A Bride By Morning

Private Arrangements #3

by Katrina Kendrick

This third book in the Private Arrangements series can be read as a standalone.
A jaded spy meets his match in a spirited wallflower.

HE IS A HEARTBREAKER
Gabriel St. Clair, the Earl of Montgomery, has a reputation for being the most charming gentleman in London. But to Miss Lydia Cecil, he is the man who jilted her and shattered her heart. Gabriel would rather Lydia hate him than learn the truth: he's spent the last ten years as a British spy—and his enemies are closing in.

SHE IS A WALLFLOWER
Lydia has settled into a life as a companion for her elderly aunt. But when she witnesses Gabriel gather intelligence on a foreign enemy, she's suddenly thrown into his dangerous, bloody game of espionage. To save her life, Gabriel is forced to marry the girl he once abandoned.

As husband and wife match wits, their greatest threat may not be the assassins on their heels, but learning to set aside their pasts or risk losing their love for good . . .

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2021

About the author

Katrina Kendrick is the romance pen name for fantasy author Elizabeth May.

Reviews

[Belle Terese · Rating 3 out of 5]

i literally sat down and read this in under 2 hours it was super cute and bingeable. if you love a colin and pen style regency romance, but with the addition of spies/assassins, look no further. this was super cute, SPICY and fun, but i do think the ending was SO rushed, anticlimactic and wrapped up in like 10 pages. so for that, this gets a 3.5⭐️ and 2🌶️ cause the spice DELIVERED. enjoy my thoughts while reading:

- tropes: regency, wallflower x rake

- welcome back, colin bridgerton and penelope featherington

- literally the colour of her dresses, the childhood neighbours friends to lovers, the LETTERS and he longs to see the world. yup yup

- ooooh i forgot that he was a spy this is so cool

- “i’ve wanted you every single day of my life” 😫😫

- okay this book is HOT for a regency romance omg 🔥

- finger bangin in the carriage i see 👀

- cute and super bingeable. ending was weirdly rushed in literally like 10 pages and anticlimactic so i reckon like a 3.5⭐️ 2🌶️

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say Katrina Kendrick’s is a new author for me but this is only her 4th book. The prequel and Book 1 of this series came out in 2018 and book 2 in Sept. 2020 which is when I found her and read all 3 of her books at that time. Not having written anything for a while I thought, she wasn’t writing anymore. I am so glad I stumbled across this new book in this series. I had made notes on her that I loved her writing, totally loved this series and her stories were great. Sex was good too 😊

I recently read a book that the male character was so deep and the way he was written regarding his personality and his flaws, just blew me away. I had said in the 400/books a year I read I don’t think I have every read a book that had such depth in a character. I surely never thought I would find another character as strong, so soon. Well, Gabriel was another one of those rare characters. It’s so hard to explain how he made me feel. His complexities and grit. I was just so invested in him. CRAZY!! So damn good.

The way Lydia embraced this broken, intense and difficult man was incredible writing.
I just loved this book. Great read and I definitely would recommend this author and this series. I hope she is writing more soon.

If I could give this book 10 stars or more I would. It was so fucking good!!!!!

[Jultri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was keen to try out a new author, but unfortunately, this one did not impress. There was a lot of repetition about the MMC being a "broken man" to the point that it sounded like a broken record. There were a lot of inconsistencies in the two main leads. He completely abandoned her for seven years because of his traumatic experiences whilst doing his bit for his country abroad. He claimed to only have wanted her all these years yet kept away because he was a tainted man. But what about the mindless random sex with others? She on the other hand was determined not to show him any weakness one moment before turning into a puddle in his presence the next.

[Katie’s Bookshelf]

4⭐️
So far I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Katrina Kendrick's historical romances so I knew I was going to like this one before I even picked it up!

Miss Lydia Cecil and Gabriel St Clair, Earl of Montgomery, have been friends since they were children. They grew up neighbours in the country and had both hoped to one day marry the other. When Gabriel leaves to be an ambassador in Europe, he asked Lydia to wait for him to return, so they could finally be together. And wait she did. For seven years, even after Gabriel stopped writing to her. When he returns as the newly minted Earl, he's a completely different man than the boy she grew up with, and the two continue to be estranged.

We as the reader learn the truth fairly quickly- that Gabriel had been working as a spy for the Home Office, and he stopped writing to Lydia because he was undercover. And when he returned, he thought that he didn't deserve her/she wouldn't look at him the same if she knew the things he had done/he could never be a husband because he was too violent.

Gabriel was a hugely tortured hero and for good reason- he infiltrated the Victorian-age Russian mafia and did a lot of terrible things in order to keep his cover. He acted as an assassin to the Home Office, and had a heaping of undiagnosed ptsd. He continually pushes Lydia away, even after they're married, and she just kept forgiving him. I won't lie it got a little annoying after a while, it was just the same thing over and over. They were clearly very much in love, and you could feel the passion between them I just wish it hadn't been so back and forth

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gabriel St. Clair asked Lydia Cecil to wait for him before he went off to serve as an ambassador. Then he got sucked into diplomatic assassin spy games, like the 3rd party reseller version of Bourne. When he comes back after 7/8 years away, he's shocked to discover that Lydia waited! Like she promised! He ends up compromising her, non-sexually, and in order to stay ahead of his arch-nemesis they get married! Then there's turgid communication around their tentative boners.

1. Oof, the characterization on this was frustratingly dull. I'd mentioned similar simplistic patterns in the other two Kendrick books I've mainlined this week, but this one really reveals how thin it all is. Gabriel is a broken, hollow man: we know this because it's the cornerstone of how he is described by Lydia, how he thinks about himself, and how his "friends" interact with him. He is broken. He is hollow. He is haunted by Russia. He has done bad things. Etc.

And the problem there is that there are other novels out there that do the spy-games, man-of-mystery stuff in a more nuanced, more convincing, more enjoyable way.

This truly feels like someone bopping you in the face with one of those inflatable carnival hammers, over and over, and it gets wearisome fast.

2. Lydia was a nothing of a heroine, too. There were inklings of her being different from her peers in a way that left her othered and isolated, but it mostly seems to come back to the fact that she...was waiting for Gabriel. And there isn't much else there to connect to. Sorry, Lydia?

3. It went fast, I will give it that.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I’ve found a new author!

A tale of love denied, lost in the miasma of spies, traitors and a man driven to do unspeakable things for Queen and country. How could Gabriel St Clare, now Earl of Montgomery, return to the woman he loved when he’s so unclean!
Meanwhile Lydia Cecil waits ten years for Gabriel the person she’s loved forever (since a child) to come home, only to be greeted by silence and a cold shoulder.
What brings Gabriel to his knees, to buckle in his resolve? When Lydia is in danger from a Russian spy who’s out for revenge!
Protecting Lydia is his concern, but maybe she doesn’t agree with his methods!
A page turner that had me metaphorically flipping pages as I hoovered up this engaging, second chance romance, with a twist!

An Aria & Aries ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

[Eva Müller · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot had potential: Lydia and Gabriel were childhood friends. More than that: Before he left for diplomatic service, he asked her to wait for his return and promised to propose to her then. Only his stint in the diplomatic service involuntarily turns into a career as spy and assassin for her majesty's government, and now he feels unworthy of Lydia. (OK, and instead of just writing her a "please forget me" letter he ghosts her, but we do not read romance novels for protagonists who make reasonable and intelligent decisions, so I could have forgiven that). But fate throws them together again...and you never guess what happens then!

Now, this could have been good, if it had seriously dealt with Gabriel's PTSD/general fucked-up-ness after what he had experienced and Lydia's reaction to the fact that Gabriel broke his promise to her, left her an old maid and even completely ignored her upon his return, but it didn't. Instead, everything is drowned in the most melodramatic purple prose imaginable. I mean

But all were trivial inconveniences compared to the thing that irked him most: smiling. Damn, but Gabriel loathed smiling.

Yes. That is an actual sentence from the book. I know I just made the "Edward Cullen called and told you to cheer up" joke but seriously? I am expected to take a character serious who whines about having to smile?

And who has monologues that sound like they are lifted from teenage emo poetry?

Gabriel's heart had flared to life, wakened by the taste of her, the sensation of her lips on his. It was if he'd been in purgatory, a ghost of flesh and blood. He wandered through the world, but was dead in every way that mattered.

Not that Lydia is any better:

So she had forged her own protections. Gabriel wanted to shut her out? Very well, let the battle commence. Her heart would guard itself with something more impenetrable than timber; Lydia would smelt it from iron, so he'd never hurt her again. Reinforce that barrier with iron, day by day, year by year. Nobody would know her heart had never healed.

The kissing-scenes, meanwhile, made me long for the simple days of tongues battling for dominance.

She was a battalion meeting his enemy siege. Their lips met like duelling swords, every touch becoming a battleground.

And in-between all of that...I missed any of them seriously dealing with their emotions about the past. There's melodramatic whining, duelling lips then a misunderstanding/Gabriel fucks things up by saying the wrong thing/the B-plot makes a sudden appearance and has to be dealt with, and then it's back to the monologuing but both are so horny that they rather jump each other instead of having a conversation like adults. Rinse repeat. I just fully expect that they will continue this cycle and if they have a disagreement about the curtain colour, both will see it as proof that the other one doesn't love them any more and there will be more melodramatic monologuing.

[Arceli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything you want in a historical romance. I loved everything about this novel. It had the heaping dose of bloodshed that I enjoyed.

I loved Gabriel as a hero. What I liked was he was a spy and a really good one. He was skilled and never killed for pleasure. His protection for Lydia was amazing. He is broken, but really honest about it. He has a heart and you can see that despite him trying to not fall and show he cares it bleeds through.

Lydia is an awesome heroine. She is so freaking sweet. I loved how even though she is a wallflower she doesn't take crap from anyone including Gabriel. Her tenderness towards him was awesome. And, she is really intelligent. I love it when historical romance heroines are strong and take charge.

The romance in this book is awesome. It is really really steamy. Those sex scenes were awesome. However, the sizzle was OMG. I love the electricity between the two. However, you know that the two characters care deeply for each other. When Gabriel really struggles and Lydia helps him it makes my heart melt.

The action and suspense was really fun. I loved that it set a fast pace to the story. More than that, I liked the fighting scenes. The author did great amount of research and I learned some new information about political affairs in the 19th century.

Lovers of historical romance should go check out this book. I highly recommend it. Words cannot describe how much I loved it.

[Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe my expectations of this author are too high, because I loved Tempting the Scoundrel, but this book is extremely weak.

Because of his Dark Past as a spy, the hero repressed his emotions until the end of the novel, but his internal torment was more boring than affecting, because “repressed” was his only personality trait. I can’t recall a single sentence Gabriel spoke that was unrelated to solving the mystery plot or the fact that he was incapable of a “real” marriage. He reminded me of the action hero of a cheesy blockbuster movie, a cartoonish fighter, not an actual human being. But at least those heroes often have a few fun one-liners. Gabriel was neither funny nor charming nor clever.

In fact, the entire book was joyless. I don’t think there was a single scene that made me smile or laugh. No one joked or flirted in a genuine, entertaining way. Yet the angst was unsatisfying too. I felt no sorrow or sympathy for these characters.

Lydia’s personality was also one-dimensional. She kept insisting that she was cold and had repressed her feelings, but she softened very quickly, and I would say her single character trait was “in love.” She had no hobbies. We never saw her have fun with friends or family. All her conversations with her aunt were about her jilting and marriage. She had no dreams other than to live in a cottage with the hero. Doing what? Kissing. Why? Because they have nothing in common besides lust.

They barely even discuss their childhood romance, let alone what made them like one another in the first place. He does not ask questions about the years she spent waiting for him, attending balls as a companion to her aunt. Instead, she interrogates him about his spy adventures, and he hems and haws for awhile before revealing that he killed this person or that person for mysterious War Department reasons. There’s never any intimacy.

And the spy adventures would have better suited a modern action movie. There was very little mention—if any—of the geopolitical situation that warranted the hero infiltrating a Russian gang as a fighter. And why would they choose an Earl’s son as their infiltrator instead of an Englishman who grew up on the streets? Wouldn’t it make more sense to utilize an aristocrat’s upper class education instead of training him to pretend to be a gangster? I don’t expect realism in popular historical romance novels, but the spy plot was so central to this book—in fact, the book is more of a thriller than a romance—that I wish it had been logical.

Anyway, read Tempting the Scoundrel instead! That one tugged my heartstrings!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kendrick goes darker in this third installment, with Gabriel St Clair second son who served in the Home Office as a spy until his father and brother die and he suddenly inherits a title. His biggest shame is that 10 years ago he asked Lydia Cecil to wait for him. Which she did. And then he stopped writing. When he returned to London, she shows up on his doorstep and he refuses to see her. Now, Lydia's life is in danger because of an association with Gabriel - the Russian crime syndicate he'd infiltrated in Moscow is out to get him - and the only way to offer her protection is marriage.

I read a book with a semi-similar setup right before this one and I'll be honest, I enjoyed Kendrick's much more. The relationship is darker, because Gabriel's experiences are darker. (I was surprised that this felt darker than Thorne & Alex's book!) But Lydia is with Gabriel every step of the way now that he's come back to her, even when they're both terrified.

[Michelle (Bamamele.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was delightfully melodramatic and full of angst. Childhood friends to (dear lord what a wait) lovers. Wonderfully steamy too. Honestly it read like a shorter Meredith Duran book (and that’s a high compliment). But with more cussing, which I appreciate.
I should clarify this isn’t fluffy. There’s spying and murder and PTSD, but it’s great. I devoured it in one sitting.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Aria for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.

3.5 stars

I read this book almost a year ago and made the very clever decision to postpone writing the review. I can honestly say that not much stuck with me. Rating it 3.5 stars means it was better than average but not necessarily good... I think there were a few too many made up excuses as to why two perfectly reasonable people couldn't be together but that's fairly standard for a romance novel. I wish I'd made a few notes for myself but that's all I've got. Sorry!

[abs · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for the arc :D

another book that i was drawn to because of the absolutely stunning cover. and also because im a sucker for a regency romance. and this did not disappoint! i read it in two days and have no regrets.

to start with and get out the way, i didn’t realise this was part of a series (except its not really a series, it’s more like all the books are intertwined i think) and since i haven’t read any of the other books, i can’t comment on how they tie together or anything like that. it’s completely my own fault. that said, this is perfectly fine as a standalone! i realise that i probably missed some references but the book is strong and works anyway.

i really enjoyed the romance. as someone who loves angst, i was in my element. it’s all beautifully written with the leading couple (gabriel and lydia) being strongly focused on and have a fully developed storyline, ending with a sweet epilogue that wraps it all up nicely. they knew each other, loved eachother as children but ten years later they are thrown back into each others lives - for reasons i won’t get into because i don’t want to spoil anything. between past history and the current ongoings, their story is never boring and though the book is only just over 200 pages, it moves quickly and has a lot of action throughout.

individually, the characters are likeable - particularly lydia. lydia is a strong and resilient lead, who stands up for herself but shows emotion regularly. through the tougher times, she remains herself and stands her ground and it was just really beautiful to see the way she fought for gabriel and their love. i loved her.

i really do recommend this to anyone who enjoys a regancy romance, or even just a romance.

[Annemieke / A Dance with Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Aria and Aries, and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

CW Violence | Graphic Sex | PTSD

Now you might be surprised that I am reviewing a historical romance like A Bride by Morning as I am mainly a SFF reader. However since I know that Katrina Kendrick is Elizabeth May, and I would like to support some of her other work, I wanted to jump in. Perhaps I shouldn't have.

A Bride by Morning is truly a historical romance. Don't get me wrong, I was not expecting any SFF, but I was expecting more on the characters. The plot held promise which is why I wanted to read this one. But I couldn't quite get passed some things.

I know that in this historical setting a girl in her twenties is OLD to get married when for a man it is not. And I understand that Gabriel promised her that he would come for her. But than he didn't. He clearly let her know he didn't want her around. The absolute helplessness that Lydia sends out in this situation, bothered me. Considering that otherwise she is razor sharp.

Another thing was that Gabriel has PTSD. It kept coming up but it was never really dealth with. He's clearly done a lot of messed up things. There is a lot that he needs to work through. That is something that he could do with Lydia by his side. But it kept being shoved down because romance. Their past where he left her like that and ignored her was also not properly dealt with. The emotions just kept being shoved back for romance again. They had known each others for years before he left. Yet there barely seems to be any connection or familiarity between them.

Perhaps this is just a me thing where this is just not a subgenre that will work for me. But I was expecting a little more depth here. However if you just like a fun, fast historical romance than this will still be a great read for you.

[Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

This is my first Katrina Kendrick historical romance, and I know that Lydia and Gabriel show up in the first book (I think) of this series, but I just had to start with this one because 1) i got an ARC and 2) I desperately wanted to read one of her HRs. Elizabeth May is one of my favourite authors and when I heard she was releasing her Katrina Kendrick books with new covers, I was so excited because I forgot to buy the old cover versions (which I believe were with a different publisher?).

I also find that I don't read a lot of Historical Romance in general, but I LOVED this. I'm very excited to read His Scandalous Lessons and Tempting the Scoundrel because I loved this one so much.

If you are looking for a Historical Romance that is like a mix of slow burn plus characters that make you scream into a pillow, look no further than A Bride By Morning!!

[the_bookish_betch · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this friends to lovers to enemies(?) To lovers Lydia Cecil and Gabriel St Clair grew up together after both of Lydia's parents die and she goes to live with an aunt. They have an agreement, but Gabriel joins the diplomatic service and *must* go - but not before having Lydia promise to wait for him. What follows is a story of intrigue, assassinations, and a Russian plot as the back drop of their love story.

While that kept the plot moving forward, I wish there was more effort on the part of Gabriel to win her back. It seemed as though she browbeat him into accepting her love and I did not get as satisfying of a grovel scene as I would have liked.

Overall, I enjoyed the book; it was a quick fun read. I have not read any of the author's previous books, but it was not necessary to read this one.

I was able to read this book through Netgalley in exchange for my review.

[Jayne Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! At nineteen, Gabriel, the second son of an earl left England to go into ‘diplomatic service’. He made seventeen year old Lydia promise to wait for his return, as he intended to come back and marry her. Seven years later Gabriel returned to England to become the Earl of Montgomery after his father and brother were both killed in an accident. He refused to see Lydia, which broke her heart. After three more years, she was a pitied spinster and he was a most sought after gentleman. Events occured which required Gabriel to marry Lydia in order to keep her safe….but according to Gabriel, it was to only be a marriage of convenience.

This is one gut wrenching heartaching story! Gabriel’s struggle with the man he was forced to become versus the man he used to be dominates his relationship with Lydia. He clearly believes that she is better off without him, and hates that he feels that way. On the other hand, Lydia just plain loves him unconditonally. She has lived without him for ten years, vascillating between anger and despair, and is willing to follow him to the ends of the earth just to be with him.

This is a very action oriented story with several moments of violence. The language is coarse, but appropriate for the characters; and there are several sexual scenarios, some of which are aggressive. I couldn’t put it down! It gave my heart and stomach a workout, but I clung to the author’s promise of a happy ending, and was not disappointed. This is one of those stories that tends to stay with you long after the last page is finished. Reading this book is an experience, and one which I am glad I got to enjoy!

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a super cute book!!!!!!!

wasn’t what i expected from a regency romance 😂 but it was super cute! i’m glad that our home girl, lydia, was able to pound some sense into gabriel bc sometimes you just need to get out of your head.
i honestly would have loved this to be longer because it felt like there were some holes in the plot - though this might just stem from the fact this is like the third/fourth book in the series and i’ve not read the others - which i will soon rectify!!!!

anyway definitely a fun read and would definitely read the official version when it comes out on the 3rd august!

**big thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc☺️**

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Love That Never Dies . . .

This story has so much feeling and heartbreak that the reader will be compelled to keep reading and hoping that things will turn out right. Gabriel, as second son of an Earl, went into the diplomatic service to become a spy, not an easy life and full of risk. Lydia loved him and he asked her to wait for him to come back and they would start a life together.

But the Gabriel who returned has changed. After being away for 7 years, he must assume the title as the Earl of Montgomery since both his father and brother had died. He did not contact Lydia. But when he had to kill two men out in the garden and Lydia saw it, she now had to be protected. Gabriel would marry her in a marriage of convenience where she could be kept safe. Would he truly be able to keep his heart from loving her? Could she tolerate being so near him yet still not feeling his love? Will he realize she loves him no matter what, and has never stopped loving him?

[JenReviews4U · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that once you start you won't want to stop! Full of mystery, spies, love, steam! This was a great book, with really strong writing, and a great storyline.
Lydia has waited for Gabriel for 10 years and even though she is angry at him, her heart needs him as much as his needs her. But Gabriel is not the carefree boy she once knew, he's changed and hardened - will her love be enough to thaw the ice around his heart? Will Gabriel break down the walls he has put up and allow her in?
I highly recommend this book, it will be one you remember long after you finish it. The emotional journey the author takes the reader on through these two characters is simply wonderful, it is what every book I read wished to have. There are lots of steamy moments and some coarse language but it all fits the story and these characters.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lydia, if we are going to share a name, you have got to stop being such a doormat

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, I loved this story. This series is getting better and better with each book (tied with Thorne’s book for my favorite). Katrina takes a story that we all know, spies and marriages of convenience, and elevates it to a new level. This is no ordinary spy book. Katrina does not shy away from the violence and real danger. I was biting my nails at some points in the story. I was put into the story in that I could imagine the horrors of spying and coming home to deal with those mental images. But…you know who comes to show him back “home”? His childhood friend. These two characters are so fantastic together. Lydia does not shy away from what she thinks and wants and Gabriel is shocked at her persistence. Beast vs woman. Who wins? Both! Time to stop gushing and tell you to get this book if you like adventure, dialog and main characters who love voraciously.

I love how we can be drawn into stories and glued to pages. The beauty of books. They take us to different worlds and we can escape for just a while.

Katrina, we definitely need more stories in this series. Wentworth, Callihan.

I received a complimentary copy from Booksprout.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

She waited.
He had always had her heart but when things in his life changed he turned his back on her. Tricky thing about fate it wanted these two characters to be together. When events caused them to marry let’s say it was not so grand but yet it got better. There is one really big problem that they will need to deal with. This spy thriller was an awesome read. Lydia is smart and resourceful and a super character Gabriel is a damaged soul and needs Lydia so much. This was an excellent story that I really think you will like. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read this series a while ago and was excited to hear that they were getting a bit of a makeover! A Bride by Morning is book 3 in the Private Arrangements series by Katrina Kendrick and while my recommendation would be to pick up books 1 and 2 in this series as well, if you can't I don't think you will have any trouble diving into this one and getting into the story.

Gabriel St. Clair, the Earl of Montgomery, was the third son and never supposed to inherit. When he goes off to be a diplomat, he asks Lydia (our fmc) to wait for him. Little did he know that he would quickly become a British spy and his enemies would be everywhere. Due to his transition to Earl, Gabriel comes back to London and that's where the story picks up.

I couldn't help feeling all the feelings for Lydia. She's not had things easy and after committing herself to waiting for Gabriel, she's become a companion to her elderly aunt as she wasn't willing to give up on him. When Gabriel returns, she does whatever she can to reconnect with him but he pushes her away based on his ridiculous thoughts of protecting her from him and his enemies but that only serves to put them both in a position where neither are really happy.

When Lydia witnesses Gabriel and his spy skills, she is not only surprised but she starts to understand. Gabriel, having put her in danger, is now determined to marry her to provide protection...and nothing else.

As I mentioned, Lydia is one of those characters I couldn't help feeling for. She loved / loves Gabriel and he does everything he possibly can to push her away instead of talking to her. In the end, they find their way back to each other and need to find a way to live. There are definite ups and downs in their marriage. She's looking for answers and he's unwilling to talk about things which doesn't really work well but they do eventually figure it all out.

Kendrick has written a page turning story with great characters and I definitely recommend picking this one up when you can. I'll definitely be looking for more books from this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Nufar Helseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Katrina Kendrick's work.
However, this book is my least favorite, and I would like to explain why.

Usually I love how the author creates two independent characters, finding their way towards one another, while simultaneously working on a joint mission/ battling a common foe. This book was not the case.

Lidia - An uninteresting character. Her biggest desire is to be with Gabriel. She has no goals, hobbies or any personal mission in life. She is simply pining for Gabriel, and to be a passable lady of the ton.
In previous books - Alex was a Suffergate, Emma was secretly a writer, Anna fought for her freedom. They all had dreams that were beyond their attraction to their male counterparts. It far easier to relate or be engaged with their characters than with Lidia.

SPOILER FROM NOW ON

Gabriel - I dislike characters of super assassins /master spies, so Gabriel and I had a rocky start from the beginning. This does not negate the fact that I simply didn't like his treatment of Lidia.

So many red flags!

Moody
Offensive
The only one in the relationship deciding when and if they will have sex.
Secretive and manipulative

I know it was framed as his way of dealing with his Trauma and self loathing, but if Lidia would have declared that she is leaving because she doesn't deserve this toxic bullshit, I would have cheered. But she stayed in a bad relationship: unsure about her future, isolated from her family and friends, trapped inside the house, waiting for things to improve.

I read for pleasure, my delight can be increased by intelligent figures creating a respectful relationship, I'm not saying the other couples in Kendrick's other books were perfect, but they didn't leave me so dejected.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A protective man living with violence and PTSD, and stuff of nightmares when that life comes home for him. Only a love as strong and enduring as hers can bring him home. Excellent writing when you can sense the ominous presence of the antagonist in every chapter!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

This is listed as book 3 of a series, but appears to fine as a stand alone story. This is my first book by this author and I quite enjoyed her style of story telling, and look forward to reading the other books in the series. This opens several years before the bulk of the story, with two young friends saying a sweet good bye to each other and making promises for the future.

Lydia Cecil is an orphaned young woman living with her aunt and uncle. As a young girl, she made friends with the Gabriel St. Claire, the younger son from the neighbouring estate, and they were very close. Their friendship grew into a sweet love for each other. But Gabriel, being a younger son, was eager to earn his way after graduating. With a talent for languages, he makes plans to travel and become a diplomat. But before leaving, he gains a promise from Lydia to wait for him, with the promise that when he returns he would court her properly because he wants to wed her. With a heart full of young love and close friendship, Lydia promises to wait for Gabriel. He is gone for years, and they stayed in touch through letters. But then he stopped returning her messages, and she lost touch with where he was for years. Despite this, she remembers her promise to wait, and turns away other suitors, earning herself the reputation of being a cold, frigid spinster.

Then his family is struck down tragically, and he loses his father and older brother, forcing Gabriel to take on the role of the Earl of Montgomery and he returns from his travels abroad to England. Lydia tries to reconnect with him, to be coldly rejected, and repeatedly rebuffed. Her heart is broken repeatedly, and she hides behind her emotional armour.

Gabriel returned to England a very different man than when he left; he had done and seen things that have fundamentally changed him, making him into a hard, cold blooded violent beast of a man, who, with the sanction of his Queen, has become a top spy and assassin. Because of what he has done, he cut himself off from his former life and relationships, not wanting Lydia to be exposed to the beast he has become, or be tainted by him... but also no longer thinking he is worthy of being loved anymore either.

As he moves through London in the role of Earl, hiding his broken soul behind a charming, handsome, too polished facade, he finds out that he has unfinished business from his past. His last mark may have survived his assassination attempt, and may be brewing trouble in London. Despite being retired, Gabriel is recruited to find out if the not-so-dead Russian leader of the Syndicate, Medvedev, is in London and who is connected to him. He infiltrates one of the suspects study at a ball, to seek out evidence of any dealings with Medvedev. Unfortunately, Lydia is attending the same ball, and on seeing Gabriel, needs to get away to gather her thoughts. She hides in the host's study, where she observes Gabriel rifling through his desk. When she confronts Gabriel, she sees through his facade and knows he is lying and meddles in his business.

Unfortunately she becomes embroiled a bit too closely with his investigation, and despite his coldness to her, Gabriel still cares for Lydia and cannot stand by and let her be targeted by his enemies. To be able to cloak her in his protection, he offers a marriage of convenience.

This becomes a story of a lot of give and take. Lydia and Gabriel fight their attraction to each other, and fight to protect their hearts. Gabriel has no intention of having a true marriage, and plans to abandon her, thinking to protect her from the beast he has become. Lydia likewise does not want to be hurt again, but wants to find the Gabriel she loved under the hard armour of the Gabriel before her, and also tries to get through and offer solace and redemption to Gabriel. This is their second chance, but will he allow the chance to happen? While they are also wallowing in their emotional turmoil, they are being targeted by Russian criminals lead by Medvedev who is seeking revenge against Gabriel, and more than willing to use his weaknesses against him, including Lydia.

Angsty, brooding passionate give and take, with a James Bond-esque spy story woven in. I hated how harshly Gabriel rejected Lydia on his return to London, but it is fitting in how he viewed himself. Definitely not a light-hearted, joyful romance, but was an intense, compelling read.

I do wonder if Lydia's aunt would have poisoned him if he hurt her again... for that matter, what happened to the uncle? Hmmmmmm. She did mention having a poison garden... maybe the sweet aunty isn't so sweet after all?

4.25 stars out of 5

But now I am wanting to know what happened/happens to Callahan and Wentworth... their stories have left me wanting to know more...

[Bookish.Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Bride by Morning is the third book in the Private Arrangements Series, and my first read from author Katrina Kendrick. The story begins in 1863 London and then jumps ahead 10 years following the lives of the two main characters, Lydia and Gabriel. Childhood friends who have an eye to marriage, Gabriel asks Lydia to promise to wait for him as he goes off for his first year with the Foreign Office as a diplomat. Lydia dutifully writes and waits for Gabriel who eventually stops replying to her letters, then returns to London seven years later after the death of his father and his older brother to become the Earl Montgomery, only to ignore and rebuff Lydia for the next three. She is now 27 years old and a spinster having waited for Gabriel for so long. The story picks up in earnest as they are forced together through certain circumstances. Gabriel, we learn, was a spy/assassin. He is clearly suffering from PTSD (never called that, of course, given the time period). As Lydia seeks to thaw Gabriel, who is much changed from when she knew him, Gabriel seeks to keep his defensive walls in place. Without spoiling the story, what follows is a marriage of convenience for these two while Gabriel tries to shield Lydia from a Russian Syndicate’s threat. The story follows their relationship as well as the intrigue surrounding the thriller subplot.

While I don’t generally enjoy stories with this kind of intrigue, I did appreciate the originality of using the historical details of the English-Russian conflicts of the time period. It was a fresh setting that made the story more interesting. I didn’t find the subplot terribly complex, but it did add some tension to the main love story. I found Lydia the most interesting character as she tries to navigate her hurt feelings at Gabriel’s rejection and her own dashed hopes, but she isn’t very fully developed. Aside from pining for Gabriel and being a companion to her aunt, she doesn’t get many details to develop her character. Gabriel’s character was even more flat. There was a repeated reference to the “ice running through his veins” that didn’t really go anywhere except of course to the obvious “thawing” required for an HEA. We didn’t learn much about how he coped beyond seeking out violence, nor did his betrayal of Lydia get much attention. I felt that the relationship didn’t develop as fully as I would’ve liked and there was a lot of repetition about how both MCs were feeling which remained fairly static. In addition, Gabriel is said to have certain sexual predilections that he must hide from Lydia, but again, I didn’t find the details very convincing; he was mostly vanilla from start to finish in his dealings with Lydia despite his own opinion that he was a “beast”. This is an open-door romance, and the scenes had some steam, but the chemistry just wasn’t there.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to those who’ve enjoyed the series. The book, however, can be read as a standalone. This book didn’t work completely for me, but it might work for other readers (I prefer more complexity, development, and nuance). If you enjoy a bit of intrigue with your romance, a second chance/enemies-to-lovers story, a straight-forward plot, and clear writing, this may be a good book for you.

I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten years ago Miss Lydia Cecil said goodbye to her dearest friend and the love of her life, Gabriel St. Clair, the younger son of the Earl of Montgomery, as he set out for his first diplomatic posting. Gabriel tells her it will only be for a few years and asks her to promise that she wait for him, as he wants to court her properly before he marries her, it is a promise she is happy to give and a promise she keeps, even when a few years turns into seven and his letters cease. It is a promise she keeps when he finally returns to England after unexpectedly inheriting the earldom upon the untimely death of his father and brother and he refuses to see her or even acknowledge her. Even that will not stop her from loving him, but everyone has their limits and Lydia is close to hers.

Gabriel is no longer the young man Lydia knew, and knowing him now could prove fatal for her. For the last three years, he has watched her from afar, knowing he can never have her. His time abroad may have started in the diplomatic service, but soon he was dragged into the dangerous game of espionage between England and Russia, transitioning from diplomat to assassin and making enemies aplenty. When he was called home to take up the title, Gabriel distanced himself from Lydia, primarily to keep her from learning what a soulless beast he had become but also to keep her safe. But when they meet in a dark garden and she is witness to his past in Russia catching up to him, there is no choice, he will have to marry her to keep her safe. But can he keep her safe from him? And will he be able to walk away from her when the current threat is eliminated?

This was a new-to-me author and WOW – just WOW – How did I never hear about Katrina Kendrick (Elizabeth May) before now? Her writing style has everything that I love; witty banter, great characters, danger, action, steamy love scenes, and a soulmate-type love. I loved this story, Gabriel is a tortured soul and while I felt like he carried the “I can’t be with her” nonsense for way too long, I loved him. Lydia is the perfect heroine, true to her heart and willing to fight for her love, but she has her limits and won’t be a doormat. This is the third book in the series, I haven’t read the other books (clearly, I am going to have to go and check out her backlist!), but I didn’t have any problem following this story. I highly recommend this title, and if you liked Kerrigan Byrne’s Victorian Rebels, you will love this book.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*