Three Times a Bride

Scoundrels #3.5

by Catherine Anderson, Samantha James, Loretta Chase

A delightful anthology of love and matrimony, Three Times a Bride features breathtaking classic novellas from three of the brightest stars in USA Today and New York Times bestsellers Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase, and Samantha James. Sizzling, heart-soaring tales of passion and desire, jealousy and revenge, love and, of course, marriage, Three Times a Bride is a celebration of that most unique and wondrous event…and of the wedding night that follows!

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Anthologies, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Short Stories

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
(1)romance author:
Adeline Catherine was born and raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.

Catherine married Sidney D. Anderson, an industrial electrician and entrepreneur. They had two sons, Sidney D. Jr. and John G. In 2001 she and her husband purchased a central Oregon home located on a ridge with incredible mountain views and surrounded by forestland honeycombed with trails. It was her dream home, a wonderland in the winter and beyond beautiful in the summer. She named it Cinnamon Ridge after the huge ponderosa pines on the property, which sport bark the color of cinnamon.

Sadly, Catherine lost her husband to a long-term illness in 2014. She has kept Cinnamon Ridge as her primary residence but divides her time between there and her son John's farm, where she has the support of her loved ones and can enjoy his horses, cows, and raise her own chickens.

Catherine loves animals and birds, both wild and domestic. She presently has two Australian shepherds, six cats, and a very old canary. She is very family oriented as well. Her older son has lived in Japan, Australia, and now resides in New Zealand. Catherine and her stateside family will celebrate Christmas on the north island with Sidney, his wife Mary, and their two sons, Liam and Jonas.

Reviews

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Three Times a Bride" consists of three wonderful Novellas by three bestseller Authors."Fancy Free" by Catherine Anderson,"The Mad Earl´s Bride" by Loretta Chase and "Scandal`s Bride" by Samantha James.
Hilarious,witty and exciting-these three are Historical-romances i will never forget.

"Fancy Free" by Catherine Anderson

I love this author so much-and this novella was highly entertaining with Clint Rafferty,the oldest one of eight brothers who gets drugged by Rachel Constantine (who actually had her revenge set on wrong brother,haha) and seduced by her..but Rachel hadn`t expected for the whole town to see her the next morning.This novella made me both swoon and laugh as hell,but it was also so sweet and romantic-and the way Clint confess his love to Rachel in the end was AWW.!

***

"The Mad Earl´s Bride" by Loretta Chase


"The Mad Earl`s Bride" is a Novella you read after "Lord of Scoundrels" the third book in the "Scoundrels" series but can also be read as a stand-alone.I love Loretta Chase´s writing style and her unique romantic plots with very color-ful characters.

Dorian Camoy Earl of Rawnsley agrees to marry the intelligent brave Gwendolyn Adams (cousin to the heroine in "Lord of Scoundrels") thinking her as a desirable witch that are sent to him to cure his illness.

Their journey in falling in love was beautiful and entertaining at the same time,as they found complete trust in each other,and wanted each other endlessly.There was a fierce rapture in their lovemaking, and the moments of quiet contentment, and the joy of working with together, planning something worthwhile.My favourite moment has to be the bathe-scene,it was so sensual and reamarkable in a way that i almost fainted,WHEWW!
I enjoyed it from the start to their HEA,they both greatly deserved it!

***

"Scandal`s Bride" by Samantha James

Hero and heroine to die for,as was the exciting and addicting plot.Victoria Carlton decides to create a scandal that can stop her from marry any man at all-and the man will be Miles Grayson,a lord who much prefer the solitude of Lyndermere Park, his estate in Lancashire; he enjoy far more the company of farmers and shepherds than the the parties, the false gaiety, the endless gossip, the never-ending pretense of manners and goodwill in the society.But a passionate kiss (both of them VERY MUCH enjoyed) will lead to a marriage neither of them wanted.
So on a stubborn battle will erupt between them-where both of them deny the growing sweet love between them.!

First work by this author i have ever read-and it is a Novella,and a love-story i greatly enjoyed Samantha James is a author i must read more of.Oh but the Epilogue was soooo sweet!

Well the specific conclusion to all the three Novellas in "Three Times a Bride" are about a surprising turn of event where hero and heroine marries...and in the process fall irrevocably in love with each other.Not to be missed if you are a fan of these authors!

[Vanessa Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would rate this antho as a five star based only on Loretta Chase's novella, The Mad Earl's Bride. Fantastic writing, wonderful story. LC at her best. The other two novellas are entertaining and worth the read, too.

[Alvina · Rating 1 out of 5]

TW: drugging, dubcon

I only read Anderson’s story but while the hero Clint was perfection —understanding, selfless, kind— the heroine is TSTL.

[D.C.A. Savia dcAsLeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es la historia de la chica miope que intenta vengar a su hermana del patán que le rompió el corazón, drogándolo y desnudándolo en la iglesia para que lo encuentren todos a la mañana siguiente. Pero no cuenta que confunde al objetivo con su hermano igual de apuesto aunque mucho más serio y mayor, ni con que confundiría las señas de su amiga para cancelar, ni con que terminaría desmayada bajo él siendo descubierta por todos junto con él y obligada a casarse por su padre el sheriff.

Clint siendo apuesto, pero el responsable mayor de varios hermanos, no es buen candidato para casarse con una buena chica casadera, acepta casarse, además a punta de pistola por su suegro, para que ella aceptase.

Pero ella no sabe nada de las tareas de ama de casa y para colmo no puede seguir recetas sin sus anteojos rotos y no pudiendo reconocer su miopía para no espantar al único hombre apuesto que podría jamás conquistar debido a sus horrorosos anteojos gruesos.

Comete un desastre tras otro. Un día se siente mal y corre a llorar, Clint la sigue y por primera vez le hace el amor en fardos de heno.

Pero a Clint se le ocurre que una tía suya la ayude para aliviarle la carga y llevarla a pasear. Sólo que ella lo interpreta que ya no la necesitan y se va. Un mes después él está emborrachándose creyendo que ella no la había pasado tan bien en la cama como creyó y la amiga de ella le echa todo en cara.

Él la va a buscar y se arreglan.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of three novellas with young heroines from age 18 to 21 paired with slightly older Heroes ages 27 to 30.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, 3 novellas - 3 'forced' weddings. As always with anthologies, a bit rocky.
First up: 'Fancy free' by Catherine Anderson. Western. She wears glasses, but was rejected because of them, so doesn't wear them in public - hence, embroils the wrong brother in her revenge plot. Found the next morning in a compromising position IN THE CHURCH! How convenient, they could just get married straight away... And, seeing as hero was thinking about getting hog-tied anyhoo (those brothers of his are all running wild and having nightmares) the Father with gun, *seriously - pointed AT HIS HEAD* (sorry, I think it was a pistol, not a shotgun) - he goes through with wedding. Introduce New Bride and all is perfect... until aunt arrives... blah, blah. Yep, predictable. 3 stars.... ok, but not overwhelming.
Followed by 'The mad earl's bride' by Loretta Chase. He's just like his mother - over-sexed and headachy. So, convinced he's going to die at any moment, he lives recklessly in the wilds of Yorkshire (crap! I think it's Yorkshire)... anyhoo, moving on. Then calamity! He becomes the earl - thanks too close-to-impossible-plot-device... Enter, even whose than a blue-stocking, but *shock horror* an EDUCATED woman who wants to be a doctor, but those mean nasty men won't let her. That's ok - she's found a dying man to marry (and breed with, quickly you understand - thank goodness her family are so fertile) and leave her his fortune so she can build her hospital and run it without those pesky men interfering. Gotta love those frizzy-redheads... That said - I really liked her! 3.5 stars - nearly 4.
Last cab... 'Scandal's bride' by Samantha James. How sad. Her father is forcing her to marry - 3 seasons you know. To stop his evilness, she finds the first man she doesn't already know and KISSES him in public. Well, on the balcony, just as her friend appears in a pre-arranged set-up. Father is there, tho! No escape!! It's marriage for sure. Right then. Well, an hour or so later. THEN... no consumation. THEN... misunderstanding... THEN... togetherness... THEN... misunderstanding... THEN... happy ever after. Ho hum 3 stars.
So - overall, an OK read. 3 stars. Right for those brain-dead times when you need the words to wash over your eyeballs, but don't actually require much in the way of brain cells to comprehend the meaning.
Oh... discussion questions!
Did the story & characters sound realistic? Um... that would be a NO.
Could you relate to any of the characters or certain things that happened in the story? If so, can you share an example? Frizzy-red head with an education? One who basically speaks in tongues when sharing her knowledge. Yep. That would be me. Well, sorta wavy, and sorta auburn. And, the whole speaking-in-tongue things, I've really cut down on that. Blank looks aren't always funny. (Sometimes they're hilarious).

[Lori ◡̈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time that I actually enjoyed reading a book with novellas, or short stories. Normally the characters fall in love way too quickly (being that the authors don't have much time to drag it out). But these stories were all done very well! My favorite being the story by Samantha James, a misunderstanding/shotgun wedding, slowly fall in love, always a perfect storyline for me. Second runner-up is the Loretta Chase story, it was interesting with the hero's medical issue and it kept me interested in trying to guess the problem. Lastly, the story by Catherina Anderson. The heroine was pretty much blind without her glasses (just like myself). It really irritated me because she refused to wear her glasses in fear that her new husband would think that she was ugly. But because she was going around everywhere blind, so many unfortunate things kept happening... and as a blind person myself, it irritated me. Just put the glasses on already!

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

(1&2 reread From Three Weddings and a Kiss Sep 2017 )
1 Fancy Free by Catherine Anderson - Funny. Frontier girl's revenge for sister marries her to eldest of many boys. Jealous of his aunt, terrific housekeeper and cook, she moves out, so he has to confess love.
2 The Mad Earl's Bride by Loretta Chase - Bride is admirable for medical curiosity ahead of her time leading to surprise ending Migraines cause Earl's painful phantasms. Secret concussion caused mother's madness.

3 Scandal's Bride by Samantha James

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Anderson is one of my favorite authors and I've read a couple of Loretta Chase books that I thought were great.  I've never read anything by Samantha James and thought this would be a good book to try her out.  One problem is that some authors can write novellas and novels with equal strength and others cannot.

"Fancy-Free" -- Catherine Anderson -- This started out just too cute for words.  Rachel wanted to help her humiliated sister by trapping the man who'd embarrassed her sister in the local church without his pants.  Only things did not work out that way and Rachel was trapped in the church with the wrong brother.  Rachel's father insisted that the couple marry; Clint isn't opposed because he has 7 brothers who need some mothering.

Too much was made of Rachel's not being able to see and her avoiding eyeglasses.  Of course, she was only 18, still, she had a pitiful understanding of what is important in a marriage.  4 stars

"The Mad Earl's Bride" -- Loretta Chase  -- This story is very different from most novella fare.  Dorian is going to die and he wants a quiet death.  However, his friend wants him to marry and father a child before dying (to carry on the family name and ensure the continuation of the earldom).  Gwen wanted to be a doctor, something that is impossible because she is female.  She has a dream of creating a hospital and she agrees to marry Dorian to start her modern hospital (with forward-thinking medicine).  The characters are interesting and charming. 5 stars

"Scandal's Bride" -- Samantha James -- Victoria has danced her way through several Seasons without agreeing to marry any man.  Her father is vexed and has laid out the law that she must find a fiancee' by the end of the evening or he would.  Victoria decided to do something rash that would put her beyond the pale, as far as marrying was concerned.  But things didn't work out that way.  3stars is a gift; the story was sappy.

[Joycee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading through my comments, it seems as though the tales were arranged 3 - 1 - 2, in terms of how much I liked them, based on how they appeared in the novel.

I enjoyed the last installment.

Again, Miles & Victoria have an issue that can be eventually resolved by Conversation. But I enjoyed reading about the evolution of their relationship from a sham “shotgun” wedding to a true and complete marriage, complete w/an “Instakid”?.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Fancy Free: 5 star - The first Catherine Anderson and the first Western HR which I have read, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it very much. It's hilarious, fast paced and enjoyable to read.
2. The Mad Earl's Bride: 5 star - The story was unique as all Loretta Chase's stories were.
3. Scandal's Bride: 2 star - The first time I read Samantha James' work. The story was a bit flat, the romance wasn't convincing and the conflict was too trivial.

[Lydia E Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this book because I love Catherine Anderson and I didn't own this one. Predictably,I loved Anderson's novella. The second story was...odd. Part of me liked it, but there were a few bits about the hero that I didn't like. It brought my rating down a star (I would have rated the other two four stars). The third story by Samantha James was delightful and I only wish it had been longer!

[Geo_im · Rating 4 out of 5]

I take one star off because of the Catherine Anderson's novella "Fancy Free". The other two, "The Mad Earl's Bride" and "Scandal's Bride", I found very exciting and funny. I really enjoy Loretta Chase's writing and will look now for more books by Samantha Jones.

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Loretta chase story was great. The other two not so much. Both stories about tstl women who get themselves compromised and some poor schnook has to marry them. The fact that said heroes fall in love with these women shows what really big shnooks they are.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read the Loretta Chase novella. Enjoyed it! Wished it had a bit more at the end. An epilogue at the least.

[Dana G. Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

They stories were a bit short and rushed like most when more than one book is in the novel. Otherwise they were good reads.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story by Loretta Chase was the best of the three.

[HistoricalHussy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scandal’s Bride 2.5

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Loretta Chase novella is the only one worth reading. The heroines in the other two stories are pretty pathetic

[Wystan · Rating 2 out of 5]

except the loretta chase, which I would give a higher rating.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three short stores, three brides, three forced marriages
3* — Fancy Free
4* — The Mad Earl's Bride
5* — Scandal's Bride

I have a couple of concerns/complaints about the first story. Dora Faye is referred to as Rachel's friend. Would a very respectable marshal's daughter who was dating a preacher's son have a "soiled dove" bar maid as a close friend in the late 1890's? I don't think so, especially in a small town. Dora Faye's help should have been more in the way of a business transaction than an act of friendship.

My biggest complaint. If an author is going to use medical issues as a plot device, why don't they or their editors run them past someone with some medical knowledge? The h. in 'Fancy Free' is supposed to be nearsighted, several episodes in the story hinge the mistakes she makes because she is nearsighted.

But she is not nearsighted. I am very near sighted so I can’t see the floor clearly and might not have recognized Dora Faye’s hand signals across the street, but because my sight is “near,” I have no difficulty reading or threading a needle without glasses. If the author wanted Rachel be unable to read without glasses, it would make more sense to have made her far sighted.

True, she would have been able to see Dora Faye across the street then, but the miscommunication could have been handled by some distraction such as a runaway horse, mad dog or even a cattle stampede cutting between them before a drunken cowboy grabbed Dora Faye’s hand and hauled her back into the saloon. This mistake in terminology is exceeding distracting and kept pulling me out of the story and back to reality.

In 'The Mad Earl's Bride,' (p.234 in my edition) "Gwendolyn had explained about the brain's unique self-sufficiency, which made it so susceptible to self-destruction." ??? What does that mean? In my first three years as a nurse I worked in neurosurgery caring for hundreds of patients with brain tumors or brain injuries, I graduated from a good university and worked in an university hospital — I have no idea what that sentence could refer to.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fancy Free: I am seriously distracted by the author's obvious unfamiliarity with how nearsightedness works. If the heroine can see well enough to be standing inn three yard and tell there are dirty socks on a washboard on the porch, she can see well enough to read! If she can only barely read something right in front of her face with difficulty, then she can't see people's expressions, and walk around without running into and tripping over things. Pick a degree of blindness and stick with it! Also- a vegetarian in the old west? Really?? I made it about 2/3 through this story before giving up and moving on.

The Mad Earl's Bride: This story is the reason I picked up this book, and it was okay. Just okay. I ended up skimming the last page and half because of the eye-rolling, over-the-top romantic declarations that this author appears to favor (or at least they made an appearance in Lord of Scandal, too). I didn't dislike the story, I just didn't love it.

I didn't bother to read the third story.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought the book because I'm a Catherine Anderson fan, but the value in these books is that they often introduce you to new writers - or, at least, authors you may not have read before. Ms. Anderson's contribution is set in the old west around the 1890's - so not too terribly old west. I give it three stars. It was not up to her normal caliber but few of her histories are (except Comanche Moon, of course). It was nevertheless a nice read. The offering by Loretta Chase, who is a new author for me, however, was wonderful - 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look for something else by her. The final offering by Samantha James I give two stars. I think the format was just too short for her. She needed more space to develop her characters and her theme and I ended the story feeling cheated in some way.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three brides, three beginnings, three stories of incomparable romance from USA Today bestselling authors Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase, and Samantha James.
Celebrate the glorious, magical moment when man and woman become husband and wife with these three couples, joined by a passionate promise of forever—and inspired by true love. Wedded bliss has never been this wicked . . .
Three classic stories from some of the top names in romance are brought together for the first time in this anthology. Includes "Fancy Free, The Mad Earl's Bride," and "Scandal's Bride." Original
Enjoyed all the stories.

[Debbie "QBW2" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three authors - Catherine Anderson, Loretta Chase and Samantha James.
For whatever reason - I liked the Anderson story the best. It caught my interest from the get go and I finished it in one sitting.
The Loretta Chase story I was not as fond of. The storyline was quite different but it just seemed a little vague in spots. Too bad really because I have quite liked her other books. Samantha James was not quite as good as Anderson - but still interesting enough to hold my interest. Overall gave it a 4 - although that is based mostly on Catherine Anderson's read.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with the rating for this anthology. I thoroughly disliked the Anderson novella, I actually felt uncomfortable while reading it. I've read the Chase novella before, and it was just ok. I really liked the last story by James, I'd probably give it 4+ stars. I always have trouble understanding why publishers re-package unappealing stories that were written fifteen years ago. Too bad the James novella had the misfortune to be grouped in with inferior works,

[Kristi Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Catherine Anderson's Fancy Free story. Rachel was a hoot, loved all the mishaps. She was made for Clint and his family.
I'm sorry to say I couldn't get into Loretta Chase's The Mad Earl's Bride, so I skipped it. Maybe I will try reading it another time.
Samantha James' Scandal's Bride was a nice ending story fitting for the Three Times a Bride collection. Miles and Victoria made for a good match.

[Ilze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Loretta Chase's story quite a while ago, before joining GR, and I remember that it was good, but a little strange, part of the "Lord of Scoundrels" series. Will have to revisit it.

4 stars for Samantha James' story, which I came across today in another anthology, "Married at Midnight". An enjoyable angsty read both times.

[Jujubee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet historical western. The storyline seemed plausible from the hero, Clint's, POV for the time frame, but Rachel just seemed a little too ditzy to me to ever survive outside her father's home. I've never read Catherine Anderson before, but this story reminded me of a 1970s western romCom type movie...just needed the Duke's signature group fight scene and token Indian sidekicks!

[Hori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read "The Mad Earl's Bride" Only online. I liked the story It was nice and kind of funny since the "Hero's" madness turned out to be just Migraine xD
I liked this story and will rate the book based on it only :)