What do you think?
Rate this book
Not Quite Married: A Novel
Left alone on the family estate, headstrong Brien Weston has learned to manage for herself. But when she becomes too independent for her noble father’s tastes, he orders an arranged marriage “for her own good.” Taking matters into her own hands, Brien discovers that what makes a woman truly ineligible for marriage is marriage itself. So how does a woman acquire a husband . . . who won’t really be a husband?
Having rejected his own father’s title and fortune, shipbuilder Aaron Durham vows to find a way to finance his dreams. But what is a charming scapegrace to do when a desperate young lady and a small fortune fall into his lap . . . with a shocking condition attached?
One irresistible night of passion will change their destinies. Touch by touch, kiss by kiss, they fall deeper into a love large enough to span continents . . . strong enough to overcome deception . . . and sweet enough to make them forget that they have been.
Having rejected his own father’s title and fortune, shipbuilder Aaron Durham vows to find a way to finance his dreams. But what is a charming scapegrace to do when a desperate young lady and a small fortune fall into his lap . . . with a shocking condition attached?
One irresistible night of passion will change their destinies. Touch by touch, kiss by kiss, they fall deeper into a love large enough to span continents . . . strong enough to overcome deception . . . and sweet enough to make them forget that they have been.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1983
16 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Betina Krahn
60 books312 followersKrahn, born Betina Maynard, is the second daughter of Dors Maynard and Regina Triplett. Krahn learned to read at the age of four, and began making up her own stories when she was only six. In fifth grade she won a silver "Noble Order of Bookworms" pin for her achievements in reading, and the following year she began writing down her stories.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 10, 2021
This story was somewhere between okay and good. I liked it. The book was well paced and enjoyable. The heroine's stubbornness and independence got annoying at times but not enough to ruin the story.
I loved the hero. He was sexy, independent, and respected the heroine's opinions and allowed her to make her own decisions - a rarity in a man.
All in all, a nice read and worth a try.
I loved the hero. He was sexy, independent, and respected the heroine's opinions and allowed her to make her own decisions - a rarity in a man.
All in all, a nice read and worth a try.
July 5, 2020
Shouldn't have taken me this long to get to it. It was first pub'd back in 1983, but managed to stand the test of time. It held up pretty good.
April 26, 2015
From England to America and Back Again in the late 18th century
First released as RAPTURE’S RANSOM, this is the story of Brien Weston, daughter of the Earl of Southwold, who one day wakes up and realizes his daughter, now in her early 20’s is too stubborn and willful and must be married. Believing no man would have her, the earl picks the son of a French business associate for her husband. After she meets him, though he is handsome and smooth talking, she discovers the French nobleman only wants her money. So she determines to make herself unavailable to him by marrying another. A friend finds her a husband in a dockside tavern, one Aaron Durham. He’s a man who, for a sum of money, will wed her and then go away.
When Brien’s French fiancé learns of this, he is furious and promises to get even. Then her father does some investigating and tells her the wedding Brien went through with the stranger was not a real wedding and there is no record of it in the church. Brien is horrified, especially since the handsome stranger consummated the marriage that wasn’t real. Thus, she is forced to marry the man she hates, but then there is a fire…
The story begins in 1787 in England but moves to America when Brien happens to take a ship to Boston to sell a part of her father’s business. Turns out the ship is owned by Aaron Durham. Krahn keeps you guessing as to when Brien and Aaron will get together. Aaron is constant throughout but Brien loathes the role of a woman and loves being an active partner in her father’s trading business. Of course in the 18th century nobility considered trade something for the other classes. And, for some reason Krahn kept referring to America as “the colonies” though it was a sovereign nation by 1783. Still, it’s a fun tale, well-told.
First released as RAPTURE’S RANSOM, this is the story of Brien Weston, daughter of the Earl of Southwold, who one day wakes up and realizes his daughter, now in her early 20’s is too stubborn and willful and must be married. Believing no man would have her, the earl picks the son of a French business associate for her husband. After she meets him, though he is handsome and smooth talking, she discovers the French nobleman only wants her money. So she determines to make herself unavailable to him by marrying another. A friend finds her a husband in a dockside tavern, one Aaron Durham. He’s a man who, for a sum of money, will wed her and then go away.
When Brien’s French fiancé learns of this, he is furious and promises to get even. Then her father does some investigating and tells her the wedding Brien went through with the stranger was not a real wedding and there is no record of it in the church. Brien is horrified, especially since the handsome stranger consummated the marriage that wasn’t real. Thus, she is forced to marry the man she hates, but then there is a fire…
The story begins in 1787 in England but moves to America when Brien happens to take a ship to Boston to sell a part of her father’s business. Turns out the ship is owned by Aaron Durham. Krahn keeps you guessing as to when Brien and Aaron will get together. Aaron is constant throughout but Brien loathes the role of a woman and loves being an active partner in her father’s trading business. Of course in the 18th century nobility considered trade something for the other classes. And, for some reason Krahn kept referring to America as “the colonies” though it was a sovereign nation by 1783. Still, it’s a fun tale, well-told.
June 30, 2018
This review is of “Rapture’s Ransom” by Betina Krahn.
The book begins in the South of England in 1787. It is here that Brien Weston, the heroine of the book, lives-a better term might be exists-with her father, Lord Lawrence Weston, the sixth Earl of Southward. The relationship between father and child is strained, and becomes even more so when Lawrence, after a trip to France, announces he has affianced Brien to a man, Raoul Trechard, she has never met.
When Brien and Raoul finally meet, Brien feels there is a possibility for a love match. That feeling quickly dissipates, however, when Brien learns Raoul’s true colors. She tries to end the engagement, even going so far as to lose her virginity to a stranger to deny Raoul that opportunity. None of the efforts work, however, and Brien finds herself married to Raoul, who kidnaps, imprisons and rapes her. She is freed from this torment when Raoul dies in a fire.
Over a year later, Brien meets the man she gave herself to, his name is Aaron Durham, the hero of the book. Brien is sailing to the colonies on business; Aaron is the captain of the ship she’s sailing on, and they re-establish their relationship as lovers during the trip and after they arrive at their destination, Boston.
Brien and Aaron’s happiness is threatened by several factors:
Horace Van Zandt: an evil privateer who has a history-and bad blood-with Aaron.
Differences in their viewpoints; Aaron wants to live in America and deny his status as a peer of the realm; Brien wishes to live in England.
The de Saunier Family: the unnamed patriarch of which tries to force Brien to marry his other son, Louis.
Brien’s pregnancy.
The book ends with Brien and Aaron married, and parents of a son, Garrett, whose presence helps Aaron begin to repair the strained relationship he has with his father, Thomas, and Aaron and Brien have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: It is rare in early 1980’s books-”Rapture’s Ransom” was first published in November 1983-to have a non-Simpering Sara heroine, but Ms. Krahn does just that in this book. To be fair, this is not entirely about Brien’s strength-Lawrence doesn’t have any sons or male relatives and Brien is his only surviving child-but still, strength is strength.
Downside: I didn’t feel that Ms. Krahn did enough to flesh out Brien or Aaron. We barely hear about their extended families and only meet Thomas Durham in the last few chapters of the book. I also didn’t like the fact that two of the villains in the book-Van Zandt and de Saunier-escape basically unscathed despite their deviltry, and even though Raoul dies in a fire, it still feels less than it could have been. I love series-like E.J. Hunter’s “White Squaw”-where the bad guys get their comeuppance.
Sex: There are love scenes, but they are, for the most part, quite mild.
Violence: Scenes of assault, battery and threats. The one death occurs “off-screen”.
Bottom Line: “Rapture’s Ransom” is a sold low four-star book. There are simply too many areas of concern to rate it any higher.
The book begins in the South of England in 1787. It is here that Brien Weston, the heroine of the book, lives-a better term might be exists-with her father, Lord Lawrence Weston, the sixth Earl of Southward. The relationship between father and child is strained, and becomes even more so when Lawrence, after a trip to France, announces he has affianced Brien to a man, Raoul Trechard, she has never met.
When Brien and Raoul finally meet, Brien feels there is a possibility for a love match. That feeling quickly dissipates, however, when Brien learns Raoul’s true colors. She tries to end the engagement, even going so far as to lose her virginity to a stranger to deny Raoul that opportunity. None of the efforts work, however, and Brien finds herself married to Raoul, who kidnaps, imprisons and rapes her. She is freed from this torment when Raoul dies in a fire.
Over a year later, Brien meets the man she gave herself to, his name is Aaron Durham, the hero of the book. Brien is sailing to the colonies on business; Aaron is the captain of the ship she’s sailing on, and they re-establish their relationship as lovers during the trip and after they arrive at their destination, Boston.
Brien and Aaron’s happiness is threatened by several factors:
Horace Van Zandt: an evil privateer who has a history-and bad blood-with Aaron.
Differences in their viewpoints; Aaron wants to live in America and deny his status as a peer of the realm; Brien wishes to live in England.
The de Saunier Family: the unnamed patriarch of which tries to force Brien to marry his other son, Louis.
Brien’s pregnancy.
The book ends with Brien and Aaron married, and parents of a son, Garrett, whose presence helps Aaron begin to repair the strained relationship he has with his father, Thomas, and Aaron and Brien have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: It is rare in early 1980’s books-”Rapture’s Ransom” was first published in November 1983-to have a non-Simpering Sara heroine, but Ms. Krahn does just that in this book. To be fair, this is not entirely about Brien’s strength-Lawrence doesn’t have any sons or male relatives and Brien is his only surviving child-but still, strength is strength.
Downside: I didn’t feel that Ms. Krahn did enough to flesh out Brien or Aaron. We barely hear about their extended families and only meet Thomas Durham in the last few chapters of the book. I also didn’t like the fact that two of the villains in the book-Van Zandt and de Saunier-escape basically unscathed despite their deviltry, and even though Raoul dies in a fire, it still feels less than it could have been. I love series-like E.J. Hunter’s “White Squaw”-where the bad guys get their comeuppance.
Sex: There are love scenes, but they are, for the most part, quite mild.
Violence: Scenes of assault, battery and threats. The one death occurs “off-screen”.
Bottom Line: “Rapture’s Ransom” is a sold low four-star book. There are simply too many areas of concern to rate it any higher.
March 20, 2013
A new author to me, a different kind of premise, so I wanted to give a go. I will say the plot was different from usual, but not very good. Brien is the only surviving child of the Earl of Southwold. She's become so efficient and independent, not weak willed and stupid as the Earl prefers women, he sells her off to a Frenchman. Brien accepts the Frenchman at first but finds out his true nature and goes to London to marry to stop her marriage to the Frenchman. Her maid helps her find a man, Aaron Durham, which we learn is the son of an earl who has been cut off and needs money for his ship building venture. They marry, have their wedding night, and go their separate ways.
Now the story become tiring. The wedding papers are lost so her father forces her to marry. She does and the Frenchman is cruel to her but dies shortly thereafter. After this we have pages and pages of what Brien does after that, none of it terribly exciting. She also inexplicably makes up with her dad after which he teaches her the business. I just couldn't take how she and her dad become so buddy buddy after he treats her so horribly.
Not until around page 125 does she meet up with Aaron again. The go from England to America and back and there were too many coincidences and too much ridiculousness in America. Then there's issues with the Frenchman's family when she gets back to England and by then I desperately hoped this book would end.
All in all, Aaron was a flimsily written character and the book was packed with too many stories. A great premise, I wished it had panned out.
Now the story become tiring. The wedding papers are lost so her father forces her to marry. She does and the Frenchman is cruel to her but dies shortly thereafter. After this we have pages and pages of what Brien does after that, none of it terribly exciting. She also inexplicably makes up with her dad after which he teaches her the business. I just couldn't take how she and her dad become so buddy buddy after he treats her so horribly.
Not until around page 125 does she meet up with Aaron again. The go from England to America and back and there were too many coincidences and too much ridiculousness in America. Then there's issues with the Frenchman's family when she gets back to England and by then I desperately hoped this book would end.
All in all, Aaron was a flimsily written character and the book was packed with too many stories. A great premise, I wished it had panned out.
December 23, 2008
I liked the story... a bit unique with the Colonial America traveling... I liked the heroine's bodyguard... he definitely saved the day a couple of times!
February 7, 2017
What a very nice story. I realized how much I miss reading historical romances.
January 16, 2022
I’m a hoarder of romances and so when I plucked this book from my bookshelf, I flew instantly into a story that didn’t involve a pandemic. I read it within two hours.
It was a fast paced story that had just a much suspense as I needed to really enjoy this book. It was tightly written, with a great understanding of the use of conflict in a romance. Won’t lie, I felt the chemistry between the characters as I continued the story of friends becoming lovers. I loved how Aaron wasn’t a flimsy hero and either was Brien. Aaron was as sweet and steady as my husband, genuine at who he was and willing to merge through the different parts of the story without being annoying.
I marked this as 4 stars as I really would like to see a few spin-offs from this story such as Ella’s story or even Brien’s sidekick, Dyso who needs his own happily ever after. Crossing my fingers it happens.
It was a fast paced story that had just a much suspense as I needed to really enjoy this book. It was tightly written, with a great understanding of the use of conflict in a romance. Won’t lie, I felt the chemistry between the characters as I continued the story of friends becoming lovers. I loved how Aaron wasn’t a flimsy hero and either was Brien. Aaron was as sweet and steady as my husband, genuine at who he was and willing to merge through the different parts of the story without being annoying.
I marked this as 4 stars as I really would like to see a few spin-offs from this story such as Ella’s story or even Brien’s sidekick, Dyso who needs his own happily ever after. Crossing my fingers it happens.
June 15, 2023
Though it had its good points, it's one of those "good idea but poorly executed" stories. I just skimmed through it after a while and didn't even bother to wait for the HEA because it didn't interest me anymore.
October 23, 2018
Woman is pressured into marriage with a man she detests, decides the only way to avoid that marriage is to marry someone else. So ... She marries a chance met stranger, or so she believes.
dnf
December 25, 2021Ooof not into it. The characters take themselves very seriously
Want to read
March 25, 2025spring pile
January 16, 2017
I found this book tedious to get threw. Ended up skimming it.
September 15, 2010
3.5 stars
The Good: As usual, the hero. (I'm convinced the Smart Bitches have it spot on - romances are no longer just about the heroine and her journey, they are more about the hero too these days.) I really liked Aaron, he sounds like the kind of person I'd want in my life. He was independent, mature, thoughtful, just aggressive enough, intelligent and patient. Brilliant and sexy to boot. He had no qualms about giving up his entire life, even his country, to follow his passion for the sea. The strength of his character was told to the reader up front and that was okay. Then we were able to see for ourselves throughout the book exactly the kind of man he is. I love it when authors show me instead of just telling me.
The Bad: So much melodrama. Good lord, I felt like I was watching the combined train wreck of every major soap opera. Secret marriages, forced marriages, exotic sickness, lies about theft, threatened rape, attempted murder, arson, womens rights, sea voyages, Colonial America, attempted extortion, more arson, secret pregnancies, kidnapping, more extortion, another attempt at forced marriage, family drama...I'm having trouble thinking of a cliche or plot device that wasn't used.
The Mediocre: Brien was just a little too much for me.Yes, I do understand that she wanted more than was her lot in life during the late 18th century. But seriously? Being so independent was more annoying than empowering. Especially when she kept getting angry with Aaron for trying to help her. Look around sister, we all need help sometimes. And if he rocks your socks, I'm not seeing a problem with the arrangement. Despite getting on my nerves, I did respect her determination.
The Judgment: A good read all told. I'll give Krahn's books another try but if they're all this high drama I might have to pass on a third read.
The Good: As usual, the hero. (I'm convinced the Smart Bitches have it spot on - romances are no longer just about the heroine and her journey, they are more about the hero too these days.) I really liked Aaron, he sounds like the kind of person I'd want in my life. He was independent, mature, thoughtful, just aggressive enough, intelligent and patient. Brilliant and sexy to boot. He had no qualms about giving up his entire life, even his country, to follow his passion for the sea. The strength of his character was told to the reader up front and that was okay. Then we were able to see for ourselves throughout the book exactly the kind of man he is. I love it when authors show me instead of just telling me.
The Bad: So much melodrama. Good lord, I felt like I was watching the combined train wreck of every major soap opera. Secret marriages, forced marriages, exotic sickness, lies about theft, threatened rape, attempted murder, arson, womens rights, sea voyages, Colonial America, attempted extortion, more arson, secret pregnancies, kidnapping, more extortion, another attempt at forced marriage, family drama...I'm having trouble thinking of a cliche or plot device that wasn't used.
The Mediocre: Brien was just a little too much for me.Yes, I do understand that she wanted more than was her lot in life during the late 18th century. But seriously? Being so independent was more annoying than empowering. Especially when she kept getting angry with Aaron for trying to help her. Look around sister, we all need help sometimes. And if he rocks your socks, I'm not seeing a problem with the arrangement. Despite getting on my nerves, I did respect her determination.
The Judgment: A good read all told. I'll give Krahn's books another try but if they're all this high drama I might have to pass on a third read.
September 9, 2022
Another fantastic Betina Krahn novel. In this one, she set herself a difficult set of novelistic challenges: a very dark beginning, travel back and forth between two continents and within England, two separate villains, and a hero and heroine who are kept apart both by external and by internal factors. So, the novel is a bit darker than some at points and it's a bit "messier" throughout. In all, an excellent job tackling the challenges. The only quibble I have is that the hero is, for me, less defined than other heroes -- I had trouble figuring out his motives re: the heroine, and I even had trouble picturing him. But then, heroes usually tend to be a bit vaguer than their more vibrant heroines in romance novels...
…
I’d forgotten I’d read this (above review) and read it again. I’ve turned it down from 5 to 4 stars. The plot is really more like three books than one, with more like 6 villains (her father, her husband, the guy who wants to buy her company, her husband’s brother, her husband’s father, and the hero’s father), and the denouement drags considerably. Mostly, though, the psychology of the heroine isn’t plausible given what she goes through. However, it’s well written, some nuances are brilliantly made, and it was an early novel. :)
…
I’d forgotten I’d read this (above review) and read it again. I’ve turned it down from 5 to 4 stars. The plot is really more like three books than one, with more like 6 villains (her father, her husband, the guy who wants to buy her company, her husband’s brother, her husband’s father, and the hero’s father), and the denouement drags considerably. Mostly, though, the psychology of the heroine isn’t plausible given what she goes through. However, it’s well written, some nuances are brilliantly made, and it was an early novel. :)
June 27, 2011
Awal cerita sih kurang menarik. Sempat mengira tokoh hero adalah Raoul Trechaud, putra Marquise dari Perancis tapi ternyata salah besar!! Brien dijodohkan secara paksa dengan Raoul oleh ayahnya yang tidak begitu akrab dengannya selama 5 tahun terakhir sejak kematian putri sulung dan istri tercintanya. Mulanya Brien menolak dan sempat terpesona oleh ketampanan Raoul, tapi tanpa sengaja dia mendengar pembicaraan Raoul dengan temannya dan terbongkarlah sifat jahat aslinya. Karena tidak mau menikah dengannya, Brien menyuruh pelayannya dan paman pelayannya mencari pria yang bersedia menikah di atas kertas dengan imbalan uang. Aaron Durham adalah putra seorang Earl yang lebih senang berlayar, mau menikahinya meski hanya nama saja kemudian mereka tidak bertemu lagi. Brien yang tidak dipercayai oleh ayahnya telah menikah tetap dinikahkan secara paksa dengan Raoul. Setelah pernikahan, Raoul menyekapnya di ruang bawah tanah, selama beberapa waktu berlalu, kebakaran terjadi dan Raoul tewas. Brien yang menjadi janda mulai keluar bergaul dan kemudian tanpa sengaja bertemu kembali dengan Aaron.
Bisa dibilang ceritanya ringan tuk dibaca.
Bisa dibilang ceritanya ringan tuk dibaca.
March 30, 2013
The book was very well written for the first book of the author. It would have been rated higher but it got kind of repetitive and there were some events that seemed too far-fetched.
September 5, 2015
A good story with nice twists. Just if someone else has written it. Some people have good imagination but not so good at writing in down for others to read.
Why every time she had to explain a feeling she had to emphasize that it's not in a sexual way? I mean I get it.
Why every time she had to explain a feeling she had to emphasize that it's not in a sexual way? I mean I get it.
August 17, 2011
The storyline seemed interesting at first, but after that it got simply boring. I didn't like Brien or Aaron. The plot became too predictable. The only chracter i liked was Dyso.
November 29, 2013
cheesy good fun
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews