First Season / Bride to Be

FIRST SEASON / BRIDE TO BE is in fact two older book books, and there is a 16-year difference between the two, FIRST SEASON being the oldest. After a surprisingly happy marriage arranged by her family, Lady Anabel Wyndham finds herself a widow with 3 children. After 3 years, her family decides it’s about time she finally had her first Season, which she never even had, hence the title. At the first ball she attends, which is in fact a sort of rehearsal for the real thing, she makes the acquaintance of Sir Charles Norbury, a known rake, who quite fascinates her, while the man who is secretly in love with her, a Wyndham family friend, Christopher Hanford watches, forlorn. But when Charles proposes, is it too late? FIRST SEASON is a lovely Regency romance, somewhat predictable, but very well written, and a quick read. I loved how Ms. Ashford captures the visuals on the page; her writing is very descriptive and vivid. However, I liked BRIDE TO BE a lot more; it’s all a matter of preference, isn’t it? The lovely Miss Emily Crane pies a man in trouble: it seems some villains want to drown him, so Emily calls her trusted dogs and rescues the poor sod: Richard Sheldon. Richard just didn’t mention that he was Baron Warrington! It turns out someone wants to harm Richard. Richard and Emily strike up a friendship of some sort as they try to discover who wants to harm Richard. BRIDE TO BE is a lot of fun! It’s a romance but also a fast-paced mystery, with twists and turns of all sorts, as well as featuring colourful, engaging and complex characters. Emily’s parents are fabulous eccentrics, the romance is somewhat unconventional, and Ms. Ashford really succeeds at showing both Emily and Richard’s growth, individually as well as a couple. I thought the romance in BRIDE TO BE was believable in view of the obvious chemistry between the leads, and I loved the nifty little mystery! Great story! I give 3 ½ stars actually: 3 for FIRST SEASON and 4 for BRIDE TO BE. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ashford takes readers back in time with these two regency romances. I enjoyed how her descriptions bring the world to life without overpowering the plot. At the same time, the stories themselves are intriguing. That said, I found that BRIDE TO BE held my attention much more than FIRST SEASON did. The stories were definitely in contrast with one another. Ashford brings the stereotypes of the time to life through her characters. Heroines who are extremely passive meet heroes who need to rule and save the day. Each character’s natural personality shone through. I enjoyed how I loved some and was annoyed to no end by others. The contrast was fantastic. It also meant that there were some characters that I simply couldn’t connect with on any level. Together this duology made for an intriguing read. Ashford easily takes readers back to the Regency era for some intriguing tales. Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever I read a book that consists of more than one story, I always find them hard to review. It is so hard to not spoil the story for others. I'll do my best though. Here goes. First Season had all the makings a good story. The elusive second chance at love. Two handsome suitors and the mystique of the illustrious ball. It had a lot to live up to. For me it failed. I did not find the characters all that interesting and the story just wasn't very good. Bride to Be is a suspenseful look at romance. A surprising reunion between two former acquaintances takes them in a direction that was never expected. This read is a more gothic regency. In my opinion the mysterious element is what gives it sex appeal and character. The character development is much stronger with Emily and Richard and the story is more interesting. The beauty viewpoint is that everyone sees thing differently. So although this read was not for me, it may be perfect for some one else. I received an ARC of this 2 in 1 in exchange for an honest review.