knew it was supposed to read OFF.
As for the story, I personally enjoyed the fact that the author wrote rather close to old-world dialogue and gave us some insight into life during the Tudor period in England.
And not possessing a modern-day bias against all things old, I also enjoyed the romance between the two leads, what with her hiding out in the woods, happening upon his injury, and then him wanting desperately to find her after. How romantic!
God forbid that should occur in a ROMANCE novel?
So many reviewers claim that the heroine was a shrew, a b*tch, and a spoiled child that I went into this assuming it would be true, but it wasn't true, and the heroine seemed to be as levelheaded as the next person.
My only other gripe had to do with the author trying to insert modern-day mentality into an ancient being by saying things like, "Women were nothing more than property,"
As this was definitely the case, I still doubt it was harped on as much back then as it tends to be done today (esp in these types of novels), so that was a little disappointing to have to read a few times in the course of the entire novel.
ONE day I'm going to read a Regency or Historical Romance that doesn't include any modernization or author's emotional input, and it will be the day I offer up a truly deserved 5-star review.
However, it deserves no more than 3 because every single 'matter' was written as mater, and every single 'off' was written as of... along with a few other type-o's.
It was too distracting for me, and now I'm 'saying' uff because I kept starting to read OF when I knew it was supposed to read OFF.
As for the story, I personally enjoyed the fact that the author wrote rather close to old-world dialogue and gave us some insight into life during the Tudor period in England.
And not possessing a modern-day bias against all things old, I also enjoyed the romance between the two leads, what with her hiding out in the woods, happening upon his injury, and then him wanting desperately to find her after. How romantic!
God forbid that should occur in a ROMANCE novel?
So many reviewers claim that the heroine was a shrew, a b*tch, and a spoiled child that I went into this assuming it would be true, but it wasn't true, and the heroine seemed to be as levelheaded as the next person.
My only other gripe had to do with the author trying to insert modern-day mentality into an ancient being by saying things like, "Women were nothing more than property,"
As this was definitely the case, I still doubt it was harped on as much back then as it tends to be done today (esp in these types of novels), so that was a little disappointing to have to read a few times in the course of the entire novel.
ONE day I'm going to read a Regency or Historical Romance that doesn't include any modernization or author's emotional input, and it will be the day I offer up a truly deserved 5-star review.
November 15, 2017
Reviewed by Amy W.
Book provided by Breathless Press
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Lady Dariana will do anything to escape an arranged marriage, even if it means she has to fake her death. She never counted on her own tender heart to betray her. Leslie Hatchel takes readers to 16th century England in The Defiant Bride. This is a rich historical novel, complete with an appearance by King Henry VIII.
When Williams, Earl of Dansworth sets eyes on Dariana, he would not be denied. There is a point early in the story where he tells Dariana, “I cannot live another day, another moment, without you.” While having a handsome man direct such a comment at me would definitely be flattering, I can’t vouch for the believability of such a conversation.
What ensues is a story of treachery as Dariana and William face a future shrouded in doubt. Will Dariana be punished for not following the king’s decree or will William be able to intervene?
I found the story easy to read because it didn’t include the stilted language that I associate with that time period. There’s a bit of heat incorporated, but it complements the storyline. I found this to be a quick and easy read.
Book provided by Breathless Press
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Lady Dariana will do anything to escape an arranged marriage, even if it means she has to fake her death. She never counted on her own tender heart to betray her. Leslie Hatchel takes readers to 16th century England in The Defiant Bride. This is a rich historical novel, complete with an appearance by King Henry VIII.
When Williams, Earl of Dansworth sets eyes on Dariana, he would not be denied. There is a point early in the story where he tells Dariana, “I cannot live another day, another moment, without you.” While having a handsome man direct such a comment at me would definitely be flattering, I can’t vouch for the believability of such a conversation.
What ensues is a story of treachery as Dariana and William face a future shrouded in doubt. Will Dariana be punished for not following the king’s decree or will William be able to intervene?
I found the story easy to read because it didn’t include the stilted language that I associate with that time period. There’s a bit of heat incorporated, but it complements the storyline. I found this to be a quick and easy read.
December 1, 2017
I have no idea why the kindle version of this seems to have disappeared.
I really didn't like this. Dariana was a horrible character with very little to like about her. She was a spoiled little madam with a vile temper and no regard for anyone else. An odd choice for a "heroine". She seemed to throw a hissy fit every five minutes for no obvious reason which was seriously irritating. She appeared to have no redeeming qualities at all. William was just pathetic. He sees her for a few minutes when semi-conscious and from that alone he's in love with her and has to marry her? Uh no. Although, admittedly, it would have been hard for him to love her after he got to know her. She just isn't lovable.
The book is full of errors. The most irritating thing is that some of them would have been caught with a simple run through a spellchecker. The others would have been caught by an editor. The repeated confusion of "of" and "off" was annoying.
I really didn't like this. Dariana was a horrible character with very little to like about her. She was a spoiled little madam with a vile temper and no regard for anyone else. An odd choice for a "heroine". She seemed to throw a hissy fit every five minutes for no obvious reason which was seriously irritating. She appeared to have no redeeming qualities at all. William was just pathetic. He sees her for a few minutes when semi-conscious and from that alone he's in love with her and has to marry her? Uh no. Although, admittedly, it would have been hard for him to love her after he got to know her. She just isn't lovable.
The book is full of errors. The most irritating thing is that some of them would have been caught with a simple run through a spellchecker. The others would have been caught by an editor. The repeated confusion of "of" and "off" was annoying.
November 5, 2017
Loved this story!
I loved everything about this book! The bride's defiance was short-lived, NOT dragged out, and the author made the transition of Dariana to a loving bride very well. The characters felt real to me, even though they lived several hundred years before now. I enjoyed the quick pace of the action and adventure. There was only a teeny tiny bit or pornography, so I was easily able to skip over it. (The book would have been perfect and been given a 5 star rating without it, though.) The author didn't try to come up with new synonyms as many writers do, so I applaud her for that. ..If a tried and true word works in the story, then don't try to change it. The plot was different than most, and I very much enjoyed it. Maybe the author, who seems to have tried numerous jobs, has found her true talent.
I loved everything about this book! The bride's defiance was short-lived, NOT dragged out, and the author made the transition of Dariana to a loving bride very well. The characters felt real to me, even though they lived several hundred years before now. I enjoyed the quick pace of the action and adventure. There was only a teeny tiny bit or pornography, so I was easily able to skip over it. (The book would have been perfect and been given a 5 star rating without it, though.) The author didn't try to come up with new synonyms as many writers do, so I applaud her for that. ..If a tried and true word works in the story, then don't try to change it. The plot was different than most, and I very much enjoyed it. Maybe the author, who seems to have tried numerous jobs, has found her true talent.
October 23, 2017
It had a promising beginning then it read like a news report ~ totally lacking in empathy though the humorous moments are fine. The author failed to build~up on the drama and suspense from William's attack in the forest near Dariana's hiding place. Also the villains have become predictable that their identity robbed the book of a much needed boost in mystery and suspenseful unveiling . The book has become banal and as trite as its sex scenes (which I can do without). The author needs more discerning and honest critics to put her on the right path to more successful work. I still would encourage her to keep on writing as she already has the right concepts and at least she does not confuse her timelines by inserting present day syntax into her Historicals.
November 18, 2017
I would have rated this higher but for the editing. It appears as though someone replaced all instances of the word “off” with the word “of”. It made for some weird sentences. It started out rather juvenile but got better. It is the story of a girl who fakes her death to get away from a forced marriage. When she finds a young man wounded after being attacked she nurses him and he marries her. The person writing this book had a serious problem with keeping track of time, but this could have been caught by a decent editor.
October 23, 2017
Not the best.
The first thing that I have to get off my chest I'd the irritating errors the author made: Mater instead of matter, biter instead of bitter and of instead of off! These weren't one of typos either.
Anyway, to the story. This was too flowery for me. The appearance of Anne Boleyn in one scene was too contrived for me as was Henry's suggestion that William's property (I.e. Dariana) belonged to him. Definitely not worth reading.
The first thing that I have to get off my chest I'd the irritating errors the author made: Mater instead of matter, biter instead of bitter and of instead of off! These weren't one of typos either.
Anyway, to the story. This was too flowery for me. The appearance of Anne Boleyn in one scene was too contrived for me as was Henry's suggestion that William's property (I.e. Dariana) belonged to him. Definitely not worth reading.
November 3, 2017
The Defiant Bride is an outstanding historical romance by Leslie Hachtel. This was my first book by this author, but won’t be my last. Ms Hachtel has given us a well-written book. Her characters are amazing and my favorite part of the book. Dariana and William’s story is packed with drama, action, suspense, sizzle and a bit of humor. I totally enjoyed reading The Defiant Bride and look forward to my next book by Leslie Hachtel. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
December 30, 2024
It was nice to read a historical romance set in the Tudor Period, as opposed to the Victorian, Regency, or even Medieval, where most are set. Well-written with likable protagonists and diabolical villains, this book was a nice escape. I really liked Tamara, Richard, Leah, and Dariana's father. The king (Henry VIII) also added quite a bit of humor. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Hachtel's works in the future. Five stars from me.
January 8, 2019
Guilty Pleasure
Fun guilty pleasure. Waited way too long to bring Tamara back into the story. If she was a true friend, she would have gone practically insane to find her friend no longer at the cottage. She would have done something, roused someone, gone to see her friend's dad. She wouldn't ha e just waited for word. That part makes ZERO sense and is completely unacceptable.
Fun guilty pleasure. Waited way too long to bring Tamara back into the story. If she was a true friend, she would have gone practically insane to find her friend no longer at the cottage. She would have done something, roused someone, gone to see her friend's dad. She wouldn't ha e just waited for word. That part makes ZERO sense and is completely unacceptable.
October 25, 2017
A wonderful tale of mystery and romance
A great story, weaving pictures of another time with great detail, an amazing woman-fully developed characters with great twists and turns! Lovely, tender ,vulnerable and lusty moments as well!!
A great story, weaving pictures of another time with great detail, an amazing woman-fully developed characters with great twists and turns! Lovely, tender ,vulnerable and lusty moments as well!!
October 27, 2017
So much error
I enjoyed the story well enough but the grammatical errors were so vast it irritated me so much I almost quit reading. Whoever edited this book should possibly find another job.
I enjoyed the story well enough but the grammatical errors were so vast it irritated me so much I almost quit reading. Whoever edited this book should possibly find another job.
October 28, 2017
Ok
The story is good but it's rather written in a quick get it over with encounter. There is not much history given which may be good or not enough of. I like to have a more descriptive scenery written in which this did not have.
The story is good but it's rather written in a quick get it over with encounter. There is not much history given which may be good or not enough of. I like to have a more descriptive scenery written in which this did not have.
November 3, 2017
Strength of a good story
There is nothing I disliked. I enjoyed the strong character's I didn't want to lay the book down but I had to my kindle died mid ways. I had to order a new one.
I hope there is a book 2.
There is nothing I disliked. I enjoyed the strong character's I didn't want to lay the book down but I had to my kindle died mid ways. I had to order a new one.
I hope there is a book 2.
November 11, 2017
I skipped through at least half of it.
Shallow characters, predictable storyline, too much detail in sex scenes, simplistic narration, and anachronistic dialog. A waste of time. I scanned to the end simply to see how the storyline would wrap up. Predictably.
Shallow characters, predictable storyline, too much detail in sex scenes, simplistic narration, and anachronistic dialog. A waste of time. I scanned to the end simply to see how the storyline would wrap up. Predictably.
August 29, 2018
Needs editing
This was a wonderful romance, but it was so disconcerting when every word that needed a double letter only had a single one. Of instead of off, mater instead of matter, roting instead of rotting. It was consistent through the whole book. Sad.
This was a wonderful romance, but it was so disconcerting when every word that needed a double letter only had a single one. Of instead of off, mater instead of matter, roting instead of rotting. It was consistent through the whole book. Sad.
February 17, 2019
This book got some good reviews on Amazon, but I can't understand why. The language is stilted and unimaginative, the characters lack dimension, and the plot is just a bit simplistic. I finished the book, but thought several times of putting it down.
September 24, 2025
my review
When a defiant woman asks herself if duty is really justifiable in relation to ones happiness, what is the motivation behind her actions when they lead her towards a path unseen and undefined?
When a defiant woman asks herself if duty is really justifiable in relation to ones happiness, what is the motivation behind her actions when they lead her towards a path unseen and undefined?
October 24, 2017
Medieval tale
Though I enjoyed the tale, it's a little far fetched. However, I like the heroine's tenacity & kept her head when captured or attacked.
Though I enjoyed the tale, it's a little far fetched. However, I like the heroine's tenacity & kept her head when captured or attacked.
October 28, 2017
Thank you!
December 27, 2017
Love wins
I would recommend this novel because it is enjoyable to read about young women who understands themselves and what they want out of life.
I would recommend this novel because it is enjoyable to read about young women who understands themselves and what they want out of life.
July 31, 2021
A lot of grammatical errors
A lot happens in a weeks time. Enjoyed the characters. Enjoyed the book, but grammatical errors stopped the flow reading.
A lot happens in a weeks time. Enjoyed the characters. Enjoyed the book, but grammatical errors stopped the flow reading.
September 12, 2021
This was a pretty basic tale. An entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews