ARC Review: The Scoundrel's Daughter (The Brides of Bellaire Gardens #1) by Anne Gracie
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Series: The Brides of Bellaire Gardens #1
Author: Anne Gracie
Published August 24th 2021 by Berkley
Goodreads Synopsis
When Lady Charlton is forced into becoming London's most reluctant matchmaker, sparks fly and romance ensues, from the national bestselling author of Marry in Scarlet.
Alice, Lady Charlton, is finally free of her dominating husband, but on the verge of her new life, she is trapped when a blackmailer threatens to publish letters that could ruin her. To protect the secrets of her past Alice must find a lord for his daughter, Lucy, to marry.
Alice reluctantly agrees to find the girl a noble husband but when Lucy arrives, she's difficult and uncooperative and has no interest in her father's scheme. A lord, she says, will only look down his nose at her—and she's having none of that!
Desperate to retrieve the letters, Alice enlists the aid of her handsome young nephew, Gerald, who in turn seeks the help of his former commanding officer, James, Lord Tarrant. James is soon beguiled by the marriage-averse widow and sets out to change her mind. And each time they meet, Gerald and Lucy strike sparks off each other.
To find happiness, Alice and Lucy will have to be brave and trust in each other and the men who are attempting to win their hearts.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
For Alice, Lady Charlton, discovering that her dominating husband has left her a penniless widow, and one of whom is vulnerable to blackmail was enough to make her a reluctant matchmaker. When her blackmailer threatens to release letters to the press which will completely humiliate her, unless she sponsors his daughter, Lucy, and find her a good, and noble match. On Lucy's arrival, it's clear she is not a part of her father's scheme, and she has no wish to be paraded around on the marriage mart. But meeting Alice's nephew, Gerald, makes her reconsider, and Alice finds herself starting to wonder whether love is in the cards too.
When I first started reading this book, I couldn't get into it at all, so put it down and left it for a few months. However, the second time around, I couldn't put it down once I was past the first few pages. I loved Alice, and though she wasn't the 'scoundrel's daughter' mentioned in the title, she was the main character. Her marriage, and now life as a widow with her overbearing in laws nearby, had been dreadful, and when she thought she had freedom, she was burdened with debt after debt, and a blackmailer. Her only real ally was her nephew, Gerald, who was wary of Lucy, and asked his old friend, and former commanding officer, James, Lord Tarrant, to help investigate. And James is smitten from the first moment, and does everything he can to woo Alice, and prove that marriage doesn't have to be such a chore. I liked the way that Lucy and Gerald first met, and the way in which they grew closer and fell in love. There story was somewhat secondary to that of Alice and James, but still enjoyable, and a great way to start off the series.
Dates Read:
July 23, 2022
Rating
4 Stars
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