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The Bride Thief
HAS ENGLAND’S MOST INFAMOUS BRIDE THIEF FINALLY MET HIS MATCH?
At six-and-twenty, Samantha Briggeham knew her marital prospects were fading by the season and she was pleased by the thought. She had no intention of being betrothed–especially against her will–to a man she did not love. She had a plan...and it didn’t include being swept into a pair of powerful arms and spirited away by a masked rider. News of Sammie’s heroic rescue from undesired wedlock turned her into the toast of the ton, wooed by suitors far and wide. But she couldn’t forget the swashbuckling brigand who’d abducted her–something about him intrigued her completely. Then she met Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
His exploits were legendary, his life filled with danger. He was the elusive Bride Thief , who had his own reasons for helping young women escape the unhappy fate of arranged marriages, and whose true identity was a scrupulously guarded secret. But from the moment he rescued Sammie–only to discover she’d already managed to get herself un-betrothed–Eric knew he couldn’t lose her a second time. Marriage was out of the question. Which left only one A clandestine affair that might lead to scandal, social ruin, and the unmasking of a love-bested legend. . .
From the Paperback edition.
At six-and-twenty, Samantha Briggeham knew her marital prospects were fading by the season and she was pleased by the thought. She had no intention of being betrothed–especially against her will–to a man she did not love. She had a plan...and it didn’t include being swept into a pair of powerful arms and spirited away by a masked rider. News of Sammie’s heroic rescue from undesired wedlock turned her into the toast of the ton, wooed by suitors far and wide. But she couldn’t forget the swashbuckling brigand who’d abducted her–something about him intrigued her completely. Then she met Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
His exploits were legendary, his life filled with danger. He was the elusive Bride Thief , who had his own reasons for helping young women escape the unhappy fate of arranged marriages, and whose true identity was a scrupulously guarded secret. But from the moment he rescued Sammie–only to discover she’d already managed to get herself un-betrothed–Eric knew he couldn’t lose her a second time. Marriage was out of the question. Which left only one A clandestine affair that might lead to scandal, social ruin, and the unmasking of a love-bested legend. . .
From the Paperback edition.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
30 people are currently reading
1114 people want to read
About the author
Jacquie D'Alessandro
121 books420 followersJacquie D'Alessandro grew up on Long Island and fell in love with romance at an early age. She dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When Joe, her hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and driving a Volkswagen, but she recognized him anyway. They married after they both graduated from Hofstra University, and are now living their happily-ever-after in Atlanta, Georgia, along with their very bright and active son, Christopher, alias "Junior", who is a dashing rogue in the making.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
February 2, 2009
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Bride Thief was a delightful read in so many ways. It was utterly romantic, as sweet as the honey Samantha used in her hand creams, and frequently made me laugh out loud. This story was a fun, fairy-tale fantasy with an eccentric, plain-Jane spinster heroine who finds her hero in the form of a man who carries off would-be brides from unwanted arranged marriages. The Bride Thief was a charming tale that had a refreshing lightness and certain aura of innocence about it, with even the darker, more dangerous parts managing to carry some weight without being too heavy. With only one actual love scene, there isn't a lot of heat in this one, but I found that one scene to be just a little bit daring while also being sweetly sensuous. Jacquie D'Alessandro is masterful at creating a strong emotional connection and sexual tension with mere looks and gentle touches, and I've yet to find another author who does this quite as well. In addition, I absolutely love Ms. D'Alessandro's sense of humor. I found myself laughing every few scenes for the entire first half of the book. Eric being jealous of himself every time Sammie waxed romantic about the Bride Thief was hilarious, and Sammie's creative way of getting out of her arranged marriage, as well as a conversation with her three married sisters about birth control nearly had me rolling on the floor. Ms. D'Alessandro definitely has a knack for spinning tales that find a great balance between entertainment and emotion.
Eric and Samantha were two of the most wonderful characters I've read in a while. Eric perhaps carries a bit too much guilt over not being able to stop his beloved sister's miserable arranged marriage, but it's also what drives him to be the Bride Thief and makes him a compassionate and progressive-thinking hero. He has a heart of gold and treats all the women in the story with kindness and respect, even the ones who aren't as deserving of it. He is also a very understanding man who sees beyond the outward eccentricities (read: geekiness) of both Samantha and her brother, Hubert, and in fact, finds both them and their scientific pursuits to be genuinely fascinating. Overall, Eric was very kind, caring, loving and a whole host of other adjectives. I don't think there was really anything not to like about him. To say that Samantha is an unconventional heroine would probably be an understatement. She is physically plain, right down to dressing in a very ordinary way and having poor eyesight that requires spectacles. She'd much rather be observing nature, inventing things with her brother in their lab, or studying the stars through their telescope than attending balls and soirées, not to mention, she's a firmly on-the-shelf spinster. While she's OK with the idea of not marrying and doesn't believe anyone would ever want an oddball like her anyway, Sammie does keep a diary in which she writes romantic stories about the true love of her fantasies. She is also very honest and plain-spoken, and I admired her boldness in just telling Eric that she wanted to be lovers and continuing to pursue him even after he'd turned her down once out of a sense of honor. All in all, I related to Sammie very well, and can't think of anything that I didn't like about her.
The secondary characters were very entertaining and likable as well. I found Sammie's close family connections with her parents and siblings to be very endearing. Sammie is always patient with everyone including her melodramatic mother with her amusing planned fainting spells. It also went the other way with Sammie's three sisters adoring and protecting her in spite of the fact that she is their complete opposite. I also loved Sammie's interactions with her teenage brother, Hubert. They were certainly two peas in a pod, who probably understood each other better than anyone else ever could. At first it seems that Sammie is a protective, motherly figure to Hubert, but eventually the reader discovers that Hubert is equally protective of Sammie, which I thought made for a beautiful reciprocal relationship. Eric's connection with his own sister, Margaret, runs just as deep, and when she returns home after the death of her evil husband, their scenes are laden with emotion. There is also Eric's loyal stable master who is more like a father to him and is initially the only person who knows about his masquerade as the Bride Thief, as well as the magistrate, Adam Straton, who is determined to apprehend the Bride Thief but is also an honorable man who has harbored a deep love for Margaret for years. Overall, it was a very well-rounded supporting cast with personalities ranging from outrageously funny to deeply touching.
I have to admit that after finishing The Bride Thief, I had a rare moment of indecision on how to rate it. I really loved the story and wanted to rate it a bit higher, but there were a few things that I thought could have been improved. The pacing was a little slow and uneven in places, and I found a small continuity error in which Hubert's age changed from fourteen to sixteen and then back to fourteen again. There was also some repetition in details, some of which could be cute and fun like the running thread of Eric and Samantha coming up with words to describe each other that all began with the same letter, but another of which had the characters almost constantly sighing over one thing or another. Although this was a pretty minor thing and it did always fit with the scene, I just thought that perhaps a little more creativity was in order. In the end, I think the thing that bothered me the most was that Eric and Samantha began the story with a very stark honesty to their characters which I found extremely refreshing, but then the major conflict devolved into the cliched misunderstanding which was a bit disappointing. In spite of the minor detractors that kept it from just missing keeper status, The Bride Thief was definitely a solid 4-star book that was an absolute joy to read. Anyone looking for a lighthearted, escapist fantasy that is a breath of fresh air should look no further, and after two lovely reading experiences in a row from Jacquie D'Alessandro, I'm certainly looking forward to continuing my exploration of her work.
The Bride Thief was a delightful read in so many ways. It was utterly romantic, as sweet as the honey Samantha used in her hand creams, and frequently made me laugh out loud. This story was a fun, fairy-tale fantasy with an eccentric, plain-Jane spinster heroine who finds her hero in the form of a man who carries off would-be brides from unwanted arranged marriages. The Bride Thief was a charming tale that had a refreshing lightness and certain aura of innocence about it, with even the darker, more dangerous parts managing to carry some weight without being too heavy. With only one actual love scene, there isn't a lot of heat in this one, but I found that one scene to be just a little bit daring while also being sweetly sensuous. Jacquie D'Alessandro is masterful at creating a strong emotional connection and sexual tension with mere looks and gentle touches, and I've yet to find another author who does this quite as well. In addition, I absolutely love Ms. D'Alessandro's sense of humor. I found myself laughing every few scenes for the entire first half of the book. Eric being jealous of himself every time Sammie waxed romantic about the Bride Thief was hilarious, and Sammie's creative way of getting out of her arranged marriage, as well as a conversation with her three married sisters about birth control nearly had me rolling on the floor. Ms. D'Alessandro definitely has a knack for spinning tales that find a great balance between entertainment and emotion.
Eric and Samantha were two of the most wonderful characters I've read in a while. Eric perhaps carries a bit too much guilt over not being able to stop his beloved sister's miserable arranged marriage, but it's also what drives him to be the Bride Thief and makes him a compassionate and progressive-thinking hero. He has a heart of gold and treats all the women in the story with kindness and respect, even the ones who aren't as deserving of it. He is also a very understanding man who sees beyond the outward eccentricities (read: geekiness) of both Samantha and her brother, Hubert, and in fact, finds both them and their scientific pursuits to be genuinely fascinating. Overall, Eric was very kind, caring, loving and a whole host of other adjectives. I don't think there was really anything not to like about him. To say that Samantha is an unconventional heroine would probably be an understatement. She is physically plain, right down to dressing in a very ordinary way and having poor eyesight that requires spectacles. She'd much rather be observing nature, inventing things with her brother in their lab, or studying the stars through their telescope than attending balls and soirées, not to mention, she's a firmly on-the-shelf spinster. While she's OK with the idea of not marrying and doesn't believe anyone would ever want an oddball like her anyway, Sammie does keep a diary in which she writes romantic stories about the true love of her fantasies. She is also very honest and plain-spoken, and I admired her boldness in just telling Eric that she wanted to be lovers and continuing to pursue him even after he'd turned her down once out of a sense of honor. All in all, I related to Sammie very well, and can't think of anything that I didn't like about her.
The secondary characters were very entertaining and likable as well. I found Sammie's close family connections with her parents and siblings to be very endearing. Sammie is always patient with everyone including her melodramatic mother with her amusing planned fainting spells. It also went the other way with Sammie's three sisters adoring and protecting her in spite of the fact that she is their complete opposite. I also loved Sammie's interactions with her teenage brother, Hubert. They were certainly two peas in a pod, who probably understood each other better than anyone else ever could. At first it seems that Sammie is a protective, motherly figure to Hubert, but eventually the reader discovers that Hubert is equally protective of Sammie, which I thought made for a beautiful reciprocal relationship. Eric's connection with his own sister, Margaret, runs just as deep, and when she returns home after the death of her evil husband, their scenes are laden with emotion. There is also Eric's loyal stable master who is more like a father to him and is initially the only person who knows about his masquerade as the Bride Thief, as well as the magistrate, Adam Straton, who is determined to apprehend the Bride Thief but is also an honorable man who has harbored a deep love for Margaret for years. Overall, it was a very well-rounded supporting cast with personalities ranging from outrageously funny to deeply touching.
I have to admit that after finishing The Bride Thief, I had a rare moment of indecision on how to rate it. I really loved the story and wanted to rate it a bit higher, but there were a few things that I thought could have been improved. The pacing was a little slow and uneven in places, and I found a small continuity error in which Hubert's age changed from fourteen to sixteen and then back to fourteen again. There was also some repetition in details, some of which could be cute and fun like the running thread of Eric and Samantha coming up with words to describe each other that all began with the same letter, but another of which had the characters almost constantly sighing over one thing or another. Although this was a pretty minor thing and it did always fit with the scene, I just thought that perhaps a little more creativity was in order. In the end, I think the thing that bothered me the most was that Eric and Samantha began the story with a very stark honesty to their characters which I found extremely refreshing, but then the major conflict devolved into the cliched misunderstanding which was a bit disappointing. In spite of the minor detractors that kept it from just missing keeper status, The Bride Thief was definitely a solid 4-star book that was an absolute joy to read. Anyone looking for a lighthearted, escapist fantasy that is a breath of fresh air should look no further, and after two lovely reading experiences in a row from Jacquie D'Alessandro, I'm certainly looking forward to continuing my exploration of her work.
May 6, 2019
"The Bride Thief" is the story of Samantha and Eric.
Ok, I need to gush. AAAAAAAAAA!!!
In this unconventionally charming read, meet our heroine Samantha Briggeham- the 26 year old plain-jane, spinster, eldest and the only unmarried daughter of the Briggeham household, scientist, inventor, lover of insects, pets, science, astrology and mentor to her nerdy brother Hubert. She lives with her forgetfully oblivious father, a zealously matchmaking mother; has seen three of her beautiful married sisters-thanks to her mum; and now enjoys imparting her vast knowledge to her youngest brother Hurbert. Yes, she is the combination of Mary and Elizabeth Bennett to her charming and gorgeous Jane like siblings.
When her parents try to get her married off to a boring old coot, she takes it upon herself to get out of the situation. What she does not imagine is to be kidnapped by the infamous "Bride Thief", and be potentially "rescued". She instantly informs him of his error, yet is fascinated by the man who is willing to risk his life to give her a better one.
When he actually delivers her back to her home, she becomes the talk of the ton- much to her chagrin! Everyone is fascinated by the one "bride" the thief did not disappear with, and it is at one of these particular soirees she meets Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
Eric Landsdowne took to rescuing unwilling brides when he was not able to rescue his own sister from an abusive marriage. He, however has never has he been fascinated by a woman as much as Samantha, the bespectacled, curious minded, honest woman who is smarter than all the chits combined. He tries to stay away from her, but cannot stop himself from involvement in her life, and her brother's too! Also, every time he looks at her, his heart goes "Mine, Mine, Mine". Strange, huh..
Soon attraction begins to soar its beautiful head. But while Eric is hell bent on avoiding marriage, so is Samantha. Both want a no strings affair, for their own reasons. But with the magistrate on his heels, secrets and lies brewing between them, and fate having its own plan, will they find their HEA?
Endearing leads, fabulous plot, sizzling attraction, heartwarming scenes with engaging and likable secondary characters that add significantly to the story. I really loved both Eric and Samantha- she gave me a very Penelope Bridgerton feel- and that is always AMAZING! We also get a bonus love story at the very end, and overall the book just makes you feel..GOOD.
Thank you GR for the suggestion!
Safe
4.5/5
Ok, I need to gush. AAAAAAAAAA!!!
In this unconventionally charming read, meet our heroine Samantha Briggeham- the 26 year old plain-jane, spinster, eldest and the only unmarried daughter of the Briggeham household, scientist, inventor, lover of insects, pets, science, astrology and mentor to her nerdy brother Hubert. She lives with her forgetfully oblivious father, a zealously matchmaking mother; has seen three of her beautiful married sisters-thanks to her mum; and now enjoys imparting her vast knowledge to her youngest brother Hurbert. Yes, she is the combination of Mary and Elizabeth Bennett to her charming and gorgeous Jane like siblings.
When her parents try to get her married off to a boring old coot, she takes it upon herself to get out of the situation. What she does not imagine is to be kidnapped by the infamous "Bride Thief", and be potentially "rescued". She instantly informs him of his error, yet is fascinated by the man who is willing to risk his life to give her a better one.
When he actually delivers her back to her home, she becomes the talk of the ton- much to her chagrin! Everyone is fascinated by the one "bride" the thief did not disappear with, and it is at one of these particular soirees she meets Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
Eric Landsdowne took to rescuing unwilling brides when he was not able to rescue his own sister from an abusive marriage. He, however has never has he been fascinated by a woman as much as Samantha, the bespectacled, curious minded, honest woman who is smarter than all the chits combined. He tries to stay away from her, but cannot stop himself from involvement in her life, and her brother's too! Also, every time he looks at her, his heart goes "Mine, Mine, Mine". Strange, huh..
Soon attraction begins to soar its beautiful head. But while Eric is hell bent on avoiding marriage, so is Samantha. Both want a no strings affair, for their own reasons. But with the magistrate on his heels, secrets and lies brewing between them, and fate having its own plan, will they find their HEA?
Endearing leads, fabulous plot, sizzling attraction, heartwarming scenes with engaging and likable secondary characters that add significantly to the story. I really loved both Eric and Samantha- she gave me a very Penelope Bridgerton feel- and that is always AMAZING! We also get a bonus love story at the very end, and overall the book just makes you feel..GOOD.
Thank you GR for the suggestion!
Safe
4.5/5
September 15, 2019
Es una novela diferente por la subtrama que hay detrás de la historia principal. El hermano de Sam, además, es fundamental, lo que no suele ser habitual en novelas de este tipo.
Tanto los personajes de Sam y Eric están muy bien perfilados (les adoro).
Es una novela que me ha cautivado y que sin duda volveré a leer cuando necesite un libro rápido y entretenido.
Tanto los personajes de Sam y Eric están muy bien perfilados (les adoro).
Es una novela que me ha cautivado y que sin duda volveré a leer cuando necesite un libro rápido y entretenido.
January 30, 2022
Novela romántica histórica de las que no puedes parar de leer, ligerita, dulce y divertida a la vez.
Muy recomendable.
Muy recomendable.
June 3, 2019
Me apetecía volver a leer esta novela. Es una de mis favoritas de la autora. Es muy tierna y sensual.
October 7, 2016
Not the most interesting read, but comfortable. Which I'm starting to expect from D'Alessandro. She makes me fall in love with her characters every time. I honestly always expect for her heroines and heroes to fall in love with patience and good timing. I feel like we get to know the characters and why they love each other.
Muscle Memory by Lights came to mind with this book. I'm sure you'll stumble along the reason why.
Our heroine, I liked her, just as I always like heroines by this author. She was determined, honest, and she was herself. Not ever trying to appear like someone else. There were times where I was like, don't do that! But it was mostly because I felt like how do you contact someone you don't know? And also, YOU COULD GET HIM KILLED! They kept trying to say how she didn't give too much information about the Thief and I feel like she gave a little too much. She shouldn't have said anything but he took me then brought me back. No details on his looks, voice, nothing.
Our hero, the infamous Bride Thief, was a well rounded character. For some reason because of his name I got The Little Mermaid vibes. I probably wasn't supposed to. But I did. I really liked that he really like the heroine. All those people finding out his identity was annoying though. It shouldn't have been that easy. Doing something illegal like that, you'd think they would have taken greater precautions.
I think what I like most about this book is that it's actually a love story. There is no overwhelming plot line in the way trying to force our characters together. They genuinely like each other and will see them grow to love each other. Because honestly he could have disappeared after he brought her back, and she could have let him be a fairytale and that be the end of it. But they liked each other genuinely.
Hubert got a little annoying towards the middle. Oh, and what kind of name is that. UGLY af.
Oh, and we were supposed to get the impression that the hero liked or at least was interested in the same things as the heroine and her brother, but to be honest, it just seemed like he was a good listener. I would have faded after the first convo.
Quotes:
She shrugged feeling suddenly self-conscious. "To have someone else besides a young boy who understands you." She studied her wrinkled gown for several seconds, then raised her gaze to his. "I hope someday you'll find someone or something to ease your guilt and loneliness, sir."
He studied her for several seconds, then, slowly reaching out, he ran a single gloved fingertip gently down her cheek. "As do I, lass."
Nodding his agreement, he said, "They remind me of diamonds, streaking across the heavens, leaving a trail of jewel dust in their wake."
She smiled at him. "A very poetic description my lord."
Captured by her enchanting smile, e took several steps closer to her. "And how would describe them, Miss Briggeham?"
She didn't answer right away. Rather, she tipped her head back against the tree trunk and looked up the ribbons of blue sky visible through the veil of willow leaves. "Angeles' tears," she said finally, her voice soft. "I watch the stars fall and wonder who is in heaven is weeping, and why."
She lowered her gaze back to him, and his throat tightened at her wistful expression. "Why do you suppose an angel would cry?"
"I can't imagine."
The hint of a self-conscious smile flashed over her lips. "Angeles's tears. Completely unscientific and illogical, I know."
"Yet a very apt, clear description. The next time I see a falling star, I too shall wonder if there's an angel who weeps.
The cracking of a twig snapped his attention back to the path. When he caught sight of her, he released a breath he hadn't realized he held, a fact that annoyed him. The sudden leap his heart performed, further annoyed him. Bloody hell, he was behaving like a wet-behind-the-ears- schoolboy. Standing in the woods, holding a jar of honey like a besotted fool. You are a besotted fool, his inner voice informed him.
Muscle Memory by Lights came to mind with this book. I'm sure you'll stumble along the reason why.
Our heroine, I liked her, just as I always like heroines by this author. She was determined, honest, and she was herself. Not ever trying to appear like someone else. There were times where I was like, don't do that! But it was mostly because I felt like how do you contact someone you don't know? And also, YOU COULD GET HIM KILLED! They kept trying to say how she didn't give too much information about the Thief and I feel like she gave a little too much. She shouldn't have said anything but he took me then brought me back. No details on his looks, voice, nothing.
Our hero, the infamous Bride Thief, was a well rounded character. For some reason because of his name I got The Little Mermaid vibes. I probably wasn't supposed to. But I did. I really liked that he really like the heroine. All those people finding out his identity was annoying though. It shouldn't have been that easy. Doing something illegal like that, you'd think they would have taken greater precautions.
I think what I like most about this book is that it's actually a love story. There is no overwhelming plot line in the way trying to force our characters together. They genuinely like each other and will see them grow to love each other. Because honestly he could have disappeared after he brought her back, and she could have let him be a fairytale and that be the end of it. But they liked each other genuinely.
Hubert got a little annoying towards the middle. Oh, and what kind of name is that. UGLY af.
Oh, and we were supposed to get the impression that the hero liked or at least was interested in the same things as the heroine and her brother, but to be honest, it just seemed like he was a good listener. I would have faded after the first convo.
Quotes:
She shrugged feeling suddenly self-conscious. "To have someone else besides a young boy who understands you." She studied her wrinkled gown for several seconds, then raised her gaze to his. "I hope someday you'll find someone or something to ease your guilt and loneliness, sir."
He studied her for several seconds, then, slowly reaching out, he ran a single gloved fingertip gently down her cheek. "As do I, lass."
Nodding his agreement, he said, "They remind me of diamonds, streaking across the heavens, leaving a trail of jewel dust in their wake."
She smiled at him. "A very poetic description my lord."
Captured by her enchanting smile, e took several steps closer to her. "And how would describe them, Miss Briggeham?"
She didn't answer right away. Rather, she tipped her head back against the tree trunk and looked up the ribbons of blue sky visible through the veil of willow leaves. "Angeles' tears," she said finally, her voice soft. "I watch the stars fall and wonder who is in heaven is weeping, and why."
She lowered her gaze back to him, and his throat tightened at her wistful expression. "Why do you suppose an angel would cry?"
"I can't imagine."
The hint of a self-conscious smile flashed over her lips. "Angeles's tears. Completely unscientific and illogical, I know."
"Yet a very apt, clear description. The next time I see a falling star, I too shall wonder if there's an angel who weeps.
The cracking of a twig snapped his attention back to the path. When he caught sight of her, he released a breath he hadn't realized he held, a fact that annoyed him. The sudden leap his heart performed, further annoyed him. Bloody hell, he was behaving like a wet-behind-the-ears- schoolboy. Standing in the woods, holding a jar of honey like a besotted fool. You are a besotted fool, his inner voice informed him.
May 20, 2010
This may sound like an oxymoron, but this Romance Novel was utterly "Romantic". The reason I say this is simply this....there were so many "ahhhhhh" moments, I stopped counting them!
D'Alessandro is quickly becoming a "new favorite" of mine. She is so witty and writes characters that you swear you've met before. Red Roses Mean Love, her debut novel, made my Top Romance Books Ever list and the Bride Thief, while maybe not as touching as her first, may also make the list. I was glued to it until I finished it.
Samantha is not your typical heroine. She is fiercely independent (although she longs for love), she's intelligent (but also down to earth and funny), and she is not breathtakingly beautiful (although don't try to tell the Earl of Wesley that!) This lady is a breath of fresh air. She grabs the Bride Thief's attention, bewitches the "one and the same" Earl of Wesley, Eric Landsdowne, and never lets go.
Eric Landsdowne is a man who knows what he wants...and he wants Samantha. I love how possesive he is of her attentions and how jealous he gets when she raves about his alter ego, the Bride Thief. He's jealous of HIMSELF for heaven's sake! I loved it!
There are small parts of this book that seem to slow and get "bogged down", but the vast majority of this book is so good that the pages won't turn fast enough! There are a host of secondary characters that add so much to the story. I really cannot recommend this book any higher.
D'Alessandro is quickly becoming a "new favorite" of mine. She is so witty and writes characters that you swear you've met before. Red Roses Mean Love, her debut novel, made my Top Romance Books Ever list and the Bride Thief, while maybe not as touching as her first, may also make the list. I was glued to it until I finished it.
Samantha is not your typical heroine. She is fiercely independent (although she longs for love), she's intelligent (but also down to earth and funny), and she is not breathtakingly beautiful (although don't try to tell the Earl of Wesley that!) This lady is a breath of fresh air. She grabs the Bride Thief's attention, bewitches the "one and the same" Earl of Wesley, Eric Landsdowne, and never lets go.
Eric Landsdowne is a man who knows what he wants...and he wants Samantha. I love how possesive he is of her attentions and how jealous he gets when she raves about his alter ego, the Bride Thief. He's jealous of HIMSELF for heaven's sake! I loved it!
There are small parts of this book that seem to slow and get "bogged down", but the vast majority of this book is so good that the pages won't turn fast enough! There are a host of secondary characters that add so much to the story. I really cannot recommend this book any higher.
October 1, 2013
It took a while for me to get into this book. The main lead character Sammie(Samantha) seemed almost too silly, cutesy, and absent minded. She is 26 yrs, unmarried (Oh the shame!) a bluestocking, and carries a toad around with her. I'm 50 pgs in and not sure if I am feeling her yet.
The cabin scene was finally where this book grabbed me and I finally found myself getting involved with the story. Eric or The Bride Thief kidnapped Sammie thinking she was about to be married to a man she was not in favor of and brings her to a cabin to help her figure out her future. Sammie explained she already took care of the problem. Anyway, their conversation in the cabin is where this story and characters started to come alive for me. I hope the author puts these two characters together a lot because right now it is the characters chemistry which is keeping me into this book.
Sigh, Eric and Sammie are so perfect for each other! I do find it a tad odd how Sammie doesn't seem to give it a second thought about becoming a fallen woman, she's banking on noone finding out. I love her attitude of wanting to experience everything life has to offer a woman but this ideology is more modern thinking. Yes, Sammie is a bluestocking (old term for intelligent dare I say feminist woman) but if she really cared about her family as she is portrayed as feeling she would never want to do anything to cause them pain. If anyone ever found out she was giving the milk away for free her whole family would be outcasts. So this whole deal of Sammie actively pursuing Eric for a liaison seems selfish of her considering the consequences and the author has written her to be the exact opposite. I love strong women characters but sometimes I think authors get too crazy with putting modern women ideals in 18th century women. I don't doubt for one second modern ideals didn't cross their minds but unfortunately they had a lot more severe consequences.
The newspaper articles chronicling the intensifying search for the Bride Thief at the beginning of chapters add a touch of suspense and tenseness. This balances out nicely with Sammie and Eric's easy and gradual moving relationship. I am happy the author kept the focus on Sammie and Eric and kept Eric's pursuits as the Bride Thief secondary.
This is the type of book you curl up in a window seat with an afghan covering your legs, while you sip on a cup of hot chocolate (I dislike tea and coffee, crazy I know) as it rains outside. Sammie and Eric are definitely what make this story enjoyable. Their relationship is slow building and almost could be described as languid but I took pleasure in reading what I would call an old fashioned romance book.
This story doesn't have much pizzazz or bells and whistles but if you're looking for a nice, slow, comfort read Sammie and Eric's story is for you. This wasn't quite a keeper for me but I am so happy I read it, even if it did start out slow, and in fact after I finished reading it left a lingering smile on my face.
B+
The cabin scene was finally where this book grabbed me and I finally found myself getting involved with the story. Eric or The Bride Thief kidnapped Sammie thinking she was about to be married to a man she was not in favor of and brings her to a cabin to help her figure out her future. Sammie explained she already took care of the problem. Anyway, their conversation in the cabin is where this story and characters started to come alive for me. I hope the author puts these two characters together a lot because right now it is the characters chemistry which is keeping me into this book.
Sigh, Eric and Sammie are so perfect for each other! I do find it a tad odd how Sammie doesn't seem to give it a second thought about becoming a fallen woman, she's banking on noone finding out. I love her attitude of wanting to experience everything life has to offer a woman but this ideology is more modern thinking. Yes, Sammie is a bluestocking (old term for intelligent dare I say feminist woman) but if she really cared about her family as she is portrayed as feeling she would never want to do anything to cause them pain. If anyone ever found out she was giving the milk away for free her whole family would be outcasts. So this whole deal of Sammie actively pursuing Eric for a liaison seems selfish of her considering the consequences and the author has written her to be the exact opposite. I love strong women characters but sometimes I think authors get too crazy with putting modern women ideals in 18th century women. I don't doubt for one second modern ideals didn't cross their minds but unfortunately they had a lot more severe consequences.
The newspaper articles chronicling the intensifying search for the Bride Thief at the beginning of chapters add a touch of suspense and tenseness. This balances out nicely with Sammie and Eric's easy and gradual moving relationship. I am happy the author kept the focus on Sammie and Eric and kept Eric's pursuits as the Bride Thief secondary.
This is the type of book you curl up in a window seat with an afghan covering your legs, while you sip on a cup of hot chocolate (I dislike tea and coffee, crazy I know) as it rains outside. Sammie and Eric are definitely what make this story enjoyable. Their relationship is slow building and almost could be described as languid but I took pleasure in reading what I would call an old fashioned romance book.
This story doesn't have much pizzazz or bells and whistles but if you're looking for a nice, slow, comfort read Sammie and Eric's story is for you. This wasn't quite a keeper for me but I am so happy I read it, even if it did start out slow, and in fact after I finished reading it left a lingering smile on my face.
B+
August 15, 2009
That JacquieD. She really has charm up the wazoo. She writes wallpaper historicals and I usually prefer something more meaty and serious but her combination of likable H/Hs, nicely developed sexual tension, and witty dialogue is just winsome to me.
It also doesn’t hurt that I adore heroes with secret identities. That’s the reason why I primarily read this. Of course, the idea of a brigand who saves women from unwanted marriages is a little out there. You either accept it or you dont. Once I did, I was so charmed that this was on the way to possibly being an A- read for me.
Unfortunately, my interest seriously waned in the last 100 pages. It actually look me an extra two days to finish it. Hence, the B grade. This was only my third JacquieD book and I am already seeing a lot of recycling here. The heroine is a classic independent, plain, bespeckled, bookstocking spinster whom the hero is still instantly entranced by, just like in the author’s Sleepless at Midnight. Then there is a passage in which the H/H both decide to end their affair that sounds like it was copied and pasted word-for-word onto the later Confessions at Midnight.
Genre: Regency Historical, Stand Alone Novel
Sensuality: PG
Grade: B
It also doesn’t hurt that I adore heroes with secret identities. That’s the reason why I primarily read this. Of course, the idea of a brigand who saves women from unwanted marriages is a little out there. You either accept it or you dont. Once I did, I was so charmed that this was on the way to possibly being an A- read for me.
Unfortunately, my interest seriously waned in the last 100 pages. It actually look me an extra two days to finish it. Hence, the B grade. This was only my third JacquieD book and I am already seeing a lot of recycling here. The heroine is a classic independent, plain, bespeckled, bookstocking spinster whom the hero is still instantly entranced by, just like in the author’s Sleepless at Midnight. Then there is a passage in which the H/H both decide to end their affair that sounds like it was copied and pasted word-for-word onto the later Confessions at Midnight.
Genre: Regency Historical, Stand Alone Novel
Sensuality: PG
Grade: B
April 22, 2015
A magical historical romance where the 'hero in disguise' meets his match in an eccentric bluestocking.
Words can not describe how much I loved this book. The concept is actually something you don't see a lot in historical romance.(much to my surprise and horror-THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS-Like the movie 'The Abduction Club'-This 'genre' is fucking ripe with opportunity and it pisses me off that barely anyone is taking advantage of that.)
Most of the 'hero in disguise' books I've come across are were the hero is a lord/duke/viscount etc etc pretending to be someone of a lower rank/peasant/pirate or a 'peasant' pretending to be someone of rank. So, when a book like 'The Bride Thief' comes along you are compelled to read it (and love it).
The hero, Eric Landsdowne is awesome. I love him! How could I not? He lives in an age where woman don't have much of a choice in anything and he loathes that. He's a woman's right's advocate, how can you not love that?
While he was at war, His beloved sister Margaret was forced by their father to marry an awful man who abused her, cheated on her, all sorts of awful things. Eric hates that he wasn't there to prevent the wedding and to save his sister all the pain she now has to endure.
He puts on a mask and cape and steals away into the night as 'The Bride Thief' to save young ladies who are being forced into matrimony-giving them the choice that they were denied. Choice is extremely important to Eric. He rightly believes that every one deserves a choice to live their lives how they choose.
However, with each young lady he saves, his life is put in even more jeopardy.
Sammie is an eccentric bluestocking, more interested in science and animals than she is in finding a husband. Like Eric, You can't not love Sammie. She is intelligent, outspoken, quirky and fun. She can't seem to be mean even though all the assholes(including her mother, actually) in her village deserve to be put in their place-she is never anything but nice and good natured(not in an annoying way). She is described as being plain but obviously Eric thinks differently so all those assholes in the village can go royally fuck themselves(Read and find out why I hate them! JERKS!).
At Twenty five she is quite happy to be a 'firmly on the shelf' spinster. Her mother will have none of that, of course and arranges a marriage for her.
Well, Samantha is having none of that and goes to her betrothed's house and hilariously breaks off the engagement.
Having heard about Sammie's betrothal, Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out it. He returns her to her family, but the unusual woman who while in her company as the notorious masked thief manged to touch him in some profound way, remains on his mind and he decides to further the acquaintance in his unmasked state. (only to check if she is okay after her 'ordeal' with him. Nah, didn't buy that for a second-he just wanted to see her again.)
The rest you shall have to read for yourself. Though I'd love to spoil it.
Besides from being romantic adventure, 'The Bride Thief' is funny. I fell in love with Sammie when she explains masked Eric how she got out of her betrothal. I also couldn't help but love how Eric becomes jealous when Sammie sings 'The Bride Thief's praises, even though he knows it's ridiculous because it's him for god's sake.
'The Bride Thief' is a gem and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great book with romance, intrigue, adventure and laughter.
The only thing I didn't like about 'The Bride Thief' was...THERE WAS NO EPILOGUE! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME HANGING LIKE THAT, JACQUIE! and there is only one-ONE-sex scene.
Shout out to Krissy for the book recommendation! I loved it and I'm so happy you recommended it!
Words can not describe how much I loved this book. The concept is actually something you don't see a lot in historical romance.(much to my surprise and horror-THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS-Like the movie 'The Abduction Club'-This 'genre' is fucking ripe with opportunity and it pisses me off that barely anyone is taking advantage of that.)
Most of the 'hero in disguise' books I've come across are were the hero is a lord/duke/viscount etc etc pretending to be someone of a lower rank/peasant/pirate or a 'peasant' pretending to be someone of rank. So, when a book like 'The Bride Thief' comes along you are compelled to read it (and love it).
The hero, Eric Landsdowne is awesome. I love him! How could I not? He lives in an age where woman don't have much of a choice in anything and he loathes that. He's a woman's right's advocate, how can you not love that?
While he was at war, His beloved sister Margaret was forced by their father to marry an awful man who abused her, cheated on her, all sorts of awful things. Eric hates that he wasn't there to prevent the wedding and to save his sister all the pain she now has to endure.
He puts on a mask and cape and steals away into the night as 'The Bride Thief' to save young ladies who are being forced into matrimony-giving them the choice that they were denied. Choice is extremely important to Eric. He rightly believes that every one deserves a choice to live their lives how they choose.
However, with each young lady he saves, his life is put in even more jeopardy.
Sammie is an eccentric bluestocking, more interested in science and animals than she is in finding a husband. Like Eric, You can't not love Sammie. She is intelligent, outspoken, quirky and fun. She can't seem to be mean even though all the assholes(including her mother, actually) in her village deserve to be put in their place-she is never anything but nice and good natured(not in an annoying way). She is described as being plain but obviously Eric thinks differently so all those assholes in the village can go royally fuck themselves(Read and find out why I hate them! JERKS!).
At Twenty five she is quite happy to be a 'firmly on the shelf' spinster. Her mother will have none of that, of course and arranges a marriage for her.
Well, Samantha is having none of that and goes to her betrothed's house and hilariously breaks off the engagement.
Having heard about Sammie's betrothal, Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out it. He returns her to her family, but the unusual woman who while in her company as the notorious masked thief manged to touch him in some profound way, remains on his mind and he decides to further the acquaintance in his unmasked state. (only to check if she is okay after her 'ordeal' with him. Nah, didn't buy that for a second-he just wanted to see her again.)
The rest you shall have to read for yourself. Though I'd love to spoil it.
Besides from being romantic adventure, 'The Bride Thief' is funny. I fell in love with Sammie when she explains masked Eric how she got out of her betrothal. I also couldn't help but love how Eric becomes jealous when Sammie sings 'The Bride Thief's praises, even though he knows it's ridiculous because it's him for god's sake.
'The Bride Thief' is a gem and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great book with romance, intrigue, adventure and laughter.
The only thing I didn't like about 'The Bride Thief' was...THERE WAS NO EPILOGUE! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME HANGING LIKE THAT, JACQUIE! and there is only one-ONE-sex scene.
Shout out to Krissy for the book recommendation! I loved it and I'm so happy you recommended it!
July 26, 2017
Wonderful historical romance - eccentric "blue-stocking" meets her prince charming!!
Setting: Kent, 1820
Sensuality rating: 7 (chemistry / sexual tension between the two characters was intense; wonderfully written kissing scenes and one love scene)
The Bride Thief is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining historical romance. Personally, I love books with the quiet wallflower-type of girl, or basically someone who is more eccentric than the (sometimes frivolous and far-too-giggly) beautiful girls one encounters in some historical romances (to see more books featuring this type of heroine, please see my "So you'd like to ... Read a historical romance where the quiet girl gets the guy" guide). I also liked the scientific bent and that the hero and heroine had common interests (don't worry, the author doesn't bog you down in scientific language). The verbal banter between them was thoroughly entertaining and I appreciated that Samantha had no compunction about standing up to Eric and being honest with him.
It was also a refreshing change to have a hero like Eric Landsdowne - as much as I love the bad-boy-rake who has almost no respect for women or who sees them all as one-dimensional until he's reformed by the oh-so-wonderful heroine, it was nice to have a hero who not only respected women, but was actually advocating for them ... in a somewhat eccentric manner: Eric doubles as the "Bride Thief," a masked rider who rescues / kidnaps women who have been basically sold-off against their will into an arranged marriage. Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out of the undesirable match. He returns her to her family, but the unusual woman remains on his mind and he decides to further the acquaintance (under his regular persona, of course) ... the rest is history - or at least a very enjoyable read!
Secondary characters were enjoyable - I loved Sammie's parents, especially her mother, whom I found very amusing. I appreciated that Sammie's three beautiful-gorgeous-etc. sisters were not one-dimensional nitwits, but caring women whom Sammie was close with.
NOTE: No annoying misunderstandings that are extremely frustrating and make you want to scream out loud and/or rip your hair out ... umm, or maybe that's just me? There is a slight case of the unsaid-things going on, but I didn't find it annoying.
SUMMARY (from the back cover):
"At six-and-twenty, Samantha Briggeham knew her marital prospects were fading by the season and she was pleased by the thought. She had no intention of being betrothed - especially against her will - to a man she did not love. She had a plan ... and it didn't include being swept into a pair of powerful arms and spirited away by a masked rider. News of Sammie's heroic rescue from undesired wedlock turned her into the toast of the ton, wooed by suitors far and wide. But she couldn't forget the swashbuckling brigand who'd abducted her - something about him intrigued her completely. Then she met Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
His exploits were legendary, his life filled with danger. He was the elusive Bride Thief, who had his own reason for helping young women escape the unhappy fate of arranged marriages, and whose true identity was a scrupulously guarded secret. But from the moment he rescued Sammie - only to discover she'd already managed to get herself un-betrothed - Eric knew he couldn't lose her a second time. Marriage was out of the question. Which left only one option: A clandestine affair that might lead to scandal, social ruin, and the unmasking of a love-bested legend ..."
BOTTOM LINE:
Jacquie D'Alessandro is quickly becoming a favorite and I will definitely be rereading this book in the future. Worth buying!
Setting: Kent, 1820
Sensuality rating: 7 (chemistry / sexual tension between the two characters was intense; wonderfully written kissing scenes and one love scene)
The Bride Thief is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining historical romance. Personally, I love books with the quiet wallflower-type of girl, or basically someone who is more eccentric than the (sometimes frivolous and far-too-giggly) beautiful girls one encounters in some historical romances (to see more books featuring this type of heroine, please see my "So you'd like to ... Read a historical romance where the quiet girl gets the guy" guide). I also liked the scientific bent and that the hero and heroine had common interests (don't worry, the author doesn't bog you down in scientific language). The verbal banter between them was thoroughly entertaining and I appreciated that Samantha had no compunction about standing up to Eric and being honest with him.
It was also a refreshing change to have a hero like Eric Landsdowne - as much as I love the bad-boy-rake who has almost no respect for women or who sees them all as one-dimensional until he's reformed by the oh-so-wonderful heroine, it was nice to have a hero who not only respected women, but was actually advocating for them ... in a somewhat eccentric manner: Eric doubles as the "Bride Thief," a masked rider who rescues / kidnaps women who have been basically sold-off against their will into an arranged marriage. Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out of the undesirable match. He returns her to her family, but the unusual woman remains on his mind and he decides to further the acquaintance (under his regular persona, of course) ... the rest is history - or at least a very enjoyable read!
Secondary characters were enjoyable - I loved Sammie's parents, especially her mother, whom I found very amusing. I appreciated that Sammie's three beautiful-gorgeous-etc. sisters were not one-dimensional nitwits, but caring women whom Sammie was close with.
NOTE: No annoying misunderstandings that are extremely frustrating and make you want to scream out loud and/or rip your hair out ... umm, or maybe that's just me? There is a slight case of the unsaid-things going on, but I didn't find it annoying.
SUMMARY (from the back cover):
"At six-and-twenty, Samantha Briggeham knew her marital prospects were fading by the season and she was pleased by the thought. She had no intention of being betrothed - especially against her will - to a man she did not love. She had a plan ... and it didn't include being swept into a pair of powerful arms and spirited away by a masked rider. News of Sammie's heroic rescue from undesired wedlock turned her into the toast of the ton, wooed by suitors far and wide. But she couldn't forget the swashbuckling brigand who'd abducted her - something about him intrigued her completely. Then she met Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley.
His exploits were legendary, his life filled with danger. He was the elusive Bride Thief, who had his own reason for helping young women escape the unhappy fate of arranged marriages, and whose true identity was a scrupulously guarded secret. But from the moment he rescued Sammie - only to discover she'd already managed to get herself un-betrothed - Eric knew he couldn't lose her a second time. Marriage was out of the question. Which left only one option: A clandestine affair that might lead to scandal, social ruin, and the unmasking of a love-bested legend ..."
BOTTOM LINE:
Jacquie D'Alessandro is quickly becoming a favorite and I will definitely be rereading this book in the future. Worth buying!
March 19, 2010
I love this author.
Samantha Briggeham (Sammy)is 26, she is not your typical heroine she is plain and wears thick glasses, but she is highly intelligent, eccentric, kind and witty(I loved her). She has resigned herself to being a spinster but her mother has different ideas and arranges for sammi to marry. Eric, the Earl of Wesley is feeling guilty because he did not protect his sister from an abusive arranged marraige, so he dons a mask and rescues women from similar fates. Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out of the engagement. He returns her home but he thinks Sammi wonderful and cant stop thinking of her. He pursues her as The Earl keeping his bride thief persona secret, he eventually becomes Sammi's friend then lover, but as usual all the secrets come back to bite him.
This story is great, the secondry characters are good and I love Eric, a softhearted dashing hero. This book also reminds you that in the 19th century a woman had little say on who she wed. My only critism is that it does drag in a couple of places but overall well worth the money.
Samantha Briggeham (Sammy)is 26, she is not your typical heroine she is plain and wears thick glasses, but she is highly intelligent, eccentric, kind and witty(I loved her). She has resigned herself to being a spinster but her mother has different ideas and arranges for sammi to marry. Eric, the Earl of Wesley is feeling guilty because he did not protect his sister from an abusive arranged marraige, so he dons a mask and rescues women from similar fates. Eric kidnaps Sammie, but the rescue was unnecessary as she had already managed to get herself out of the engagement. He returns her home but he thinks Sammi wonderful and cant stop thinking of her. He pursues her as The Earl keeping his bride thief persona secret, he eventually becomes Sammi's friend then lover, but as usual all the secrets come back to bite him.
This story is great, the secondry characters are good and I love Eric, a softhearted dashing hero. This book also reminds you that in the 19th century a woman had little say on who she wed. My only critism is that it does drag in a couple of places but overall well worth the money.
November 14, 2015
This wasn't completely my cup of tea. Too much Edward Cullen in New Moon for my taste, that is too much "I want you but cannot be with you for you're own good"-angst - way too much.
Samantha Briggeham is a spinster heroine who has long discarded any possibility for a love match, and will not marry without. When her parents set up a betrothal against her wish she has her own plan to escape him, and that plan did not involve rescue by the Bride Thief.
I liked this book, but it lacked that certain something to make it an amazing book. As already stated, I found the whole "I'm the bride thief and cannot marry you since it might be dangerous to you and I'm so in love with you that I want what's best for you (even though it's exactly opposite of what you want" too much and frankly a bit unbelievable. If you like this type of angst - this is the right book for you. I could see that it made some sense from where they were coming from but I couldn't relate too it. Also, given how they act in other aspects of their life it didn't feel completely consistent. It felt like a fantasy - and for me it stayed a fantasy throughout the book.
On the up side, it was a endearing light read, good chemistry and an intertwined story structure. I really liked the heroine and the Bride Thief and the theme of the book - unfortunately I liked the Bride Thief more than his true self.
Samantha Briggeham is a spinster heroine who has long discarded any possibility for a love match, and will not marry without. When her parents set up a betrothal against her wish she has her own plan to escape him, and that plan did not involve rescue by the Bride Thief.
I liked this book, but it lacked that certain something to make it an amazing book. As already stated, I found the whole "I'm the bride thief and cannot marry you since it might be dangerous to you and I'm so in love with you that I want what's best for you (even though it's exactly opposite of what you want" too much and frankly a bit unbelievable. If you like this type of angst - this is the right book for you. I could see that it made some sense from where they were coming from but I couldn't relate too it. Also, given how they act in other aspects of their life it didn't feel completely consistent. It felt like a fantasy - and for me it stayed a fantasy throughout the book.
On the up side, it was a endearing light read, good chemistry and an intertwined story structure. I really liked the heroine and the Bride Thief and the theme of the book - unfortunately I liked the Bride Thief more than his true self.
December 30, 2019
Me apetecía una novela así: romántica, inteligente, con personajes fuertes que desconocen sus sentimientos pero no pueden evitarse, y una trama diferente y entretenida. Eric ha sido todo lo que se espera de un personaje masculino de estas novelas: noble, sensual, divertido, inteligente, amable y valiente; Sammie es discreta, desconoce su propio atractivo, inteligente, incisiva, buena y su complemento perfecto.
December 11, 2008
This was a nice light book... no major drama... even the conflict didn't take away from the lightness of the book. Seemed the days flew by and I loved how the heroine was not a typical beauty but was quirky and smart. I think I notice that from a lot of Jacquie's book and it really adds to the connection you feel.
October 5, 2024
This book gave me the comfort of a hallmark movie with more adventure and spice. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end!
Read
November 12, 2010I didn't finish this one but I'm giving it 3 stars because I liked about half of it. Then it just fell apart. I was bored. It's not that I didn't like the characters. There was just something….missing.
The book was sitting on my nightstand. I looked at it with a rather pouty kind of dismayed frown on my face. While picking it up a low moan escaped. I thought "crap, I really need to finish this". Then I thought "why?" I have a gazillion books on my TBR. Thus, this one hits the non-keeper box and the dnf shelf.
The book was sitting on my nightstand. I looked at it with a rather pouty kind of dismayed frown on my face. While picking it up a low moan escaped. I thought "crap, I really need to finish this". Then I thought "why?" I have a gazillion books on my TBR. Thus, this one hits the non-keeper box and the dnf shelf.
August 9, 2015
I kept thinking "what am I doing? What am I reading?" while reading this.. but it really wasn't that bad. I have now realized I have a problem when it comes to downloading every single free kindle book available... and was trying to make my way through them.. some of them are so bad it hurts my brain. This one wasn't one of them.. but you'll need to be in a trashy romance, fluffy mood for it. Which might be why I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have if I had been in that mood.
February 11, 2015
I love this story because of Sammie. She is my perfect heroine: smart, a little nerd, funny, lovely and good sister, especially for Hubert.
He is a great character too, trying to save all those brides because he can not save his old sister, Margaret.
The fact that Eric kidnapped his own bride because he thought she didn't want him as husband while she was trying to free him was very emotional and maybe my favourite part :)
He is a great character too, trying to save all those brides because he can not save his old sister, Margaret.
The fact that Eric kidnapped his own bride because he thought she didn't want him as husband while she was trying to free him was very emotional and maybe my favourite part :)
July 3, 2014
Sencillamente deliciosa.
Amena y de ágil lectura. Quizá se detiene un poco en un mismo asunto, pero los diálogos entre los protagonistas son divertidos y emocionales.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no disfrutaba tanto con una novela romántica.
Amena y de ágil lectura. Quizá se detiene un poco en un mismo asunto, pero los diálogos entre los protagonistas son divertidos y emocionales.
Hacía mucho tiempo que no disfrutaba tanto con una novela romántica.
May 21, 2013
kasih 4.5 bintang soalnya ceritanya sweet dan adegan uhuk2 nya di danau bo...sambil berendam...bisaan deh ah hihihihi....
siap2 ya...spoiler abis dan panjang banget nih :p
Ceritanya ttg Eric Landsdowne, the dashing and seductive Earl of Wesley....dia tampan, charming, kaya tapi punya rahasia....
dia adalah yng mereka juluki 'the bride thief'....pencuri yang menculik gadis2 yang mau di nikahin paksa sama orang tua nya...dia menawarkan gadis2 tersebut memulai hidup baru entah di amerika atau eropa...dia mencarikan mereka tiket kapal bahkan memberikan uang buat para gadis itu menjalani hidup mereka....
lalu ada Samantha Briggeham aka sammy...seorang spinster berusia 26 tahun yang udah pasrah gak mau nikah...soalnya dia rada eksentrik...hobi bikin percobaan di lab dan punya binatang peliharaan yang aneh2 macam tikus, ular atau serangga....
pokoknya miss sammy ini di jauhi banget oleh para co2...selain aneh dia juga gak cantik....pake kacamata pula....padahal dia punya 3 orang adik yang cantik2 dan udah pada nikah....
gimana awalnya sammy sama lord wesley bisa ketemu ?
well....suatu hari ibu nya sammy yang walo baik tapi bawel dan bertekad banget supaya sammy bisa menikah, menjodohkan sammy sama kolonel apa gitu yang udah lumayan tuwir....
ibunya semangat banget jadi mak comblang soalnya saingan ama ibu2 sebelah rumah yg juga punya anak gadis yang belom nikah :p
sammy nya gak mau tapi ibu dan bapak nya susah di beri penjelasan...soa akhirnya sammy bertekad datengin rumah kolonel itu sendirian....
sementara itu.....eric aka lord wesley dapat informasi dari pelayan kepercayaannya kalo ada gadis tak beruntung lain yang mo dipaksa kawin (which is sammy) dan the bride thief aka eric bakal nyelamatin 'gadis' itu....
so malem2 eric dengan memakai kostum the bride thief ( aka seragamnya zorro :p) mencari sammy dan bermaksud menjegat dia di jalan tempat sammy biasanya jalan2....
sammy yang abis pulang dari rumah kolonel siapa itu minta berenti di hutan dekat rumahnya karena dia liat ada serangga atau kunang2 gitu, mau ambil buat dibawa pulang dan dikasih ke hubert, adiknya yang berusia 14 tahun dan hobby melakukan percobaan2 di lab....
the bride thief yang udah merhatiin sammy...ngeliat nih ce ngapain gitu...jongkok2 di rumput dengan tangan dikatupkan...sambil nyembah2 pula...di kira nya miss sammy ini saking depresi nya sampe berdoa dan nyembah2 gitu supaya gak di kawinin (sumpah gw ketawa hahahaha)
dari belakang si sammy diangkat, dinaikin ke kuda nya dan di bawa pergi, walo sammy berontak2 tapi gak bisa ngalahin tenaga bride thief dong...
bride thief nya ngelemparin buket bunga ke kusir kereta nya sammy ....itu trade mark nya (pake kartu nama mungkin gak keren :p) ngasih tau kalo sammy dia culik...
keluarga si sammy kalang kabut, lapor pihak berwajib...sampe2 seluruh orang tua korban para bride thief ngumpulin duit buat reward nangkep bride thief....
ujan nih ceritanya....sammy di bawa ke rumah persembunyian bride thief...
after ngomel dan marah2 si sammy ngejelasin kalo dia gak perlu di selamatin..dia udah ke rumah si kolonel, udah nakut2 in kolonel sama hewan piaraannya sampe si kolonel nya gak mau memperistri sammy..jadi dia minta di balikin ke rumahnya...
bride thief nya heran dan kagum krn si sammy ini beda banget sama ce2 lainnya......
sammy tuh gak cantik...matanya terlalu besar, badannya terlalu imut dan mulut nya terlalu lebar....tapi apa yaaa yang bikin bride thief gak bisa melupakan sammy ....??
after sammy di balikin ke rumahnya....sammy jadi ngetop...ce2 yang dulu nya ngejauhin malah ngundang dia ke pesta2...
co2 yang dulu anggap dia sebelah mata sekarang ngajak dia dansa, jalan2 dll.....mereka mau tau detil penculikan sammy secara sammy itu satu2 nya korban yg pulang dengan selamat...
sammy nya bete banget, dia gak suka org2 yang pura2 ramah, co2 yang pura2 memuji dia...dia lebih milih nemenin adiknya si hubert bikin percobaan2 di laboratorium nya...
back to bride thief aka lord wesley.....dia penasaran ama si sammy....selalu keingetan....pengen ketemu lagi himana cara nya ? dia mesti datang ke pesta2 dansa yang diadain disana..padahal dia males banget secara kalo ke pesta dansa pasti dia jadi dikejar2 para mama buat dijodohin ke putri2 nya....
berhubung dia penasaran banget so ketemulah sama sammy disana yang lagi ngumpet di balik pohon palem supaya gak diajak dansa sama 2 orang co yang membosankan dan cuma ngomongin cravat mulu :p
lord wesley ajak sammy ngobrol dan semakin lama semakin suka....
sammy juga merasa lord wesley ini beda dengan co lain yang muna dan dandy...
semakin bersama sammy lord wesley semakin merasakan perasaan yang gimana gitu...dia mulai menganggap mata sammy indah, bibirnya sexy apalagi dadanya bagus banget (ehem)...kalo ada co yang dansa dan ngobrol sama sammy padahal mandangin dadanya sammy, lord wesley nya kesel banget (padahal dia juga mandangin :p)
soooo lord wesley mulai datang ke rumah sammy, akrab sama adiknya sammy yang nerd....
sammy senang karena dia sangat sayang adiknya, org lain gak menganggap hubert tapi lord wesley ramah dan akrab sama hubert...
lama2 sammy juga mikirin lord wesley...
sampe akhirnya dia berkesimpulan...dia udah 26 tahun, udah pasti gak bakal menikah, dia mau merasakan petualangan dan bener2 jadi wanita sejati...dia mau mencari lover.....dan sasaran nya siapa lagi kalo bukan lord wesley yang kaya, tampan, baik dan lucu....
sammy nawarin ke lord wesley...yuuuk bikin affair bareng :p
lord wesley nya nolak karena dia gak mau bikin sammy 'ruined' gitu....padahal sih tiap malem si wesley ini gak bisa tidur mikirin si sammy...bayangin begini ninini...begitu tututu :p
dia bilang ke sammy dia gak mau menikah, kalo sampe ketauan kan pasti di suruh nikah....dan gimana kalo sampe ada anak secara sammy ini kan gadis baik2 dan bukan seperti mantan2 nya yang dulu ...
ho tapi sammy nya gak putus asa...diem2 dia nanya2 ke sodari nya ..bilangnya sih buat ilmu pengetahuan secara dia mau ngadain percobaan ke hewan mengenai kehamilan....gimana caranya supaya after melakukan uhuk2 trus gak hamil ?
bagian sini lucu banget...cara sodari nya ngejelasin pake...u-know-what (baca : organ reproduksi co dan ce) dan u-know-where (maksudnya supaya spe*m nya keluar gitu :p)
ada yang bilang mesti di basuh pake cuka sama pake sponge...si sammy bingung dimana nyari sponge nya...dia mau nanya aja nanti sama lord wesley kalo lord wesley setuju jadi lover dia wkwkwkwkwk....
dan sammy nya beneran nanya ama lord wesley dimana bisa dapetin spongw hahahahah...
pas ditanya buat apa, sammy ngejelasin...supaya bisa affair dan gak sampe hamil....:p
lord wesley nya marah karena cemburu...dikira nya sammy mau ambil lover lain setelah dia menolak....akhirnya dia bilang ...ya udah kita affair aja...ketemuan ya di danau jam 10 malem :p
si sammy datengnya kayaknya kecepetan 2 jam....gak sabaran hihihih....
sambil nunggu lord wesley dia masuk berendam ke danau, cuma pake pakaian dalam aja.....
rupanya lord wesley juga dateng nya kecepetan (gak sabaran juga :p)...takjub deh dia liat sammy yang lagi berendam di danau....trus disamperinlah....lor wesley ikut2 an buka baju dan masuk ke danau.....
affair yang mesti nya di pondoknya lord wesley..karena sama2 gak sabaran akhir nya terjadi nya di dalam danau sambil berendam (kipas2....hot)
gak di jelasin ya ngapain aja di danau...kan semua udah pada ngerti hohohoho....*sensor*
abis dari danau lanjut ke pondoknya...
back to bride thief....duit hadiah buat nangkap bride thief semakin lama semakin besar....
lord wesley gak mau kalo sampe dia tertangkap dan di hukum gantung, sammy juga akan terbawa secara waktu dia nyelamatin salah seorang gadis yang mau di paksa nikah sama bapaknya, si sammy datang buat membantu...jadinya ada saksi yang bilang kalo bride thief itu punya partner....
sammy nya juga galau...dirumahnya ibunya mengira kalo lord wesley mau nikahin si sammy gara2 lord wesley sering datang..sammy gak mau kalo lord wesley dipaksa kawin sama dia secara dia tau gosip di luaran itu pada bilang kalo lord wesley gak mungkin lagi courting miss samantha yang plain dan eksentrik.....so sammy mau mutusin lord wesley....
lord wesley juga mau putus sama sammy krn takut sammy bakal menderita kalo nanti dia ketauan sebagai bride thief.....soooo janjianlah dia malam2 ketemu sammy di kebun.....
sayangnya nyokapnya sammy dan temen (sekaligus rival mak comblang) ngeliat sammy sendirian keluar....so diikutinlah....
lord wesley juga sih...mau putus tapi pas dia denger duluan sammy mau putusin dia, eh dia nya marah, malah nyium si sammy gitu..kepergok sama nyokap nya si sammy dan di paksa kawin :p
gimana lanjutannya ? baca sendiri aja ya...ripiu nya udah panjang banget hihihih......
yang pasti alesan utama kenapa lord wesley jadi bride thief karena dulu dia gak bisa nyelamatin adiknya...waktu dia pergi perang adik nya di kawinin sama lord2 tua dan kejam oleh bokapnya yang jahat dan matre....
so krn dia gak bisa nyelamatin adiknya jadi dia nyelamatin gadis2 lain dari keharusan menikah paksa.....
endingnya juga bikin deg2 an...pas sammy dan lord wesley merit, ada yang tau identitas lord wesley sebagai bride thief....
untungnya tuh org akhirnya tau alasan bride thief menculik....karena dia sebenernya suka sama margareth, adik lord wesley yang udah jadi janda karena suaminya yang jahat udah mati...dia gak mau bikin margaret sedih...akhirnya dia membebaskan bride thief dengan syarat gak boleh lagi ada penculikan2...dan kalopun mau membantu gadis2 itu, mesti menggunakan cara legal.....
happy end ^^
March 13, 2021
4.5
I read this book several years ago for the first time and quite liked it.
Recently I started reading from Bridgerton series because of all the fuss about the Netflix adaptation and I was very disappointed about portrayal of the male characters,and their behavior towards female characters. I found the books very disrespectful towards woman.
(And it was not the only problem with the series). I tried to dismiss the feeling by saying well this books were written based of beliefs of another time that certainly would be infuriating for a modern woman, then I remembered this gem of a book for around the same time with a intriguing heroin in search of her freedom in a traditional society and a hero that not only understand the mistreatment towards woman and respects them but goes out of his way to help them. And I read this book again and enjoyed it even more.
I hope more writers would write their charactets as such and try to make the best of it even when their novel is set in a different time.
I read this book several years ago for the first time and quite liked it.
Recently I started reading from Bridgerton series because of all the fuss about the Netflix adaptation and I was very disappointed about portrayal of the male characters,and their behavior towards female characters. I found the books very disrespectful towards woman.
(And it was not the only problem with the series). I tried to dismiss the feeling by saying well this books were written based of beliefs of another time that certainly would be infuriating for a modern woman, then I remembered this gem of a book for around the same time with a intriguing heroin in search of her freedom in a traditional society and a hero that not only understand the mistreatment towards woman and respects them but goes out of his way to help them. And I read this book again and enjoyed it even more.
I hope more writers would write their charactets as such and try to make the best of it even when their novel is set in a different time.
June 16, 2014
No, Samantha, I took everything from you. Self-hatred battered him, and he sank to his knees, the moist earth seeping through his breeches. Squeezing his eyes shut, he rested his forehead on his clenched fists. How the hell was it possible to feel so numb, yet hurt so excruciatingly bad at the same time?
Yes, read that and WEEP from laughter. I could not stop laughing at some of these scenes. So over dramatic and ridiculous! For a romance novel, the romance between the protags were terribly unromantic and so forced. Too much sex for too little plot. If you want sex, you BETTER earn it, or else go watch some porn. It's probably more satisfying than reading a book that promises something that doesn't deliver on the plot level.
The protags- Eric and Samantha- had little personality and were absolutely absurd. Don't promise me an academic when you can't give it to me. All I got was a label and no substance. UGH. Eric was boring and gave out the man pain like it was his whole personality (example above).
I didn't enjoy this book at all, but if you like books like these, go ahead and try it!
May 2, 2017
Me encantó, es la primera obra que leo de esta escritora pero no será la última,
Sammie es un amor, con su inocencia e ingenuidad lo va seduciendo y se va enamorando, y él es el protagonista ideal. lo amé
Sammie es un amor, con su inocencia e ingenuidad lo va seduciendo y se va enamorando, y él es el protagonista ideal. lo amé
July 29, 2010
Love her books. Have never read one of her historicals, but already am thoroughly enjoying it. Funny books, witty writing, and the hero is to-die-for.
June 18, 2021
I own this book. And pulled it off the shelf, because I haven't read it in so very long, I didn't remember the plot. Besides, I read a lot, and can't keep track.
Eric is 'The Bride Thief'. Meaning he rescues women who are being forced into odious marriages by whisking them away, giving them passage money to either the Americas or the Continent, and help them start a new life on THEIR terms. He believes a woman deserves a choice. This all stems from his sister being married off against her will to an abusive (both physically and emotionally) nobleman who threatens her life for fun. He can't help his sister (because of his father/her husband), but he CAN rescue women before they're bartered off against their wills.
Then he meets Samantha. She's a 26 year old self-declared spinster - bespectacled, plain in the face, well-read, and immersed in scientific experiments with her teenaged brother. She has no desire to ever marry. When her mama (who is a gossipy busybody who INSISTS her daughters make good matches) arranges a marriage with an odious man? Samantha goes over and unleashes her toad, science, and singing on the man - ending the arrangement, herself.
Eric doesn't know this. On the same night, he abducts Samantha in order to 'save' her. She insists on being put BACK in her life this minute. Which is... a new twist on things, for him. She's clear that she's completely capable of handling her own problems, and that she has lofty goals beyond matrimony. ALL OF this intrigues him.
Other reviewers say this is two wordy, but that was the style of thinking/writing in older times. This isn't one of those shallow books tossed out there for an e-audience. It's a BOOK, and it's a well written one in the tone of that time period.
Sammy is delightful. Her mother, father, and sisters are total caricatures, but that only adds to the fun of the story. Eric is noble and funny and chivalrous and genuine.
There were only two things that took stars - first his name. Eric Wesley. It seemed too mod for a book about the peerage. The other thing was that the end of it slogged into 'when do I tell her I'm the Bride Thief'-dom, before or after we marry, or before or after I'm caught, which might be when we marry... it's very 'Music Man' ending, which always makes me hate the story, at that point.
But luckily that passes, and we do find our way to a beautiful HEA.
Eric is 'The Bride Thief'. Meaning he rescues women who are being forced into odious marriages by whisking them away, giving them passage money to either the Americas or the Continent, and help them start a new life on THEIR terms. He believes a woman deserves a choice. This all stems from his sister being married off against her will to an abusive (both physically and emotionally) nobleman who threatens her life for fun. He can't help his sister (because of his father/her husband), but he CAN rescue women before they're bartered off against their wills.
Then he meets Samantha. She's a 26 year old self-declared spinster - bespectacled, plain in the face, well-read, and immersed in scientific experiments with her teenaged brother. She has no desire to ever marry. When her mama (who is a gossipy busybody who INSISTS her daughters make good matches) arranges a marriage with an odious man? Samantha goes over and unleashes her toad, science, and singing on the man - ending the arrangement, herself.
Eric doesn't know this. On the same night, he abducts Samantha in order to 'save' her. She insists on being put BACK in her life this minute. Which is... a new twist on things, for him. She's clear that she's completely capable of handling her own problems, and that she has lofty goals beyond matrimony. ALL OF this intrigues him.
Other reviewers say this is two wordy, but that was the style of thinking/writing in older times. This isn't one of those shallow books tossed out there for an e-audience. It's a BOOK, and it's a well written one in the tone of that time period.
Sammy is delightful. Her mother, father, and sisters are total caricatures, but that only adds to the fun of the story. Eric is noble and funny and chivalrous and genuine.
There were only two things that took stars - first his name. Eric Wesley. It seemed too mod for a book about the peerage. The other thing was that the end of it slogged into 'when do I tell her I'm the Bride Thief'-dom, before or after we marry, or before or after I'm caught, which might be when we marry... it's very 'Music Man' ending, which always makes me hate the story, at that point.
But luckily that passes, and we do find our way to a beautiful HEA.
March 21, 2026
En realidad ha sido una relectura, aunque teniendo en cuenta que hace más de veinte años que lo leí por primera vez, ha sido casi como leerlo de nuevas. Lo que más recordaba era que me había gustado muchísimo este libro, y supongo que tenía ganas de comprobar cómo le había sentado el paso del tiempo.
No muy bien, la verdad.
El libro sigue teniendo cierto encanto, pero hay cosas con las que hoy en día no soy tan tolerante como hace veinte o veinticinco años. Una de ellas es que constantemente me digan que la protagonista no es como las demás chicas (porque ella es inteligente, ¿sabes? Lleva gafas, y le interesa la ciencia, no los vestidos y las fiestas, que por lo visto es lo único que tienen en la cabeza todas las demás mujeres del país 🙄).
Además, se me ha hecho muy repetitivo. Cada vez que hay una interacción de cualquier tipo entre los dos personajes principales, las siguentes dos escenas consisten en ver cómo cada uno de ellos piensa en lo que acaba de ocurrir. Tengo que decir que esto era algo muy habitual dentro del género romántico de la época, y en aquel momento no me parecía mal, pero ya no tengo esa clase de paciencia. Está claro que un libro te tiene que pillar en el momento adecuado.
No muy bien, la verdad.
El libro sigue teniendo cierto encanto, pero hay cosas con las que hoy en día no soy tan tolerante como hace veinte o veinticinco años. Una de ellas es que constantemente me digan que la protagonista no es como las demás chicas (porque ella es inteligente, ¿sabes? Lleva gafas, y le interesa la ciencia, no los vestidos y las fiestas, que por lo visto es lo único que tienen en la cabeza todas las demás mujeres del país 🙄).
Además, se me ha hecho muy repetitivo. Cada vez que hay una interacción de cualquier tipo entre los dos personajes principales, las siguentes dos escenas consisten en ver cómo cada uno de ellos piensa en lo que acaba de ocurrir. Tengo que decir que esto era algo muy habitual dentro del género romántico de la época, y en aquel momento no me parecía mal, pero ya no tengo esa clase de paciencia. Está claro que un libro te tiene que pillar en el momento adecuado.
January 23, 2024
I think this is by far probably one of my favorite regency romances I have ever read—and I’ve been reading a lot lately. I just finished it like two minutes ago and I already want to pick it back up and read it again and then track down and read everything this author has ever written down to all her grocery lists. What a slay <3
February 26, 2023
Típico libro de novela rosa. Se me ha hecho muy pesado hacia la mitad. Creo que es porque, en mi opinión, le falta un poco de acción. Aún así, es entretenido y bastante romántico si lo que buscas es suspirar de amor.
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