Lyon's Bride (The Chattan Curse, #1)

May 13, 2013 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: format-paperback, format-kindle-or-kindle-compatible, historical-romance, curses, avon-addict-reads, author-cathy-maxwell, series-the-chattan-curse, first-read-of-an-author, first-in-trilogy

Lyon’s Bride is the first book in Cathy Maxwell’s historical romance series, The Chattan Curse. These books center around a curse cast upon Charles Chattan in 1632 when he broke the handfast to Scottish lass, Rose Macnachtan, to return to England and marry a Sassenach. Rose was so in love with Charles that she believed he’d return to her, and even kept watch for him on his wedding day. When Charlie didn’t return, so great was her grief that Rose ended her life. And thus, so great was her mother’...more
Lyon’s Bride is the first book in Cathy Maxwell’s historical romance series, The Chattan Curse. These books center around a curse cast upon Charles Chattan in 1632 when he broke the handfast to Scottish lass, Rose Macnachtan, to return to England and marry a Sassenach. Rose was so in love with Charles that she believed he’d return to her, and even kept watch for him on his wedding day. When Charlie didn’t return, so great was her grief that Rose ended her life. And thus, so great was her mother’s grief, that she placed a curse on all Chattan males:

Watchers of the threshold, Watchers of the gate,
open hell and seal Chattan’s Fate.
When a Chattan male falls in love,
strike his heart with fire from Above.
Crush his heart, destroy his line;
Only then will justice be mine.”

The curse has held true through the generations, and death has, without fail, found each male of the line who falls in love. The curse is well known within the family, and no matter what they've tried, it has not been broken. This brings us now to London, 1814, and the story of Neal Chattan and Thea Martin.

They call him Lord Lyon, proud, determined-- and cursed. He is in need of a bride, but if he falls in love, he dies. His fervent hope is that by marrying-- and having a son--without love, perhaps he can break the curse's chains forever.

Enter beautiful Thea Martin--a duke's headstrong, errant daughter and society's most brilliant matchmaker. Years ago, she and Lyon were inseparable, until he disappeared from her life without a word. Now she is charged with finding Lyon's bride--a woman he cannot love for a man Thea could love too well.

This is my first taste of Cathy Maxwell's writing, and I quite enjoyed it! This world she's created is definitely intriguing, and Lyon's Bride is sweet, it's poignant, it's sexy, and nicely sets the stage for the stories to come!

Up next is Harry's story. He'll travel to Scotland in hopes that the witch who cursed his family so long ago is still alive and willing to set his family free. After meeting him in this first book, I have to say, I'm thrilled that I have his story in my hot little hands and can dive right in!

3.5 stars

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.(less)

18 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2012 SOS Aloha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fortune and love favor the brave. - Ovid

Lord Lyon amassed a fortune. He even lent some of it to Prinny. But he is not brave enough to love – he fears a century’s old curse:

When a Chattan male falls in love,
strike his heart with fire from Above.

Yet Lyon desires children and his solicitor recommends the matchmaking services of Mrs. Martin. Lyon does not realize until he meets the widowed Mrs. Martin that she is his childhood friend. He abandoned her when his father revealed the curse. Lyon asks T...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 05, 2013 Booklover, Indianapolis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, u-k-historicals-1700s-1800s

(June) I know I've read CM before and I'm sure I've liked her stuff well enough - she is, to me, one of those middle-of-the-road historical authors - can't imagine she's anyone's favorite, but usually her stuff is good, sometimes great (although when I read the titles and descriptions of many of her books, none stand out, many I can't really remember at all!). This book was ok, but it was so very bland (if someone wanted to try romance and started here, I don't think they'd ever continue). Good...more (June) I know I've read CM before and I'm sure I've liked her stuff well enough - she is, to me, one of those middle-of-the-road historical authors - can't imagine she's anyone's favorite, but usually her stuff is good, sometimes great (although when I read the titles and descriptions of many of her books, none stand out, many I can't really remember at all!). This book was ok, but it was so very bland (if someone wanted to try romance and started here, I don't think they'd ever continue). Good concept - witch curses males of a family to die if they fall in love - and 200 years later, the curse is still working. Neal hires a matchmaker to help him find a woman to marry - he wants her to be someone he can't like so he does not fall in love - but expects her to be a good mother, warm to their children. Well, if she's a good, warm mother, isn't there a chance he'll fall in love with her? If she's not a good person enough for him to love, then why would he want her raising his kids? He hires a matchmaker, Thea, a widow, who turns out he knew (and almost started loving) many years ago. She plans a house party to introduce him to potential brides - but there are no other men there, so it's more of a desperation bride auction. There is really no significant interaction between Neal (who is referred to as Lord Lyon - but no mention is ever made of his title - although once Thea is referred to as his Countess, so I think he's an Earl?) and Thea - one or two conversations, and they both decide that they've always been in love w/one another for all the years they didn't see each other. A few longing glances, some internal musings about each other, and one compromising situation later, they are married, much to the delight of her two boys (how old are they - never says) and the dismay of his two sibs, who hope that if they all remain single and childless the curse will break. Well, of course it will - if they are the last of their line, when they die the curse will die. Sister Margaret is annoying, brother Harry is a tortured soul who will star in the next book, but he is more interesting than Neal who is really quite milquetoast. When Thea decides, somewhat out of the blue, she must leave him which will cause him to hate her which will save him from dying, I rolled my eyes so hard they hurt! I mean, come on - they are all over each other, and then he starts having "I'm dying" symptoms, so she thinks "I'll leave and he'll hate me." Yeah, sure it'll happen that way - he'd not understand why you left, he'd never hate you, and he'll find you and your boys, etc. Dumb. Add to that the most PG boring love scenes. Meh, just not a winner. That said, I will read the next one and see what happens when Harry goes on a witch hunt! (less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

An old friendship is rekindled when the present Earl of Lyon is forced to engage the help of a match maker to find him a wife that he will not be able to fall in love, and she turns out to be his childhood friend. The curse bestowed upon his family has prevented them to fall in love, unless they pay the consequences with their life. This is the reason given by Neal to explain to Thea when she tries to talk him out of this loveless marriage. He is determined and she is skeptic about the whole cur...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Elis Madison rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: era-regency, curses-and-witchery, silly, meh

A medieval curse stalks Neal Chattan, the heir to a long line of men who croak soon after they fall in love. Neal hopes to beat the curse by marrying a woman he can't stand.

Thea is the daughter of a duke, who married against her father's wishes and was disowned. Now widowed, she ekes out a living for herself and her sons by matchmaking. She's shocked when her latest client turns out to be her old ex-friend Neal; she doesn't remember him kindly because he basically dumped her with no word of exp...more

like · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, historical-fiction-romance, romance

Very good book. Thea is a widow who is working as a matchmaker. Lyon comes to her to find a bride for him - one that would be a suitable mother for his children but that he is in no danger of loving. His family has been suffering under a curse for a long time and he doesn't want to take a chance. He and Thea had been friends as teenagers until he began to care for her and his father took him away to protect them both. Now they find that their youthful feelings are growing. Thea doesn't believe i...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

LYON’S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell
The Chattan Curse

Should one decision be allowed to control your entire existence?

When Thea Martin’s matchmaking skills reunite her with Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon the twists and turns were ones she never expected. Thea has been taking care of her two sons, surviving on the income from her business, and the icy rejection of his family. She may have made less than great decisions based on love but nothing could prepare her for Neal’s desire turn away from any type of love...more

like · see review

Mar 31, 2012 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I enjoy series books as long as each entry is worthy of its own space and not just a weak extension of the original story concept. Trilogies are the perfect size for series, and four well-written books can also make a great series. Beyond that number and the creative process and quality control has to really be sharp. Trilogies can allow certain characters to develop through the first two books before they become fully-fleshed in the final book, and that can be very rewarding for the reader. I r...more I enjoy series books as long as each entry is worthy of its own space and not just a weak extension of the original story concept. Trilogies are the perfect size for series, and four well-written books can also make a great series. Beyond that number and the creative process and quality control has to really be sharp. Trilogies can allow certain characters to develop through the first two books before they become fully-fleshed in the final book, and that can be very rewarding for the reader. I read more stand-alones than series. However, when I am hooked on a series, I will collect the entire set. Whether it’s great characters or an intriguing story line, or both, I’ll stay with it until the end. I do believe that some characters and scenarios are better suited to one intense edition that’s perfect just as it is–don’t mess with it! Some story lines work better on a larger scale, and they might just be too much for one book. They develop more slowly, with characters coming and going along the way. In the final analysis, it’s always the ability of the storyteller to spin a great tale that makes the difference. Cathy Maxwell is a very talented author, and the characters and story line for "The Chattan Curse" are intriguing and involving. However I was not expecting to invest my reader's time in "Lyon's Bride" and then be left looking around for an appropriate ending. Due to the wickedness of an ancient curse, any Chattan male who falls in love will meet with a horrible death. Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, hopes to break the curse by marrying without love and fathering a son. He obtains the services of a matchmaker, and he is stunned when the matchmaker turns out to be Thea, the girl he left behind so long ago. Now a widow with two young sons, Thea Martin is equally taken aback at being hired to find a bride for the man who was once the dear friend of her youth. Even more unsettling is his request to marry a woman of worth, who will make a good mother and be liked by everyone but her own husband. In order to break the curse, he cannot become fond of his bride, and love is out of the question. However, love will have its way, and Neal and Thea begin a deep and passionate relationship. Will they break the curse and enjoy a true and lasting love surrounded by their family and friends? Apparently, the answer lies in the next two books in the series.

Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
(less)

like · see review

Mar 11, 2012 Cyndi Beane-Henry rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's been a long while since I read a book purely for pleasure. Lyon's Bride is just such a book.

Like any good romance, Maxwell takes Lyon's Bride from tears to smiles, from dispair to ever lasting love.

When Lord Lyon meets up with an old childhood friend by chance, that old friend becomes so much more.

Widow Thea Martin is determined to raise her two sons to be more than their father, whatever it takes. Even if it means finding a bride for the man she really loves.

What ensues will bring you thr...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2012 Dahlia (yadkny) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical Romance Lovers

Their young Summertime friendship came to an abrupt end when Neal was forced to walk away from Thea without a word as to why. His father made it perfectly clear that their budding romance would end his life if continued, so Neal left with his cursed reasons and Thea was left with no choice but to walk away with her doubts. As their lives continued in different directions, Thea now finds herself a scandalized, disinherited widow and Neal now Lord Lyon finds himself still victimized by the curse t...more Their young Summertime friendship came to an abrupt end when Neal was forced to walk away from Thea without a word as to why. His father made it perfectly clear that their budding romance would end his life if continued, so Neal left with his cursed reasons and Thea was left with no choice but to walk away with her doubts. As their lives continued in different directions, Thea now finds herself a scandalized, disinherited widow and Neal now Lord Lyon finds himself still victimized by the curse that took so many of his kin. After much thought, Lyon has come to the decision that his lonely existence can only be tempered by having children, but for that he will need a wife. He wants a wife that will dote on their children and prioritize their well-being with the responsibilities of the home, but above all Lyon must not love her. To succeed in this, Lyon will need to rely on outside resources to find him a tolerable and suitable wife. He knows his reclusive nature will be sorely tested, but nothing could prepare him for his first meeting with the infamous matchmaker.

Thea's world revolves around caring for her two young sons. Her destroyed reputation notwithstanding, Thea has managed in raising them in a loving environment and wishes for nothing more than to continue raising them into fine gentlemen. Her own upbringing offers the tools of the trade she needs in performing successful matches among the ton, which were thought to have been impossible. When her matchmaking reputation precedes her, Thea receives word that her services are once again in need and the money could finally set up her and the boys. However, upon seeing her new client, Thea is at once sad for the young girl she used to be and frustrated that he has any effect on the independent woman she is now. She has no time for rekindling friendships best left in the past and while the money offered is too tempting to resist, her resolve softens upon hearing Neal's confessions. He needs her help and she needs his, so the best course of action is to remain ignorant of their shared connection and attraction. Much easier said than done when Thea's friend is so intent on doing her own bit of matchmaking.

Such a bewitching tale of love, loss, and the hope for redemption. The chemistry between the leads is fully engaging and creates wonderfully described scenes full of varying emotions. Neal and Thea have such tragic pasts and their development as individuals throughout the story is inspiring. The intimacy of their romance is definitely heated, but made even grander for the addition of Thea's adorable boys. Even Neal's brother and sister are hard not to like for all they've endured even while they continue their frustrating way of doomed thinking. The points-of-view between Neal and Thea are balanced and the dialogue is easy to read. It is because of all of this and more why this story is a natural page-turner and regardless of storyline predictability, I still found it all charming. The ending is quite fitting and leads beautifully into the next adventure starring Harry, but beware that for some readers it may be considered more of a happily-for-now sort of ending. I believe it depends on which characters perspective you look at it from. And now with that mysterious ending of my own, I will leave you with my highest recommendation for this marvelous historical romance.

Review soon-to-be posted @ Night Owl Reviews(less)

like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Cherise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, historical-romance

In Scotland in the year 1632 a heartbroken witch cursed the Chattan men that whenever they fell in love, they would soon thereafter die. This curse has ruined Chattan family members for years. Now, almost 200 years later, the current Chattan heir is trying his damndest to outwit the family curse.

Years ago Neal Chattan and Thea Martin were the best of friends until he left one day without word and she hasn’t seen or heard from him in 14 years. Thea is a widow with two sons who has fallen on hard...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bawdy-books, 4-star

This review is also posted at www.thebawdybookblog.com

Oh where to start. Lets see, how about Oct. 30th, 2012. What is that you say, that is the date the next book in this series comes out. I liked this book so much, that I got online and looked up when the next one comes out within minutes of finishing this one. This book hit almost all of my requirements for a “Oh dear god, you have to read this” romance novel. The only thing missing was steaminess, and to be honest I only really missed it just...more This review is also posted at www.thebawdybookblog.com

Oh where to start. Lets see, how about Oct. 30th, 2012. What is that you say, that is the date the next book in this series comes out. I liked this book so much, that I got online and looked up when the next one comes out within minutes of finishing this one. This book hit almost all of my requirements for a “Oh dear god, you have to read this” romance novel. The only thing missing was steaminess, and to be honest I only really missed it just a tiny little bit. Don’t get me wrong there is sex in this book. There’s a half clad man on the cover, of course there is some adult content in this book.

Thea is the daughter of a duke but she is too headstrong for her own good. She married a commoner against her parents wishes and was disowned by her family. After his death she moves back to London to try to carve out some sort of life for her and her two sons. All she wants is to have a life where her sons can grow up and become part of the society she left behind. She can’t reenter society as a high society member, so she does the next best thing, she becomes a matchmaker for them. After helping out some poor unfortunate souls (Look she’s Ursula without the tentacles and mean streak! Sorry my kid loves that movie….anyway….) She find them the love that has eluded them, and word gets around that she is very good at what she does.

Enter in Lord Lyon, with a ancient curse on his head that says he is never to fall in love. Actually he can fall in love but it will kill him if he does. All of the males in his line have died after finding love. His father was the only Chattan male that conceived more than one child and that was due to hating his first wife (notice the emphasis on first, yup married for love the second time and BAM! dead as a door nail.). So he wants Thea to find him a Bride he can live with but never love. After much debate, she agrees to do this. Thus begins the tried and true romance plot and you know what, I didn’t even care that I knew what was going to happen and who Lyon would marry. A good romance will do that, it makes you forget you already know the main characters will end up happily ever after, you just keep hoping it does and then are happy when it works out.

This was my first book by Maxwell and I loved her writing style. I was able to fall in love with the characters and invest myself in them. I wanted to see Thea achieve her dreams for her kids. I wanted to see Lyon find love and try to overcome the family curse. The world that Maxwell has written is easy to fall in and the characters are very believable. There is a great scene with two of the would be mother-in-laws arguing about the merits of their stuck up daughters that just had me rolling with laughter. Of course it part of it may have been because my brain can’t do an English accent to save its life, so those Moms were arguing in a bad Jersey Shore accents… What? You don’t read in accents… nope? not even a litte?… OK.. moving on.

What can I say other than it all just worked. It worked so well, I’m giving it a 4. One more thing, I enjoyed this book so much that I was only a little mad when she left it with a major cliff hanger. MAJOR cliff hanger. Arrggggg…but I want to know what happens to the family nooowww! Hurry up October!

**Disclaimer** This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.(less)

like · see review

May 14, 2012 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys-arcs

I can easily see that this is a trilogy and I can even understand that we won't know if the "curse" has been lifted until the last sibling has found love; but really. The at least could have been some sort of definitive HEA in THIS book.

This honestly has to be one of the slowest moving, mind-numbingly boring books I have ever read.

A curse has been cast over the Chattan family, and as you can expect they all vow never to fall in love since once they do, they soon die.

There are 3 siblings in this...more

like · see review

May 09, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for_review, historical

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

This series is centered around a curse – generations earlier, a Chattan man wronged a witches daughter. The daughter, loving the man so much and unable to live with his rejection, killed herself and in mourning and rage her mother cursed the Chattan males: they would die when they found love. Since then, every male has died soon after falling in love. Neal Chattan, his brother and sister are living single, lonely lives. His siblings, Har...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

This series is centered around a curse – generations earlier, a Chattan man wronged a witches daughter. The daughter, loving the man so much and unable to live with his rejection, killed herself and in mourning and rage her mother cursed the Chattan males: they would die when they found love. Since then, every male has died soon after falling in love. Neal Chattan, his brother and sister are living single, lonely lives. His siblings, Harry and Margaret, want the curse to die with them and plead with Neal to not fall in love and get married. Neal is desperate to have a family, especially kids, but he doesn’t want to love his wife. Enter Thea, a matchmaker Neal hires without realizing that his matchmaker is his close childhood friend that he hasn’t seen in years. He wants her to find him a wife that he can get along with but never love. Thea, being a single mom trying to earn enough to put a roof over her and her young son’s heads and food on the table, accepts his offer.

Thea and her sons are struggling to make ends meet. She’s hit with some bad luck when all her money is stolen, money that she was saving to use to send her oldest son to school. Now, desperate, she has to take her old friend’s offer of work and find him a wife. I’m a sucker for this type of set up – single mom with two young boys (adorable boys) who is reunited with the hero, her best friend when she was growing up. It was the perfect beginning that grabbed me right away and I was anxious to see where everything was going.

The story follows Neal and Thea falling in love against everyone’s better judgment with the curse hanging over his head. But her sons win over Neal’s brother and sister and even though Thea is a non-believer in the curse at first, signs start showing up in the form of dreams and Thea realizes that the curse might have more weight than she first thought.

The romance between Neal and Thea was nice but very light. It didn’t blow me away, the sex scenes are understated, but their love does come across and seeing Neal let himself love after being terrified of it for years was sweet. The scenes with the whole family were some of my favorites, I have such a soft spot for little kids in stories, but it can make or break the book. In this case, I enjoyed all the scenes that the boys were in and liked seeing them get into not only Neal’s heart but in Harry and Margaret’s as well.

Harry and Margaret play large supporting roles and they both expect to fall under the curse as well. Harry has his own issues, aside from the curse, to deal with, and is spiraling downward. Who doesn’t love a troubled hero, and with Harry’s story up next, I’m definitely left wanting and needing to know more about him.

There were a couple things that left me feeling a little “eh” – Thea, the entire book, is strong and even when she starts to believe in the curse I still got the impression that she was in charge and would stand by her man and fight this…she didn’t. It almost felt like a throw away scene because about 5 pages after she leaves Neal (making him hate her ‘for his own good’), even though time is noted as having past, Neal finds her and they’re back together. It just felt completely unnecessary and it took me out of the story a little bit. The ending isn’t clear cut. The curse is still out there, Neal isn’t “cured” from it, and while there is an HEA for Neal and Thea, their story certainly isn’t left on solid ground.

My rating is 3 ½ stars. I enjoyed the family dynamic in this story, from Neal and Thea and her boys to Neal’s siblings, the interactions and getting a feel for all the different personalities has me interested in getting Harry and Margaret’s story. Harry is up next and he’s off to try and stop this curse once and for all. I wish there would have been more closure of some kind for Neal and Thea, but then I guess the curse couldn’t continue to play a role in Harry and possibly Margaret’s life. I’m looking forward to book 2, Harry is a complex guy fighting a lot of demons and I want to see what he learns about the curse and who the woman is that catches his heart. (less)

like · see review

May 15, 2012 Terra rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found Lyon's Bride to be utterly charming and just a good ole fashion romance. This is the first of Cathy Maxwell's books that I've had the pleasure of reading and I can say it will not be the last. Actually can't wait for the next one.

Thea Martin bless her heart is set on a life of spinster hood while taking up the pass time of being a expert match maker. She's a beauty and quite smart but after a horrendous marriage that was loveless she is bound and determined to stay quite single now in he...more

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

An entertaining beginning to the Chattan Curse trilogy. This story was different from most other family curse plots in that our hero, despite initial attempts to circumvent the curse, willingly and wholeheartedly fell in love. Also, there was no breaking of the curse at the end of the story. Instead, the plot smoothly transitions into Harry's tale. I really liked all the characters here, especially Thea's young sons, and I found it refreshing to see a very eager and happy bonding between them an...more

like · see review

May 16, 2012 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, historical, fake-relationship-moc, friends-to-lovers, manipulative-friends-family, read-2012, paranormal-elements

Grade B-

Reviewed for Speaking of Audiobooks column at All About Romance 5/14/12 :http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=8220

Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

A family cursed long ago, it’s believed a Chattan male will die if he finds his true love. The present Earl of Lyon, Neal Chattan is looking for a wife – not for love but for the children he desires. A widowed childhood friend who is now a matchmaker, Thea Martin, agrees to help Neal find an “unlikeable but acceptable” woman to marry. Thrown into close...more Grade B-

Reviewed for Speaking of Audiobooks column at All About Romance 5/14/12 :http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=8220

Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

A family cursed long ago, it’s believed a Chattan male will die if he finds his true love. The present Earl of Lyon, Neal Chattan is looking for a wife – not for love but for the children he desires. A widowed childhood friend who is now a matchmaker, Thea Martin, agrees to help Neal find an “unlikeable but acceptable” woman to marry. Thrown into close proximity, old hurts and new misunderstandings cause instant friction and the two have a difficult time focusing on the wife hunt.

The first third of Lyon’s Bride is full of wonderful details, character development, and conversations that Rosalyn Landor only enhances further with her talented narration. She’s at her best here - her voice is well modulated and clear while her narration is unhurried without being slow. While some listeners have remarked in the past that her male voices can sound too gruff or old, that is not a problem in this book. Her male characters sound strong and are easily differentiated. The sound quality is excellent with smooth editing and clear chapter and scene break

While the writing is strong and the character development is excellent, Lyon’s Bride is not an action-driven book. Maxwell often interrupts scenes with the internal thoughts of a character. Thankfully, the listener has no problems following the interruption since Ms. Landor clearly distinguishes the dialogue portions from the internal musings.

Thea is a strong woman making the best of a situation caused in part by her own poor choices. Her stubbornness, which Ms. Landor captures well in her narration, is the source of much conflict in the book. While I admired her, it took me a while to warm up to Thea.

From the beginning, Neal is the more likeable of the two and Ms. Landor succeeds in capturing his strength of character. The secondary characters are well developed, especially Neal’s brother and sister, who I expect will each get a book since the issue of the curse is not resolved in Lyon’s Bride.

Other than the gothic-esque plot line involving the witch’s curse, Lyon’s Bride is a fairly predictable story of a nobleman falling in love with a woman who is beneath him. That gothic twist tilts this story off its axis, creating an uneasy marriage of paranormal and…well…normal, that didn’t work for me. Thea and Neal are just too English - too solid, practical, and sensible. Perhaps the curse story line will prove more effective in The Scottish Witch: The Chattan Curse which stars Neal’s angst-ridden brother, Harry. Even with my reservations about Lyon’s Bride, my interest is peaked enough for me to find out what happens next.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 25, 2013 Tabitha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, historical, historical-romance, romance, want-to-own-physical-copy, cliffhanger, magic

Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, is cursed. Centuries ago, his ancestor promised to marry a girl, Rose, then reneged on the promise and the girl committed suicide. As punishment for this crime, the Rose’s mother cursed his family. Whenever a Chattan male falls in love, he dies. Every member of his father’s family has succumbed to this curse and he is determined to never fall prey to it, but he desperately wants kids. Enter Thea Martin, a matchmaker. She is hired to find Chattan a bride that he could nev...more Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, is cursed. Centuries ago, his ancestor promised to marry a girl, Rose, then reneged on the promise and the girl committed suicide. As punishment for this crime, the Rose’s mother cursed his family. Whenever a Chattan male falls in love, he dies. Every member of his father’s family has succumbed to this curse and he is determined to never fall prey to it, but he desperately wants kids. Enter Thea Martin, a matchmaker. She is hired to find Chattan a bride that he could never love, but when she sees its Neal she’s to work for, she promptly refuses. Neal had been a childhood friend who walked out on her with no warning. Thea quickly realizes that she has no other choice than to help him because there aren’t many options for respectable work for a widow and her sons must be provided for. She starts the hunt for a respectable bride for Neal and, as you can imagine, the two grow closer. But is Neal willing to risk his life for the possibility of love with Thea?

I really am at a loss for words with this novel. I generally try to keep my historical romances and my paranormal romances separate, so I’m not overly excited about the idea of a mythical curse, but since I’ve read HR with a bit of magic before, I thought why the hell not? I have always loved Cathy Maxwell’s work in the past so this shouldn’t be any different. I was somewhat right. The storyline drew me in pretty quickly, though not the witchy parts. What got me was the childhood friends who were separated and are now reunited. I usually hate drama, but I love the confrontation that comes from childhood separations that leave one or both parties confused. Thea’s back-story especially captivated me because I also love heroines who rebel against their families and she definitely did that when she married far below herself. Even Neal was a sweet and interesting character who’s instantly adoration for Thea’s sons had me falling head over heels.

But I just couldn’t love this novel. Neal jumps too quickly over the fence on the whole “I can’t fall in love or I’ll die” argument. One minute he’s terrified of it and the next he’s throwing caution to the wind and marrying Thea. The romance bits felt a bit rushed. Then there is the cliffhanger.

I have never in my entire goddamn life read a historical romance with a cliffhanger and I can’t say that this came as a pleasant surprise. I spent my entire high school career hiding romance novels in my text books so I could read during class and never once did I stumble upon a fucking cliffhanger, NEVER. Neal and Thea’s story has a sort of ending, but the curse is still looming over Neal’s head so nothing was really solved. This novel definitely would have gotten 4 stars if not for that ending, but I can’t fucking overlook that or forget my complete disappointment. Do I recommend it to historical romance fans? Absolutely, just prepare yourself for the fact that it’s not going to be tied into a nice little bow for you at the end and you’ll need the next two books on hand so you can find out exactly what happens next. (less)

like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Marcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in "The Chattan Curse" series, a medieval curse that means death to any Chattan who falls in love.

Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, hires former childhood friend, widowed matchmaker Thea Martin to find him a bride he cannot love because he wants children.

Thea is a duke's daughter who married against her father's wishes and was disowned. Her main focus now is providing a better life for her two young sons. Though skeptical at first of the curse and Neal's request to find him someon...more

like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just love second chance stories!

Thea and Neal are close friends when they are young and all of a sudden Neal disappears from her life with no explanations, no goodbyes. Years later she is hired to find a wife for none other than this long lost friend of hers. She is angry and hurt by what she saw as betrayal all those years ago and he is running from a curse that was bestowed on his family generations past. He needs to find a wife whom he cannot love and is seeking her help in finding that wo...more

like · see review

Mar 19, 2013 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ej-jq-challenge-2013

Really enjoyed the different kind of storyline that this book had, the curse was the woven into the story with background given at just the right amount to keep you reading but not so much to go overboard with it. The relationship with Neal and Thea's boys was wonderfully done is a time where other men's children didn't get love from the stepfather much. Thea did resort to the typical heroine in distress and I must sacrifice myself mode but was quickly righted-thank goodness! Not everything was...more

like · see review

May 19, 2012 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, romance, read-2012

I was really nervous when I opened this book and saw the year 1632 listed as I had requested this under the impression that it was set during the Regency time period and I was really craving that. Happily this is only a prologue chapter that sets up the basic premise of this book (and the next two that will follow) and what a wallop it packed! See in 1632, Fenella's beloved daughter Rose handfasted with Charles Chattan; but he proved to be faithless, marrying an Englishwoman of title and power....more I was really nervous when I opened this book and saw the year 1632 listed as I had requested this under the impression that it was set during the Regency time period and I was really craving that. Happily this is only a prologue chapter that sets up the basic premise of this book (and the next two that will follow) and what a wallop it packed! See in 1632, Fenella's beloved daughter Rose handfasted with Charles Chattan; but he proved to be faithless, marrying an Englishwoman of title and power. For vengeance, Fenella curses his line that once a man falls in love, his death is imminent. He will father a son to carry on the curse but death will take him. And so it goes to the time of 1814 when our story proper begins.

The first character we meet is Thea Martin, a young widow and mother of two boys who had been disinherited by her duke father for marrying below her station. Now she scrapes by as a highly sought after matchmaker for the difficult cases of the ton. But she has never received a case so preposterous. Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, wants her to find him a bride who he will not detest but with whom he will never fall in love. Complicating matters are Thea's own deep belief in the power of love as well as a youthful attraction between the two.

For his part, Neal grew up at a distance from his father, learning about the curse during the summer he met Thea and has tried to stay detached since. With his brother Harry and his sister Margaret, they have sworn to let the curse end with them. But Neal craves children and, although he doesn't want to admit it, he craves Thea. Thus enters their conflict. Her youthful marriage has left her scarred but still wanting to fall in love and be married. If he marries a woman he loves, he will father a child but die young.

I really liked the dance Neal and Thea went through as each pretended they were untouched by the other's presence especially because I as the reader got to see how much they loved each other. Both characters have strong senses of personal honor and are restrained, which tend to be my favorite characters as I feel I have similar attributes. It was easy to put myself in Thea's shoes despite our very different positions and that always makes me happy.

But what I probably found most interesting was how the story ends with Neal facing the first symptoms of the curse: a numbness on his left side. The group does not want to give up though so Harry is dispatched to search for Fenella. The next book is called Scottish Witch, due Fall 2012, making me think Harry might fall for one of Fenella's descendants, leading to another reason to end the curse as Chattan finally makes restitution for the wrong.

There is also a house party (I love Regency house parties), snobby leaders of the ton, adorable little kids, and plenty of threads for the future romances of Harry and Margaret with all of their flaws and virtues.

Overall: An intriguing curse premise hangs the entire trilogy together and I can't wait to read the next section!

Cover: Really not a fan of books where a model stares out at the reader but I still kind of like this especially with the gorgeous blue cover background.(less)

like · see review

Mar 24, 2013 Lover of Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: avon, historical-romance, magic, regency

Thea Martin, after struggling for years to make by after losing her husband, has managed a almost profitable business as a matchmaker, saving her earnings for her son's schooling. Then she is informed that Lord Lyon is looking for her for her matchmaking abilities because he desperately needs a wife. Once, many years ago Thea and Neal were close friends as children, but then Neal one day just abandoned Thea, and they hadn't seen each other since; until now. Neal, needs a wife, one he could never...more Thea Martin, after struggling for years to make by after losing her husband, has managed a almost profitable business as a matchmaker, saving her earnings for her son's schooling. Then she is informed that Lord Lyon is looking for her for her matchmaking abilities because he desperately needs a wife. Once, many years ago Thea and Neal were close friends as children, but then Neal one day just abandoned Thea, and they hadn't seen each other since; until now. Neal, needs a wife, one he could never love or care for, just one to tolerate and someone to give him children. His family suffers from a curse, where all the men will die if they fall in love, so he is determined to make sure he never does so. However upon seeing Thea again, he is overwhelmed with feelings of desire for her. Only as Thea finds suitable matches for him, his only thoughts are for her and before he knows it he knows he is in love with her, only, will he be able to make the right decision, Marry her and risking dying but having a chance of a few months of love and warmth in his life, or marrying someone else and live a lonely and desolate life?
Lyon's Bride is the first installment in Cathy Maxwell most recent series: The Chattan Curse. Lyon's Bride, we see the start of this amazingly fun and exciting story, about three siblings, and in Lyon's Bride Maxwell starts with Neal, who would make any woman sucuumb to his charms. He is sexy, intelligent, and willing to fight for those he loves, who could resist? Then we have the heroine Thea, who doesn't believe in the unseen like some old curse, she just believes its superstition in the beginning, and it was amusing to watch Neal convince her otherwise. I also loved the interaction between Neal and Thea's two sons, it was tearjerking at times. The whole story overall was very emotionally provoking, it had elements through the whole story, that would bring a tear to one's eye, and then a sparkle of laughter in another moment. It definitely was full of passioin, witty humor, exciting plot that keeps the reader entertained to say the least. Overall a very well written story that engages the reader at every turn!!!! Loved Every Moment!!!

(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2013 Lynne Tull rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance

When I skip half of the text to get to the story is just an 'ok' book. This is one of those. The story and characters are interesting and likable. However, I think some of the writing was not needed to deepen the story or the characters. This is going to be a true 'serial' series. There is an on-going mystery that will continue to the next book. It probably will not be solved until the last book. It certainly will keep me interested...just hoping there will not be a lot of superfluous informatio...more

like · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thea Martin and Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon have a past together. As teens, they were heading toward a true love. Then Neal was warned by his father that any such relationship will only end in tragedy. Neal tore himself away from Thea, Neal set himself against marriage and Thea married for what she thought was love. They had parted ways, thinking to never reconnect until one fateful day when they found themselves together in a solicitor's office. Their feelings for each other had not waned and were...more Thea Martin and Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon have a past together. As teens, they were heading toward a true love. Then Neal was warned by his father that any such relationship will only end in tragedy. Neal tore himself away from Thea, Neal set himself against marriage and Thea married for what she thought was love. They had parted ways, thinking to never reconnect until one fateful day when they found themselves together in a solicitor's office. Their feelings for each other had not waned and were quickly reignited.

LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell is a good read. Is it a great read? I don't think so but it's the beginning of what appears to be a very intriguing series. Having already read the second book in this series which I will review on Monday, I can tell you without a doubt that this one, LYON'S BRIDE, is a must read if you wish to have an understanding of what is happening in the second book.

As a second chance romance, LYON'S BRIDE works very well. More importantly, it lends itself very well to setting the stage for what's to come in the next two books. This is definitely a trilogy that must be read in order to both understand the current story and the fight to end the curse that's been laid upon the Chattan family. By reading this story first, you learn some of the tale of the unfortunate suicide of Rose, the daughter of Fenella - the witch who cursed the Chattans.

Cathy Maxwell has set the stage for a mystery that will carry us through to the end of the third book and hopefully provide us with a Happily Ever After for Neal and Thea and Neal's siblings, Harry and Margaret. For if the curse is not ended, Neal will surely die followed by Harry and Margaret, if they fall in love as well. I found Neal a bit stuffy at first, but thankfully, Thea brings out the best in him and you can't help but pray that the curse will be lifted. Harry, Neal's brother, is the charmer and thankfully, the hero of book two. Whereas all three siblings had decided never to fall in love, so that hopefully the curse would end with them, you know that just isn't going to happen in romance novels.

I have to recommend LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell not because it's a really wonderful romance, it was a good read, but rather because if you wish to enjoy what comes next, you definitely need to read this one. This is definitely a continuous series and we won't see any real HEAs until the series concludes.

**Print copy of Lyon's Bride provided by publisher to me for private reading without expectation of review but this is an honest and unscripted review.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, review, romance, read-2012

My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...

Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon, knows his family is cursed. In the seventeenth century his ancestor broke the heart of a powerful witch’s daughter and the entire Chattan line was cursed as a result. When a Chattan male falls in love, he dies. Now Neal and his siblings, Harry and Margaret, are the last of the Chattan line and Neal is determined to take a bride. His one condition? He cannot fall in love with the woman...more

like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Angela Carr rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

4.5 Feathers
This review also posted at Under the Covers Book Blogt

This is the first installment of the Chattan Curse series by Cathy Maxwell, and I must say, what a marvelous start! This book is *sigh* inducing and oh, so romantic. A great story of second chances and true love conquering all .

Neal Chattan aka Lord Lyon and his family are cursed. The Chattan Curse is to punish and prevent any of them from falling in love. For generations, his ancestors have been attempting to avoid or stop the cu...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2012 Kati rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, 2012-reads, historicals, arc, favorite-books

Wow! This is one of my favorite historicals this year. A wonderful new series from Cathy Maxwell that all Maxwellians will enjoy. A centuries old curse, a woman who believes that a person makes their own choices, a man hellbent on pushing that woman away because Fate has other things in store for him, a second chance at love and a ready made family of his own, wrapped in laugh out loud antics, heartbreaking moments, a mother's love for her sons and a happily ever after you want to root for. Revi...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Yvonne Boag rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

The Chatten line is cursed because one of their ancestors ran out on a girl who loved him and she committed suicide. Since then every male will die as soon as he falls in love. Lord Lyon is no exception so he decides to marry someone he could never fall in love with. So he seeks the help of Thea, a widow with two children that he used to know when they were teenagers. The problem is that the spark is still there. Lyon needs to follow his head but his heart is leading him into a different directi...more

like · see review

Sep 12, 2012 CJ - Secret Charm rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to CJ - Secret Charm by: Cherise

Shelves: autumn-read, beach-read, family, familyconflict, historical-romance, london-england, mystery-meets-supernatural, romance, witches

This was an ARC

It was a pretty clean copy for an ARC so the problem isn't with the grammar or the type setting. My issue was that there were a lot of things glossed over. Important things. It made the story, while interesting, seem very rushed.

I wanted to know more about Neal and Thea's friendship, more about how they fell in love, more interactions between them other than the house party. I didn't feel an attraction between them until that house party so it seemed very ... stilted to have them...more

1 like · like · see review

title link	preview: Lyon's Bride
avg rating	preview: Lyon's Bride Goodreads rating: 3.74 (267 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13025629-lyon-s-bride?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1335028174l/13025629.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13025629-lyon-s-bride?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Lyon's Bride by Cathy Maxwell[/url]

Lyon's Bride (The Chattan Curse #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (6)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cathy Maxwell

Books by Cathy Maxwell

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Lyon's Bride