Books › Fairest of them all
Fairest of them all
First published 1996 · 301 pages
A playful, fairy-tale-infused historical romance where a reverse-makeover deception meets a brooding hero with a dark secret.
What it feels like
Reading this classic historical romance feels like stepping into a delightfully skewed fairy tale. The narrative moves at a brisk, entertaining clip, anchored by a heroine who goes to absurd, comedic lengths to hide her legendary beauty, and a brooding Welsh lord who specifically wants a plain wife. The atmosphere shifts effortlessly from the bright, witty banter of a tournament to the gothic-tinged, cozy isolation of a cursed castle. It is a story steeped in 90s romance nostalgia, offering a perfect blend of laugh-out-loud situational comedy and sweeping, melodramatic passion. Fans of marriage-of-convenience tropes and hidden identities will devour this charming exploration of loving someone for their true substance rather than their surface appearance.
- Mood
- fairy-tale-esque
- swoony
- cozy
- gothic-tinged
- Tone
- playful
- romantic
- humorous
- melodramatic
- earnest
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- deceptive appearances · beauty versus substance · breaking curses · reluctant attraction · marriage of convenience
- The writing
- Lively and expressive, balancing witty, fast-paced banter with lushly romantic and slightly dramatic descriptions.
- The arc
- Moves from a lighthearted, comedic farce of hidden identity into a deeply passionate, curse-breaking romance.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave classic 90s historical romances filled with fairy-tale motifs, brooding lords, and spirited heroines who refuse to play by the rules.
Content notes
- deception
- mild sexual content
- historical sexism
About the book
She was rumored to be the fairest woman in all of England. But Holly de Chastel considered her beauty a curse. She had already turned away scores of suitors with various ruses, both fair and foul. Now she was to be the prize in a tournament of eager knights gathering from across the land, each more determined than the last to win her hand. Holly had no intention of wedding any of them, and concocted her most outrageous plan yet: to disguise her beauty from their avaricious eyes. But she never planned on Sir Austyn of Gavenmore.
The darkly handsome Welshman had come looking especially for a plain bride, and Holly seemed to fit the bill. Suddenly she found herself in the possession of this mysterious stranger, ensconced in his castle, and forced to keep up her carefully planned illusion. Why did this electrifyingly passionate male, who could have any woman he wanted, desire a homely bride—and what would happen when he learned he'd been tricked? By the time Holly found out, it was too late to avoid the searing fires of passion—and the dark curse of Gavenmore.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Fairest of them all
See why they match
Shadows and laceTeresa MedeirosA brooding, atmospheric medieval romance where a fearsome reputation masks a desperate need for redemption.
A Kiss to RememberTeresa MedeirosA whimsical, gender-flipped fairytale romance where a desperate heroine claims a handsome, amnesiac rake as her betrothed.
A knight's passionKohl, Candice.A sweeping medieval romance fueled by the delicious, forbidden tension of falling for the one person you are sworn to deliver to someone else.
Courting ChristinaClaudette WilliamsA breezy, banter-filled Regency romp where a haughty lord's attempt to polish a spirited tomboy backfires into unexpected romance.
One Night of ScandalARTHUR BENJAMINA sparkling, gothic-tinged historical romance where an irrepressible debutante accidentally weds a brooding, rumored-to-be-murderous marquess.
The Perils of Pursuing a Prince (Desperate Debutantes, Book 2)Julia LondonA rugged, atmospheric romance where forced proximity in a remote Welsh castle sparks a fiery battle of wills.