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The Morleighs
The Captain and the Wallflower
Badly scarred Captain Caine Morleigh must marry to inherit. Who better than the homeliest young woman left over at the end of the London season? After all, she will require little attention to keep her happy...
Lady Grace Renfair leaps at the only chance to escape her emotionally abusive uncle and accepts Caine's proposal. Soon she blooms with confidence and beauty, causing her husband's forbidding exterior to crumble.
If she could only reach beyond his scars to the gentleman beneath...
Lady Grace Renfair leaps at the only chance to escape her emotionally abusive uncle and accepts Caine's proposal. Soon she blooms with confidence and beauty, causing her husband's forbidding exterior to crumble.
If she could only reach beyond his scars to the gentleman beneath...
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
43 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Lyn Stone
114 books39 followersLyn's foray into book-length fiction began in the early '90s, and she signed her first contract with Harlequin Historicals on Valentine's Day, 1996. "Flowers, candy, kisses, and a book sale, too! There will never be another day quite like that one!" she says.
"I always loved to write and even got excited about doing reports and term papers. I neglected other homework just to make that short story for English class as riveting as I possibly could."
Even so, she never really considered writing as a career until much later. Instead, Lyn studied art and worked in Europe while she visited the places she now writes about in her historicals. At that time, she was painting those sights and selling pictures.
While working at Boeing as an illustrator, she had the idea of trying to freelance book covers. Since she liked to paint faces and figures, romance novels seemed a logical choice. However, the field of cover art is highly competitive and she discovered it would take a great deal of research and preparation.
While studying the market on covers, she became firmly hooked on the contents of the books and decided to try writing instead. "Definitely one of my better decisions," she admits. She is still an avid romance reader and manages to read an average of four per week in addition to one or two books outside the genre.
Lyn feels a special affinity for England and Scotland with their wonderful castles and intriguing history. The American South and Southwest are her favorite settings for contemporary adventures.
She and her husband, Allen, both natives of Georgia, live in North Alabama near their two children and four grandchildren. "The family contributes to my research," Lyn says.
"They buy me books, clip articles, sketch costumes, and sometimes act out scenes. Even the grandchildren serve as inspiration for the younger characters."
"I always loved to write and even got excited about doing reports and term papers. I neglected other homework just to make that short story for English class as riveting as I possibly could."
Even so, she never really considered writing as a career until much later. Instead, Lyn studied art and worked in Europe while she visited the places she now writes about in her historicals. At that time, she was painting those sights and selling pictures.
While working at Boeing as an illustrator, she had the idea of trying to freelance book covers. Since she liked to paint faces and figures, romance novels seemed a logical choice. However, the field of cover art is highly competitive and she discovered it would take a great deal of research and preparation.
While studying the market on covers, she became firmly hooked on the contents of the books and decided to try writing instead. "Definitely one of my better decisions," she admits. She is still an avid romance reader and manages to read an average of four per week in addition to one or two books outside the genre.
Lyn feels a special affinity for England and Scotland with their wonderful castles and intriguing history. The American South and Southwest are her favorite settings for contemporary adventures.
She and her husband, Allen, both natives of Georgia, live in North Alabama near their two children and four grandchildren. "The family contributes to my research," Lyn says.
"They buy me books, clip articles, sketch costumes, and sometimes act out scenes. Even the grandchildren serve as inspiration for the younger characters."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 20, 2012
A quick and enjoyable read that I pulled out of the pile because I am a sucker for the plain jane, marriage of convenience, and scarred hero themes. Captain Caine Morleigh is an heir to an earldom who was badly scarred in the Napoleonic Wars. His fiancee' repudiated him after the bandages came off. She even screamed and fainted. That was enough for Caine to know he wouldn't be marrying her. Now Caine needs to find a new bride. This time around, he will choose an unattractive bride, a wallflower desperate for marriage, one who won't mind his unpleasant visage and make few demands on him, happy to be married. His eyes fall on Lady Grace, and he decides she's the one. She's very thin and unprepossessing in appearance. But she has spirit, which he finds out when he asks her to dance and then to marry him. Grace says yes, only to get away from her uncle, who has been mistreating and threatening her. But she is going to make sure that her marriage is to her benefit as well. She wants a real marriage in which her husband respects her and allows her to be true to herself and in which he demands no less than they both deserve in a marriage. Caine comes to realize that his wallflower bride will require a lot more of him than he expected, and give a lot more in return. And that he loves her for it.
I've missed reading Lyn Stone's historical romance books. I'm glad she's writing them again. This book has a trad regency feel, with authentic characters and actions that take me back to that period. Although not G-rated, it is not very explicit in sensuality, but the chemistry, attraction and bond between Caine and Grace is apparent and appealing. I loved Grace's spunk. She wasn't passive or willing to allow herself to be treated as less than she deserved. Her situation with her uncle put her in the position of being a victim but that wasn't natural for her. When she accepts Caine's proposal, she blooms with the freedom and safety he offers, and her real personality comes back to life, and in the process, Caine falls head over heels for her. I was glad that he came to appreciate his bride for the pearl that she was. I liked Caine a lot too. Although his initial plan seemed cold-hearted, he treated Grace kindly and respectfully from the beginning. There was never a question that he was a good guy. He just had some wrong idea about controlling his life by marrying the kind of woman who wouldn't demand too much from him. Fortunately, something in him choose the right woman in the end, and she was exactly what he needed, if not the convenient wife he expected.
Not a ground-breaking book or a foundation-shaker, but a good read. A pleasant love story that kept me reading. Write more please, Ms. Stone. 4 stars!
I've missed reading Lyn Stone's historical romance books. I'm glad she's writing them again. This book has a trad regency feel, with authentic characters and actions that take me back to that period. Although not G-rated, it is not very explicit in sensuality, but the chemistry, attraction and bond between Caine and Grace is apparent and appealing. I loved Grace's spunk. She wasn't passive or willing to allow herself to be treated as less than she deserved. Her situation with her uncle put her in the position of being a victim but that wasn't natural for her. When she accepts Caine's proposal, she blooms with the freedom and safety he offers, and her real personality comes back to life, and in the process, Caine falls head over heels for her. I was glad that he came to appreciate his bride for the pearl that she was. I liked Caine a lot too. Although his initial plan seemed cold-hearted, he treated Grace kindly and respectfully from the beginning. There was never a question that he was a good guy. He just had some wrong idea about controlling his life by marrying the kind of woman who wouldn't demand too much from him. Fortunately, something in him choose the right woman in the end, and she was exactly what he needed, if not the convenient wife he expected.
Not a ground-breaking book or a foundation-shaker, but a good read. A pleasant love story that kept me reading. Write more please, Ms. Stone. 4 stars!
July 16, 2012
I bought this in the mood for a pleasant little Regency marriage of convenience story, but this turned out not to be quite what I had in mind. First of all, the characters don’t get married till near the end, so there wasn’t the kind of relationship-building I was looking for.
Secondly, the book was dominated by murder attempt after murder attempt, including guns, poison, and gunpowder explosions. It was preposterous.
Thirdly, the main characters didn’t work for me. The heroine was a plain-Jane to begin with, but within a few pages turns into a Mary Sue, who ‘heals’ from years of psychological abuse within a few days, and when she’s not tackling paid killers, she can be found instructing doctors on the treatment of heart problems, sorting out estate finances, coolly dealing with the hero’s bitchy ex-fiancée, and generally becoming the darling of all.
The hero has a rather amorphous quality; there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of substance or consistency in his characterization. He has one good friend, is fond of his uncle and dutifully looks after the uncle’s affairs as the uncle is elderly and ill. He wants a plain wife because he’s scarred. Once she becomes lovely, he thinks they should put off marrying so she can find someone better. So, he’s all that’s noble and nice. But then he says dumb things out of the blue that don’t fit with anything else.
Then he gets over his conniption, and a couple pages later, he’s saying things like “Have you any idea how exquisite you are?”
He doesn’t make any sense. It’s like he’s a Ken doll, being put into various poses to help the author out with some pacing issues. But it never feels like an authentic or rounded character. And it doesn’t help when both of them are TSTL.
Sigh. Not what I was hoping for.
Secondly, the book was dominated by murder attempt after murder attempt, including guns, poison, and gunpowder explosions. It was preposterous.
Thirdly, the main characters didn’t work for me. The heroine was a plain-Jane to begin with, but within a few pages turns into a Mary Sue, who ‘heals’ from years of psychological abuse within a few days, and when she’s not tackling paid killers, she can be found instructing doctors on the treatment of heart problems, sorting out estate finances, coolly dealing with the hero’s bitchy ex-fiancée, and generally becoming the darling of all.
Caine felt so proud of Grace. What a resilient spirit she had, what a practical nature and inner strength. He remembered the waif of the ugly yellow dress and how she had sparred with him even then. And now she could add beauty and good health to that self-confident nature. She was damned amazing and full of fire.
The hero has a rather amorphous quality; there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of substance or consistency in his characterization. He has one good friend, is fond of his uncle and dutifully looks after the uncle’s affairs as the uncle is elderly and ill. He wants a plain wife because he’s scarred. Once she becomes lovely, he thinks they should put off marrying so she can find someone better. So, he’s all that’s noble and nice. But then he says dumb things out of the blue that don’t fit with anything else.
“Does any woman have the presence of mind to sustain a coherent conversation? They inevitably end in tears, recriminations, outrageous changes of topic. Or sex!” he exclaimed. “None of which solves a thing!”
Then he gets over his conniption, and a couple pages later, he’s saying things like “Have you any idea how exquisite you are?”
He doesn’t make any sense. It’s like he’s a Ken doll, being put into various poses to help the author out with some pacing issues. But it never feels like an authentic or rounded character. And it doesn’t help when both of them are TSTL.
Sigh. Not what I was hoping for.
July 4, 2020
From Wallflower to Gunpowder!
An excellent, heartwarming start and an acceptably nice finish but the dragged-out middle is torture to wade through.
The meet cute is exceptional and I buy this couple and their chemistry.
An abused waif of a girl who fears her uncle/guardian and a scarred tormented H dumped by his Incomparable fiancee. The H wants a simple biddable girl for a moc and the h latches on to this unexpected but very welcome way to escape her uncle.
But then the author lets the whodunnit overwhelm the romance and suspect after suspect is introduced to muddy the waters.
The H gets wedding jitters or an inconvenient conscience as the h blooms (with food and sleep) and he feels she can do better than him. Boo-hoo.
The h, on her part, apart from a stunning clean-up turns into a kickass fighter, an optimistic Pollyanna, a manager par excellence and a financial whizkid all rolled into one. *eyeroll*
Still, I can root for this couple because despite his jitters, their chemistry is undeniable and our managing h refuses to let the H wiggle out of the deal - just my kind of girl.
An excellent, heartwarming start and an acceptably nice finish but the dragged-out middle is torture to wade through.
The meet cute is exceptional and I buy this couple and their chemistry.
An abused waif of a girl who fears her uncle/guardian and a scarred tormented H dumped by his Incomparable fiancee. The H wants a simple biddable girl for a moc and the h latches on to this unexpected but very welcome way to escape her uncle.
But then the author lets the whodunnit overwhelm the romance and suspect after suspect is introduced to muddy the waters.
The H gets wedding jitters or an inconvenient conscience as the h blooms (with food and sleep) and he feels she can do better than him. Boo-hoo.
The h, on her part, apart from a stunning clean-up turns into a kickass fighter, an optimistic Pollyanna, a manager par excellence and a financial whizkid all rolled into one. *eyeroll*
Still, I can root for this couple because despite his jitters, their chemistry is undeniable and our managing h refuses to let the H wiggle out of the deal - just my kind of girl.
September 12, 2014
1. This has to be one of the worst covers I've seen in a long time. Either her neck is broken or someone doesn't know how to use photoshop.
2. Caine needs a wife, so he picks out a wallflower: someone who he thinks is plain, malleable, and will leave him alone once he marries her. TOO BAD HE PICKS GRACE!! Secretly she's super hot and bold and completely competent at EVERYTHING and just THE BEST GIRL EVER!!! Everyone (except her Evil-pants Uncle) LOVES HER SO MUCH OMFG.
3. Secretly hot!! is not my thing.
4. I am not necessarily trying to qualify injuries / the impacts of war by any means, but within the context of the story: what. Caine has...a few scars. He seems to be able to see well, can walk, talk, move about without pain... The whole ~traumatized by war thing felt like a giveaway rather than a relevant plot point. Ditto with the dead fiance.
5. Needed an edit-tooth comb. Several instances of characters transporting themselves around: moving across rooms; props disappearing; going from top to bottom while getting it on; etc.
6. SHE'S NOT REALLY A WALLFLOWER!! AND HE'S NOT A CAPTAIN ANYMORE!!
2. Caine needs a wife, so he picks out a wallflower: someone who he thinks is plain, malleable, and will leave him alone once he marries her. TOO BAD HE PICKS GRACE!! Secretly she's super hot and bold and completely competent at EVERYTHING and just THE BEST GIRL EVER!!! Everyone (except her Evil-pants Uncle) LOVES HER SO MUCH OMFG.
3. Secretly hot!! is not my thing.
4. I am not necessarily trying to qualify injuries / the impacts of war by any means, but within the context of the story: what. Caine has...a few scars. He seems to be able to see well, can walk, talk, move about without pain... The whole ~traumatized by war thing felt like a giveaway rather than a relevant plot point. Ditto with the dead fiance.
5. Needed an edit-tooth comb. Several instances of characters transporting themselves around: moving across rooms; props disappearing; going from top to bottom while getting it on; etc.
6. SHE'S NOT REALLY A WALLFLOWER!! AND HE'S NOT A CAPTAIN ANYMORE!!
January 31, 2026
I was in the mood for a historical marriage of convenience story with a plain Jane heroine and I got that. The story was enjoyable even though we have a few murder attempts but it lacked the essence of marriage of convenience plot. I wanted more emphasis on falling in love part rather than catching the culprit part.
May 22, 2013
There's an element of the ridiculous about this book that lends neither humor nor levity to the story. The beginning bits of the tale are told at a whirlwind pace, but then we get to the house and things slow way down. I wanted a marriage of convenience, but instead got two people who kept having to put off their wedding because someone was trying to kill them. The characters are fairly inconsistent, the plot limp, the devices forced, and the action came at the sake of the characters' intelligence.
Mayhap I'm becoming jaded by regency romances. Mayhap I've read far too many in the past few weeks...since I just used the word 'mayhap' twice, I think both may be true. I'm sure there are great regency romances out there. I wish I could find them.
Mayhap I'm becoming jaded by regency romances. Mayhap I've read far too many in the past few weeks...since I just used the word 'mayhap' twice, I think both may be true. I'm sure there are great regency romances out there. I wish I could find them.
January 21, 2015
Very good book. I really liked both Caine and Grace. Caine needed to marry in order to inherit. Because of his recent injury and scarring he decided to pick a woman who might be less popular and therefore willing to settle for him. When Caine saw Grace in the ballroom he was immediately drawn to her and offered for her on the spot. Grace had been kept a virtual prisoner by her uncle and was worried about losing her life at his hands. She couldn't understand why Caine's ex-fiancee had been so cruel and saw nothing wrong with him. She was immediately drawn to him also. There were several attempts made on Grace and Caine's lives and Caine sent Grace to his country estate to keep her safe. I loved seeing Grace's independence and the way she was able to take control of situations. I loved the way that she saw what a good man Caine was and wanted to break through his reserve with her. Caine didn't want to actually care about Grace, but couldn't resist her. I loved his protective feelings toward Grace and how he wanted what was best for her - even though he didn't listen at first to the fact she wanted him. I also loved the way that Grace could see what he was doing and didn't let him get away with it. I enjoyed the culmination of the plot against Grace and how she took part in her own rescue. I liked Caine's friend Trent, and I hope that he gets his own story.
November 15, 2017
In really enjoyed this book up until the 50% mark. Then it got bogged down in the MCs insecurities "why would she marry me? I am scarred and she deserves more" etc etc on and on forever. Ugh. Then, when I thought I was going to be reading a book about an arranged marriage, they keep postponing the wedding again and again. What was once an enjoyable read became ridiculous. I skimmed a lot towards the end.
I did enjoy parts of this book but the rest was just Meh.
I did enjoy parts of this book but the rest was just Meh.
May 22, 2014
3.5 Stars
**Slight Spoiler**
This is the first marriage-of-convenience story I've ever read in which the h/hn don't actually get married until the end of the book.
There was so much potential in this story, aside from the MoC trope: a wounded, scarred war hero; an unattractive wallflower; an ultimatum to marry from the hero's uncle. It's a standard setup for what has the potential to be both a humorous and emotionally engaging story.
Unfortunately, this story didn't quite live up to that potential.
Caine Morleigh, a captain in the Royal Army, was injured in battle right at the end of the war. It scarred his eyes and possibly blinded him. The prologue opens on the day he's to have his bandages removed for the first time. He doesn't know if he'll be able to see, but it's the moment of truth. A moment that is made all the more important by the arrival of his intended. When the bandages are removed, Caine is relieved to be able to see---but the twit of a girl he's supposed to be marrying screams and faints . . . and then goes about town telling everyone how he's a deformed, horrendous beast.
A month later (chapter one), Caine has received an ultimatum from his uncle, to whom he is heir, that Caine must marry or he'll only receive the title while all the unentailed lands and wealth will go to his wastrel cousin (who has recently married). With his best friend, Trent, as his accomplice, Caine goes to the last ball at the end of the season and tells Trent to find him the ugliest, stupidest, most desperate spinster there to arrange an introduction so Caine can marry her. He wants a marriage in name with someone who will leave him alone and because she's just so content at the change in her status/name. (At this point, he's wearing an eye patch over one eye, while there is still visible scarring around the other.)
This, of course, is where our heroine comes in. Homely, dressed in a shapeless, ugly yellow gown, and looking as if she's not long for the world, Lady Grace is only at the ball because her guardian/uncle has trotted her out to ensure the world that he hasn't done away with her. (Do you sense where this is going?)
Long story short, Caine makes a public proposal in front of everyone at the assembly so that her uncle cannot gainsay them.
It's at this point that the story starts failing in its potential. While Grace is set up to be an ugly duckling who must learn to become a swan, it's quickly (almost immediately) apparent that she's actually just a swan who stepped in a mud puddle and needed a quick rinse to be back to her majestic, beautiful (Mary Sue) self. She can do absolutely no wrong.
Carriage with her and two other women attacked on the highway by an armed assailant? No problem. She'll kick him in the balls and save the day.
Country house in disarray when she arrives? No problem. She'll whip everyone into shape (and set guards about the estate at the same time for protection)---and they will all love her for it.
Major General of a housekeeper? No problem! Grace will win her over and have her eating out of her hand in no time.
Fiance with an eye patch and horrible scarring? No problem! Grace will remove the eye patch to discover he still has his eye (and sight) and that he's just being vain and covering up the worst of the scarring, which, of course, isn't nearly as bad as he thought once she doesn't react negatively to it.
Uncle with a failing heart and not much more time to live? No problem. Grace knows how to use foxglove to treat him and bring about what seems a miraculous recovery.
Suffice it to say . . . Grace not only meets every challenge she faces in this book head-on, she easily overcomes it.
Oh, and once she's away from her evil guardian/uncle and can start eating again without fear of being poisoned and, thus, regains her health, it turns out she's physically beautiful, too.
As far as Caine and his scars/injuries go---it's a convenient plot device in the beginning to set him up as a "beast," yet it doesn't actually seem to affect his life at all. There's no lingering social stigma from it, nor is there any lingering physical effects or emotional trauma from it. A good example of a hero with PTSD this is not.
Then, there were all of the attempts by the villain of the piece to kill Grace and/or Caine. Shootings, stabbings, and explosions, oh my! And how this mystery was solved and the perpetrator brought to "justice" in the end . . . ridiculous. I've read multiple stories with almost the exact same trope---the villain has done something evil and is either blackmailing the heroine into marrying someone of his choosing, keeping her from marrying someone she loves (the hero), or is trying to kill her in a way that won't throw suspicion onto the villain. As a matter of fact, Julia Quinn used this same type of situation (pretty much down to what the villain had done) in On the Way to the Wedding.
Toward the end of the book, I found myself skimming (after the villain had been revealed and he'd pontificated about his motivations/other crimes) just waiting for the wedding to actually happen and the book to end (which it did at 92% on the Kindle---there was a sample chapter for another book that, along with the backmatter, took up the remaining 8%).
I never really liked or connected with either of the main characters---nor did they really seem to have true chemistry between them. The story takes place over the course of about three or four weeks (hard to tell since they kept postponing the wedding, which was supposed to take place three weeks after the opening, but then after postponing it, they then sped it up at the end). For at least half of that time, Grace was out at the country house and Caine was in London. Not a great setup for relationship building. But, oh, it was instalove, once Grace was no longer the ugly duckling wallflower and had put her Mary Sue powers to work in making everyone else around her adore her.
Caine has the personality of a wet paper towel, and is about as useful. If he's not confined to bed recovering from a bullet wound, he's just sitting around thinking about how hard his life is going to be as an earl and how he needs a wife who isn't going to put any additional expectations on him and who isn't going to want any kind of a social life whatsoever and who will be content living in the country while he stays in London and how Grace is so exquisite now and so vivacious that she's not the right woman for him even though he wants her and how someone is trying to kill either her or him or both of them. If it weren't for his best friend and cousin, he'd never have figured anything out or been able to make any decisions on his own.
All of that said, it was an entertaining read---for the sheer WTFery of it if nothing else.
**Slight Spoiler**
This is the first marriage-of-convenience story I've ever read in which the h/hn don't actually get married until the end of the book.
There was so much potential in this story, aside from the MoC trope: a wounded, scarred war hero; an unattractive wallflower; an ultimatum to marry from the hero's uncle. It's a standard setup for what has the potential to be both a humorous and emotionally engaging story.
Unfortunately, this story didn't quite live up to that potential.
Caine Morleigh, a captain in the Royal Army, was injured in battle right at the end of the war. It scarred his eyes and possibly blinded him. The prologue opens on the day he's to have his bandages removed for the first time. He doesn't know if he'll be able to see, but it's the moment of truth. A moment that is made all the more important by the arrival of his intended. When the bandages are removed, Caine is relieved to be able to see---but the twit of a girl he's supposed to be marrying screams and faints . . . and then goes about town telling everyone how he's a deformed, horrendous beast.
A month later (chapter one), Caine has received an ultimatum from his uncle, to whom he is heir, that Caine must marry or he'll only receive the title while all the unentailed lands and wealth will go to his wastrel cousin (who has recently married). With his best friend, Trent, as his accomplice, Caine goes to the last ball at the end of the season and tells Trent to find him the ugliest, stupidest, most desperate spinster there to arrange an introduction so Caine can marry her. He wants a marriage in name with someone who will leave him alone and because she's just so content at the change in her status/name. (At this point, he's wearing an eye patch over one eye, while there is still visible scarring around the other.)
This, of course, is where our heroine comes in. Homely, dressed in a shapeless, ugly yellow gown, and looking as if she's not long for the world, Lady Grace is only at the ball because her guardian/uncle has trotted her out to ensure the world that he hasn't done away with her. (Do you sense where this is going?)
Long story short, Caine makes a public proposal in front of everyone at the assembly so that her uncle cannot gainsay them.
It's at this point that the story starts failing in its potential. While Grace is set up to be an ugly duckling who must learn to become a swan, it's quickly (almost immediately) apparent that she's actually just a swan who stepped in a mud puddle and needed a quick rinse to be back to her majestic, beautiful (Mary Sue) self. She can do absolutely no wrong.
Carriage with her and two other women attacked on the highway by an armed assailant? No problem. She'll kick him in the balls and save the day.
Country house in disarray when she arrives? No problem. She'll whip everyone into shape (and set guards about the estate at the same time for protection)---and they will all love her for it.
Major General of a housekeeper? No problem! Grace will win her over and have her eating out of her hand in no time.
Fiance with an eye patch and horrible scarring? No problem! Grace will remove the eye patch to discover he still has his eye (and sight) and that he's just being vain and covering up the worst of the scarring, which, of course, isn't nearly as bad as he thought once she doesn't react negatively to it.
Uncle with a failing heart and not much more time to live? No problem. Grace knows how to use foxglove to treat him and bring about what seems a miraculous recovery.
Suffice it to say . . . Grace not only meets every challenge she faces in this book head-on, she easily overcomes it.
Oh, and once she's away from her evil guardian/uncle and can start eating again without fear of being poisoned and, thus, regains her health, it turns out she's physically beautiful, too.
As far as Caine and his scars/injuries go---it's a convenient plot device in the beginning to set him up as a "beast," yet it doesn't actually seem to affect his life at all. There's no lingering social stigma from it, nor is there any lingering physical effects or emotional trauma from it. A good example of a hero with PTSD this is not.
Then, there were all of the attempts by the villain of the piece to kill Grace and/or Caine. Shootings, stabbings, and explosions, oh my! And how this mystery was solved and the perpetrator brought to "justice" in the end . . . ridiculous. I've read multiple stories with almost the exact same trope---the villain has done something evil and is either blackmailing the heroine into marrying someone of his choosing, keeping her from marrying someone she loves (the hero), or is trying to kill her in a way that won't throw suspicion onto the villain. As a matter of fact, Julia Quinn used this same type of situation (pretty much down to what the villain had done) in On the Way to the Wedding.
Toward the end of the book, I found myself skimming (after the villain had been revealed and he'd pontificated about his motivations/other crimes) just waiting for the wedding to actually happen and the book to end (which it did at 92% on the Kindle---there was a sample chapter for another book that, along with the backmatter, took up the remaining 8%).
I never really liked or connected with either of the main characters---nor did they really seem to have true chemistry between them. The story takes place over the course of about three or four weeks (hard to tell since they kept postponing the wedding, which was supposed to take place three weeks after the opening, but then after postponing it, they then sped it up at the end). For at least half of that time, Grace was out at the country house and Caine was in London. Not a great setup for relationship building. But, oh, it was instalove, once Grace was no longer the ugly duckling wallflower and had put her Mary Sue powers to work in making everyone else around her adore her.
Caine has the personality of a wet paper towel, and is about as useful. If he's not confined to bed recovering from a bullet wound, he's just sitting around thinking about how hard his life is going to be as an earl and how he needs a wife who isn't going to put any additional expectations on him and who isn't going to want any kind of a social life whatsoever and who will be content living in the country while he stays in London and how Grace is so exquisite now and so vivacious that she's not the right woman for him even though he wants her and how someone is trying to kill either her or him or both of them. If it weren't for his best friend and cousin, he'd never have figured anything out or been able to make any decisions on his own.
All of that said, it was an entertaining read---for the sheer WTFery of it if nothing else.
February 5, 2023
this gave so much ‘amanda quick’ writing vibe; beastly hero and an ‘original’ heroine, got old super quick
September 25, 2012
Rather than summarize the plot which has a number of twists, I'll just say this: I couldn't find a lull in the story to put it down. Until 3 am. Curse you, Lyn Stone whoever you are.
I enjoyed the dialogue, there was crackling chemistry and the author doled out goodies about H/h and plot at a pace that made it very inconvenient for sleep. I particularly appreciated how Grace's full character was revealed over time and she was a scrappy ball buster, literally. Feisty gals are so much fun. The captain's feelings also develop apace. I think Caine wasn't quite as developed as Grace but still a likable, handsome hero with appealing vulnerability. Best of all, the story's suspense percolated, her dialogue and narrative kept a number of possible villains in the picture for an unsettling undercurrent. Even the Captain's best friend had a few ambiguous moments that kept me wondering and awake. Damn you, Lyn Stone. Did I mention it was 3 am when I finally couldn't hold the kindle up?
There was a bit too much 'wedding as emotional football.' Will they, won't they, should he, should she and what constituted acceptable emotions to justify going through with it or not. So the threat plot was stronger for me than the wedding/consummation of the romance and since this was a romance not a mystery, I give it a happy, tired 4 stars. This was a romantic story that was difficult to put down in the middle.
I enjoyed the dialogue, there was crackling chemistry and the author doled out goodies about H/h and plot at a pace that made it very inconvenient for sleep. I particularly appreciated how Grace's full character was revealed over time and she was a scrappy ball buster, literally. Feisty gals are so much fun. The captain's feelings also develop apace. I think Caine wasn't quite as developed as Grace but still a likable, handsome hero with appealing vulnerability. Best of all, the story's suspense percolated, her dialogue and narrative kept a number of possible villains in the picture for an unsettling undercurrent. Even the Captain's best friend had a few ambiguous moments that kept me wondering and awake. Damn you, Lyn Stone. Did I mention it was 3 am when I finally couldn't hold the kindle up?
There was a bit too much 'wedding as emotional football.' Will they, won't they, should he, should she and what constituted acceptable emotions to justify going through with it or not. So the threat plot was stronger for me than the wedding/consummation of the romance and since this was a romance not a mystery, I give it a happy, tired 4 stars. This was a romantic story that was difficult to put down in the middle.
July 4, 2012
Really enjoyed this lovely story! Grace was such an awesome heroine! So funny and sharp! She could look after herself and I love that Caine appreciated her for herself and her amazing qualities!
Definitely worth reading again and will recommend it to others.
Thought it was quite a sedate love story with only one brief, and somewhat vague (I like a bit more meat in my love scenes,ha ha!) sex scene, it was still really sweet and an enjoyable read!
Definitely worth reading again and will recommend it to others.
Thought it was quite a sedate love story with only one brief, and somewhat vague (I like a bit more meat in my love scenes,ha ha!) sex scene, it was still really sweet and an enjoyable read!
June 17, 2012
If you love Regency romances, I recommend this book!
June 13, 2019
I love regency romances and this was classic decency style. Great couple, good intrigue, wonderful storytelling.
June 14, 2025
May DNF at chapter 20.
It started out great- nice premise, good interactions between the two MCs, etc. But it's like at some point the author realized the story was finished, but had a word minimum to meet, or perhaps an editor wanted more chapters, so they just started dragging out the ending with misunderstandings, waffling, murder plots, more waffling between the F and M leads, and what started out as a marriage-of-convenience with a bit of mystery/suspense turned into a long, drawn-out, will-they-won't-they [actually freaking get married], on again, off again engagement of convenience.
In which so many anachronisms- in everything including plot situations, phrases, words, medical treatments, etc. - were pretty much constant.
The biggest anachronism to me was the premise wherein the MMC asked the FMC to marry him, then whisked her off to one of his properties with a servant as chaperone, against her legal guardian's will, and left her there for weeks installed as the lady of the house already. Needless to say, that just didn't happen, not with that class of people. There would have needed to be a lady - relative - of the MMC's installed as the lady of the house, and as a proper chaperone, and this stay would be as a visit to *her*, for anyone to even have thought it was kind of proper.
And then to not even marry her for weeks and weeks, and for them several times to break it off? It's just seriously not done.
Anyway, note to authors: If you run out of story before you run out of enough words to make it a full novel or whatever?
DON'T STRETCH OUT THE ENDING! Add extra scenes somewhere in the middle for sure, but once the characters are pretty much in love and whatnot, don't leave us hanging with endless complications and misunderstandings and waffling just to pad out the pages.
ETA: Yeah it's gotten to what I THOUGHT was the end, and lo and behold they're postponing the wedding for the 4th or 5th time for another 2 weeks, while the unmarried FMC is blithely running MMC's country home like she owns the place. Goodness. Nope I'll let these two figure their stuff out on their own. Done.
It started out great- nice premise, good interactions between the two MCs, etc. But it's like at some point the author realized the story was finished, but had a word minimum to meet, or perhaps an editor wanted more chapters, so they just started dragging out the ending with misunderstandings, waffling, murder plots, more waffling between the F and M leads, and what started out as a marriage-of-convenience with a bit of mystery/suspense turned into a long, drawn-out, will-they-won't-they [actually freaking get married], on again, off again engagement of convenience.
In which so many anachronisms- in everything including plot situations, phrases, words, medical treatments, etc. - were pretty much constant.
The biggest anachronism to me was the premise wherein the MMC asked the FMC to marry him, then whisked her off to one of his properties with a servant as chaperone, against her legal guardian's will, and left her there for weeks installed as the lady of the house already. Needless to say, that just didn't happen, not with that class of people. There would have needed to be a lady - relative - of the MMC's installed as the lady of the house, and as a proper chaperone, and this stay would be as a visit to *her*, for anyone to even have thought it was kind of proper.
And then to not even marry her for weeks and weeks, and for them several times to break it off? It's just seriously not done.
Anyway, note to authors: If you run out of story before you run out of enough words to make it a full novel or whatever?
DON'T STRETCH OUT THE ENDING! Add extra scenes somewhere in the middle for sure, but once the characters are pretty much in love and whatnot, don't leave us hanging with endless complications and misunderstandings and waffling just to pad out the pages.
ETA: Yeah it's gotten to what I THOUGHT was the end, and lo and behold they're postponing the wedding for the 4th or 5th time for another 2 weeks, while the unmarried FMC is blithely running MMC's country home like she owns the place. Goodness. Nope I'll let these two figure their stuff out on their own. Done.
July 14, 2018
Oh man the evil uncle though. What a dumbass.
A fluffy read with very little substance, but entertaining and dramatic just like I like it. Heroine is a wallflower in an ugly dress who transforms herself into a beautiful Mary Sue. He's an idiot who considers his faint facial scars a horrible disfigurement, since his ex-fiancée screamed at the sight of his face two seconds after the bandages came off, at a time when the wounds were at their (presumable) ugliest.
Honestly though this was very entertaining. It won't win any literary prizes but oh man, you will laugh.
A fluffy read with very little substance, but entertaining and dramatic just like I like it. Heroine is a wallflower in an ugly dress who transforms herself into a beautiful Mary Sue. He's an idiot who considers his faint facial scars a horrible disfigurement, since his ex-fiancée screamed at the sight of his face two seconds after the bandages came off, at a time when the wounds were at their (presumable) ugliest.
Honestly though this was very entertaining. It won't win any literary prizes but oh man, you will laugh.
April 16, 2024
TMI intimate details
I hoped I was reading a clean book and it was for quite a while, it is a harlequin so should have known would give intimate details not wanted. Great storyline, unique and well done in terms of things happening while they gain feelings for each other. Good characters with back stories that are shared and not hidden for too long. Moved at a good pace not rushed or drug out. Concluded nicely not left hanging.
I hoped I was reading a clean book and it was for quite a while, it is a harlequin so should have known would give intimate details not wanted. Great storyline, unique and well done in terms of things happening while they gain feelings for each other. Good characters with back stories that are shared and not hidden for too long. Moved at a good pace not rushed or drug out. Concluded nicely not left hanging.
April 25, 2019
Wonderful!
Here is a story where the heroine is strong, smart, and everything a man could want. Here is the story of a hero who saves and helps that heroine flourish. Here is a story of great friends and bravery along with a very treacherous villain. In other words, here is a wonderful book.
Here is a story where the heroine is strong, smart, and everything a man could want. Here is the story of a hero who saves and helps that heroine flourish. Here is a story of great friends and bravery along with a very treacherous villain. In other words, here is a wonderful book.
June 7, 2020
I really enjoyed this gentle historical romance of a stifled lady finding herself again and a wounded soldier so unsure of himself after assuming his title. I laughed as they underestimated her resourcefulness and was frustrated along with her as he felt inadequate to be her husband. Typical Harlequin with lots of drama, frequent plot flitting and, of course, a happy ending.
December 4, 2020
Rating 2.5 stars *
The book is mainly focused on the murder mystery plot. Not what I was suspecting, but I would have found that out had I read the reviews first. Which for some reason I didn’t - I just started reading. Overall an okay read. I felt it dragged on a bit though and I didn’t get enough chemistry between the h and H. Well written though.
The book is mainly focused on the murder mystery plot. Not what I was suspecting, but I would have found that out had I read the reviews first. Which for some reason I didn’t - I just started reading. Overall an okay read. I felt it dragged on a bit though and I didn’t get enough chemistry between the h and H. Well written though.
January 20, 2022
It’s one of the books I should have stopped reading but continued to be more and more disappointed. It started off reasonable with a plain Jane and scarred soldier being forced into a marriage of convenience. Soon became a farce with numerous attempts of murder and innumerable dialogues by the hero on how he didn’t deserve to get married to the now confident and pretty Grace.
December 29, 2023
A very good book. Easy and quick read. Lots of action and characters that you like even when you get a little frustrated with them. A good mystery here and hero and heroine both are in danger which helps to push the story along. Caine Morleigh and Lady Grace Renfair are a couple you want see make things work for them. Will probably read this again.
July 18, 2018
It was an ok read. Too many things happened and our h and H were very resourceful. I was wondering if Grace was going to find out the reason Caine had singled her out in the first place. I would of liked for Trent to have his own story.
July 18, 2021
I LOVE a competent heroine. A fun book. There’s a little bit of stupidity at the 75% mark where I hate the dithering questioning of whether the other person actually loves the them. But still a fun read.
January 12, 2018
Good short read.
April 8, 2018
Just the sort of delightful romance I wanted to read! :D
April 8, 2019
This had a bit more adventure and excitement that I first thought and I really enjoyed where the story went.
June 21, 2020
Quite an enjoyable read!
January 4, 2022
such a comfy read!
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