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The accidental bride
515 pages
An overlooked, ink-stained wallflower decides to stop hiding and actively seduce her intimidating husband in this charming marriage-of-convenience tale.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like watching a quiet, ink-stained wallflower finally realize her own worth and step boldly into the sunlight. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging pace, wrapping the reader in a warm, swoony atmosphere that perfectly balances the initial melancholy of a marriage of convenience with the playful spark of a seduction plot. The prose is accessible and witty, focusing heavily on the internal emotional turbulence of a heroine who has always felt second-best. It is a deeply satisfying emotional journey that shifts from the ache of unrequited longing to the triumph of mutual passion. This is a comfort read designed for anyone who loves classic historical romance, awkward but brilliant heroines, and the delicious tension of a husband realizing exactly what he has.
- Mood
- swoony
- cozy
- passionate
- Tone
- witty
- warm
- playful
- earnest
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- marriage of convenience · wallflower transformation · unrequited love · finding self-confidence
- The writing
- Fluid and character-driven, balancing lighthearted banter with genuine emotional vulnerability.
- The arc
- Moves from the quiet ache of feeling overlooked to the triumphant, passionate realization of mutual desire.
- Who it's for
- Readers who adore classic historical romances featuring awkward, intellectual heroines who finally step into the spotlight.
Content notes
- death of a sibling
- grief
- forced marriage
About the book
Dear Reader,In my "Brides" trilogy, three unconventional young women vow they will never marry--only to be overtaken by destiny. The Accidental Bride could only be the story of Phoebe, the "awkward" one....For four years, Cato, the Marquis of Granville, had been just another man--the uninteresting, somewhat intimidating husband of Phoebe's older sister. But then her sister died, and Phoebe seemed a reasonable substitute. Her forced engagement to him should have been quite a cold-blooded arrangement...except that one day Phoebe looked at Granville--really looked at him--and saw what she'd never seen before: he was darkly, breathtakingly attractive.Once she'd noticed, she couldn't seem to stop noticing, and suddenly Phoebe was disastrously in love. It would be nothing short of torture to be married to Granville, knowing he didn't love her and never would. After all, Phoebe was not the kind of woman men fell in love with--Phoebe with her untidy hair, her rumpled clothes, and her fingers forever ink-stained from the poetry she wrote.When running away does not solve her problems, Phoebe decides to try something a little different--something that involves a little change in wardrobe, a daring new attitude, and a bit of brazen seduction.Granville is about to discover that his awkward Phoebe is woman enough even for him....Warmest wishes,Jane FeatherP.S. Be sure to watch for Olivia's story, The Least Likely Bride, coming in hardcover in early 2000.From the Paperback edition.
Description from Open Library.
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