At the Bride Hunt Ball

Devine & Friends #1

by Olivia Parker

To Snare a Bride . . .

To Gabriel Devine, Duke of Wolverest, the bonds of marriage are nothing more than shackles. But if he's to remain a lifelong bachelor, that leaves only his younger brother to carry on the family name. Inviting the ton's most eligible ladies to an elegant ball, Gabriel is certain any one of them would be all too eager to become the next duchess and provide an heir—leaving Gabriel to continue his ecstatic pursuit of pleasure.

To Catch a Rogue . . .

Her social-climbing stepmother would give anything to have Madelyn Haywood betrothed to a future duke. But Madelyn believes the brothers Devine to be nothing more than heartless rogues—especially Gabriel, whose rakish reputation precedes him. He is nothing more than a slave to passion, and she will not be conquered by his caresses—and yet his wicked ways tempt her so . . .

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Regency Romance, Historical Fiction, Humor

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author



​Endowed with an insatiable yearning for happily-ever-afters, Olivia fell in love with the promise of happy endings found in the lovely pages of romance novels. When she's not reading or writing, she's quite the busy "governess" to a trio of lovely children.

She, sincerely, appreciates all of her emails as they often bring sunlight to some cloudy days. You can try to reach her via her Facebook page--though I should warn you, she's a bit of a recluse and Facebook continuously confuses (intimidates) her.

Presently, she's writing, working, and bargaining with a large yellow dog that trades cuddles for peanut butter

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most delightful novels I’ve read in a long time. It was low on angst, filled with humor, and I can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to have found another Historical Romance author whose writing and characters reminded me of my three favorite writers in this genre; Julie Garwood, Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas. The wit, the passion and the lighthearted but touching story made At The Bride Hunt Ball a book I couldn’t put down.

We first see Madelyn Haywood as she’s running through Gabriel Devine, Duke of Wolverest’s garden, trying to escape his solicitor’s attempt at giving her an invitation to the Bride Hunt Ball, where his younger brother, Tristan, is to choose a wife. It is one of the funniest scenes I’ve read in a long, long while. Honestly, this story has many funny, tender and steamy moments. I laughed out loud more than a few times as Madelyn made her way across the pages of this book, stumbling, fumbling, interfering and making a nuisance of herself, and doing it all unapologetically. I absolutely adore her acceptance of herself, knowing that she doesn’t quite fit the norm and honestly, not caring one bit.

Gabriel Devine is an amazing hero, not the callous, mean spirited, self absorbed man everyone thinks he is. Memories from his childhood have instilled in him the importance of monogamy and integrity, and although he’s not a tortured or terribly tormented soul, he’s not entirely trusting of those around him, which is why he can’t fathom that Madelyn wasn’t out to snag either he or his brother for a husband. So his untrusting nature, coupled with Madelyn’s determination to make sure her best friend, Charlotte, does not become Tristan’s bride, makes this story a unique, charming, passionate joy to read.

After reading this and the sequel, To Wed a Wicked Earl, Olivia Parker is now on my “auto buy author” list and I am so looking forward to Lady Rosalind's story in Guarding a Notorious Lady coming out this summer! Cheryl, thank you for recommending this book!

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re going on a Bride Hunt…but I’m pretty sure it’s the Duke who’s afraid.

I’m finding it hard to write a review for At The Bride Hunt Ball as I'm not sure I could do it justice. It was bloody good and had all the things I absolutely adore in my historical romance reads. I think the humour was the highlight. Then again it could have been the quirky heroine. Some might think it's the hero who steals the show with his straight-laced rules that get thrown out the window once he meets the heroine. We do not have formulaic characters in this story, and while we may see other storylines that are similar, I think the author has an individual voice that would be hard to reproduce and match. This is a story that has been out for years, but my first time reading this author. Thank you to my fellow Goodreads reading group members for bringing this wonderful story to my attention.

All the best-laid plans in the world can’t stop love or physical attraction. To me that is the lesson to be learned in At The Bride Hunt Ball. I started reading and almost immediately I had Mr Darcy in mind when picturing Gabriel Devine, The Duke of Wolveston. My favourite Mr Darcy is Colin Firth, but in this case, I couldn’t help but picture Matthew Macfadyen when I thought of Gabriel. The Duke has a stiff upper lip, stern visage, with a sensual side just below the surface. Gabriel is a Duke, so, of course, it’s his responsibility to marry well and produce an heir to carry on the name. BUT...Gabriel has no desire to marry. He hatches a plan to marry off his younger brother so he can produce the heir instead. The only problem is, Gabriel doesn’t trust his brother's judgement when it comes to picking a wife, so he and their sister come up with the idea of the bride hunt ball. Now the process of corralling all these lovely young ladies takes time and dedication. Firstly, they must be beautiful. Secondly, they must have style and grace. The one thing they must not do is attract unwanted attention. Well then, how the bloody hell did Madelyn make the cut?

Madelyn has managed to avoid the marriage noose up till now. When she hears about the absurd plan the Devine brothers have thought up, she is quite horrified. How dare they make it a game to find a wife. Why would any woman with a lick of intelligence want to take part in a game like that? Unfortunately, her stepmother couldn’t think of anything better than foisting her off on one of those Devine brothers. Even though the competition is to find a wife for the younger brother Tristan, Priscilla, Madelyn’s stepmother, has her eye on a bigger prize. She thinks Madelyn should be aiming her wiles on Gabriel. Madelyn thinks Priscilla is crazy to believe she has a chance with either of them, especially considering a number of times she’s told she’s ugly, impetuous and a laughingstock. Madelyn tries to talk some sense into Priscilla with no success and she’s unfortunately thrown to the wolves.

Madelyn and Gabriel’s first meeting, and second for that matter are an absolute crack up. Madelyn does a great job of getting Gabriel’s attention, but not in an ideal way. Funny thing is, Gabriel is fascinated with her and is shocked to find out that Madelyn doesn’t see her appeal. No one besides family has been able to make him laugh or even smile like she does. Someone has convinced her that she is unattractive and it doesn’t take long for Gabriel to realise her stepmother is a scheming and nasty woman.

I really enjoyed At The Bride Hunt Ball. It was sweet, funny and sexy. The ending left me with a huge grin on my face and I loved every minute of their journey to happiness. Madelyn gets herself into trouble and finds herself in embarrassing situations regularly. At first, his Grace is horrified but learns to love her faults and all. It was nice to see him realise the gem he had in Madelyn.

I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

To purchase At The Bride Hunt Ball from Amazon - http://amzn.to/23fzSQW


I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 hilarious stars !



A delightful read !!! I cant believe I let the cover fool me into letting this book lie on my To-read shelf for so long !!!

AT THE BRIDE HUNT BALL,is basically the t.v show THE BACHLOER retold completley in victorian style.



Olivia parker has successfully combined her writing to be one composing of both Julia quinn's humor and Lisa kyplas serioussness,beautifully.

The story starts,with 7 young ladies predictably persuading a youngest,rich bachelor Mr.Wolverest Tristan as a potential husband.But plans quickly disrupt when the older and the more ravishing brother of the two,GABRIEL,Duke of Wolverest decides to disrupt the society game after falling in love with one of the contestants,Lady MADYLEN,as well.

Would I recommend the read ?
Sure ! This book was a fun and a cliche read,with such unpredictable humor that you 'll resent putting the read down without finishing it.

[Jen ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun, and I had a good time with this book. 🤭

I was hesitant to read this because Gabriel is an unashamed rake. But then, I realized that most historical romances I've stumbled upon seem to have this type of MMC, and let me tell you, there's nothing that grinds my gears more than this kind of lead. Ngl, there were reminders—not a lot, but not also few—about his reputation in the first half of the book, and that made me irk every freaking time. 🥴

Typically, those pesky reminders linger in my mind throughout the entire book, and they kind of mess up how I feel about the story. But for some reason, I managed to move past them, I gotta admit, I nearly forgot about his reputation. 🫣 And that’s saying a lot, considering I usually can’t shake off my disgust over the MMC’s promiscuity! 😒

I really can’t put my finger on why this book so addictive, but I think it’s mainly because the storytelling is super entertaining and the MCs are just so sweet and adorable together. 😍

Most of the time, I found myself laughing at their antics, and the back and forth between them kept me entertained rather than annoyed. The banter is great, and whenever they're together, the tension is so thick you could slice it with a knife. 🤭

Gabriel and Madelyn definitely had some serious chemistry going on; it was just off the charts! Even though they tried to resist it, that didn't last very long. This is a slow burn, but the build-up and the wait made it all so worth it! 🥰

I have no idea how this book gets me to enjoy stuff I usually can’t stand (hoes, push and pull, misunderstandings, innocent heroine (I know, it’s pretty typical for this genre), body betraying crap), I'm sure there's more, but I just can't remember right now. These things would normally make me roll my eyes so hard, but in this case, everything just clicked perfectly together. I seriously can't wrap my head around it. 😂

Anyway, there was a little misunderstanding towards the end, but I'm really happy it only took a day to sort everything out. ☺️

I think my only issue would be with the odd transitions between the MCs' POVs. At first, it was tough to get used to the third-person point of view because it just doesn't click with me. 🥲

One moment, we're in Madelyn's head, and then suddenly, the next paragraph shifts to Gabriel's POV. I was confused a lot, but I eventually got the hang of it and how to be okay with it. Well, I had no choice if I'm being honest. 🫣 I got through it in the end, but I really wish these transitions have been smoother and less confusing. 😬

I don't have much more to say, and despite my issue, I really enjoyed the story! This was such a fun book (for me), and the MCs and the epilogue made it soooo much better. 💖


Book info:
- Historical romance
- 3rd POV
- Dislike to love
- Loss of loved one
- He falls first and hard
- No cheating, OW, separation
- Minor OM (but only to make the H jealous 🤭)
- V h, Hoe H
- HEA (yrs later, married with a son and pregnant)

[Eastofoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big tsk tsk on me for not picking up this hidden gem of a read sooner. And why? Well for two reasons: the cover (yes I said it “the cover”) looks old fashioned and too stereotypical older style romance (I know, don’t judge a book by its cover and I’ve been burned before for doing just that but I guess I’ll never learn—lol!) and the second reason is that it’s OOP. It’s been my experience that OOPs are out of print for a reason (they suck) but I can’t for the life of me understand why this little beauty is no longer in print. If you like authors like Julia Quinn or Suzanne Enoch you HAVE to read this book. It’s great if you’re looking for a light read after something heavy or if you just need a good book to unwind and make you feel that happy all is right with the world feeling.

Briefly, this story is about Madelyn the bluestocking with a head on her shoulders who’s unfortunately somewhat clumsy and gets into more than her fare share of social “faux-pas”, and Gabriel Devine, future duke and part of a band of brothers known for their roguish ways. The brothers organize a bride ball to find a bride for the second brother. Over a two week period the potential brides are invited to their country estate with their parents to basically strut their stuff. Now you might be thinking, O-M-G a meat market story and that’s supposed to be good!?! Ever watch the tv show “The Bachelor”? A bit of a guilty pleasure right even if you’re mocking all those winners contestants for whatever reason you’re still watching it religiously. Well this book is the regency version of The Bachelor with the rose ceremony and the whole kit and caboodle. There’s the back stabbing and the cry babies, the pseudo-helpless, the skanks, the ones who think they’re a cut above and even the normal. It’s all just hilarious and totally brilliant on the author’s part to have come up with it I thought. So back to the overview of the story: Maddie wants nothing to do with this ball especially since its being hosted by the notorious brothers. Turns out though that she made the cut for the guests but she does everything she can to refuse until she meets Gabriel and the story starts off with a bang without stopping until you get to the end.

What I loved most about this book is that the h/h were the focus from beginning to end. The tension building was there from the get-go and didn’t falter once right up to the end of the story. No silly capers, annoying sub-plots or filler characters that add nothing to the story’s development. That is soooo refreshing! Though the novel is light and fun for the most part, there are some heart twisting moments with Maddie’s witchy social climbing whore of a stepmother. She was so mean and hurtful you just want to gouge her eyes out. Maddie though rises above all that and even though she feels hurt she still finds joy in life and laughs at the troubles she manages to get into which was why Gabriel falls for her.

Then there’s Gabriel. Oh swoon worthy Gabe :D He’s a man who knows what he wants and gets it but he’s not an annoying jerk or Mr Boss Man. He’s a great alpha hero who has his reasons for not wanting a relationship and never wanting to get married –until he gets to know Madelyn. The author does a fantastic job of showing this blossoming love affair. There’s no left-field “I love you” or eye-rolling “whatever”, not even a gag-me with undying love scene even once in this story and that’s something in itself. There are some parts that if someone described to you you might think it’s just plain corny, like when they dance together alone in the ballroom, oh sigh sigh sigh that was just so good :D Reminded me of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and god knows I hate the sappy syrupy read. It was so well done.

The novel is fast-paced, well-written and very hard to put down mostly because the story flows so well, it’s smart and funny, doesn’t lag and has a very nice dollop of healthy steam in the unlikeliest of places ;) No shrinking violets here which makes for some great heart stopping catch your breath scenes.

I could really go on and on about this book but then we’d be getting into spoilers, so just suffice it to say that this book is really damn good. So go scour the UBSs and the swap sites or wherever some fool decided to ditch this baby because there’s some fine keeper shelf material to be read here people :D

[edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holding the ring in a shaft of light, he presented it to her. “Marry me, my precious, perfect bride?”

YES YES YESSSSS!!

A not so beautiful but slightly adorable clumsy girl meets the devilish duke who just does not want to get married. Is it overdone? Yes. Do I get tired of it? No.

The mains were walking historical romance cliches, the plot was nothing revolutionary too (loved how there was no over the top villain or a venomous other woman, just a stepmother who is in love with easy money, but don't worry, she was just there and gone.) but something just did it for me... I found myself giggling and blushing like my 15 year old self finding self insert fanfictions for the first time, and how I chase that feeling now.

This delivered.

Gabriel and Madelyn had so much sexual tension, their entire dynamic is just foreplay disguised as annoyance, snark and a flirtatious battle of wits. The tension, ugh, was almost pornographic, nothing screams eroticism like stolen glances.

He had kept her here for himself. To see what she did next, said next, wore next; to see what new feeling, new insight, her smile inspired within himself. It was suddenly apparent that somehow he had allowed her to break some unseen barrier within him.

Lovable characters, simple plot, nothing dramatic, nothing absurd, just the right amount of trouble to keep things interesting. And when I pray for a husband, I just might ask for someone like Gabriel. A girl can dream, right?

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you love it when you don't have high expectations about a book and it turns out to be a delightful read? That's what happened with this book. Knowing its premise was similar to the TV show The Bachelor - a group of girls gathered in the same house for a period of time with the sole objective of catching the coveted bachelor -, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this read. Well, I'm glad I overcame my initial prejudice because At the Bride Hunt Ball ended up being a very entertaining read.

Gabriel Devine, the Duke of Wolverest, has sworn off marriage but he knows he needs to start "producing" heirs to carry on the title, so he decides his younger brother, Lord Tristan, is to be married and to take care of the "heir issue". Gabriel's plan is quite simple: invite seven young ladies (and their chaperones, of course) to a house party at his country estate, so his brother can get acquainted with them, "evaluate" them and, after a fortnight, choose the "winner".

Madelyn Haywood is one of the seven ladies selected to participate in the "contest". She doesn't really want to go because she doesn't have any interest in mingling with the "rakish" Devine brothers, but her stepmother forces her to go. Madelyn finds another reason to go when she discovers that her friend Charlotte, who's been in love with Lord Tristan for years, is also one of the selected ladies, and Madelyn vows to protect her too dreamy-eyed friend from Lord Tristan's wicked ways.

At first, Gabriel plans to make himself scarce during the house party, as he has no interest in getting himself involved in the "contest" as long as Tristan comes out of it with a bride in tow, but he can't resist Madelyn. She isn't like any other woman he's ever met, and he can't help falling in love with her and questioning his decision to never marry. On her side, she slowly realizes that he isn't the cad she thought he was, and falls for him too. He blunders his marriage proposal but, as this is Romancelandia, it's just a tiny bump in their way to the HEA.

As described above, the plot of this story was quite simple and straightforward, with no unexpected twists. What made this book so enjoyable was watching Gabriel and Madelyn interact and fall in love with each other. I smiled, laughed, sighed and, at one point, even hurt with them. Gabriel was a bit arrogant sometimes - after all, he was the Duke of Wolverest and he could do anything he wanted! - but he was completely helpless when it came to Madelyn. She was adorable in her clumsiness, and I was very happy to see how Gabriel helped her overcome her insecurities.

All in all, I had a great time reading this book, and I recommend it to anyone who likes a light and sweet romantic comedy set in Regency England.

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st read or fifth read this book is priceless!!

I love This book. I have read it over five times and I am still delighted by it. It's humorous, it's romantic and it's magical! Madelyn the heroine is one of the quirkiest heroines ever but I loved her. And the hero Gabriel is absolutely wonderful! I loved watching him fall in love with her! There is a ball but it's for his brother who is a nincompoop and it was just in the background. The romance took center stage and there was so much passion. This is a true romance and the epilogue is charming. I love this book and I will read it again. And again and again, and again. Totally safe and sighworthy. Totally recommend.

10/8/2024

Feeling low so I just reread this again and my heart swooned I love this book and the epilogue is priceless. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

[Izzie (semi-hiatus) McFussy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ Not for me. This is HR adjacent rather than an HR. It’s “The Bachelor,” Regency Style. The MC’s attraction for each other was purely physical. I’m not a fan of reality shows and prefer couples who share interests beyond the bedroom like reading or chess. Or perhaps, walking? Riding? Music? Theater? Bueller?

It is what it is. If you’re in the mood for sexual tension and spice, you’ll find this entertaining.

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A glowing, wonderful

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I seriously loved this book so much. It had everything I love in a romance. It was funny, it has tension, it has hot kisses, it gives me butterflies. LOVED getting lost in this book. All I wanted to do was read it. I took it with me everywhere. I did more random hiding from my kids and reading than I have in a very long time.

Gabriel is hosting a bride hunt ball for his younger brother Tristian. Gabriel has sworn never to marry and is helping his brother foster the Dukedom line.

Madelyn is a red headed, quirky, clumsy mess of a woman with a wonderful heart. She somehow gets invited to the bride hunt ball despite her evasion tactics.

There’s so so much to love about this book. I loved Madelyn’s spunk. Gabriel was a to die for hero, in my opinion. I loved everything about him. I was worried it would follow the whole “No I cannot marry because of xyz” which I don’t usually like (especially when it’s a huge problem through the book and then they just do it anyway because it’s magically not a problem anymore. Ok mini rant over). This book wasn’t like that at all. It was wonderful. He doesn’t want to fall in love, but it happens in a beautiful way anyway. Nothing can stop it. And slowly he admits to himself what is happening and he embraces it.

I loved the tension and butterflies in this book. It had so many little scenes and things that make my heart sing. There’s one scene where she is hiding from two other guests and he pulls her backwards against him into a shadowy alcove and it’s so swoon worthy. Also when Madelyn gets lost and inadvertently ends up in his bedroom and she goes to leave and his hand comes up and slams the door preventing her escape. Makes my heart pitter patter 😍

This book felt steamy. It had the feels combined with well written scenes. Quite a few kisses and 2 full scenes. I just loved it. I highly recommend everyone try it. I’ve already bought the second and third.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've wanted a house party historical for a while and just hadn't been able to find one that quite worked, but this hit the spot! It's not perfect, there are some editing snafus and formatting where there's no break between scene changes. I still got pulled in and spent my afternoon rooting for Gabriel (H) and Madelyn (h). They have a hilarious first meeting at a party thrown to announce which ladies will attend the Duke's (Gabriel) house party in an effort to secure a wife for his younger brother, since the Duke never plans on marrying. Madelyn literally runs from the room trying to dodge getting her own invitation. It's that sort of scandalously different behavior and quirky situations she finds herself in that she exhibits throughout the book. Despite Gabriel's intention never to marry, he inexorably is swept away by this imperfect, but perfect for him, future bride. Written in third person, dual POV (which changes within the text without label). Sort of ow drama in that some of the other potential brides decide to pursue the Duke, but nothing comes of it and sort of om drama in that a prior suitor of the h's also attends the house party and shows interest, but also tries to help her. H is not a virgin and small details shared about his history, h is a virgin.

Madelyn is at the house party to watch over a friend, who's in love with Gabriel's brother, and also because she's being pressured to pursue the Duke by her stepmother. Madelyn is clumsy, outspoken, and a sweetheart. Sometimes she was a bit naive or needed to ask more questions, but she was so likable. Madelyn also has low self-esteem because of her stepmother and my heart hurt for how she was treated and also some of the times Gabriel inadvertently hurt her, esp when he adored her as she was. Gabriel is aloof and a perfectionist and immediately smitten with Madelyn, which I loved. He both fought not to cross lines and pursued her aggressively. Between them there is some push/pull and there are some misassumptions and miscommunications at times, but this is a light, quick read. It's a slow burn that does also include steamy times. I also really liked that each of their feelings for the other developed even with their initial plans not to.

Madelyn's stepmother was horrid and I did wish that there was a comeuppance for her. Gabriel's sister was lovely and so was Madelyn's best friend. His brother was immature but funny. I ended up liking Madelyn's former suitor and wanted him to get his own HEA (maybe he does in another book in the series). There are also the other "bridal hunt" attendees who were mostly ladies who thought they were better than others, although I wouldn't call them mean girls.

Madelyn and Gabriel do share their feelings and get on the same page with their romance, with a third act breakup and bit of help along the way, and their HEA was a good one. The last chapter is an extended epilogue a few years down the road and I loved that it had a lightened up Gabriel along with showing them happy and in love.

[Luana ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the heroine was quite funny in a clumsy way. The trope was basically opposite attracts and in a way it was a sweet romance. My complaint is that it was a house party, cuz I find them so boring. The heroine made it funny but nothing spectacular. Just a normal book with a normal romance where the hero and heroine does not want to marry but ended up falling in love for each other.

This book is for when you are looking for a light romance that doesn't have a complicated plot but has a wonderful epilogue.

3.5 stars.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please don't hate me you guys, for not loving a book that is such a favorite with you! I guess I just wasn't in the right mood for this? It was extremely fluffy and cheesy, and I found myself rolling my eyes too much to enjoy it. Mostly I was annoyed by the heroine though. She was one big cliché, supposed to be adorable and clumsy and just oh so different from all the other girls, and for some reason it just annoyed me. Oh well. I'm sure it was just me, not the book, so I'll definitely give the second book a try, because I liked both main characters from that in this story already, and I'd like to know what happens to them

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am re-reading all my 5 star rated romance novels. There are 63 on my shelf (and counting). This is book 58.

(Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Mistaken Identity, Unstarched (him))

This is how my 58th re-read held up.



A strong re-read, not perfect.

The instalove and premise is a bit much, and the main hero is at times borderline too arrogant and uses his body a lot to block and prevent movement for my taste. But it’s funny, low on angst, charming and well steamy 😊 The heroinne's backbone is admirable, although it took a while to show up.

I read it in one sitting, and I will definitely buy book 2 and 3.

Changed from 5 stars to 4 stars.

******

- She laughed.
So did he—a deep masculine rumble that rolled through her like the thunder had earlier. The sound of their mixed voices made her feel warm and—strangely—giddy.

- “I do not know how…” he said softly, his gaze centered on her mouth, “and you certainly have no idea…of the effect you have on me.” Swallowing, his expression changed to one of confusion, as if in the act of sorting out his thoughts, he’d come upon some new discovery.

- “I never smiled much.” His voice was a low purr in the shadows.
“Don’t be silly,” she replied, taking a step closer to the next portrait—and farther away from him. “You smile all the time.”
“At you,” he conceded, “with you, because of you.”

[Lisa Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ I really enjoyed this one, so much so, I was very tempted to give it 5 stars. It was fast-paced and entertaining and slightly different. The characters were likable, believable , and held my attention at a time when that was all but impossible to do. There was a tiny inconsistency: did the step-mother know that Madelyn ran from Gabriel in the conservatory or not? - but nothing to write home about. The author copped out a bit at the end with a Big Little Misunderstanding, but for a debut book, it made me sit up and take notice of her talent; I’ll definitely be looking for more of her writing.

Update: April 19, 2012
P.S. The other pic dissappeared somewhere into that mysterious Ethernet... Anyway, I found this one. I was having a heck of a time finding an alcove that was deep enough, dark enough, and hidden enough to do what Gabriel and Madelyn did...but this one works!

[Beanbag Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great find thanks to Good Reads and Misuzmama's Amazon lists.

Olivia Parker has a great talent for writing physical comedy. Even though I predicted a couple of the gags before they actually came to fruition, she still had me laughing out loud.

A clumsy heroine, Madelyne Haywood is still a delight. She's stubborn and uninterested in the two Devine brothers who are holding a house party in order for the youngest to find a bride. The duke himself doesn't wish to ever marry, having seen the damage his parents' union did to his mother. He'd rather have his younger brother be his heir and carry on the line.

When we enter the story, Madelyne (sp?) and her best friend Charlotte are at a soiree at the duke's London mansion. The event's purpose is to choose seven women of the ton to receive invitations to the aforementioned house party. Tristan -- the younger Devine -- is not involved in the choosing. His older brother -- Gabriel, the duke -- and his sister -- Rosalind -- are doing the choosing. Mostly Rosalind.

Maddie is not at all interested in going to the house party, but her b*tchy stepmother/guardian, Priscilla, demands she place herself in the running. And Charlotte, being in love with Tristan, covets an invitation for herself.

The story takes place almost entirely at the house party, but for the most part we spend time with Maddie and Gabriel. They often end up separated from the pack and it's wonderful to see them together and watch them fall in love.

This is a light story. Nothing complex (although there were moments when I felt a lump rise in my throat), but an engaging read nonetheless.

I highly recommend this story as an antidote to stressful times. It's fun and funny and romantic and lovely.

One thing though. I want to know that Priscilla is living UNhappily ever after and Maddy and Gabriel are having NOTHING to do with her. Since it's not actually said in the book, I prefer to imagine it that way.

Enjoy. :D

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - This was a sweet, quick read. Overall, this book was exactly what I expected it to be, with very minimal angst.

This is the story of Madelyn and Gabriel (a duke who says he will never marry 🙄). Gabriel is throwing a house party of sorts, called the bride hunt ball, to force his brother to choose a wife. Since Gabriel has vowed never to marry, he fully expects his younger brother to be the duke eventually. So the ladies are all vying to be the next duchess. They invite 7 ladies and Madelyn is one, even though she is very different from all the others (of course). She has no interest in the brother but has instead come to watch out for her friend, Charlotte, and because Madelyn’s (evil)step-mother has forced her to participate. The duke immediately takes an interest in her - and they turn into that very obvious romance couple who can’t keep their hands off one another. They can’t use their brains and are so drawn to one another that they give everyone about 700 chances to catch them in compromising situations. I’m sure the only unpredictable part of this story was the question of if or when they would be discovered being naughty in dark corners.

So ofc this story is pretty straightforward. And yet, I still quite enjoyed it. There’s something light and easy about this book that made it fun to read. I do wish the ending had more of an epilogue. I really want to know what happens with the secondary characters so I guess I’m forced to read the next two books in this series. Ugh. 😂

Safe, hero was supposedly a man whore and heroine a virgin but no real triggers otherwise.

[Angela Hates Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely PRECIOUS. Idk that there’s any other way to say it. From Madelyn’s clumsiness to Gabriel’s scowling, I was grinning the entire time I read this book.

“Marry your best friend,” she had advised her, “be he a stable lad or the King of England, for he’ll never think to break your heart.”

What a sweet and swoony story. I love the simplicity of these two falling in love and the humor we have along the way. There’s no much else I can say except that I freaking loved this book.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love story was great for a historical romance. The commitment phobe Duke falls in love with the klutzy, funny girl that can finally make him laugh and smile.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muah chef’s kiss. The chemistry between MCs was palpable. Gabriel was always straightforward in the bad way but mostly in a good way and I like that. Madelyn was sweet and I could clearly imagine her stumbling through her role in regency society.
I enjoyed this book a lot.
Sweet and hot kissing scenes.
Gabriel is always grabbing her somewhere in the alcove or a dark library or a ball room or in front of her bedchamber while her friend is in it.
Not many sex scenes but a lot of hot kissing.
Nice and campy romance. Recommend

[Nabilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light and fluffy romance. No angst or huge misunderstanding. It's just about 2 very different people who met and fell in love. The conflict of the story would be that he wanted to change her (he actually wanted to protect her from people's scorn as she was very clumsy and impetuous) and she actually liked who she was. So, he finally realized that he loved her just the way she was. It was very sweet and heartwarming. As I understand it, this was Ms. Parker's debut novel and it didn't show. Her style of writing is very enchanting. I would love to read her other books. I left the book with a smile on my face and that is saying something. Definitely worth it. Oh, and I love the cover. It reminds me of old school romance novels where the characters look as if they were painted.

[Alyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely LOL while reading but this book had some pretty darn funny scenes...esp the part where h falls into the water bc of a bee. I loved loved the h, she was adorable, sweet, funny and uncompromising. Despite loving the H, she was not willing to change herself for him (he wanted her to behave properly so they can marry). Their banter was wonderful, sex scenes were hot, side characters were not annoying. I also loved that the straitlaced H tried to fight his feelings for the h but, in the end, couldn't stop himself from falling in love with her. One of my favorite books ever! Highly recommended!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost DNFed at 74%. I loved the interactions. To a point. Casual sex in a historic romance almost never works for me. And I don’t trust a romance built on “this person makes me feel good but I’m not sure that I like who they are”. I’m not a big fan of his “she’s novel and doesn’t bore me, I’m intrigued” as a way for him to fall in love. What happens when she’s not new anymore!?

It’s the falling in love in a week thing and also sleeping together after so little time! Yes, there is some good stuff in there... but still a bit shallow.

[romancelibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread for the 4th time in 2019:
At the Bride Hunt Ball is one of the few books I always come back to whenever I need a comfort read. I haven't recorded the numerous times I've reread this book, but I'm pretty sure this was my 4th reread. Every time I finish this book, I want to go back to the beginning and start rereading all over again. I love it that much. I just love Gabriel and Madelyn SO MUCH. To me, they're the most perfect stuffy hero and clumsy heroine pairing EVER.

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What a delightful read! I enjoyed this book from beginning to the end!

It was such a light and humourous romance, with not too much angst. I loved both the main characters. The chemistry and tension between them was electrifying. The banter between the two was witty, funny, and very enjoyable to read. It was so much fun seeing Gabriel and Madelyn interact and fall in love with each other. It was done really well! I found myself laughing out loud in many scenes. The angst level was low in this book, but was nevertheless present at one point.

I absolutely loved Madelyn! I understood her completely, and felt her hurt whenever her stepmother kept putting her down. I found her clumsiness to be utterly adorable. While she was not the 'perfect lady', she was still, I think, a very respectable and lovely lady. Not once did I find myself angry with her -- not even when she refused his marriage proposal -- and that's because I understood her insecurities.

Gabriel was also a very likable character. I understood his reason for not wanting to marry anyone. But, what I really liked about him was the fact that he quickly got out of denial of his attraction towards Madelyn. And, what's more, he accepted the fact that he was falling for her. It definitely is a breath of fresh air to read about a hero who doesn't enclose himself in denial. I loved both of them together from the moment they met each other. Their first meeting is definitely memorable.

This was such a sweet, light, and comedic Regency romance. If you want to relax, and laugh, this is definitely for you. I'm surprised to see how much I ended up loving this book. Olivia Parker is a wonderful writer and I see bits of my favourite HR authors in her writing. I am excited to read Charlotte's story in To Wed a Wicked Earl. I'm actually very curious to know how and when Rothbury fell in love with Charlotte. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to wait until the Christmas break to keep reading this series. Well, the holidays will be here before I know it!

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most refreshing take-ups on the regency romance genre, in my opinion. There are so many times I found myself laughing and squealing during my reading. Even my mom had knocked on my door and asked what was so funny.

And the love scenes... despite having only two main ones... my god. Shivers!

All in all, what a great reading. This is what I was hoping when I read historical romance. Just plain nonsense and a lot of laughter.

“I never smiled much." His voice was a low purr in the shadows.
"Don't be silly," she replied, taking a step closer to the next portrait--and farther away from him. "You smile all the time."
"At you," he conceded, "with you, because of you.”

(Well me too)

[Tanya Sridhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time read for Olivia Parker, she's done an impressive job considering it's a debut. Will love to read the next two books as well!

The plot is fairly simple; Wallflower heroine is stuck with burly, handsome-as-sin Duke with 5 other young ladies in some Bachelor Paradise Regency Edition Ball - go figure. They both fight their attraction to each other, by mostly kissing like teenagers and then wondering what the hell has happened. Madelyn has been told by her stepmother for years that she's plump and undesirable, and is certain no one as awesomeballs as Gabriel the Duke of something something could ever want her. Basically, a pretty regular HC set up!

The writing by Olivia Parker, for most parts, is top notch. The style is very similar to Julia Quinn's and there's humor waiting for you at every corner. The cast of characters is designed to bring amusement and that it does. It's decidedly low angst, which I'm cool with - not everybody has to rip your heart out. It's truly a joy to read Miss Parker's writing even though her characters could use some work.

The heroine is adorable for most parts, but might go downhill because after a point the clumsy, prone to tumbling figuratively and literally antics of the heroine start to get to you. The ditzy, charming 'how-the-hell-did-I-end-up-here' is just too much. Also, her character quite literally starts and ends the same - apart from a Duke on her arm, nothing much changes. Gabriel is surly, stern and growls a little too much at times, at least in the beginning. He's seen his mother slowly wither away from the actions of the father (mistresses galore etc etc) and has decided he wouldn't do that to any woman. So instead of choosing to marry someone he loves and won't betray, he decides to just not marry. Not sure how logical that thought process was, but whatever it's a book.

My issue with Gabriel is that he goes from a regular growl and snarl-er to sweet, smiling and affiable character so many times it gave me whiplash. He plays back and forth with Madelyn far too many times, giving signals in so many directions it's no wonder the poor girl kept tumbling into ponds, out of windows and getting stuck in icy rain. If I was Madelyn, I would have smacked that man silly - devilishly handsome or not.

Apart from a few issues from this picky reader, the book was overall quite enjoyable and I urge you all to give it a try!

[Lady Wesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many of my GR friend loved this book, but I'm disappointed to say that I found it very slight and shallow. The main premise is inspired by a stupid TV show called The Bachelor, but here the duke is setting up a competition to find a bride for his younger brother. The duke himself has sworn never to marry, having been scarred by his father's cruelty to his loving mother.

I suppose that a clever author could have crafted a funny book from this idea, but once the ladies arrive at the duke's castle for the face-off, the contest becomes a secondary story. Instead, we have the duke finding himself unaccountably attracted to our heroine, Madelyn. There follows a whole lot of smouldering repressed passion, and he constantly finds himself barely able to restrain himself in her presence. And this just goes on and on. And on.

Madelyn was sweet and insecure and saddled with a cruel, ambitious stepmother, but I never felt that we knew much about her. Eventually, she starts smouldering too, and the couple has several steamy encounters before finally succumbing to temptation. Then, there's a Misunderstanding (not even really a Big Misunderstanding), an HEA scene, and an epilogue with babies.

Just not much there there.

[Chels · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd (probably 3rd? ) read.

Trying to think of an endorsement for this that isn't "this silly book makes me happy" but that's all I've got.

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"Starchy duke who Likes Things to Be Perfect falls in love with accident prone woman" might not be the most original premise but it's all in the execution. It's a moderately sillier Slightly Dangerous. Pure fun.

[Monique Takens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dit boek is al eerder uitgegeven als Candlelight Historische roman 806 met dezelfde titel .
Tja .. de 3 sterren zeggen het al , ik vond dit verhaal is niet heel goed maar ook niet echt slecht . De romantiek is niet echt romantisch en wat als grappig bedoeld was , was niet hilarisch . Een beetje gewoontjes dus .

[Aou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too immature and silly MCs!