A Regency romance with an interesting plot
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"The Bride Thief" is a fabulous love story set in Regency England.Samantha Briggeham is a young lady on her way to become a spinster and she is quite happy to live her live in the country helping her younger brother with his experiments. When her matchmaking parents betroth her against her will she decides to save herself from the unwanted marriage. Unfortunately the infamous "Bride Thief" arrives in time to rescue her and when Samantha explains him his mistake he takes her back to her parent's house. Eric Landsdowne, the Earl of Wesley spends his time running his estate and rescuing helpless young ladies from their unwanted forced marriages and helping them to find their place in the world. He is a handsome and charming man, the victim of the matchmaking mamas and nobody knows that he is hiding behind the black mask of this unusual thief. Samantha's practical behaviour and innocent sensuality awakes passion and strange emotions in the earl and he can't stay away from her. Samantha is attracted to the handsome aristocrat and at the same time she is fascinated by the Bride Thief's powerful maleness. After her abduction and safe return she becomes the toast of the neighbouring society gatherings and she thinks all the gentlemen among them Eric pay court to her only becuse of her encounter with the thief. She doesn't trust Eric but she can't resist his charm and kisses and they become lovers. Unfortunately they are found in a compromising position and they are forced to get married. The road to happiness is full of misunderstandings, lack of trust, danger and Eric's secrets from the past. The author has written an entertaining romance using the elements of romantic adventure, deep passion and an honourable and noble cause. I like the style, in which she pulls the reader's attention to the shameful and legally accepted forced marriages in those times and the way she made her hero deal with it.The lead couple's encounters are romantic and their passion sensual.
THE BRIDE THIEF is an exciting historical romance discussing the helpless position of women in the past when they legally didn't have a say in their own future. I recommend it to all readers enjoying this sub-genre.
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Typical romance with ordinary plot...
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This is my first book from this author, and I won't be actively seeking her other works. It's not that this is a lousy read..it's just...ORDINARY. Stuff I've read and re-read in so manny other romance books. And while there are other books which use ordinary plots (and reused ones!)... they make up for it by being witty, and interesting through the interaction between the characters. This book comes across as an OK read, but it didnt' grip me with the 'don't put me down' fervour... I enjoy reading romances with a touch of intelligence and humour, but I found this book quite dry. The story's about a man who resorts tto stealing unwilling brides (rescuing them from their unwilling fate - akin to Robin Hood, cept he grants women freedom and uses his own money to send them abroad to pursue a new life) and is therefore wanted by the authorities. One day, he rescues a girl (who did not need his rescuing because she's full capable of taking care of herself)... and from their first meeting, they feel an attraction that of course haunts them for the rest of the story, till he is unmasked by his lady love. And naturally, as with all other romances, the thief has to be a titled and good loking gentleman who has foresworn marriage... and she is an unpopular dowdy bluestocking... but he will see through the thick spectacles to see her charm and her wit. YAWN. This is such an overused plot...I prefer books from Julia Quinn where there is more substance, humour and wit in the stories. Given a choice, I would prefer not to have bought this book...in fact, I read it through halfway, got so bored, and I had to skip through some chapters, and then directly leafed it through the end. I've read better romances.
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