The Bad Luck Bride

The Cavensham Heiresses #1

by Janna MacGregor

All were shocked at the announcement of the “cursed” Lady Claire Cavensham to Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke, especially since she is already engaged to another unfortunate Lord. Perhaps she will make it to the altar this time with one of these fine gentlemen! —Midnight Cryer

No one is left breathless at the imperious pronouncement of her engagement to Lord Pembrooke more than Claire. She hardly knows the dangerously outrageous man! But after three engagements gone awry and a fourth going up in glorious flames, she isn’t in a position to refuse...

Alexander requires the hand of his enemy’s fiancée in marriage in order to complete his plans for revenge. It’s his good fortune that the “cursed” woman is desperate. However, what begins as a sham turns into something scandalously deeper...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Audiobook, Marriage Of Convenience

337 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers.

Visit her at www.JannaMacGregor.com.
Twitter: @JannaMacGregor
Facebook: Janna MacGregor
Sign up for her newsletter at www.JannaMacGregor.com

Reviews

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT'S ALIVE!!!

Bad Luck...a curse...or just bad timing?

I admit it would seem that Claire was having a run of bad luck but I really think it was more a matter of bad timing. By timing, I mean set in a historical romance time instead of contemporary romance time. Her run of bad luck with marriage prospects has given her a reputation of having a curse. Poor Claire has had one fiancé die, one lose a leg and another lost a duel and was banished. You would think fourth’s the charm? Ah, not for poor Claire. Good old #4 is a lying, scheming and financially destitute Lord who can’t be bothered to turn up to his engagement announcement. For a historical romance heroine, these circumstances are BAD. She could end up on the shelf and alone for the rest of her life.

What if, poor Claire had all of this happen today in a contemporary romance?

Well, there would be sympathy because of her lost love (of course it’s love, who would marry for anything less these days), but eventually, she’d maybe…or maybe not move on. No pressure, her choice she won't die if she's not married. If fiancé #2 lost his leg? Well, because you love him, you’d get him as much help as he needs. Whether you stay together is your and your partner's call. Then there’s fiancé #3…duel ending in death. Sir, it’s straight to prison for you buddy. No fancy trips to America or Australia for you. Ummm…financially destitute #4, well buddy, that’s your problem. It's not hers because she was smart enough to have separate bank accounts and assets in her name only.

So, poor old Claire should have been born now instead of then.

With #4 on the way out, all hope is lost…until…what appears to be a knight in shining armour, dashes in and saves the day. While Claire gives the ton a smile of pure joy, she gives her knight, Alex, the side eye. Why is, all of a sudden, this Marquess willing to saddle himself with a curse?

Turns out our “knight” doesn’t keep his armour so shiny. Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is rubbing his hands together with glee. His plans for ruin and destruction are falling into place. Except…ummm…he kind of forgot that Lady Claire could be affected by his plan. He was only out to make Fiance #4’s life a living hell. And, he kind of likes Claire, like heart kaboom, she’s a hot chicky kind of likes. If she finds out about his plans, poor Alex’s life would end. A slight exaggeration, but he’s one of those silly males who acts before he thinks and forgets about love ruling the world.

Now, maybe after reading my ramblings you would think that this story is a comedy? Well, I’m sorry to say but I kind of made fun of a very serious storyline. I hate to say it, but it wasn’t that funny. Claire’s life has been ruined by the death of her parents. She struggles with guilt for surviving and lives with haunted memories. Poor Alex isn’t just a villain/hero either. His path was set after the loss of his sister. His guilt for not protecting her set him on the path and it’s not until he meets Claire that he sees the errors of his ways.

I really enjoyed The Bad Luck Bride and it kept my attention from start to finish. I will admit to shedding a tear or two, smirking a few times and stuttering like a twit when my son wanted an update of my book. They do this (my boys 10 &13), and I like to give them the PG version. His walking in (of course) was right when things were getting interesting in the bedroom. *Ummm…son…it’s a good book…plenty of discussions…about stuff.* He came in again and I then went into an in-depth discussion of why lying is bad and dealing with the repercussions of bad decisions. My poor boys…

Anyways, if you’re a fan of historical romance and would like to read a story about bad luck turning into a happy ever after (eventually), I would definitely recommend The Bad Luck Bride.

Now, I need to know what on earth is going on with Somerton and Emma? Maybe, Somerton found a book that Emma will do anything for? I'll be back...




I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Edited to replace all the cutesy name play with a single mockonym...

I abandoned this not quite a quarter in. And I only really lasted that long on inertia. The thing is, the author has a heavy hand on the drama-scales and I just couldn't take the artifice. There's a truly despicable character that the lead is trying (and succeeding) to ruin and the heroine gets caught up in the fallout. Alex feels bad for her and hence the engagement (her 5th). Which, is an interesting premise, I think. Unfortunately, for some reason, MacGregor decides to make the bad guy, Dingus McMonkeyvomit, a) unable to control his gambling, womanizing, and drinking, b) A former best-friend of Alex, c) lie about Claire's character and actions, d) ignore a deal of honor with Alex, e) prone to monologuing about his evil plans with Alex. The thing is, McMonkeyvomit is so incompetent at gambling that he's lost everything he owns to Alex and is a careless and faithless lover (having ruined Alex's sister with a pregnancy she committed suicide to avoid) which mitigates against him being able to carry off the obvious drama he's setting Alex up for.

When we learn that (this is in the first 20%, so no spoiler tag; skip this graph if you're very spoiler-sensitive) Claire isn't a virgin because fiancé #1 was her true love (died before the wedding) and they had sex to "confirm their commitment and love" and McMonkeyvomit tells Alex that "oh yeah, she's a fiend in bed man. So glad I had her first but you'll know what I mean", wink wink nudge nudge. And it's obvious that this is going to be the foundation for conflict in their relationship once Alex learns she isn't a virgin and you just know that he's going to believe the donkeysnot jerk, even if he claims he doesn't and oh my gosh, the drama!

So McMonkeyvomit is either just lucky to find a lever to further his evil plan to be evil. Or he's a master manipulator and schemer and knows exactly what he's doing. And I don't know which is worse. The first is just blatant author manipulation for drama. The second is author manipulation to have this dingus that Alex has been running rings around for years become suddenly brilliant in this one case to pull off this pyrrhic victory despite Alex's best-laid plans. And all so that the innocent and done-hard-by-life Claire and the competent done-hard-by-McMonkeyvomit Alex can have conflict.

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of other highly unlikely elements of this fluff-drama. I'm just calling out the worst because it's so very awful and disgusted me right out of the story. I'd have dropped it because of this one element even if everything else had been perfect. That there are other problems is just extra data for the curious, really...

[Mei · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW ONLINE NOW


At the beginning of this book I was confused by all the misconceptions, misunderstanding and mistrust swirling around.

I couldn’t understand the thing about curse… Why Claire was cursed? She thought she was curse, why? What has she done? To whom? Mah…

They’re running circles around each other. Sometime other characters interrupt the conversation between Claire and Alex and we’re left hanging as well as they are.

I hated when that happened! Why people couldn’t see that they’re talking and let them finish? Arghhh…

Still I was intrigued enough to want, almost need, to find out how they’ll get themselves out of their predicament and I kept reading.

The story is complicated and simple enough at the same time!

Alex wants revenge for the suicide of his sister and is prepared to do everything, cheat, lie, manipulate everyone to obtain it!

Poor Claire, who is cursed (I still don’t know what did she do to be cursed), is innocently in the middle of his revenge since she’s almost engaged with the man who (supposedly) ruined Alex’s sister thus causing her suicide.

Alex, being an idiot and not wanting to listen to his friend, who tries constantly to caution him, cause her to brake her engagement and, at the same time, in guise of helping her, compromises her and at the same time offers her marriage.

So they marry. But, while Alex starts to fall for his wife, at the same time he persists in doubting her fidelity and pursuing his revenge. He also hides what he’s done from her, falling more and more in a mire that his convoluted life has become!

At the same time, Claire, unaware of what Alex is doing, tries her best to convince herself that her curse has ended and starts falling in love with Alex.

Obviously, things unravel suddenly and both his and hers world collapses.

Claire, disappointed by Alex’s duplicity and schemes, leaves him.

Alex, fully in love with his wife and ready to do everything to make her return, muddles the things with every words he utters!



This goes on and on and every time they have a talk trying to clear their situation somebody interrupts them! And Both, passively, let it happen! Double arghhh!!!

At the end they solve their problems, but for me it was like climbing stairs on the 20th floor!!! At the end I was exhausted!

But, because it kept me on my toes and made me feel strongly, I decided that this book merits a full 4 stars!

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Bad Luck Bride is Janna MacGregor's debut novel. I hate giving low reviews to new authors, especially when the writing is very good, but in this case the characterization really didn't work for me. This was a situation where I couldn't connect with such flawed characters and didn't enjoy the journey. Now, for those who read many of my reviews, you'll probably note that most of my favorite novels are usually of the lighter variety. I am one of those naive people who still goes through life in rose-colored glasses and in most situations (there are a few exceptions), it is what I like to read also.

Despite the gorgeous, airy cover, this book is not at all light in content. This came as a surprise to me so I'd like to warn others. Both characters have deeply buried demons, which come to the fore throughout the novel to put strain on the characters' marriage. The book opens with a tremendously gothic scene where the "hero", Alex, Marquess of Pembrooke, is threatening the life of another man as a result of his sister's death. The book then jumps forward in time to show Lady Claire's life falling apart yet again as another fiance breaks off their engagement and she goes into full panic in the face of a thunderstorm. The reasons why the characters behave the way they do in each of these situations are slowly revealed as you read the novel, and they are darker and more depressing than I could have anticipated (again "rose-colored glasses").

Lady Claire was at first a sympathetic character. She was vulnerable and had her fair share of secrets, but she showed grace and resilience despite her constant string of "bad luck." However, as the novel progressed, she became more erratic and the swing from happiness to despair made it hard for me to understand her emotionally. Granted, some of the things she became angry about made complete sense, but there were other times, I didn't understand why she acted the way she did because it only made things harder for everyone.

Unlike my feelings for Lady Claire, I never had any respect for Alex. I have to hand it to MacGregor though, in a time where most "brooding" characters written are usually just softies who like to growl a bit, MacGregor truly created a man with demons to fight and who is not a golden-hearted saint underneath all of his anger. He is an angry, controlling man to his core, and is hell-bent on revenge regardless of the costs. Some of the decisions he makes to manipulate a situation in his favor with complete disregard for the effect his choices will have on others made my skin crawl. I kept thinking that if a man behaved this way in our time, I would be labeling him as an emotionally abusive husband. He had anger issues, he was manipulative, and he was constantly pulling Claire away from other people so she would be entirely dependent upon him. He also spied on her and justified his actions as "helping" her. Ick. Needless to say, despite his gorgeous exterior, Alex's soul was a dark, mangled mess. He is eventually redeemed, so if you enjoy darker books, you will like this one. However, if you like heroes who start out as good men, this isn't the book for you.

Now, characters aside, I have to say that MacGregor's writing style is distinctive and very good. She writes interesting, complex sentences and does an excellent job describing a scene. I also felt like she had more historical details than most new authors I've seen of late. Granted, I am not historical expert and I am an American so I don't always pick up on the anachronistic/American phrases, but I do read a lot of historical romance, and this one "felt" more authentic.

Overall, I couldn't give this a high rating because I really disliked the characters, particularly the hero. If I hadn't been reading this for an ARC, I probably wouldn't have finished it. However, I think MacGregor has a strong voice and a good grasp of historical detail. Therefore, if she can create characters who are a little more stable and consistent in emotion and action, I feel like I would enjoy her books. Even though this one didn't work for me, I will try her again if it looks like she writes a lighter book. Gothic/damaged hero readers, you'll love this. Rose-colored glasses wearers, give this one a pass. 2.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a chance to read and review.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out a little slow but I got very involved with this the story. Claire is one of the most tormented heroines I've read in a while, and even though Alex starts out wanting revenge, he's so caring, he won me over.

Historical romance readers should check this one out.

Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.

[h o l l i s · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was completely unprepared for how unexpected THE BAD LUCK BRIDE was. Unexpectedly not great. The premise sounds like the best kind of historical romance. And MacGregor included all the usual elements that draw readers into this genre and make them come back for more; including, but not limited to, bets, revenge, childhood trauma, and discovered secrets. But sadly.. none of it worked for me.

The characters lacked substance. The plot was not compelling. Events that should have held weight or emotional gravitas didn't and, instead, felt awkward and forced. And then some characters were just downright confusing and/or hypocritical. I found the flow was almost non-existent and it just didn't seem to have a very authentic 'historical romance' feel. I apply that not only to the intimate scenes, which did nothing for me and also felt laughably unrealistic, but the general flavour of the story and the world.

Normally I'm willing to give most series I start a second (sometimes third, fourth, etc) chance, especially for a debut or new-to-me author of which MacGregor is both, but at this stage I feel fairly hesitant about getting into a repeat of THE BAD LUCK BRIDE. That being said I'm pretty sure I know who the second pairing is so, depending on the synopsis.. maybe.

1.5 stars


** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, secrets, tragedy, a heart-warming romance, and a happily ever after ending. I am looking forward to reading the other entries in Ms. MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series with great anticipation. I listened to the audio version of this novel and the narrator, Ms. Rosalyn Landor, has a lovely voice and does an outstanding job depicting the voices and expressing the personalities of the characters.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given this a C+ at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars

The first twenty-five percent or so of Janna MacGregor’s début novel, The Bad Luck Bride, had me eagerly turning the pages, so thoroughly drawn was I into the story of a man who was so bent on revenge upon the former friend he held responsible for the death of his sister, that he would go to any lengths to completely ruin him, even going so far as to steal his fiancée. Unfortunately however, at around that point, the first of what turned out to be several rather flimsy misunderstandings made its appearance and although I was still interested to discover where the story was headed, my former enthusiasm had waned. There were also a number of issues – choppy writing, odd word choices – that took me out of the story on several occasions, as well as inconsistencies in the characterisation of both principals that were impossible to ignore and which have affected my final rating.

Alex Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke is distraught with grief over the suicide of his beloved sister, and is determined to exact rather more than a pound of flesh from the man he believes fathered the child she carried and was thus responsible for her final desperate act. When a friend prevents Alex issuing a challenge to Lord Paul Barstowe, he turns instead to a far more devious manner of engineering the man’s downfall. Knowing that Barstowe is deeply in debt as a result of his liking for high-stakes gaming, Alex secretly arranges for him to receive all the credit he asks for and then buys up all his debts, putting the other man completely at his mercy. The final humiliation is that Barstowe must break his betrothal to a wealthy heiress, Lady Claire Cavensham, the daughter of the late Duke of Langham, a young woman whose “bad luck” in having suffered three broken betrothals (for good reasons) has made her … if not quite a laughing stock, then someone who is frequently a subject of gossip among the ton.

Alex plans to marry the lady himself, but knows he’s got his work cut out for him given that Barstowe will be ex-fiancé number four. But, well, Alex is tall, dark, handsome and wickedly charming, so I’m not giving away any secrets when I say that he manages things to his satisfaction, although not without a hiccup or two along the way. Up to this point, I was fully engaged with the story, wondering when and how the cat was going to be let out of the bag and what angsty twists and turns would follow. But then, during a discussion just a couple of days before the wedding, when Alex jumps to a not completely unreasonable conclusion about Claire – a misunderstanding which is quickly corrected, I might add – she decides that he doesn’t trust her and that she can’t marry him. Having some inkling that she might try to bolt, Alex unfortunately compounds his mistake by laying a wager under a false name (sort of) which backs Claire into a corner and gives her no alternative but to go through with the wedding.

You can read the rest of this review at All About RomanceAfter the ceremony, the newly-weds travel to Alex’s estate, which is close to Claire’s old home. She’s aloof and off-hand with him for a few days, but it’s not long before Claire begins to soften towards her new husband and to enjoy the time spent in his company. It’s the same for Alex. Even as he was preparing to marry Claire as part of his revenge upon Barstowe, he couldn’t help but recognise that he was attracted to her and that he actually wanted to marry her for herself. They find themselves bonding over the care of the tenants and villagers, and Alex is delighted with the way his bride settles into her role as his marchioness and lady of the manor. Of course, it’s just a matter of time before the serpent is introduced into Eden in the form of Claire’s discovering the truth about Alex’s manipulations, and, quite naturally, wanting nothing more to do with him.

While I think The Bad Luck Bride has the makings of a good historical romance, the execution is messy and overall, the story lacks focus. There are too many different plot-threads thrown in and the motivations of the characters are not always clear. But as I said at the beginning, the biggest stumbling block(s) relate to the flimsiness of the devices used to create the conflict between the hero and heroine. We already have the fact that the truth of Alex’s machinations is hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles, but the author has to throw in the misunderstanding I mentioned earlier, AND give Claire a tortured past which involved witnessing the deaths of her parents in tragic circumstances, plus three broken betrothals, all of which have made her believe she is under some sort of curse. Despite several attempts early on to have it seem as though Claire is dismissive of it, it’s clear she actually believes she’s cursed, and that was a stretch too far for me.

The characterisation is inconsistent, too. There’s no question that Alex is manipulative, and that he would of course show his most attractive, charming side to the woman he is wooing, but apart from at the very beginning, he never really gives off a ruthless or dangerous vibe. Sure, he’s the hero and not the villain, but there’s never any doubt that he’s honourable and protective and all the things readers expect of a romantic hero. One of the reasons I picked this book up for review was because I like a redeemed bad-boy and had hoped that that was to be Alex’s journey; but there’s absolutely no ‘edge’ to him and he’s fairly bland when it comes down to it. And Claire… well, among the things that attract Alex so strongly are her dignity and inner strength, yet for much of the book she doesn’t appear to possess either of those things. I couldn’t really connect with either character – never a good thing in a romance – and at times their behaviour made little to no sense.

With all that said, however, I do think that Janna MacGregor shows promise as an author of historical romance. She needs to smooth out her prose – the sex scenes in particular are very “He did this. Then he did that. Then she did this.” – and take a bit more care with some of her word choices and phrasing. The novel would also have benefitted from a firmer editorial hand to help weed out some of the extraneous plot developments and craft stronger and more plausible motivations for the characters. I’m certainly going to keep an eye out for more of Ms. MacGregor’s work – although I might wait until she’s got a few more books under her belt before I pick up another one in the hope that she’s been able to iron out the first time bugs. Anyone looking to try a new author might like to give The Bad Luck Bride a whirl, but should be advised that while it’s not the worst historical romance I’ve read this year, it’s not the best, either.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qcN1A7

Such a pretty cover! The Bad Luck Bride easily caught my eye.

The quick of it is that Alex is trying to avenge his dead sister and in doing so decides to ruin the man he blames for her death. And steal the man's current fiance in the process. To protect her, of course. This..is not my favorite trope. I'm not a fan of deceit and manipulation as a main theme so I had a bit of a rough go with Alex.

Alex is one of those characters where he's not a bad man but in his grief he's not making the best decisions. He does come around and I did end up liking him once he realized what a putz he was being. Claire was a fine heroine. She feels she's cursed by a string of deaths and broken engagements and she has panics over something from her past which was rather heartbreaking. I felt for her and did like her. She's stronger than she thinks.

The romance was a bit rough for me. Again because of how things kicked off and secrets that were kept. I didn't really feel them falling in love or any huge connection. I didn't hate them together but they did frustrate me by not talking things out, leaving conversations "for later"-- something that kept happening. There were some sweet moments with them, though, and a little steam. I was okay with their ending.

Overall, The Bad Luck Bride was just that. An okay read. I didn't hate it but I also wasn't wowed or really moved by it. On the writing front this did feel like a debut book to me. The writing fell flat for a good portion of the time but did have moments where things felt fleshed out and layered. It wasn't until around the 50% mark that I started to see that flare. And there were a couple plot holes that just didn't quite make sense to me. I could see the potential, though, and would be willing to give book two a try to see how MacGregor's writing advances.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful first book! I couldn’t put it down. It’s not a light story as it has complex characters who have some personal demons to overcome.

The hero, Alex, Marquess of Pembroke is suffering from his younger sister’s suicide. He blames his former friend Lord Paul and is planning to ruin him. Lord Paul is to announce his engagement to Lady Claire Cavensham, the wealthy only child of the late Duke and Duchess of Langham, and Alex is going to prevent that announcement and marry her himself.

Lady Claire has been engaged several times but something always goes wrong. She doesn’t love Paul but wants a family of her own and believes they could learn to love. When he doesn’t show at the ball she’s attending she hides in the garden to be found by Alex. When they are discovered together Alex announces his plan to marry her.

I do not want to spoil this book by revealing too much of a complicated plot. Claire agrees to marry Alex as he will not interfere with her charity work and she is attracted to him. However, when she discovers the extent of his manipulations she leaves him. There is a HEA but you must read this book to learn about their healing and reconciliation. It’s a keeper.
The secondary characters are interesting and I hope her cousins, his sister and his best friend get stories of their own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC. Release date is May 2nd.

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from 2018

I've given this a C- for content and an A for narration at Audiogals

Ever eager to find new authors to enjoy – and because Rosalyn Landor’s name on an audiobook cover is guaranteed to make me take a second look – I decided to listen to Janna MacGregor’s début historical romance The Bad Luck Bride, the first in her Cavensham Brides series. The book starts well, as our hero, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, vows revenge on the former friend whom he holds responsible for his sister’s death. The first few chapters grabbed my attention as Alex sets his plan into motion, ruthlessly and deviously engineering the downfall of Lord Paul Barstowe by using the man’s predilection for high-stakes gaming to bring him to the brink of financial ruin, and then forcing him to jilt the fiancée whose dowry could have saved him. The “heroine-as-revenge” plot isn’t a favourite of mine, but I was keen to see how Ms. MacGregor would redeem a man capable of stooping so low and turn him into a romantic hero I could root for. Unfortunately however, at around a quarter of the way in, things begin to fall apart. Too many plot points, contrived misunderstandings, choppy writing and inconsistencies in the characterisation of the principals combined to fragment the story’s focus – and not even the extremely talented Ms. Landor could recapture my interest, which waned to such a degree that I kept checking my MP3 player to see how much of the playing time was left.

Lady Claire Cavensham, daughter of the late Duke of Langham (and niece of the current duke) lost her parents in a tragic accident when she was just a girl. Beautiful, poised and very wealthy, she was thought sure to make a brilliant marriage, but in the years since she came out, she has been betrothed three times – and none of those betrothals ended in a wedding. Now dangerously close to being on the shelf (and if not a laughing stock, then a frequent topic of gossip among the ton) Claire is hopeful her current engagement to Lord Paul Barstowe will get as far as the altar.

So it’s easy to understand her devastation when she receives a note from Lord Paul during the ball at which they were to have announced their betrothal in which he tells her that he can’t marry her. Keeping an eye on the proceedings from the sidelines, Alex watches as the note is delivered, and follows Claire into the gardens, intent on persuading her to marry him instead. Needless to say, Alex – talk, dark, handsome, charming and sympathetic – doesn’t have too much trouble on that score, and he and Claire are quickly betrothed and set to marry by special license in a few days’ time.

The first of those contrived misunderstandings I mentioned earlier quickly follows when, during a conversation a couple of days before the wedding, Alex jumps to a (not unreasonable) conclusion about Claire that, even though quickly corrected, leads her to decide she can’t marry Alex because he doesn’t trust her. Realising Claire is skittish and could very well call everything off, Alex – unbeknownst to her – does something really dumb which backs Claire into a corner and more or less forces her to marry him.

After the wedding, the pair journey to Alex’s country estate, which is not far from Claire’s childhood home. She is still unhappy about her new husband’s lack of trust and determines to remain aloof, but after a few days, she begins to relent, and soon she is joining Alex on his visits to his tenants and workers and taking an interest and active role in the local community. The couple grows closer, both in and out of bed, and Alex has to admit to himself that he is coming to care for his wife in a way he hadn’t expected. But of course their idyllic time together is destined to be short-lived; Claire accidentally discovers the deception Alex practiced on her and quite naturally wants nothing to do with him ever again.

While the premise of The Bad Luck Bride is not an original one, the storyline had potential – but fell short in the execution. The revenge plot itself is a pretty large source of potential conflict between the principals, but the author then throws in the trust issues, the dumb thing Alex does that I mentioned before, AND gives Claire a tortured past owing to her having witnessed the deaths of her parents, plus three (then four) broken betrothals – all of which serve to convince her that she is somehow cursed. And the thing is, she actually believes it; she refers to ‘her curse’ many, many times – in fact, I noticed the references to it far more in audio than I did in print – and I just couldn’t buy that an intelligent woman could actually believe herself to be cursed. Each time Claire mentioned it, I rolled my eyes so hard it’s a wonder they haven’t fallen out by now.

The characterisation is inconsistent, too. Alex begins the story as a bit of a manipulative bastard, pulling strings to ruin Lord Paul and getting Claire to marry him under false pretences. But apart from the very beginning of the story, there’s no sense of ruthlessness or danger about him; he’s pretty much your text-book romantic hero, and a fairly bland one at that. Claire, too, is quite generic, notwithstanding the trauma in her past – which seems to have been introduced in an attempt to make her more interesting. (Spoiler – it doesn’t.) I didn’t connect with either character – never a good thing in a romance – and at times, their behaviour doesn’t make a lot of sense.

With all those negative things said about the story, it will probably come as no surprise when I say that even a narrator of Rosalyn Landor’s calibre is unable to wallpaper over the large cracks in the storytelling and characterisation and make The Bad Luck Bride into an entertaining listen. As always, she delivers a thoroughly accomplished performance; her pacing is excellent, all the characters are clearly and flawlessly differentiated, and she injects just the right degree of emotional nuance into the story, especially towards the end when Claire finally opens up to Alex about the accident that claimed the lives of her parents. But just as we all know that an exceptional narrator can enhance a good story, we also know that saying about silk purses and sow’s ears, and this is a case in point. Ms. Landor does her very best, but I really can’t recommend The Bad Luck Bride for anything other than the strength of her work, because the story itself is weak and ultimately unengaging.

[Juliette Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful debut! MacGregor pulled me right in with one of the most original opening scenes of any historical romance I've read. (And I've read quite a few.) To begin with a tempestuous scene set for a duel between foes hooked me into the story immediately.

Our troubled hero has revenge on his mind when he sets out to the ball to save Lady Claire from heartbreak and humiliation. But when Alex meets her face to face, his original motives for marrying her soften to true affection and desire. I absolutely adored their first scene in the garden.

A wonderful and heartfelt story unfolds while they both wrestle with their inner demons and discover the key to true happiness--trust, forgiveness, and love. The cast of outstanding secondary characters kept me entertained as well. I fell in love with Alex's best friend Somerton immediately. And I just discovered that his story is next. Can't wait!

Recommended for all historical romance lovers! Period.

[Jultri · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 18%. Too many actions/motivations/plot lines/sentences that made little sense or were exaggerated responses to rather benign situations. The writing itself was not bad, but the author needs to plan through her plot better for greater coherency.

This was an ARC from NetGalley.

[Erin Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bad Luck Bride is the debut book of author Janna MacGregor, but you certainly wouldn't know it by reading it. As a fan of historicals (and beautiful covers), I was super excited to dive into this one. What surprised me most was the combination of emotional depth and gorgeous prose coming from Ms. MacGregor. This is not a light, fluffy story about some bride who keeps having trivial "bad luck".

The Story-
Alexander has vowed revenge on his supposed friend who ruined the life of his sister, and part of that revenge includes taking his fiancee. Since he has the financial means to do so, and she happens to be somewhat desperate, this task isn't a particularly hard feat to manage. But actually connecting with his new bride and building a life with her? That's another matter entirely. Especially since the marriage was built on deception.
Claire believes she is cursed. Her previous fiances have all died or broken engagements. When Lord Hallworth saves her from yet another broken engagement embarrassment, she begins to hope that her luck has changed. But old demons don't die, and marriage alone cannot save her.

My Thoughts-
From the very first page, I was struck at the vocabulary and gorgeous figurative language that the author uses. Disclaimer: yes, I am a high school AP English teacher. It reminded me of reading something closer to Jane Austen than many modern historical romances. Don't get me wrong: it isn't too difficult or flowery for the modern reader, but I appreciated that Ms. MacGregor respected the readers' intelligence enough to put more thought into word choice and imagery. Okay, I'll quit my English "critique" and move on to what most of you really care about: the characters and the story.
I felt for both of these characters: they both had such tough things to work through. I like that the author dealt with these issues realistically and didn't just "heal" them with sex. Just like real life, real things take time and hard work to process.
The story was fast-paced in the beginning and slowed a bit in the middle, but by the end, I was racing again to see what would happen. I have to say: I was surprised by the outcome. Rather than relying on an obvious trope, the author changes course in the final chapters. There are some questions left unanswered which will lead into book 2 (which I cannot wait for), but I found the ending satisfying and more realistic than I expected.
I guess that is one of the more interesting things Ms. MacGregor brings to this book: people act more like real, flawed people than is normal in these types of books. Situations are more realistic. This is no fairy-tale, and I am not disappointed by that. After all, dashing Willoughby leaves Marianne, and Anna and Wentworth screwed up their lives for years, waiting to be together. Sometimes happy endings are hard to come by because we make it hard on ourselves.

The Bottom Line-
Janna MacGregor is poised to be included in the top echelon of historical romance authors. This is an outstanding debut novel, and fans of historical romance should definitely check this out. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store. 4 1/2 stars

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review For: The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor 'The Bad Luck Bride" by Janna MacGregor is book One in "The Cavensham Heiresses" series. This is the story of Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke and Lady Claire Cavensham. Alex sister died pregnant and unmarried. Alex feels that his one time friend Lord Paul is to blame. With that knowledge Alex has taken it to seek revenge against him. With buying up all of Lord Paul's 'vowels' and moving forward to now take his future bride. Lord Paul's future bride is Claire. Claire feels she has been cursed because each time she gets engaged it seems to end with several different issues with the groom. Now she is engaged to Lord Paul who is a friend of sorts. But now that engagement is going down hill quickly and Alex has stepped in. Claire doesn't know all that Alex is up to or what he has done. Alex is having trust issue with Claire...can these two work things out? Will Alex get over his revenge quest? "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/ https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 3 out of 5]

3, maybe 3.5 Stars

The randomness of the TBR continues with this Janna MacGregor's debut HR novel. I've found difficulty in reviewing debuts, mostly because of my tender heart. No, don't laugh. It's easy for us to sit and make commentary on books, but it is not so easy to sit and write and publish one. I just feel bad to highlight the not so enjoyable aspects of someone's first effort. But say things I must, because, well, I was going to say for my fellow readers, but also because I want to write an honest review.

My Thoughts
- This was my first Janna MacGregor book, and I read it because the blurb was interesting. Revenge trope meets a cursed bride is not something one finds easily. So, kudos on the plot front.
- The writing style was very engaging. The dialogues were very cute and adorable. But there was just too much of it. I wish the editor would have been a little heavy-handed here. Here's the problem, debuts tend to have too much of everything as the author is trying to impress the readers and rally them for future publications, so everything found under the literary sky gets thrown into the mix, as was the case with this one.
- I loved the way it started, the context was set, the meet-cute was lovely, the hero was saying all the right things, the heroine had an interesting past, secrets were coming out, conversation was happening, there was no misunderstanding beyond a certain point, the side characters were great, the family was loving, friends were supportive, awesome right?
- Unfortunately, all the development was undone post the 60% mark. Then it just descended into chaos and rambled on about one dramatic misunderstanding after another, contrary behaviour and punishing push and pull. And I was fighting an uphill battle with confusion. I still don't understand what was the issue - revenge, secrets or lack of belief?
- Claire had a promise as a unique heroine with a tragic and traumatic past. So, a standard stoic PTSD victim who is trying to muddle through. She had my sympathy, which turned pretty quickly into apathy when she refused to grow up, talk, or even understand. Her entire outrage was so baseless, especially when she refused to be forthcoming and kept throwing accusations at Alex. Of course, he had a background check done on her and was right to doubt a relative stranger that he was marrying. He should have told her later, yes, but at the time, he was right. She forgot that trust takes time to build and that it works both ways.
- Alex was a wonder. He was the only consistent part of this story. He was unwavering, caring, loving, accepting, supporting, unafraid to accept when he was wrong, someone who tried hard to fix his mistakes.
- All this nonsense marred the beautiful beginnings of a romance. It just spiralled out of control and not in a way that we like. But for the most part, the chemistry and the budding love were great.
- Sadly, what attracted me to the story became the biggest annoyance, this bloody curse. I don't know what it is, nor do I understand it. There were so many inconsistencies surrounding it that it was irritating. The stupid thing was mentioned 102 times, and not one of those came with a clear set of explanations.

My Recommensation
A solid attempt. Hopefully, the next one will be better.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'd at ~25%
Started this book in March 13th, was only at 23% by the 21st ... and now I'm just folding and moving on. Too many books, too little time, and despite the fact that this was an ARC and I normally try and read those cover to cover so I can give a complete review, I just couldn't make myself finish this.

This is my first book by Janna MacGregor and don't know whether it will be my last. Always want to give authors a second try, but this one was really painful and I kept on getting annoyed (in case my status updates didn't give you the hint, lol).

The premise made no sense; the hero kind of starts the entire thing as an asshole, given his manipulations; their sudden connection was way over the top and didn't make sense given what had happened thus far (or rather, what hadn't—i.e. nothing, because they just got together!!); wasn't historically accurate (no way would they go to the theater together, no chaperone, engaged or not); and last but definitely not least, because this kept on coming up as an issue actually, was that it was so sickly, ridiculously sweet. Guess I kind of already covered this in my third complaint, but it just made no sense why they have this sudden bone-deep connection and one stupid gesture or word "brings him respite from his sorrow"—what?! What are you talking about??

So yeah. I'm giving up about a quarter of the way in, sorry friends. Didn't read very much of it, so is it fair to write a review? I think so, because the reason I didn't finish it was because I was so not getting into it!! And quite the reverse; it was painful to get through what I did manage to read. ... Ugh, it's reviews like these where I hope the author doesn't read all of the GR reviews for her books. #awkward

*This review is of an ARC provided by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie]

 

  

[Phoenix77 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bad Luck Bride is an uneven story about love and revenge and in which luck, whether good or bad doesn’t really come into play for the main characters’ issues. Their problems mainly stem from misunderstandings and an unwillingness to listen to the good advice of others. Fortunately, author Janna MacGregor brings a vulnerability to both the hero and the heroine that compelled me to finish their story.

Lady Claire Cavensham has waited what seems like an eternity to get married. With three prior engagements broken due to unusual circumstances, Claire is all but convinced that the gossip about her being cursed must be true. Accepting the suit of fiancé number four was motivated more out of friendship and little bit of desperation, but Claire is ready to make the best of her upcoming marriage. With the announcement of her engagement to Lord Paul Barstowe scheduled for later that evening, Claire is hoping that her unlucky streak is finally at an end. Unfortunately the whispers in the ballroom about Lord Paul’s absence at the event and the note she receives from her missing fiancé quashes that dream. Mortified that she’s been jilted again so publicly, Claire makes her way out of the ballroom and is met by the handsome and friendly Marquess of Pembrooke. He offers her a sympathetic ear and a warm embrace just when she needs it the most. Bolstered by his calming presence, Claire prepares herself to reenter the fray but things go sideways as she’s discovered in Pembrooke’s arms. Suddenly the engagement announcement she anticipated is made, but with an entirely different fiancé!

Alexander Hallworth, Lord Pembrooke, couldn’t have planned the evening’s events any better. Hours before the ball ever started Alex had put the wheels in motion to secure Lady Claire as his betrothed and to humiliate Lord Paul in the bargain. The announcement of their engagement is the final piece in his revenge against the man who had been one of his closest friends until he betrayed Alex’s trust and in turn destroyed the life of Alex’s youngest sister. Now, all Alex has to do is marry the delightful Lady Claire and watch Lord Paul’s ruin as he now has no way to pay his outstanding gambling debts. Believing that he has the moral high ground, Alex allays Claire’s fears that she’s cursed to remain unmarried by wooing her and agreeing to the settlement demands she makes. There’s no need to let Claire know that their marriage was a set-up from the beginning if she’s happy with the final result.

Please read the full review posted on Romantic Historical Reviews

[♥ WishfulMiss ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of . . .
Lady Claire Cavensham and Alexander Hallworth, Lord Pembrooke.

Claire is a wealthy much sought after heiress. Orphaned at a young age and having lost four fiancés has made her the talk of the town. Being labeled a cursed young woman is a hard pill to swallow when one finance dies two weeks before the wedding, one gets run over by a horse, the third dies in a duel fought over his married mistress and the fourth does last long enough to announce their engagement before backing out. Surrounded by family, she's still lonely. Having a family of her own is the only thing Claire still holds out hope for.

Alex is a handsome, titled and moneyed gentleman. He is also still grieving and consumed with a misguided need to exact revenge. After his younger sister, Alice, takes her own life, leaving a cryptic note behind for Alex, he moves heaven and earth to punish the one responsible. Alex maneuvers all the pieces to take everything away from the man he once counted as friend. Claire was just one more thing to take away from him, but Alex didn't expect to feel so protective of Claire. A marriage of convenience is easy, revealing the truth to Claire will be the hard part.

What I liked about it:
The progression of their relationship was sweet. It wasn't insta-love, they developed a friendship first, although they started off cautiously, neither willing to become so vulnerable with someone so quickly, ultimately they were two people desperate for a real connection. Claire was finally able to get closure regarding her parents deaths and Alex was finally able to come to terms with the choices his sister made and the consequences to his own decisions.

This was a touching story and the heat level was hot. There was romance, some light hearted moments of humor and a lot of emotional growth.

What I didn't like:
There was way too much push and pull between both Alex and Claire. At first Claire fought hard to stay emotionally distant from Alex. Then Alex had to come to terms with his genuine feelings for Claire. Finally once they both were ready to finally commit we start the cycle all over again. There is a grovel scene and Claire definitely makes Alex work for her forgiveness, but I felt that was dragged out a little too much.

The truth behind Lord Paul's real role in Alice's death - I don't care what his motive was, the fact that he withholds the truth and taunts Alex with both Alice and Claire was disgusting. He was a total a$$hat.

And finally, I was completely bummed out that Alice's real love was dealt such a sad blow. His love story was romantic tragedy and those just don't work for me. Everyone deserves a HEA, especially in works of fiction. Another thing that brought down my happy while reading this.

* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *

SAFETY INFO

Ages: Claire is 24, Alex's age is never disclosed but I'd put him in his late 20's or early 30's.

Cheating: None

OM/OW drama: Lord Paul insinuates being Claire's lover, Claire's first fiancé was her also her first love. There is no OW drama.

Separation: After Alex's true motives are revealed there is a short separation of a few weeks before they reconcile.

Push/Pull A ton of push in pull from both the H and h.

Main Pursuer of relationship: Claire is the most standoffish of the two. Alex was definitely the pursuer of the relationship. He sets out to woo her and then sets out to win back her trust and the chance to claim their HEA in the end.

Triggers: Dead fiancé (Claire's first), death of a parent (in Claire's case it was both parents), and death of a sibling by suicide (Alex's), lies by omission.

HEA/HFN: This was a marriage of convenience but ends with a HEA and a baby on the way. This has a nice epilogue eleven months down the road with a glimpse of the happy family.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always exciting when you discover a new author, especially if she's venturing into my favorite escape - regency romance. Janna MacGregor has a wordy and witty style that's reminiscent of Lisa Kleypas and Sarah Maclean - a humorous blend of steamy romance, original characters, and dramatic, attention-grabbing plot - in this case, a bit over dramatic. Both Clair and Alex were fully fleshed characters, that evoked real emotions, had palpable chemistry and stayed true to the era. The book shined the most for me in the beginning, the couple's staged meet cute in the garden was exciting and page-turning. As the story progressed however, the plot suffered from one too many unnecessary complications and over the top dramatic moments - Clair's childhood trauma rang too made up and Alex's behavior dragged. Having said that I truly enjoyed The Bad Luck Bride and will 100% get the next book in the series (I hope it's Emma's story, her character sparkled off the page and seemed completely original). Recommend!

[Mou: Fae of Heartfelt ARC · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was average for me. I will write a review later.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 - Si tratta di un romanzo d'esordio e, nel complesso, quest'autrice scrive bene e con attenzione ai dettagli.
Tuttavia sebbene la prima parte sia stata piacevole, ho trovato invece due terzi del libro forzati e (a mio avviso) con un personaggio femminile pieno di contraddizioni, per cui il mio giudizio positivo è scemato di conseguenza...

L'idea iniziale intriga, non c'è dubbio: Alex, marchese di Pembrooke, è così sconvolto dal suicidio dell'amatissima sorellina, che ha solo un pensiero in mente: vendicarsi di lord Paul. Sfumata la possibilità di ucciderlo in duello, è costretto a congegnare un piano che in realtà non è così subdolo. Lord Paul è già un dipendente dal gioco d'azzardo, da sempre indebitato, per cui non resta che comprare tutti i pagherò lasciati in giro ed eliminare ogni possibilità che nel frattempo il fascinoso scapestrato riesca ad impalmare una danarosa ereditiera.
Quindi il passo successivo di Alex è sposare l'ereditiera al posto suo.

E qui veniamo al primo intoppo della trama: la MacGregor calca nel rendere la tipa piena di problemi. Non è tanto il fatto che venga considerata "maledetta" (per aver perso tre fidanzati vicina alle nozze). Questo è forse il minore dei mali: c'era una tale mortalità e una tale incertezza nei rovesci economici a quei tempi, che era veramente un terno al lotto riuscire a sposarsi con il fidanzato prescelto. Piuttosto Claire, per quanto graziosa, è comunque una nubile fuori tempo massimo, non è più vergine (e questi sono due elementi che le avrebbe comunque ridotto notevolmente le possibilità nuziali), ha vari segreti, tra cui manie ossessive (non dico quali, ma lei stessa teme di finire al manicomio se scoperta).

A fronte di tutto ciò (non una situazione esattamente leggera, consentitemi), si vede lasciata dal quarto promesso/lord Paul (che non amava!) e subito le si offre su un piatto d'argento un rimpiazzo stratosferico: Alex è alto, scuro, bello, sfrontato, simpatico, ricchissimo, è un marchese (cosa che Paul ancora non era); non ha un'amante; non ha vizi; è gentile e premuroso.

Cioè, ma cosa dobbiamo mettere ancora sul piatto della bilancia?
Io mi stupisco che i suoi familiari non la carichino in carrozza a forza per le nozze oppure non offrano a marchese un bonus per sposarsela.

E lei? Saltellare per tanta fortuna? Dopo tutto, non è che come unica alternativa ti sia apparso un gobbo con naso adunco e ricattatore... ok, è un pochino subdolo, ma sta cercando di vendicare la sorellina.

Invece Claire è la contraddizione in persona: muta idea ogni cinque minuti: ok, lo sposo; no, non lo sposerò; maledetto Paul; forse potrei convincere Paul a riprendermi; sposerò Alex, lo amo; sposerò Alex, devo; non lo sposerò; lo farò per salvare l'onore della mia famiglia, forse...
Pietà! Deciditi.

In buona sostanza, Claire mi ha parecchio stufato e il finale è impacciato.
Ci sono alcune rivelazioni, ma non si comprende perché Alex debba aggravare il suo errore quando non ne aveva il minimo bisogno. Vengono disseminati ostacoli che ci si poteva anche risparmiare.

[Amanda Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Bad Luck Bride" is a 4.5 star read. I loved the story line, the main characters and the secondary characters as well. Alexander's sister has died by her own hand and he is hell-bent on revenge against the man he believes is responsible for her downfall, a man who used to be one of his closest friends - Paul. Paul is engaged to marry an heiress, Claire, and Alex will do anything to stop the marriage and take her as a bride himself.
Claire is a bad luck bride. She has been engaged four times and still not made it to the altar. She is starting to believe that she will finally be married to Paul, when he sends a note breaking their engagement at their engagement ball. Claire is devastated, but Alex steps in with a plan - marry him instead and pretend that she ended the engagement with Paul and not the other way around. Under duress, she agrees and finds herself starting to believe that she may not be cursed in truth.
Of course Alex goes into the marriage with devious intentions, but not toward Claire, just her former fiancee. Alex is interesting, he wants justice for his sister and will stop at nothing to ruin Paul's life, but he is instantly attracted to Claire and wants a real marriage. Claire is a completely sympathetic character that readers will connect with, she has a great amount of pain and trauma from when she was a child and lost her parents in a carriage accident. She was honestly in love with her first fiancee and lost him to a fever, she has lost so many people close to her. She is not the ordinary simpering romantic heroine virgin. Claire is starting to fall for Alex as well until she finds out her marriage isn't based on attraction or decency, but based on revenge.
There is sparking chemistry between Alex and Claire and passion. "The Bad Luck Bride" is a lovely story that peels the layers back on its two characters, until we find out who they truly are and what they will become as a couple. This is the first book I have read by Janna MacGregor, but it won't be my last. I hope Alex's sister and his best friend will end up together and get their own story. Really, really enjoyed the book.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[MAP · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this as a good reads giveaway.

*Sigh* ...I tried very very hard to find something to make this not a one-star book. I wanted it to not be a one-star book. I get the sense that Janna MacGregor has a way with words and uses language well, but....

It took me a while to figure out why the book felt so jarring. The plot revolves around Claire, daughter of a duke, and Alex, an aristocrat who marries her in an attempt to sink the financial fortunes of his arch-enemy but ends up falling in love with her because romance novel. It finally hit me that the emotions didn't seem to match the situations. This is best exemplified by the cover and title themselves - the airy light art and alliterative title give the sense of a breezy, maybe slightly humorous book. Not at all. This book takes itself deadly seriously and readily trots out multiple tragic deaths. Everything felt this way about the book - small situations would arise and everyone in the chapter would go BANANAS. It gave you the sense of having missed something or not having all the information - because SURELY if we took the situation at face value no one would respond like this - but no, face value it was.

There were also WAY too many plot threads, which instead of weaving together nicely just kind of...bounced incoherently off of one another.

I think this is MacGregor's first book (unless this is a pseudonym for another, more established author) so I see some good potential there. But the plots need tightening and the characters need a more grounded emotional reality and please, someone, talk to the art department about the discordant cover.

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a first time read for me with the author, Janna MacGregor. This the first in the Cavensham Heiresses series was very nice although it dragged a bit with the secrets held by the H/h. I thought the characters were meant for each other as they both had their share of secrets and self-realizations to overcome....an not wanting to hurt one another.

Lady Claire Cavensham believes she is cursed as every man that ever wanted her either died or left her. Lord Alexander Hallworth doesn't believe in the curse but has his own demons to content with, one revenge against someone who used to be a dear friend. To counter yet another scandal and curse for Lady Claire, he comes to her rescue to avoid it. What starts out as revenge for him and bad luck for her, ends in a true romance of love for once another.

The story was engaging although it had too many misunderstandings between the H/h. I found myself getting confused here and there with the plot and staying focused in the story. As always, I love the narration by Rosalyn Landor which manages to hold it somewhat together. I am hoping the next in the series is a bit better.

2.5 rounded to 3-Stars

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.
Wow. Wow. Wow. What an awesome book to have read. The Bad Luck Bride, by Janna McGregor was awesome!
My gosh, I was on an emotional roller coaster with this book. It had all what I was looking for when I’m reading a historical romance novel. First, I have to say Alex’s character, whewwww. I need a man like him to talk dirty in my ear all day! The things that he was saying to Claire got me very hot, but I digress.
This isn’t about me, it’s about the book. This Book was written like a well thought out drama. The suspense and suspicions that where going around, had me begging to ask who is the culprit? Guns being drawn. People taking other people’s homes and land.
Money and death and terrible rain storms. Oh me oh my. I was glued to each word, wanting to know what was going to happen next. The romance, oh my gosh was beautiful, my heart melted each time Alex showed his love to Claire. The book flowed without flaw.
The writer didn’t use exuberant words to try to bring flare to the book. Janna kept it simple and very sweet. Thank you for that. Oh yes my fellow readers, I recommend this book. I give it a snap and a twist. Read the book.
Until next my fellow readers- read on.

[Rhenna Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich, riveting story full of multifaceted characters and heart rending emotion! Janna MacGregor is a sensational storyteller, not just in the way she weaves her plots, but in the beautiful way she weaves her words and sweeps the reader deep into her world. And Lordy, the chemistry between Alex and Claire was amazing! So many historicals leave me feeling a little wanting with the love scenes, but Janna managed to make every interlude smolder without being over the top for her genre. I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series!

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Claire is on her fourth fiancé when her "curse" strikes again but Lord Alexander Pembrooke miraculously shows up and wants to be her fifth.
Years of planning have finally put Alex in position to destroy his old friend Lord Paul, gaining the beautiful Claire is simply a bonus.
Old hurts and lies by omission will work to keep Alex and Claire apart if they can't figure out how to open their hearts to one another.
 
"Our marriage is based upon hate and revenge."
 
First in the Cavensham Heiresses series, The Bad Luck Bride is Janna MacGregor's debut book. The prologue was intense, dark, and intriguing as we get introduced to our hero Alexander and his two friends, Lord Somerton and Lord Paul. There's betrayal, pain, anger, and hurt, all set in a swirling snow storm; I was instantly hooked. As the story went on though, the author had a tendency to overwrite (a bit too descriptive at times for my tastes), the cast of characters became a bit overwhelming, the story started to drag with repetitiveness, and the focus on the lead's chemistry faded away.
 
Alex misinterpreted a suicide note left by his sister and blamed his friend Lord Paul for her death. This is the catalyst for the story as he works to destroy Paul and leads Alex to marrying Claire. If we would have just had this one misunderstanding, I would have went with it but Alex is a rush to judgment guy and the repeating of him getting angry and then saying oops (not the best apology man) was a bit frustrating.
 
I liked Claire in the beginning as she seemed unfairly saddled with the "curse" talk but we lose her as the story goes on. The curse was brought up so much, I almost thought I was reading a medieval and it was a big deal because people wanted to burn the witch at the stake. I wish it would have been handled more as a bullying tactic the ton was using instead of the awkward heavier weight it was given, especially since it isn't fully explained until the very end.
 
When our leads first meet, I loved the chemistry they had, their discourse had some great by-play but as the story went on, due to the overload of the curse talk, overly handful of secondary characters, and forced angst, Alex and Claire seemed to be kept apart more than they were together. Their fights and flushing out of feelings was less interactions and more in their own heads, I prefer the characters to interact more.
 
I wish the editor had been heavier handed as trimming up side tangents that become repetitive or simply didn't add much to the story, could have made this stronger as more scenes and the focus would have been more on what worked, the chemistry between the leads. There's also some series baiting characters, I'll be interested to see if the author plans on trying to redeem Lord Paul as he seems to have gotten a raw deal but also had a tendency to tell some lies that make him pretty hard to like.
 
As a debut though, I can see the hints of promise this author has and will be interested in trying her again.