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Scandalous Seasons #2
Never Courted, Suddenly Wed
Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham, has constructed a perfect image for the ton—the ladies love him and his company is desired by all. Only two people know the truth about Waxham’s secret. Unfortunately, one of them is Miss Sophie Winters.
Sophie Winters has known Christopher since she was in leading strings. As children, they delighted in tormenting each other. Now at one and twenty, she still has a tendency to find herself in scrapes, and her marital prospects are slim.
When his father threatens to expose his shame to the ton, unless he weds Sophie for her dowry, Christopher concocts a plan to remain a bachelor. What he didn't plan on, was falling in love with the lively, impetuous Sophie. As secrets are exposed, will Christopher’s love be enough when she discovers his role in his father’s scheme?
Sophie Winters has known Christopher since she was in leading strings. As children, they delighted in tormenting each other. Now at one and twenty, she still has a tendency to find herself in scrapes, and her marital prospects are slim.
When his father threatens to expose his shame to the ton, unless he weds Sophie for her dowry, Christopher concocts a plan to remain a bachelor. What he didn't plan on, was falling in love with the lively, impetuous Sophie. As secrets are exposed, will Christopher’s love be enough when she discovers his role in his father’s scheme?
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2014
1320 people are currently reading
1016 people want to read
About the author
Christi Caldwell
137 books2,561 followersUSA TODAY Bestselling author CHRISTI CALDWELL blames Judith McNaught's "Whitney, My Love!" for luring her into the world of historical romance. While sitting in her graduate school apartment at the University of Connecticut, Christi decided to set aside her notes and pick up her laptop to try her hand at romance. She believes the most perfect heroes and heroines have imperfections, and she rather enjoys torturing them before crafting them a well deserved happily ever after!
Christi makes her home in Charlotte, North Carolina where she spends her time writing her own enchanting historical romances, and baking surprisingly good cakes (almost 2 years in lockdown will do that) with her courageous son and twin daughters, each who with their daily antics provides limitless source material.
Christi makes her home in Charlotte, North Carolina where she spends her time writing her own enchanting historical romances, and baking surprisingly good cakes (almost 2 years in lockdown will do that) with her courageous son and twin daughters, each who with their daily antics provides limitless source material.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
March 16, 2015
This is the second book in Christi Caldwell’s “Scandalous Seasons” and, once again, she enchanted me with her delightful characters and captivating love story
God, how he loathed the written word. The constant reminder of his failings; a secret shame he carried.
My heart ached for the young Christopher, struggling academically because he had difficulty reading (what we would now recognise as dyslexia) and trying desperately to win his father’s approval, only to be treated with scorn and physical abuse. Over the years he has acquired some of the finest horses and his wit and charm have made him the darling of the ton and popular with the ladies. However, ever present is the knowledge that one day Society will discover his shameful secret.
Christopher’s father, the Marquess of Milford, is a thoroughly detestable man. Not only does he constantly remind Christopher of his shortcomings but, facing financial ruin because of poor investments and his gambling habits, he is intent on forcing Christopher into marrying Sophie for her fortune. He threatens to expose his son to Society as a “penniless simpleton” and even have him committed to Bedlam if Christopher refuses to agree his demands. Christopher hates the idea of being a fortune hunter and is determined to come up with a scheme to thwart his father’s plans. He has no wish to marry the hoyden who made his early years a misery and who, in Christopher’s eyes, has come to ‘represent an extension of his father’s cruelty’
.
Society had their diamonds of the first water. In Sophie’s case, she’d never been considered a paste gem on the muddy Thames.
I love Sophie because I can so easily relate to this unconventional heroine. She is short, plump and, at the age of 22, fast approaching spinsterhood but also bold and spirited. She is regarded as a social oddity and her unfortunate tendency towards clumsiness makes her fodder for Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet. Her mother and brother are pushing her to find a husband and, although she longs for a loving husband and a family of her own, she is practical enough to realise that she is unlikely to make a match of her own choosing.
When her brother, Geoffrey, proposes Christopher as a good match, Sophie refuses point blank to marry him. At the time Sophie made her come-out, she had hoped that their childhood animosity was a thing of the past and she could rely on Christopher’s friendship and support to ease her way into society. But he had pointedly ignored her and his flawless image among the ton only served to highlight her own imperfections.
I love the scene in the library when the masked Sophie and Christopher are unaware of each other’s identity. They are just two strangers meeting for the first time and sharing an instant attraction. I enjoyed the irony of the situation and the fact that a certain item in this scene becomes important towards the end of the book in bringing about Sophie and Christopher’s Happy Ever After.
They are such an endearing couple and their romance is heart-warming, funny, emotional and romantic. As always I’m sharing some of my favourite moments which I hope will provide a taster for this delightful romance.
He wiped away a lone tear from her cheek, and then froze. It was as though a bolt of lightning had jolted him right there amidst Hyde Park’s lush greenery. Emerald green and turquoise flecks dotted her irises, a shade of blue to rival the purest ocean waters. They were the kind of eyes a man could lose himself in.
~~~
All along she’d thought him no better than the fanged monsters of the Red Parlor. In actuality, he’d been a kind of Lancelot, intending to slay her demons.
~~~
Only Christopher had come to appreciate her wit , intelligence, and …the candlelight bathed her face in a soft glow— the depth of her beauty.
~~~
There had also been a niggling of something deep and dark that he didn’t recognize . Something green and ugly that had festered inside him the moment Sophie’s bow-shaped lips had tipped up in a smile for Mallen. An emotion that felt like… jealousy.
~~~
“He loves you.” He glanced back out the window.
“How do you know?” The question tumbled from her lips , exposing the hope and dream in her heart.
A slight smile pulled at his lips. “How do I know?”
She nodded . “Yes,” she said, remembering he couldn’t see her.
“Because it looks as though he’s been dragged through hell without his valet.”
Her brow wrinkled. “What?”
Mallen nodded toward the window. “Your husband has arrived, my lady.”
~~~
The secondary characters add an extra layer to the story. Ms Caldwell succeeds in making Christopher’s father a truly hateful character which makes me all the more sympathetic to Christopher’s dilemma. I wanted to cheer from the rooftops when Sophie confronts him:
“It pains me to know the abuse Christopher endured at your hands. Hopefully, at some point, in these late years of your life, you reconcile the harm you did to your son… and search for peace, because if not, I’m certain there is a dark place in hell reserved for the soulless cowards like yourself .”
Although he really cares for Sophie, her brother Geoffrey is the epitome of everything that is rigid and proper and it will be interesting to see him paired with the highly unconventional and bold American, Abigail in “Always Proper, Suddenly Scandalous” .
Emmeline and Drake (Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride) make a welcome appearance offering support to Sophie when she is in desperate need of a friend.
I must mention Sophie’s partner in crime, her dog, Duke, and this exchange between Sophie and the Duke of Mallen was particularly amusing.
“You named your dog Duke?”
She nodded, hugging the dog close. “He is a commanding, arrogant little thing and so it seemed perfectly appropriate…” Sophie swallowed the remainder of her words as she realized the insult she’d dealt the powerful peer.
The final column Christopher puts in Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet for Sophie is just so heart-warmingly romantic and the Epilogue left me with a lovely warm glow.
Overall, another enchanting addition to this delightful series. Definitely recommended.
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS
Scandalous Seasons series (click on the covers for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals blog:
/rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/2015/03...
God, how he loathed the written word. The constant reminder of his failings; a secret shame he carried.
My heart ached for the young Christopher, struggling academically because he had difficulty reading (what we would now recognise as dyslexia) and trying desperately to win his father’s approval, only to be treated with scorn and physical abuse. Over the years he has acquired some of the finest horses and his wit and charm have made him the darling of the ton and popular with the ladies. However, ever present is the knowledge that one day Society will discover his shameful secret.
Christopher’s father, the Marquess of Milford, is a thoroughly detestable man. Not only does he constantly remind Christopher of his shortcomings but, facing financial ruin because of poor investments and his gambling habits, he is intent on forcing Christopher into marrying Sophie for her fortune. He threatens to expose his son to Society as a “penniless simpleton” and even have him committed to Bedlam if Christopher refuses to agree his demands. Christopher hates the idea of being a fortune hunter and is determined to come up with a scheme to thwart his father’s plans. He has no wish to marry the hoyden who made his early years a misery and who, in Christopher’s eyes, has come to ‘represent an extension of his father’s cruelty’
.
Society had their diamonds of the first water. In Sophie’s case, she’d never been considered a paste gem on the muddy Thames.
I love Sophie because I can so easily relate to this unconventional heroine. She is short, plump and, at the age of 22, fast approaching spinsterhood but also bold and spirited. She is regarded as a social oddity and her unfortunate tendency towards clumsiness makes her fodder for Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet. Her mother and brother are pushing her to find a husband and, although she longs for a loving husband and a family of her own, she is practical enough to realise that she is unlikely to make a match of her own choosing.
When her brother, Geoffrey, proposes Christopher as a good match, Sophie refuses point blank to marry him. At the time Sophie made her come-out, she had hoped that their childhood animosity was a thing of the past and she could rely on Christopher’s friendship and support to ease her way into society. But he had pointedly ignored her and his flawless image among the ton only served to highlight her own imperfections.
I love the scene in the library when the masked Sophie and Christopher are unaware of each other’s identity. They are just two strangers meeting for the first time and sharing an instant attraction. I enjoyed the irony of the situation and the fact that a certain item in this scene becomes important towards the end of the book in bringing about Sophie and Christopher’s Happy Ever After.
They are such an endearing couple and their romance is heart-warming, funny, emotional and romantic. As always I’m sharing some of my favourite moments which I hope will provide a taster for this delightful romance.
He wiped away a lone tear from her cheek, and then froze. It was as though a bolt of lightning had jolted him right there amidst Hyde Park’s lush greenery. Emerald green and turquoise flecks dotted her irises, a shade of blue to rival the purest ocean waters. They were the kind of eyes a man could lose himself in.
~~~
All along she’d thought him no better than the fanged monsters of the Red Parlor. In actuality, he’d been a kind of Lancelot, intending to slay her demons.
~~~
Only Christopher had come to appreciate her wit , intelligence, and …the candlelight bathed her face in a soft glow— the depth of her beauty.
~~~
There had also been a niggling of something deep and dark that he didn’t recognize . Something green and ugly that had festered inside him the moment Sophie’s bow-shaped lips had tipped up in a smile for Mallen. An emotion that felt like… jealousy.
~~~
“He loves you.” He glanced back out the window.
“How do you know?” The question tumbled from her lips , exposing the hope and dream in her heart.
A slight smile pulled at his lips. “How do I know?”
She nodded . “Yes,” she said, remembering he couldn’t see her.
“Because it looks as though he’s been dragged through hell without his valet.”
Her brow wrinkled. “What?”
Mallen nodded toward the window. “Your husband has arrived, my lady.”
~~~
The secondary characters add an extra layer to the story. Ms Caldwell succeeds in making Christopher’s father a truly hateful character which makes me all the more sympathetic to Christopher’s dilemma. I wanted to cheer from the rooftops when Sophie confronts him:
“It pains me to know the abuse Christopher endured at your hands. Hopefully, at some point, in these late years of your life, you reconcile the harm you did to your son… and search for peace, because if not, I’m certain there is a dark place in hell reserved for the soulless cowards like yourself .”
Although he really cares for Sophie, her brother Geoffrey is the epitome of everything that is rigid and proper and it will be interesting to see him paired with the highly unconventional and bold American, Abigail in “Always Proper, Suddenly Scandalous” .
Emmeline and Drake (Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride) make a welcome appearance offering support to Sophie when she is in desperate need of a friend.
I must mention Sophie’s partner in crime, her dog, Duke, and this exchange between Sophie and the Duke of Mallen was particularly amusing.
“You named your dog Duke?”
She nodded, hugging the dog close. “He is a commanding, arrogant little thing and so it seemed perfectly appropriate…” Sophie swallowed the remainder of her words as she realized the insult she’d dealt the powerful peer.
The final column Christopher puts in Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet for Sophie is just so heart-warmingly romantic and the Epilogue left me with a lovely warm glow.
Overall, another enchanting addition to this delightful series. Definitely recommended.
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS
Scandalous Seasons series (click on the covers for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals blog:
/rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/2015/03...
February 3, 2021
3.5⭐
I laughed so much with this book. The heroine was simply great. Every thought going through her mind, she spoke without thinking. She's clumsy and get into a lot of mischief... but something was not clicking in the relationship with the hero. It was meh.
And I felt really sorry for the Duke of Mallen. I loved him since book one and I didn't like that he suffered in the middle of everything...
Anyway, it was worth the read but the romance was so so.
I laughed so much with this book. The heroine was simply great. Every thought going through her mind, she spoke without thinking. She's clumsy and get into a lot of mischief... but something was not clicking in the relationship with the hero. It was meh.
And I felt really sorry for the Duke of Mallen. I loved him since book one and I didn't like that he suffered in the middle of everything...
Anyway, it was worth the read but the romance was so so.
January 8, 2026
Read: 1/8/26
Setting: 1818 England
Trope: fortune hunter, forced marriage, childhood nemesis
Never Courted, Suddenly Wed - What BS! She is courted by 2 men, then she is forced to wed 60% into the book. That wasn't really "suddenly". This book would have been a lot better if the author had just stuck to the bloody title!😡
The whole book drags while these two avoid each other. It was soo boring 😴! Christopher was dyslexic, but that fact goes nowhere. Neither does their interesting first masquerade meeting. Now, the book does improve in the last 20% of the story after they wed, but I couldn't bother to care.
Conclusion: This was just bad! I can't believe CC wrote this crap!
Setting: 1818 England
Trope: fortune hunter, forced marriage, childhood nemesis
Never Courted, Suddenly Wed - What BS! She is courted by 2 men, then she is forced to wed 60% into the book. That wasn't really "suddenly". This book would have been a lot better if the author had just stuck to the bloody title!😡
The whole book drags while these two avoid each other. It was soo boring 😴! Christopher was dyslexic, but that fact goes nowhere. Neither does their interesting first masquerade meeting. Now, the book does improve in the last 20% of the story after they wed, but I couldn't bother to care.
Conclusion: This was just bad! I can't believe CC wrote this crap!
April 2, 2019
The overall story was just as addicting as all the rest but I hated how nasty Sophie was to Christopher and sometimes visa-versa. It ruined what would have been a lovely story.
June 16, 2016
This is the second book in Christi Caldwell’s “Scandalous Seasons” series. Christi Caldwell has, yet again, managed to excite my interest and enchant me with her characters. One thing I can say is -- while I love to read regency romance I am so very grateful that I do not live in that time period. It appears that almost all of the parents were narrow, self-centered, cold, uncaring, unloving pieces of excrement. A few books I have read have loving, supportive families (like the first book in this series), but most of the books seem to have some really bad parenting.
We met Miss Sophie Winters in the first book of this series. I really liked her -- she was a wonderfully supportive, loving friend to the heroine of the first book. She is on her 3rd season and is still a wallflower. Yet, it doesn't seem to bother her. She's happy and caring to all around her - yet she gets very little of that love and care in return. Toward the end of the book the author tries to make her brother appear better than he was -- probably preparing for his story later in the series.
Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham makes my heart hurt. He had such an awful childhood. His father was/is a real jackaxx. He puts on a smiling, charming face to everyone, but that hides a wounded, tortured soul. He has a disability that would be known as dyslexia today. His father ridicules him, beats him and threatens him with Bedlam because of his learning disability.
Sophie has a very, very large dowry, but nobody knows about it except Christopher's father. Christopher's father threatens Christopher with exposure and Bedlam if he doesn't marry Sophie for her dowry. In the beginning, Christopher tries to fight his father, but then comes to care for Sophie. Watching the two of them learn to love each other is a very nice journey.
The one thing I would have liked to see in this book was something happening to the worthless Marquess (Christopher's father). I would definitely have preferred something more than Sophie telling him off and Christopher threatening him over Sophie. I'm sure he didn't care about anything they said -- and he still got what he wanted.
We met Miss Sophie Winters in the first book of this series. I really liked her -- she was a wonderfully supportive, loving friend to the heroine of the first book. She is on her 3rd season and is still a wallflower. Yet, it doesn't seem to bother her. She's happy and caring to all around her - yet she gets very little of that love and care in return. Toward the end of the book the author tries to make her brother appear better than he was -- probably preparing for his story later in the series.
Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham makes my heart hurt. He had such an awful childhood. His father was/is a real jackaxx. He puts on a smiling, charming face to everyone, but that hides a wounded, tortured soul. He has a disability that would be known as dyslexia today. His father ridicules him, beats him and threatens him with Bedlam because of his learning disability.
Sophie has a very, very large dowry, but nobody knows about it except Christopher's father. Christopher's father threatens Christopher with exposure and Bedlam if he doesn't marry Sophie for her dowry. In the beginning, Christopher tries to fight his father, but then comes to care for Sophie. Watching the two of them learn to love each other is a very nice journey.
The one thing I would have liked to see in this book was something happening to the worthless Marquess (Christopher's father). I would definitely have preferred something more than Sophie telling him off and Christopher threatening him over Sophie. I'm sure he didn't care about anything they said -- and he still got what he wanted.
September 27, 2015
ENCHANTING!!
I felt so bad for Christopher Earl of Waxham son of the very cruel mean Marquis of Milford. Poor Christopher has been badly abused by his father because he was dyslexic causing him not to be able to read. Now can you imagine this impediment in the year 1818? dyslexia wasn't even know at the time. Christopher has know Sophie Winters since her birth. There county seats adjoined each other. Sophie was very clumsy and a bit plump. She was always following Christopher around when they were children and the two would argue more like siblings then friends.
Years later they both have grown up and Sophie is in her 3rd season. She is always written up in Lady Ackerly's Tattle Sheet for her scandalous behavior. She is just very clumsy. While at a masquerade ball her and Christopher have a chance meeting in the library while escaping the crush of the ball. They do not recognize one another. But feel and immediate attraction and promise to meet at the end of the season if neither is married or betroth at that time.
Christopher's father the Marquis has acquire many gaming debts and is on the brink of financial ruin. He insist on Christopher courting and marrying Sophie who has a whapping huge dowry of 100,000.00 pounds. Christopher doesn't want to do this he thinks he dislikes the little annoying girl who gave him so much trouble growing up. He eventually agrees to a dinner invitation at Viscount Rebrooke's home Sophie's brother. This begins the lively and witty banter between the two. Christopher and Sophie are a perfect couple and I liked both of them very much. The storyline is believable and lighthearted. The romance as it grows into love was enchanting. I really enjoyed reading Never Courted Suddenly Wed and I Highly Recommend this story. I hope we to read the Duke of Mallens story soon.
I felt so bad for Christopher Earl of Waxham son of the very cruel mean Marquis of Milford. Poor Christopher has been badly abused by his father because he was dyslexic causing him not to be able to read. Now can you imagine this impediment in the year 1818? dyslexia wasn't even know at the time. Christopher has know Sophie Winters since her birth. There county seats adjoined each other. Sophie was very clumsy and a bit plump. She was always following Christopher around when they were children and the two would argue more like siblings then friends.
Years later they both have grown up and Sophie is in her 3rd season. She is always written up in Lady Ackerly's Tattle Sheet for her scandalous behavior. She is just very clumsy. While at a masquerade ball her and Christopher have a chance meeting in the library while escaping the crush of the ball. They do not recognize one another. But feel and immediate attraction and promise to meet at the end of the season if neither is married or betroth at that time.
Christopher's father the Marquis has acquire many gaming debts and is on the brink of financial ruin. He insist on Christopher courting and marrying Sophie who has a whapping huge dowry of 100,000.00 pounds. Christopher doesn't want to do this he thinks he dislikes the little annoying girl who gave him so much trouble growing up. He eventually agrees to a dinner invitation at Viscount Rebrooke's home Sophie's brother. This begins the lively and witty banter between the two. Christopher and Sophie are a perfect couple and I liked both of them very much. The storyline is believable and lighthearted. The romance as it grows into love was enchanting. I really enjoyed reading Never Courted Suddenly Wed and I Highly Recommend this story. I hope we to read the Duke of Mallens story soon.
August 4, 2017
I listened to the audiobook and, unless I missed something, I think she fell in love with him too quickly. One minute, they were slowly becoming friends again and the next, they were both in love. One day, I'm going to read the ebook so I know exactly how she fell in love with him.
The way she discovered his true intentions was a bit predictable/cliched. I actually rooted for the heroine to end up with the hero's best friend.
The way she discovered his true intentions was a bit predictable/cliched. I actually rooted for the heroine to end up with the hero's best friend.
October 16, 2018
3.5 stars - Historical Romance
December 16, 2018
the perfect amount of angst to revive my cold heart after finals.
December 23, 2022
Straight to the DNF shelf with this one too!
In typical Christi Caldwell style, this book started with her typical clumsy plump heroine (that includes her 'gently flaring hips' her 'rounded hips' and her 'wide hips') always tripping and knocking things over.
Moving along to our typical Christi Caldwell hero, this fella had drama that needed to be hashed, and then hashed again (rehashed). Over and over about the barn fire.
For me, this over focus and rehashing of the hero's drama or guilt and the heroine's physical flaws take away from the romance. It just becomes tedious to read.
I am already on to my next Christi Caldwell book, and so far its a goody. So all hope is not lost.
In typical Christi Caldwell style, this book started with her typical clumsy plump heroine (that includes her 'gently flaring hips' her 'rounded hips' and her 'wide hips') always tripping and knocking things over.
Moving along to our typical Christi Caldwell hero, this fella had drama that needed to be hashed, and then hashed again (rehashed). Over and over about the barn fire.
For me, this over focus and rehashing of the hero's drama or guilt and the heroine's physical flaws take away from the romance. It just becomes tedious to read.
I am already on to my next Christi Caldwell book, and so far its a goody. So all hope is not lost.
September 7, 2015
Vikki’s Musings
I am so glad I discovered Christi Caldwell. I thoroughly enjoy her writing style, and she is a truly gifted author. Never Courted, Suddenly Wed is an emotionally-charged story. This is the second book in the Scandalous Seasons series, and I enjoyed it even more than I did the first book.
Sophie Winston and Christopher Ansley have known each other since she was an infant and he was an eight year old boy. An incident from their childhood has caused a rift between them. When Christopher’s father insists that he court and wed Sophie, he flatly refuses. Then his father threatens to expose his secret to the ton. Desperate, he enlists the help of his best friend, the Duke of Mallen, asking the duke to court Sophie, so she will not chose Christopher.
There is one problem with his plan. As he gets to know the adult, Sophie, he soon finds himself enchanted by her. Should he throw caution to the wind, and court Sophie, even though it will give his father what he wants, or should he let the duke win her affections?
Sophie Winston is one of the most endearing characters I have had the pleasure getting to know. She is introduced in the first book, and I immediately liked her, but I had no idea she would be such a delightful and funny character. Ms. Caldwell truly brings Sophie to life, giving me a heroine to love. From her quirky personality to her charming affinity for mishaps, she is a wonderfully fleshed out character. I loved her compassion for her sweet little dog, Duke and her loyalty to her friends. Her insecurities touched my heart.
Christopher Ansley, the Earl of Waxham was also introduced in the first book of this series as the rejected suitor for the Duke of Mallen’s sister. I am so glad he finds true love. I became completely enmeshed with his character, and could feel his pain concerning his secret. After being abused, verbally, emotionally and physically by his father, he definitely deserved to have such a wonderful character as Sophie in his life. They suit each other so well.
I also listened to the audio version as well as reading the book and the narrator is fantastic. Tim Campbell reads with a great deal of emotion, and has the perfect British voice for the characters. He does an outstanding job with the female voices, which normally come across quite insipid when the reader is a male. I thoroughly enjoyed his narrating style and will look for other books performed by him.
If you enjoy a well-written regency romance with unforgettable character and a great plot, then you will love Never Courted, Suddenly Wed as much as I did. Happy reading!
I am so glad I discovered Christi Caldwell. I thoroughly enjoy her writing style, and she is a truly gifted author. Never Courted, Suddenly Wed is an emotionally-charged story. This is the second book in the Scandalous Seasons series, and I enjoyed it even more than I did the first book.
Sophie Winston and Christopher Ansley have known each other since she was an infant and he was an eight year old boy. An incident from their childhood has caused a rift between them. When Christopher’s father insists that he court and wed Sophie, he flatly refuses. Then his father threatens to expose his secret to the ton. Desperate, he enlists the help of his best friend, the Duke of Mallen, asking the duke to court Sophie, so she will not chose Christopher.
There is one problem with his plan. As he gets to know the adult, Sophie, he soon finds himself enchanted by her. Should he throw caution to the wind, and court Sophie, even though it will give his father what he wants, or should he let the duke win her affections?
Sophie Winston is one of the most endearing characters I have had the pleasure getting to know. She is introduced in the first book, and I immediately liked her, but I had no idea she would be such a delightful and funny character. Ms. Caldwell truly brings Sophie to life, giving me a heroine to love. From her quirky personality to her charming affinity for mishaps, she is a wonderfully fleshed out character. I loved her compassion for her sweet little dog, Duke and her loyalty to her friends. Her insecurities touched my heart.
Christopher Ansley, the Earl of Waxham was also introduced in the first book of this series as the rejected suitor for the Duke of Mallen’s sister. I am so glad he finds true love. I became completely enmeshed with his character, and could feel his pain concerning his secret. After being abused, verbally, emotionally and physically by his father, he definitely deserved to have such a wonderful character as Sophie in his life. They suit each other so well.
I also listened to the audio version as well as reading the book and the narrator is fantastic. Tim Campbell reads with a great deal of emotion, and has the perfect British voice for the characters. He does an outstanding job with the female voices, which normally come across quite insipid when the reader is a male. I thoroughly enjoyed his narrating style and will look for other books performed by him.
If you enjoy a well-written regency romance with unforgettable character and a great plot, then you will love Never Courted, Suddenly Wed as much as I did. Happy reading!
August 13, 2016
I started this book not realizing it was the second book in a series. But I soon realized I had missed the set up stories behind these two characters. It wasn't hard to pick up on what had happened previously and I'm actually glad I got to meet Sophie and Christopher on their own. I'll save Emmaline and Drake's story for another day.
In this book, Christopher and Sophie both feel pressure from their families to marry .... each other. The only problem is that they have a deep hatred of each other that goes all the way back to childhood. There are secrets and lies and betrayals that make the story somewhat repetitive and predictable, but not boring. I was invested in these two and couldn't wait to see how or if things worked out for them.
One thing I really liked was that you could clearly see them go from hate to love. It wasn't fast or easy for either. There was a lot of frustration and misunderstandings, but the journey was somehow worth it.
In this book, Christopher and Sophie both feel pressure from their families to marry .... each other. The only problem is that they have a deep hatred of each other that goes all the way back to childhood. There are secrets and lies and betrayals that make the story somewhat repetitive and predictable, but not boring. I was invested in these two and couldn't wait to see how or if things worked out for them.
One thing I really liked was that you could clearly see them go from hate to love. It wasn't fast or easy for either. There was a lot of frustration and misunderstandings, but the journey was somehow worth it.
May 23, 2019
Don't waste your time
I usually love reading a series of books with interconnected storylines and being introduced to secondary characters who are then featured in the subsequent books. (Warning! Spoilers ahead). But this novel was so thin in terms of plot and CC just kept hashing and rehashing the same few incidents. The stable fire was brought up over and over. Describing Sophie as "plump" 28 times? Her "gently flaring hips", "rounded hips", "wide hips"? Her apparently enormous breasts? I kept envisioning one those clay Polynesian fertility figurines! Enough already...this book was a major disappointment. I was bored with the repetitive descriptions. The tattle tale gossip rag was especially annoying. Sophie was constantly described as uncoordinated and clumsy. I think that every time she walked anywhere, she either tripped or knocked something over. It was so redundant and I think CC basically "phoned in" this book for the paycheck.
I usually love reading a series of books with interconnected storylines and being introduced to secondary characters who are then featured in the subsequent books. (Warning! Spoilers ahead). But this novel was so thin in terms of plot and CC just kept hashing and rehashing the same few incidents. The stable fire was brought up over and over. Describing Sophie as "plump" 28 times? Her "gently flaring hips", "rounded hips", "wide hips"? Her apparently enormous breasts? I kept envisioning one those clay Polynesian fertility figurines! Enough already...this book was a major disappointment. I was bored with the repetitive descriptions. The tattle tale gossip rag was especially annoying. Sophie was constantly described as uncoordinated and clumsy. I think that every time she walked anywhere, she either tripped or knocked something over. It was so redundant and I think CC basically "phoned in" this book for the paycheck.
April 2, 2016
3.5 story and 4 narration. What kept the rating down, I rolled my eyes more than twice. When I do this it's usually because it's gone predictable. Now I know this is a historical romance so you have to accept it but I only accept it twice. Like the lie will come out and an HEA, if it happens more than that it gets marked down for it.
Romances that contain swirl around a lie for personal gain or even shame are low on my list of enjoyments. But I did find Christopher and Sophia charming, and I can't wait for Mallen's own romance. Hope it's the same narrator the voicing for Mallen while reading poetry, it was outstanding (short scene, but what a voice).
Romances that contain swirl around a lie for personal gain or even shame are low on my list of enjoyments. But I did find Christopher and Sophia charming, and I can't wait for Mallen's own romance. Hope it's the same narrator the voicing for Mallen while reading poetry, it was outstanding (short scene, but what a voice).
April 1, 2019
Sophie Winters adalah wallflower dgn mahar sangat besar, seratus ribu pound. Siapapun pasti tergiur, bahkan musuhnya saat masih kecil, Christopher, Lord Waxham dipaksa ayahnya utk menikahi gadis ini.
Christopher enggan menikahi gadis yg wkt kecil ini sangat nakal terhadapnya. Bahkan Christopher minta bantuan Sebastian, Duke Mallen utk berpura-pura mendekati Sophie. Tapi celakanya malah Christopher yg terbakar cemburu.
Musuh jadi kekasih, check.
Teman masa kecil jadi kekasih, check.
Kedua trope ini kesukaan saya, tetapi entah mengapa saya merasa relationship Sophie & Christopher biasa aja ya?
Segitiga Christopher - Sophie - Mallen mengingatkan saya pada "It Happened on Autumn" by Lisa Kleypas (dimana Marcus - Lillian - Sebastian dgn kondisi mirip, sama-sama berteman karib, bedanya Mallen mengalah, Sebastian tidaaaakkk).
Kekurangan Christopher sbg penderita disleksia sayangnya bukannya dicover oleh Sophie malah oleh Mallen (makin tinggi aja nilai Mallen di mata saya, sblmnya sbg kakak, kali ini sbg teman akrab).
Karakter Christopher ini cenderung introvert krn kekurangannya tsb, terlalu protektif terhadap Sophie nyaris spt terhadap adik sendiri, sehingga dia gak sadar sudah jatuh cinta pada gadis ini.
Sedangkan karakter Sophie cenderung slebor alias ceroboh, ekstrovert dan impulsif. Keduanya seharusnya saling bersinergi sebenarnya, tetapi gara-gara gengsi mereka utk mengakui jatuh cinta pada satu sama lain, menjadi ujung tombak salah paham diantara mereka. Jadinya saya gak melihat daya upaya mereka menumbuhkan dan menegakkan cinta mereka. Ya... Christopher lebih usaha sih.... tapi bukankah itu sudah sewajarnya sbg pria sejati?
Christopher enggan menikahi gadis yg wkt kecil ini sangat nakal terhadapnya. Bahkan Christopher minta bantuan Sebastian, Duke Mallen utk berpura-pura mendekati Sophie. Tapi celakanya malah Christopher yg terbakar cemburu.
Musuh jadi kekasih, check.
Teman masa kecil jadi kekasih, check.
Kedua trope ini kesukaan saya, tetapi entah mengapa saya merasa relationship Sophie & Christopher biasa aja ya?
Segitiga Christopher - Sophie - Mallen mengingatkan saya pada "It Happened on Autumn" by Lisa Kleypas (dimana Marcus - Lillian - Sebastian dgn kondisi mirip, sama-sama berteman karib, bedanya Mallen mengalah, Sebastian tidaaaakkk).
Kekurangan Christopher sbg penderita disleksia sayangnya bukannya dicover oleh Sophie malah oleh Mallen (makin tinggi aja nilai Mallen di mata saya, sblmnya sbg kakak, kali ini sbg teman akrab).
Karakter Christopher ini cenderung introvert krn kekurangannya tsb, terlalu protektif terhadap Sophie nyaris spt terhadap adik sendiri, sehingga dia gak sadar sudah jatuh cinta pada gadis ini.
Sedangkan karakter Sophie cenderung slebor alias ceroboh, ekstrovert dan impulsif. Keduanya seharusnya saling bersinergi sebenarnya, tetapi gara-gara gengsi mereka utk mengakui jatuh cinta pada satu sama lain, menjadi ujung tombak salah paham diantara mereka. Jadinya saya gak melihat daya upaya mereka menumbuhkan dan menegakkan cinta mereka. Ya... Christopher lebih usaha sih.... tapi bukankah itu sudah sewajarnya sbg pria sejati?
June 21, 2017
This was a sweet romance between two childhood friends Sophie and Christopher. I liked the book, even with the complication that the Duke of Mallen was falling for her. Overall the book is nicely done. However, Sophie is like a (TSTL) heroine. Her whole self worth is defined by Lady Ackerman's Tattles, she's super clumsy and not in a nice way. Christopher is aware of the 100,000 pounds oun Sophie. He needs the cash and she's the woman he loves but money complicates it.
June 13, 2019
Amigos/inimigos de infância que crescem, se odeiam e se apaixonam. Heroína plus size divertida e adorável. Herói charmoso forçado a fazer uma coisa terrível. Mentiras e enganos de identidade.
SÉRIO. NÃO TINHA JEITO DESSE LIVRO DAR ERRADO!!
SÉRIO. NÃO TINHA JEITO DESSE LIVRO DAR ERRADO!!
January 11, 2024
Nothing spesial, faktor umur mungkin ya , sekarang kurang bisa enjoy kalau baca hisrom (atau mungkin belum ketemu yang cetar saja yes ) hehehe, seleraaa 🙏
January 19, 2025
Better than book 1 but still a little all over the place
October 30, 2023
NAILED IT! This was so deliciously angsty and I love how we got so much of the hero's perspective and his guilt in how he treats the heroine. Childhood friends to enemies to adult frenemies to lovers. Heroine is plump and awkward, insecure but still feisty. Hero is in a complicated position, is handsome and charming, detests the heroine and the spot his father put him in. I loved watching his feelings change. There is excellent buildup of lies upon lies and I gleefully awaited This books seriously nails my favorite tropes. Only one complaint: (4.5 stars)
May 23, 2020
Not my favorite, not my least favorite. I didn’t like the ending and felt that Sophie forgave far too easily.
April 14, 2015
The Boy Next-door Is Sophie's Man of Her Dreams
Sophie's brother decides that a third season is one season too many! She will be on he shelf. He decides to give her one choice--- she is to consider her childhood nemesis- Lord Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham. He has been on every ladies' top list - but has never even given her so much as a dance since she entered society. They had teased each other unmercifully as children. He even blamed her for the death of his favorite Arabian horses and his father's stable- a misunderstanding born out of youthful misadventure that he refused to take responsibility for himself. Sophie thought he made fun of her and didn't like her. She thought marriage to him would be little more than torture. NO! She doesn't want to marry Christopher Ansley.
Directed by his father to ruin her so that he would have to marry her and could claim her sinfully LARGE dowry to repair the debts made by his father- Christopher rebels and does everything in his power to keep from becoming the fortune hunter his father wants him to be. And- he doesn't want to marry Sophie! He decides to engage his best friend the Duke of Mallen to 'fake' a courtship to her so that her brother and his father will back off of their efforts to force them together.
Despite their best efforts - and the wooing by the Duke- Sophie and Christopher find themselves pulled together by forces of attraction. He ruins her- but it's by accident. Ha! Sophie is far from believing it after she hears his father's congratulations. After that-- It is their marriage where the story really takes off- and its direction is typical Christi Caldwell. You will have to read it- such a great story.
Sophie's brother decides that a third season is one season too many! She will be on he shelf. He decides to give her one choice--- she is to consider her childhood nemesis- Lord Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham. He has been on every ladies' top list - but has never even given her so much as a dance since she entered society. They had teased each other unmercifully as children. He even blamed her for the death of his favorite Arabian horses and his father's stable- a misunderstanding born out of youthful misadventure that he refused to take responsibility for himself. Sophie thought he made fun of her and didn't like her. She thought marriage to him would be little more than torture. NO! She doesn't want to marry Christopher Ansley.
Directed by his father to ruin her so that he would have to marry her and could claim her sinfully LARGE dowry to repair the debts made by his father- Christopher rebels and does everything in his power to keep from becoming the fortune hunter his father wants him to be. And- he doesn't want to marry Sophie! He decides to engage his best friend the Duke of Mallen to 'fake' a courtship to her so that her brother and his father will back off of their efforts to force them together.
Despite their best efforts - and the wooing by the Duke- Sophie and Christopher find themselves pulled together by forces of attraction. He ruins her- but it's by accident. Ha! Sophie is far from believing it after she hears his father's congratulations. After that-- It is their marriage where the story really takes off- and its direction is typical Christi Caldwell. You will have to read it- such a great story.
July 14, 2015
I really enjoyed the story even if it was a little too much like the first of the serie in the plot.
Sophie is so funny and adorable and Christopher is really the one to suit her perfectly. It was a really nice book and a good entertainment.
Except... as I said for the first book:
I can't give 4 or 5 stars to this story because of a scene I find rather shocking in this sort of romance.
I mean, now there is practically always a sensual scene in every regency romance but I felt awkward to have such a graphic practice as describe in this book in a romantic and otherwise pretty novel. It's certainly not what I expected to read and I found that it tainted the story in a way I didn't liked.
I hoped that this book would be different in this matter and was rather disappointed when I discovered that the scene was worse than in the first book. It certainly not add to the plot.
Sophie is so funny and adorable and Christopher is really the one to suit her perfectly. It was a really nice book and a good entertainment.
Except... as I said for the first book:
I can't give 4 or 5 stars to this story because of a scene I find rather shocking in this sort of romance.
I mean, now there is practically always a sensual scene in every regency romance but I felt awkward to have such a graphic practice as describe in this book in a romantic and otherwise pretty novel. It's certainly not what I expected to read and I found that it tainted the story in a way I didn't liked.
I hoped that this book would be different in this matter and was rather disappointed when I discovered that the scene was worse than in the first book. It certainly not add to the plot.
May 13, 2024
Bk #2 in series. Gave this 3 stars.
Sophie was w/o her friend Emmaline: in Kent w/ her
spouse Drake anticipating a "happy event." Em asked
Soph to visit wounded soldiers at the State Hospital and
even donated a pianoforte for her usage. Soph played
classical, folk songs, and a few bawdy songs (latter in
private).
Sophie was smart, witty & well-endowed. A scandal sheet
made her out to be clumsy & a hoyden. Sophie had mixed
feelings about her childhood friend/ nemesis Christopher
(an earl). Unknown to her, Chris was illiterate (dyslexic?)
& his friend Sebastian (Emmaline's bro) used to help him
w/ his lessons in boarding school. Also Soph was an heiress
of 100K pounds!!!
The sire of Chris blackmailed him RE this secret. I wanted
the sire to be banished, but impossible b/c of his marquess
status. Chris and Seb both became enamored & both sought
the affection of Sophie. It was fun for her to be wanted.
Sophie was w/o her friend Emmaline: in Kent w/ her
spouse Drake anticipating a "happy event." Em asked
Soph to visit wounded soldiers at the State Hospital and
even donated a pianoforte for her usage. Soph played
classical, folk songs, and a few bawdy songs (latter in
private).
Sophie was smart, witty & well-endowed. A scandal sheet
made her out to be clumsy & a hoyden. Sophie had mixed
feelings about her childhood friend/ nemesis Christopher
(an earl). Unknown to her, Chris was illiterate (dyslexic?)
& his friend Sebastian (Emmaline's bro) used to help him
w/ his lessons in boarding school. Also Soph was an heiress
of 100K pounds!!!
The sire of Chris blackmailed him RE this secret. I wanted
the sire to be banished, but impossible b/c of his marquess
status. Chris and Seb both became enamored & both sought
the affection of Sophie. It was fun for her to be wanted.
May 7, 2017
Shame on the publisher
Loved the story, but there were MANY grammatical errors! They need to hire better editors. There/their, too/to were some of the mistakes that a middle school student would have noticed!
Loved the story, but there were MANY grammatical errors! They need to hire better editors. There/their, too/to were some of the mistakes that a middle school student would have noticed!
March 6, 2015
I probably read too many Caldwell books in a short period of time, (2.5) but their similarities to each other have gotten tiresome. Her heroines stumble and fall ALL OF THE TIME. Apparently this is supposed to be super sexy, but I find it repugnant. Should I blame the crappy "Twilight" books for this? That chick was clumsy, too. How is someone who can't even stand going to be good in bed? It makes no sense. I know the dresses were completely ridiculous and unwieldy, but the falling in Hyde Park is getting tiresome. So far someone gets punched in the face in all of the books, and there is extreme pressure from family to get married. Like crazy extreme pressure.
August 29, 2015
Another 3.5 for Christi Caldwell.
I was surprised to find out that Sophie's love interest was not Mallon. At least not at first. I remember that being hinted at in the first book.
I may have rated this higher but for the fact that the narrator - great voice, by the way - mispronounced a few words. The one I really remember is "ratafia." Rat-TAF-i-a...ouch. But Tim Campbell's male voices are top notch. The women can sound a bit girlish. Overall, I like his narrations. I'm anxiously waiting for this whole series to be available through Audible.
A nice, fun story. I'm reading between the lines and assuming Sophie helps Christopher to overcome his problem.
On to Book 3!
I was surprised to find out that Sophie's love interest was not Mallon. At least not at first. I remember that being hinted at in the first book.
I may have rated this higher but for the fact that the narrator - great voice, by the way - mispronounced a few words. The one I really remember is "ratafia." Rat-TAF-i-a...ouch. But Tim Campbell's male voices are top notch. The women can sound a bit girlish. Overall, I like his narrations. I'm anxiously waiting for this whole series to be available through Audible.
A nice, fun story. I'm reading between the lines and assuming Sophie helps Christopher to overcome his problem.
On to Book 3!
February 23, 2017
This was only just ok. I liked Sophie in book 1 where she was reasonably competent. Here she is a disaster waiting to happen. She can't even control an overweight pug. Christopher was only slightly better. Sebastian was truly the only character I liked. Still I might have given it 3 star if the writing had been better. Once again she miss uses the word "wont" several times. I counted 30 instances of "mayhap" including the execrable sentence "He knew her better than mayhap anyone". And then there is the issue of the dowry amount. I am thinking Ms. Caldwell did does not understand money very well. 100000 pounds in 1812 is equivalent to 7.9 million pounds in today's money.
March 13, 2015
The heroine was too silly and non regency like for my tastes. the Lady Adderley Scandal Sheet descriptions of Sophie Winters falls and faux pas as a preface to each chapter made her like a laughingstock. it was too much and I began to dislike her. She seemed churlish and immature. Lord Waxham was a tortured weak fool, as he had been portrayed in the first book.. still kept my interest to read on. the H/H apparently can't recognize voices. that part was unbelievable since both were so captivated by each other while masked.
September 8, 2020
Everything was half-cooked here. The past shared between Christopher and Sophie never relived but mentioned many times throughout the books, the meeting of Athena and Odysseus was not that interesting to make them both fall in love, the dyslexia was just an excuse but never execute seriously. I could name several books which choose that theme and come out with flying colors.
In short, I think this book boring and find it hard to pick it up again after put it down. Sorry, Ms. Caldwell
In short, I think this book boring and find it hard to pick it up again after put it down. Sorry, Ms. Caldwell
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