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Brides of Waterloo #2
A Mistress for Major Bartlett
His virgin mistress!
Major Tom Bartlett is shocked to discover the angel who nursed his battle wounds is darling of the ton Lady Sarah Latymor. One taste of her threatens both her impeccable reputation and his career!
An honorable man would ask for her hand, but Bartlett is considered an unrepentant rake by polite society; sweet Sarah would be spurned as his mistress and even as his wife. He demands she leave, but Sarah is just as determined to stay by his side—and in his bed!
Brides of Waterloo
Love forged on the battlefield
Major Tom Bartlett is shocked to discover the angel who nursed his battle wounds is darling of the ton Lady Sarah Latymor. One taste of her threatens both her impeccable reputation and his career!
An honorable man would ask for her hand, but Bartlett is considered an unrepentant rake by polite society; sweet Sarah would be spurned as his mistress and even as his wife. He demands she leave, but Sarah is just as determined to stay by his side—and in his bed!
Brides of Waterloo
Love forged on the battlefield
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 19, 2015
17 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
About the author
Annie Burrows
184 books310 followersI've been published by Mills & Boon since 2007..but I'd been making up stories in my head for as long as I can remember. It was a long walk home from school, and there were no ipods in those days to keep you amused! When I wasn't daydreaming, I had my nose stuck in a book. My parents used to take me to the library every Saturday, until I was old enough to get there on my own, and my house was always full of books.
During school holidays, the whole family loved to visit stately homes and castles. As soon as we got home, my older sister and I would either dress up as lords and ladies, and romp around the garden, or, if it was raining, retreat to our bedroom where we would draw intricately detailed plans of our very own imaginary stately home, complete with secret tunnels, dungeons, and usually, a maze in the extensive grounds.
When I was old enough to go to university, I studied English literature, with Philosophy. I was not sure what I wanted to do after that, but meeting a handsome student of maths, who was the owner of a very powerful motorbike helped me make up my mind. Reader, I married him.
For many years I felt it was important to stay at home to raise our two children, but one day, when the youngest had gone to senior school, I began to wonder if all those stories I made up to occupy my mind whilst attending to mundane chores, would interest anyone else.
I started to write some of them down, and eventually decided that one of them was "deep" enough to merit attention from publishers. It took me almost two years to complete, mainly because I kept tearing it up and starting all over again. And having to keep going out to work to help pay for school fees, then university tuition, slowed progress down as well.
Needless to say, this masterpiece was rejected by every single publisher I sent it to, but by this time, writing had become an addiction.
Four more stories got rejected, before Mills & Boon bought "His Cinderella Bride", a regency romance.
I do have some other interests, besides writing! I love spending time pottering in my garden. And recently I've taken up ballroom dancing as a way to try and keep fit (and keep the romance alive in my marriage!)
During school holidays, the whole family loved to visit stately homes and castles. As soon as we got home, my older sister and I would either dress up as lords and ladies, and romp around the garden, or, if it was raining, retreat to our bedroom where we would draw intricately detailed plans of our very own imaginary stately home, complete with secret tunnels, dungeons, and usually, a maze in the extensive grounds.
When I was old enough to go to university, I studied English literature, with Philosophy. I was not sure what I wanted to do after that, but meeting a handsome student of maths, who was the owner of a very powerful motorbike helped me make up my mind. Reader, I married him.
For many years I felt it was important to stay at home to raise our two children, but one day, when the youngest had gone to senior school, I began to wonder if all those stories I made up to occupy my mind whilst attending to mundane chores, would interest anyone else.
I started to write some of them down, and eventually decided that one of them was "deep" enough to merit attention from publishers. It took me almost two years to complete, mainly because I kept tearing it up and starting all over again. And having to keep going out to work to help pay for school fees, then university tuition, slowed progress down as well.
Needless to say, this masterpiece was rejected by every single publisher I sent it to, but by this time, writing had become an addiction.
Four more stories got rejected, before Mills & Boon bought "His Cinderella Bride", a regency romance.
I do have some other interests, besides writing! I love spending time pottering in my garden. And recently I've taken up ballroom dancing as a way to try and keep fit (and keep the romance alive in my marriage!)
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July 2, 2015
3.5 stars
This is the second book in a trilogy of stories by different authors that are collectively entitled Brides of Waterloo , written to mark the two hundredth anniversary of that momentous battle.
I read the first book, Sarah Mallory’s A Lady for Lord Randall recently, and enjoyed it, so was eagerly anticipating this instalment, in which the heroine is Lady Sarah Latymor, sister to Justin Latymor, the titular Lord Randall of book one.
Towards the end of that book, Randall and his crack team of riflemen, known throughout the army as “Randall’s Rogues” because its members are the “raff and scaff of the military gathered into one troop”, are plunged into the thick of the fighting. During the onslaught, Sarah’s twin brother, Gideon, is killed and after the battle, she discovers Justin is Missing in Action. Devastated by the loss of her twin and possibly of her eldest brother, too, Sarah insists on joining the search for Justin, accompanied by Mary Endacott, the young schoolmistress with whom Justin is in love.
When Sarah is separated from the search-party, she stumbles across a badly wounded officer whose uniform indicates he must be part of her brother’s regiment. She defends him from a couple of French peasants who are intent upon murder, and with the help of two of his men, manages to convey him back to Brussels. She recalls the last time she’d seen Major Thomas Bartlett, tall and wickedly handsome, a man whose reputation with the ladies made it inconceivable that a respectable young woman like Sarah could ever have anything to do with him. But war makes for strange bedfellows, so to speak, and Sarah does the previously unthinkable. Instead of consigning the major to the local military hospital, where it is likely he will be viewed as too close to death to bother with, she is persuaded by his men to take him back to her rooms and nurse him herself.
In fact, she was going to have to breach practically every rule by which she’d lived. She’d always taken such pains to keep her reputation spotless that she’d never been without a chaperon, not even when visiting the ladies’ retiring room at a ball. She could scarcely believe she’d just encouraged two hardened criminals to install the regiment’s most notorious rake in her bedroom.
Sarah is simultaneously amazed at herself and terrified. Not only is she going to jepoardise her reputation, but looking after a seriously injured man is a huge responsibility, and not one she feels adequately prepared to cope with.
All her life, she’s struggled with feelings of inadequacy; she’s not beautiful enough, not clever enough, not resourceful enough, not brave enough. She knows what everyone thinks of her, that she’s a “spoiled, empty-headed society miss”, whose thoughtlessness causes problems for others to solve. Yet Ms Burrows shows us over and again that despite what she thinks, Sarah is not those things, and gives us enough backstory to explain how she came to those conclusions. And like Sarah, Tom Bartlett is a man with little self-esteem; his father was a bankrupt who committed suicide and left his son to the care of relatives who mistreated him; and he has grown up feeling as though he is worthless.
The thing I most enjoyed about the book is something for which others have criticised it; namely that it is principally a “two-hander” that takes place in one room. Personally, I think that is the ideal setting for two people who don’t know each other to spend time together getting to know each other and falling in love – and that’s exactly what happens. Sarah gains confidence as she begins to see that Tom is improving in her care, and he finds that having someone around who thinks the best of him rather than the worst, enables him to see himself more clearly and perhaps realise that he isn’t as black as he’s been painted. The part that doesn’t quite ring true, and why I haven’t graded the book more highly, is in Tom’s persistence in the belief that he isn’t worthy of Sarah, and her insistence that she doesn’t want to get married, even after they’ve slept together. The latter is always something I find problematic in historicals, given the importance placed on virginity and the stigma attached to unwed mothers and their children.
Apart from those things though, A Mistress for Major Bartlett is an enjoyable, well-told story, in which the author has made excellent use of her historical backdrop. So many books set at this period reference Waterloo, but few of them take the reader there or use it as more than a convenient reference point. Here, the descriptions of the aftermath of battle at the beginning of the book are vividly powerful, putting the reader firmly on those blood-soaked fields of Belgium. Both protagonists are well-rounded characters and the slow-burn romance between them is very nicely done. It’s an enjoyable, quick read, and one I’d certainly recommend to anyone who likes their historical romance to be sprinkled liberally with actual history!
This is the second book in a trilogy of stories by different authors that are collectively entitled Brides of Waterloo , written to mark the two hundredth anniversary of that momentous battle.
I read the first book, Sarah Mallory’s A Lady for Lord Randall recently, and enjoyed it, so was eagerly anticipating this instalment, in which the heroine is Lady Sarah Latymor, sister to Justin Latymor, the titular Lord Randall of book one.
Towards the end of that book, Randall and his crack team of riflemen, known throughout the army as “Randall’s Rogues” because its members are the “raff and scaff of the military gathered into one troop”, are plunged into the thick of the fighting. During the onslaught, Sarah’s twin brother, Gideon, is killed and after the battle, she discovers Justin is Missing in Action. Devastated by the loss of her twin and possibly of her eldest brother, too, Sarah insists on joining the search for Justin, accompanied by Mary Endacott, the young schoolmistress with whom Justin is in love.
When Sarah is separated from the search-party, she stumbles across a badly wounded officer whose uniform indicates he must be part of her brother’s regiment. She defends him from a couple of French peasants who are intent upon murder, and with the help of two of his men, manages to convey him back to Brussels. She recalls the last time she’d seen Major Thomas Bartlett, tall and wickedly handsome, a man whose reputation with the ladies made it inconceivable that a respectable young woman like Sarah could ever have anything to do with him. But war makes for strange bedfellows, so to speak, and Sarah does the previously unthinkable. Instead of consigning the major to the local military hospital, where it is likely he will be viewed as too close to death to bother with, she is persuaded by his men to take him back to her rooms and nurse him herself.
In fact, she was going to have to breach practically every rule by which she’d lived. She’d always taken such pains to keep her reputation spotless that she’d never been without a chaperon, not even when visiting the ladies’ retiring room at a ball. She could scarcely believe she’d just encouraged two hardened criminals to install the regiment’s most notorious rake in her bedroom.
Sarah is simultaneously amazed at herself and terrified. Not only is she going to jepoardise her reputation, but looking after a seriously injured man is a huge responsibility, and not one she feels adequately prepared to cope with.
All her life, she’s struggled with feelings of inadequacy; she’s not beautiful enough, not clever enough, not resourceful enough, not brave enough. She knows what everyone thinks of her, that she’s a “spoiled, empty-headed society miss”, whose thoughtlessness causes problems for others to solve. Yet Ms Burrows shows us over and again that despite what she thinks, Sarah is not those things, and gives us enough backstory to explain how she came to those conclusions. And like Sarah, Tom Bartlett is a man with little self-esteem; his father was a bankrupt who committed suicide and left his son to the care of relatives who mistreated him; and he has grown up feeling as though he is worthless.
The thing I most enjoyed about the book is something for which others have criticised it; namely that it is principally a “two-hander” that takes place in one room. Personally, I think that is the ideal setting for two people who don’t know each other to spend time together getting to know each other and falling in love – and that’s exactly what happens. Sarah gains confidence as she begins to see that Tom is improving in her care, and he finds that having someone around who thinks the best of him rather than the worst, enables him to see himself more clearly and perhaps realise that he isn’t as black as he’s been painted. The part that doesn’t quite ring true, and why I haven’t graded the book more highly, is in Tom’s persistence in the belief that he isn’t worthy of Sarah, and her insistence that she doesn’t want to get married, even after they’ve slept together. The latter is always something I find problematic in historicals, given the importance placed on virginity and the stigma attached to unwed mothers and their children.
Apart from those things though, A Mistress for Major Bartlett is an enjoyable, well-told story, in which the author has made excellent use of her historical backdrop. So many books set at this period reference Waterloo, but few of them take the reader there or use it as more than a convenient reference point. Here, the descriptions of the aftermath of battle at the beginning of the book are vividly powerful, putting the reader firmly on those blood-soaked fields of Belgium. Both protagonists are well-rounded characters and the slow-burn romance between them is very nicely done. It’s an enjoyable, quick read, and one I’d certainly recommend to anyone who likes their historical romance to be sprinkled liberally with actual history!
October 23, 2015
I'd suggest not paying too much attention to the summary on goodreads. It manages to spoil a fair percentage of the book, and yet be completely misleading by making it seem much more tawdry than it actually is.
The story begins with Sarah Latymore, the darling of the ton, determinedly going in search of her twin brother who has been declared dead after a recent battle with Napoleons army. I arriving at Brussels, she discovers her older brother may be missing as well. Combining forces with Mary, the ex-fiancée of her older brother Justin (see book 1 in the series) the two of them head out (accompanied by her Justin's ' men, "Randall's Rogues") in search of her missing family members.
Upon arrival at the battlefield, there's no sign of Gideon, but Justin is sorely wounded. While Mary and the rogues see to his care, Sarah inadvertently stumbles over another of the rogues, also grievously wounded - the infamous rake Tom Bartlett. With no one else to turn to, Tom's care falls to Sarah herself, despite that so much as tending to him while unconscious could irrevocably damage her reputation - and what will happen when he wakes up and is able to turn his roguish charms on Sarah herself?
This is definitely an intriguing storyline. A lot of the time I can take or leave harlequins - it's hard to work a decent plot and believable, endearing characterization into such a limited number of pages. I think Burrows handled it quite well by limiting the number of characters that show up in the story, and rather than have a complicated plot with excessive drama she focused on Tom and Sarah getting to know each other. Being able to learn about the characters gives you much more of an investment in what happens to them. While Sarah had a few rough moments at first, both she and Tom proved to be quite likeable in the end.
I'm looking forward to picking up the other two companion novels in the series when I get the chance. I only wish there were books about the rest of Sarah's family as well - her independent sister Harriet sounds like an interesting character, and I wonder what happened in her relationship that made her change her views on marriage.
The story begins with Sarah Latymore, the darling of the ton, determinedly going in search of her twin brother who has been declared dead after a recent battle with Napoleons army. I arriving at Brussels, she discovers her older brother may be missing as well. Combining forces with Mary, the ex-fiancée of her older brother Justin (see book 1 in the series) the two of them head out (accompanied by her Justin's ' men, "Randall's Rogues") in search of her missing family members.
Upon arrival at the battlefield, there's no sign of Gideon, but Justin is sorely wounded. While Mary and the rogues see to his care, Sarah inadvertently stumbles over another of the rogues, also grievously wounded - the infamous rake Tom Bartlett. With no one else to turn to, Tom's care falls to Sarah herself, despite that so much as tending to him while unconscious could irrevocably damage her reputation - and what will happen when he wakes up and is able to turn his roguish charms on Sarah herself?
This is definitely an intriguing storyline. A lot of the time I can take or leave harlequins - it's hard to work a decent plot and believable, endearing characterization into such a limited number of pages. I think Burrows handled it quite well by limiting the number of characters that show up in the story, and rather than have a complicated plot with excessive drama she focused on Tom and Sarah getting to know each other. Being able to learn about the characters gives you much more of an investment in what happens to them. While Sarah had a few rough moments at first, both she and Tom proved to be quite likeable in the end.
I'm looking forward to picking up the other two companion novels in the series when I get the chance. I only wish there were books about the rest of Sarah's family as well - her independent sister Harriet sounds like an interesting character, and I wonder what happened in her relationship that made her change her views on marriage.
April 7, 2015
The fist line of this book’s blurb is horrid! And inappropriate for the story!
I liked the cover of this one, and have loved most of the historical romances produced by Harlequin/Mills and Boon (why more people don’t give them a chance I will never understand). So I was a little shocked when I started it and saw it had a couple of horrific early ratings.
Especially so as I enjoyed the opening chapters so much. Starting off a trilogy to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, this book goes into the sort of detail historical romances tend to gloss over and romanticise.
I suppose the reason opinion on this one is divided is because almost the entire book is set in one room. Normally I’d have had a real problem with this – there are some other authors who write lengthy scenes I lose patience with. However, it worked for me in this book most of the time. Annie Burrows must be a good writer to keep me turning the pages in something I might not have enjoyed by another author!
Because our heroine makes the snap decision to nurse the hero back to health alone, her reputation is essentially ruined from the outset, so some liberties with behaviour can be overlooked. I liked how the two fell in love.
I think by the very end things were drawn out just a bit too much. Too many scenes of the two agonising over why they couldn’t be together. I also got a little bit tired of the heroine’s insecurities, though I had to remind myself the timeframe of the story was quite short. However, I only found it dragging at the end, and then there was the happy resolution.
I like the idea of this series, and Louise Allen – a favourite of mine – is writing the next book, so I’m generally happy about this concept!
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
I liked the cover of this one, and have loved most of the historical romances produced by Harlequin/Mills and Boon (why more people don’t give them a chance I will never understand). So I was a little shocked when I started it and saw it had a couple of horrific early ratings.
Especially so as I enjoyed the opening chapters so much. Starting off a trilogy to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, this book goes into the sort of detail historical romances tend to gloss over and romanticise.
I suppose the reason opinion on this one is divided is because almost the entire book is set in one room. Normally I’d have had a real problem with this – there are some other authors who write lengthy scenes I lose patience with. However, it worked for me in this book most of the time. Annie Burrows must be a good writer to keep me turning the pages in something I might not have enjoyed by another author!
Because our heroine makes the snap decision to nurse the hero back to health alone, her reputation is essentially ruined from the outset, so some liberties with behaviour can be overlooked. I liked how the two fell in love.
I think by the very end things were drawn out just a bit too much. Too many scenes of the two agonising over why they couldn’t be together. I also got a little bit tired of the heroine’s insecurities, though I had to remind myself the timeframe of the story was quite short. However, I only found it dragging at the end, and then there was the happy resolution.
I like the idea of this series, and Louise Allen – a favourite of mine – is writing the next book, so I’m generally happy about this concept!
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
September 8, 2015
Very good book. The book begins with Sarah desperately trying to find out what happened to two of her brothers. Her twin brother has been reported as dead, but she doesn't want to believe it, and the other one is missing. Sarah is a society miss who has the reputation of being pretty but useless, but she has the determination to escape from her protective family and head for the battlefield to search for them.
Along with her older brother's ex-fiancee, Sarah searches the battlefield for her brothers. They find the older one, who is taken by his ex. Sarah doesn't find her twin, but does find another man who, by his uniform, is one of the men in her older brother's unit. Unwilling to leave him there to die, Sarah takes charge of him, hoping to find care for him. After discovering that a hospital is no guarantee that he would be cared for, Sarah takes him to her own lodgings.
Sarah has never felt any kind of confidence in herself or her abilities. She has never really had to take care of herself, much less someone else. Her family has always treated her as though she isn't too bright. Her twin was the only member of the family who seemed to understand her. She has surprised herself with the way she got to Brussels and now that she's insisted on caring for Tom. She's determined to succeed in saving him and throws herself into the process.
Tom is a man with the reputation of being a rake. It is bad enough that Sarah's brothers wouldn't introduce her to him, even though he's one of Justin's officers. He has come by his reputation fairly honestly, as he has never really cared what people think of him. His grandfather lost the family title when he supported the Jacobites and his father was a drunk who committed suicide. Tom was raised by an aunt and uncle who treated him badly, so he acted up in response. As an adult, he is notorious for his womanizing. He considers himself to be pretty worthless.
I liked Sarah. At the beginning of the book she had almost no self confidence, though she was much smarter than she gave herself credit for. I loved seeing the way that she made things happen. Her rescue of Tom was great, as was her determination to care for him. I liked seeing her step up to the expectations of those who didn't know her, such as the two soldiers who helped her with Tom. Thanks to their belief in her, she was able to do some things that amazed her. I really enjoyed seeing her work out what she needed to do and how to do it.
Tom's fevered view of her was as an angel who had come to save him. Once he recognized her he knew he should send her away to protect her from his reputation, but he couldn't let her go. I loved seeing how easily he understood her and her needs. For a man with such a terrible reputation, I thought he was amazingly honorable.
I loved the development of their relationship. Both of them shared things about themselves that they had never told anyone else. There were many ways that they were alike, and the things they shared brought them closer together. Sarah spends a fair amount of time trying to show Tom that he really isn't as bad as he thinks he is. Tom's ability to sense what Sarah is feeling and give her the comfort or encouragement that she needs shows that his feelings are much stronger than he realizes.
The attraction between them is really strong. Tom fights it hard, being the honorable man that he is. Sarah feels it also, but she wants to give in to it. She has no intention of ever marrying, thanks to the example of her father, but she still wants to be able to be with Tom. Besides their own issues, there are other obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is her older brother. There are two great scenes at the end involving him. The first is between him and Sarah, as she tells him exactly what she wants and intends, making it clear she's no longer the same airhead she had been before. I loved seeing her new confidence in herself and her feelings. The second is between him and Tom, as Tom faces the commanding officer who is also the brother of the woman he loves. Another great example of standing up for your love against those who would prevent it. I loved that conversation and how it turned out.
Along with her older brother's ex-fiancee, Sarah searches the battlefield for her brothers. They find the older one, who is taken by his ex. Sarah doesn't find her twin, but does find another man who, by his uniform, is one of the men in her older brother's unit. Unwilling to leave him there to die, Sarah takes charge of him, hoping to find care for him. After discovering that a hospital is no guarantee that he would be cared for, Sarah takes him to her own lodgings.
Sarah has never felt any kind of confidence in herself or her abilities. She has never really had to take care of herself, much less someone else. Her family has always treated her as though she isn't too bright. Her twin was the only member of the family who seemed to understand her. She has surprised herself with the way she got to Brussels and now that she's insisted on caring for Tom. She's determined to succeed in saving him and throws herself into the process.
Tom is a man with the reputation of being a rake. It is bad enough that Sarah's brothers wouldn't introduce her to him, even though he's one of Justin's officers. He has come by his reputation fairly honestly, as he has never really cared what people think of him. His grandfather lost the family title when he supported the Jacobites and his father was a drunk who committed suicide. Tom was raised by an aunt and uncle who treated him badly, so he acted up in response. As an adult, he is notorious for his womanizing. He considers himself to be pretty worthless.
I liked Sarah. At the beginning of the book she had almost no self confidence, though she was much smarter than she gave herself credit for. I loved seeing the way that she made things happen. Her rescue of Tom was great, as was her determination to care for him. I liked seeing her step up to the expectations of those who didn't know her, such as the two soldiers who helped her with Tom. Thanks to their belief in her, she was able to do some things that amazed her. I really enjoyed seeing her work out what she needed to do and how to do it.
Tom's fevered view of her was as an angel who had come to save him. Once he recognized her he knew he should send her away to protect her from his reputation, but he couldn't let her go. I loved seeing how easily he understood her and her needs. For a man with such a terrible reputation, I thought he was amazingly honorable.
I loved the development of their relationship. Both of them shared things about themselves that they had never told anyone else. There were many ways that they were alike, and the things they shared brought them closer together. Sarah spends a fair amount of time trying to show Tom that he really isn't as bad as he thinks he is. Tom's ability to sense what Sarah is feeling and give her the comfort or encouragement that she needs shows that his feelings are much stronger than he realizes.
The attraction between them is really strong. Tom fights it hard, being the honorable man that he is. Sarah feels it also, but she wants to give in to it. She has no intention of ever marrying, thanks to the example of her father, but she still wants to be able to be with Tom. Besides their own issues, there are other obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is her older brother. There are two great scenes at the end involving him. The first is between him and Sarah, as she tells him exactly what she wants and intends, making it clear she's no longer the same airhead she had been before. I loved seeing her new confidence in herself and her feelings. The second is between him and Tom, as Tom faces the commanding officer who is also the brother of the woman he loves. Another great example of standing up for your love against those who would prevent it. I loved that conversation and how it turned out.
February 14, 2018
"Voleva Tom. Voleva correre da lui e versare le proprie angosce nelle sue orecchie, perché le addolcisse con le sue parole amorevoli. Sentire la forza delle sue braccia tenerla stretta al suo cuore.
Perché quando la teneva così, lei non si sentiva più sola al mondo. Lei amava Tom. Non solo perché era bello e affascinante, ma perché era anche diventato il suo amico. Il suo confidente. L’unica persona cui poteva aprire il proprio cuore. L’uomo con cui desiderava vivere, invecchiare, perfino avere dei figli."
Dopo un paio di letture decisamente deludenti questa piccola perla ha ridato fiducia al genre storico per me XD Nonostante l'iniziale confusione, dovuta ovviamente al fatto che come sempre ho iniziato la serie non dal primo (sigh), mi sono immersa totalmente nella storia e nell'ambientazione tanto originale quanto straziante dei campi di guerra, tra morti, feriti e orrori di ogni tipo. La storia d'amore tra Sarah e Tom non è solo struggente e romantica ma prima ancora di essere una storia d'amore è una storia di amicizia, di onore e lealtà, di riscoperta verso sé stessi e gli altri, perché spesso permettiamo che sia la società o la nostra stessa famiglia ad assegnarci un'etichetta e una collocazione che poi per paura o comodità teniamo strette pur non rispecchiandoci affatto in quell'immagine. Ed è così che attraverso lo strazio del lutto, l'orrore dei combattimenti e l'amore per un soldato ferito nel corpo e nello spirito, la dolce e apparentemente vanesia Sarah scopre di essere molto più di un soprammobile nel mercato matrimoniale del ton, una donna buona solo a sposarsi e avere figli, tira finalmente fuori la grinta e rivendica la sua vita e il suo futuro accanto all'uomo che ama...e così anche il tenace Tom non può che soccombere di fronte all'amore che ha atteso tutta la vita! *ç* L'unica pecca che ho rilevato è forse l'epilogo troppo frettoloso, ma ho intenzione di recuperare i restanti della serie e sopratutto qualche altro libro dell'autrice ;D
"«Portami a casa, Tom.»
Casa. Lui sollevò il capo, gli occhi chiusi, e inghiottì quello che gli parve un singhiozzo. Da quel momento in poi, ovunque lei si trovasse, sarebbe stata casa sua."
Perché quando la teneva così, lei non si sentiva più sola al mondo. Lei amava Tom. Non solo perché era bello e affascinante, ma perché era anche diventato il suo amico. Il suo confidente. L’unica persona cui poteva aprire il proprio cuore. L’uomo con cui desiderava vivere, invecchiare, perfino avere dei figli."
Dopo un paio di letture decisamente deludenti questa piccola perla ha ridato fiducia al genre storico per me XD Nonostante l'iniziale confusione, dovuta ovviamente al fatto che come sempre ho iniziato la serie non dal primo (sigh), mi sono immersa totalmente nella storia e nell'ambientazione tanto originale quanto straziante dei campi di guerra, tra morti, feriti e orrori di ogni tipo. La storia d'amore tra Sarah e Tom non è solo struggente e romantica ma prima ancora di essere una storia d'amore è una storia di amicizia, di onore e lealtà, di riscoperta verso sé stessi e gli altri, perché spesso permettiamo che sia la società o la nostra stessa famiglia ad assegnarci un'etichetta e una collocazione che poi per paura o comodità teniamo strette pur non rispecchiandoci affatto in quell'immagine. Ed è così che attraverso lo strazio del lutto, l'orrore dei combattimenti e l'amore per un soldato ferito nel corpo e nello spirito, la dolce e apparentemente vanesia Sarah scopre di essere molto più di un soprammobile nel mercato matrimoniale del ton, una donna buona solo a sposarsi e avere figli, tira finalmente fuori la grinta e rivendica la sua vita e il suo futuro accanto all'uomo che ama...e così anche il tenace Tom non può che soccombere di fronte all'amore che ha atteso tutta la vita! *ç* L'unica pecca che ho rilevato è forse l'epilogo troppo frettoloso, ma ho intenzione di recuperare i restanti della serie e sopratutto qualche altro libro dell'autrice ;D
"«Portami a casa, Tom.»
Casa. Lui sollevò il capo, gli occhi chiusi, e inghiottì quello che gli parve un singhiozzo. Da quel momento in poi, ovunque lei si trovasse, sarebbe stata casa sua."
July 1, 2015
Award-winning author Annie Burrows continues the enthralling Brides of Waterloo series with A Mistress for Major Bartlett, a heart-rending, intriguing and highly engrossing historical romance that is absolutely impossible to resist!
Lady Sarah Latymor has spent most of her life feeling unloved and unappreciated by her family and her friends – except for her beloved twin brother, Gideon. As the only person in the world who cares about her and who makes life bearable, Gideon is a beacon of light in an increasingly dark and lonely world for Sarah and she is absolutely heartbroken when her twin announces that he’s going off to war to fight for his country and defeat the enemy. Heartbreak quickly gives way to devastation when the news reaches her that her twin has been killed and is missing in action. Unable to bear the agonising pain of not knowing her twin’s fate, Sarah realises that she’s got no other option open to her other then to head to the front line to find Gideon. Sarah had left her life behind for the dangers of the battlefield to find answers, but she never expected to find her salvation – or love -in the arms of the devastatingly handsome – but wounded – soldier, Tom Bartlett.
Tom’s fearsome reputation on the battlefield is matched only by his prowess as a scoundrel with the ability to seduce any woman who strikes his fancy. Tom has never cared much about what other people thought of him. As a child, he had been misjudged and mistreated because of his father’s mistakes and penchant for gambling, and thus Tom had matured into a laidback daredevil with a passion for daring and danger. With a reputation as a shameless reprobate, distinct lack of funds and an inability to commit to any woman for longer than one night, Tom has spent the best part of his life avoiding the shackles of matrimony. But when he is rescued by a ministering angel in his hour of need, his resolve to stay stubbornly single begins to waver – until he realises that the woman who has been tending to him is none other than Lady Sarah Latymor, an innocent who is not only his social superior, but also his commanding officer’s virginal sister!
Tom is well aware that Sarah’s selfless action could spell her ruin. While he doesn’t care a jot for his reputation, he is willing to do anything to protect Sarah from being cast aside from polite society. Although his head is telling him that the only sensible course of action is to demand that Sarah leaves him, his heart is breaking at the thought of spending the rest of his life without her by his side.
Is their love strong enough to triumph against all the obstacles standing in their way? Or will the vast chasms that divide them succeed in tearing them apart?
A Mistress for Major Bartlett is a spectacular tale of courage, redemption, hope and the healing power of love that gripped me from the very beginning and kept me mesmerized until the poignant denouement. Annie Burrows is a gifted storyteller who deftly blends passion, emotion, pathos and drama in an unforgettable historical romance that I was unable to put down.
Sarah was a wonderfully believable, flawed and realistic heroine and her journey from spoiled and slightly lost society girl to a mature, confident and resilient woman will strike a chord with readers everywhere and Tom was a gorgeous, charismatic and beguiling hero no woman will be able to resist!
A first-class Regency romance from a writer who gets better and better with every book she writes, A Mistress for Major Bartlett is the latest must-read tale from Annie Burrows’ talented pen!
This review was originally published on Cataromance.
Lady Sarah Latymor has spent most of her life feeling unloved and unappreciated by her family and her friends – except for her beloved twin brother, Gideon. As the only person in the world who cares about her and who makes life bearable, Gideon is a beacon of light in an increasingly dark and lonely world for Sarah and she is absolutely heartbroken when her twin announces that he’s going off to war to fight for his country and defeat the enemy. Heartbreak quickly gives way to devastation when the news reaches her that her twin has been killed and is missing in action. Unable to bear the agonising pain of not knowing her twin’s fate, Sarah realises that she’s got no other option open to her other then to head to the front line to find Gideon. Sarah had left her life behind for the dangers of the battlefield to find answers, but she never expected to find her salvation – or love -in the arms of the devastatingly handsome – but wounded – soldier, Tom Bartlett.
Tom’s fearsome reputation on the battlefield is matched only by his prowess as a scoundrel with the ability to seduce any woman who strikes his fancy. Tom has never cared much about what other people thought of him. As a child, he had been misjudged and mistreated because of his father’s mistakes and penchant for gambling, and thus Tom had matured into a laidback daredevil with a passion for daring and danger. With a reputation as a shameless reprobate, distinct lack of funds and an inability to commit to any woman for longer than one night, Tom has spent the best part of his life avoiding the shackles of matrimony. But when he is rescued by a ministering angel in his hour of need, his resolve to stay stubbornly single begins to waver – until he realises that the woman who has been tending to him is none other than Lady Sarah Latymor, an innocent who is not only his social superior, but also his commanding officer’s virginal sister!
Tom is well aware that Sarah’s selfless action could spell her ruin. While he doesn’t care a jot for his reputation, he is willing to do anything to protect Sarah from being cast aside from polite society. Although his head is telling him that the only sensible course of action is to demand that Sarah leaves him, his heart is breaking at the thought of spending the rest of his life without her by his side.
Is their love strong enough to triumph against all the obstacles standing in their way? Or will the vast chasms that divide them succeed in tearing them apart?
A Mistress for Major Bartlett is a spectacular tale of courage, redemption, hope and the healing power of love that gripped me from the very beginning and kept me mesmerized until the poignant denouement. Annie Burrows is a gifted storyteller who deftly blends passion, emotion, pathos and drama in an unforgettable historical romance that I was unable to put down.
Sarah was a wonderfully believable, flawed and realistic heroine and her journey from spoiled and slightly lost society girl to a mature, confident and resilient woman will strike a chord with readers everywhere and Tom was a gorgeous, charismatic and beguiling hero no woman will be able to resist!
A first-class Regency romance from a writer who gets better and better with every book she writes, A Mistress for Major Bartlett is the latest must-read tale from Annie Burrows’ talented pen!
This review was originally published on Cataromance.
May 27, 2015
It's been a while since I last read a M&B Historical, and I'd forgotten how good they could be. There are few historical imprints out there that I can trust more to pay such close attention to detail and overall accuracy, and this book definitely fits the bill. The opening scene of Sarah’s ride across the battlefield was vivid and powerful without being gratuitous or over the top. Waterloo has fascinated me ever since I read Georgette Heyer’s An Infamous Army, so it was good to see evidence of the true price of such a bloody battle.
As I’ve not read the previous book in the series, I came to this one without any prior knowledge of Sarah or Tom. Partly I think this is a good thing, since it sounds like Sarah didn’t exactly cover herself in glory in the first book, but it’s also a bad thing. We meet Sarah after she’s ridden alone from Antwerp to Brussels, rescued a terrified dog, spent the night in the stables to protect her horse and then rides out onto the bloody fields of Waterloo in search of her twin brother – and her older brother too.
Judging by her actions she seems like a plucky, intrepid kind of girl. However, her own opinion of herself (and that of those who know her) is quite different. I found it a little hard to match up the Sarah I was reading about with the Sarah who’s a mindless wigeon and gets other people into trouble. It just seemed so unlikely. But as the book progressed I learnt more about who she was before and why she might have changed so much in such a short time.
I actually quite liked her. The way she rides out in search of Gideon may have been mostly driven by grief, but was also brave, and I liked her uncertainty when Tom was thrust into her care. She’s never nursed anyone before, no one she knows would ever believe she could, but there’s no one else so she throws herself into the whole thing with gusto. I loved how it gave her confidence in herself and how Tom really grew to understand her, her fears and uncertainties and the person she’d been hiding inside all those years.
I liked Tom too. He’s a typical womanising rogue (not a rake, as Sarah points out, since her father was definitely one of those and a whole lot worse) that is at heart terribly misunderstood and not half as bad as he’s painted. He doesn’t think much of himself, but he thinks the world of Sarah and I loved how their relationship developed and deepened with mutual respect and trust and belief in each other.
Despite the opening, there’s not a lot of action in this book, since it mostly takes place in one room, but I liked the intimate setting. It really gave the main characters a chance to get to know each other, far from the disapproval of society and family. However, the I-am-not-worthy and I-don’t-want-to-marry-anyone back and forth did get a little tedious towards the end, and all the characters connected to the other books seem awful. I’m sure if I'd read Mary’s story first I wouldn’t like Sarah, but I didn’t, so I find myself not liking Mary or Justin – and as for Flint… let’s say I wasn’t left too eager to find out his story.
Enjoyable, easy to read, with a lovely romance and a couple of less-than-perfect characters in need of mutual redemption. It’s sweet, it’s romantic and the historical details were beautifully done.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
As I’ve not read the previous book in the series, I came to this one without any prior knowledge of Sarah or Tom. Partly I think this is a good thing, since it sounds like Sarah didn’t exactly cover herself in glory in the first book, but it’s also a bad thing. We meet Sarah after she’s ridden alone from Antwerp to Brussels, rescued a terrified dog, spent the night in the stables to protect her horse and then rides out onto the bloody fields of Waterloo in search of her twin brother – and her older brother too.
Judging by her actions she seems like a plucky, intrepid kind of girl. However, her own opinion of herself (and that of those who know her) is quite different. I found it a little hard to match up the Sarah I was reading about with the Sarah who’s a mindless wigeon and gets other people into trouble. It just seemed so unlikely. But as the book progressed I learnt more about who she was before and why she might have changed so much in such a short time.
I actually quite liked her. The way she rides out in search of Gideon may have been mostly driven by grief, but was also brave, and I liked her uncertainty when Tom was thrust into her care. She’s never nursed anyone before, no one she knows would ever believe she could, but there’s no one else so she throws herself into the whole thing with gusto. I loved how it gave her confidence in herself and how Tom really grew to understand her, her fears and uncertainties and the person she’d been hiding inside all those years.
I liked Tom too. He’s a typical womanising rogue (not a rake, as Sarah points out, since her father was definitely one of those and a whole lot worse) that is at heart terribly misunderstood and not half as bad as he’s painted. He doesn’t think much of himself, but he thinks the world of Sarah and I loved how their relationship developed and deepened with mutual respect and trust and belief in each other.
Despite the opening, there’s not a lot of action in this book, since it mostly takes place in one room, but I liked the intimate setting. It really gave the main characters a chance to get to know each other, far from the disapproval of society and family. However, the I-am-not-worthy and I-don’t-want-to-marry-anyone back and forth did get a little tedious towards the end, and all the characters connected to the other books seem awful. I’m sure if I'd read Mary’s story first I wouldn’t like Sarah, but I didn’t, so I find myself not liking Mary or Justin – and as for Flint… let’s say I wasn’t left too eager to find out his story.
Enjoyable, easy to read, with a lovely romance and a couple of less-than-perfect characters in need of mutual redemption. It’s sweet, it’s romantic and the historical details were beautifully done.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
June 28, 2017
After completing this series, I have bumped up the rating for this book to 4.5 stars (rounded up on GR to 5 stars).
Another wonderful installment in the series! I hadn't had much of an impression of Sarah from the last book other than she was typical shallow daughter of a titled peer. Tom got almost no page time in the last book, so I had less to go on here. However, the author did an amazing job showing that there was A LOT more to Sarah and Tom than the impressions given in the first book. The character development of Sarah alone is worth reading this book. Man, what a lady - Sarah did so much to help others while grieving for Gideon and worrying about Justin. Tom also revealed his character is several layers deep as well. Again, no frippery or inane ballroom gossip - this book was about who we really are and our capabilities when lives are on the line and devastation of war is our reality. I would very much recommend this book.
Another wonderful installment in the series! I hadn't had much of an impression of Sarah from the last book other than she was typical shallow daughter of a titled peer. Tom got almost no page time in the last book, so I had less to go on here. However, the author did an amazing job showing that there was A LOT more to Sarah and Tom than the impressions given in the first book. The character development of Sarah alone is worth reading this book. Man, what a lady - Sarah did so much to help others while grieving for Gideon and worrying about Justin. Tom also revealed his character is several layers deep as well. Again, no frippery or inane ballroom gossip - this book was about who we really are and our capabilities when lives are on the line and devastation of war is our reality. I would very much recommend this book.
March 23, 2017
One of the more interesting aspects of this novel is the fact that for the most part it takes place in one room- at Tom's sickbed, where Sophie nurses him. Unable to help her twin who has died in the last skirmish against the French, she turns her attention to the Major she finds lying in a ditch. As he begins to heal physically they both tackle their emotional wounds. And boy, do they have wounds:
Tom's are a result of his grandfather losing the title and his father losing the money. All leading to him becoming a womanizer, so notorious he is known as Tom Cat. Sophie, the daughter of a notorious womanizer has decided not to marry, living her life through her twin (Gideon) and hiding herself in dresses and frippery.
I was surprised that Tom's issues were taking more of a role in the story than Sophie's, as I would imagine that she is just as scarred by her father as by Tom. Yet, she overlooks all his rakish ways quite quickly, believing that he will stay true to her. I think her brother Justin has an absolute right to be worried, even though she doesn't see it.
None-the-less a fun and relaxing read.
Tom's are a result of his grandfather losing the title and his father losing the money. All leading to him becoming a womanizer, so notorious he is known as Tom Cat. Sophie, the daughter of a notorious womanizer has decided not to marry, living her life through her twin (Gideon) and hiding herself in dresses and frippery.
I was surprised that Tom's issues were taking more of a role in the story than Sophie's, as I would imagine that she is just as scarred by her father as by Tom. Yet, she overlooks all his rakish ways quite quickly, believing that he will stay true to her. I think her brother Justin has an absolute right to be worried, even though she doesn't see it.
None-the-less a fun and relaxing read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2019
Major Tom Bartlett is shocked to discover the angel who nursed his battle wounds is darling of the ton Lady Sarah Latymor. One taste of her threatens both her impeccable reputation and his career!
An honorable man would ask for her hand, but Bartlett is considered an unrepentant rake by polite society; sweet Sarah would be spurned as his mistress and even as his wife. He demands she leave, but Sarah is just as determined to stay by his side—and in his bed!
I absolutely loved this story, the characters were great! I love how it all turn out, the setting is brilliant!
An honorable man would ask for her hand, but Bartlett is considered an unrepentant rake by polite society; sweet Sarah would be spurned as his mistress and even as his wife. He demands she leave, but Sarah is just as determined to stay by his side—and in his bed!
I absolutely loved this story, the characters were great! I love how it all turn out, the setting is brilliant!
January 18, 2021
This would be a much better story if not for the main characters having both such a low self esteem. They spent large portion of the book clapping their back and trying to convince one another that they are better people than they believe.
In spite of that, even though I never believed in the ‘reformed rake’ concept in a book, I quite enjoyed reading the book. There could have been more action on the battlefield for my taste.
In spite of that, even though I never believed in the ‘reformed rake’ concept in a book, I quite enjoyed reading the book. There could have been more action on the battlefield for my taste.
April 7, 2020
This book was so bad. It needed no stars but I wanted it to post. Unlikable characters. The heroine cries at least 15 times during the book. The hero is an imoralist dip s***. I was sorry for the other authors of this series who must of shaken with repulsion at this book and how it was so inadequately, supposed,y, merged with their own stories.
December 8, 2021
DNF 30% and skimmed the rest. Bit exposition-y. The details of the battlefield were good. It went downhill once the “nursing” started. The h was blah. She didn’t really have a personality. The H, well, conscious only for a few hours after suffering a head injury instantly starts with the seduction. He’s a rake, but really? He wasn’t very sympathetic. Not very steamy.
August 13, 2023
Belgium. Not much of a plot to this book. But Sarah is asked to nurse Tom, a soldier in the war, back to health. They spend about 3/4 of the book in her bedroom. And most of that time is just spent in dialogue. Not exactly action-packed.
February 1, 2020
Cute, quick read. Not earth-shattering nor life-changing, but cute, quick, and entertaining.
July 19, 2015
I would actually give this a 3 1/2 star as it's a little bit more than 'average' but not quite enough to give it 4 star. It all takes place within a week so you don't have to worry with trying to figure out time frames etc. This is actually book 2 of the Brides of Waterloo series but this is a stand alone novel. I haven't read the others and wasn't lost, without the other books.
This is a bout a woman headstrong to not become the person that is 'expected' of a proper woman. or marrying the 'right' man to suit her inheritance. She would rather be a hermit living alone all her life than marry a man that would be the same as her Dad. He was a 'lady's' man and didn't care if her Mother knew it either. She has so many half siblings she wasn't real sure who all they really were. And that type of relationship she wanted nothing of.
She sets out to proof her twin brother didn't die in battle; her family was happy to just 'hear' he had been killed. So she sneaks out exposing herself to all the aftermaths of what the brutal war holds. Seeing sights she never imagined she'd see. BUT when she accidentally gets herself in a situation she rescues a man that was knocking on deaths door. His soldiers help her rescue him and take him to her room versus the local hospital where surely he would die. She is 'forced' although soon it becomes not forced to care for a man that needed her. She was soon understanding life was more than having maids, and people waiting on her. She little by little start finding who she really wants to be although it may not be what society expects of her.
The man she saves once he starts getting better realizes there's more to life than being the type of man her "Dad" is and that men shouldn't or don't have to be that way. That there is true love to be had.
This is a little more 'adult situation' than I normally would like. But the book isn't 'flooded' with those situations, so doesn't ruin the story itself. Although without it the story may not would have come full circle. With that being said I wouldn't recommend this for a pre teen who may not have been exposed to, or understand adult situations before
April 22, 2022
Sweet Romance
Lady Sarah Latymor is determined to find out if her twin brother has really died in the Battle of Waterloo. On her quest to find him, the day after the war, Lady Sarah meets seriously wounded Major Tom Bartlett again. He needs immediate medical attention. Lady Sarah gets him help but he will need continuous nursing care. She has to step on and do it. She has never done anything as serious as like this before. Lady Sarah is determined to prove to herself that she can do it.
While nursing the handsome, Major Tom, they both started to fall in love with one another.
Major Tom Bartlett is known for being a notorious rake by everyone, including Lady Sarah. Can their love for one another help Lady Sarah to trust Major Tom, that he will be true to her only and can they both convince her brother so he will give his permission for Sarah to marry Tom ?
💕
This was a sweet romance story, with a lot of the scenes taking place just between Lady Sarah and Major Tom. Their love steadily grew while Sarah nursed him. Sarah's confidence in herself grew also, as she was finally presented with a task, which her family couldn't interfer with her doing.
This story was paced well, with good sexual tension parts and was heart warming. A little bit more conflict in this story and I would of given it five stars.
It contains open door bedroom scenes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lady Sarah Latymor is determined to find out if her twin brother has really died in the Battle of Waterloo. On her quest to find him, the day after the war, Lady Sarah meets seriously wounded Major Tom Bartlett again. He needs immediate medical attention. Lady Sarah gets him help but he will need continuous nursing care. She has to step on and do it. She has never done anything as serious as like this before. Lady Sarah is determined to prove to herself that she can do it.
While nursing the handsome, Major Tom, they both started to fall in love with one another.
Major Tom Bartlett is known for being a notorious rake by everyone, including Lady Sarah. Can their love for one another help Lady Sarah to trust Major Tom, that he will be true to her only and can they both convince her brother so he will give his permission for Sarah to marry Tom ?
💕
This was a sweet romance story, with a lot of the scenes taking place just between Lady Sarah and Major Tom. Their love steadily grew while Sarah nursed him. Sarah's confidence in herself grew also, as she was finally presented with a task, which her family couldn't interfer with her doing.
This story was paced well, with good sexual tension parts and was heart warming. A little bit more conflict in this story and I would of given it five stars.
It contains open door bedroom scenes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 30, 2023
A Favourite
This is my favourite book in a favourite series.
For me Sarah is a true heroine. Within a family that has failed to see the real Sarah, and her twin through whom she has lived adventures, she has trained herself to be the ‘good girl’. To avoid the sort of emotional confrontations and disruptions the rest of her family create, she wears a mask of serene vapidity. At 22 she has come to believe what others do, that she has little going on in her head.
Tom is alone in the world; the closest he has to family is the army. He decided as a child that if he was to be punished for being a wicked boy, he might as well BE one. Nicknamed Tom Cat for his womanising, he is kept far away from Sarah.
How these two meet after the battle, how they bring out the best in the other, and how they grow and discover strengths and abilities they didn’t think they had, all the while, (against their believed ‘better judgment’) falling in love.
This book is a joy to read.
Highly recommended!
This is my favourite book in a favourite series.
For me Sarah is a true heroine. Within a family that has failed to see the real Sarah, and her twin through whom she has lived adventures, she has trained herself to be the ‘good girl’. To avoid the sort of emotional confrontations and disruptions the rest of her family create, she wears a mask of serene vapidity. At 22 she has come to believe what others do, that she has little going on in her head.
Tom is alone in the world; the closest he has to family is the army. He decided as a child that if he was to be punished for being a wicked boy, he might as well BE one. Nicknamed Tom Cat for his womanising, he is kept far away from Sarah.
How these two meet after the battle, how they bring out the best in the other, and how they grow and discover strengths and abilities they didn’t think they had, all the while, (against their believed ‘better judgment’) falling in love.
This book is a joy to read.
Highly recommended!
December 30, 2015
Second in the trilogy, and this time I felt we got to know the heroine much better. Sarah is regarded as empty-headed by many, mainly because of the restrictions placed on her by her family and by society. Her main adventures prior to Waterloo have been lived through the letters sent by her twin brother; however, when he is declared missing presumed dead after the battle she sets out to find him and instead rescues one of the officers from her older brother's regiment.
Sarah is resourceful and not above telling a few white lies to get what she feels is best for other people. I liked how she matured into her new role nursing the wounded officer and was able to gain a new sense of purpose for her life from that as well as from her relationship with the Major. I also enjoyed the humour the pair of them shared and the glimpses we got of other men from the regiment.
Sarah is resourceful and not above telling a few white lies to get what she feels is best for other people. I liked how she matured into her new role nursing the wounded officer and was able to gain a new sense of purpose for her life from that as well as from her relationship with the Major. I also enjoyed the humour the pair of them shared and the glimpses we got of other men from the regiment.
May 4, 2016
Good story. The heroine is the sister of a couple of officers in the British Army, one of them her twin. She goes to Brussels before Napoleon's escape to hang out with her twin and meet the school mistress who has captivated the older brother. The hero is a rather disreputable officer in big brother's artillery regiment, one everybody warns her away from. But when she gets rather brutal notification that her twin was killed at Waterloo, she heads back to Brussels to make sure, and winds up going out to the battlefield with her big brother's sweetheart where she rescues the injured hero. She takes him back to her lodgings to nurse him back to health and everyone assumes the worst, mostly because of the hero's reputation. I liked this. It's a good read.
July 1, 2016
2 1/2
I didn't like Sarah the heroine. And I'm usually a sucker for a Waterloo story. She just annoyed me. She annoyed me in the fist book and I have the sneaking suspicion that she's going to annoy me in the final book - especially since she talks about the horrible thing she does to Flint. She's totally passive-aggressive and while she does nurse Tom back to health, it's a good thing he wasn't seriously injured. He'd never have survived.
I know this series was written to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo but I don't like the three books taking place contemporaneously. It feels gimmicky and I don't like that device in any series so it's really a prejudice of mine.
I didn't like Sarah the heroine. And I'm usually a sucker for a Waterloo story. She just annoyed me. She annoyed me in the fist book and I have the sneaking suspicion that she's going to annoy me in the final book - especially since she talks about the horrible thing she does to Flint. She's totally passive-aggressive and while she does nurse Tom back to health, it's a good thing he wasn't seriously injured. He'd never have survived.
I know this series was written to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo but I don't like the three books taking place contemporaneously. It feels gimmicky and I don't like that device in any series so it's really a prejudice of mine.
May 3, 2015
I did like the first one much more than this second installment in the series "Brides of Waterloo". I do not like Sarah even from the first book and Tom was not so good either in my opinion, so I wouldn't recommend this book, but this is just my opinion.
Il primo volume di questa serie "Brides of Waterloo", mi é piaciuto molto di piú. Sarah poi non mi era piaciuta dall'inizio e neanche Tom era poi questo granché quindi non raccomanderei questo libro a nessuno, ma questa é soltanto la mia opinione.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN FOR THE PREVIEW!
Il primo volume di questa serie "Brides of Waterloo", mi é piaciuto molto di piú. Sarah poi non mi era piaciuta dall'inizio e neanche Tom era poi questo granché quindi non raccomanderei questo libro a nessuno, ma questa é soltanto la mia opinione.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND HARLEQUIN FOR THE PREVIEW!
November 2, 2015
I've not read a true war romance and this was good. Probably a 3.5 rating. Tom and Sarah had a nice little romance, and the writing was good. I just didn't have this overwhelming urge to keep reading. I did finish the book, obviously, because I wanted to see the end. But it wasn't just sucking me in like I wanted it to.
June 30, 2016
* I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads *
I enjoyed this story of a young woman out of her element. While I thought there were a few too many moments where I wanted to yell at the characters to just say what they were thinking, it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the rest of the story. This was a nice easy read finished in a few hours.
I enjoyed this story of a young woman out of her element. While I thought there were a few too many moments where I wanted to yell at the characters to just say what they were thinking, it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the rest of the story. This was a nice easy read finished in a few hours.
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January 12, 2016"Burrows continues the Brides of Waterloo miniseries with a passionate and emotional tale readers will love. Burrows’ installment is focused on a spoiled miss and a rakish soldier. There is a vast gulf between them — socially and emotionally — but it’s nothing that love can’t conquer" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: Brides of Waterloo
Miniseries: Brides of Waterloo
June 27, 2015
Am thrilled to have stumbled across this entertaining book by Annie Burrows, which is part of the Waterloo Brides trilogy.
I know a lot about this period, and can therefore say that the historical research is first class and the hero and heroine are delightful. An utterly satisfying romance, and I shall be buying the other two novels by Sarah Mallory and Louise Allen. Highly recommended.
I know a lot about this period, and can therefore say that the historical research is first class and the hero and heroine are delightful. An utterly satisfying romance, and I shall be buying the other two novels by Sarah Mallory and Louise Allen. Highly recommended.
May 23, 2015
This is the second book of the Brides of Waterloo trilogy. A lovely read with great characters. I love Battle of Waterloo romances. It gave me great pleasure reading this enjoyable story.
I know its a story, and wonderful as it was, in places it made me tearful - war is hell.
I know its a story, and wonderful as it was, in places it made me tearful - war is hell.
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July 6, 2015Miniseries: Brides of Waterloo
February 12, 2016
3.5 out of 5 stars
April 9, 2017
This was a lovely romance story.
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