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Devil Riders #3
To Catch a Bride
It was the perfect excuse to delay a dreaded marriage of convenience—head off on an exotic journey to track down a young lady missing in Egypt for six years. Rafe Ramsey, son of the Earl of Axebridge, is utterly besotted when he finally locates the beautiful and spirited Ayisha, who has taken a new name. But a mysterious past has made it impossible for her to return to England, and she is on the run from something far more serious than an unwanted betrothal.
308 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
99 people are currently reading
934 people want to read
About the author
Anne Gracie
95 books1,529 followersI've always loved stories. Family legend has it that I used to spend hours playing in the sand pit, with a dog on either side of me and Rocka the horse leaning over me, his head just touching my shoulder, while I told them stories. I have to say, dogs and horses are great audiences, apart from their tendency to drool occasionally. But people are even nicer.
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
In case you imagine we were a filthy rich horse-owning family, let me assure you we weren't. The horse period was a time when my parents entered a "let's-be-self-sufficient" phase, so we had a horse, but no electricity and all our water came from the rain tank.
As well as the horse and dogs, we had 2 cows (Buttercup and Daisy and one of them always had a calf), a sheep (Woolly,) goats (Billy and Nanny) dozens of ducks, chooks, and a couple of geese, a pet bluetongue lizard and a huge vegie patch. I don't know how my mother managed, really, because both she and Dad taught full time, but she came home and cooked on a wood stove and did all the laundry by hand, boiling the clothes and sheets in a big copper kettle. Somehow, we were always warm, clean, well fed and happy. She's pretty amazing, my mum.
Once I learned to read, I spent my days outside playing with the animals (I include my brother and 2 sisters here) and when inside I read. For most of my childhood we didn't have TV, so books have always been a big part of my life. Luckily our house was always full of them. Travel was also a big part of my childhood. My parents had itchy feet. We spent a lot of time driving from one part of Australia to another, visiting relatives or friends or simply to see what was there. I've lived in Scotland, Malaysia and Greece. We travelled through Europe in a caravan and I'd swum most of the famous rivers in Europe by the time I was eight.
This is me and my classmates in Scotland. I am in the second front row, in the middle, to the right of the girl in the dark tunic.
Sounds like I was raised by gypsies, doesn't it? I was even almost born in a tent --Mum, Dad and 3 children were camping and one day mum left the tent and went to hospital to have me. But in fact we are a family of chalkies (Australian slang for teachers)- and Dad was a school principal during most of my life. And I am an expert in being "the new girl" having been to 6 different schools in 12 years.The last 4 years, however, were in the same high school and I still have my 2 best friends from that time.
No matter where I lived, I read. I devoured whatever I could get my hands on -- old Enid Blyton and Mary Grant Bruce books, old schoolboys annuals. I learned history by reading Rosemary Sutcliffe, Henry Treece and Georgette Heyer. I loved animal books -- Elyne Mitchell's Silver Brumby books and Mary Patchett and Finn the Wolf Hound. And then I read Jane Austen and Dickens and Mary Stewart and Richard Llewellyn and Virginia Woolf and EF Benson and Dick Francis and David Malouf and Patrick White and Doris Lessing and PD James and...the list is never ending.
This is me posing shamelessly on a glacier in New Zealand.
This is me in Greece with my good friend Fay in our village outfits. The film went a funny colour, but you get the idea. I'm the one in the pink apron.
I escaped from my parents, settled down and went to university.To my amazement I became a chalkie myself and found a lot of pleasure in working with teenagers and later, adults. I taught English and worked as a counsellor and helped put on plays and concerts and supervised camps and encouraged other people to write but never did much myself. It took a year of backpacking around the world to find that my early desire to write hadn't left me, it had just got buried under a busy and demanding job.
I wrote my first novel on notebooks bought in Quebec, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. That story never made it out of the notebooks, but I'd been bitten by the writing bug.
My friends and I formed a band called Platform Souls a
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September 7, 2021
4.5⭐
Al principio me costó engancharme a la historia, pero tanto Rafe como Ayisha me conquistaron y he disfrutado mucho de este libro
Al principio me costó engancharme a la historia, pero tanto Rafe como Ayisha me conquistaron y he disfrutado mucho de este libro
September 6, 2009
From Rafe’s mad, death-defying driving as they race to the wedding of Harry & Nell (H/H from “His Captive Lady”), Luke senses that his BFF, the usually cool, calm, collected Rafe, seems to be exorcising some inner demons. Rafe’s facing a bleak prospect of being the convenient instrument for Rafe’s bro, who hatched the cold-blooded marriage stipulations that Rafe will marry the chosen bride of good breeding & bloodlines, beget his family heir & then his child will be raised by Rafe’s bro & his infertile wife. Before he takes the plunge into holy matrimony hell, 28 y/o Rafe takes on a mission : go to Egypt & find Alicia Cleeve, the thought-dead granddaughter of an elderly wealthy lady, a good friend of Rafe’s late grandma.
Equipped w/ only sketches of the long-lost gal & an interpreter, he scours Egypt & voila, he finally finds Alicia, by using Ali – the li’l pickpocket who tries to steal the sketches – as a bait to lure Alicia into his domain. After a hard-fought tussle, he discovers that the dirt-covered youth who tries to rescue Ali, is none other than the luvly spitfire he’s been looking for. She’s fluent in French, Arabic & English & is adamant that she’s Ayisha, not Alicia. Rafe doesn’t believe her ‘cuz she’s the spitting image of the sketches. She’s been flying under the radar for 6 yrs by donning a boy’s disguise (complete w/ a street urchin haircut) & living w/ Ali & Laila, a 35 y/o divorcee w/ a heart of gold, who rescued 13 y/o Ayisha from starvation & doom after her beloved parents’ death by plague. Rafe cajoles & guilt-trips her into going w/ him to England. He’s determined to drag Ayisha away from her current perilous half-life, kicking, screaming & rolled up in a carpet if necessary. When some thugs try to harm her as they suspect her real identity, her fate is sealed. Ayisha recognizes 1 of ‘em as the same creep who had robbed her house & tried to kidnap her (young virgins are high in demand) on the nite her mom expired. She’s reluctant to leave her adopted family behind, but realizes that word-of-mouth has spread that Rafe’s sketches - that he’s been showing around to people - bear a striking resemblance to her, hence her covers are blown. While embarking on a sea voyage back to England, Rafe’s afflicted by fever. When the ship captain & crew freak out that it might be the much-dreaded plague & try to dump Rafe off ashore, Ayisha stands her ground, locks herself in w/ Rafe & single-handedly nurses him back to life. Another brownie point in Rafe’s eyes.
Rafe – already smitten w/ Ayisha from the get-go – becomes more enamored w/ her. As he gets to peel away her layered secrets & grim tales of survival, the more he realizes that she’s a rare find indeed : a dignified, beautiful, resourceful young woman w/ incomparable courageous spirit & inner strength that can’t be found in any of the English chits of the ton. She’s miraculously survived life on the street when the odds were stacked up high against her. She’s unquestionably loyal & protective to those who matter the most to her. Rafe doesn’t know what love is, ‘cuz it’s been a foreign concept to him all his life, ignored by his late father (who favored & groomed Rafe’s older bro to be the heir to his family throne). The closest “love” he ever felt was the friendship he’s nurtured among his circle of friends, who’ve been w/ him thru’ thick & thin, who’ve welcomed him to their families’ homes during school holidays. Now, he starts to feel another kind of love (he still doesn’t label it so @ this point) tho’, one that completely alters his outlook on life & puts his usual debonair façade to shame, ‘cuz he seems to inadvertently put his foot in his mouth again & again in his dealings w/ Ayisha. Despite all his screw-ups, there’s no question @ all that he’s compromised her rep during their self-imposed quarantine & he must marry her. Besides, it’d be like killing 2 birds w/ 1 stone, a more-palatable solution, now he won’t have to marry his already-chosen fiancée. It makes no difference that Ayisha has no wish to marry.
When they’re attacked by pirates, she shows her indisputable bravery by fighting side by side w/ Rafe, even tho’ he specifically orders her to stay put (this is romance, after all, so of course, she risks his wrath by doing the opposite LOL…), earning the respect & gratitude of the ship crew & the snobby high-born ladies on board. Rafe is incensed that a 19 y/o gal dares to defy him, a seasoned 28 y/o war vet. She's too gutsy for his peace of mind. Naturally, Rafe & Ayisha find a suitable outlet for their pent-up desire & growing attraction, after the fierce, bloody battle.
Even after all the trials & tribulations, her biggest challenge is yet to come, will her grandma welcome her whole-heartedly & believe she’s truly Alicia ? Rafe also has to come clean w/ his bro’ ‘bout his intention to marry Ayisha & makes a shocking discovery ‘bout his bro & SIL, in the midst of surprising twists & turns before reaching a HEA.
The 1st 261 pages of the book were ‘bout ‘finding & convincing the missing gal in Egypt to return to England’ & their blossoming romance on the sea voyage. Too much was spent w/ Rafe’s illness & nothing on the entrance into the ton, the built-up expectations came to naught. Woulda luved it more if we got more glimpses of how Rafe & Ayisha were able to muddle thru’ the uncharted territory of braving the ton, even w/ the neat tied-up loose ends (can’t really go into them but they’re a li’l too pat IMHO). It kinda lacked the delightful charm & to-die-for heroes in previous ones I’ve read. Fortunately for those who dislike 2ndary romance, AG keeps her trademark to the bare minimum here, between Laila & Johnny Baxter, the English cousin of Rafe’s friend who became a permanent Cairo citizen & who agrees to become li’l Ali’s benefactor after Ayisha returns to her grandma’s nest across the pond. Also, Ayisha never explained to Rafe why she didn’t tell him all ‘bout her deceased mom, we only knew her reason thru’ her thought process as she eavesdropped. Rafe never questioned her during their final reunion. Rafe comes off more sympathetic, he didn’t wanna tell Ayisha that he’s already engaged & that his fiancée is a titled lady. He wants Ayisha to want him for himself. His feelings & pride have taken a good beating when his bro’ callously set the terms of Rafe’s ghastly wedding bargain. They withhold pertinent info ‘bout their aspects of their lives ‘till the end. I didn’t think they really were soul mates, it’s as if proximity & dire circumstances have pushed ‘em together, but their lack of honesty w/ each other throughout the book made me feel a bit detached.
Equipped w/ only sketches of the long-lost gal & an interpreter, he scours Egypt & voila, he finally finds Alicia, by using Ali – the li’l pickpocket who tries to steal the sketches – as a bait to lure Alicia into his domain. After a hard-fought tussle, he discovers that the dirt-covered youth who tries to rescue Ali, is none other than the luvly spitfire he’s been looking for. She’s fluent in French, Arabic & English & is adamant that she’s Ayisha, not Alicia. Rafe doesn’t believe her ‘cuz she’s the spitting image of the sketches. She’s been flying under the radar for 6 yrs by donning a boy’s disguise (complete w/ a street urchin haircut) & living w/ Ali & Laila, a 35 y/o divorcee w/ a heart of gold, who rescued 13 y/o Ayisha from starvation & doom after her beloved parents’ death by plague. Rafe cajoles & guilt-trips her into going w/ him to England. He’s determined to drag Ayisha away from her current perilous half-life, kicking, screaming & rolled up in a carpet if necessary. When some thugs try to harm her as they suspect her real identity, her fate is sealed. Ayisha recognizes 1 of ‘em as the same creep who had robbed her house & tried to kidnap her (young virgins are high in demand) on the nite her mom expired. She’s reluctant to leave her adopted family behind, but realizes that word-of-mouth has spread that Rafe’s sketches - that he’s been showing around to people - bear a striking resemblance to her, hence her covers are blown. While embarking on a sea voyage back to England, Rafe’s afflicted by fever. When the ship captain & crew freak out that it might be the much-dreaded plague & try to dump Rafe off ashore, Ayisha stands her ground, locks herself in w/ Rafe & single-handedly nurses him back to life. Another brownie point in Rafe’s eyes.
Rafe – already smitten w/ Ayisha from the get-go – becomes more enamored w/ her. As he gets to peel away her layered secrets & grim tales of survival, the more he realizes that she’s a rare find indeed : a dignified, beautiful, resourceful young woman w/ incomparable courageous spirit & inner strength that can’t be found in any of the English chits of the ton. She’s miraculously survived life on the street when the odds were stacked up high against her. She’s unquestionably loyal & protective to those who matter the most to her. Rafe doesn’t know what love is, ‘cuz it’s been a foreign concept to him all his life, ignored by his late father (who favored & groomed Rafe’s older bro to be the heir to his family throne). The closest “love” he ever felt was the friendship he’s nurtured among his circle of friends, who’ve been w/ him thru’ thick & thin, who’ve welcomed him to their families’ homes during school holidays. Now, he starts to feel another kind of love (he still doesn’t label it so @ this point) tho’, one that completely alters his outlook on life & puts his usual debonair façade to shame, ‘cuz he seems to inadvertently put his foot in his mouth again & again in his dealings w/ Ayisha. Despite all his screw-ups, there’s no question @ all that he’s compromised her rep during their self-imposed quarantine & he must marry her. Besides, it’d be like killing 2 birds w/ 1 stone, a more-palatable solution, now he won’t have to marry his already-chosen fiancée. It makes no difference that Ayisha has no wish to marry.
When they’re attacked by pirates, she shows her indisputable bravery by fighting side by side w/ Rafe, even tho’ he specifically orders her to stay put (this is romance, after all, so of course, she risks his wrath by doing the opposite LOL…), earning the respect & gratitude of the ship crew & the snobby high-born ladies on board. Rafe is incensed that a 19 y/o gal dares to defy him, a seasoned 28 y/o war vet. She's too gutsy for his peace of mind. Naturally, Rafe & Ayisha find a suitable outlet for their pent-up desire & growing attraction, after the fierce, bloody battle.
Even after all the trials & tribulations, her biggest challenge is yet to come, will her grandma welcome her whole-heartedly & believe she’s truly Alicia ? Rafe also has to come clean w/ his bro’ ‘bout his intention to marry Ayisha & makes a shocking discovery ‘bout his bro & SIL, in the midst of surprising twists & turns before reaching a HEA.
The 1st 261 pages of the book were ‘bout ‘finding & convincing the missing gal in Egypt to return to England’ & their blossoming romance on the sea voyage. Too much was spent w/ Rafe’s illness & nothing on the entrance into the ton, the built-up expectations came to naught. Woulda luved it more if we got more glimpses of how Rafe & Ayisha were able to muddle thru’ the uncharted territory of braving the ton, even w/ the neat tied-up loose ends (can’t really go into them but they’re a li’l too pat IMHO). It kinda lacked the delightful charm & to-die-for heroes in previous ones I’ve read. Fortunately for those who dislike 2ndary romance, AG keeps her trademark to the bare minimum here, between Laila & Johnny Baxter, the English cousin of Rafe’s friend who became a permanent Cairo citizen & who agrees to become li’l Ali’s benefactor after Ayisha returns to her grandma’s nest across the pond. Also, Ayisha never explained to Rafe why she didn’t tell him all ‘bout her deceased mom, we only knew her reason thru’ her thought process as she eavesdropped. Rafe never questioned her during their final reunion. Rafe comes off more sympathetic, he didn’t wanna tell Ayisha that he’s already engaged & that his fiancée is a titled lady. He wants Ayisha to want him for himself. His feelings & pride have taken a good beating when his bro’ callously set the terms of Rafe’s ghastly wedding bargain. They withhold pertinent info ‘bout their aspects of their lives ‘till the end. I didn’t think they really were soul mates, it’s as if proximity & dire circumstances have pushed ‘em together, but their lack of honesty w/ each other throughout the book made me feel a bit detached.
December 28, 2015
I always like to see a series improve as it goes; it's almost as good as when it starts strong and stays strong. This one would actually stand on its own pretty well as it takes place largely outside Rafe's normal environs and thus outside his circle of friends.
While I liked Rafe well enough, Ayisha was the real draw for me. I liked that she was actually smart as well as tough and determined. And courageous. Her circumstances suck to an extreme degree and I think Gracie dragged the reveal of the depth of the suck out a bit much, but I was still engaged throughout and happy to be with her. I particularly liked her friends in Cairo and how devoted they were to one another. Laila was a hoot and I had nearly as much sympathy for her plight as I did Ayisha's.
Rafe was mostly a sounding board for Ayisha, but that worked well for me. I mean, he's mainly in react mode as he deals with one obstacle after another, some coming from Ayisha and some from her environment but all requiring a good deal of finesse as well as simple brute strength. He measures up, of course, and in all the right ways, but most of my interest stayed with Ayisha. Which turned out well, I think.
I had some concerns going into this because a lot of it was going to happen in foreign lands and I worried that it'd detract from the things I normally enjoy in Gracie's books. I needn't have worried. That could be because I know much less about Regency-era Egypt so my expectations were nonexistent, but it mostly just worked for me. I was particularly gratified, given my problems with the first book, to see some period-appropriate moral expectations come into play. It was no less anachronistic on behalf of the primary characters, but it wasn't universal and that made all the difference.
So this was a solid three and a half stars for most of the book, but Ayisha kept it at four for me almost from the start. She's the heart of the story, so that worked out fantastic.
A note about Steamy: As usual for Gracie, a single explicit sex scene puts this on the low side of my personal steam tolerance. It worked particularly well as it also entailed era-appropriate expectations and attitudes.
While I liked Rafe well enough, Ayisha was the real draw for me. I liked that she was actually smart as well as tough and determined. And courageous. Her circumstances suck to an extreme degree and I think Gracie dragged the reveal of the depth of the suck out a bit much, but I was still engaged throughout and happy to be with her. I particularly liked her friends in Cairo and how devoted they were to one another. Laila was a hoot and I had nearly as much sympathy for her plight as I did Ayisha's.
Rafe was mostly a sounding board for Ayisha, but that worked well for me. I mean, he's mainly in react mode as he deals with one obstacle after another, some coming from Ayisha and some from her environment but all requiring a good deal of finesse as well as simple brute strength. He measures up, of course, and in all the right ways, but most of my interest stayed with Ayisha. Which turned out well, I think.
I had some concerns going into this because a lot of it was going to happen in foreign lands and I worried that it'd detract from the things I normally enjoy in Gracie's books. I needn't have worried. That could be because I know much less about Regency-era Egypt so my expectations were nonexistent, but it mostly just worked for me. I was particularly gratified, given my problems with the first book, to see some period-appropriate moral expectations come into play. It was no less anachronistic on behalf of the primary characters, but it wasn't universal and that made all the difference.
So this was a solid three and a half stars for most of the book, but Ayisha kept it at four for me almost from the start. She's the heart of the story, so that worked out fantastic.
A note about Steamy: As usual for Gracie, a single explicit sex scene puts this on the low side of my personal steam tolerance. It worked particularly well as it also entailed era-appropriate expectations and attitudes.
July 23, 2019
2.5 stars.
This is what always happens when I read an Anne Gracie book: I get roped in by a strong beginning, start losing interest when physical attraction reaches the tipping point and secrets/lies are dragged out past the 75% mark, and then everything fizzles out to the tune of some TSTL moments and sappy declarations.
Now don't get me wrong; there are some things that I really enjoyed about this book. The h was so strong and honourable. She survived on her own for a long time, but didn't let it make her jaded and hard. The love she had for her friends in Cairo was just so lovely. I admired how she leveraged their futures for doing what the H wanted her to do. Unfortunately, her honour also made her a martyr who was willing to sacrifice her own happiness for that of the H. While I didn't want her to be a selfish witch, I also wanted her to stand up for herself a little and to fight for her what she wanted. She had spent so much of her life making do with what life had handed her that she accepted crap from people way too easily.
The H wasn't easy to like in the beginning. The author painted him as impulsive and reckless. He also runs away as a way to deal with things which made it hard to be on his side. It also wasn't very endearing all the times he mentioned how well he "knew women" and "understood their bodies". Ugh. Points for his inner monologue promising that he would be a faithful husband, but it was a bit "too little, too late" for me.
The plot was more interesting than Gracie's other books since the majority of it took place in Egypt and then aboard a ship. Even the OTT plot devices were believable given the more exotic locations, but they did get to be too much after a while. Maybe one of them as an isolated event would have been plausible, but all of them combined needed a much longer book for them to not be silly.
Overall, I will still continue with this series, with the exception of the first two. (Too many meh reviews from my friends convince me that there are better books out there to read.)
This is what always happens when I read an Anne Gracie book: I get roped in by a strong beginning, start losing interest when physical attraction reaches the tipping point and secrets/lies are dragged out past the 75% mark, and then everything fizzles out to the tune of some TSTL moments and sappy declarations.
Now don't get me wrong; there are some things that I really enjoyed about this book. The h was so strong and honourable. She survived on her own for a long time, but didn't let it make her jaded and hard. The love she had for her friends in Cairo was just so lovely. I admired how she leveraged their futures for doing what the H wanted her to do. Unfortunately, her honour also made her a martyr who was willing to sacrifice her own happiness for that of the H. While I didn't want her to be a selfish witch, I also wanted her to stand up for herself a little and to fight for her what she wanted. She had spent so much of her life making do with what life had handed her that she accepted crap from people way too easily.
The H wasn't easy to like in the beginning. The author painted him as impulsive and reckless. He also runs away as a way to deal with things which made it hard to be on his side. It also wasn't very endearing all the times he mentioned how well he "knew women" and "understood their bodies". Ugh. Points for his inner monologue promising that he would be a faithful husband, but it was a bit "too little, too late" for me.
The plot was more interesting than Gracie's other books since the majority of it took place in Egypt and then aboard a ship. Even the OTT plot devices were believable given the more exotic locations, but they did get to be too much after a while. Maybe one of them as an isolated event would have been plausible, but all of them combined needed a much longer book for them to not be silly.
Overall, I will still continue with this series, with the exception of the first two. (Too many meh reviews from my friends convince me that there are better books out there to read.)
November 30, 2015
Delicious. This regency romance started in Cairo, Egypt. The exotic flavor is further enhanced by a girl masquerading as a boy. Then there are sea voyage and pirates, lies and secrets, the prim rigidity of the British society and the unbreakable family ties. Among all those imbroglios, the two protagonists try to understand each other and themselves.
Ayisha lived her entire life in Cairo, hiding in plain sight as a street boy. If anyone guessed she was a young white woman without a family, she would be in trouble, probably sold at an auction as a slave, a sexual plaything. So she dirties her face as a camouflage, binds her breasts, and wears man’s clothing. So far, nobody has penetrated her disguise, but now, a young Englishman came to town. He asks questions in the market and shows her old portrait to everyone. He is ruining her life. It’s only a matter of time before the slavers made the connection and snatched her.
Rafe travels to Egypt in search of Lady Cleeve’s long-lost granddaughter. The old lady was a friend of his late grandma, and besides, he needs to escape an unwanted marriage his family has arranged for him. Egypt seems a fitting destination, far away from his matchmaking relatives. When someone tries to steal the portrait of the girl he is looking for, he sets a trap for the thief. But his trap springs on someone totally unexpected.
The story gallops helter-skelter, from one misadventure to another, and the author doesn’t always take care of all the loose ends, but it doesn’t matter in the long run. The two heroes more than make up for any and all logical glitches in the plot.
Ayisha is smart and sensible, loyal and loving. She would claw the eyes of anyone who would hurt her friends, but she is vulnerable, and she knows it. If her disguise is bust, she can’t stay in Cairo, but she can’t go to England either, even though her father was an Englishman. She is at the crossroad of her life, and every path in front of her is studded with complications.
Rafe is cold. From a very young age, he’s learned that loving means hurting, so he doesn’t allow himself to love. Not loving makes him strong, almost invincible. It takes the warmth of Ayisha’s heart, born in the heat of Cairo, to melt his frozen soul, but once the ice retreats, it could never get hold of him again.
The story is light-hearted and charming, and the writing oscillates between poignant and funny. One moment, I laughed. The next, I almost cried. Very cathartic read.
An enchanting book.
One plot twist in it made me think of something completely unrelated. While on a ship sailing to England, Rafe got sick, and Ayisha nursed him. His illness looked like a flu to me, with the only symptom being high fever for several days. As they didn’t have any antipyretic drugs at that time, the fever ran its course, inducing delirium at its highest point. She tried to use willow bark to lower his body temperature, but it didn’t seem to help.
Suddenly, I was grateful to our pharma for having antipyretics widely available. In the Western society today, there is probably no one who never used aspirin or ibuprofen or other drugs reducing fever. They are available without prescription, and many people use them to make flu symptoms less uncomfortable for both children and adults.
Of course, those drugs, as any others, have some side effects, especially if abused, but fever, if left unchecked for a long time, could do much more damage than just a mild headache. It could cause problems for most human organs, and did repeatedly before the invention of aspirin in the end of the 19th century. The natural fever-reducing remedy, willow bark, known and used since antiquity, probably needs a very high dosage to be as effective as a regular strength acetaminophen pill.
I never thought I would ever be grateful to the pharma. I hate those guys, but in rare cases, they definitely do some good for humanity. A strange line of thought to be inspired by a fluffy romance novel.
Ayisha lived her entire life in Cairo, hiding in plain sight as a street boy. If anyone guessed she was a young white woman without a family, she would be in trouble, probably sold at an auction as a slave, a sexual plaything. So she dirties her face as a camouflage, binds her breasts, and wears man’s clothing. So far, nobody has penetrated her disguise, but now, a young Englishman came to town. He asks questions in the market and shows her old portrait to everyone. He is ruining her life. It’s only a matter of time before the slavers made the connection and snatched her.
Rafe travels to Egypt in search of Lady Cleeve’s long-lost granddaughter. The old lady was a friend of his late grandma, and besides, he needs to escape an unwanted marriage his family has arranged for him. Egypt seems a fitting destination, far away from his matchmaking relatives. When someone tries to steal the portrait of the girl he is looking for, he sets a trap for the thief. But his trap springs on someone totally unexpected.
The story gallops helter-skelter, from one misadventure to another, and the author doesn’t always take care of all the loose ends, but it doesn’t matter in the long run. The two heroes more than make up for any and all logical glitches in the plot.
Ayisha is smart and sensible, loyal and loving. She would claw the eyes of anyone who would hurt her friends, but she is vulnerable, and she knows it. If her disguise is bust, she can’t stay in Cairo, but she can’t go to England either, even though her father was an Englishman. She is at the crossroad of her life, and every path in front of her is studded with complications.
Rafe is cold. From a very young age, he’s learned that loving means hurting, so he doesn’t allow himself to love. Not loving makes him strong, almost invincible. It takes the warmth of Ayisha’s heart, born in the heat of Cairo, to melt his frozen soul, but once the ice retreats, it could never get hold of him again.
The story is light-hearted and charming, and the writing oscillates between poignant and funny. One moment, I laughed. The next, I almost cried. Very cathartic read.
An enchanting book.
One plot twist in it made me think of something completely unrelated. While on a ship sailing to England, Rafe got sick, and Ayisha nursed him. His illness looked like a flu to me, with the only symptom being high fever for several days. As they didn’t have any antipyretic drugs at that time, the fever ran its course, inducing delirium at its highest point. She tried to use willow bark to lower his body temperature, but it didn’t seem to help.
Suddenly, I was grateful to our pharma for having antipyretics widely available. In the Western society today, there is probably no one who never used aspirin or ibuprofen or other drugs reducing fever. They are available without prescription, and many people use them to make flu symptoms less uncomfortable for both children and adults.
Of course, those drugs, as any others, have some side effects, especially if abused, but fever, if left unchecked for a long time, could do much more damage than just a mild headache. It could cause problems for most human organs, and did repeatedly before the invention of aspirin in the end of the 19th century. The natural fever-reducing remedy, willow bark, known and used since antiquity, probably needs a very high dosage to be as effective as a regular strength acetaminophen pill.
I never thought I would ever be grateful to the pharma. I hate those guys, but in rare cases, they definitely do some good for humanity. A strange line of thought to be inspired by a fluffy romance novel.
January 13, 2011
Rafe is furious! He survived 8 years of war, but is now besieged by his family, who have arranged a marriage of convenience for him. Since he’s the second son, he wasn’t expecting that, but he is the heir to his older brother, who is childless, and it’s now up to Rafe to ‘secure the succession’. He was willing to do that – until he discovered the devil’s agreement that was worked out as part of the proposal. Rafe’s solution?! Go to Egypt to find the long-lost granddaughter of a good friend of his grandmother. He finds her living on the streets of Cairo, masquerading as a boy. At first he’s confused – why didn’t Alicia go to the British Consulate when her parents died of the plague? And what does Ayisha mean when she says, “Alicia is dead – here there is only Ayisha”? Rafe decides that she means she adopted the Ayisha persona to fit in better – but she’s been masquerading as a boy, so that’s another confusing aspect.
Then Ayisha’s masquerade is discovered by those who would sell her to a brothel, and she has to leave Egypt. What will await her in England? And what’s the other secret she is guarding so zealously?
This is a weak 4*, but 3* just didn't seem enough
Then Ayisha’s masquerade is discovered by those who would sell her to a brothel, and she has to leave Egypt. What will await her in England? And what’s the other secret she is guarding so zealously?
This is a weak 4*, but 3* just didn't seem enough
November 19, 2010
I was not expecting to enjoy their story as much as I did. There were a lot of plot twists that came at the end of the book, and I appreciated that all was not revealed right away. Rafe is escaping an uncaring family and goes to Egypt to help an old family friend find their long-lost granddaughter, Alicia. Ayisha is troubled, hiding in plain sight as a boy with Laila, the Egyptian lady who took her in from the streets. And she doesn't want her life to change, no matter that she can't live as who she is. Rafe finds himself respecting her strength, her loyalty, and is entranced by the beauty she hides. Rafe's appeal (his body, his personality) makes her acknowledge her own desires, and she must make the choice to trust a man. I'm not usually one who enjoys a historical romance that takes place outside of England, but I gobbled this book up in a sitting. I don't think that this is a series you have to read in order, I've read 2/4 and they're very much self-contained. Characters do appear, but there really isn't any hinting about previous plots, just the hint that they already had their story. Definitely worth reading.
September 17, 2012
3.5 stars. This was such a comfortable read. Likable characters, smooth writing, and the unchallenging world of the standard Regency historical -- albeit a little different, because most of the book is set in Egypt and then on shipboard, rather than in England. But still, the mood was that of a Regency historical, and it was darned pleasant, too.
The main characters are Ayisha, the orphaned daughter of an Englishman, and ex-soldier Rafe, who traveled to Egypt to find her... or so he thinks. Ayisha has been living disguised as a boy since she was 13; it's a hard life, but she has a loving Egyptian foster family and is very reluctant to leave. She also has other secrets that need keeping. Unfortunately, Rafe's arrival ruins her disguise, leaving her little choice but to go to England with him. The rest is pretty much as you'd expect, though a dangerous illness and a pirate attack add some adventure, and chances for both Ayisha and Rafe to prove themselves devoted and brave.
I was in just the right mood for this sort of read -- different enough to be interesting, but comfortably familiar.
The main characters are Ayisha, the orphaned daughter of an Englishman, and ex-soldier Rafe, who traveled to Egypt to find her... or so he thinks. Ayisha has been living disguised as a boy since she was 13; it's a hard life, but she has a loving Egyptian foster family and is very reluctant to leave. She also has other secrets that need keeping. Unfortunately, Rafe's arrival ruins her disguise, leaving her little choice but to go to England with him. The rest is pretty much as you'd expect, though a dangerous illness and a pirate attack add some adventure, and chances for both Ayisha and Rafe to prove themselves devoted and brave.
I was in just the right mood for this sort of read -- different enough to be interesting, but comfortably familiar.
July 25, 2011
Mostly a pretty good read, with an amazing love scene after a pirate attack on the ship on which the H/h are travelling. This one is a lot better than Stolen Princess, maybe not quite as good as His Captive Lady, in this series so far. But sheesh, the gooey sentimentality really gets piled on in the final chapters of some of Gracie's books (see The Perfect Waltz and Gallant Waif, besides this one), leaving me with a rather sickly-sweet final impression, and really detracting from the pleasure I got from the rest of the story.
There is also a really bad anachronism on page 211 - the H/h are in port in Malta and hear some music coming from the shore - the hero identifies it as a "Strauss waltz". Well, there weren't any famous Strauss waltzes in 1817 - Johann Strauss sr. was still a child at that point and the other waltzing Strausses weren't even born. I really wonder how Gracie could have let this get past her, considering that she wrote an entire book called "The Perfect Waltz" set in the Regency period - she surely did some research into waltzing and waltz music for that one.
There is also a really bad anachronism on page 211 - the H/h are in port in Malta and hear some music coming from the shore - the hero identifies it as a "Strauss waltz". Well, there weren't any famous Strauss waltzes in 1817 - Johann Strauss sr. was still a child at that point and the other waltzing Strausses weren't even born. I really wonder how Gracie could have let this get past her, considering that she wrote an entire book called "The Perfect Waltz" set in the Regency period - she surely did some research into waltzing and waltz music for that one.
March 26, 2012
To Catch a Bride was a cute and exciting story that starts in Egypt, then on to a ship to sail off to England. Very little time was spent in England, which is great because I'm kind of sick of that setting. I can't say I loved this book, but I did enjoy it and read it fairly quickly. The secondary romance was actually a little better than the primary one, imo. My first Anne Gracie book was The Perfect Rake and I liked that one more - primarily because of the awesome hero.
September 13, 2009
Rafe Ramsey’s brother is the Earl of Axebridge, but because his older brother hasn’t produced any children after ten years of marriage, Rafe is feeling pressure to marry and secure his succession. Although all his friends have fallen in love and are happily married, he believes love is for fools and has no interest in marriage. With a betrothal on the horizon, Rafe has one last chance to enjoy his freedom as a bachelor.
Meanwhile, Lady Cleeve believes her missing granddaughter is alive after twelve years. After her son died, she thought she was all alone in the world, until an artist who visited his family in India six years ago showed her a sketch of a father and his daughter. This man and his child were living in Egypt and now Lady Cleeve wants someone to venture to Egypt to see if this girl in the picture is still living and is her granddaughter. Rafe happily volunteers to go on this wild-goose chase.
There is a girl who looks very much like Lady Cleeve’s granddaughter and lives on the street of Cairo dressed as a boy. She is Ayisha and when word gets out that an English man is looking for the thirteen year old girl in the picture, she knows she is in trouble. Six years ago when her father was still alive, one of his friends from England stayed with them and drew her. She never thought the drawing would amount to anything. Ayisha may be poor and pretend to be something she is not, but she is content with her life. She thinks she can stay in the shadows and wait for Rafe to give up on his search, But Rafe is too persistent and cunning. He finds Ayisha and wants her to return to England with him.
Ayisha refuses to do what Rafe wants. She has a very big secret and if she goes back with Rafe, it will come out and her life and identity will be in shatters. Rafe finds Ayisha to be a mystery he wants to solve. He can’t understand why she would want to stay in a place where she is always looking over her shoulder, when she could be protected and have everything at her fingertips. Rafe will do whatever he can to make Ayisha see reason, even if he has to seduce her to get what he wants.
To Catch a Bride has moments of intrigue and mystery that readers will enjoy. It was a nice change of pace to read about a different setting than the normal everyday scenario of London, England. Rafe and Ayisha are very intelligent, sneaky and stubborn characters. They refuse to back down from what they want and it was enjoyable to see them dance around one another.
The main question regarding Ayisha and who she really is will have you guessing throughout the story. Anne Gracie does a pretty good job at that. Ayisha seems to have it too easy and pat with the way her life has gone. She is one of those amazing heroines who is able to make the best of things even though she is surrounded by danger and men who wouldn’t mind using her body in horrible ways. She is a pretty well rounded and a tough young woman with a great deal of luck on her side.
I wish I could say I enjoyed the banter and chemistry that Ayisha and Rafe have, but after awhile I found these two had nothing really in common. Rafe does admire Ayisha and she cannot deny her attraction towards him, but other than that, I really can’t see them so in love with one another. There is nothing really between them that pulls them towards one another. I just can’t see their relationship as a lasting one. Rafe reminded me too much of a knight rescuing a damsel in distress, but at no point was Ayisha ever really in danger. I actually preferred the secondary story more with Ayisha’s adopted mother and the English gentleman she goes to work for over Rafe and Ayisha’s romance.
To Catch a Bride has its moments, but towards the end, I found my mind wandering and wanted to move onto something else. But, if you are in the mood for a plucky heroine and the strong dashing man who wants to save her, as well as an exotic locale, give this one a read.
Meanwhile, Lady Cleeve believes her missing granddaughter is alive after twelve years. After her son died, she thought she was all alone in the world, until an artist who visited his family in India six years ago showed her a sketch of a father and his daughter. This man and his child were living in Egypt and now Lady Cleeve wants someone to venture to Egypt to see if this girl in the picture is still living and is her granddaughter. Rafe happily volunteers to go on this wild-goose chase.
There is a girl who looks very much like Lady Cleeve’s granddaughter and lives on the street of Cairo dressed as a boy. She is Ayisha and when word gets out that an English man is looking for the thirteen year old girl in the picture, she knows she is in trouble. Six years ago when her father was still alive, one of his friends from England stayed with them and drew her. She never thought the drawing would amount to anything. Ayisha may be poor and pretend to be something she is not, but she is content with her life. She thinks she can stay in the shadows and wait for Rafe to give up on his search, But Rafe is too persistent and cunning. He finds Ayisha and wants her to return to England with him.
Ayisha refuses to do what Rafe wants. She has a very big secret and if she goes back with Rafe, it will come out and her life and identity will be in shatters. Rafe finds Ayisha to be a mystery he wants to solve. He can’t understand why she would want to stay in a place where she is always looking over her shoulder, when she could be protected and have everything at her fingertips. Rafe will do whatever he can to make Ayisha see reason, even if he has to seduce her to get what he wants.
To Catch a Bride has moments of intrigue and mystery that readers will enjoy. It was a nice change of pace to read about a different setting than the normal everyday scenario of London, England. Rafe and Ayisha are very intelligent, sneaky and stubborn characters. They refuse to back down from what they want and it was enjoyable to see them dance around one another.
The main question regarding Ayisha and who she really is will have you guessing throughout the story. Anne Gracie does a pretty good job at that. Ayisha seems to have it too easy and pat with the way her life has gone. She is one of those amazing heroines who is able to make the best of things even though she is surrounded by danger and men who wouldn’t mind using her body in horrible ways. She is a pretty well rounded and a tough young woman with a great deal of luck on her side.
I wish I could say I enjoyed the banter and chemistry that Ayisha and Rafe have, but after awhile I found these two had nothing really in common. Rafe does admire Ayisha and she cannot deny her attraction towards him, but other than that, I really can’t see them so in love with one another. There is nothing really between them that pulls them towards one another. I just can’t see their relationship as a lasting one. Rafe reminded me too much of a knight rescuing a damsel in distress, but at no point was Ayisha ever really in danger. I actually preferred the secondary story more with Ayisha’s adopted mother and the English gentleman she goes to work for over Rafe and Ayisha’s romance.
To Catch a Bride has its moments, but towards the end, I found my mind wandering and wanted to move onto something else. But, if you are in the mood for a plucky heroine and the strong dashing man who wants to save her, as well as an exotic locale, give this one a read.
May 11, 2015
Ele é o frio e calculista dos cavaleiros!
Rafe é imagem perfeita da calma fria antes de uma tempestade.
Por trás de suas roupas impecáveis, o rosto de "tô nem aqui", existe um homem que está desesperado para fazer parte de algo, de alguma coisa... não pode ter um final tão trágico, como o se casar com uma lady escolhida por seu irmão, que vai gerar um herdeiro e dá-lo para o conde criar e educar.
Por isso, quando tem a oportunidade de sair da cidade, e em busca da neta perdida da Senhora Cleeve, ele não exita! Pega suas coisas e vai para o Egito!
E não é que ele encontra a lady Alicia Cleeve?
Mas ela não é nada, NADA, do que ele imaginava!
Virou a vida do coitado de cabeça para baixo! Alias nada mais justo, por que Sr. Rafe Ramsey transformou a vida da pequena Alicia, ou seria Aysha?
Amei, amei e amei!
Rafe é imagem perfeita da calma fria antes de uma tempestade.
Por trás de suas roupas impecáveis, o rosto de "tô nem aqui", existe um homem que está desesperado para fazer parte de algo, de alguma coisa... não pode ter um final tão trágico, como o se casar com uma lady escolhida por seu irmão, que vai gerar um herdeiro e dá-lo para o conde criar e educar.
Por isso, quando tem a oportunidade de sair da cidade, e em busca da neta perdida da Senhora Cleeve, ele não exita! Pega suas coisas e vai para o Egito!
E não é que ele encontra a lady Alicia Cleeve?
Mas ela não é nada, NADA, do que ele imaginava!
Virou a vida do coitado de cabeça para baixo! Alias nada mais justo, por que Sr. Rafe Ramsey transformou a vida da pequena Alicia, ou seria Aysha?
Amei, amei e amei!
May 14, 2013
As a book reader, you need a romance every once in awhile to make your heart flutter just a little. I do tend to lean toward the romances where the two main characters are at odds with each other, it just makes the ending so much more delicious.
Oh I did like the book, and even though it was the third in a series of books, it stood alone quite well. The secondary characters were a delight, and I hope there is a story about the man in Egypt and the heroine's best friend.
That would be a book I would love to read. Rafe would rate a 6 on my alpha male scale. He wasn't to overbearing, and perhaps a bit stubborn, but so was Ayisha. I loved her story of survival, it made me like her as a character even more.
Oh I did like the book, and even though it was the third in a series of books, it stood alone quite well. The secondary characters were a delight, and I hope there is a story about the man in Egypt and the heroine's best friend.
That would be a book I would love to read. Rafe would rate a 6 on my alpha male scale. He wasn't to overbearing, and perhaps a bit stubborn, but so was Ayisha. I loved her story of survival, it made me like her as a character even more.
January 20, 2010
This was everything a regency romance should be. Very well done. The heroine is spirited and capable while also fresh and charming. The hero knows almost from the first that he wants her. He treats her very well and does everything he can to win her. The conflicts seem real and not just a contrivance to fulfill a plot. The author seems to have done her homework and the flavor of the times is very well done without being too rigid.
July 22, 2010
This was a lot of fun! A very fast read, clever and funny, good story and wonderful characters. Yay! I think I need to check out more Anne Gracie!
August 10, 2016
Cute little story. I really liked the plot. I liked Ayshia but Rafe didn't draw me in as much as he could have.
September 20, 2012
Plot spoilers
On pg. 5 we get a rundown of his sexual past, and it’s “purely physical.” Boy, she wasted no time here, but at least she refrained from being too detailed.
“They say he’s an English milord,” Ali said.
Milord? Don’t u mean lord? Milord is wut u say when you’re addressing them directly.
In a crowd, people searching for you looked for your turban; change it and you were a different person.
Uh, yeah. Sum1 searching 4 u that hard wud only look 4 the same colored turban & wudnt bother 2 look at any1s faces…right. This rite here is a fine example of wut authors think¬ rly how it actually is. She just completely made that up.
The way she described things was laughable. She made every1 sound like idiots. &the whole “cool&unreadable” expression on Rafe’s face was getting majorly old.
Mmrrow?
I love animals, but when u go&have them do that they sound stupid.
She’s dressed as a boy&comes 2 get her brother back from him and he noticed that her hair was “chopped jaggedly in a cut that Rafe decided the boy had done without benefit of mirror or scissors.” But then he’s like “it wasn’t unattractive, he decided.” Why wud a guy be judging a teenagers hair? It made him sound gay the way he said it wasn’t unattractive. We know he’s a girl but he duznt. Just bcuz it’s rly her the author has 2 make him like her hair bcuz if he didn’t it wud be a crime. &when u say a girl has hair that’s chopped jaggedly&it looks like she didn’t have a mirror or scissors that isn’t leaving a good pic in my mind.
Might even take off—the Urchin Cut. He favored the Windswept, himself.
Um, ppl in the 1800s did not talk like that. They didn’t refer 2 their hair that way and capitalize it like that. They didn’t name their hairstyles like that. Wth r u thinking?
I hate instant awareness&attraction &this author is no diff in that aspect. He’s lying on top of her 2 stop her&he’s noticing her soft skin &the “quite lovely” curve of her cheek. &he grows larger than he ever has b4. Why, u ask. Well….there’s rly no reason. He’s just responding bcuz there’s a female body underneath his…yet 4 sum reason authors rly try 2 make her diff from all the other women he’s been with by saying he gets more aroused when there’s rly no reason 4 him 2. It’s an empty comment that’s doing nothing 4 me.
He’d call her the Queen of Sheba if it got her to come with him to England without fuss and botheration.
The Queen of Sheba? Seriously?
“Decide, child, decide now; do you live your life in fear, or do you take it like an orange and wring every last drop from it?”
Wow. Genuis how u twisted it around 2 fit the time…or I shud say the way u tried. Why didn’t u just say when life hands u lemons make lemonade? Jeeze, this is pathetic.
There was no reason to beat about the bush.
There she goes again. Just bcuz u changed it “around” to “about” doesn’t mean it’s historically accurate.
Grilling on his morals and character.
Grilling? They did not use the expression grilling in the 1800s.
Laila continued with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
They didn’t talk like that.
There were some semi-humorous situations, like when they 1st meet and he’s trying to avoid getting hurt by her&when Laila finds out he’s been in the war&asks if he was injured, looking at his crotch&he answers nothing vital. &the scene with Laila&Baxter was cute.
“We’ll cross the Omar Bridge when we come to it,” Baxter said.
Seriously? Ur having sum1 in the 1800s say we’ll cross that bridge when we come 2 it?
“And maybe,” Laila added thoughtfully, “it has something to do with their eyes. They make women think of rumbled beds and long, hot nights . . .” She caught Ayisha staring at her and added hastily. “Other women, not respectable ones like you and me . . .”
That was kinda funny, even tho they didn’t talk like that then.
After a while the whole resisting, securing a place for Ali&Laila&all the bargaining that went on got extremely old. It took way 2 long 2 get 2 England. &then Baxter makes a marriage arrangement “bcuz he doesnt want 2 buy sum1.” It was a stupid excuse& we were getting all sidetracked with their budding romance. More was happening with those 2 than the main characters.
“It would just be a practical arrangement,” he reminded her carefully. “No hearts and flowers.”
R u freakin kiddin me? No hearts&flowers? They didn’t have this terminology 4 love in the 1800s. U chose 2 do a historical book, u can’t put this crap in here.
He didn’t let her bring her old cat, but he bought her a kitten that needed twice as much care&attention. Okayy.
This author had the annoying habit of pointing out that the characters thought something, or decided something, every time they made a statement. For ex:
If she’d never met this man before, she’d still know he was a warrior, she thought as she sponged the big, hot, restless body.
He was big, she thought.
It wasn’t really that bad, he decided as he looked closer.
We know they’re the ones saying it, u don’t have 2 point it out like that, that they’re thinking, deciding etc. It’s rly annoying.
Here we were halfway thru the book, she still hadn’t gone 2 england, &the author thinks it’s a good time 2 make Rafe come down with a fever. The back of the book implied that the story was about her having a mistaken identity&secrets from her past arise when she goes 2 England…yet she just won’t go 2 England until the last little sliver of the book.
Every1 thinks it’s the bubonic plague&instead of getting off the boat 2 keep the other passengers from getting it she locks herself in the room with him&threatends any1 who tries 2 break down the door. That says a lot about the character that she wud risk every1s life on the boat just so she can try 2 save him. I’m sure the author meant it to be this heroic, selfless deed but it was just stupid&reckless.
He comes 2 the conclusion that they have 2 get married, bcuz they’ve been together 4 3 days in a room alone. He’s “delighted” &just all of a sudden wants 2 protect her, have her in his arms&in his bed. That just came out of nowhere. &I don’t like stupid circumstances where u have 2 get married bcuz of propriety instead of the actual desire 2 get married.
“Stand back, Higgins,” she snapped. “I’m going up on deck, and I’d hate to brush up against you by accident—”
“Miss?” Higgins stood back.
“Because then I’d probably have to marry you—” she finished.
“Oh, now you’re just being silly,” Rafe began.
“Which would suit me a—a damn sight better!” she concluded in a throbbing voice and ran off.
That wud have been better had she took all the dashes out of it and just said it straight out, but it was kinda funny.
On a couple of occasions Ayisha said “oh faugh.” Wth is that? That is so lame, as is this author’s writing.
The author throws 1 more wrench into the mix by bringing up this whole pointless scene about the piano lessons which didn’t serve 2 make me feel sorry 4 Ayisha at all. It was just pathetic.
Ayisha took long enuf 2 help out in the pirate attack, she just stood around&watched 4ever b4 she finally pitched in. &then when she did it was pathetic. She shot 2 ppl&then her pistols were empty, so she just started hitting ppl with the butts, “darting back and forth along the side of the ship, smashing pistol butts down hard on knuckles, hands and heads whenever they appeared over the side of the ship.”
Wuts up with authors who can’t manage 2 make the woman sound good when they’re using a weapon? Every single time a woman gets hold of a weapon I cringe in embarrassment bcuz the author makes them sound so stupid. Women just sound so helpless&idiotic when they’re pitching in with their makeshift weapons& just doing what they can. It’s completely pathetic.
Ayisha had been whacking people with the pistols, but all of a sudden she stabbed some1 in the neck. I was like what? She’s stabbing sum1 with a pistol? It wasn’t until the next page that the author deigned 2 mention Ayisha brought out a knife, which hadn’t been brought up since she left Cairo. Sloppy writing when u say the character stabbed sum1 w/o having her bring out a knife 1st.
She bashed and smashed at the hands and knuckles, thumped heads and occasionally smashed at the more persistent holders-on with her knife.
The holders-on? How…clever.
That sounded so absolutely stupid. The picture that leaves in my mind makes Ayisha look like a stupid idiot running around 2&fro and acting like a lunatic when she shud rly be fighting.
Ayisha jumps him, saying she knows what she wants. But then she says she doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Yet she opens his pants& says she knows what’s supposed 2 happen bcuz she’s heard about it. Does she know what’s gonna happen or duznt she? I mean seriously, u just freakin contradicted urself in the space of less than a page. U don’t tell us she duznt know&then proceed 2 have her act like a little hussy. Is she a virgin or a whore?
She narrowed her eyes right back at him, but in a seductive manner, and mrrowed again.
The cat looked at him seductively? Wtf?
Idk what’s more creepy, the thought of animals having seductive thoughts in their head as they stare at a sum1 or sum1 thinking a cat looks seductive.
She smiled sleepily at the sight of him talking so earnestly to the tiny creature.
“That smile’s a sight for sore eyes,” Rafe said.
Does the author realize a sight 4 sore eyes is a bad thing?
The author tended to get sidetracked&veer off in directions that we didn’t need 2 go in. It just diverted us from the plot, and I felt like it was at a standstill. After they have sex it’s the usual, predictable run of the mill lines the men say 2 the woman that every single romance author uses&so had no effect on me. Then we proceed with a scene where Ayisha is supposed 2 come clean about everything, but several times she bites back what she’s saying, like the last sliver of the book is the time 2 do that. &then the names of the ppl that died during the pirate attack r being read&the author comes up with these names that we’ve never heard of, giving stories along with them that we weren’t there 2 witness, so making it completely pointless.
She goes on&on about her thoughts, if it was right 2 tell him the truth, if it wasn’t, about his marriage proposal &the whole time I’m yelling SHUT UP! Get on with the freakin story&shut the freak up. She keeps goin on*on with these dumb thoughts that keep reiterating the same thing. Get to England already for the love of God.
He says that he’s only marrying her 4 proprieties sake&she’s like a tad put out by this, not even hurt rly. She says she shud refuse him. But then she goes&says that she won’t deny herself a lifetime of loving him&that she’ll love him more than he’d ever been loved in his life. She says she’ll be honored 2 marry him&thanks him. I was pissed enuf at the stupidity of that, of this total lack of pride in her, but when he goes&says “Excellent. For a moment there I thought you weren’t going to be sensible. Not that I would have accepted any other response,” he said in a brisk, businesslike voice. “We shall be married with at your grandma’s or at Axebridge. We shall decide when we get there.” &she starts 2 say “whatever you s—” that I was truly disgusted. I don’t c the appeal of having these chauvinistic, controlling men, esp when the women don’t stand up 2 them&just go along with it. It only serves 2 make me hate the characters.
I finally just had to skip ahead bcuz I was getting so impatient.
Ayisha overhears her gma&them talking, over which she shud be mad&se leaves, which was good, &leaves a letter, which is 1 more overused plot aspect that this author used. But neways, it cud’ve been good. But Ayisha mucks it up bcuz she’s so stupid. There’s no heated words, there’s no blaming, there’s nothing. Instead, she says she loves him 2 much 2 ruin him. She wants him 2 have a happy life&wants him 2 tell her gma she didn’t expect anything from her. Congratulations, u just wrote the worst goodbye letter ever.
Him searching 4 her was just tedious&boring. I’ve seen this situation done loads better&this author just cudn’t do it. It was pathetic.
We never got 2 her perspective 2 find out what was going on with her. Rafe kept looking 4 her&finally found her&that was the end of it. She wasn’t even hurt or didn’t even try 2 put him off 2 explain herself. He said he was thin bcuz he’d lost her&she says she was hungry 4 him &she says “then take me now, my love, for I need you, more than I can say.”
God, make me gag.
She says nothing is resolved between them but that she missed him&he apparently missed her 2, &that was enough. Idiot. I don’t like the weakness displayed in the women in every single freakin romance book. They can’t get past their yearnings 4 him that they put aside wut they shud be feeling just so they can have sex.
No matter where in the world they were, as long as she was in…his…arms…
What…is up… with that….?
“He was eating one of your pies…”
Why is that sentence trailing away? That sounded like an ending 2 me.
&then at the end the author falls back on 1 more cliché, the happily ever after ending. U c, it wasn’t enuf that Rafe&her gma accepted her. No, that wasn’t good enuf. At the end a lawyer pops out nowhere, having found this document stating that Ayisha’s dad married her mother. Well isn’t that just perfect?
2 rly get the happily ever after the church just had 2 be full of ppl&since she thought only her gma wud be sitting on the bride’s side naturally all of Rafe’s friends chose 2 sit on her side. How sweet. Then the author proceeds 2 give absolutely useless information, the names of ppl we’ve never heard of instead of just getting on with the wedding.
The thing about Laila hoping she’d found a stallion was mildly amusing. The last line was good, but I won’t read this again. I’d have no reason 2. Nothing was funny, nothing was sweet. It was a poor rendition of what better authors have done. I didn’t get a real sense of the characters&I didn’t like not a single 1 of them.
The historical inaccuracies were so annoying&plentiful I wanted to scream.
“snap him out of it.” “So get a grip on yourself.” “maniac.” “jabbers away in the native lingo.” “gutter Arabic.” “piss&vinegar.” “I wasn’t born yesterday.” “back to square one.” “to make ends meet.” “make fun of me.” “foster brother.” “How did Ali come into the picture?” “on the outskirts of town.” “It was not one of Gadi’s usual haunts.” “to where a couple of men stood, loitering unconvincingly.” “blood is thicker than water.” “toiletries.” “drawers (as in boxers.)” “no strings attached.” “put two and two together.” “silence u cud cut with a knife.” “seventh heaven.”
On pg. 5 we get a rundown of his sexual past, and it’s “purely physical.” Boy, she wasted no time here, but at least she refrained from being too detailed.
“They say he’s an English milord,” Ali said.
Milord? Don’t u mean lord? Milord is wut u say when you’re addressing them directly.
In a crowd, people searching for you looked for your turban; change it and you were a different person.
Uh, yeah. Sum1 searching 4 u that hard wud only look 4 the same colored turban & wudnt bother 2 look at any1s faces…right. This rite here is a fine example of wut authors think¬ rly how it actually is. She just completely made that up.
The way she described things was laughable. She made every1 sound like idiots. &the whole “cool&unreadable” expression on Rafe’s face was getting majorly old.
Mmrrow?
I love animals, but when u go&have them do that they sound stupid.
She’s dressed as a boy&comes 2 get her brother back from him and he noticed that her hair was “chopped jaggedly in a cut that Rafe decided the boy had done without benefit of mirror or scissors.” But then he’s like “it wasn’t unattractive, he decided.” Why wud a guy be judging a teenagers hair? It made him sound gay the way he said it wasn’t unattractive. We know he’s a girl but he duznt. Just bcuz it’s rly her the author has 2 make him like her hair bcuz if he didn’t it wud be a crime. &when u say a girl has hair that’s chopped jaggedly&it looks like she didn’t have a mirror or scissors that isn’t leaving a good pic in my mind.
Might even take off—the Urchin Cut. He favored the Windswept, himself.
Um, ppl in the 1800s did not talk like that. They didn’t refer 2 their hair that way and capitalize it like that. They didn’t name their hairstyles like that. Wth r u thinking?
I hate instant awareness&attraction &this author is no diff in that aspect. He’s lying on top of her 2 stop her&he’s noticing her soft skin &the “quite lovely” curve of her cheek. &he grows larger than he ever has b4. Why, u ask. Well….there’s rly no reason. He’s just responding bcuz there’s a female body underneath his…yet 4 sum reason authors rly try 2 make her diff from all the other women he’s been with by saying he gets more aroused when there’s rly no reason 4 him 2. It’s an empty comment that’s doing nothing 4 me.
He’d call her the Queen of Sheba if it got her to come with him to England without fuss and botheration.
The Queen of Sheba? Seriously?
“Decide, child, decide now; do you live your life in fear, or do you take it like an orange and wring every last drop from it?”
Wow. Genuis how u twisted it around 2 fit the time…or I shud say the way u tried. Why didn’t u just say when life hands u lemons make lemonade? Jeeze, this is pathetic.
There was no reason to beat about the bush.
There she goes again. Just bcuz u changed it “around” to “about” doesn’t mean it’s historically accurate.
Grilling on his morals and character.
Grilling? They did not use the expression grilling in the 1800s.
Laila continued with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
They didn’t talk like that.
There were some semi-humorous situations, like when they 1st meet and he’s trying to avoid getting hurt by her&when Laila finds out he’s been in the war&asks if he was injured, looking at his crotch&he answers nothing vital. &the scene with Laila&Baxter was cute.
“We’ll cross the Omar Bridge when we come to it,” Baxter said.
Seriously? Ur having sum1 in the 1800s say we’ll cross that bridge when we come 2 it?
“And maybe,” Laila added thoughtfully, “it has something to do with their eyes. They make women think of rumbled beds and long, hot nights . . .” She caught Ayisha staring at her and added hastily. “Other women, not respectable ones like you and me . . .”
That was kinda funny, even tho they didn’t talk like that then.
After a while the whole resisting, securing a place for Ali&Laila&all the bargaining that went on got extremely old. It took way 2 long 2 get 2 England. &then Baxter makes a marriage arrangement “bcuz he doesnt want 2 buy sum1.” It was a stupid excuse& we were getting all sidetracked with their budding romance. More was happening with those 2 than the main characters.
“It would just be a practical arrangement,” he reminded her carefully. “No hearts and flowers.”
R u freakin kiddin me? No hearts&flowers? They didn’t have this terminology 4 love in the 1800s. U chose 2 do a historical book, u can’t put this crap in here.
He didn’t let her bring her old cat, but he bought her a kitten that needed twice as much care&attention. Okayy.
This author had the annoying habit of pointing out that the characters thought something, or decided something, every time they made a statement. For ex:
If she’d never met this man before, she’d still know he was a warrior, she thought as she sponged the big, hot, restless body.
He was big, she thought.
It wasn’t really that bad, he decided as he looked closer.
We know they’re the ones saying it, u don’t have 2 point it out like that, that they’re thinking, deciding etc. It’s rly annoying.
Here we were halfway thru the book, she still hadn’t gone 2 england, &the author thinks it’s a good time 2 make Rafe come down with a fever. The back of the book implied that the story was about her having a mistaken identity&secrets from her past arise when she goes 2 England…yet she just won’t go 2 England until the last little sliver of the book.
Every1 thinks it’s the bubonic plague&instead of getting off the boat 2 keep the other passengers from getting it she locks herself in the room with him&threatends any1 who tries 2 break down the door. That says a lot about the character that she wud risk every1s life on the boat just so she can try 2 save him. I’m sure the author meant it to be this heroic, selfless deed but it was just stupid&reckless.
He comes 2 the conclusion that they have 2 get married, bcuz they’ve been together 4 3 days in a room alone. He’s “delighted” &just all of a sudden wants 2 protect her, have her in his arms&in his bed. That just came out of nowhere. &I don’t like stupid circumstances where u have 2 get married bcuz of propriety instead of the actual desire 2 get married.
“Stand back, Higgins,” she snapped. “I’m going up on deck, and I’d hate to brush up against you by accident—”
“Miss?” Higgins stood back.
“Because then I’d probably have to marry you—” she finished.
“Oh, now you’re just being silly,” Rafe began.
“Which would suit me a—a damn sight better!” she concluded in a throbbing voice and ran off.
That wud have been better had she took all the dashes out of it and just said it straight out, but it was kinda funny.
On a couple of occasions Ayisha said “oh faugh.” Wth is that? That is so lame, as is this author’s writing.
The author throws 1 more wrench into the mix by bringing up this whole pointless scene about the piano lessons which didn’t serve 2 make me feel sorry 4 Ayisha at all. It was just pathetic.
Ayisha took long enuf 2 help out in the pirate attack, she just stood around&watched 4ever b4 she finally pitched in. &then when she did it was pathetic. She shot 2 ppl&then her pistols were empty, so she just started hitting ppl with the butts, “darting back and forth along the side of the ship, smashing pistol butts down hard on knuckles, hands and heads whenever they appeared over the side of the ship.”
Wuts up with authors who can’t manage 2 make the woman sound good when they’re using a weapon? Every single time a woman gets hold of a weapon I cringe in embarrassment bcuz the author makes them sound so stupid. Women just sound so helpless&idiotic when they’re pitching in with their makeshift weapons& just doing what they can. It’s completely pathetic.
Ayisha had been whacking people with the pistols, but all of a sudden she stabbed some1 in the neck. I was like what? She’s stabbing sum1 with a pistol? It wasn’t until the next page that the author deigned 2 mention Ayisha brought out a knife, which hadn’t been brought up since she left Cairo. Sloppy writing when u say the character stabbed sum1 w/o having her bring out a knife 1st.
She bashed and smashed at the hands and knuckles, thumped heads and occasionally smashed at the more persistent holders-on with her knife.
The holders-on? How…clever.
That sounded so absolutely stupid. The picture that leaves in my mind makes Ayisha look like a stupid idiot running around 2&fro and acting like a lunatic when she shud rly be fighting.
Ayisha jumps him, saying she knows what she wants. But then she says she doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Yet she opens his pants& says she knows what’s supposed 2 happen bcuz she’s heard about it. Does she know what’s gonna happen or duznt she? I mean seriously, u just freakin contradicted urself in the space of less than a page. U don’t tell us she duznt know&then proceed 2 have her act like a little hussy. Is she a virgin or a whore?
She narrowed her eyes right back at him, but in a seductive manner, and mrrowed again.
The cat looked at him seductively? Wtf?
Idk what’s more creepy, the thought of animals having seductive thoughts in their head as they stare at a sum1 or sum1 thinking a cat looks seductive.
She smiled sleepily at the sight of him talking so earnestly to the tiny creature.
“That smile’s a sight for sore eyes,” Rafe said.
Does the author realize a sight 4 sore eyes is a bad thing?
The author tended to get sidetracked&veer off in directions that we didn’t need 2 go in. It just diverted us from the plot, and I felt like it was at a standstill. After they have sex it’s the usual, predictable run of the mill lines the men say 2 the woman that every single romance author uses&so had no effect on me. Then we proceed with a scene where Ayisha is supposed 2 come clean about everything, but several times she bites back what she’s saying, like the last sliver of the book is the time 2 do that. &then the names of the ppl that died during the pirate attack r being read&the author comes up with these names that we’ve never heard of, giving stories along with them that we weren’t there 2 witness, so making it completely pointless.
She goes on&on about her thoughts, if it was right 2 tell him the truth, if it wasn’t, about his marriage proposal &the whole time I’m yelling SHUT UP! Get on with the freakin story&shut the freak up. She keeps goin on*on with these dumb thoughts that keep reiterating the same thing. Get to England already for the love of God.
He says that he’s only marrying her 4 proprieties sake&she’s like a tad put out by this, not even hurt rly. She says she shud refuse him. But then she goes&says that she won’t deny herself a lifetime of loving him&that she’ll love him more than he’d ever been loved in his life. She says she’ll be honored 2 marry him&thanks him. I was pissed enuf at the stupidity of that, of this total lack of pride in her, but when he goes&says “Excellent. For a moment there I thought you weren’t going to be sensible. Not that I would have accepted any other response,” he said in a brisk, businesslike voice. “We shall be married with at your grandma’s or at Axebridge. We shall decide when we get there.” &she starts 2 say “whatever you s—” that I was truly disgusted. I don’t c the appeal of having these chauvinistic, controlling men, esp when the women don’t stand up 2 them&just go along with it. It only serves 2 make me hate the characters.
I finally just had to skip ahead bcuz I was getting so impatient.
Ayisha overhears her gma&them talking, over which she shud be mad&se leaves, which was good, &leaves a letter, which is 1 more overused plot aspect that this author used. But neways, it cud’ve been good. But Ayisha mucks it up bcuz she’s so stupid. There’s no heated words, there’s no blaming, there’s nothing. Instead, she says she loves him 2 much 2 ruin him. She wants him 2 have a happy life&wants him 2 tell her gma she didn’t expect anything from her. Congratulations, u just wrote the worst goodbye letter ever.
Him searching 4 her was just tedious&boring. I’ve seen this situation done loads better&this author just cudn’t do it. It was pathetic.
We never got 2 her perspective 2 find out what was going on with her. Rafe kept looking 4 her&finally found her&that was the end of it. She wasn’t even hurt or didn’t even try 2 put him off 2 explain herself. He said he was thin bcuz he’d lost her&she says she was hungry 4 him &she says “then take me now, my love, for I need you, more than I can say.”
God, make me gag.
She says nothing is resolved between them but that she missed him&he apparently missed her 2, &that was enough. Idiot. I don’t like the weakness displayed in the women in every single freakin romance book. They can’t get past their yearnings 4 him that they put aside wut they shud be feeling just so they can have sex.
No matter where in the world they were, as long as she was in…his…arms…
What…is up… with that….?
“He was eating one of your pies…”
Why is that sentence trailing away? That sounded like an ending 2 me.
&then at the end the author falls back on 1 more cliché, the happily ever after ending. U c, it wasn’t enuf that Rafe&her gma accepted her. No, that wasn’t good enuf. At the end a lawyer pops out nowhere, having found this document stating that Ayisha’s dad married her mother. Well isn’t that just perfect?
2 rly get the happily ever after the church just had 2 be full of ppl&since she thought only her gma wud be sitting on the bride’s side naturally all of Rafe’s friends chose 2 sit on her side. How sweet. Then the author proceeds 2 give absolutely useless information, the names of ppl we’ve never heard of instead of just getting on with the wedding.
The thing about Laila hoping she’d found a stallion was mildly amusing. The last line was good, but I won’t read this again. I’d have no reason 2. Nothing was funny, nothing was sweet. It was a poor rendition of what better authors have done. I didn’t get a real sense of the characters&I didn’t like not a single 1 of them.
The historical inaccuracies were so annoying&plentiful I wanted to scream.
“snap him out of it.” “So get a grip on yourself.” “maniac.” “jabbers away in the native lingo.” “gutter Arabic.” “piss&vinegar.” “I wasn’t born yesterday.” “back to square one.” “to make ends meet.” “make fun of me.” “foster brother.” “How did Ali come into the picture?” “on the outskirts of town.” “It was not one of Gadi’s usual haunts.” “to where a couple of men stood, loitering unconvincingly.” “blood is thicker than water.” “toiletries.” “drawers (as in boxers.)” “no strings attached.” “put two and two together.” “silence u cud cut with a knife.” “seventh heaven.”
April 20, 2024
Better than the last book. So far, Anne Gracie is improving w every book in the series. At least in my opinion.
To avoid an unwanted betrothal, the Hero instead volunteers to help an old woman who wants to find her missing granddaughter. The mission takes him to Egypt where the child was last seen. He has an old sketch of the girl which he takes with him.
The heroine has been disguising herself as a boy to avoid the slavers who prey on young virgin girls. So far she has been successful with the help of a woman, who took her in and a little boy.
This story has a lot more adventure going for it because it takes the Hero time to convince the heroine to leave her beloved foster mother and foster brother. The resolution to this was quite cute.
It is not as straightforward as it seems. The heroine is hiding secrets which are slowly revealed as the story progresses.
Suffice it to say the couple fall in love, but all is not smooth, during their journey to England, and even the meeting with the grandmother is rocky.
However, it resolves itself well in the end for a happy ever after.
To avoid an unwanted betrothal, the Hero instead volunteers to help an old woman who wants to find her missing granddaughter. The mission takes him to Egypt where the child was last seen. He has an old sketch of the girl which he takes with him.
The heroine has been disguising herself as a boy to avoid the slavers who prey on young virgin girls. So far she has been successful with the help of a woman, who took her in and a little boy.
This story has a lot more adventure going for it because it takes the Hero time to convince the heroine to leave her beloved foster mother and foster brother. The resolution to this was quite cute.
It is not as straightforward as it seems. The heroine is hiding secrets which are slowly revealed as the story progresses.
Suffice it to say the couple fall in love, but all is not smooth, during their journey to England, and even the meeting with the grandmother is rocky.
However, it resolves itself well in the end for a happy ever after.
May 26, 2018
Anche 3 stelline e 1/2
La prima parte, ambientata in Egitto è interessante, originale e avvincente.
La seconda parte, canonicamente piatta e prevedibile. La fine, "che noia, che barba, che noia". Ma almeno non ci sono gravidanze ad ammorbare ulteriormente l'aria.
La prima parte, ambientata in Egitto è interessante, originale e avvincente.
La seconda parte, canonicamente piatta e prevedibile. La fine, "che noia, che barba, che noia". Ma almeno non ci sono gravidanze ad ammorbare ulteriormente l'aria.
November 7, 2017
leído en Agost 2011
July 10, 2014
This is one hell of an interesting story ^^.As always I loved the book, not surprising from Anne Gracie.
Mostly I loved Ayisha, she was a most beloved heroin, brave, bold, fierce, loyal, and totally in love, but mostly I felt sorry for her and proud of her how she stod up to evrything and accepted every bit of a problem. And Rafe was amazing too, but like some of the reviews I read he was a total thick-head when it came to talking with Ayisha, he always fund the wrong thing t say. At least he fixed that problem at the end. But I kinda sympathizes with him at the beginning, cause I knew how it feels, when your family decides everything without even your knowledge are your obviously expected to succumb to their orders.
There is one thing that matched a book in this series, its when she came to save him from the pirates, how he felt after that, was like the first book with Gabe and Callie. And thankfully there was a minor touch of a side love story with Laila and Baxter, though I would have loved to know more about them, or it would have been perfect if they were at her wedding.
Loved the scene when she called him a pervert XD. The cat on Rafe's chest while threatening wake Ayisha up. The sleeping arrangement in the cabin, floor,bed,bed floor. Yeah and of course how Higgins kept interrupting. Some of Laila's scenes were funny too, but all her scenes were good, I just loved her as a character. But I was a lot disappointed with the grandma, I expected a great heartwarming reunion,and the grandma embracing her without caring that shes illegitimate not disgracing her right away. Like Rafe I was a bit shocked about his brother and all, kinda like how Harry Was with Marcus unexpected acceptance in the previous book.
Overall, *thumps up*
Mostly I loved Ayisha, she was a most beloved heroin, brave, bold, fierce, loyal, and totally in love, but mostly I felt sorry for her and proud of her how she stod up to evrything and accepted every bit of a problem. And Rafe was amazing too, but like some of the reviews I read he was a total thick-head when it came to talking with Ayisha, he always fund the wrong thing t say. At least he fixed that problem at the end. But I kinda sympathizes with him at the beginning, cause I knew how it feels, when your family decides everything without even your knowledge are your obviously expected to succumb to their orders.
There is one thing that matched a book in this series, its when she came to save him from the pirates, how he felt after that, was like the first book with Gabe and Callie. And thankfully there was a minor touch of a side love story with Laila and Baxter, though I would have loved to know more about them, or it would have been perfect if they were at her wedding.
Loved the scene when she called him a pervert XD. The cat on Rafe's chest while threatening wake Ayisha up. The sleeping arrangement in the cabin, floor,bed,bed floor. Yeah and of course how Higgins kept interrupting. Some of Laila's scenes were funny too, but all her scenes were good, I just loved her as a character. But I was a lot disappointed with the grandma, I expected a great heartwarming reunion,and the grandma embracing her without caring that shes illegitimate not disgracing her right away. Like Rafe I was a bit shocked about his brother and all, kinda like how Harry Was with Marcus unexpected acceptance in the previous book.
Overall, *thumps up*
November 29, 2021
England, December 1817 :
Rafe Ramsey, a former soldier, assigned himself a new mission to escape his engagement with Lady Lavinia. The mission required him to go to Egypt to find and fetch Mrs. Cleeve's granddaughter, Alicia Cleeve, whom she believed to be dead. It was the perfect excuse to delay a dreaded marriage of convenience—head off on an exotic journey to track down a young lady missing in Egypt for six years. The only way to recognize Alicia was a painting of her from six years ago.
Cairo, Egypt, 1818:
The story starts in Cairo, Egypt. While Rafe was going on with his mission, he noticed someone was following him. So he set up a trap. That leads him to catch a young boy, Ali, who came to steal the picture of Alicia. But he wasn't the person he expected. Later that night another young boy came to his house. Fighting with him, Rafe realized it was a girl. Shockingly he came to realize, this girl was Alicia Cleeve, whom he was searching all around Cairo.
This book is full of plot twists, secrets, and lovely characters. Though Rafe found Alicia exactly the same girl as the picture and only older, she insisted that Alicia was dead and there was only Ayisha. Rafe agreed to call her Ayisha, but in public it will be Miss Cleeve, Rafe warned. Ayisha was surrounded by people who loved her, but still with secrets. And now it was Rafe's job to give her enough protection and take her with him to England.
I picked it up because it was set in Egypt. After Egypt part, the book continued on a return ship to England. So England part was very little. But that little part also has some heart-wrenching moments.
Overall, it was a lovely read ❤
Rafe Ramsey, a former soldier, assigned himself a new mission to escape his engagement with Lady Lavinia. The mission required him to go to Egypt to find and fetch Mrs. Cleeve's granddaughter, Alicia Cleeve, whom she believed to be dead. It was the perfect excuse to delay a dreaded marriage of convenience—head off on an exotic journey to track down a young lady missing in Egypt for six years. The only way to recognize Alicia was a painting of her from six years ago.
Cairo, Egypt, 1818:
The story starts in Cairo, Egypt. While Rafe was going on with his mission, he noticed someone was following him. So he set up a trap. That leads him to catch a young boy, Ali, who came to steal the picture of Alicia. But he wasn't the person he expected. Later that night another young boy came to his house. Fighting with him, Rafe realized it was a girl. Shockingly he came to realize, this girl was Alicia Cleeve, whom he was searching all around Cairo.
This book is full of plot twists, secrets, and lovely characters. Though Rafe found Alicia exactly the same girl as the picture and only older, she insisted that Alicia was dead and there was only Ayisha. Rafe agreed to call her Ayisha, but in public it will be Miss Cleeve, Rafe warned. Ayisha was surrounded by people who loved her, but still with secrets. And now it was Rafe's job to give her enough protection and take her with him to England.
I picked it up because it was set in Egypt. After Egypt part, the book continued on a return ship to England. So England part was very little. But that little part also has some heart-wrenching moments.
Overall, it was a lovely read ❤
April 5, 2013
To Catch A Bride is the third addition in the Devil Riders Series. I have to say that every time I read from this author, I have enjoyed her immensely. There is something unique to the way she puts together a story. This story was a little bit different than the others I have read from her so far. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. When I read the blurb, it sounds interesting, but I had hoped I would be able to get into the story. When I started reading To Catch A Bride, it took a few chapters, but after that I was able to be fully entranced into the story. There was quite a bit of development on the character side of things. Rafe, is splendid and magnificent and doesn't shy away from anything. He can be very bold and daring when he needs to be. There was something so charming about Rafe, I found him to be a very likeable character. Ayisha could be endearing at times and had some charming qualities, but I found her to be a bit lacking. But for the most part, Ayisha could be a character that you find yourself able to relate to on any level. She has flaws but she also is spirited and lively at times, and there certain times when I was cheering her on. The plot did have some elements of adventure and intigue that can hold you to your seat. This story is a very lively ride with elements to the story that could be deeply emotional and riveting. A fantastic read that will warm your heart.
August 5, 2010
To Catch a Bride left me smiling and eager to pick up another Anne Gracie novel.
Rafe Ramsey, son of an earl, has some issues with the marriage his brother has arranged for him. So he volunteers to track down an elderly woman's missing granddaughter who, conveniently, is thought to be in Egypt, far from his family and bride-to-be.
Ayisha Cleeve's parents died of the plague when she was thirteen, leaving her to a hard life on the streets. Her father was an Englishman, but fears of being discovered and sold by slave traders kept her from seeking aid from her countryman; instead, she disguised herself as a boy and lived as an urchin. She is a grown woman, but still hiding her true nature as a grubby boy, when Rafe comes searching for her.
But when he finds her, she must evade his determined efforts to take her to her waiting grandmother. She has secrets that make their plans impossible.
Ayisha is a compelling heroine: smart, brave, loving, and independent, yet missing out on much of what life could offer. Rafe has his own emotional scars, wounds that the bright Ayisha can help heal. It was easy to cheer on their romance. Both of them, but Ayisha in particular, deserved love and happiness. I enjoyed watching them find it--enough to even read straight through an overly relaxed ending.
Rafe Ramsey, son of an earl, has some issues with the marriage his brother has arranged for him. So he volunteers to track down an elderly woman's missing granddaughter who, conveniently, is thought to be in Egypt, far from his family and bride-to-be.
Ayisha Cleeve's parents died of the plague when she was thirteen, leaving her to a hard life on the streets. Her father was an Englishman, but fears of being discovered and sold by slave traders kept her from seeking aid from her countryman; instead, she disguised herself as a boy and lived as an urchin. She is a grown woman, but still hiding her true nature as a grubby boy, when Rafe comes searching for her.
But when he finds her, she must evade his determined efforts to take her to her waiting grandmother. She has secrets that make their plans impossible.
Ayisha is a compelling heroine: smart, brave, loving, and independent, yet missing out on much of what life could offer. Rafe has his own emotional scars, wounds that the bright Ayisha can help heal. It was easy to cheer on their romance. Both of them, but Ayisha in particular, deserved love and happiness. I enjoyed watching them find it--enough to even read straight through an overly relaxed ending.
October 7, 2014
I love the plot so much.
Rafe runs from his domineering brother and accepted the request of an old woman to find her grandaughter in Egypt. It's different than the usual novels that started in London and ended in London, where the moment you read the first 3 chapters you already know the ending.
Ms. Gracie made a very fine heroine on Ayisha, very smart, brave and kindhearted girl who disguised herself as a boy to survive the slums in Cairo, who could kill anyone who will hurt her loved ones, even forgot herself to fought pirates! imagine that, too invincible but its the way of fictions right?
And their love story is so sweet with less drama. Rafe is so cute while convincing Ayisha to marry him, so cute that he doesn't want to propose the proper way, so besotted and doesnt want to admit it.
I loved the story, so much that I suffered headache and red eyes on my way to work. I only slept 2 hours Goarshhh!
Rafe runs from his domineering brother and accepted the request of an old woman to find her grandaughter in Egypt. It's different than the usual novels that started in London and ended in London, where the moment you read the first 3 chapters you already know the ending.
Ms. Gracie made a very fine heroine on Ayisha, very smart, brave and kindhearted girl who disguised herself as a boy to survive the slums in Cairo, who could kill anyone who will hurt her loved ones, even forgot herself to fought pirates! imagine that, too invincible but its the way of fictions right?
And their love story is so sweet with less drama. Rafe is so cute while convincing Ayisha to marry him, so cute that he doesn't want to propose the proper way, so besotted and doesnt want to admit it.
I loved the story, so much that I suffered headache and red eyes on my way to work. I only slept 2 hours Goarshhh!
February 24, 2011
Not bad but nothing particularly outstanding about it. Romance was not terribly interesting. I did enjoy the slices of Egyptian street life, realistic or not. I wish that the book had been about the secondary characters John Baxter and Lailia, they were much more interesting and fun than the leads. The mystery and drama were yawwnnnn. They would tell each other everything except one thing. After the third time this happened and turned out okay, you think they'd have learned to just be freakin' honest with eachother for once. A relationship built on unnecessary deception (lies that are not plot-critical) is not one I find very romantic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2014
Great story with likable characters.
August 2, 2015
This is really a 3.5 rating but I enjoy this author, hence the 4 stars. The biggest flaw is with the main male character as he has no personality. He was very one dimensional and boring.
March 30, 2018
“Finché morte non ci separi.” Rafe sentì freddo fin nel midollo. Poteva fare una promessa del genere? Non a lady Lavinia. Non dopo quanto aveva appreso ad Axebridge. Ci sarebbe mai riuscito? E cosa importava? In ogni caso, lui non era capace di provare amore. Non lo era mai stato. Non era come Gabe, che aveva sempre preso l’amore come un gioco, finché non si era perdutamente innamorato di Callie. E non era come Harry che si era innamorato due volte, la prima in modo disastroso, tanto che non gli importava più neppure di vivere o morire. Adesso era all’altare e contemplava la sua sposa. Un uomo completamente trasformato. Rafe non l’aveva capito allora e non lo capiva adesso. Lui non si era mai innamorato in quel modo, neppure una volta in ventotto anni di vita, neppure per un’ora, ed era improbabile che gli accadesse alla sua età.”
Cinque reduci di ritorno dalla guerra, amici da anni, sono i protagonisti della serie Devil Riders, romanzi che hanno storie autoconclusive in cui però riappaiono i personaggi dei libri precedenti. Nelle prime pagine ci ritroviamo ad assistere al matrimonio fra Harry e Nell, protagonisti del libro “Lady dei desideri”, alla presenza di tutti i loro amici e con un Rafe furibondo. Figlio secondogenito di un conte, Rafe, non è stato particolarmente fortunato. Dopo la prematura morte della madre, il padre tutto dedito al primogenito ed erede, lo ha ignorato, prima mandandolo a vivere con la nonna e poi mettendolo in collegio. Le sue vacanze le ha sempre passate nelle case dei suoi amici, ed è tornato nella tenuta di famiglia, Axebridge, solo al termine degli studi, per scoprire che il padre gli ha comprato i gradi dell’esercito e la sua partenza è prevista per lo stesso giorno. Axebridge non è mai stata una casa per lui e il fratello maggiore è praticamente uno sconosciuto, ma ora il nuovo conte ha bisogno di lui. La donna scelta dal padre prima della sua morte, per ricchezza e lignaggio, si è rivelata sterile e perciò spetta a Rafe procurare un erede al fratello. Anche la futura sposa è stata scelta: lady Lavinia, una donna che ha stipulato con il conte un patto scellerato che Rafe non intende assolutamente rispettare. Per questo, quando al matrimonio si trova vicino ad una vecchia amica dell’amata nonna, che vuole ritrovare la nipote che non ha mai visto e che si trova in Egitto, Rafe coglie l’occasione per andarsene e riflettere sul suo futuro, accettando di ritrovarla. Rintracciare Ayisha non è difficile, ma convincere la giovane donna a seguirlo in Inghilterra,non è facile e il lungo avventuroso viaggio, convincerà Rafe di avere finalmente trovato la donna delle sua vita. Nel passato di Ayisha, però, si nasconde un grande segreto…
Due forti personalità che si scontrano, Ayisha ha dovuto imparare a vivere in un mondo ostile, aiutata dalle sole due persone che ne conoscono l’identità. Pur se felice di vedere l’Inghilterra, che suo padre le ha sempre descritto, sa bene che se il suo segreto venisse rivelato, sua nonna non l’accetterebbe. Si lascia dunque convincere a partire, solo quando Rafe aiuta i suoi amici a rifarsi una vita, allontanandoli dalla povertà. Il giovane non capisce le sue reticenze nell’accettare di andare a vivere con una nonna ricca e sola, che renderebbe la sua vita facile e piacevole, e inizialmente, è intenzionato a scortarla e niente più. Ma una volta a bordo, fra malattie e pirati, Ayisha si rivela essere una donna unica e sorprendente. E Rafe, per la prima volta sente di provare sentimenti che non ha mai conosciuto.
Una scrittura molto interessante quella di Anne Gracie, che crea sempre personaggi femminili di grande spessore, ben lontane delle pavide damine del bon ton. Anche le scene passionali sono ben scritte e intriganti. La trama risulta varia e interessante. Non è però il libro più riuscito della serie ma un romance discreto che regala ore di relax.
Lucia63 - per RFS
Cinque reduci di ritorno dalla guerra, amici da anni, sono i protagonisti della serie Devil Riders, romanzi che hanno storie autoconclusive in cui però riappaiono i personaggi dei libri precedenti. Nelle prime pagine ci ritroviamo ad assistere al matrimonio fra Harry e Nell, protagonisti del libro “Lady dei desideri”, alla presenza di tutti i loro amici e con un Rafe furibondo. Figlio secondogenito di un conte, Rafe, non è stato particolarmente fortunato. Dopo la prematura morte della madre, il padre tutto dedito al primogenito ed erede, lo ha ignorato, prima mandandolo a vivere con la nonna e poi mettendolo in collegio. Le sue vacanze le ha sempre passate nelle case dei suoi amici, ed è tornato nella tenuta di famiglia, Axebridge, solo al termine degli studi, per scoprire che il padre gli ha comprato i gradi dell’esercito e la sua partenza è prevista per lo stesso giorno. Axebridge non è mai stata una casa per lui e il fratello maggiore è praticamente uno sconosciuto, ma ora il nuovo conte ha bisogno di lui. La donna scelta dal padre prima della sua morte, per ricchezza e lignaggio, si è rivelata sterile e perciò spetta a Rafe procurare un erede al fratello. Anche la futura sposa è stata scelta: lady Lavinia, una donna che ha stipulato con il conte un patto scellerato che Rafe non intende assolutamente rispettare. Per questo, quando al matrimonio si trova vicino ad una vecchia amica dell’amata nonna, che vuole ritrovare la nipote che non ha mai visto e che si trova in Egitto, Rafe coglie l’occasione per andarsene e riflettere sul suo futuro, accettando di ritrovarla. Rintracciare Ayisha non è difficile, ma convincere la giovane donna a seguirlo in Inghilterra,non è facile e il lungo avventuroso viaggio, convincerà Rafe di avere finalmente trovato la donna delle sua vita. Nel passato di Ayisha, però, si nasconde un grande segreto…
Due forti personalità che si scontrano, Ayisha ha dovuto imparare a vivere in un mondo ostile, aiutata dalle sole due persone che ne conoscono l’identità. Pur se felice di vedere l’Inghilterra, che suo padre le ha sempre descritto, sa bene che se il suo segreto venisse rivelato, sua nonna non l’accetterebbe. Si lascia dunque convincere a partire, solo quando Rafe aiuta i suoi amici a rifarsi una vita, allontanandoli dalla povertà. Il giovane non capisce le sue reticenze nell’accettare di andare a vivere con una nonna ricca e sola, che renderebbe la sua vita facile e piacevole, e inizialmente, è intenzionato a scortarla e niente più. Ma una volta a bordo, fra malattie e pirati, Ayisha si rivela essere una donna unica e sorprendente. E Rafe, per la prima volta sente di provare sentimenti che non ha mai conosciuto.
Una scrittura molto interessante quella di Anne Gracie, che crea sempre personaggi femminili di grande spessore, ben lontane delle pavide damine del bon ton. Anche le scene passionali sono ben scritte e intriganti. La trama risulta varia e interessante. Non è però il libro più riuscito della serie ma un romance discreto che regala ore di relax.
Lucia63 - per RFS
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