What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #1
Lord Holt Takes a Bride
USA Today Bestselling Author Vivienne Lorret launches a charming new trilogy about three debutantes who get more than they bargained for when it comes to the mating habits of scoundrels . . .
Heiress Winnifred Humphries refuses to marry the odious man her parents have chosen. She’ll marry for love or not at all. But how does a woman know a man truly loves her? Needing answers, she sets out to discover the marriage habits of London’s aristocrats. Yet when her friends kidnap a lord for research, Winn knows they’ve gone too far. Now she’s facing a wickedly handsome scoundrel who wants revenge.
Lord Asher Holt has the perfect plan to free himself of his father’s debts. But when a trio of foolish debutantes abducts him, their scheme ruins everything! Fuming and tied to a chair, Holt overhears that one of them is an heiress. Perhaps he isn’t above a little kidnapping either.
Yet, when the heiress runs away from her own wedding and straight into his waiting carriage, Holt finds himself on an adventure he’ll never forget, falling in love with a woman worth more than any treasure. But will Winn ever believe his heart only desires her . . . and not her fortune?
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2020
273 people are currently reading
4553 people want to read
About the author
Vivienne Lorret
37 books1,303 followersUSA Today bestselling author VIVIENNE LORRET writes fun and steamy Regency historical romances. She lives in the Midwest where she coaxes words out of giant mugs of tea and attempts to jot them down before they can escape. For her entire catalog of books, including the Liars’ Club, her latest series from Avon, please visit www.vivlorret.net
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
March 28, 2020
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Winn doesn't want to marry the man her father picked out for her, he's callous and in love with his mistress. When her friends come up with a plan for her to become a runaway bride, she at first scoffs but after mistakenly receiving a gift that was supposed to go to his mistress from her husband-to-be on the morning of her wedding, she decides to run.
Asher has always been at the mercy of his gambling father but he finally has a plan to get out from under his schemes, until he runs into some curious debutantes and he ends up kidnapped. Needed money and fast, he devises his own kidnapping plot.
Plans go awry as Winn and Asher traverse the English countryside and they find that maybe love isn't as far or impossible as they thought.
She was the heiress he intended to kidnap.
First in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series, Lord Holt Takes a Bride, started off as a fun, fluffy road adventure romance. Winn and Asher had a sweet chemistry that brought a much appreciated lightness to these currently heavier real world times. Winn's friends were good secondary characters who got introduced and pleased enough to bring interest to future books in the series but I wish they could have shown up more towards the end as their connection with Winn was missed. Asher came on the page with a lot of intrigue, a treasure map and villainous father, but his connection with his friends was a bit murky and his background with his father ended up feeling more fantastical because of how his father was able to pull off such schemes.
It would be simple . . . As long as he didn’t allow anything else—like an inconvenient, passing attraction—to distract him.
I enjoyed Winn's character but her constant dragging herself down about her looks became tiring and sad. There is a tiny little side story, reconnecting romance between her parents and due to her or what the reader first perceives as her unhappiness, Winn's mother constantly makes little comments that become not so innocuous because of how they bite, about Winn's weight. Throughout the majority of the story Winn thinks about how even though Asher is acting and saying how attractive she is, that he can't possibly truly be thinking this. The continuous reiterating of these thoughts by Winn somewhat dragged down what the lighter fun tone for me.
The Shettlemane title was nothing more than a heap of debt and shame, growing larger by the hour.
Like I said, the first half of this was pretty light and fun but the second half had the road romance adventure feeling a bit dragged out as the story seemed to become a bit lost in its place. One too many misadventures, villains chasing Asher because of his father, and Asher in awe of Winn a lot with her putting herself down, it began to meander and slow. Winn's parents' tense relationship actually started to intrigue me more as emotions were brimming from these two as Asher and Winn's began to stall.
“And you’re the adventure I never expected.”
The ending gave us a reveal and misunderstanding that had Winn immediately thinking the worst of Asher and it had a going through the motions angst ending and extremely serendipitous tie-in for Asher that left me wanting a return to the fun, light, and easy feeling from the beginning. The first half was a fun romp, while the second half lost some of the story's great easiness but if you're looking to disappear into a light road romance this would fit the bill and has some promising heroines for future books in the series.
Winn doesn't want to marry the man her father picked out for her, he's callous and in love with his mistress. When her friends come up with a plan for her to become a runaway bride, she at first scoffs but after mistakenly receiving a gift that was supposed to go to his mistress from her husband-to-be on the morning of her wedding, she decides to run.
Asher has always been at the mercy of his gambling father but he finally has a plan to get out from under his schemes, until he runs into some curious debutantes and he ends up kidnapped. Needed money and fast, he devises his own kidnapping plot.
Plans go awry as Winn and Asher traverse the English countryside and they find that maybe love isn't as far or impossible as they thought.
She was the heiress he intended to kidnap.
First in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series, Lord Holt Takes a Bride, started off as a fun, fluffy road adventure romance. Winn and Asher had a sweet chemistry that brought a much appreciated lightness to these currently heavier real world times. Winn's friends were good secondary characters who got introduced and pleased enough to bring interest to future books in the series but I wish they could have shown up more towards the end as their connection with Winn was missed. Asher came on the page with a lot of intrigue, a treasure map and villainous father, but his connection with his friends was a bit murky and his background with his father ended up feeling more fantastical because of how his father was able to pull off such schemes.
It would be simple . . . As long as he didn’t allow anything else—like an inconvenient, passing attraction—to distract him.
I enjoyed Winn's character but her constant dragging herself down about her looks became tiring and sad. There is a tiny little side story, reconnecting romance between her parents and due to her or what the reader first perceives as her unhappiness, Winn's mother constantly makes little comments that become not so innocuous because of how they bite, about Winn's weight. Throughout the majority of the story Winn thinks about how even though Asher is acting and saying how attractive she is, that he can't possibly truly be thinking this. The continuous reiterating of these thoughts by Winn somewhat dragged down what the lighter fun tone for me.
The Shettlemane title was nothing more than a heap of debt and shame, growing larger by the hour.
Like I said, the first half of this was pretty light and fun but the second half had the road romance adventure feeling a bit dragged out as the story seemed to become a bit lost in its place. One too many misadventures, villains chasing Asher because of his father, and Asher in awe of Winn a lot with her putting herself down, it began to meander and slow. Winn's parents' tense relationship actually started to intrigue me more as emotions were brimming from these two as Asher and Winn's began to stall.
“And you’re the adventure I never expected.”
The ending gave us a reveal and misunderstanding that had Winn immediately thinking the worst of Asher and it had a going through the motions angst ending and extremely serendipitous tie-in for Asher that left me wanting a return to the fun, light, and easy feeling from the beginning. The first half was a fun romp, while the second half lost some of the story's great easiness but if you're looking to disappear into a light road romance this would fit the bill and has some promising heroines for future books in the series.
August 28, 2022
Not bad. A road trip with lots of rain and wet clothes and some walking (so, no naughty scene inside a moving carriage 😫😭). At one point the hero and heroine end up at the same inn as her parents and the two ruffians who were hired to bring the H/h to his father, but they never crossed paths with her parents. I thought that was kind of amusing.
There were at least three chapters about the heroine's parents and it was nice to see the father's POV and his feelings about his wife. It was a sweet side love story, of these two finding their way back to each other.
The hero is keeping a secret from the heroine, so there's the anxiety of waiting for the secret to come out. Will he tell her in time before someone else does? When she finds out his secret, will she allow him to explain his side of the story?
Argh! I completely despise the hero's father! He loves to spend/borrow money and gamble. Anytime he can't pay back his debt, he tells the person that his son will honor his debt even though his son barely has any money of his own. 🤬🤬🤬 There are worst villains in HR but what a despicable father! He did not 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬.
There were at least three chapters about the heroine's parents and it was nice to see the father's POV and his feelings about his wife. It was a sweet side love story, of these two finding their way back to each other.
The hero is keeping a secret from the heroine, so there's the anxiety of waiting for the secret to come out. Will he tell her in time before someone else does? When she finds out his secret, will she allow him to explain his side of the story?
Argh! I completely despise the hero's father! He loves to spend/borrow money and gamble. Anytime he can't pay back his debt, he tells the person that his son will honor his debt even though his son barely has any money of his own. 🤬🤬🤬 There are worst villains in HR but what a despicable father! He did not 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬.
January 22, 2023
⭐
1.25 stars.
➕ What I liked :
A Curvy Heroine.
Rather good friendships between the heroine and the other female side characters.
A OK hero.
➖ What I disliked:
The heroines parents were emotionally abusive and neglectful/indifferent.
The heroines mother more or less starved her daughter/encouraged her daughter to starve herself.
And the heroines mother intentionally and “unintentionally” body-shames her daughter.
The heroes father was manipulative and despicable.
The heroine was written rather stereotypical/one-dimensional.
(The heroine is curvy/plump and insecure, but also having/making the heroines size (plump/curvy) be her entire personality is stereotypical/one-dimensional.)
The cover is mediocre and not representative at all…. The heroine is a curvy/plump woman…. The cover shows a thin woman on the cover…. Not at all like the curvy/plump heroine described/portrayed in the book.
The heroine was too insecure/self-conscious about her body. (self-deprecating, internalized body/fat-shaming etc.)
The heroine is also self-deprecating about her freckles and her hair color.
Lacking chemistry and unconvincing romance.
Too anachronistic.
Formulaic and verbose.
Disjointed. (Too many stray storylines) and a rushed unsatisfying ending.
Too little interaction between the heroine and hero, and too much focus on everything else.
Not any real character growth/character development (especially the heroine that regresses the growth she actually made)
The villains did not get the comeuppance they deserved.
1.25 stars.
➕ What I liked :
A Curvy Heroine.
Rather good friendships between the heroine and the other female side characters.
A OK hero.
➖ What I disliked:
The heroines parents were emotionally abusive and neglectful/indifferent.
The heroines mother more or less starved her daughter/encouraged her daughter to starve herself.
And the heroines mother intentionally and “unintentionally” body-shames her daughter.
The heroes father was manipulative and despicable.
The heroine was written rather stereotypical/one-dimensional.
(The heroine is curvy/plump and insecure, but also having/making the heroines size (plump/curvy) be her entire personality is stereotypical/one-dimensional.)
The cover is mediocre and not representative at all…. The heroine is a curvy/plump woman…. The cover shows a thin woman on the cover…. Not at all like the curvy/plump heroine described/portrayed in the book.
The heroine was too insecure/self-conscious about her body. (self-deprecating, internalized body/fat-shaming etc.)
The heroine is also self-deprecating about her freckles and her hair color.
Lacking chemistry and unconvincing romance.
Too anachronistic.
Formulaic and verbose.
Disjointed. (Too many stray storylines) and a rushed unsatisfying ending.
Too little interaction between the heroine and hero, and too much focus on everything else.
Not any real character growth/character development (especially the heroine that regresses the growth she actually made)
The villains did not get the comeuppance they deserved.
October 11, 2021
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was cute! I really liked both characters. I enjoyed their adventures and how they didn’t let poverty and bad situations get them down, but just rolled with the punches together. I liked their connection to each other. However! The ending was really disappointing! This had the build up for a grand, adventurous ending for the couple that I felt like they both deserved…but nope. It was a jump ahead, abrupt ending instead. I had in my head all these options for how they would go traveling, or back on their journey to revisit all the characters that helped them when they were down, or even just an actual explanation about his great aunt would’ve been nice! Super bummed.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Winn and Asher’s story. Winn is about to marry a man she doesn’t love but needs her rather large dowry. Her friends arrange for her to run away from her wedding and she doesn’t realize that Asher is not her friend’s cousin, but the man that her friends previously kidnapped to research for their book on scoundrels. Asher is always down on his luck due to his ruthless father that gambles away every asset and coin he has, so when he has an opportunity to sail away to find a treasure he wants to take it. When some debutants kidnap him and he loses his money for the voyage, he plans to get it back by kidnapping the one with a big dowry. They have some adventures, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Winn and Asher in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Asher. I really liked him! He was a genuinely good man that had been dealt a horrible hand with his father. I appreciated how smart and able he was and how he cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Winn. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she went along with whatever was thrown at her.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an abrupt but good place for the couple with what I would call a HEA ending (but while grumbling because it wasn’t nearly enough considering the buildup for a potentially awesome, adventurous ending)
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was cute! I really liked both characters. I enjoyed their adventures and how they didn’t let poverty and bad situations get them down, but just rolled with the punches together. I liked their connection to each other. However! The ending was really disappointing! This had the build up for a grand, adventurous ending for the couple that I felt like they both deserved…but nope. It was a jump ahead, abrupt ending instead. I had in my head all these options for how they would go traveling, or back on their journey to revisit all the characters that helped them when they were down, or even just an actual explanation about his great aunt would’ve been nice! Super bummed.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Winn and Asher’s story. Winn is about to marry a man she doesn’t love but needs her rather large dowry. Her friends arrange for her to run away from her wedding and she doesn’t realize that Asher is not her friend’s cousin, but the man that her friends previously kidnapped to research for their book on scoundrels. Asher is always down on his luck due to his ruthless father that gambles away every asset and coin he has, so when he has an opportunity to sail away to find a treasure he wants to take it. When some debutants kidnap him and he loses his money for the voyage, he plans to get it back by kidnapping the one with a big dowry. They have some adventures, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Winn and Asher in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Asher. I really liked him! He was a genuinely good man that had been dealt a horrible hand with his father. I appreciated how smart and able he was and how he cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Winn. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she went along with whatever was thrown at her.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an abrupt but good place for the couple with what I would call a HEA ending (but while grumbling because it wasn’t nearly enough considering the buildup for a potentially awesome, adventurous ending)
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
December 20, 2022
3 Stars
This is the third cutesy romance I've read in as many days and isn't that lovely. I've had this series on my TBR for the longest time, and I thought to pick it up, thankfully to a good result. My first Vivienne Lorret book, but not the last.
Quick Review
- Ms Lorret's writing style is so fun but quite sardonic and very engaging. The hours just flew by as I was busy turning pages. It was paced well and had a host of interesting characters, plot & character development.
- I adore road-trip romances, as they bring out the best believable romance tropes (getting to know one another, funny mishaps, close-quarters etc.). This story had all of that mixed with a hilariously complicated kidnapping plot.
- I loved Asher. He was such a goldmine. Poor thing was manipulated by his father, lonely, down on his luck, gentlemanly, adorable, complimenting, honourable, protective, all in all just a nice, nice guy who was paying (quite literally) through his teeth because of his dipshit of a greedy father.
- Winn, unfortunately, came across as TSTL to me. She was so steeped in insecurities that after a point, it just became whiny. I mean, every time Asher paid her a compliment, she would launch into how he must not mean it. This precise lack of faith in him caused her to behave in a way that caused the rift between them, and that annoyed me to no end.
- The romance was very sweet, yeah, just sweet, I don't know how else to describe it. They spent time together, dodged a few villains, told a few lies, had some fun, and came away awash in love. There was some chemistry to speak of, but it would be called a clean-ish book as it had very, very low steam.
- The misunderstanding at the end is where I lost it at Winn, especially since she had gotten to know Asher, but she still chose to believe the worst of him and refused to listen to his explanations. I hate heroines who jump to conclusions after they have declared their love.
- Another thing that confused me, well, mostly my OCD, was the thing with Aunt Lolly and her pirate. Maybe they are characters from a previous book/series? This made the ending a little confusing but did not take away from the story.
- Also, why didn't Asher send out word earlier that he would not be countersigning any debts accrued by his horrible father? It would have saved him a lot of trouble.
- I wish Ms Lorret would have gone into detail about the sour marriage of Winn's parents or skipped it altogether. This half-assed version was plain confusing.
- The unnecessary drama on Winn's part and a couple of other confusing bits took away a star.
My Recommendation
An author I will definitely revisit when I am in the mood for surgery, clean romances.
This is the third cutesy romance I've read in as many days and isn't that lovely. I've had this series on my TBR for the longest time, and I thought to pick it up, thankfully to a good result. My first Vivienne Lorret book, but not the last.
Quick Review
- Ms Lorret's writing style is so fun but quite sardonic and very engaging. The hours just flew by as I was busy turning pages. It was paced well and had a host of interesting characters, plot & character development.
- I adore road-trip romances, as they bring out the best believable romance tropes (getting to know one another, funny mishaps, close-quarters etc.). This story had all of that mixed with a hilariously complicated kidnapping plot.
- I loved Asher. He was such a goldmine. Poor thing was manipulated by his father, lonely, down on his luck, gentlemanly, adorable, complimenting, honourable, protective, all in all just a nice, nice guy who was paying (quite literally) through his teeth because of his dipshit of a greedy father.
- Winn, unfortunately, came across as TSTL to me. She was so steeped in insecurities that after a point, it just became whiny. I mean, every time Asher paid her a compliment, she would launch into how he must not mean it. This precise lack of faith in him caused her to behave in a way that caused the rift between them, and that annoyed me to no end.
- The romance was very sweet, yeah, just sweet, I don't know how else to describe it. They spent time together, dodged a few villains, told a few lies, had some fun, and came away awash in love. There was some chemistry to speak of, but it would be called a clean-ish book as it had very, very low steam.
- The misunderstanding at the end is where I lost it at Winn, especially since she had gotten to know Asher, but she still chose to believe the worst of him and refused to listen to his explanations. I hate heroines who jump to conclusions after they have declared their love.
- Another thing that confused me, well, mostly my OCD, was the thing with Aunt Lolly and her pirate. Maybe they are characters from a previous book/series? This made the ending a little confusing but did not take away from the story.
- Also, why didn't Asher send out word earlier that he would not be countersigning any debts accrued by his horrible father? It would have saved him a lot of trouble.
- I wish Ms Lorret would have gone into detail about the sour marriage of Winn's parents or skipped it altogether. This half-assed version was plain confusing.
- The unnecessary drama on Winn's part and a couple of other confusing bits took away a star.
My Recommendation
An author I will definitely revisit when I am in the mood for surgery, clean romances.
August 3, 2021
2021: reread. I was right in 2020. This was sweet and romantic but it was going twice the speed the last 40% of the book and the rest was so slow burn. They fell in love very quickly with no conflict until everything piled up in the end. It was still enjoyable though.
This a perfect road trip historical romance that I think I would have loved more if I wanted fun chaos and fluffy energy but after reading a lot of angsty and sexy historical romances... This one didn't cut it enough for me. Still good. Still will buy this authors books but yep.
This a perfect road trip historical romance that I think I would have loved more if I wanted fun chaos and fluffy energy but after reading a lot of angsty and sexy historical romances... This one didn't cut it enough for me. Still good. Still will buy this authors books but yep.
September 6, 2021
We wavered between 3 and 4 stars with this one, and we ended up with 3.5 rounded up to 4. The book has a lot of things we like:
A hilariously OTT setup;
Road trip romance to the max;
Charming banter between two well-suited characters;
Fun AND sexy relationship!
But it also includes a lot of downers:
So much diet culture;
A weird secret secret that doesn't seem to be in character;
A third act conflict that was barely redeemed by its resolution.
We aren't disappointed that we read it, because the series setup is great and we really liked both MCs.
4-Word Summaries
Laine: A nunnery or piracy?
Meg: Wacky road trip shenanigans!
A hilariously OTT setup;
Road trip romance to the max;
Charming banter between two well-suited characters;
Fun AND sexy relationship!
But it also includes a lot of downers:
So much diet culture;
A weird secret secret that doesn't seem to be in character;
A third act conflict that was barely redeemed by its resolution.
We aren't disappointed that we read it, because the series setup is great and we really liked both MCs.
4-Word Summaries
Laine: A nunnery or piracy?
Meg: Wacky road trip shenanigans!
March 6, 2020
Title: Lord Holt Takes a Bride
Series: The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #1
Author: Vivienne Lorret
Release date: March 31, 2020
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance
“You’re a tempting armful.” Another puffed exhale of disbelief left her, bemusement in her expression. “And you’re the adventure I never expected."
This is my second read by Vivienne Lorret, the first being The Rogue to Ruin. I wasn't wowed by that particular story, but my issue was with the characters themselves, not the author's writing. I'm so glad I gave her another go, because this was the light and fun historical romance romp I didn't know I needed. Right off the bat, I clicked with Winn and her quirky group of friends. Each and every one of them are unique (not to mention entertaining) with their own fully developed personality. Jane, Ellie, and Prudence give me something to look forward to in the following books.
Winn is a young woman with a common problem of the times. She's been forced into an advantageous marriage by her parents that has nothing to do with love. In fact, it promises to hold nothing but embarrassment and loneliness. Her fiancé has a mistress, and has no plans to change that fact once their
Winn tries to accept the fate chosen for her, but quickly realizes she can't go through with the wedding. Her friends hatch a crazy scheme to help her escape her dismal future and she grasps onto it with both hands. Of course things don't go as planned, and hilarity ensues. After jumping into Asher's dilapidated carriage in her wedding dress, they set off on a wild ride to end all wild rides.
Lord Asher Holt has a hidden agenda when they begin their journey that will come back to bite him in the butt later on. He's a desperate man taking desperate measures. I couldn't really hate the man for any of his dishonest actions. His father is one of the most infuriating characters I've come across. Shettlemane was a narcissistic man who was indifferent to the pain he repeatedly brought on his son, and the wreckage he made of his life. I instantly sympathized with Asher because of their toxic relationship, and I was rooting for him to find a way to be free of him once and for all. There was no hope for a happy future with Winn if his father wasn't dealt with. His malice would infect her life as well, and that's something that made him distance himself out of fear.
He wanted her to be his. In fact, he’d never wanted anything or anyone so much. He ached from wanting her. To see her face every morning. To lie beside her every night. To hear her voice and to make her laugh. And if the circumstances were different, he’d give himself over to this love that was burning like an ember inside his chest. He’d let the flames consume him.
What should have been a fairly quick trip to her aunt's home is derailed by one disaster after another. Trouble seems to find the two wherever they go, but as they escape each mishap, their attraction for each other grows. I loved how Asher not only accepted Winn, but made helped her to grow more confident in herself. Her mother's condemnation over her appearance has damaged her self-worth, but she was finally able to shed the insecurities that have accumulated over time. I liked her character growth in that area, but especially the fact that he found her beautiful inside and out from the start.
"For most of my life I’d felt like I was wearing the wrong skin, and had the wrong hair, and needed to do something to change it all. Yet, when I was standing there and looked across at you, I felt like I’d been in the right skin all along. It’s peculiar, isn’t it? But it seems that I had to step away from everything I knew in order to appreciate the person I really am.”
My one complaint about the book is the speed in which they fall for each other. You do have to suspend disbelief over the two of them finding love in a matter of a couple of days. The insta-love was strong. However, in this case there were so many other factors that made the book enjoyable as a whole, that it didn't detract very much from my reading experience. The humor, the secondary characters, and the jaunty adventure and heartwarming conclusion, made for such a fun time.
Asher had some groveling to do after his ticking time bomb of a secret did its damage. I think he went above and beyond proving to her that his feelings were genuine and that he cherished their moments together. There was a scene where he went to one of her friends' houses to plead his case that made me laugh out loud. Her friends are loyal to their core, and Jane got creative in how she made her displeasure known.
The hero of the next book happens to be a secondary character from The Rogue to Ruin, one that I was already intrigued about. I couldn't be more excited about reading My Kind of Earl, Jane and Raven's full length story. It's scheduled for publication September 2020.
FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:
February 12, 2025
2.5 stars
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I usually really enjoy a good roadtrip romance — one of my favourite kinds of romance novels to read. Unfortunately, despite Vivienne Lorret's excellent prose, Lord Holt Takes a Bride was set up to fail as a story for a variety of reasons.
Let's begin with the cover. Miss Winnifred Humphries is a curvy woman who has self-esteem issues because of her figure. Yet, the team at Avon decided it was totally okay to have a thin woman on the cover. This is the second instance (that I know of) in 2020, after the disastrous cover of Chasing Cassandra. Now that I've shamed Avon, let's move onto the plot and characters and why they didn't always work for me.
The premise is silly, contrived, and ridiculously far-fetched. I could not suspend disbelief. I just couldn't do it. I don't mind silly and funny historical romances. In fact, I really enjoy reading them. But the premise of Lord Holt Takes a Bride was just too ridiculous. You're telling me that two silly debutantes, who fancy themselves bluestockings, kidnapped a grown ass man. Tied him up. Dragged him to a shady unknown house. And kept him tied up until their friend joined them. So they could interview him for their "research" on scoundrels. They said the kidnapping was "by accident." I expected better from Vivienne Lorret.
I actually enjoyed the middle portion of the book. It wasn't anything new or exceptional, but it was interesting enough to keep me engaged. I liked Winn and I liked Asher. But then the execution of the last act of the book was simply not what I was looking for. Here's the thing: Winn's parents are horrible and so is Asher's dad. The author tries to redeem Winn's parents, but it didn't work for me, sorry, I still hate them. I especially hate Asher's villainous father who doesn't even get his comeuppance. And I really hate Winn's fiance, who is quite literally, a piece of shit who deserves to die a thousand deaths. And nothing bad ever happens to this asshole except for the fact that he doesn't get to marry the heiress he called a cow.
What's even more baffling is the heroine's reaction. Toward the end of the book, when we are nearing the angsty separation that every romance novel has before the eventual big reunion, Winnifred doesn't give Asher the chance to explain himself and she makes a lot of assumptions instead. She doesn't even stand up for herself. She decides to be a martyr and marry her asshole fiance. She has no sense of worth, no sense of self-respect. After all that character progression and learning to love herself, she completely regresses and decides to marry her odious fiance who called her a cow. Are you serious right now? Eventually, she comes to her senses. But by that point, I was too fed up with the story.
Honestly, Asher is the only character I liked. Winn was likable until the end. I love the small scene we got between Asher and his servants. It does a good job of showing us his character and I wish we had more scenes like that.
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I usually really enjoy a good roadtrip romance — one of my favourite kinds of romance novels to read. Unfortunately, despite Vivienne Lorret's excellent prose, Lord Holt Takes a Bride was set up to fail as a story for a variety of reasons.
Let's begin with the cover. Miss Winnifred Humphries is a curvy woman who has self-esteem issues because of her figure. Yet, the team at Avon decided it was totally okay to have a thin woman on the cover. This is the second instance (that I know of) in 2020, after the disastrous cover of Chasing Cassandra. Now that I've shamed Avon, let's move onto the plot and characters and why they didn't always work for me.
The premise is silly, contrived, and ridiculously far-fetched. I could not suspend disbelief. I just couldn't do it. I don't mind silly and funny historical romances. In fact, I really enjoy reading them. But the premise of Lord Holt Takes a Bride was just too ridiculous. You're telling me that two silly debutantes, who fancy themselves bluestockings, kidnapped a grown ass man. Tied him up. Dragged him to a shady unknown house. And kept him tied up until their friend joined them. So they could interview him for their "research" on scoundrels. They said the kidnapping was "by accident." I expected better from Vivienne Lorret.
I actually enjoyed the middle portion of the book. It wasn't anything new or exceptional, but it was interesting enough to keep me engaged. I liked Winn and I liked Asher. But then the execution of the last act of the book was simply not what I was looking for. Here's the thing: Winn's parents are horrible and so is Asher's dad. The author tries to redeem Winn's parents, but it didn't work for me, sorry, I still hate them. I especially hate Asher's villainous father who doesn't even get his comeuppance. And I really hate Winn's fiance, who is quite literally, a piece of shit who deserves to die a thousand deaths. And nothing bad ever happens to this asshole except for the fact that he doesn't get to marry the heiress he called a cow.
What's even more baffling is the heroine's reaction. Toward the end of the book, when we are nearing the angsty separation that every romance novel has before the eventual big reunion, Winnifred doesn't give Asher the chance to explain himself and she makes a lot of assumptions instead. She doesn't even stand up for herself. She decides to be a martyr and marry her asshole fiance. She has no sense of worth, no sense of self-respect. After all that character progression and learning to love herself, she completely regresses and decides to marry her odious fiance who called her a cow. Are you serious right now? Eventually, she comes to her senses. But by that point, I was too fed up with the story.
Honestly, Asher is the only character I liked. Winn was likable until the end. I love the small scene we got between Asher and his servants. It does a good job of showing us his character and I wish we had more scenes like that.
March 3, 2020
4.5 Stars
Adored this! Review to come!
Adored this! Review to come!
January 22, 2023
DNF about half way. Idk how a book so full of random shit happening is so boring. I’ve made most of my complaints already, but I’m so fucking tired of the 21st century heroine in a 19th century woman’s body. Go write contemporary if you are not going to do any basic research into how women spoke and felt and acted (again, being “plump” in the early 19th century WAS NOT A BAD THING) . You can write heroines that are strong, smart, intelligent, etc. and still have them feel like they belong in the century they are in! Also BOO for making heroine plump and having that be her entire personality (because all us silly women can think about is how we look) and having a cast of women who “aren’t like other heiresses 🤮 and DOUBLE BOO for not featuring a plus sized woman on the cover of a book that features a plus sized heroine. If I could throw tomatoes at a book, it would be this one.
September 30, 2021
enjoyable historical romance
my first read by this author and I will definitely read more, as a matter of fact, I'm already reading book two...
why not five stars?
too much drama at the end..I really didn't enjoy that part when her friend didn't want to listen to him and unleashing her brothers on him it was also very weird, should that be loyal and funny on her part I don't get it... it dragged on with no one giving him a chance to explain..lots of assumptions..she wants to marry that other guy again..ugh girl chill...
perfect for all historical romance readers looking for:
- curvy heroine
- traveling together trope
- shenanigans
- cute parents side romance
January 1, 2023
Read: 12/24/22
RTC
RTC
Read
April 2, 2020ARC provided by Edelweiss.
DNF.
I found the beginning unrealistic and far fetched. Not believable. There is escapism but with some peraminters, but this is way out there.
Not rating it as I only got about 1/4 of the way through and gave up.
DNF.
I found the beginning unrealistic and far fetched. Not believable. There is escapism but with some peraminters, but this is way out there.
Not rating it as I only got about 1/4 of the way through and gave up.
March 29, 2024
Oh dear, third time is not the charm... My third book by this author, and I again had problems. For all three books that I have tried so far, the blurbs have all been fluffy storylines that I should have loved, but I can never seem to connect with the books.
This particular book, Lord Holt Takes a Bride.... it starts off pretty wacky, with the three girl friends coming up with an idea to write a book on the mating habits of scoundrels. How they come across the hero in this story and what they then do with him was outlandish to say the least.
Next, everything after that was deja vu for me. It got to the point that with each scene taking place, I kept telling myself "Wait! Have I already read this book?!" So I actually jumped onto GR to see if this is an older book that maybe I had read and forgot to document READ on GR... Nope, it was just published. Odd... The scene with the heroine receiving the gift from her soon-to-be spouse, I have read that scene exactly before but I am pretty sure it was a HR that took place in the Americas. The scene at the jewelry shop, familiar. The scene with them getting abandoned in the road, read it before. The scene of the heroine getting into the coach with the two ladies, been there. So I stopped at that point.
The story wasn't "bad", if not a little more on the ridiculous comical side instead of romantic side. But the constant deja vu of "haven't I already read this before?" was a constant distraction for me and I lost interest.
This particular book, Lord Holt Takes a Bride.... it starts off pretty wacky, with the three girl friends coming up with an idea to write a book on the mating habits of scoundrels. How they come across the hero in this story and what they then do with him was outlandish to say the least.
Next, everything after that was deja vu for me. It got to the point that with each scene taking place, I kept telling myself "Wait! Have I already read this book?!" So I actually jumped onto GR to see if this is an older book that maybe I had read and forgot to document READ on GR... Nope, it was just published. Odd... The scene with the heroine receiving the gift from her soon-to-be spouse, I have read that scene exactly before but I am pretty sure it was a HR that took place in the Americas. The scene at the jewelry shop, familiar. The scene with them getting abandoned in the road, read it before. The scene of the heroine getting into the coach with the two ladies, been there. So I stopped at that point.
The story wasn't "bad", if not a little more on the ridiculous comical side instead of romantic side. But the constant deja vu of "haven't I already read this before?" was a constant distraction for me and I lost interest.
December 9, 2019
I loved Winn and Asher! Asher is so sweet, I adored him. So poor Winn is set to marry an awful man who just wants to marry her for her money. On the morning of the wedding she receives a gift from her fiancé meant for his mistress and decides she can’t marry him and runs away. Asher happens to be passed out drunk in his carriage in front of the church. Winn hops in and away they go. What follows is a sweet, funny road trip. Asher is just so sweet and protective of Winn, I just loved him. I look forward to the rest of the series.
February 14, 2021
Facing an arranged marriage to an awful man, Winnifred Humphries decides to take her future into her own hands, determined to marry for love. Except, she's not sure how to tell if a man truly loves her or merely wants her obscene dowry. She and her friends set out to author a primer on the mating habits of London's aristocracy. But when their endeavor leads to her friends kidnapping a lord, Winn winds up dealing with a man wanting revenge.
Lord Asher Holt has always tried to be a good man but his father's obsession with gambling and excessive spending, using Asher's name to do it, has made that nearly impossible. Now he has a plan to finally be free of his father's schemes, until it is ruined by a group of debutantes. Then he learns one of those ladies is an heiress and, though he's not proud of it, he finds himself willing to do a little kidnapping of his own.
But when Winn flees her wedding straight into Asher's carriage, their journey becomes an unforgettable, madcap adventure and Asher finds himself falling in love with a woman worth far more than any monetary value. The problem is convincing Winn he truly loves her and not her fortune.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I found it a bit difficult to get into but I think that's just my stress level and not the book's fault. This was a fun road trip story and I enjoyed the rapid development of Winn and Asher's relationship. I do wish Asher had gotten just a bit more vindication against his father and a slight bit more credit himself. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this promising start to a new series and look forward to the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Lord Asher Holt has always tried to be a good man but his father's obsession with gambling and excessive spending, using Asher's name to do it, has made that nearly impossible. Now he has a plan to finally be free of his father's schemes, until it is ruined by a group of debutantes. Then he learns one of those ladies is an heiress and, though he's not proud of it, he finds himself willing to do a little kidnapping of his own.
But when Winn flees her wedding straight into Asher's carriage, their journey becomes an unforgettable, madcap adventure and Asher finds himself falling in love with a woman worth far more than any monetary value. The problem is convincing Winn he truly loves her and not her fortune.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I found it a bit difficult to get into but I think that's just my stress level and not the book's fault. This was a fun road trip story and I enjoyed the rapid development of Winn and Asher's relationship. I do wish Asher had gotten just a bit more vindication against his father and a slight bit more credit himself. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this promising start to a new series and look forward to the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
October 27, 2021
✨Rarely do I want a villain’s “I’ve won” monologue 2 HOURS before the last page.✨
This is on the low end of 3⭐️ I didn’t dislike much about it but I didn’t like much either. The ending was FAR too long and the sex was FAR too dismal.
The parents of Winn rekindled their relationship throughout the book which I . . . could not give two figs about. Not that I currently have any figs, nor have I ever had any figs, but I have had fig newtons so that counts. Did that fig tangent seem pointless? Yeah, so did the parents’ relationship. It reminded me too much do Three Son’s Charm which reminded me too much of The Wrong Marquess. What a twisted, tangled web we weave.
This book tried to be A Week to Be Wicked but pretty drastically missed the mark. There was a *cooky* road trip is basically what I mean. I can’t pinpoint what exactly missed the mark, meaning the vibes were the culprit. It just wasn’t light enough or sexy enough, but it also didn’t hit me where it hurt either. It wasn’t a terrible listen but I never found myself wanting to reopen the book, and when I did, I couldn’t ever remember what had previously happened. I still don’t even know when that first sex scene was but it was far after 60% -_- so it’s a no thank you from me.
The last two hours were the roughest part of the ride because the villain won one too many times—so much so I was like fuck might as well just let him win because he has outsmarted Ash AGAIN. He also monologued for a decade and the conclusion took the whole two hours. Seriously, the villain was monologuing TWO HOURS before the book ended. I was so tired.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
This is on the low end of 3⭐️ I didn’t dislike much about it but I didn’t like much either. The ending was FAR too long and the sex was FAR too dismal.
The parents of Winn rekindled their relationship throughout the book which I . . . could not give two figs about. Not that I currently have any figs, nor have I ever had any figs, but I have had fig newtons so that counts. Did that fig tangent seem pointless? Yeah, so did the parents’ relationship. It reminded me too much do Three Son’s Charm which reminded me too much of The Wrong Marquess. What a twisted, tangled web we weave.
This book tried to be A Week to Be Wicked but pretty drastically missed the mark. There was a *cooky* road trip is basically what I mean. I can’t pinpoint what exactly missed the mark, meaning the vibes were the culprit. It just wasn’t light enough or sexy enough, but it also didn’t hit me where it hurt either. It wasn’t a terrible listen but I never found myself wanting to reopen the book, and when I did, I couldn’t ever remember what had previously happened. I still don’t even know when that first sex scene was but it was far after 60% -_- so it’s a no thank you from me.
The last two hours were the roughest part of the ride because the villain won one too many times—so much so I was like fuck might as well just let him win because he has outsmarted Ash AGAIN. He also monologued for a decade and the conclusion took the whole two hours. Seriously, the villain was monologuing TWO HOURS before the book ended. I was so tired.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
August 2, 2020
Historical romance with a road trip adventure. Winnifred doesn’t want to marry the horrible man her parents want her to, so on the day of her wedding she makes a run for it and hops into the first carriage she sees waiting outside. Inside the carriage she finds Lord Asher Holt, who was also waiting for Winni, unbeknownst to her. Earlier in the book, Winni’s friends had “kidnapped” Asher to do some research and ask him questions about the ways of scoundrels, how men flirt, and generally all about aristocratic men. So Asher decided to get back at them by kidnapping Winni on the day of her wedding...but it didn’t really work out that way since she willingly jumped into his carriage to escape her wedding. The two take off on an adventure together to escape her parents and the wedding they thrust upon her and of course their romance grows while traveling together. This had some silly fun moments and was a lighthearted cute time.
September 26, 2024
3.6 stars
This is my second VL's book, and I find her writing superb, with well rounded characters and a certain wicked wittiness. The two leads were not that easy to love, but by the end, I was rooting for them. Their romance was very sweet and tender. I esp. liked Asher and how he was a gentleman despite all the odds stacked against him.
My biggest issue with the book is that I didn't really like the premise of the plot, or at least the first 70% where Winn and Asher had their road trip adventure. It's definitely a me thing because the romcom vibe, though well done, is not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the drama between them in the last part much better. And I did enjoy a lot the side plot of Winn's parents rekindling romance - very nice vibes there (in the same style, the bits and pieces of Aunt Lolly's romance with her pirate were also delicious)!
On the trivial side, I felt cheated that we were not given details on Asher's financial status in the epilogue (and what protection he has in place against his father's schemes) and that his father had not yet faced his karma. I know the main focus was the romance, but I would have liked to see a little justice in action for poor Asher!
All in all, even if I did not connect fully with that particular plot, I look forward to read more from VL.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2020
I’m absolutely here for anything from Vivienne. I’ve enjoyed several other books of hers and I’m excited about a new series.
I loved Winn and Asher. She’s spunky and he’s charming and they truly don’t know what to do with each other. I enjoyed reading them figure things out and their relationship quickly move from strangers to like to lust. Oh, and her BFFs seem like fun.
Plot wise, it was good. There’s a steady plan that kept getting derailed and while I knew there was going to be a HEA, I enjoyed the journey to get there. I especially loved the grand gesture and the ending chapters.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I really loved reading. I can’t wait to see the companion books.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Winn and Asher. She’s spunky and he’s charming and they truly don’t know what to do with each other. I enjoyed reading them figure things out and their relationship quickly move from strangers to like to lust. Oh, and her BFFs seem like fun.
Plot wise, it was good. There’s a steady plan that kept getting derailed and while I knew there was going to be a HEA, I enjoyed the journey to get there. I especially loved the grand gesture and the ending chapters.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I really loved reading. I can’t wait to see the companion books.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
January 7, 2022
Simo_Mica - per RFS
.
In fuga con la sposa è il primo della serie intitolata Le abitudini dei libertini di Vivienne Lorret. Come tutti i gli altri romanzi è autoconclusivo. Le protagoniste indiscusse sono quattro amiche debuttanti, che decidono di scrivere un libro con l’unico scopo di aiutare le ragazze della loro età a capire se i loro pretendenti sono dei libertini o dei veri gentiluomini in cerca di spose.
A ognuna di loro l’autrice dedica un volume: Winny, Prue, Jane, Ellie.
La storia è ambientata nell’Inghilterra del 1827 e ha come personaggi Asher Holt e Winnifred Humphries. Quest’ultima, ricca ereditiera, viene convinta dalle sue amiche che merita più di una vita accanto al suo futuro sposo, che non ama ma disprezza.
Per un equivoco si ritrova a scappare con Asher, un giovane scapestrato (almeno all’apparenza) erede del marchese Shettlemane.
La vicenda di due giovani che si ritrovano in fuga insieme senza conoscersi l’ho incontrata più volte nel genere Regency e si conclude sempre con i protagonisti che sviluppano dei sentimenti l’uno per l’altro. Quindi non è l’originalità che contraddistingue l’opera, ma la scrittura scorrevole e le avventure narrate sono divertenti e per nulla noiose.
Tutto si svolge in un paio di settimane, in modo frenetico, senza lasciare un attimo di respiro ai personaggi che si ritrovano coinvolti negli intrighi delle rispettive famiglie senza la possibilità di uscire dal vortice.
Winny è una figura femminile in linea con il periodo storico in cui v ive. È figlia unica, possiede diverse insicurezze tra cui il suo aspetto, è piuttosto prudente visto la sua posizione di ereditiera e non si fida facilmente.
La sorpresa invece arriva dal personaggio maschile, Asher, anche lui figlio unico con un padre prepotente, imbroglione e avido. Il giovane nel suo cuore conserva gli insegnamenti della madre e prova a rendere onore alla sua memoria come meglio può. Non mi soffermo sulle sue caratteristiche fisiche perché tanto quasi tutti i Lord sono atletici, belli e affascinanti; la parte su cui l’autrice si focalizza maggiormente sono i suoi sentimenti e la sua trasformazione. Obbligato per sopravvivere a essere un giocatore dalla dubbia reputazione, alla fine si dimostra affidabile e di parola.
Il libro non è noioso grazie al ricamo favoloso, ma partendo da un’idea non originale perde un po’. Alla fine tutto si riassume con il raggiungimento di un unico obbiettivo e come dichiara la stessa Winny: “io esigo di essere desiderata per ciò che sono. Forse sembrerò una ingenua, ma voglio essere l’amore senza il quale un uomo non può vivere.” (Tratto dal libro)
Questo primo volume mi è piaciuto meno del secondo (non li ho letti in ordine), ma ho apprezzato lo spirito dei personaggi, l’ambientazione e lo stile della Lorret che riesce a tenere il lettore inchiodato fino all’ultima pagina, curioso di scoprire quale avventura succederà in seguito. Il fatto che i protagonisti siano davvero divertenti e facili da amare aiuta tanto.
Anche se ho già letto il secondo volume e il terzo, concludo che non vedo l’ora di continuare le avventure delle quattro amiche.
Attendo il quarto capitolo, perché mi piace troppo come scrive la Lorret!
.
In fuga con la sposa è il primo della serie intitolata Le abitudini dei libertini di Vivienne Lorret. Come tutti i gli altri romanzi è autoconclusivo. Le protagoniste indiscusse sono quattro amiche debuttanti, che decidono di scrivere un libro con l’unico scopo di aiutare le ragazze della loro età a capire se i loro pretendenti sono dei libertini o dei veri gentiluomini in cerca di spose.
A ognuna di loro l’autrice dedica un volume: Winny, Prue, Jane, Ellie.
La storia è ambientata nell’Inghilterra del 1827 e ha come personaggi Asher Holt e Winnifred Humphries. Quest’ultima, ricca ereditiera, viene convinta dalle sue amiche che merita più di una vita accanto al suo futuro sposo, che non ama ma disprezza.
Per un equivoco si ritrova a scappare con Asher, un giovane scapestrato (almeno all’apparenza) erede del marchese Shettlemane.
La vicenda di due giovani che si ritrovano in fuga insieme senza conoscersi l’ho incontrata più volte nel genere Regency e si conclude sempre con i protagonisti che sviluppano dei sentimenti l’uno per l’altro. Quindi non è l’originalità che contraddistingue l’opera, ma la scrittura scorrevole e le avventure narrate sono divertenti e per nulla noiose.
Tutto si svolge in un paio di settimane, in modo frenetico, senza lasciare un attimo di respiro ai personaggi che si ritrovano coinvolti negli intrighi delle rispettive famiglie senza la possibilità di uscire dal vortice.
Winny è una figura femminile in linea con il periodo storico in cui v ive. È figlia unica, possiede diverse insicurezze tra cui il suo aspetto, è piuttosto prudente visto la sua posizione di ereditiera e non si fida facilmente.
La sorpresa invece arriva dal personaggio maschile, Asher, anche lui figlio unico con un padre prepotente, imbroglione e avido. Il giovane nel suo cuore conserva gli insegnamenti della madre e prova a rendere onore alla sua memoria come meglio può. Non mi soffermo sulle sue caratteristiche fisiche perché tanto quasi tutti i Lord sono atletici, belli e affascinanti; la parte su cui l’autrice si focalizza maggiormente sono i suoi sentimenti e la sua trasformazione. Obbligato per sopravvivere a essere un giocatore dalla dubbia reputazione, alla fine si dimostra affidabile e di parola.
Il libro non è noioso grazie al ricamo favoloso, ma partendo da un’idea non originale perde un po’. Alla fine tutto si riassume con il raggiungimento di un unico obbiettivo e come dichiara la stessa Winny: “io esigo di essere desiderata per ciò che sono. Forse sembrerò una ingenua, ma voglio essere l’amore senza il quale un uomo non può vivere.” (Tratto dal libro)
Questo primo volume mi è piaciuto meno del secondo (non li ho letti in ordine), ma ho apprezzato lo spirito dei personaggi, l’ambientazione e lo stile della Lorret che riesce a tenere il lettore inchiodato fino all’ultima pagina, curioso di scoprire quale avventura succederà in seguito. Il fatto che i protagonisti siano davvero divertenti e facili da amare aiuta tanto.
Anche se ho già letto il secondo volume e il terzo, concludo che non vedo l’ora di continuare le avventure delle quattro amiche.
Attendo il quarto capitolo, perché mi piace troppo come scrive la Lorret!
April 8, 2022
Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars
I read this series out of order and read The Wrong Marquess (which I loved) first, so I'm finally circling back to the previous books to see how it all began. Lord Hold Takes a Bride was a cute road trip historical romance. A lot of the situations were over the top, but that just added to the overall fun. I enjoyed both characters and found it refreshing that neither Winn or Asher let bad luck stop them or get them down (for too long at least). Their adventures and banter were the best part of the story for me. I could have done without all the references to Winn's size and weight (from herself and secondary characters), but I was glad Asher never left any doubt about what he thought about her curves. I enjoyed the story, but the drama at the end felt forced and the resolution fell flat because things were wrapping up so quickly. The epilogue was sweet, but I would have loved for something a bit more after so much build up about their future adventures. Justine Eyre was fantastic as always. Her performance was the perfect amount of playful, while also delivering on the emotional moments as well. I look forward to listening to Jane's story next!
CW: body/fat shaming, death of parent (past), grief, gambling addiction/criminal activity (secondary character), verbal and emotional abuse
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars
I read this series out of order and read The Wrong Marquess (which I loved) first, so I'm finally circling back to the previous books to see how it all began. Lord Hold Takes a Bride was a cute road trip historical romance. A lot of the situations were over the top, but that just added to the overall fun. I enjoyed both characters and found it refreshing that neither Winn or Asher let bad luck stop them or get them down (for too long at least). Their adventures and banter were the best part of the story for me. I could have done without all the references to Winn's size and weight (from herself and secondary characters), but I was glad Asher never left any doubt about what he thought about her curves. I enjoyed the story, but the drama at the end felt forced and the resolution fell flat because things were wrapping up so quickly. The epilogue was sweet, but I would have loved for something a bit more after so much build up about their future adventures. Justine Eyre was fantastic as always. Her performance was the perfect amount of playful, while also delivering on the emotional moments as well. I look forward to listening to Jane's story next!
CW: body/fat shaming, death of parent (past), grief, gambling addiction/criminal activity (secondary character), verbal and emotional abuse
March 17, 2020
Series: Mating Habits of Scoundrels #1
Publication Date: 3/31/20
Number of Pages: 384
This story was filled with excitement, romance, humor, and delightful characters who had a great tale to tell. The main characters, Winnifred (Win) and Asher are two souls who are really very similar but see themselves as worlds apart. It was so much fun to see them find their way to a delightful, well-deserved HEA.
Viscount Asher Holt is the only son and heir of the Marquess Shettlemane. Well, 'heir' is certainly a misnomer because there is nothing to inherit – only bone-crushing debt. His father is such a narcissist that he was out partying while his wife lay dying. He has run up debts in Asher’s name – even sending dangerous money collectors after him. Somehow, Asher has turned out to be an honorable, caring, man but the ton sees him as a scoundrel because of the tales his father tells. Finally, Asher thinks he has found a way out – a way to escape his father and make his own fortune. However, he might have to truly act the scoundrel to make it come true.
Winnifred Humphries is plump, freckled, has unruly red-gold hair, and a mother who never lets her forget any of those shortcomings. Her father is a domineering, distant man who has announced that Winnifred will be marrying Mr. Woodbine, an odious man who is the heir presumptive to a duke. Mr. Woodbine is disapproving, condescending, and doesn’t like Winnifred in the least. What he does like is her dowry. When Winnifred’s friends (Jane Pickering, Elodie Parrish, and Prudence Thorogood) hatch a plan for her to run away from the wedding, Winnifred sadly declines. However, on her wedding day, whenever a package gets misdelivered to her – a gift from her betrothed to his long-time mistress along with a love note – Winnifred finally sees what her life will be like and changes her mind.
Winnifred (Win as Asher calls her) flees the church and dashes into the waiting carriage that she thinks belongs to her friend Jane. The man inside should be Jane’s cousin and he’ll take her to safety. Ah, the best-laid plans … Having overheard the ladies plotting, Asher is the one in the carriage – and the adventure begins.
“Believe me, my betrothed is even worse once you get to know him. Which is why I am here in this carriage instead of at the church.”
Win and Asher’s journey to safety is an exciting one with carriage chases, villains aplenty, bittersweet moments, and each getting to know themselves and the other. The attraction is there, but the trust needs lots of work.
“And how are you looking at me?” she asked, breathless.
“With imprudent carnal hunger.”
I absolutely adored both Asher and Win and I’m sure you will as well. Their growth into love was a wonderful thing to see and I really enjoyed their journey into their HEA.
“…with all the rain they’d encounter something was bound to take deep root and blossom, and for them, it was love”
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 3/31/20
Number of Pages: 384
This story was filled with excitement, romance, humor, and delightful characters who had a great tale to tell. The main characters, Winnifred (Win) and Asher are two souls who are really very similar but see themselves as worlds apart. It was so much fun to see them find their way to a delightful, well-deserved HEA.
Viscount Asher Holt is the only son and heir of the Marquess Shettlemane. Well, 'heir' is certainly a misnomer because there is nothing to inherit – only bone-crushing debt. His father is such a narcissist that he was out partying while his wife lay dying. He has run up debts in Asher’s name – even sending dangerous money collectors after him. Somehow, Asher has turned out to be an honorable, caring, man but the ton sees him as a scoundrel because of the tales his father tells. Finally, Asher thinks he has found a way out – a way to escape his father and make his own fortune. However, he might have to truly act the scoundrel to make it come true.
Winnifred Humphries is plump, freckled, has unruly red-gold hair, and a mother who never lets her forget any of those shortcomings. Her father is a domineering, distant man who has announced that Winnifred will be marrying Mr. Woodbine, an odious man who is the heir presumptive to a duke. Mr. Woodbine is disapproving, condescending, and doesn’t like Winnifred in the least. What he does like is her dowry. When Winnifred’s friends (Jane Pickering, Elodie Parrish, and Prudence Thorogood) hatch a plan for her to run away from the wedding, Winnifred sadly declines. However, on her wedding day, whenever a package gets misdelivered to her – a gift from her betrothed to his long-time mistress along with a love note – Winnifred finally sees what her life will be like and changes her mind.
Winnifred (Win as Asher calls her) flees the church and dashes into the waiting carriage that she thinks belongs to her friend Jane. The man inside should be Jane’s cousin and he’ll take her to safety. Ah, the best-laid plans … Having overheard the ladies plotting, Asher is the one in the carriage – and the adventure begins.
“Believe me, my betrothed is even worse once you get to know him. Which is why I am here in this carriage instead of at the church.”
Win and Asher’s journey to safety is an exciting one with carriage chases, villains aplenty, bittersweet moments, and each getting to know themselves and the other. The attraction is there, but the trust needs lots of work.
“And how are you looking at me?” she asked, breathless.
“With imprudent carnal hunger.”
I absolutely adored both Asher and Win and I’m sure you will as well. Their growth into love was a wonderful thing to see and I really enjoyed their journey into their HEA.
“…with all the rain they’d encounter something was bound to take deep root and blossom, and for them, it was love”
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 15, 2020
Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret was such a great start to the new series The Mating Habits of Scoundrels! This historical romance takes the characters of Miss Winnifred Humphries and Lord Asher Holt on a wild adventure while fleeing her arranged marriage wedding to a money-hungry, jerk.
I loved the character of Winnifred, a young girl with a plumper figure, whose father wants her to marry into the peerage. My favourite lines in the book happen to be right in the first few chapters where Winn’s fiancé grimaces every time, she takes a bite of food. Winn decided right there, to eat the entire piece of cake, you go girl!
Lord Asher Holt finds himself in the carriage Winn uses to flee the wedding ceremony and antics ensue. This is a really cute story and I really enjoyed many of the secondary characters including the backstory of Winn’s parents, ugh, that killed me emotionally. Get a tissue ready….
I absolutely love the beautiful cover art for the book, it is stunning, however, I would have liked to see a plumper girl as the cover model. This story is so good, and I appreciate it when authors write characters that don’t meet the era’s definition of beauty. I do believe the cover should reflect more diversity as it is a major part of the story line in Lord Holt Takes A Bride.
That being said, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the next installment, My Kind Of Earl.
I loved the character of Winnifred, a young girl with a plumper figure, whose father wants her to marry into the peerage. My favourite lines in the book happen to be right in the first few chapters where Winn’s fiancé grimaces every time, she takes a bite of food. Winn decided right there, to eat the entire piece of cake, you go girl!
Lord Asher Holt finds himself in the carriage Winn uses to flee the wedding ceremony and antics ensue. This is a really cute story and I really enjoyed many of the secondary characters including the backstory of Winn’s parents, ugh, that killed me emotionally. Get a tissue ready….
I absolutely love the beautiful cover art for the book, it is stunning, however, I would have liked to see a plumper girl as the cover model. This story is so good, and I appreciate it when authors write characters that don’t meet the era’s definition of beauty. I do believe the cover should reflect more diversity as it is a major part of the story line in Lord Holt Takes A Bride.
That being said, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the next installment, My Kind Of Earl.
September 1, 2020
Jane's plan drawings for Win's escape from her wedding was hilarious! Then all her younger brothers on a tirade! I can't wait for her book and the hero that runs that gauntlet. This was overall a sweet read and I am glad a took a chance on a new series and new author.
March 7, 2020
This frothy and fun historical romance was an utter delight. Lorret creates characters that are so charming. In the case of Lord Holt Takes a Bride - it was Winn and her determination not to cave into the expectations of others. I also loved that Lorret didn't make Winn's parents the stereotypical disapproving parents and really enjoyed their backstory for their estrangement.
*Review copy provided by the publish via Edelweiss.
*Review copy provided by the publish via Edelweiss.
April 27, 2020
Very enjoyable reading. 4☆
July 22, 2021
I swear- absolutely swear- I have read this book before.
Goodreads says I haven't. However, the story is so familiar. Like, I often knew what was going to happen next.
Which means one of two things: first, for some odd reason, I didn't mark it as read in Goodreads. Or two, this book is so similar to another historical that I was correctly able to predict the outcome of events in the book, including the "surprise" plot twist. Because I'm going to be honest- I was not surprised.
Who knows what really happened.
Goodreads says I haven't. However, the story is so familiar. Like, I often knew what was going to happen next.
Which means one of two things: first, for some odd reason, I didn't mark it as read in Goodreads. Or two, this book is so similar to another historical that I was correctly able to predict the outcome of events in the book, including the "surprise" plot twist. Because I'm going to be honest- I was not surprised.
Who knows what really happened.
April 8, 2020
I overspent my budget buying this so felt I needed to like it. Alas the exaggerated plot devices tossed this into a madcap adventure with all of the characters reeling from one silly situation to the next. The h was hot and cold with the H until the end. He's had a terrible life due to his father, but that didn't excuse him lying to h as he did. Her home life was equally awful, yet she forgave their cruelty too easily. I didn't believe her mother's change of view at all, she was cruel to the h. Just OK, and I won't be re-reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews