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Advertisements for Love #3
The Butterfly Bride
Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide. Or else her father will set her up with one of his friends. The bonbon-loving illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her. The two friends risk their lives for each other, so they should be able to risk their feelings for a chance at a deep and true love together. But he's not looking for marriage and she's not looking for convenience.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her. The two friends risk their lives for each other, so they should be able to risk their feelings for a chance at a deep and true love together. But he's not looking for marriage and she's not looking for convenience.
401 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2018
104 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Riley
43 books1,657 followersI'm Vanessa Riley, and I write Historical Fiction of dazzling multi-culture communities of the 1750s to 1830s, The Revolutionary Years. I write for readers who treasure and share with friends books that showcase women, power, strong sisterhoods, and love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 28, 2018
Frederica Burghley dreams of being married by Yuletide, but with no prospective suitors in sight, she takes out a marriage ad in the paper. Only her ad has garnered the attention of a killer. One who sends threatening letters exposing his desire to kill her. Jasper Fitzwilliam, the Viscount Hartwell, has been Frederica’s dear friend for the past year. He vows to protect his Butterfly from any harm. Jasper is attracted to the minx, but he is still in love with his deceased wife. He also has three misbehaving daughters he is raising and is not really looking to marry again. But, he can’t help himself from desiring Frederica even though he tries to deny the attraction he has for her. Plus, Frederica wants a husband who can respect her and grow to love her. That was not Jasper. Will Jasper ever be able to realize what he truly wants before it is too late?
The Butterfly Bride is the third book in the Advertisements for Love series and while it can be read as a standalone, I would probably suggest you start at the beginning of the series. Previous book characters do make an appearance in this story and at times I had a hard time following along especially since I never read the previous books. If this does not bother you then you can certainly read this story as a standalone.
Something that I do not see enough of in Regency romance books and found quite refreshing is a woman of color heroine. So, I was quite surprised when I began reading to see that Frederica, our heroine, is the product of a colored courtesan and the Duke of Simone. The Duke loved Frederica’s mother dearly and when she passed, he took on Frederica and claimed her as his illegitimate daughter. All Frederica wants is to be accepted and not thought of as Burghley the daughter of a courtesan. She wants a real marriage one that can grow into love. Now that her father, the Duke has remarried, her situation is even more precarious than before. So, Frederica is determined to go through her list of suitors from her ad to make the perfect match with or without Jasper’s help.
Jasper I had a love/hate relationship with. Sure, he is a good guy and he wants the best for Frederica, but he is constantly fighting his feelings for her and denying what he truly wants as he once had the love of his life and she was still in his mind and in his heart. So, I definitely took a little longer to warm up to Jasper. He has feelings for Frederica and fights them every chance he gets. Sometimes, I felt like it was a bit too much to read about how he felt while he was flirting with Frederica and then turning around and expressing what a great marriage he once had. I was pretty frustrated with jasper and wished he would make up his mind.
The pacing of the story started off really well and I found myself really enjoying the beginning, but the middle slowed down for me and I found myself skimming the story a tad bit. But, it also might just be me because I am not used to clean romances. The writing was superb and I had no issue with the writing whatsoever, but I do like a bit of heat in my romance and here is where I found it lacking. Again, this has nothing to do with the author’s writing style, just my personal preference. What can I say…I am a dirty dirty girl! *Gasps*
I loved the mystery aspect of the story and trying to figure out who wants to hurt Frederica while she searches for the perfect husband for her. I can honestly say that I had no clue who the culprit was although, I did have some ideas. When the reveal finally came I don’t think I was much surprised as this person was pretty creepy from the beginning.
The Butterfly Bride is a charming friends to romance story with a hint of mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. If you love a slow burn historical romance then you will love Frederica and Jasper’s story.
The Butterfly Bride is the third book in the Advertisements for Love series and while it can be read as a standalone, I would probably suggest you start at the beginning of the series. Previous book characters do make an appearance in this story and at times I had a hard time following along especially since I never read the previous books. If this does not bother you then you can certainly read this story as a standalone.
Something that I do not see enough of in Regency romance books and found quite refreshing is a woman of color heroine. So, I was quite surprised when I began reading to see that Frederica, our heroine, is the product of a colored courtesan and the Duke of Simone. The Duke loved Frederica’s mother dearly and when she passed, he took on Frederica and claimed her as his illegitimate daughter. All Frederica wants is to be accepted and not thought of as Burghley the daughter of a courtesan. She wants a real marriage one that can grow into love. Now that her father, the Duke has remarried, her situation is even more precarious than before. So, Frederica is determined to go through her list of suitors from her ad to make the perfect match with or without Jasper’s help.
Jasper I had a love/hate relationship with. Sure, he is a good guy and he wants the best for Frederica, but he is constantly fighting his feelings for her and denying what he truly wants as he once had the love of his life and she was still in his mind and in his heart. So, I definitely took a little longer to warm up to Jasper. He has feelings for Frederica and fights them every chance he gets. Sometimes, I felt like it was a bit too much to read about how he felt while he was flirting with Frederica and then turning around and expressing what a great marriage he once had. I was pretty frustrated with jasper and wished he would make up his mind.
The pacing of the story started off really well and I found myself really enjoying the beginning, but the middle slowed down for me and I found myself skimming the story a tad bit. But, it also might just be me because I am not used to clean romances. The writing was superb and I had no issue with the writing whatsoever, but I do like a bit of heat in my romance and here is where I found it lacking. Again, this has nothing to do with the author’s writing style, just my personal preference. What can I say…I am a dirty dirty girl! *Gasps*
I loved the mystery aspect of the story and trying to figure out who wants to hurt Frederica while she searches for the perfect husband for her. I can honestly say that I had no clue who the culprit was although, I did have some ideas. When the reveal finally came I don’t think I was much surprised as this person was pretty creepy from the beginning.
The Butterfly Bride is a charming friends to romance story with a hint of mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. If you love a slow burn historical romance then you will love Frederica and Jasper’s story.
October 19, 2018
Review to comeSo I’ve been curious of Fredercia’s story ever since I read book 1 in the series. There was something about her that I found interesting. And in The Butterfly Bride we see the many faces Fredercia must wear because of her parentage and the prejudice against women of color and her background.
Now Lord Hartwell made an interesting hero. He’s a widower with three kids and has seen a lot of heartache. I found his background endeared him to me and I wanted to know if he could overcome his fears and take a risk at love.
There’s also a suspense thread in this book that I found very interesting. I put on my thinking cap trying to figure out who did it. I was happy I was correct and enjoyed following along as all the little pieces lined up.
And another note, as we stated in previous posts, we would introduce clean reads. In my personal opinion, The Butterfly Bride would classify as a clean read and not a CF one. There is mentioning of God but I didn’t see a spiritual arc throughout the read. Also, there are some intimate moments that were a little much for my preference but nothing I feel crosses the line for a clean read. Hope that helps!
*I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley. My review was not influenced nor required.
Now Lord Hartwell made an interesting hero. He’s a widower with three kids and has seen a lot of heartache. I found his background endeared him to me and I wanted to know if he could overcome his fears and take a risk at love.
There’s also a suspense thread in this book that I found very interesting. I put on my thinking cap trying to figure out who did it. I was happy I was correct and enjoyed following along as all the little pieces lined up.
And another note, as we stated in previous posts, we would introduce clean reads. In my personal opinion, The Butterfly Bride would classify as a clean read and not a CF one. There is mentioning of God but I didn’t see a spiritual arc throughout the read. Also, there are some intimate moments that were a little much for my preference but nothing I feel crosses the line for a clean read. Hope that helps!
*I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley. My review was not influenced nor required.
October 8, 2018
Frederica Burghley had placed an advertisement in the newspaper for a husband, but unforeseen events leave her little choice: a Yuletide wedding it shall be. Too bad it cannot be to Jasper Fitzwilliam, Viscount Hartwell, who has become such a dear friend in the past year. To add to her distress, someone is trying to hurt Frederica: physical threats have now succeeded the menacing notes she has been receiving. Will Frederica still be alive for a Yuletide wedding, and who will be the groom?
THE BUTTERFLY BRIDE is the third instalment in Advertisements for Love, and while it certainly can be read on its own, some details escaped me, mostly about Philip, the son of Frederica’s friend Theodosia; however, this is my own fault, not the author’s. Frederica is such a splendid character: she is charming, flirtatious, a dash manipulative, dignified, accomplished, proud and rightly so. I loved how she took great care of preserving her precarious reputation; she is the illegitimate, although acknowledged, daughter of the Duke of Simone, but a woman of colour and the progeny of a courtesan. Jasper is a widower, with the obligatory unmanageable children, and I really liked him at the beginning; he was playful and very sweet. He cares very much for Frederica however, he still loves his late wife, and this is where it became problematic for me. While I was glad that our hero’s first marriage had been a happy one, it irked me is that he acted like a smitten suitor towards Frederica, while desperately trying to force himself to believe that he could not, would not, should let himself love another woman. His dilly-dallying went on for such an excruciatingly long time that it slowed the pace down to a crawl after a rather frenzied beginning.
Vanessa Riley’s writing is solid, and often quite witty, however a couple of twentieth century expressions rather startled me. I thought the pacing could have been a bit better and the suspense was handled in a somewhat puzzling way. The threats over Frederica’s life seemed to be left dangling, not much was being done, while Jasper was taking forever to decide about where he stood with Frederica, and then the resolution to the mystery was rushed at the very end, and I thought in a very unpleasantly manner. My favourite parts of the book are those about the lives of people of colour in Regency England, as well as the wonderful Theodosia. Ms. Riley’s meticulous research and attention to historical detail on race issues are most welcome, as we see precious little on this topic in historical romance; the Author’s Notes are also quite enlightening and should not be overlooked.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
THE BUTTERFLY BRIDE is the third instalment in Advertisements for Love, and while it certainly can be read on its own, some details escaped me, mostly about Philip, the son of Frederica’s friend Theodosia; however, this is my own fault, not the author’s. Frederica is such a splendid character: she is charming, flirtatious, a dash manipulative, dignified, accomplished, proud and rightly so. I loved how she took great care of preserving her precarious reputation; she is the illegitimate, although acknowledged, daughter of the Duke of Simone, but a woman of colour and the progeny of a courtesan. Jasper is a widower, with the obligatory unmanageable children, and I really liked him at the beginning; he was playful and very sweet. He cares very much for Frederica however, he still loves his late wife, and this is where it became problematic for me. While I was glad that our hero’s first marriage had been a happy one, it irked me is that he acted like a smitten suitor towards Frederica, while desperately trying to force himself to believe that he could not, would not, should let himself love another woman. His dilly-dallying went on for such an excruciatingly long time that it slowed the pace down to a crawl after a rather frenzied beginning.
Vanessa Riley’s writing is solid, and often quite witty, however a couple of twentieth century expressions rather startled me. I thought the pacing could have been a bit better and the suspense was handled in a somewhat puzzling way. The threats over Frederica’s life seemed to be left dangling, not much was being done, while Jasper was taking forever to decide about where he stood with Frederica, and then the resolution to the mystery was rushed at the very end, and I thought in a very unpleasantly manner. My favourite parts of the book are those about the lives of people of colour in Regency England, as well as the wonderful Theodosia. Ms. Riley’s meticulous research and attention to historical detail on race issues are most welcome, as we see precious little on this topic in historical romance; the Author’s Notes are also quite enlightening and should not be overlooked.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 7, 2021
This is the story of Frederica, the illegitimate, mixed race, daughter of a duke, and Jasper, a viscount and heir to an earldom. Jasper is a widower with three young girls and is very much still in love with his wife and will only consider Frederica as a mistress. Frederica is determined to have a respectable marriage and sets herself a timeline to stick to, thinking that once she is married the mysterious threats against her and her friends will cease. This flawed logic bothered me, as well as the fact that she was supposedly in love with Jasper, but willing to do this anyway. Jasper, of course, did love her, he just wasn't ready to admit it, then when he finally was she wasn't ready to hear it and we ended up with a marriage of convenience for awhile. This one just didn't quite do it for me. I got annoyed with the two main characters constantly dancing around each other and never being on the same page. There was some unbelievable and rather random dialogue that killed the flow and authenticity for me in some parts, and there wasn't enough steam for me. This is a sweet read with a bit of intrigue that most will probably enjoy, it just wasn't for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2018
Frederica Burghley is the half caste daughter of a Duke and his coloured mistress. Her father loved her mother desperately, so when she died Frederica moved in to live with her father. No matter how perfectly she behaves everyone still treats her as the daughter of a whore. The only way to be totally respectable is to marry. Unfortunately the adverts she put in the paper have encouraged a dangerous man.
Jasper Fitzwilliam, the Viscount Hartwell is a widower with three young daughters. He is very good friends with Frederica but left his heart firmly in the grave of his wife. However he will protect her from the mysterious villain.
A sweet Victorian historical romance that is part of a series featuring the lives of women of colour in a difficult time. Emotional and amusing with a sprinkling of danger. A very entertaining read.
Jasper Fitzwilliam, the Viscount Hartwell is a widower with three young daughters. He is very good friends with Frederica but left his heart firmly in the grave of his wife. However he will protect her from the mysterious villain.
A sweet Victorian historical romance that is part of a series featuring the lives of women of colour in a difficult time. Emotional and amusing with a sprinkling of danger. A very entertaining read.
October 17, 2018
What a great read
Vanessa Riley has done it again
Vanessa Riley has done it again
October 22, 2018
Publisher's Description:
Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide. Or else her father will set her up with one of his friends. The bonbon-loving illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her. The two friends risk their lives for each other, so they should be able to risk their feelings for a chance at a deep and true love together. But he's not looking for marriage and she's not looking for convenience.
My Thoughts:
This is the first book I have read by this author. The characters are well thought out and the storyline easy to follow. I was never bored.
This book includes an interesting take on the mulatto people of the recency era without stressing the fact that the heroine was in fact of mixed race.
I enjoyed the read and gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a low sensual rating of 2 of 5 flames. There are only closed door intimate scenes.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide. Or else her father will set her up with one of his friends. The bonbon-loving illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her. The two friends risk their lives for each other, so they should be able to risk their feelings for a chance at a deep and true love together. But he's not looking for marriage and she's not looking for convenience.
My Thoughts:
This is the first book I have read by this author. The characters are well thought out and the storyline easy to follow. I was never bored.
This book includes an interesting take on the mulatto people of the recency era without stressing the fact that the heroine was in fact of mixed race.
I enjoyed the read and gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a low sensual rating of 2 of 5 flames. There are only closed door intimate scenes.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
October 19, 2018
TBB is a delightful historical romance from a new-to-me author who wrote a biracial black heroine who gave me so many feelings and a widower hero who comes with a ton of fear and worry for his family and for his "butterfly."
The Butterfly Bride definitely made me want to yell at them to just...kiss already but the slow-burn was worth it. At some times I thought I should have read the previous books in this series to get more of their banter but at the same time, I liked that they got the chance to fight and banter and makeup all in one book dedicated to them.
This book also deals with a lot of instances of racial injustices, especially ones that the heroine faced. I liked that the author went there and brought forth discussion-worthy topics such as racial prejudices within the society as well as child labor and how dangerous it was for women. I felt so anxious but also relieved and happy at the end.
This book could be rated very mild since there are no explicit sex scenes but very nice kissing ones. I am sure historical romance readers would enjoy this tremendously.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
The Butterfly Bride definitely made me want to yell at them to just...kiss already but the slow-burn was worth it. At some times I thought I should have read the previous books in this series to get more of their banter but at the same time, I liked that they got the chance to fight and banter and makeup all in one book dedicated to them.
This book also deals with a lot of instances of racial injustices, especially ones that the heroine faced. I liked that the author went there and brought forth discussion-worthy topics such as racial prejudices within the society as well as child labor and how dangerous it was for women. I felt so anxious but also relieved and happy at the end.
This book could be rated very mild since there are no explicit sex scenes but very nice kissing ones. I am sure historical romance readers would enjoy this tremendously.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
October 8, 2018
Frederica may be illegitimate, but that doesn't mean she wants a marriage arranged by her father, to one of his friends. With a deadline looming, she decides to place an ad to find someone of her own choosing. She never imagined she would be putting her very life in jeopardy. Frederica's friend, Jasper, Lord Hartwell, is enlisted to help keep her safe and find her a husband. The only problem is that the more time he spends with her, the less he wants her to belong to someone else. Unfortunately he doesn't want another wife and she doesn't want a loveless marriage. This story shows how people can know each other for some time and still not see every part of the other person. A really great story!!
October 15, 2018
The Butterfly Bride reminded me of Leap Year when all get married on a leap year, their family is blessed with good luck for the rest of their life. In the Butterfly Bride Frederica finds luck in wanting to get married by Cheistmastime. She seems help from her friend Jasper and then while he helps her he falls for her. This will do very well in the romance collection and our patrons love a great romance story. A hallmark-like story that pulls you in and want to be invested in such a fascinating journey.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our Fiction Romance collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. We will definitely consider this title for our Fiction Romance collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
October 19, 2018
“Butterfly” charmed me, despite a strong thread of the “communication failure” trope that runs through it. Tempering that failure were the reasons for it, Frederica’s strong desire to protect the people she loved, and Jasper’s still overwhelming mourning for his dead wife. Frederica is determined on a marriage of convenience to take her out of the home of her distant father and his new wife. Jasper wants Frederica, his best friend, to have the love match that she deserves.
Toss in a number of evil doers, a cast of supportive friends, and some pretty dang cute children, and you get this pleasing historical romance!
Toss in a number of evil doers, a cast of supportive friends, and some pretty dang cute children, and you get this pleasing historical romance!
November 27, 2018
I loved it! I don't know what all to say, but Vanessa Riley knows how to tell a story. I have to maybe say that I have a new favorite. I loved seeing some of the characters come in from previous books, and she even did a birth scene which I loved!
I totally wanted this book to never end.
I totally wanted this book to never end.
October 23, 2018
The third installment of the Advertisements for Love series finally brings us Frederica and Jasper’s story (and another beautiful cover!). They’ve been popping up in the other books since a particular incident with a maypole, and I was so looking forward to figuring out how they would end up together! While I think this could be read as a standalone, I think it works much better if you’ve read the other books, especially Theodosia’s (an older Philip makes several appearances, and once of the subplots deals with her pregnancy and labor).
Ever since placing advertisements for marriage in the papers, Frederica’s been receiving threatening notes. It all comes to a head on the night of her father’s marriage to his new duchess, when someone breaks into her bedroom and she only narrowly escapes – ending up in Jasper’s room. While they’d had a flirtatious friendship since they met nearly a year ago, Frederica cut off contact with him when her anonymous writer threatened his daughters. Faced with the villain getting more bold and her father’s marriage, Frederica decides the obvious solution is to get married by Christmas, and enlists Jasper’s help in evaluating her newspaper suitors. Jasper, a widower with three daughters, has another solution – they should get married. Frederica refuses – Jasper’s heart still belongs to his dead wife, nor does she want to endanger them – and so begins an attempt to find a suitable match while hunting down whoever’s trying to harm her.
Frederica believes herself to be blessed beyond measure – after all, her father took her in when her mother, his mistress, died and has showered her with things, if not his love. So what if he refers to her almost the same way he does his dogs or any of his other prized possessions? She knows her worth, though, and refuses to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a courtesan. Instead Frederica desires to be a loving wife in a home full of music, along with continuing her charity work with girls from the street (the reason, we find out, behind this is particularly heart-wrenching). Jasper is… well, he’s a bit of a mess. He’s still grieving for his wife who died two years ago (point in fact, he sends his girls away for the entire month of November so he can basically grovel in grief), but his feelings for Frederica are impossible for him to ignore. Though Frederica feels the same, she doesn’t want to play second fiddle to a ghost, and so most of the book is watching them overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to first admit their feelings for each other and then overcome them. They are such a sweet couple together, though, and it was lovely watching things finally come together for them.
I was ambivalent about the last book, and on reflection I think it was because I didn’t like how incredibly naive Ester was. For whatever reason, while I like flawed heroines, I prefer for them to get their act together quickly! In this book, however, the naive one is Jasper. Time after time, he hurts Frederica’s feelings with thoughtless words and actions. He’s not purposefully hurting her, but it’s just that he’s come from such a privileged upbringing – from his race, gender, and class – that he can’t fathom the small aggressions that Frederica experiences daily. He also takes FOR-EV-ER to make up his mind and realize what he needs to do to persuade Frederica to marry him. This drove me a bit crazy, but I think it’s understandable, given his background. His life has been wrecked by loss and grief, and opening himself up – to Frederica, to his girls – to love again means also opening himself up to the possibility of further loss. So while I normally dislike drama caused by communication problems, the rest of the story was enough to sway me.
The book was well-paced, and I enjoyed the suspense subplot of them trying to discover who’s been sending Frederica threatening letters. There was one portion of it that I felt took too long for them to puzzle out , but otherwise I thought it was well done, though I strongly disliked the resolution of it. Ms. Riley manages to navigate smoothly between witty dialogue, sweet romantic scenes, and cutting commentary – she doesn’t shy away from the prejudices Frederica faces because of her race and illegitimacy, nor from the fate of girls and young women turned out on the street.
Overall, this is a charming historical with a holiday twist, with wonderful characters and a satisfyingly sweet romance. I am beyond excited that, thankfully, there will be a fourth book in the series coming out next summer!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“He stared at this woman he thought he knew, but this was a stranger, an intriguing one. “What is it that you want?”
She blew a fallen tendril from her eyes, and he saw a horrid bruise. “Other than an honorable marriage?”
“Yes, Miss Burghley, other than that.”
“A woman’s dreams are special. If I say them without preparing for them, doing all the things I have to make them come true, they are empty words. I’d rather not say.”
Ever since placing advertisements for marriage in the papers, Frederica’s been receiving threatening notes. It all comes to a head on the night of her father’s marriage to his new duchess, when someone breaks into her bedroom and she only narrowly escapes – ending up in Jasper’s room. While they’d had a flirtatious friendship since they met nearly a year ago, Frederica cut off contact with him when her anonymous writer threatened his daughters. Faced with the villain getting more bold and her father’s marriage, Frederica decides the obvious solution is to get married by Christmas, and enlists Jasper’s help in evaluating her newspaper suitors. Jasper, a widower with three daughters, has another solution – they should get married. Frederica refuses – Jasper’s heart still belongs to his dead wife, nor does she want to endanger them – and so begins an attempt to find a suitable match while hunting down whoever’s trying to harm her.
“This is such a lovely room, but it needs a little dusting. And these treats look nice. But this biscuit has been cooked a little too—”
“Miss Burghley,” he said, “you don’t seem to be a runner.”
“And you’ve never chased, not really.”
“Maybe I have, but I’m slow and subtle. How better to draw you in?”
Frederica believes herself to be blessed beyond measure – after all, her father took her in when her mother, his mistress, died and has showered her with things, if not his love. So what if he refers to her almost the same way he does his dogs or any of his other prized possessions? She knows her worth, though, and refuses to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a courtesan. Instead Frederica desires to be a loving wife in a home full of music, along with continuing her charity work with girls from the street (the reason, we find out, behind this is particularly heart-wrenching). Jasper is… well, he’s a bit of a mess. He’s still grieving for his wife who died two years ago (point in fact, he sends his girls away for the entire month of November so he can basically grovel in grief), but his feelings for Frederica are impossible for him to ignore. Though Frederica feels the same, she doesn’t want to play second fiddle to a ghost, and so most of the book is watching them overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to first admit their feelings for each other and then overcome them. They are such a sweet couple together, though, and it was lovely watching things finally come together for them.
“Yes, I love the Yuletide, for love seems to hold everything together, tighter. And everyone’s a little kinder, kind for no reason at all.”
“Kindness means a lot to you.”
“Lord Hartwell, shouldn’t it mean a lot to everyone?”
“You say this as if you don’t get kindness often.”
She looked at him with that patient smile of hers that let him know he’d said something foolish. “Some mean well. Others run errands. Come along, Lord Hartwell.”
I was ambivalent about the last book, and on reflection I think it was because I didn’t like how incredibly naive Ester was. For whatever reason, while I like flawed heroines, I prefer for them to get their act together quickly! In this book, however, the naive one is Jasper. Time after time, he hurts Frederica’s feelings with thoughtless words and actions. He’s not purposefully hurting her, but it’s just that he’s come from such a privileged upbringing – from his race, gender, and class – that he can’t fathom the small aggressions that Frederica experiences daily. He also takes FOR-EV-ER to make up his mind and realize what he needs to do to persuade Frederica to marry him. This drove me a bit crazy, but I think it’s understandable, given his background. His life has been wrecked by loss and grief, and opening himself up – to Frederica, to his girls – to love again means also opening himself up to the possibility of further loss. So while I normally dislike drama caused by communication problems, the rest of the story was enough to sway me.
The book was well-paced, and I enjoyed the suspense subplot of them trying to discover who’s been sending Frederica threatening letters. There was one portion of it that I felt took too long for them to puzzle out , but otherwise I thought it was well done, though I strongly disliked the resolution of it. Ms. Riley manages to navigate smoothly between witty dialogue, sweet romantic scenes, and cutting commentary – she doesn’t shy away from the prejudices Frederica faces because of her race and illegitimacy, nor from the fate of girls and young women turned out on the street.
Overall, this is a charming historical with a holiday twist, with wonderful characters and a satisfyingly sweet romance. I am beyond excited that, thankfully, there will be a fourth book in the series coming out next summer!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 22, 2020
I think Vanessa Riley may just be too melodramatic for me. I like the premise, but I just don’t like it in the execution - and I’ve had the same in the previous books in the series, but the blurbs are intriguing and so I keep coming back. I think I just like a bit more humour and a bit less angst. But if you do like the drama, this has all you could want to keep you turning the pages and is well written to boot.
****copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review *****
****copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review *****
October 8, 2018
Frederica is in search of a husband by Christmas time and needs to escape a villain who’s anonymous threats have been escalating.
As the illegitimate daughter of a duke and a black mistress, Frederica had to learn from a young age how to survive in surroundings where she faced hardships. She had to blend in, be perfect and counter people’s racism and ill expectations of her. Yet, she still counts herself as ‘one of the lucky ones.’ - for reasons we get to discover as the story unfolds.
Jasper, Lord Hartwell, father of three daughters, doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to love again after losing his wife and son. Yet, he finds himself being drawn to Frederica over and over again. Still grieving for and loving his wife, he doesn’t propose to Frederica once she declares her urgent need of a husband. Instead he somehow finds himself in a position to aid Frederica in her search and be her protector.
While I would have liked for Frederica’s background to be explored a bit more in the book, I did get a good understanding of her motivations and struggles she had to go through. To be truly accepted for who she is, not just someone’s expectation or view of her skin colour, or her mother’s background , is very relatable and understandable. I love how she holds on to her goal and that she knows what she wants.
I would have wished though that she’d listened to her heart a bit earlier and more thoroughly. The same goes for Jasper.
There are some emotional scenes that pulled on my heartstrings; especially with regards to Jaspers wife and also the revelations as to why Francesca is helping at that particular charity or the reason she has such a young maid by her side.
Romantic scenes just before and after the wedding, are painted beautifully. And while I would have loved for them to be a bit longer and earlier on too, I may have gotten some inspiration for this years Christmas themes - silver and white all the way ❄️🌲🕯
This was my first book by Vanessa Riley and I’m intrigued to find out more about the other couples mentioned in #TheButterflyBride .
Release date: October 22nd
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Brid...
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via #NetGalley. Views and comments are entirely my own though.
PPS: I’d rate this at solid 3.5 stars.
As the illegitimate daughter of a duke and a black mistress, Frederica had to learn from a young age how to survive in surroundings where she faced hardships. She had to blend in, be perfect and counter people’s racism and ill expectations of her. Yet, she still counts herself as ‘one of the lucky ones.’ - for reasons we get to discover as the story unfolds.
Jasper, Lord Hartwell, father of three daughters, doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to love again after losing his wife and son. Yet, he finds himself being drawn to Frederica over and over again. Still grieving for and loving his wife, he doesn’t propose to Frederica once she declares her urgent need of a husband. Instead he somehow finds himself in a position to aid Frederica in her search and be her protector.
While I would have liked for Frederica’s background to be explored a bit more in the book, I did get a good understanding of her motivations and struggles she had to go through. To be truly accepted for who she is, not just someone’s expectation or view of her skin colour, or her mother’s background , is very relatable and understandable. I love how she holds on to her goal and that she knows what she wants.
I would have wished though that she’d listened to her heart a bit earlier and more thoroughly. The same goes for Jasper.
There are some emotional scenes that pulled on my heartstrings; especially with regards to Jaspers wife and also the revelations as to why Francesca is helping at that particular charity or the reason she has such a young maid by her side.
Romantic scenes just before and after the wedding, are painted beautifully. And while I would have loved for them to be a bit longer and earlier on too, I may have gotten some inspiration for this years Christmas themes - silver and white all the way ❄️🌲🕯
This was my first book by Vanessa Riley and I’m intrigued to find out more about the other couples mentioned in #TheButterflyBride .
Release date: October 22nd
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Brid...
PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via #NetGalley. Views and comments are entirely my own though.
PPS: I’d rate this at solid 3.5 stars.
October 17, 2018
I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Butterfly Bride is the 4th book in Vanessa Riley’s Advertisements For Love Series. I found this book difficult to read as a stand-alone, many times I was confused and felt that I was missing something and so would recommend that you read the other books in the series first. I also had a problem with the narration of the book in the beginning because the narrator has been drugged and is confused and then later and then later because the narrative was like a butterfly flitting here and there and I had to struggle to make sense of the story. I don’t think I ever came to a true understanding of the characters in the book. Frederica Burghley is the daughter of a duke but her mother was his mistress not his wife and so even though Frederica lives with the duke her position is precarious, in that she doesn’t feel secure as she is of mixed race, the Duke has never made her feel secure in his love, she’s been receiving threatening letters and the Duke has recently remarried and she is sure that the new Duchess will not want her around. She has placed an advertisement in the paper looking for a husband. Jasper Fitzwilliam Lord Hartwell is a friend to Frederica and the duke charges him with her care while he is on his honeymoon. Jasper is to help her interview the prospective husbands and keep her safe as the letter writer has become more dangerous. Mildly Steamy. Publishing Date October 30, 2018
#NetGalley #TheButterflyBride
#NetGalley #TheButterflyBride
October 28, 2018
This is my first read from Vanessa Riley. As I haven’t read the other two books in the series, I didn’t see these characters develop into whom they were at the beginning of this novel. I did not see that as a deterrent in my enjoyment of the novel in any way.
Frederica Burghley is the illegitimate daughter of a duke and his late mistress. Since Frederica is illegitimate and of mixed race, she fears for her chance at finding love. While she is very fond of the handsome father of three and widower, Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell, she doesn’t see how a future can be possible for them. Surprisingly, Jasper can’t either. Not because of her race or his lack of tender feelings, but because he’s just not quite ready yet. Frederica is determined to marry by Christmas and won’t be convinced otherwise.
I instantly fell in love with the world Vanessa Riley has created for these complex and dynamic characters to live in. Nothing was easy about this love story and the journey Jasper and Frederica have to make to discover their futures were to be lived together. I would keep a tissue or two on hand as you read the trials and triumphs toward happily ever after. When the final page is read, you will be glad you made the journey there with these characters.
If you haven’t already read the first two books in the series, check them out, because I know I will!
I received this book for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Frederica Burghley is the illegitimate daughter of a duke and his late mistress. Since Frederica is illegitimate and of mixed race, she fears for her chance at finding love. While she is very fond of the handsome father of three and widower, Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell, she doesn’t see how a future can be possible for them. Surprisingly, Jasper can’t either. Not because of her race or his lack of tender feelings, but because he’s just not quite ready yet. Frederica is determined to marry by Christmas and won’t be convinced otherwise.
I instantly fell in love with the world Vanessa Riley has created for these complex and dynamic characters to live in. Nothing was easy about this love story and the journey Jasper and Frederica have to make to discover their futures were to be lived together. I would keep a tissue or two on hand as you read the trials and triumphs toward happily ever after. When the final page is read, you will be glad you made the journey there with these characters.
If you haven’t already read the first two books in the series, check them out, because I know I will!
I received this book for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
November 28, 2018
the butterfly bride is freddie's story and the third installment of the advertisements for love series. what makes this series unique is that the protagonists are black women making lives for themselves in regency london.
it's not an easy life, but all things considered, as the illegitimate daughter of a duke, freddie doesn't have it so bad. and yet, with her father recently remarried, and her closest friends too, she wants marriage for herself. so she vows to select a groom for christmas. she's had offers. and lord hartwell, is just the guy to help her rule them out.
nevermind their attraction. he doesn't think she wants to be the stepmother to his four daughters. she doesn't want to be someone's second choice. she knows he is still in love with his dead wife and there is no competing with that. but hartwell is unwilling to approve these suitors easily. he doesn't actually want to let freddie go.
and freddie is under some threat, as someone has vandalized her room, stolen her mother's jewels and threatened her life. so hartwell also works to figure this out. he is not willing to risk freddie's life for anything.
once these two figure out that what they share is more than friendship, they sort themselves out. but it takes a while.
**the butterfly bride will publish on october 22, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (amara) in exchange for my honest review.
it's not an easy life, but all things considered, as the illegitimate daughter of a duke, freddie doesn't have it so bad. and yet, with her father recently remarried, and her closest friends too, she wants marriage for herself. so she vows to select a groom for christmas. she's had offers. and lord hartwell, is just the guy to help her rule them out.
nevermind their attraction. he doesn't think she wants to be the stepmother to his four daughters. she doesn't want to be someone's second choice. she knows he is still in love with his dead wife and there is no competing with that. but hartwell is unwilling to approve these suitors easily. he doesn't actually want to let freddie go.
and freddie is under some threat, as someone has vandalized her room, stolen her mother's jewels and threatened her life. so hartwell also works to figure this out. he is not willing to risk freddie's life for anything.
once these two figure out that what they share is more than friendship, they sort themselves out. but it takes a while.
**the butterfly bride will publish on october 22, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing (amara) in exchange for my honest review.
October 12, 2018
3.5 Stars
Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide or risks her father marrying her to one of his friends, however the illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her.
This is the third book in the series but is easily read ob its own. It’s another well written, well paced story. The characters have plenty of depth but whilst I enjoyed the book I didn't love it. I liked Jasper & Frederica & liked how they came to care for each other, the path from friends to lovers was well handled. There was intrigue as well as romance, it had everything which I love in a book but for some reason that I can't put my finger on it didn't keep me enthralled from cover to cover.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide or risks her father marrying her to one of his friends, however the illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.
A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her.
This is the third book in the series but is easily read ob its own. It’s another well written, well paced story. The characters have plenty of depth but whilst I enjoyed the book I didn't love it. I liked Jasper & Frederica & liked how they came to care for each other, the path from friends to lovers was well handled. There was intrigue as well as romance, it had everything which I love in a book but for some reason that I can't put my finger on it didn't keep me enthralled from cover to cover.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
October 18, 2019
I don't like giving two stars to books that have the potential to be so much more, but there it is. This book took all of the flaws of the previous ones and amplified them on a grand scale. The wandering pacing, the flawed logic in character decision-making, the uneven character voices--it was all there. Which is a real shame because I was looking forward to this book because the H/h seemed so intriguing.
So look, I'm an internet nobody, but I'm going to offer a totally unasked for diagnosis and give some totally unsolicited advice. The bones of a great story are there (and that's wonderful!), but I think the biggest problem lies with having uneven character voices. This can be fixed by developing a really clear personality background of each of the characters BEFORE writing. Dialogue can be used to develop this further. Julia Quinn is a great example of someone who knows how to develop characters through their dialogue. Because I can't figure out if the uneven character voices are affecting the dialogue, or if it's vice-versa, but the two are playing off each other in a negative way.
If Riley's writing improved, she'd have something amazing.
So look, I'm an internet nobody, but I'm going to offer a totally unasked for diagnosis and give some totally unsolicited advice. The bones of a great story are there (and that's wonderful!), but I think the biggest problem lies with having uneven character voices. This can be fixed by developing a really clear personality background of each of the characters BEFORE writing. Dialogue can be used to develop this further. Julia Quinn is a great example of someone who knows how to develop characters through their dialogue. Because I can't figure out if the uneven character voices are affecting the dialogue, or if it's vice-versa, but the two are playing off each other in a negative way.
If Riley's writing improved, she'd have something amazing.
November 5, 2018
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and Entangled Amara for an honest review.
'The Butterfly Bride" is the third book in Advertisements for Love series. I have not read the other two books in this series but I have read a few books by this author. The Heroine in this story is the lovely and determined, Frederica Burghley who wants to get married by Yuletide and so she take out an advertisement in the Newspaper for a husband. But there is a person who responds and they are threatening to kill her. Luckily Frederica has a good friend whose is the Hero of this story Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartnell, has been a very dear friend to Frederica and he is determined to protect her at all costs. This love story moved at a very slow pace and I admit I yelled at the pages just to get the Hero and Heroine to at least show some romance towards each other. A kiss for instance. They finally got around to kissing and then the story got back on track. I will search out the other two books in this series and then read all three in sequence. I recommend this book and author.
'The Butterfly Bride" is the third book in Advertisements for Love series. I have not read the other two books in this series but I have read a few books by this author. The Heroine in this story is the lovely and determined, Frederica Burghley who wants to get married by Yuletide and so she take out an advertisement in the Newspaper for a husband. But there is a person who responds and they are threatening to kill her. Luckily Frederica has a good friend whose is the Hero of this story Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartnell, has been a very dear friend to Frederica and he is determined to protect her at all costs. This love story moved at a very slow pace and I admit I yelled at the pages just to get the Hero and Heroine to at least show some romance towards each other. A kiss for instance. They finally got around to kissing and then the story got back on track. I will search out the other two books in this series and then read all three in sequence. I recommend this book and author.
October 22, 2018
A story of the difficulties life can bring and the way to happiness. Frederica Burghley is in search of a husband before her father finds one for her. Advertising in the paper seemed the logical place to start. Unfortunately it brought out a scary response with threats to her life. She goes to her friend, Jasper who has two children and is a widower. But he ends up doing more than just protecting her, she wants him to help her find a suitable husband! What's a man to do?
Keeping her safe from a dangerous man and caring for her more than he wants, he tries to hold back his affections. After all, he has not gotten over the death of his wife.
This was really a very sweet romance that is part of the Advertisements for Love series. Amusing and heartwarming you will be swept up into the Victoria era and will not want to turn the last page. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.
Keeping her safe from a dangerous man and caring for her more than he wants, he tries to hold back his affections. After all, he has not gotten over the death of his wife.
This was really a very sweet romance that is part of the Advertisements for Love series. Amusing and heartwarming you will be swept up into the Victoria era and will not want to turn the last page. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.
October 21, 2018
Rating 4/5
This is the third book in a series in which I haven't read any of the previous novels. With that said, this could be read as a stand alone and you would still be able to appreciate the story. I received a free copy by NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
I really liked the idea of a regency era woman conducting a 21st century method to attempt a shot at love - an advertisement! This hints at how instrumental her bravery will be to allow Lord Hartwell to learn to open his heart again after being widowed. It's not often that I read a novel in which the male lead has such a tragic past and that was the main focal point of his struggle throughout the read - how to overcome his love for his former wife in order to love another.
The author kept this very clean too - there's mention of God but it's not so heavy to term this a completely Christian read. Overall, a nice, clean romance.
This is the third book in a series in which I haven't read any of the previous novels. With that said, this could be read as a stand alone and you would still be able to appreciate the story. I received a free copy by NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
I really liked the idea of a regency era woman conducting a 21st century method to attempt a shot at love - an advertisement! This hints at how instrumental her bravery will be to allow Lord Hartwell to learn to open his heart again after being widowed. It's not often that I read a novel in which the male lead has such a tragic past and that was the main focal point of his struggle throughout the read - how to overcome his love for his former wife in order to love another.
The author kept this very clean too - there's mention of God but it's not so heavy to term this a completely Christian read. Overall, a nice, clean romance.
November 19, 2019
I've been enamored of Jasper and Frederica since the first book of the series and their story was everything I wanted it to be.
Frederica, bold and sassy, with her kind heart and vulnerability was a great heroine. And Jasper, ohhh, what a hero. Widower with 3 impish daughters that need his love and attention; he's not sure that he can give any woman in his life what they need or deserve after the loss of his wife. Thrown together as Frederica's life is threatened, Jasper vows to protect her.
Their flirty friendship turned slow-burn romance was perfect. Vanessa Riley makes her characters come to life (one of the reasons I was so annoyed with Ester in the last book), and these two were an absolute joy.
Frederica, bold and sassy, with her kind heart and vulnerability was a great heroine. And Jasper, ohhh, what a hero. Widower with 3 impish daughters that need his love and attention; he's not sure that he can give any woman in his life what they need or deserve after the loss of his wife. Thrown together as Frederica's life is threatened, Jasper vows to protect her.
Their flirty friendship turned slow-burn romance was perfect. Vanessa Riley makes her characters come to life (one of the reasons I was so annoyed with Ester in the last book), and these two were an absolute joy.
November 13, 2018
Review posted at HarlequinJunkie.com
Fredricka Burghley is determined to be married by Yuletide, especially with her dad doing his best to match her with one of his friends. However, finding a man to marry her isn’t easy when she’s the illegitimate daughter of a duke. Yet, the harder she tries to find the right match, the more she finds herself falling for a man totally unsuitable. He’s already been married before and very much still in love with his late wife. Will Lord Hartwell be able to win Fredricka’s heart or will she end up breaking his? Read More
October 22, 2018
4.5 stars
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story moved along at a good pace and I liked the main characters. Jasper was still finding difficulty in coming to terms with his wife’s death. Frederica had to deal with prejudice because of her colour and illegitimacy. Theirs was very much a friends to lovers romance, there was also a mystery to solve. It was good to catch up with the characters from the previous books in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story moved along at a good pace and I liked the main characters. Jasper was still finding difficulty in coming to terms with his wife’s death. Frederica had to deal with prejudice because of her colour and illegitimacy. Theirs was very much a friends to lovers romance, there was also a mystery to solve. It was good to catch up with the characters from the previous books in the series. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 17, 2018
A nice read. It was a story that kept my attention but did not hold me riveted all the time. I enjoyed the read. I enjoy the way the characters are as well as the plot line itself. However, I do not know why I had moments that felt boring then all of a sudden it would pick up engrossing me again. All in all it is a nice read. I was given this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions here are my own. Regards, Anna
November 8, 2018
I had a hard time liking Frederica...she just seemed close minded ... I did love Jasper who really was being honorable. The middle of the story was a bit slow for me.
The I love her/him but can't/won't be with him/her got a bit old for me also...I think it went on forever. The mystery aspect of the story was the best part...who is trying to hurt Frederica and why!!!
It's a sweet story, and I think you'll enjoy it.
The I love her/him but can't/won't be with him/her got a bit old for me also...I think it went on forever. The mystery aspect of the story was the best part...who is trying to hurt Frederica and why!!!
It's a sweet story, and I think you'll enjoy it.
October 23, 2018
A masterful look at the other side of the regency era and the romances that flourished. The characters are flawlessly developed. They are witty and show a depth and range of emotions and feelings. Frederica and Jasper make a beautiful couple who struggle really hard to grasp the fruits of their happily ever after.
October 25, 2018
The Butterfly Bride was great! I hated to put it down as I was reading! There was always something happening that kept me turning the pages and wanting to know what was going to happen!
I adore Jasper! He was a hurting man and had such a hard time seeing past the hurt of losing his wife.
Recommend this book and series!
I adore Jasper! He was a hurting man and had such a hard time seeing past the hurt of losing his wife.
Recommend this book and series!
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