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Heiress #4
Fortune's Bride
Esmeralda Talbot, born and raised in India by a money-grubbing father, was accompanying him to England for his health when the luck that had made him rich finally failed. Not only were Esmeralda and her father shipwrecked in Portugal but they were stranded in the midst of the French invasion of that country. Then Merry’s father died and because she was British she was the enemy to the invading French.
War was Robert Moreton’s passion and he had found a position as aide de camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley, who headed the British force assigned to drive the French out of Portugal. War requires beasts of burden. Robert was sent to collect horses, mules, and oxen. He was horrified to discover instead of mules in a seaside village a British maiden in distress.
That was the luckiest find of his life, but then control of the war was wrested from Sir Arthur’s hands. Stalemate under incompetent leaders was followed by a retreat that nearly cost the life Robert had saved and made wonderful.
War was Robert Moreton’s passion and he had found a position as aide de camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley, who headed the British force assigned to drive the French out of Portugal. War requires beasts of burden. Robert was sent to collect horses, mules, and oxen. He was horrified to discover instead of mules in a seaside village a British maiden in distress.
That was the luckiest find of his life, but then control of the war was wrested from Sir Arthur’s hands. Stalemate under incompetent leaders was followed by a retreat that nearly cost the life Robert had saved and made wonderful.
395 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1983
19 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Roberta Gellis
56 books185 followersRoberta Gellis has been one of the most successful writers of historical fiction of the last few decades, having published about 25 meticulously researched historical novels since 1964. She was married to her husband Charles for over 50 years and they lived together in Lafayette, Indiana with a lively Lakeland terrier called Taffy. She has one child called Mark.
Her page at the Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase
Her page at the Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 7, 2014
Where to start with a review for this? Full disclosure: I do love Roberta Gellis, but she can be a bit hit and miss for me, especially when she's at her explainatory worst. Which is the case with this book. This is the fourth book in a five book series Gellis wrote about the fictional St. Eyre family of Cornwall.
The girl: Esmeralda (Merry) Talbot is stranded in a small town in Portugal when she and her father are shipwrecked on the way back to England after a lifetime in India (pops made a whole buncha money and left it all to Merry). Fortunately for Merry, the villagers *helping* her aren't aware that she's going to come into a ton of money once she gets to England and can claim her inheritence.
The guy: Robert Moreton is the younger St. Eyre son, and pretty much settled to life in the military and not much intentions of finding a wife to traipse hither and thither on his campaigns. Robert and troops find themselves in Portugal and he finds Merry and saves her from her grasping saviors - but - he's got to take her along with the troops and she can't very well do that unmarried without ruining her reputation.
Marriage of convenience here we come. Big Misunderstanding here we come, since these two can't just sit down and talk things out, nor can they say those magic three words I love you. Bah. Top that off with the sort of military action that involves moving troops around Spain and Portugal in anticipation of Napoleon's arrival and you've got a snoozer.
"The army broke camp and marched for Roliça in the early morning of August 17. Still earlier, Esmeralda mounted on Boa Viagem, and Carlos riding Luisa, had left Caldas. They reached the outskirts of Óbidos in time to watch the last units of the reserve march out of camp."
"The army was ordered to camp on a ridge of high ground above the road leading to Lourinha while Sir Arthur set up temporary headquarters in Cazal da Sprega."
*yawn*
Oh, and did I mention Gellis was at her explainatory worst here? Both characters have to analyze every excruciating detail of every event in each other's lives and the lives of the people around them.
There's still one book in this series I haven't read (and I do own a copy), but I'm not in any big hurry to go there.
Kindle copy obtained via library loan.
The girl: Esmeralda (Merry) Talbot is stranded in a small town in Portugal when she and her father are shipwrecked on the way back to England after a lifetime in India (pops made a whole buncha money and left it all to Merry). Fortunately for Merry, the villagers *helping* her aren't aware that she's going to come into a ton of money once she gets to England and can claim her inheritence.
The guy: Robert Moreton is the younger St. Eyre son, and pretty much settled to life in the military and not much intentions of finding a wife to traipse hither and thither on his campaigns. Robert and troops find themselves in Portugal and he finds Merry and saves her from her grasping saviors - but - he's got to take her along with the troops and she can't very well do that unmarried without ruining her reputation.
Marriage of convenience here we come. Big Misunderstanding here we come, since these two can't just sit down and talk things out, nor can they say those magic three words I love you. Bah. Top that off with the sort of military action that involves moving troops around Spain and Portugal in anticipation of Napoleon's arrival and you've got a snoozer.
"The army broke camp and marched for Roliça in the early morning of August 17. Still earlier, Esmeralda mounted on Boa Viagem, and Carlos riding Luisa, had left Caldas. They reached the outskirts of Óbidos in time to watch the last units of the reserve march out of camp."
"The army was ordered to camp on a ridge of high ground above the road leading to Lourinha while Sir Arthur set up temporary headquarters in Cazal da Sprega."
*yawn*
Oh, and did I mention Gellis was at her explainatory worst here? Both characters have to analyze every excruciating detail of every event in each other's lives and the lives of the people around them.
There's still one book in this series I haven't read (and I do own a copy), but I'm not in any big hurry to go there.
Kindle copy obtained via library loan.
May 14, 2021
This was really a good book because I learned some details, in depth, about the peninsular war that I did not know. This is the first book I’ve read that did not canonize Sir John Moore. This book is not for those who want an easy historical romance. This is in-depth peninsular war. It even has a map, which was the icing on the cake.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
January 17, 2022
My favorite of the Heiress books. Delightful but not terribly angsty.
February 4, 2026
Absolutely wonderful and charming
I wish I had this book to read again. The storyline is so uncommon and interesting. The characters are dear. I love this author.
I wish I had this book to read again. The storyline is so uncommon and interesting. The characters are dear. I love this author.
April 27, 2023
This is one of my favorite books, one I've re-read a bunch of times, and now I have it in ebook, and don't have to worry about it falling apart. Esmeralda and Robert get married when he discovers her in Portugal after she was shipwrecked. He's an aide de camp to Sir Arthur Wellesley with the British army for their first expedition to Portugal. It's a marriage of convenience, but Merry wants to keep him. This includes Sir John Moore's retreat to Corrunna.
March 31, 2016
B+/4.5 stars
I really enjoyed the romance but I had to skim over all the war details. This book takes place in Portugal and Spain where the British fought the French. War is hell, especially for women and children caught up in the horror and mess. Merry and Robert are wonderful characters along with Molly, M'Guire, Carlos and assorted horses and mules. But I have to confess to skimming over most of the military stuff. Too much detail for me. But the romance made the book worthwhile.
I really enjoyed the romance but I had to skim over all the war details. This book takes place in Portugal and Spain where the British fought the French. War is hell, especially for women and children caught up in the horror and mess. Merry and Robert are wonderful characters along with Molly, M'Guire, Carlos and assorted horses and mules. But I have to confess to skimming over most of the military stuff. Too much detail for me. But the romance made the book worthwhile.
December 5, 2015
one of my favorite Roberta Gellis books, especially in her set of regencies (she's probably better known for her medieval romances which I also love), but, as usual, she goes into way too much detail about battles, the political situation etc. be prepared to skim through a lot to get to the good stuff.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews