Lord Braybrook's Penniless Bride

The Blakehurst-Braybrook Series #3

by Elizabeth Rolls

Miss Christiana Daventry will do whatever it takes to keep from being thrown out on the streets—even accept the insufferably attractive Lord Braybrook's proposition!

Julian Trentham, Viscount Braybrook, urgently needs to hire a governess and companion, and Christy is conveniently available. Headstrong, with charmingly mismatched eyes and soft tawny hair, Christy is unlike any woman he has ever encountered. But there is something so deliciously endearing about her that Julian quickly forgets how scandalous it would be to give in to the mounting attraction for his penniless governess….

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Harlequin, Fiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

We live in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, in a beautiful lush valley full of apple, pear and cherry orchards. We moved here a couple of years back, escaping from the city and it’s just gorgeous. The property is small, only five acres, but we have room for two small noisy boys, three dogs, two cats and several woolly things masquerading a environmentally friendly lawnmowers. Before that we lived in Melbourne, which was fun, but we always wanted to live in the country and now we do.


I’ve been married to an ex-nuclear physicist – don’t ask! for the last 17 years and we have two rowdy little boys, commonly described as “feral”. Most of our friends think we have far too many animals, and everyone knows we have far too many books.I grew up moving around a fair bit. Dad was in the army and every few years we had to up sticks and move on. I was born in England, expelled from kindergarten in Melbourne, started school in Papua New Guinea and finished school in Melbourne. After taking a degree in Music Education I taught music for several years while my husband finished his Ph.D.


How I started writing
I had the writing bug from a very early age. From the time I could read I loved writing stories. Throughout my school days I was nearly always writing something very quietly, and there were several teachers who encouraged me. One student teacher, whose name I have totally forgotten, when I was in sixth grade, as well as a couple of high school English teachers, Mrs Redman and Mrs Mackay.


I started writing my first book after I finished my Masters degree. For one thing I really, really missed my thesis. I’d enjoyed researching it, and I loved writing it. So it seems inevitable now that when I was looking for something to do in the evenings to unwind after work, I started writing again.


I’d been staying with an old school friend. Meg is a fellow Georgette Heyer fan, and she had a very large collection of Regencies on her bookshelves. Well, that was an eye-opener. I’d had no idea anyone else apart from Heyer had actually written them. By the time I went home I had an idea floating around in my brain and I sat down and roughed out some sort of chapter plan. Then I started typing. Six months later I had a story with a beginning a middle and an end which I sent to Meg. After a great deal of talking, she persuaded me to send it off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After doing the rounds of all three editorial offices and undergoing a major rewrite and extension while I was about seven months pregnant with the second small noisy boy, it was accepted for publication and published as The Unexpected Bride.


Most of my writing friends have threatened to lynch me over that story at one time or another. Personally I envy them for having learnt an enormous amount about writing and the industry before acquiring an editor who understandably expects you to know what you are doing.

Reviews

[Vintage]

Overall really enjoyed this book although it had more realism in the nature of the hero and his complacency over his lofty station in life that I wanted to read at this time.

The heroine is a great character, strong, intelligent with a sense of innate honor. The H’s stepmother is great as well with a sense of humor and not enough on page presence unfortunately. The H is less than.

The hero is reflective of his time period, rank, position, and sex. His smug sense of entitlement is epic, and suddenly I’m thinking of King Charles.
Let me count the ways he disappoints:

1. Cold-bloodedly offers the heroine a mistress position.

2. Can’t figure out why the nice gentleman want to marry his pretty stepmother with a sense of humor since she’s in a wheelchair, won’t get her dowry, and can’t bear any more children. He finally figures it out…oh yeah, the guy loves her.

3. Reminds the heroine to the bitter end that breeding counts down to the part where he’s embarrassed she wants to keep the mutt she saved.

His redemption or change came very, very late in the book, and I fear he will be cheating in a year or two as the entitlement and arrogance is just too innate.

Other issues are a couple of characters that seem important and vanish: the H's sister that the h's worthless brother was wooing. Plus I would have liked a little more comeuppance on the creepy friend and the local OW wannabe.

Another book that makes me glad I live in the modern era.

[Ana María]

Hasta la mitad bien, un vizconde muy clasista que se encuentra con una mujer con carácter pero sin estatus social pero que le pone los puntos sobre las íes. Pero la segunda mitad me resultó confusa, traída de los pelos y con desarrollo pobre. Quedan cabos sueltos, como qué pasó con los hermanos de ambos.
Por la primera parte serían tres o cuatro estrella, pero quedamos con dos por el promedio.

[Nabilah]

I'm awarding this book five stars simply for the feels!

[Melanie (Moviemavengal)]

I devoured this book. It's more of a 4 and a half star book. It has been a while since I stayed up so late reading a book and got quite teary-eyed in parts. The ending was a little weak for me, but thank God there was no birth epilogue at least. I also really appreciated the evolution of their sexual relationship. All was not fireworks and ecstasy from the very beginning, which I found much more realistic in a couple just learning how to be intimate just in talking with each other. The misunderstandings were grounded in reality, and not contrived trifles.

[Eliza]

too cutesy

[Esra]

Bundan önceki kitabın çevirisini gördükten sonra korkmuştum okumaya ama korkularım boşunaymış :D Lord Braybrook'u önceki kitaplardan merak ediyordum, canım yaa çok sevdim kendisini :D Kitabı da beğendim, hatta seride en çok bunu sevdim diyebilirim :)

[Melissa]

I had a nice long review here on why i didn't finish, but goodreads erased it. To sum it up the book bored me, the hero pissed me off, and the author was writing like bad fanfiction.

[A]

I was willing to overlook the excessive description of the country air, birdsong, etc. as well as the serious want of conflict because I liked the characters. Julian is more-or-less standard, as far as heroes are concerned, but opposite Christy, he charmed me. Unfortunately, Christy loses her defining characteristic--that is, her spark--and her agency immediately after their wedding. I realize she feels indebted to Julian and anyone would feel more vulnerable naked than clothed in a half-dozen unflattering layers, but I expected a little more fight. She managed to tell Julian that she lacked the sexual experience to satisfy him after she'd refused to be his mistress, so surely she could muster the strength to tell him she wasn't too sore for sex a couple days into their honeymoon. Worse yet, Elizabeth Rolls decided to resolve their sudden communication issues with a near-death experience and though I like the fact that Christy saves herself (and a dog), I can't say I appreciated the cliché. The issues of legitimacy, social disparities, and predictably, guardianship of Nan Roberts were more than enough to drive the story. In fact, I'd hoped Christy would have to contend with a little social backlash, but instead, the characters faded to the backdrop in favour of a conflict that most of us have seen before.

[Brian Sirith]

You know the rude hero that snaps at the heroine for no good reason because he's got a chip on his shoulder? Meet the female version.

Christy was not strong, she was rude, annoying, frosty and presumed the worst every single time. I'm sorry for the class disparity and all the unfairness in the world but its not all the heroes fault you know.

B-!

Now realism wise... suuuuure a governess would go about snapping at lords and dukes and all the aristocracy and get away with it cause she married a viscount. And then adopt a bastard and all is peachy. She's not the queen, you know. No one would take that kind of crap. Its not that she's not justified at times, but her manner is horrid.

I'd love if she were smart and found a way to put some people that deserved it down and found a reasonable way to deal with Nan's issue. But her way is "I hate you all! I want THIS! I have no idea or care or understanding of the consequences but f- you! And I don't even look for a reasonable plan cause I want what I want as I want it! And f- you again!"

[Patricia Burroughs]

I picked this up (or rather, downloaded it to my Kindle) because I noticed it was nominated for a Rita this year for Best Regency Romance and was frankly simply curious. The story was strong and the hero and heroine both had to grow and change. I like that the hero was very much of his time and had the prejudices and expectations of a man of his position.

[Hopefulpuffin]

I enjoyed this one. It started with a traditional plot, had a twist that could have been something more than what it turned out to be.

I will say, it was almost two different books. It began with snappy dialogue between the H & h and moved to melodrama in the second half. I wish there was more closure regarding the H's eldest sister.

Certainly better than many I've read lately.

[Elizabeth]

I do like Elizabeth Rolls love scenes.

[HÜLYA]

Ana ve babaların suçlarını evlatlar çekermiş ne kadar da doğru bir deyim..Özellikle Hanımeli Kokusu'na cuk diyede uymuştu..
Christina Daventry 'de gayri meşru bir çocuk olmayı seçemezdi ki..Kardeşi Harry Daventry ile bir dükün gayri meşru çocuğu idiler..

Kimse ana ve babasını seçme lüksüne sahip değil di..Ama Chtisty'in oğlan kardeşinin niyeti asilzade bir kız ile evlenip köşeyi dönmekti..Sonu ne olursa olsun..Gözüne Lord Julian Trentam'ın üvey kız kardeşi Alicia'yı gözüne kestirmişti..Kendisini zengin bir asilzade olarak göstermişti..Ama şüphelenen Julian onun evinde bir kadın yaşadığını duymuştu..
O yüzden eve aniden gidip kendi gözleri ile görmeye karar verdi...
Evde Harry'nin kız kardeşi Christy ile karşılaştı..Aslında bu iki genç insan ilk gördüklerinde birbirlerinden etkilendiler...Chrsty kardeşinin bu ölçüsüz davranışalarından,bencilliğinden çok rahatsızdı..Amam maddi bakımdan çok kötü durumdaydı..Bulunduğu evi kardeşinin bencilliği yüzünden bir hafta içinde boşaltması gerekiyordu..
Ummadığı yardım eli ve işbirliği Julan'dan geldi onun evinde üvey annesine rfakat edecek ve kardeşlerine mürebbiyelik yapacaktı..
her şey çok iyidi ama Julian bu genç kadından fazlası ile etkileniyordu..Christy ise şahsen yaşadığı acı tecrübelerden bir asilzade ile yakınlaşmanın nelere mal olacağını çok iyi biliyordu...
Yaşanan olaylar onları hiç ummadıkları bir şekilde bir birine itecekti...

Çok severek okudum..Tavsiye ederim...

[Seema]

This was a fairly nice book with some complex characters. Christy, the illegitimate daughter of a Duke finds a position as a governess with Lord Braybrook's family. Julian is attracted to Christy and ends up marrying her. The second half was about overcoming his scruples about having a marriage of convenience. The story highlights the plight of women who were abandoned by rich and married aristocrats leaving behind illegitimate children who had to make their place in a society which condemned them for their birth.

[Janet]

A wealthy viscount and a penniless governess -- isn't that the biggest Regency cliche going: but Rolls makes it fresh. Also liked the closer-than-usual view of the ramifications of illegitimacy. Slight problem: time was a bit fluid -- one example, they went from engaged to married seemingly in a page. But that's minor.

[Natasha den Dekker]

Yes yes I know.

It happened because my boyfriend and I had to go to the laundrette and I didn't have a book with me, so had to raid the laundrette bookshelf. This was the best they had - that wasn't Readers Digest or a book about golf. It was passable I suppose.

And yet, yet *still better* than 50 Shades of Grey. Truth.

[Rose]

The hero was very disappointing. He started out so promising, and then he propositions the heroine, who being a good person, will have none of it. So disappointed in him!
The story otherwise could have been quite good.

[Jasmine]

Best storyline

Started out as a regular story but ends up with a love recognized because both parties finally own up to not being able to breathe the air in not acknowledging this shared feeling

[Vanessa]

A few minor quibbles, this was really enjoyable as a regency.

[SM]

3.5

Not great, not bad.
Hero was a bit insensitive.
After marriage both hero and heroine behaved weirdly and story felt to be dragging.

[Beebs]

It started fairly strong with a somewhat interesting premise: MMC decides to hire FMC as his stepmother's companion, because FMC is the sister of the ne'er-do-well who's trying to convince MMC's sister to marry him, and he wants to discourage her without forbidding her so she'll think it's her choice.

Actually that's convoluted. Anyway, [SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT WATCH OUT], turns out FMC and her bro are actually illegitimate children of a duke, and illegitimacy, mistresses, illegitimate children, even illegitimate dogs become a theme in this disjointed story.

Thing is, the main part of the story is told when things come to a head with FMC's bro, MMC's sis, MMC, FMC, and a villain who just sort of disappears into the ether after his part is played... the sis and the bro end up breaking it off because of said illegitimacy, and MMC, after a shit ton of persuasion, convinces FMC to marry him.

This is where it really falls apart. I'm not sure why, because the story was really told, but the author decided to come up with some drama to extend this story and the last lie 30% of the story is just the main couple having miscommunication after miscommunication, some bad sex, more miscommunication, pride, assholish behavior, etc. and the MMC transformed from a pretty standard alphahole-lite with a few issues and a nasty madonna/whore complex, into a completely unlikable, assholeish, bigoted, straightlaced, woman-hating uncommunicative, rejecting jerk who would normally be the fortunately dead 1st husband the heroine was forced to marry who exists only to make the hero shine better. Bad at sex, bad at comforting, bad at everything, know-it-all, stubborn, just nope.

And the rest of the book also features not one but two rescued offspring of dubious parentage- a dog and a little girl. We don't know exactly what happens to the dog because he disappears once his role as plot-device is over, but the girl's story presumably turns out okay.


Eh just a mess.

[Helycand]

Inizialmente sembra interessante, ma poi le dinamiche si rivelano abbastanza scontate, anche le personalità dei personaggi, ovviamente prima si detestano e poi si amano, lui che sembra infame ma poi è un pezzo di pane, lei che sembra frigida ma poi è "Vida loca", le scene "interessanti" per questo genere di libro non sono abbastanza interessanti, e giusto qualcosa verso la fine. Molte faccende drammatiche e serie, di cui al lettore poco importa. Nel suo piccolo intrattiene ma diciamo che si può leggere di meglio

[Darlene]

I liked the story and I enjoyed the characters, but I could barely read it because of the constant back-and-forth switching of POV. Within the same scene we'd jump from head to head and it made the narrative confusing and unnecessarily distracting. This is a shame, because I've enjoyed other Regency romances by Ms. Rolls and I don't recall them having this issue, or perhaps not to this degree. I'll continue to read her work and hope this was a one-off.

[GG]

The basic story is wonderful. I almost felt worse for Julian, who I liked from the previous two books, then I did for Christy. And her life was difficult at best, with her rogue of a brother. There was a lot to like. An epilogue would have been very nice. However it is very steamy, too steamy for me.

[Georgina]

3.5 Stars
This was an interesting read. It probably should have been about 20 pages shorter.

I liked that some of my guesses were good, while others were way off the mark.

The author did a great job incorporating the pets and the children.

[Gail]

PBS- new author

[Desi]

Leído en Junio 2010

[Fernanda Abreu]

Very fast read, excellent writing, not much of a plot though but kept me curious and interested for the hea.

[Dee]

Very dry reading. Only got about 18 pages in, couldn't find an interest to draw me, sadly. And I usually do like these books quite well, too! DNF.

[HistoricalHussy]

3.5