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Never A Bride: Three Regency Romances
Meet three young ladies who know they’ll never marry … and the men who win their hearts.
Welcome to Regency England, where a wallflower, an heiress, and a jilted young lady are about to discover that even though they’ve given up on love, love hasn’t given up on them.
This special collection from USA Today bestselling author Emily Larkin includes three delightfully romantic and heartwarming full-length novels— The Earl’s Dilemma, My Lady Thief, and the triple award-winning Ruining Miss Wrotham.
If you love page-turning historical romances brimming with emotion, humor, and captivating characters, then this collection is for you!
Three Regency romance novels totaling 244,000 words
Sensuality These books contain love scenes ranging in heat from mild to steamy.
The Earl’s Dilemma
James Hargrave, Earl of Arden, urgently needs a wife. He’s resigned himself to a marriage of convenience and has even chosen a Kate Honeycourt, his best friend’s sister. But Kate has a proposal of her own. She’ll find James a bride he can fall in love with.
My Lady Thief
An elusive thief is haunting Regency London, stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor. Bored by polite society, Adam St. Just sets out to unmask the daring burglar. Is it possible that earl’s granddaughter, Arabella Knightley, is in league with the rogue?
Ruining Miss Wrotham
Eleanor Wrotham has sworn off overbearing men, but she needs help to find her missing sister—and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous. Mordecai Black might be a notorious rake, but he has rules, and one of them Never ruin a woman. Can he help Miss Wrotham without ruining her?
In addition to the three novels, this collection also contains the first three chapters of Primrose and the Dreadful Duke.
Welcome to Regency England, where a wallflower, an heiress, and a jilted young lady are about to discover that even though they’ve given up on love, love hasn’t given up on them.
This special collection from USA Today bestselling author Emily Larkin includes three delightfully romantic and heartwarming full-length novels— The Earl’s Dilemma, My Lady Thief, and the triple award-winning Ruining Miss Wrotham.
If you love page-turning historical romances brimming with emotion, humor, and captivating characters, then this collection is for you!
Three Regency romance novels totaling 244,000 words
Sensuality These books contain love scenes ranging in heat from mild to steamy.
The Earl’s Dilemma
James Hargrave, Earl of Arden, urgently needs a wife. He’s resigned himself to a marriage of convenience and has even chosen a Kate Honeycourt, his best friend’s sister. But Kate has a proposal of her own. She’ll find James a bride he can fall in love with.
My Lady Thief
An elusive thief is haunting Regency London, stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor. Bored by polite society, Adam St. Just sets out to unmask the daring burglar. Is it possible that earl’s granddaughter, Arabella Knightley, is in league with the rogue?
Ruining Miss Wrotham
Eleanor Wrotham has sworn off overbearing men, but she needs help to find her missing sister—and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous. Mordecai Black might be a notorious rake, but he has rules, and one of them Never ruin a woman. Can he help Miss Wrotham without ruining her?
In addition to the three novels, this collection also contains the first three chapters of Primrose and the Dreadful Duke.
946 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2019
34 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Emily Larkin
33 books370 followersEmily Larkin is the USA Today bestselling author of the Baleful Godmother historical romance series, a series that readers are calling “sexy, unusual and vastly entertaining,” and "ridiculously wonderful."
When not reading or writing, Emily can be found hiking—preferably somewhere off the beaten track. She loves to travel, and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe and North America, and traveled overland in the Middle East, China, and North Africa. Her varied career includes stints as a field assistant in Antarctica and a waitress on the Isle of Skye.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin. She has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA award, as well as the National Readers Choice, Booksellers Best, Australian Romantic Book of the Year, Sir Julius Vogel, and Koru awards. Her websites are www.emilylarkin.com and www.emilygee.com.
** Join Emily’s Readers’ Group to get an email whenever she has a new release or discounts a book—plus get some FREE ebooks as well!**
When not reading or writing, Emily can be found hiking—preferably somewhere off the beaten track. She loves to travel, and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe and North America, and traveled overland in the Middle East, China, and North Africa. Her varied career includes stints as a field assistant in Antarctica and a waitress on the Isle of Skye.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin. She has been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA award, as well as the National Readers Choice, Booksellers Best, Australian Romantic Book of the Year, Sir Julius Vogel, and Koru awards. Her websites are www.emilylarkin.com and www.emilygee.com.
** Join Emily’s Readers’ Group to get an email whenever she has a new release or discounts a book—plus get some FREE ebooks as well!**
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 17, 2019
The Earl’s Dilemma
Kate Honeycourt likes to write her diary in the priest hole next to her brother Harry’s library. Whilst there she overhears Harry & his best friend James Hargrave, Earl of Arden talking. James has recently inherited the earldom after a carriage accident killed his father & elder brother. James urgently needs a wife, the terms of his father’s will states his heir must marry before he’s thirty or forfeit everything that is unentailed. James has under two months & has resigned himself to a marriage of convenience and has even chosen a bride: Kate Honeycourt, his best friend’s sister.
Kate has been on the shelf for years & she has also loved James for eleven years but she turns him down but Kate has a proposal of her own: she’ll find James a bride he can fall in love with.
Armed with a list of requirements, Kate sets out to find him the perfect wife. But things don’t progress as either of them expect. The list that started with four requirements quickly grows & the list of suitable ladies dwindles. Then her friend Lizzie arrives who Kate is sure is perfect for James.
A well written charming read. Kate has always loved James whereas James has only seen her as Harry’s sister, until he starts to really see her for herself. James has always liked Kate but finds his feelings undergoing a change. The problem is now how to convince Kate.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book Kate is no shrinking violet but willing to sacrifice her feelings to ensure James is happy. James was a soldier & still suffers from nightmares, he’d like a love match but time’s not on his side & when he does fall heavily in love he’s then not sure of Kate’s feelings. The pace of the story is good, & the witty verbal sparring has you smiling & greatly adds to the enjoyment of the book.
My Lady Thief
Arabella Knightley is an earl’s granddaughter, but it’s common knowledge that she spent her early years in London’s gutters after her father was disowned then he died & Bella & her mother found themselves struggling to survive in the rookeries of London. What the ton doesn’t know is that while Arabella acts the perfect young lady by day, at night she plays Robin Hood, stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor, as Tom who likes to right wrongs.
Adam St Just is one of Society’s most sought after bachelors. He’s also the man responsible for Arabella Knightley’s nickname: Miss Smell o’ Gutters, a mistake he made seven years ago whilst drunk & he deeply regrets it.
Bored by polite society, Adam sets out to unmask the elusive thief , he also becomes enthralled by Bella when she befriends his sister Grace.
A lovely book whilst the story is a little implausible (but then most fiction is) it doesn’t matter as the whole essence of the book is seeing people for who they are not where they were born nor their lineage. Adam & Bella are well-rounded characters & very likeable, even though Adam appears to be arrogant at times. The secondary characters are also very likeable & well portrayed. This is a re release but I would love for Grace, Helen & Hetty to have their HEAs. The plot is well paced & I was loathe to put the book down. Definitely a book I will revisit
Ruining Miss Wrotham
Eleanor Wrotham is trying to find her younger sister Sophia, she has sworn off overbearing men after her fiancé Roger broke off their engagement but she needs a man’s help and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous, the notorious Mordecai Black.
The illegitimate son of the Earl of Dereham, Mordecai is infamous for his skill with women. His affairs are legendary but few people realize that Mordecai has rules, and one of them is Never ruin a woman.
Mordecai is much maligned because he’s a bastard but as the story progresses his true character emerges. Eleanor certainly has her eyes opened as the pair travel to find Sophia.
This is the fifth in the series but could well be a stand alone book, there are appearances from others in the series & mention of characters from other books by the author which I personally love. I’ve loved the other books in the series but this is my favourite so far. The attraction between Mordecai & Eleanor is apparent & his proposals had me laughing but she wants to be free from domineering men. Both Mordecai & Eleanor are very likeable, their characters are well developed. I was routing for Mordecai from the beginning & I wanted to shake & yell at Eleanor at times as she took so long to realise what a catch he was The plot is so well paced & I found it really hard to put the book down & even though it’s 300 pages I read it in under a day – a true indication as to how much I love a book.
The author is fast becoming an automatic must read, I’ve read most of her books & I’ve not been disappointed. This box set is very well written & a joy to read
Kate Honeycourt likes to write her diary in the priest hole next to her brother Harry’s library. Whilst there she overhears Harry & his best friend James Hargrave, Earl of Arden talking. James has recently inherited the earldom after a carriage accident killed his father & elder brother. James urgently needs a wife, the terms of his father’s will states his heir must marry before he’s thirty or forfeit everything that is unentailed. James has under two months & has resigned himself to a marriage of convenience and has even chosen a bride: Kate Honeycourt, his best friend’s sister.
Kate has been on the shelf for years & she has also loved James for eleven years but she turns him down but Kate has a proposal of her own: she’ll find James a bride he can fall in love with.
Armed with a list of requirements, Kate sets out to find him the perfect wife. But things don’t progress as either of them expect. The list that started with four requirements quickly grows & the list of suitable ladies dwindles. Then her friend Lizzie arrives who Kate is sure is perfect for James.
A well written charming read. Kate has always loved James whereas James has only seen her as Harry’s sister, until he starts to really see her for herself. James has always liked Kate but finds his feelings undergoing a change. The problem is now how to convince Kate.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book Kate is no shrinking violet but willing to sacrifice her feelings to ensure James is happy. James was a soldier & still suffers from nightmares, he’d like a love match but time’s not on his side & when he does fall heavily in love he’s then not sure of Kate’s feelings. The pace of the story is good, & the witty verbal sparring has you smiling & greatly adds to the enjoyment of the book.
My Lady Thief
Arabella Knightley is an earl’s granddaughter, but it’s common knowledge that she spent her early years in London’s gutters after her father was disowned then he died & Bella & her mother found themselves struggling to survive in the rookeries of London. What the ton doesn’t know is that while Arabella acts the perfect young lady by day, at night she plays Robin Hood, stealing from the wealthy to give to the poor, as Tom who likes to right wrongs.
Adam St Just is one of Society’s most sought after bachelors. He’s also the man responsible for Arabella Knightley’s nickname: Miss Smell o’ Gutters, a mistake he made seven years ago whilst drunk & he deeply regrets it.
Bored by polite society, Adam sets out to unmask the elusive thief , he also becomes enthralled by Bella when she befriends his sister Grace.
A lovely book whilst the story is a little implausible (but then most fiction is) it doesn’t matter as the whole essence of the book is seeing people for who they are not where they were born nor their lineage. Adam & Bella are well-rounded characters & very likeable, even though Adam appears to be arrogant at times. The secondary characters are also very likeable & well portrayed. This is a re release but I would love for Grace, Helen & Hetty to have their HEAs. The plot is well paced & I was loathe to put the book down. Definitely a book I will revisit
Ruining Miss Wrotham
Eleanor Wrotham is trying to find her younger sister Sophia, she has sworn off overbearing men after her fiancé Roger broke off their engagement but she needs a man’s help and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous, the notorious Mordecai Black.
The illegitimate son of the Earl of Dereham, Mordecai is infamous for his skill with women. His affairs are legendary but few people realize that Mordecai has rules, and one of them is Never ruin a woman.
Mordecai is much maligned because he’s a bastard but as the story progresses his true character emerges. Eleanor certainly has her eyes opened as the pair travel to find Sophia.
This is the fifth in the series but could well be a stand alone book, there are appearances from others in the series & mention of characters from other books by the author which I personally love. I’ve loved the other books in the series but this is my favourite so far. The attraction between Mordecai & Eleanor is apparent & his proposals had me laughing but she wants to be free from domineering men. Both Mordecai & Eleanor are very likeable, their characters are well developed. I was routing for Mordecai from the beginning & I wanted to shake & yell at Eleanor at times as she took so long to realise what a catch he was The plot is so well paced & I found it really hard to put the book down & even though it’s 300 pages I read it in under a day – a true indication as to how much I love a book.
The author is fast becoming an automatic must read, I’ve read most of her books & I’ve not been disappointed. This box set is very well written & a joy to read
November 21, 2019
The Earl’s Dilemma *****
James Hargrave suddenly became the Earl of Arden, when his father and older brother died in an accident. He has to marry before his 30th birthday in order to inherit the fortunes necessary to maintain his estate, the title alone comes only with a decrepit house. He plans a marriage of convenience with his best friend’s sister, a lady he does not love but holds in great esteem. Unfortunately Kate holds out for a love match and turns his proposel down. She wants him to find love in his marriage and suggests to introduce him to eligible females. They make two lists, one with his requirements, the other with the prospective brides. James talks her into consenting if no lady takes his fancy, Kate will marry him herself.
The first half of the book describes with a lot of humour the round of teas, dinner parties, outings, and a ball Kate attends with him, but each lady lacks something he suddenly notices his future wife must have. The list with his requirements grows longer while the other one holds more and more crossed out names. Gradually he sees Kate in a different light, apparently she possesses every quality he desires and he slowly falls in love with her.
Unfortunately Kate overheard Harry (her brother) and James first conversation where James didn’t speak very positive about her and women in general. She does not believe he suddenly fell for her and turns him down again although she has been in love with him for the last eleven years. The second part of the book describes his efforts to convince her and get their HEA.
I liked the plot and all the different characters, some describing very well people’s quirks (girls and their mothers on the hunt for husbands) and problems (PTSD from the Napoleon Wars) in those times.
My Lady Thief *****
This book has an interesting plot line set in Regency London with much more depth than other historical romances. As it does not concentrate on the upper ten thousend but also describes the horrors of those living in poverty, especially women, it shows the reader a small spectrum of the social backdrop in the early 19th century.
I enjoyed this Robin Hood story where the hero is female and uses the gossip against the gossipping crowd, as well as the lists the hero compiles to identify “cat”. From adversaries at the beginning Arabella and Adam slowly bond and finally fall in love.
Beautifully written with well balanced humour and angst and very sympathetic main characters.
Ruining Miss Wrotham ****
This book is an interconnected stand-alone of the Baleful Godmother’s series.
Once again the heroine is waiting anxiously for her birthday and the grant of a supernatural ability in order to find her run-away-sister. In the meantime Mordecai and Eleanor piece together the clues they got from a delayed letter and head to Exeter.
The accurate descriptions of not only the English towns and countryside but also manners, behaviour and speech testify how well Emily Larkin researches for her books. It is not just a novel set in Regency time with a paranormal twist, but you really get a feeling for that time by her describing the aweful living conditions of the poorer population in contrast to the extravagance of nobility.
Every evening Modecai proposes – in vain – and then he decides to seduce her. Those scenes are funny and romantic and it is great to see how he wears her down.
I also liked the appearance of other characters from former books.
Filled with angst, action, sexy scenes and of course, HEA, this book is everything I expect from a romance-suspense novel.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
James Hargrave suddenly became the Earl of Arden, when his father and older brother died in an accident. He has to marry before his 30th birthday in order to inherit the fortunes necessary to maintain his estate, the title alone comes only with a decrepit house. He plans a marriage of convenience with his best friend’s sister, a lady he does not love but holds in great esteem. Unfortunately Kate holds out for a love match and turns his proposel down. She wants him to find love in his marriage and suggests to introduce him to eligible females. They make two lists, one with his requirements, the other with the prospective brides. James talks her into consenting if no lady takes his fancy, Kate will marry him herself.
The first half of the book describes with a lot of humour the round of teas, dinner parties, outings, and a ball Kate attends with him, but each lady lacks something he suddenly notices his future wife must have. The list with his requirements grows longer while the other one holds more and more crossed out names. Gradually he sees Kate in a different light, apparently she possesses every quality he desires and he slowly falls in love with her.
Unfortunately Kate overheard Harry (her brother) and James first conversation where James didn’t speak very positive about her and women in general. She does not believe he suddenly fell for her and turns him down again although she has been in love with him for the last eleven years. The second part of the book describes his efforts to convince her and get their HEA.
I liked the plot and all the different characters, some describing very well people’s quirks (girls and their mothers on the hunt for husbands) and problems (PTSD from the Napoleon Wars) in those times.
My Lady Thief *****
This book has an interesting plot line set in Regency London with much more depth than other historical romances. As it does not concentrate on the upper ten thousend but also describes the horrors of those living in poverty, especially women, it shows the reader a small spectrum of the social backdrop in the early 19th century.
I enjoyed this Robin Hood story where the hero is female and uses the gossip against the gossipping crowd, as well as the lists the hero compiles to identify “cat”. From adversaries at the beginning Arabella and Adam slowly bond and finally fall in love.
Beautifully written with well balanced humour and angst and very sympathetic main characters.
Ruining Miss Wrotham ****
This book is an interconnected stand-alone of the Baleful Godmother’s series.
Once again the heroine is waiting anxiously for her birthday and the grant of a supernatural ability in order to find her run-away-sister. In the meantime Mordecai and Eleanor piece together the clues they got from a delayed letter and head to Exeter.
The accurate descriptions of not only the English towns and countryside but also manners, behaviour and speech testify how well Emily Larkin researches for her books. It is not just a novel set in Regency time with a paranormal twist, but you really get a feeling for that time by her describing the aweful living conditions of the poorer population in contrast to the extravagance of nobility.
Every evening Modecai proposes – in vain – and then he decides to seduce her. Those scenes are funny and romantic and it is great to see how he wears her down.
I also liked the appearance of other characters from former books.
Filled with angst, action, sexy scenes and of course, HEA, this book is everything I expect from a romance-suspense novel.
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 18, 2019
Well what can I say, I loved these three stand-alone stories under one cover “Never a Bride” by Emily Larkin.
My first read of ‘My Lady Thief’ was in April 2017 and I wrote this review:
“My Lady Thief” by Emily Larkin. What a busy story this was. For the plot ins and outs… check another review. For the fun review… well this was a page turner.. I was never quite sure which way the characters would bounce when bumping into a new wall.. and I doubt you will be sure either. It is a FUN romance read. Try it , you’ll like it !!
My first of read ‘Ruining Miss Wrotham" was in May 2017 and I wrote this review:
“Ruining Miss Wrotham” by Emily Larkin
Another 5-star Regency read
I read the free copy from the author with the promise of an honest review in exchange. I surely did enjoy keeping company with Nell and Mordecai as they navigated their ways through a month in 1812, learning about themselves and each other, and, what has been and the possibilities in the future.
This is my first read of “The Earl’s Dilemma” and I am writing this review:
"The Earl's Dilemma" by Emily Larkin.
This is another good fun read. I so enjoyed my time with Kate, James, and Harry. The road to love and marriage can be a bumpy ride. I just had to stay up late turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next.
So in summary, if the book description of "Never a Bride" caught your eye, then I truly think you will enjoy your time reading these stand alone stories. I know that I did and not just because the author shared the ARC of this book with me in the hope of my posting a review.. If you like fun light easy reading Regency romance stories. They are right here waiting for you to enjoy. Happy Reading ! !
My first read of ‘My Lady Thief’ was in April 2017 and I wrote this review:
“My Lady Thief” by Emily Larkin. What a busy story this was. For the plot ins and outs… check another review. For the fun review… well this was a page turner.. I was never quite sure which way the characters would bounce when bumping into a new wall.. and I doubt you will be sure either. It is a FUN romance read. Try it , you’ll like it !!
My first of read ‘Ruining Miss Wrotham" was in May 2017 and I wrote this review:
“Ruining Miss Wrotham” by Emily Larkin
Another 5-star Regency read
I read the free copy from the author with the promise of an honest review in exchange. I surely did enjoy keeping company with Nell and Mordecai as they navigated their ways through a month in 1812, learning about themselves and each other, and, what has been and the possibilities in the future.
This is my first read of “The Earl’s Dilemma” and I am writing this review:
"The Earl's Dilemma" by Emily Larkin.
This is another good fun read. I so enjoyed my time with Kate, James, and Harry. The road to love and marriage can be a bumpy ride. I just had to stay up late turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next.
So in summary, if the book description of "Never a Bride" caught your eye, then I truly think you will enjoy your time reading these stand alone stories. I know that I did and not just because the author shared the ARC of this book with me in the hope of my posting a review.. If you like fun light easy reading Regency romance stories. They are right here waiting for you to enjoy. Happy Reading ! !
November 18, 2019
Three women who thought they would never find love and marry get their HEA’s.
The Earl’s Dilemma
This is a historical romance that has a bit of a twist. Kate has always loved her brother’s friend, James, but knows it’s futile. Then James declares he wants to marry her in order to hang onto his fortune. Kate instead hatches a plan to find him a love match. James agrees but soon finds himself falling in love with Kate. But how will he ever convince her?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the plot. I highly recommend it!
My Lady Thief
I so enjoyed this book. It had a intrigue as well as romance. The plot centers around a Robin Hood like thief, a cruel jest, depth of character and love. A totally enjoyable read with unexpected events.
Ruining Miss Wrotham
I love the Baleful Godmother series. This one is a great installment. It has the mix of magic and romance that is expected in this series but the depth of characters really makes this one so good. Highly recommend!
The Earl’s Dilemma
This is a historical romance that has a bit of a twist. Kate has always loved her brother’s friend, James, but knows it’s futile. Then James declares he wants to marry her in order to hang onto his fortune. Kate instead hatches a plan to find him a love match. James agrees but soon finds himself falling in love with Kate. But how will he ever convince her?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the plot. I highly recommend it!
My Lady Thief
I so enjoyed this book. It had a intrigue as well as romance. The plot centers around a Robin Hood like thief, a cruel jest, depth of character and love. A totally enjoyable read with unexpected events.
Ruining Miss Wrotham
I love the Baleful Godmother series. This one is a great installment. It has the mix of magic and romance that is expected in this series but the depth of characters really makes this one so good. Highly recommend!
November 24, 2019
Each is a page-turner.
The Earl’s Dilemma, Ruining Miss Wrotham, and My Lady Thief make up this collection by Ms. Larkin. Each story about these ladies shows how a woman who feels that they would never marry; to never have love can be so wrong. I loved all three of the heroes in the books. James and Kate, Adam and Arabella, Mordecai and Eleanor’s stories will bring the reader wit, humor, a bit of magic and lovely romances. I highly recommend this charmer. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
The Earl’s Dilemma, Ruining Miss Wrotham, and My Lady Thief make up this collection by Ms. Larkin. Each story about these ladies shows how a woman who feels that they would never marry; to never have love can be so wrong. I loved all three of the heroes in the books. James and Kate, Adam and Arabella, Mordecai and Eleanor’s stories will bring the reader wit, humor, a bit of magic and lovely romances. I highly recommend this charmer. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
May 2, 2020
Excellent
Excellent book, excellent author. she really does her research and I love that not all her characters are beautiful but they’re all beautiful to each other. I highly recommend this author.
Excellent book, excellent author. she really does her research and I love that not all her characters are beautiful but they’re all beautiful to each other. I highly recommend this author.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews