Books › The Bartered Bridegroom
The Bartered Bridegroom
First published 2000 · 215 pages
A delightful romp through Regency society where a scandalous wager and a fake betrothal gallop into unexpected true love.
What it feels like
Reading this classic Regency romance feels like stepping into a sunlit, bustling stable yard before a brisk morning ride. It is a breezy, spirited romp that thrives on the crackling tension of a fake betrothal and the delightful friction between a notorious rake and a fiercely independent heroine. The prose is light and witty, carrying the reader effortlessly through drawing-room scandals and whispered blackmail with a playful, knowing wink. There is a cozy warmth to the narrative, wrapping you in an atmosphere of charming historical escapism where societal rules are bent just enough to let true affection bloom. It will thoroughly delight readers who crave old-school historical romances filled with lively banter, equestrian passions, and the delicious inevitability of a reluctant arrangement turning into a passionate, heartfelt surrender.
- Mood
- spirited
- charming
- breezy
- warm
- Tone
- witty
- playful
- romantic
- lighthearted
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- fake betrothal · scandal and reputation · unexpected connection · hidden passions
- The writing
- Accessible and historically flavored, balancing witty banter with tender emotional beats.
- The arc
- Moves from reluctant entanglement and social maneuvering to genuine affection and passionate surrender.
- Who it's for
- Fans of classic, lighthearted Regency romances who love a fake-betrothal trope with a spirited, unconventional heroine.
Content notes
- blackmail
- mild social peril
About the book
Katherine Oakes is a beautiful woman with a forbidden passion for all things equine. One day she sneaks into the stables to say good-bye to her favorite horse--and encounters the animal's new owner, the notorious Benjamin Whitbury!
Although Katherine's spunky demeanor intrigues him, Benjamin resolves to avoid her at all costs. But then Katherine's secret fiance threatens to destroy what's left of Benjamin's reputation unless Benjamin agrees to take the troublesome bride-to-be off his hands. To save Katherine from her treacherous suitor and himself from social perdition, Benjamin proposes a temporary betrothal--and discovers that all bets are off in affairs of the heart....
Description from Open Library.
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