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Forever Brides #2
Foolish Bride
Sadly ever after . . . unless some dreams really do come true?
Elinor Burkenstock never believed in fairy tales. Sure, she’s always been a fool for love—what woman isn’t? But Elinor knows the difference between fiction and truth. Daydreams and reality. True love and false promises. . . . Until the unthinkable happens, and Elinor’s engagement is suddenly terminated and no one, least of all her fiancé, will tell her why.
Sir Michael Rollins’s war-hero days seem far behind him when, after one last hurrah before his wedding, he gets shot and his injuries leave him in dire shape. He wants nothing more than to marry Elinor, the woman of his wildest dreams. But Elinor’s father forbids it . . . and soon Michael is faced with a desperate choice: Spare Elinor a life with a broken man or risk everything to win her heart—until death do they part?
Elinor Burkenstock never believed in fairy tales. Sure, she’s always been a fool for love—what woman isn’t? But Elinor knows the difference between fiction and truth. Daydreams and reality. True love and false promises. . . . Until the unthinkable happens, and Elinor’s engagement is suddenly terminated and no one, least of all her fiancé, will tell her why.
Sir Michael Rollins’s war-hero days seem far behind him when, after one last hurrah before his wedding, he gets shot and his injuries leave him in dire shape. He wants nothing more than to marry Elinor, the woman of his wildest dreams. But Elinor’s father forbids it . . . and soon Michael is faced with a desperate choice: Spare Elinor a life with a broken man or risk everything to win her heart—until death do they part?
288 pages, ebook
First published March 28, 2017
217 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
A.S. Fenichel
40 books787 followersA.S. Fenichel (Andie Fenichel) gave up a successful IT career in New York City to pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She's never looked back.
Andrea adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.
She is currently writing Regency romance for Kensington Publishing and you can learn more about Andrea's books at http://asfenichel.com or visit her on her Facebook page, where she spends entirely too much time. https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel.
Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in Missouri with her real life hero, her wonderful husband and a fussy cat . When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.
Andrea adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.
She is currently writing Regency romance for Kensington Publishing and you can learn more about Andrea's books at http://asfenichel.com or visit her on her Facebook page, where she spends entirely too much time. https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel.
Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in Missouri with her real life hero, her wonderful husband and a fussy cat . When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
May 29, 2017
I gave this a D at AAR. I read crap like this so you don't have to.
I’ve seen A.S Fenichel’s name around and am aware of her as an author of historical romance, but haven’t yet got around to reading any of her books, so I nabbed a copy Foolish Bride to see if I might find myself another new(ish) author to trust. But, and to quote Han Solo – “Sometimes, I amaze even myself” with my foolish optimism, because, dear reader, this is a book even a Wookie wouldn’t touch at the end of a ten-foot pole.
The plot is tissue-paper thin, the two central characters are immature, woefully underdeveloped and not at all engaging and the writing is unsophisticated and wooden as well as being far too modern in tone and littered with errors and historical inaccuracies. But before I get to those, here’s the woefully flimsy plot. Sir Michael Rollins and his fiancée, Lady Elinor Burkenstock (which makes me think of shoes), are engaged to be married and their big day is almost upon them. But although he is a knight, Michael is pockets to let, thanks to the irresponsibility of his predecessors and he insists that he must be ‘worthy’ of Elinor before he can marry her. She’s not badly off – her father has recently been granted an earldom – but Michael is proud and doesn’t want to live off his wife. However, he has one last job he must do – which she thinks is to do with commerce, but it quickly becomes clear he’s a spy – and urges her to be patient for the next month while he is away.
Sadly, their reunion is destined not to be, when, a month later, Elinor’s father tells her he’s calling off the wedding. He won’t tell her why, leaving it to her mother to explain that it’s because Michael can no longer give her children. It seems he has sustained an injury of some sort – which is never disclosed, but surely he wasn’t shot in the nads? – which has rendered him impotent. I couldn’t help asking – as, to her credit, did Elinor – how anyone could possibly know such a thing, but there you go; Michael is not prepared to saddle the woman he loves with a man who is no longer whole. They part in anger – but can’t forget each other. And as a side note, we never find out if that final mission made him ‘worthy’ of Elinor or not.
Then the Duke of Middleton (whose first name is Preston – and I’m sorry but all I see is the cyberdog from Wallace and Gromit) starts to take an interest in Elinor – to her mother’s delight – but even though he’s kind, handsome and very personable, Elinor is still in love with Michael. Yet she thinks she might have to marry Middleton after all, because she’s got to marry someone and it’ll get her mother off her case. But – hang on – Michael is a duke now, so surely she can marry him and keep her parents happy? But no. Michael determined not to approach Elinor until he knows if his wedding tackle will ever work again, and she is determined to keep her distance because he’s been such a dickhead to her.
Most of the book consists of Elinor being angry at Michael whenever she sees him, and then moping about how much she wuvs him and wants him back. But having a sensible conversation and thrashing everything out never occurs to them; if it had, I’d have been spared just under three hours of wince-inducing reading.
Fortunately – our lovebirds reconcile somewhere around the middle of the book. Unfortunately – with half a book to go, there’s more craptasticness ahead. Kidnapping. Attempted Murder. Lies. Insanity. At this point the book changes direction and becomes a ‘heroine-in-peril’ story, but I’d lost interest well before then. Had either of the two protagonists been remotely well-drawn or intriguing, I might have maintained at least some level of interest, but they were pretty pathetic and I couldn’t find it in me to give a toss about either of them.
The list of inaccuracies I found is longer than the plot synopsis, so I’m only going to list a few of them here. For one thing, the timeline of the story is all over the place. Michael leaves to go on one last mission, implying that England and France are still at war, yet the war is never mentioned. When he is recovering from his injury and is able to get up, he walks with a pronounced limp and is in pain. Yet not many pages later he’s at a ball asking Elinor to dance. Then his limp returns. Then it disappears. It seems his manly parts are okay after all but he gets a terrible headache whenever he gets an erection (which gives a whole new meaning to ‘not tonight, love, I’ve got a headache’, doesn’t it?). But wait – Elinor’s vagina must be magic, because once he shags her, he doesn’t get the headaches again!
Then there is the party at which one lady plays pieces by Chopin. Who was born in 1810 and who would have been ten at the end of the Regency era. I know he was a genius, but I don’t think he’d written much or had it published by the age of ten. And I really hope that the ‘canopies’ served to the guests at one particular party were caught by the proof-reader, otherwise there would have been several bad cases of indigestion the following morning.
There’s plenty of non-period language and an overall modern feel to the prose, which is workmanlike at best. People say they are ‘okay’ (a word which is thought to have originated in the US in the 1840s) and we’re told, for instance that someone must have “kissed as much ass as a courtesan”. I never knew courtesans liked kissing donkeys (or stupid people), which is what ‘ass’ means in the UK in 2017 just as it did in 1817 (or whenever in the Regency the book is set). At around the 25% mark on my Kindle, I was ready to DNF when the hero – a knight – is informed that he is to receive a dukedom for services rendered to the crown, which is rather a big step up – but that wasn’t the reason my brain baulked at reading any more. No, that was because the information was given to him by a police Inspector. WHAT?! For one thing, this book being set in the Regency period, there was no such thing as a police force and so that rank did not exist. But for another – becoming a duke requires a hell of a lot of legalese and paperwork, as well as being a big rise in status. Surely the king – the next highest rank – or his representative should have told Michael about it, rather than one of his mates telling him, “oh, and by the way…”? These things aren’t hard to find out, which makes such errors all the more unforgivable. Or, in this case, Foolish
There is more, but I think that’s enough for this review. It’s obvious I’m not going to recommend Foolish Bride; I read books like this so you don’t have to. Give it a wide berth and spend your hard-earned cash on something good instead.
I’ve seen A.S Fenichel’s name around and am aware of her as an author of historical romance, but haven’t yet got around to reading any of her books, so I nabbed a copy Foolish Bride to see if I might find myself another new(ish) author to trust. But, and to quote Han Solo – “Sometimes, I amaze even myself” with my foolish optimism, because, dear reader, this is a book even a Wookie wouldn’t touch at the end of a ten-foot pole.
The plot is tissue-paper thin, the two central characters are immature, woefully underdeveloped and not at all engaging and the writing is unsophisticated and wooden as well as being far too modern in tone and littered with errors and historical inaccuracies. But before I get to those, here’s the woefully flimsy plot. Sir Michael Rollins and his fiancée, Lady Elinor Burkenstock (which makes me think of shoes), are engaged to be married and their big day is almost upon them. But although he is a knight, Michael is pockets to let, thanks to the irresponsibility of his predecessors and he insists that he must be ‘worthy’ of Elinor before he can marry her. She’s not badly off – her father has recently been granted an earldom – but Michael is proud and doesn’t want to live off his wife. However, he has one last job he must do – which she thinks is to do with commerce, but it quickly becomes clear he’s a spy – and urges her to be patient for the next month while he is away.
Sadly, their reunion is destined not to be, when, a month later, Elinor’s father tells her he’s calling off the wedding. He won’t tell her why, leaving it to her mother to explain that it’s because Michael can no longer give her children. It seems he has sustained an injury of some sort – which is never disclosed, but surely he wasn’t shot in the nads? – which has rendered him impotent. I couldn’t help asking – as, to her credit, did Elinor – how anyone could possibly know such a thing, but there you go; Michael is not prepared to saddle the woman he loves with a man who is no longer whole. They part in anger – but can’t forget each other. And as a side note, we never find out if that final mission made him ‘worthy’ of Elinor or not.
Then the Duke of Middleton (whose first name is Preston – and I’m sorry but all I see is the cyberdog from Wallace and Gromit) starts to take an interest in Elinor – to her mother’s delight – but even though he’s kind, handsome and very personable, Elinor is still in love with Michael. Yet she thinks she might have to marry Middleton after all, because she’s got to marry someone and it’ll get her mother off her case. But – hang on – Michael is a duke now, so surely she can marry him and keep her parents happy? But no. Michael determined not to approach Elinor until he knows if his wedding tackle will ever work again, and she is determined to keep her distance because he’s been such a dickhead to her.
Most of the book consists of Elinor being angry at Michael whenever she sees him, and then moping about how much she wuvs him and wants him back. But having a sensible conversation and thrashing everything out never occurs to them; if it had, I’d have been spared just under three hours of wince-inducing reading.
Fortunately – our lovebirds reconcile somewhere around the middle of the book. Unfortunately – with half a book to go, there’s more craptasticness ahead. Kidnapping. Attempted Murder. Lies. Insanity. At this point the book changes direction and becomes a ‘heroine-in-peril’ story, but I’d lost interest well before then. Had either of the two protagonists been remotely well-drawn or intriguing, I might have maintained at least some level of interest, but they were pretty pathetic and I couldn’t find it in me to give a toss about either of them.
The list of inaccuracies I found is longer than the plot synopsis, so I’m only going to list a few of them here. For one thing, the timeline of the story is all over the place. Michael leaves to go on one last mission, implying that England and France are still at war, yet the war is never mentioned. When he is recovering from his injury and is able to get up, he walks with a pronounced limp and is in pain. Yet not many pages later he’s at a ball asking Elinor to dance. Then his limp returns. Then it disappears. It seems his manly parts are okay after all but he gets a terrible headache whenever he gets an erection (which gives a whole new meaning to ‘not tonight, love, I’ve got a headache’, doesn’t it?). But wait – Elinor’s vagina must be magic, because once he shags her, he doesn’t get the headaches again!
Then there is the party at which one lady plays pieces by Chopin. Who was born in 1810 and who would have been ten at the end of the Regency era. I know he was a genius, but I don’t think he’d written much or had it published by the age of ten. And I really hope that the ‘canopies’ served to the guests at one particular party were caught by the proof-reader, otherwise there would have been several bad cases of indigestion the following morning.
There’s plenty of non-period language and an overall modern feel to the prose, which is workmanlike at best. People say they are ‘okay’ (a word which is thought to have originated in the US in the 1840s) and we’re told, for instance that someone must have “kissed as much ass as a courtesan”. I never knew courtesans liked kissing donkeys (or stupid people), which is what ‘ass’ means in the UK in 2017 just as it did in 1817 (or whenever in the Regency the book is set). At around the 25% mark on my Kindle, I was ready to DNF when the hero – a knight – is informed that he is to receive a dukedom for services rendered to the crown, which is rather a big step up – but that wasn’t the reason my brain baulked at reading any more. No, that was because the information was given to him by a police Inspector. WHAT?! For one thing, this book being set in the Regency period, there was no such thing as a police force and so that rank did not exist. But for another – becoming a duke requires a hell of a lot of legalese and paperwork, as well as being a big rise in status. Surely the king – the next highest rank – or his representative should have told Michael about it, rather than one of his mates telling him, “oh, and by the way…”? These things aren’t hard to find out, which makes such errors all the more unforgivable. Or, in this case, Foolish
There is more, but I think that’s enough for this review. It’s obvious I’m not going to recommend Foolish Bride; I read books like this so you don’t have to. Give it a wide berth and spend your hard-earned cash on something good instead.
September 26, 2017
4.5 Stars
'Foolish Bride' by A.S. Fenichel is book Two in the "Forever Brides' series. This is the story of Sir Michael Rollins and Elinor Burkenstock. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book. Michael and Elinor where engaged to be married. Michael has been trying to earn more money to be more 'worthy' of Elinor. But when he is injured her father who is now become an Earl chooses to end their engagement. Michael is hurt at first but knows that since he has been told he may never be a 'man' again, so Michael gave in to the Earls request to end the engagement. But Elinor sneaked into his house to talk to him but she could not get his mind changed. Elinor was a strong character and I liked how she handled Michael. Michael started off for me a little off when he wasn't strong enough to stand up to her father nor to Elinor when she first sneaked into his house.
But overall I enjoyed this book and can't wait for more books by Ms. Fenichel.
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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'Foolish Bride' by A.S. Fenichel is book Two in the "Forever Brides' series. This is the story of Sir Michael Rollins and Elinor Burkenstock. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book. Michael and Elinor where engaged to be married. Michael has been trying to earn more money to be more 'worthy' of Elinor. But when he is injured her father who is now become an Earl chooses to end their engagement. Michael is hurt at first but knows that since he has been told he may never be a 'man' again, so Michael gave in to the Earls request to end the engagement. But Elinor sneaked into his house to talk to him but she could not get his mind changed. Elinor was a strong character and I liked how she handled Michael. Michael started off for me a little off when he wasn't strong enough to stand up to her father nor to Elinor when she first sneaked into his house.
But overall I enjoyed this book and can't wait for more books by Ms. Fenichel.
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H...
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/17091...
http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp...
http://booklikes.com/blog
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
https://www.pinterest.com/u2soapsrus/
March 13, 2017
Foolish Bride 4.5 Stars'Foolish Bride' by A.S. Fenichel is book Two in the "Forever Brides' series. This is the story of Sir Michael Rollins and Elinor Burkenstock. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book. Michael and Elinor where engaged to be married. Michael has been trying to earn more money to be more 'worthy' of Elinor. But when he is injured her father who is now become an Earl chooses to end their engagement. Michael is hurt at first but knows that since he has been told he may never be a 'man' again, so Michael gave in to the Earls request to end the engagement. But Elinor sneaked into his house to talk to him but she could not get his mind changed. Elinor was a strong character and I liked how she handled Michael. Michael started off for me a little off when he wasn't strong enough to stand up to her father nor to Elinor when she first sneaked into his house. But overall I enjoyed this book and can't wait for more books by Ms. Fenichel. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68https:/... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
February 24, 2018
Review copy received through BookTasters in exchange for an honest review.
Foolish Bride is a typical historical romance novel with all the trappings of the genre. This makes it quite predictable. This predictability of the genre is why I tend to turn to it at times of great stress, it makes these books ideal comfort reads.
Lady Elinor is the MC of the book and she's very easy to like and sympathise with. Her plight makes me once again feel grateful to be born in this age. Though some of her mother's advice (that men don't like smart women) is still mostly sound. Oh well some things haven't changed. But back to Lady Elinor, I really liked her and in fact I think Michael doesn't deserve her. A big part of me wanted her to choose someone else and the book to end a few years later with Michael suffering because she's happy with someone else. I know this isn't the way these stories work but damn he made me so mad with his behaviour! For once I wish I would get the other, unconventional ending.
While the lot was utterly predictable ( I saw every single twist ahead of time) it was a very enjoyable read with a set of side characters that made me curious enough to put the entire series on my to-read list. And if you like light, emotionally untaxing HR i would recommend you do the same.
Foolish Bride is a typical historical romance novel with all the trappings of the genre. This makes it quite predictable. This predictability of the genre is why I tend to turn to it at times of great stress, it makes these books ideal comfort reads.
Lady Elinor is the MC of the book and she's very easy to like and sympathise with. Her plight makes me once again feel grateful to be born in this age. Though some of her mother's advice (that men don't like smart women) is still mostly sound. Oh well some things haven't changed. But back to Lady Elinor, I really liked her and in fact I think Michael doesn't deserve her. A big part of me wanted her to choose someone else and the book to end a few years later with Michael suffering because she's happy with someone else. I know this isn't the way these stories work but damn he made me so mad with his behaviour! For once I wish I would get the other, unconventional ending.
While the lot was utterly predictable ( I saw every single twist ahead of time) it was a very enjoyable read with a set of side characters that made me curious enough to put the entire series on my to-read list. And if you like light, emotionally untaxing HR i would recommend you do the same.
June 1, 2017
Foolish Bride is the story of Elinor and Michael. Michael is attempting to prove he is worthy of Elinor when he is injured. The injury causes Elinor's family to call off the wedding and Elinor is left devastated and confused.
The characters were very likeable and the storyline is unique. I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, and the romance. The supporting characters could be a bit overwhelming at times. Elinor was a very strong, independent heroine. Michael is ready to prove he is worthy of Elinor.
My only negative reaction to Foolish Bride was the dialogue felt quite modern at times, rather than historical. The language did distract me a bit, but I still liked the story overall. I would recommend to the Regency Era historical romance reader.
*Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads*
The characters were very likeable and the storyline is unique. I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, and the romance. The supporting characters could be a bit overwhelming at times. Elinor was a very strong, independent heroine. Michael is ready to prove he is worthy of Elinor.
My only negative reaction to Foolish Bride was the dialogue felt quite modern at times, rather than historical. The language did distract me a bit, but I still liked the story overall. I would recommend to the Regency Era historical romance reader.
*Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads*
February 3, 2017
4.5 stars. I really, really liked “Foolish Bride” by A.S. Fenichel. Elinor has loved Michael for a very long time and is very much looking forward to their wedding in a month. She waited for him for a year for him to be an acceptable suitor for her father. She knows they will have a happy marriage and a happy life.
Elinor is devastated, confused and heartbroken when her father abruptly calls her in to his office to tell her she will no longer be marrying Michael. The worst part is that no one will tell her why. Her father refuses, her mother stumbles over her words and Michael doesn’t even try to see her or reply to her letters. What is a girl to do? Find out for herself of course.
Michael was injured and still in his sick bed when Elinor’s father visited him to break their betrothal contract. He is heartbroken, believing that Elinor doesn’t want to marry him anymore, but also knows it is the best course for her to choose another man who will be worthy of her.
There is a huge amount of hurt and misunderstandings between these two. Elinor had to grow up pretty quickly when Michael abandoned her. She wants to know why, she wants him back, but also is realistic to know she can’t trust him. Any reader who has gone through a break up can relate to her feelings. Michael is also hurting, but he believes he is doing the right thing even though it breaks Elinor’s heart.
There is some action and adventure and some passionate scenes between these two. I loved that they tried to communicate their feelings and knew they wanted to be together, even if it was going to be hard to make it work. Highly recommended, this is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Elinor is devastated, confused and heartbroken when her father abruptly calls her in to his office to tell her she will no longer be marrying Michael. The worst part is that no one will tell her why. Her father refuses, her mother stumbles over her words and Michael doesn’t even try to see her or reply to her letters. What is a girl to do? Find out for herself of course.
Michael was injured and still in his sick bed when Elinor’s father visited him to break their betrothal contract. He is heartbroken, believing that Elinor doesn’t want to marry him anymore, but also knows it is the best course for her to choose another man who will be worthy of her.
There is a huge amount of hurt and misunderstandings between these two. Elinor had to grow up pretty quickly when Michael abandoned her. She wants to know why, she wants him back, but also is realistic to know she can’t trust him. Any reader who has gone through a break up can relate to her feelings. Michael is also hurting, but he believes he is doing the right thing even though it breaks Elinor’s heart.
There is some action and adventure and some passionate scenes between these two. I loved that they tried to communicate their feelings and knew they wanted to be together, even if it was going to be hard to make it work. Highly recommended, this is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
February 4, 2017
The Foolish Bride was an amazing read! It made me mad in spots; it made me cry and laugh. It is a historical romance that can be read as a standalone.
The romance between Lady Elinore and the Duke of Kerurghe through out the book was priceless. But the way her father stepped in between them was ruthless. It made the book exciting to read and hard to put down. The characters were very well developed. I loved the characters and the storyline.
This is the first book have read of A.S. Fenichel. I would definitely read more of her books!
The romance between Lady Elinore and the Duke of Kerurghe through out the book was priceless. But the way her father stepped in between them was ruthless. It made the book exciting to read and hard to put down. The characters were very well developed. I loved the characters and the storyline.
This is the first book have read of A.S. Fenichel. I would definitely read more of her books!
April 20, 2017
ARC REVIEW
The second of A.S. Fenchel's Forever Bride series Foolish Bride takes up where the first one left with the continuation of Elinor and Michael lover story. In the first book we met Elinor and Michael a star-crossed romance who had some issues as a side story. In the first book we see Elinor as a sweet young woman with a gentle disposition but as the book goes on and she realizes that she is going to stop trying to please everyone she shows her family and friends she is quick witted and has quite a temper. Michael was a bit of a let down he was to broody and a little bit pitiful, thank goodness Elinor is there.
Michael inherited a failing estate and he wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn't marrying Elinor for her dowry and prove to Elinor and her Parents he was worthy of her. Michael was a soldier who started to work for the home office but during his last mission he was gravely injured and the rumors that he was less than a man because of them gave Elinor's father cause to break the engagment. Elinor fought tooth and nail against her father because of this so she snuck out to talk to Michael herself but Michael angry at himself for getting injured and his body failing him but also because Elinor's father said she agreed to cancel the wedding and even when she shows up to confront him to ask if this is what he really wants he turns her away.
Elinor gets angry at everyone even her closest friends and even when that anger has passed she is still angry with Michael and her parents. Elinor decides to attend her best friend's house party and while there she again a man her mother foisted on her Middleton. Even though she is still mad at Michael she still loves him but still unsure of their future together she strikes up a friendship with Middleton, who soon becomes smitten with her. Michael now faced with the prospect of losing Elinor forever has to convince Elinor he does and always will love her.
Overall, this was a really sweet book. I'm not one for love triangles but this barely registers as one. A.S Fenichel does well with the character development and the active setting. The romance was nice but out of all of it I loved Elinor and seeing the change she went through and how Michael just ended up loving her even more for it.
The second of A.S. Fenchel's Forever Bride series Foolish Bride takes up where the first one left with the continuation of Elinor and Michael lover story. In the first book we met Elinor and Michael a star-crossed romance who had some issues as a side story. In the first book we see Elinor as a sweet young woman with a gentle disposition but as the book goes on and she realizes that she is going to stop trying to please everyone she shows her family and friends she is quick witted and has quite a temper. Michael was a bit of a let down he was to broody and a little bit pitiful, thank goodness Elinor is there.
Michael inherited a failing estate and he wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn't marrying Elinor for her dowry and prove to Elinor and her Parents he was worthy of her. Michael was a soldier who started to work for the home office but during his last mission he was gravely injured and the rumors that he was less than a man because of them gave Elinor's father cause to break the engagment. Elinor fought tooth and nail against her father because of this so she snuck out to talk to Michael herself but Michael angry at himself for getting injured and his body failing him but also because Elinor's father said she agreed to cancel the wedding and even when she shows up to confront him to ask if this is what he really wants he turns her away.
Elinor gets angry at everyone even her closest friends and even when that anger has passed she is still angry with Michael and her parents. Elinor decides to attend her best friend's house party and while there she again a man her mother foisted on her Middleton. Even though she is still mad at Michael she still loves him but still unsure of their future together she strikes up a friendship with Middleton, who soon becomes smitten with her. Michael now faced with the prospect of losing Elinor forever has to convince Elinor he does and always will love her.
Overall, this was a really sweet book. I'm not one for love triangles but this barely registers as one. A.S Fenichel does well with the character development and the active setting. The romance was nice but out of all of it I loved Elinor and seeing the change she went through and how Michael just ended up loving her even more for it.
February 12, 2017
I really “got into” this story and felt it deeply. My only problem is the title because I do not think Elinor was a foolish bride at all. On the contrary, I think she was very, very smart (albeit perhaps unwittingly). I liked her strength in fighting the foolish system of parental involvement in pairing brides with bridegrooms and the foolish, tonnish gossip which guided the rules for women and men during the Regency era. At first I had less admiration for the hero, Michael, for his following all of the tonnish strictures about what is important and what is not relating to following his heart and his own instincts about Eloisa. I applauded when he “saw the light” and admired Elinor’s strength and fell in love with her all over again but for better reasons than before. I won’t give anything away with this review so I will just say that I really enjoyed this Regency romance and now want to read the rest of this series and this author’s back list. I was provided a copy of the book by NetGalley.
January 31, 2017
I absolutely loved this story. I loved the Elinor and Michael's story. This story is about Elinor whose engagement is suddenly terminated and she has no idea why. Michael is injured during the war but he doesn't want ti trap her in marriage.
March 10, 2017
I received a free book and voluntarily chose to review it. A book well worth reading. Almost everyone thinks Elinor is foolish for wanting to marry an injured man, but she is my strong woman in this book. In fact, I think she is a lot stronger than her exfiance. I love how she changes from a mild mannered young woman into who she really is. She is strong minded and eventually she shows that side of herself.
April 3, 2017
All of the characters I loved from Tainted Bride are back and some had surprises I wasn't expecting. This was Elinor's tale and she's not the foolish young miss from Sophia's story anymore. As readers of book one, we already knew much of her simple, airheaded displays were just acts but there's a core of steel in her I wouldn't have guessed.
Michael Rollins.....our erstwhile hero. Honestly there's a goodly portion in which he's more the fool and/or the villain considering all he put Elinor through due to his own vanity and pride. I really really wanted to smack him and more than once my husband asked why I was arguing at the book in front of me (and then being confused when I explained). But Michael wasn't the true villain and I think Everett was a hero in his own right.
Preston was so sweet and Carter Roxton was perfectly foiled as the true villain. Thomas, Daniel, Markus, John (so proud he was promoted to Inspector after helping save Daniel in book one), Sophia and Dory are all there and I loved seeing their faces. The kidnapping had me on the edge of my seat, the budding romance with Preston vs the deep love for Michael was it's own type of suspense, and seeing Elinor taking control of her life-from hiring a hack to go see Michael to standing up to her mother when she decided who she'd marry, whether mother agreed or not - made my eyes water and my heart swell with pride in her. The end was so sweet and the epilogue contained more surprises, some heartbreak regarding one of our dear friends, and such joy all at once. A.S. Fenichel says the final book, where we see what comes of the potential interest between Thomas and Dory we saw in this book becomes the basis of the book, will be out in early fall. I can't wait but it'll give you plenty of time to start with Sophia and Daniel in Tainted Bride, read Elinor tale in Foolish Bride and be ready for Dory in Desperate Bride. (I'm worried for poor Dory and why she's desperate)
Michael Rollins.....our erstwhile hero. Honestly there's a goodly portion in which he's more the fool and/or the villain considering all he put Elinor through due to his own vanity and pride. I really really wanted to smack him and more than once my husband asked why I was arguing at the book in front of me (and then being confused when I explained). But Michael wasn't the true villain and I think Everett was a hero in his own right.
Preston was so sweet and Carter Roxton was perfectly foiled as the true villain. Thomas, Daniel, Markus, John (so proud he was promoted to Inspector after helping save Daniel in book one), Sophia and Dory are all there and I loved seeing their faces. The kidnapping had me on the edge of my seat, the budding romance with Preston vs the deep love for Michael was it's own type of suspense, and seeing Elinor taking control of her life-from hiring a hack to go see Michael to standing up to her mother when she decided who she'd marry, whether mother agreed or not - made my eyes water and my heart swell with pride in her. The end was so sweet and the epilogue contained more surprises, some heartbreak regarding one of our dear friends, and such joy all at once. A.S. Fenichel says the final book, where we see what comes of the potential interest between Thomas and Dory we saw in this book becomes the basis of the book, will be out in early fall. I can't wait but it'll give you plenty of time to start with Sophia and Daniel in Tainted Bride, read Elinor tale in Foolish Bride and be ready for Dory in Desperate Bride. (I'm worried for poor Dory and why she's desperate)
April 14, 2018
Loaned to me, via Booktasters, in exchange for an honest review.
For fans of Regency romance and authors like Johanna Lyndsey, this is an enjoyable read.
It has love, loss, betrayal, intrigue, a love rival, kidnapping and, of course, the heroic rescue.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained and there was a good bond between the characters. Elinor, Sophia and Dory, make up the strong friendship of the females. Michael, Daniel, Thomas and Marcus, make up the formidable group of males.
A tragic turn of events left Michael Rollins injured and, as far as doctors were aware, unable to function properly as a man. With this in mind and unable to perform husbandly duties, when Elinor's father tells Michael that he can no longer have Elinor's hand in marriage, he accepts this decision and cries off the engagement. Elinor is furious and seeks him out, demanding that he change his mind. He refuses, but Elinor cannot help but love him still. And then along comes Preston, the outsider who is also vying for the hand of our lovely heroine, Elinor.
For serving crown and country, Michael is given the Scottish title of Duke and an English title of Marquis. But a not very nice someone believes that he is a pretender to the Scottish Dukedom and goes out of their way to make sure he suffers. Part of that suffering entails the kidnapping of his beloved Elinor.
Now the race is on to save her before she is tortured and forced to marry the despicable brute who took her.
For fans of Regency romance and authors like Johanna Lyndsey, this is an enjoyable read.
It has love, loss, betrayal, intrigue, a love rival, kidnapping and, of course, the heroic rescue.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained and there was a good bond between the characters. Elinor, Sophia and Dory, make up the strong friendship of the females. Michael, Daniel, Thomas and Marcus, make up the formidable group of males.
A tragic turn of events left Michael Rollins injured and, as far as doctors were aware, unable to function properly as a man. With this in mind and unable to perform husbandly duties, when Elinor's father tells Michael that he can no longer have Elinor's hand in marriage, he accepts this decision and cries off the engagement. Elinor is furious and seeks him out, demanding that he change his mind. He refuses, but Elinor cannot help but love him still. And then along comes Preston, the outsider who is also vying for the hand of our lovely heroine, Elinor.
For serving crown and country, Michael is given the Scottish title of Duke and an English title of Marquis. But a not very nice someone believes that he is a pretender to the Scottish Dukedom and goes out of their way to make sure he suffers. Part of that suffering entails the kidnapping of his beloved Elinor.
Now the race is on to save her before she is tortured and forced to marry the despicable brute who took her.
August 9, 2022
Love lost and found, and lost again, Lady Elinor Burkenstock's head is whirling after her father's declaration that she is not to marry the man of her dreams. Forcing Lord Michal Rollins to admit to her that their marriage is off only results in a sorrow so deep that Elinor is left devastated by the unexpected events. With everyone treating her as an airhead, Elinor comes to a place where she refuses to have her life dictated to her any longer, but when the kind and gentle Duke of Middleton starts to court her, Elinor realizes that she can no longer ignore her heart. It takes a dreadful series of events to force the love between Elinor and Michael into the open, one that causes Elinor to act completely out of character, and in so doing to stand up for herself. The novel is a standalone and fortunately does come to a sweet conclusion, although I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when her father realized that he had been thwarted. I received a copy of this romance as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
April 9, 2017
For those who prefer christian or clean romance then this may not be for you. It is explicit but not erotic; however, I consider it tastefully done. You meet characters from an earlier novel but this can be a stand alone yet has added significance if you read the series in order. I felt Sir Michael Rollins was the foolish one and not Elinor. She has a lot of integrity and remains faithful to him and their love regardless of what mysterious injuries he may have. Sir Michael, on the other hand, first suffers from feeling sorry for himself and then from wrong thinking that he is protecting Elinor. Still, the novel is very entertaining and full of twists and turns and loyal friends. I consider a good fireside read.
March 22, 2017
Would you ever give up on love? Elinor can't wait to marry Michael, they will be so happy together but it isn't to be. Her father breaks off their engagement just before the wedding and they are both heartbroken but Elinor can't understand why Michael has given up? Michael knows that he has to recover and hopefully win her back but the way back won't be easy.
Elinor knows that she must move on but she loves him so much and she just wants to see him once more and then move forward, but she realizes that she is even more heartbroken now.
Can they ever find each other again? A great interesting story of true love and friends that will do whatever necessary to see you happy.
I was luck enough to receive a copy in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley & the publishing house.
Elinor knows that she must move on but she loves him so much and she just wants to see him once more and then move forward, but she realizes that she is even more heartbroken now.
Can they ever find each other again? A great interesting story of true love and friends that will do whatever necessary to see you happy.
I was luck enough to receive a copy in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley & the publishing house.
October 27, 2017
Foolish Bride is book two in the Forever Brides series. After reading the first part of the book I thought the title should have been Foolish Bride and Groom. Both Elinor and Michael made errors in their relationship with neither willing to trust the other and the love they shared. The first half of the book was rather slow reading, however it really picked up in the second half. I like a story that is more than a romance tale. This one adds danger and a dastardly villain to the equation making the storyline more enjoyable for me to read. I definitely can see several more books in the series and I will read them all. I received this eBook from NetGalley for an honest review.
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April 8, 2017A nice story full of twists and turns.. Elinor has always been known as a quiet good girl, little did we know that there was more behind the woman, it is only following her broken engagement that she starts to let everyone see who she really is.. a lovely story of love, new beginnings and finding oneself...
November 25, 2017
I was surprised that Rolf Burkenstock had changed his opinion about Michael Rollins; there were also events that I found appeared quite formal. It was interesting that Michael's brothers have better things to talk about than what higher society considered important back then. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2017
The story was a love story between Elinor and Michael and about the ups and downs couples encounter. I love the strength Elinor finds to become the woman she is and appreciate that although many others have an opinion, she follows what is best for her. This can definitely be a stand alone as I have not read the book prior and the story held my attention from beginning to the end
March 18, 2017
What a heart warming story of true love. Elinor and Michael reach out and grab your heart as you journey with them to conquering all obstacles in their way of being together. Their story will make you believe that true love can conquer all.
August 22, 2017
I sincerely thought this was just another book, and it was. Since the beginning I loved the idea of a love story because I like when you can learn about history, while you read and interesting love story... but at first, The book trapped me and I can't even stopped reading, then I felt nothing but angry, because the characters are so immature and (for me) Elinor is just another spoiled girl who can't get what she wants, so she refused to move on. I mean, I like this book just for a quick reading but is not the book I would ever read again. And I've read the first book to get a better idea of it and It was the same. This books aren't good or bad, these are just books.
Finally I would like to thank the author and Booktasters, for giving me the chance to read a new book and write an honest review :)
Finally I would like to thank the author and Booktasters, for giving me the chance to read a new book and write an honest review :)
March 13, 2017
I loved the book. It flowed easy and was hard to put down. Elinor and Michael ' s story kept me enthralled while I was reading and I was able to have my escape I was searching for. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.
February 9, 2017
Although this is part two in a series, you do not need to have read the first in order for this story to make sense. You will not feel as though you are missing anything by not reading it, and if you have read the first, you will be happy to see Daniel and Sophia make an appearance in this story.
I really enjoyed Michael and Elinor's story. It is rare to have a love story that is not only a love match, but where the couple manages to find their way back to each other despite some pretty big obstacles. I felt the author approached this story in a very realistic way as well, as much as Elinor loves Michael, she holds him at arm's length, making him prove to her that his intentions are honorable and she makes him earn her trust back instead of rushing headlong back into his arms.
The added aspect of the "masquerading Duke" as I have dubbed him, added another layer to this story that I had not expected. Like Michael, when the character was originally introduced and his claims made, I never thought he would stoop to the levels that he did, much less that the overall story would take the twists and turns that it did.
Overall, I am sure this story will still appeal to those who enjoy a well written historical romance.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
I really enjoyed Michael and Elinor's story. It is rare to have a love story that is not only a love match, but where the couple manages to find their way back to each other despite some pretty big obstacles. I felt the author approached this story in a very realistic way as well, as much as Elinor loves Michael, she holds him at arm's length, making him prove to her that his intentions are honorable and she makes him earn her trust back instead of rushing headlong back into his arms.
The added aspect of the "masquerading Duke" as I have dubbed him, added another layer to this story that I had not expected. Like Michael, when the character was originally introduced and his claims made, I never thought he would stoop to the levels that he did, much less that the overall story would take the twists and turns that it did.
Overall, I am sure this story will still appeal to those who enjoy a well written historical romance.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
March 7, 2017
Just finished reading this book, and, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Lots of surprise ‘twists and turns’ which kept me guessing will there be a ‘happy ever after’ ending. And who will the principles be in that ending. If you want my vote… you should read this book. If you are looking for more details about the story and how it was put together.. read some of the other reviews. I give this book a 5-star rating. Hope you enjoy A.S. Fenichel's Foolish Bride (Forever Brides) story as much as I did.
note: I wrote this review a few days ago... just discovered that it was sitting here as a comment.. does it make a difference where it got stored? Just learning how to navigate various websites.. need more practice!
note: I wrote this review a few days ago... just discovered that it was sitting here as a comment.. does it make a difference where it got stored? Just learning how to navigate various websites.. need more practice!
February 28, 2017
Fast flowing and entertaining, the Foolish Bride read almost like two books in one. If I could divide this book into halves and rate it, I would give the beginning five stars and the ending four. The first half of this novel ensnared me with an original tale of the romance between two lovers whose life keeps getting in the way. The back and forth between the two characters inspired giggles and the urge to bop the hero upside the head. The story weaves a sweet romance between Michael, too proud and honorable for his own good, and Elinor, newly emboldened,that left me smiling and longing for more. The end of the book, though enjoyable, flows the way most romances do with the predictable danger and adventure before the couple can find their HEA. A enjoyable read never the less with engaging characters and a theme that love conquers all. My voluntary review is based upon a review copy.
March 1, 2017
3.5 stars. I enjoyed Michael and Elinor's story - an interesting twist on why the couple was separated. Incredibly sweet - I had a hard time putting it down. To me, the story dragged in a couple of places, but I would definitely recommend it to any historical romance lovers.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley.
January 22, 2017
Elinor Burkenstock is in love with her fiancé Michael Rollins but he undertakes one more mission . Then the unthinkable happens, and Elinor’s engagement is suddenly terminated and no one, least of all her fiancé, will tell her why.
Sir Michael Rollins’s war-hero days seem far behind him when, on his last mission before his wedding to the love of his life Elinor, he gets shot and his injuries leave him a broken man & he’s told he’s unlikely to have children. He wants nothing more than to marry Elinor, but her father forbids it.
A well paced story with likeable characters especially the lovely Preston Knowles, Duke of Middleton who I hope has his HEA, Thomas & Markus also deserve their HEAs.
Elinor loves to write lists whether on paper or in her head, she is quite weepy dissolving often into tears but does change from the empty headed foolish debutante to a strong woman. Michael was spineless when he agreed to her father’s demand to end their engagement but he was seriously injured at the time. He does fight for Elinor. Michael is elevated to the peerage for his service to the crown & he has to deal with a usurper. They have to deal with kidnapping, shooting & misunderstandings. A well written novel & I look forward to the rest of the series. This book could well bee a stand-alone novel but for those of us who love series it does follow on from The Tainted Bride
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book
Sir Michael Rollins’s war-hero days seem far behind him when, on his last mission before his wedding to the love of his life Elinor, he gets shot and his injuries leave him a broken man & he’s told he’s unlikely to have children. He wants nothing more than to marry Elinor, but her father forbids it.
A well paced story with likeable characters especially the lovely Preston Knowles, Duke of Middleton who I hope has his HEA, Thomas & Markus also deserve their HEAs.
Elinor loves to write lists whether on paper or in her head, she is quite weepy dissolving often into tears but does change from the empty headed foolish debutante to a strong woman. Michael was spineless when he agreed to her father’s demand to end their engagement but he was seriously injured at the time. He does fight for Elinor. Michael is elevated to the peerage for his service to the crown & he has to deal with a usurper. They have to deal with kidnapping, shooting & misunderstandings. A well written novel & I look forward to the rest of the series. This book could well bee a stand-alone novel but for those of us who love series it does follow on from The Tainted Bride
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book
November 18, 2019
At times, I like my historical novels to be mostly historically accurate. At other times, I am not averse to some nonchalance and what is called 'crazy sauce' by some. As long as the plot and the characters are interesting, there is a place and time for those books. Unfortunately, in this book, there is a marked lack of the accuracy and not enough interesting characters and crazy sauce to make that palatable. A previous reviewer has already pointed out the more egregious errors, so I won't repeat them. The author does not seem to have any grasp of the historical background of the story, and was too lazy to Google. Same goes for the editor (if, indeed there was one involved in publishing this book). At the time of writing this, I am only halfway through and it's going to be a struggle to finish this. Maybe I'm just reading on to see how many more historical mistakes the author has made.
March 28, 2017
This is not a genre I read. I am not a "bodice ripper" fan, but this was not bad. I might even read the first book from this series.
I think fans of the genre will love this book. It is well written. The English cast system is explored a bit. What English Lady doesn't want to marry a duke?
I think fans of the genre will love this book. It is well written. The English cast system is explored a bit. What English Lady doesn't want to marry a duke?
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