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Miss Bradshaw's Bought Betrothal
This ebook shares the same ISBN as this paperback ISBN 9780373299188.
She'd done it! Plain, invisible Evelyn had escaped...
Fed up with being a doormat to her evil stepmother, heiress Evelyn Bradshaw pays a dissolute rake to pose as her betrothed so she can secure her freedom. But then her fake fiance leaves her with his estranged brother Finn Matlock and disappears!
Having withdrawn from the world, Finn knows the last thing he needs is the temptation of a woman, especially one like Evie. She has an irritating habit of causing chaos wherever she goes and being in places she shouldn't including, as he soon learns, his heart!
She'd done it! Plain, invisible Evelyn had escaped...
Fed up with being a doormat to her evil stepmother, heiress Evelyn Bradshaw pays a dissolute rake to pose as her betrothed so she can secure her freedom. But then her fake fiance leaves her with his estranged brother Finn Matlock and disappears!
Having withdrawn from the world, Finn knows the last thing he needs is the temptation of a woman, especially one like Evie. She has an irritating habit of causing chaos wherever she goes and being in places she shouldn't including, as he soon learns, his heart!
ebook
First published January 17, 2017
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About the author
Virginia Heath
134 books1,205 followersWhen Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
Her new Regency Romcom for St Martin's Press ~ Never Fall For Your Fiancée ~ is on sale November 9, 2021
If you want to find out more check out virginiaheathromance.com or follow her on Facebook @VirginiaHeathAuthor
Her new Regency Romcom for St Martin's Press ~ Never Fall For Your Fiancée ~ is on sale November 9, 2021
If you want to find out more check out virginiaheathromance.com or follow her on Facebook @VirginiaHeathAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
February 4, 2017
4.5 stars
In Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal, Virginia Heath offers an enjoyable re-working of the Cinderella story in which our downtrodden – but determined - heroine is a fully-rounded character with a nicely fleshed-out backstory who doesn’t need to rely on her Prince not-so Charming in order to effect her escape from her horrible relatives. Prince –or rather, Lord – Grumpy is, however a rather attractive consequence of that escape, and watching the sparks fly as they gradually and quite plausibly fall in love makes for a lovely, romantic read.
Miss Evelyn Bradshaw is twenty-six, plump, frumpy and firmly on the shelf. Having spent the best part of the last decade nursing first her mother, and then her father when he fell ill some years later, she feels that youth has passed her by and that love and marriage are no longer things to which she can aspire. Her father’s remarriage to a selfish money-grabber with two equally unpleasant daughters saw Evelyn – Evie – constantly belittled and thrust into the background to the extent that even she believes herself to be practically invisible; but his death offers her the prospect of freedom. Mr. Bradshaw has left his considerable fortune to Evie, and she is finally determined to escape her step-mother’s orbit, leave London for good and make a life for herself somewhere else. All Evie has to do is scrape up the courage to announce her plans, but even though Hyacinth Bradshaw has not treated Evie well (although she’s stopped short of getting her to clean the grates and scrub the floors!), Evie has never been able to forget her father’s insistence that she treat her stepmother with respect, and has always done whatever it took to ensure a quiet life.
Unable to just come out and tell Hyacinth of her determination to set up her own home, Evie instead offers the sum of five thousand pounds to the handsome but dissolute Fergus Matlock, Marquis of Stanford, if he will pretend to be her fiancé for the next few months. The Marquis, who is deeply in debt, agrees to the scheme, and Evie is set to travel to his Yorkshire estate on the pretext of preparing for their wedding. In reality, she will look about for a house to purchase and once she has found one, the betrothal will quietly be ended, and Evie will remain in Yorkshire, well away from London and her stepmother’s constant bullying.
Arriving at Stanford Hall a few days later in the company of her elderly aunt, Evie is pleasantly surprised to discover the place in a much better state of repair than she had been led to believe. Later that night, when Evie can’t sleep, she wanders down to the library, only to come across Fergus, who is supposed to be staying at a local inn in order to observe the proprieties. But something is not quite right about him and Evie soon discovers why; he’s not Fergus at all, but his identical twin brother Finnegan, and this is Matlock House, not Stanford House. It’s clear there is no love lost between the brothers, and Finn makes very clear his displeasure at his twin’s presumption in dumping his fiancée at his house, but Evie refuses to be intimidated by his ungracious manner. Nonetheless, she feels she should remove to Stanford House as soon as possible, but true to form as a cad of the first order, Fergus has already left Yorkshire with the advance on the “fee” Evie had given him. Finn is not surprised – he tells Evie (not for the first time) that his brother is an unreliable wastrel and that she shouldn’t marry him, but this is the new Evie, the Evie that sticks up for herself and doesn’t cower when confronted with the scowling, brusque brother of a marquis, and she insists that she knows perfectly well what Fergus is and that he suits her well enough.
Finn Matlock is a widower of some three years, and since his wife’s death, has buried himself in this corner of Yorkshire, his life consisting of seeing to his estate business and not much else. He doesn’t socialise, he doesn’t have guests - until now – and he wants to keep it that way - so the stirrings of attraction he feels towards his brother’s voluptuous fiancée are both unexpected and unwelcome. Yet very soon, he finds himself admiring her backbone and determination as much as her lush body and, though he’d never admit it, looking forward to breakfast each day, as that’s the only time of day he dares to let himself spend with her. Every morning, he not-so-subtly baits her, enjoying her completely unfazed responses to his jibes about his brother and his attempts to persuade her not to marry him, her casual manner of taking no notice of his heavy hints about her departure and the way she ignores his regular criticisms of her – admittedly horrible – clothes (a leftover from the days of Hyacinth’s influence over her wardrobe).
This daily ritual becomes important to Evie, too, as she likes the way Finn challenges her and the person she is when she’s with him. She is sure that a handsome, wealthy man like him could have no real interest in an overly plump, aging spinster like her – even if he wasn’t still in love with his late wife – and recognises that falling for him is a terrible idea. But even as she realises that, she knows it’s too late for caution; the real Finn, the kind, protective man who hides his deep hurt and true nature beneath that outer shell of bad-temper and cynicism has stolen her heart.
Away from London, Evie transforms from the doormat she’s always describing herself as into a more confident, independent young woman who is looking forward to the rest of her life because it will be one she has built on her own terms. This is one of the things that makes this version of the fairy tale so appealing; Evie finds the wherewithal to go out and make a life of her own from within and doesn’t need a man to rescue her – although she does, of course find true love along the way. And for all his outward grumpiness, Finn is perfect for her. He is determined to fight his ever growing attraction to Evie, but her vitality and her growing self-confidence are so completely enticing that it eventually proves irresistible; so not only is Evie changed by their association, but Finn also comes to accept that the guilt he still feels over his wife’s death is misplaced, and that he is allowed to be happy and move on with his life.
This is – I think – the fourth book of Ms. Heath’s I’ve read and I continue to be impressed by her strong storytelling and thoughtful characterisations. While Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal undoubtedly treads a well-worn path, the author has managed to keep it fresh by throwing in a number of small, but satisfying twists that add depth and insight to this familiar tale. She writes with a great deal of warmth and humour, creating the most wonderful chemistry between her principals as well as treating us to some moments of poignancy and emotional truth that quite took my breath away.
If you haven’t yet tried a book by Virginia Heath, then you have a treat in store. I guarantee that if you read this one, you’ll want to go back to read her others and then, like me, will be eagerly awaiting whatever she comes up with next.
In Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal, Virginia Heath offers an enjoyable re-working of the Cinderella story in which our downtrodden – but determined - heroine is a fully-rounded character with a nicely fleshed-out backstory who doesn’t need to rely on her Prince not-so Charming in order to effect her escape from her horrible relatives. Prince –or rather, Lord – Grumpy is, however a rather attractive consequence of that escape, and watching the sparks fly as they gradually and quite plausibly fall in love makes for a lovely, romantic read.
Miss Evelyn Bradshaw is twenty-six, plump, frumpy and firmly on the shelf. Having spent the best part of the last decade nursing first her mother, and then her father when he fell ill some years later, she feels that youth has passed her by and that love and marriage are no longer things to which she can aspire. Her father’s remarriage to a selfish money-grabber with two equally unpleasant daughters saw Evelyn – Evie – constantly belittled and thrust into the background to the extent that even she believes herself to be practically invisible; but his death offers her the prospect of freedom. Mr. Bradshaw has left his considerable fortune to Evie, and she is finally determined to escape her step-mother’s orbit, leave London for good and make a life for herself somewhere else. All Evie has to do is scrape up the courage to announce her plans, but even though Hyacinth Bradshaw has not treated Evie well (although she’s stopped short of getting her to clean the grates and scrub the floors!), Evie has never been able to forget her father’s insistence that she treat her stepmother with respect, and has always done whatever it took to ensure a quiet life.
Unable to just come out and tell Hyacinth of her determination to set up her own home, Evie instead offers the sum of five thousand pounds to the handsome but dissolute Fergus Matlock, Marquis of Stanford, if he will pretend to be her fiancé for the next few months. The Marquis, who is deeply in debt, agrees to the scheme, and Evie is set to travel to his Yorkshire estate on the pretext of preparing for their wedding. In reality, she will look about for a house to purchase and once she has found one, the betrothal will quietly be ended, and Evie will remain in Yorkshire, well away from London and her stepmother’s constant bullying.
Arriving at Stanford Hall a few days later in the company of her elderly aunt, Evie is pleasantly surprised to discover the place in a much better state of repair than she had been led to believe. Later that night, when Evie can’t sleep, she wanders down to the library, only to come across Fergus, who is supposed to be staying at a local inn in order to observe the proprieties. But something is not quite right about him and Evie soon discovers why; he’s not Fergus at all, but his identical twin brother Finnegan, and this is Matlock House, not Stanford House. It’s clear there is no love lost between the brothers, and Finn makes very clear his displeasure at his twin’s presumption in dumping his fiancée at his house, but Evie refuses to be intimidated by his ungracious manner. Nonetheless, she feels she should remove to Stanford House as soon as possible, but true to form as a cad of the first order, Fergus has already left Yorkshire with the advance on the “fee” Evie had given him. Finn is not surprised – he tells Evie (not for the first time) that his brother is an unreliable wastrel and that she shouldn’t marry him, but this is the new Evie, the Evie that sticks up for herself and doesn’t cower when confronted with the scowling, brusque brother of a marquis, and she insists that she knows perfectly well what Fergus is and that he suits her well enough.
Finn Matlock is a widower of some three years, and since his wife’s death, has buried himself in this corner of Yorkshire, his life consisting of seeing to his estate business and not much else. He doesn’t socialise, he doesn’t have guests - until now – and he wants to keep it that way - so the stirrings of attraction he feels towards his brother’s voluptuous fiancée are both unexpected and unwelcome. Yet very soon, he finds himself admiring her backbone and determination as much as her lush body and, though he’d never admit it, looking forward to breakfast each day, as that’s the only time of day he dares to let himself spend with her. Every morning, he not-so-subtly baits her, enjoying her completely unfazed responses to his jibes about his brother and his attempts to persuade her not to marry him, her casual manner of taking no notice of his heavy hints about her departure and the way she ignores his regular criticisms of her – admittedly horrible – clothes (a leftover from the days of Hyacinth’s influence over her wardrobe).
This daily ritual becomes important to Evie, too, as she likes the way Finn challenges her and the person she is when she’s with him. She is sure that a handsome, wealthy man like him could have no real interest in an overly plump, aging spinster like her – even if he wasn’t still in love with his late wife – and recognises that falling for him is a terrible idea. But even as she realises that, she knows it’s too late for caution; the real Finn, the kind, protective man who hides his deep hurt and true nature beneath that outer shell of bad-temper and cynicism has stolen her heart.
Away from London, Evie transforms from the doormat she’s always describing herself as into a more confident, independent young woman who is looking forward to the rest of her life because it will be one she has built on her own terms. This is one of the things that makes this version of the fairy tale so appealing; Evie finds the wherewithal to go out and make a life of her own from within and doesn’t need a man to rescue her – although she does, of course find true love along the way. And for all his outward grumpiness, Finn is perfect for her. He is determined to fight his ever growing attraction to Evie, but her vitality and her growing self-confidence are so completely enticing that it eventually proves irresistible; so not only is Evie changed by their association, but Finn also comes to accept that the guilt he still feels over his wife’s death is misplaced, and that he is allowed to be happy and move on with his life.
This is – I think – the fourth book of Ms. Heath’s I’ve read and I continue to be impressed by her strong storytelling and thoughtful characterisations. While Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal undoubtedly treads a well-worn path, the author has managed to keep it fresh by throwing in a number of small, but satisfying twists that add depth and insight to this familiar tale. She writes with a great deal of warmth and humour, creating the most wonderful chemistry between her principals as well as treating us to some moments of poignancy and emotional truth that quite took my breath away.
If you haven’t yet tried a book by Virginia Heath, then you have a treat in store. I guarantee that if you read this one, you’ll want to go back to read her others and then, like me, will be eagerly awaiting whatever she comes up with next.
July 19, 2017
Virginia Heath is definitely on my radar for authors to watch. While I didn't love this novel, mostly because I had a hard time relating to the heroine, I still appreciated Heath's storytelling ability and I look forward to reading about her Warriners in her latest series.
In Miss Bradshaw's Bought Betrothal, Evie enters into an agreement with a horrid individual where she pays him to pose as her fiance so she can escape the clutches of her stepmother. Her plan goes awry when said horrid individual drops her off at his twin brother's house and abandons her there. Finn is still mourning the death of his wife and wants to be left alone, but the presence of a witty spinster and Evie with her sunny disposition and curves, forces his heart to start beating again.
Like her other books, Heath does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters. I knew both Evie and Finn. The problem was, like Finn, I could not understand Evie. This may be a blindspot I have since I am not a person who (blessedly!) has ever been bullied, but Evie truly is a "doormat"--everyone uses this word ad nauseam in the novel and it truly, truly started to make me crazy. The plot of this entire novel is based on the fact that Evie could not stand up for herself even though she had the age and money to do so. I couldn't understand it, especially with sexy Finn backing her up and teaching her what it means to be free.
Despite the "doormat" theme, I still enjoyed the story. The writing started off a little choppy, but once Finn, with his gruffness, muscles, and dry wit entered the page, it picked up. I enjoyed the escape from London and I liked the secondary characters who served to help Finn finally move on with his life. Finn also delivered some real zingers over breakfast on a regular basis and I looked forward to those as much as Evie did!
Overall, not my favorite since I couldn't fully relate to the emotion of the heroine (though I did like her curves!), but I did enjoy the hero and the Cinderella-esque plotline.
In Miss Bradshaw's Bought Betrothal, Evie enters into an agreement with a horrid individual where she pays him to pose as her fiance so she can escape the clutches of her stepmother. Her plan goes awry when said horrid individual drops her off at his twin brother's house and abandons her there. Finn is still mourning the death of his wife and wants to be left alone, but the presence of a witty spinster and Evie with her sunny disposition and curves, forces his heart to start beating again.
Like her other books, Heath does an excellent job of fleshing out the characters. I knew both Evie and Finn. The problem was, like Finn, I could not understand Evie. This may be a blindspot I have since I am not a person who (blessedly!) has ever been bullied, but Evie truly is a "doormat"--everyone uses this word ad nauseam in the novel and it truly, truly started to make me crazy. The plot of this entire novel is based on the fact that Evie could not stand up for herself even though she had the age and money to do so. I couldn't understand it, especially with sexy Finn backing her up and teaching her what it means to be free.
Despite the "doormat" theme, I still enjoyed the story. The writing started off a little choppy, but once Finn, with his gruffness, muscles, and dry wit entered the page, it picked up. I enjoyed the escape from London and I liked the secondary characters who served to help Finn finally move on with his life. Finn also delivered some real zingers over breakfast on a regular basis and I looked forward to those as much as Evie did!
Overall, not my favorite since I couldn't fully relate to the emotion of the heroine (though I did like her curves!), but I did enjoy the hero and the Cinderella-esque plotline.
March 16, 2022
A really wonderful book! It’s been a while since I’ve read a book where I actually liked the hero and heroine and a plot that had me stuck to the book for hours.
The first thing that caught my attention was the chemistry between Evie and Finn. I really liked that they challenge each other, tease and banter with each other. They got along really well with one another. I was always so amused to see Evie handling Finn’s temper like it was nothing to her.
The second thing was the lovable characters. Evie can have quite a backbone on her. While she says she’s a doormat, she actually had the guts to make a deal with Fergus—a known rake—to pretend to be her fiancé, move all the way out to the north to an unknown house, and still try to make her way around Finn when she unexpectedly meets him.
Finn always acted tough but underneath, he was a sweetheart and just a man who has his heart broken. He is a kind man, despite his occasional rude words and actions—which was his way of keeping everyone out of the walls he built around his heart.
This brings me to the third thing that I liked about this book: the huge focus on Finn’s and Evie’s back stories. For Evie, it was her stepmother trying to make her feel plain, unwanted and unloved. For Finn, it was the guilt of not being able to save his wife. I just loved that the author put in a lot of effort into making Finn and Evie just talk to each other about their backstories.
The huge focus allowed them to bond much more and made the romance more believable to me as the relationship between them were strengthened by them knowing their traumas and weaknesses. It was also a win win situation for both of them as both of their problems were resolved due to the fact that they confided in each other, and helped each other resolve their problems.
I also really loved the time they spent together (mostly loved the scene where Evie nursed Finn). The sex was great.
As much as I enjoyed the book, it would have been nice if we saw if Fergus got his retribution in the end, if Evie got her money back, what happened to Hyacinth and her daughters, etc.
The first thing that caught my attention was the chemistry between Evie and Finn. I really liked that they challenge each other, tease and banter with each other. They got along really well with one another. I was always so amused to see Evie handling Finn’s temper like it was nothing to her.
The second thing was the lovable characters. Evie can have quite a backbone on her. While she says she’s a doormat, she actually had the guts to make a deal with Fergus—a known rake—to pretend to be her fiancé, move all the way out to the north to an unknown house, and still try to make her way around Finn when she unexpectedly meets him.
Finn always acted tough but underneath, he was a sweetheart and just a man who has his heart broken. He is a kind man, despite his occasional rude words and actions—which was his way of keeping everyone out of the walls he built around his heart.
This brings me to the third thing that I liked about this book: the huge focus on Finn’s and Evie’s back stories. For Evie, it was her stepmother trying to make her feel plain, unwanted and unloved. For Finn, it was the guilt of not being able to save his wife. I just loved that the author put in a lot of effort into making Finn and Evie just talk to each other about their backstories.
The huge focus allowed them to bond much more and made the romance more believable to me as the relationship between them were strengthened by them knowing their traumas and weaknesses. It was also a win win situation for both of them as both of their problems were resolved due to the fact that they confided in each other, and helped each other resolve their problems.
I also really loved the time they spent together (mostly loved the scene where Evie nursed Finn). The sex was great.
As much as I enjoyed the book, it would have been nice if we saw if Fergus got his retribution in the end, if Evie got her money back, what happened to Hyacinth and her daughters, etc.
July 21, 2024
Istorinis romanas, bet toks lengvas, apie stiprią moterį Eveliną, kuri nusprendė šiek tiek apgauti savo pamotę, kad galėtų ištrūkti iš jos "nasrų" ir susikurti savo gyvenimą. Bet tam reikėjo vyro, šiek tiek manipuliacijos, ir viskas būtų puikiai pavykę, jei nebūtų įsipainiojęs ir brolis dvynys. Bet nuo to istorija tik tapo linksmesnė, aistringesnėir žymiai romantiškesnė.
September 14, 2024
This is a nice little story about a doormat Evie and the guilt-ridden Finn.
Evie is an heiress but has been abused by her stepmother into believing she is plain, fat, and a spinster all while they spend her money. She arranges a fake betrothal with a dirtbag Fergus, who takes her to his brother’s home in York and leaves. Evie is left behind to discover that she is actually staying at Finn’s home and he is not happy about it.
Finn is guilt ridden after the death of his wife. If you hate the widower with the dead wife, you may not like this story. Finn and his wife were childhood sweethearts and she became ill shortly after they married. Evie spends much of the book feeling bad that Finn could ever love plain fat Evie as much as his perfect beautiful dead wife. (To be honest I thought too much time was spent on these two with their internal monologue and Evie was just too much of a doormat)
Eventually Evie learns to stand up for herself and Finn learns to let go of his guilt and grief and we get our happily ever after.
Safety spoiler
Evie is an heiress but has been abused by her stepmother into believing she is plain, fat, and a spinster all while they spend her money. She arranges a fake betrothal with a dirtbag Fergus, who takes her to his brother’s home in York and leaves. Evie is left behind to discover that she is actually staying at Finn’s home and he is not happy about it.
Finn is guilt ridden after the death of his wife. If you hate the widower with the dead wife, you may not like this story. Finn and his wife were childhood sweethearts and she became ill shortly after they married. Evie spends much of the book feeling bad that Finn could ever love plain fat Evie as much as his perfect beautiful dead wife. (To be honest I thought too much time was spent on these two with their internal monologue and Evie was just too much of a doormat)
Eventually Evie learns to stand up for herself and Finn learns to let go of his guilt and grief and we get our happily ever after.
Safety spoiler
January 5, 2017
Virginia Heath is becoming my go to author for good-natured, sweet Historical Romance and this is just as charming as her previous work, it is fun, sexy, a veritable tangled web of emotion and conflict between our two lead’s. Miss Bradshaws Bought Betrothal is based loosely on the well-loved Cinderella story. I do have to admit that as a child I was never drawn to Cinderella as most little girls were – I think it was the fact the she didn’t really have that much of a personality, she was a little “to badly-done-to” for my liking. Unlike other fairytale ladies such as Belle (Beauty and the Beast), I always thought Cinderella was too much the damsel. But I am so pleased to say that Evie, yes! maybe down-trodden and she is certainly bullied, but she is strong in her own way and resilient.
There is something very genuine and normal about Evie, something that all woman can relate to in one way or another, she is an insecure, normal woman. There is a beautiful paragraph at the beginning of the book, that can really resonate with a lot of people and it was this that single paragraph that really stuck with me, that really brought Evie to life something that doesn’t happen with a lot of character’s.
She could reinvent herself, be happy and finally climb out of her chrysalis. She did not expect to emerge as a butterfly – butterflies were far too lovely an insect for Evie to aspire to – but she was quietly confident that she could perhaps be a moth. In the dark, where nobody saw them, moths flew.
She an imaginative, resourceful and naive young woman, who has suffered greatly from the hands of her family, that psychological abuse is ever-present in her not matter how much she tries to over come it, she holds on to those memories of how she has been treated over the year’s making it difficult for her to move on. But on top of all that she is stubborn, bossy with such a beautiful kind heart.
I like the relationship between Evie and Finn, at first they come across as chalk and cheese but once you delve deeper into each of their pasts and personalities you soon realise that they are just perfect for each other, they tend to bounce off one and other. He gives her the confidence to go out there and do what she wants and banish the constant dark self-conscious thoughts, that she harbours. Whereas Evie is the light and life that Finn desperately needs in his life, he is a haunted, and guilt ridden man who has closed hisself off from the world. I heard a saying once “He doesn’t say much, but when he doe’s you have to listen” that is Finn Matlock in a nutshell. He reminds me of my all time literary hero; Heathcliffe. He is a brooding, monosyllabic, irritating and achingly handsome man who just needs a bit of love. But then again, Finn Matlock is a Yorkshireman through and through, and they don’t tend to announce their inner most feelings to people, so we can’t be too hard on him.
Full review at Chicks Rogues and Scandals.
There is something very genuine and normal about Evie, something that all woman can relate to in one way or another, she is an insecure, normal woman. There is a beautiful paragraph at the beginning of the book, that can really resonate with a lot of people and it was this that single paragraph that really stuck with me, that really brought Evie to life something that doesn’t happen with a lot of character’s.
She could reinvent herself, be happy and finally climb out of her chrysalis. She did not expect to emerge as a butterfly – butterflies were far too lovely an insect for Evie to aspire to – but she was quietly confident that she could perhaps be a moth. In the dark, where nobody saw them, moths flew.
She an imaginative, resourceful and naive young woman, who has suffered greatly from the hands of her family, that psychological abuse is ever-present in her not matter how much she tries to over come it, she holds on to those memories of how she has been treated over the year’s making it difficult for her to move on. But on top of all that she is stubborn, bossy with such a beautiful kind heart.
I like the relationship between Evie and Finn, at first they come across as chalk and cheese but once you delve deeper into each of their pasts and personalities you soon realise that they are just perfect for each other, they tend to bounce off one and other. He gives her the confidence to go out there and do what she wants and banish the constant dark self-conscious thoughts, that she harbours. Whereas Evie is the light and life that Finn desperately needs in his life, he is a haunted, and guilt ridden man who has closed hisself off from the world. I heard a saying once “He doesn’t say much, but when he doe’s you have to listen” that is Finn Matlock in a nutshell. He reminds me of my all time literary hero; Heathcliffe. He is a brooding, monosyllabic, irritating and achingly handsome man who just needs a bit of love. But then again, Finn Matlock is a Yorkshireman through and through, and they don’t tend to announce their inner most feelings to people, so we can’t be too hard on him.
Full review at Chicks Rogues and Scandals.
April 28, 2020
4.5 stars
This really was a lovely read! The main characters of Evie and Finn were very engaging. They had both suffered a bereavement in the past and the heartfelt way that Evie spoke about the pain of losing a loved one really struck a cord with me. I enjoyed the way they came to know each other and the way Evie came into her own. I was willinging her on, to stand up to her stepmother and stepsisters. The ending was just beautiful! I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This really was a lovely read! The main characters of Evie and Finn were very engaging. They had both suffered a bereavement in the past and the heartfelt way that Evie spoke about the pain of losing a loved one really struck a cord with me. I enjoyed the way they came to know each other and the way Evie came into her own. I was willinging her on, to stand up to her stepmother and stepsisters. The ending was just beautiful! I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 9, 2019
In searching for my next book to read through my overloaded TBR pile, I came across this lovely looking book by Virginia Heath. Remembering that several book blogger friends had recommended it highly, I immediately dove in! This is Virginia Heath’s version of Cinderella. After reading it, I do believe I like Ms. Heath’s version the best! ;-)
Finnegan “Finn” Matlock is nothing like the Prince Charming we’ve read in our fairy tales. Finn is a rude, obnoxious and miserable man who would prefer to be left alone. So when his selfish scoundrel of a twin brother Fergus dumps his fiancé Evie and her elderly Aunt Winnie in his home and disappears, Finn is not happy.
Evelyn “Evie” Bradshaw is our Cinderella. For ten long years, she’s suffered the emotional abuse of her stepmother and two stepsisters. A spur of the moment plan leads her to hire Fergus Matlock as her fake fiancé to finally help gain her freedom.
Oh my, how I fell in love with Finn & Evie! Evie is such a good-hearted, generous, and selfless young woman who has spent the last ten years being torn down emotionally by her evil stepfamily. She has little self-esteem left and yet there’s still that glimmer of hope, a spark inside her wanting to escape and live and have all the things she dreams of. She’s the type of heroine you start rooting for from the very beginning and rejoice when she finally blossoms into the person you knew she could be. As for Finn, I have to admit I liked him from the beginning. There was something under all the gruff, rude behavior that says he’s hurting and hiding from his past. He’s a good man just struggling with guilt that’s preventing him from moving on with his life. Together these two were absolutely perfect for each other. I loved the banter between them and although Evie is known to be a doormat, when it came to Finn she gave as good as she got! They were a lovely couple who went through a lot in their past to get to their well deserved HEA.
Although this story focused mainly on Evie and Finn and their interactions between each other, it did have some fabulous secondary characters with Hyacinth as the evil stepmother and of course the fabulous Aunt Winnie. This was a wonderful story of new beginnings with an ending that was absolutely perfect. 5/5 stars.
Finnegan “Finn” Matlock is nothing like the Prince Charming we’ve read in our fairy tales. Finn is a rude, obnoxious and miserable man who would prefer to be left alone. So when his selfish scoundrel of a twin brother Fergus dumps his fiancé Evie and her elderly Aunt Winnie in his home and disappears, Finn is not happy.
Evelyn “Evie” Bradshaw is our Cinderella. For ten long years, she’s suffered the emotional abuse of her stepmother and two stepsisters. A spur of the moment plan leads her to hire Fergus Matlock as her fake fiancé to finally help gain her freedom.
Oh my, how I fell in love with Finn & Evie! Evie is such a good-hearted, generous, and selfless young woman who has spent the last ten years being torn down emotionally by her evil stepfamily. She has little self-esteem left and yet there’s still that glimmer of hope, a spark inside her wanting to escape and live and have all the things she dreams of. She’s the type of heroine you start rooting for from the very beginning and rejoice when she finally blossoms into the person you knew she could be. As for Finn, I have to admit I liked him from the beginning. There was something under all the gruff, rude behavior that says he’s hurting and hiding from his past. He’s a good man just struggling with guilt that’s preventing him from moving on with his life. Together these two were absolutely perfect for each other. I loved the banter between them and although Evie is known to be a doormat, when it came to Finn she gave as good as she got! They were a lovely couple who went through a lot in their past to get to their well deserved HEA.
Although this story focused mainly on Evie and Finn and their interactions between each other, it did have some fabulous secondary characters with Hyacinth as the evil stepmother and of course the fabulous Aunt Winnie. This was a wonderful story of new beginnings with an ending that was absolutely perfect. 5/5 stars.
March 22, 2017
Completely adored this book and yes I am on a Virginia binge at the moment I'm a new reader and had the good fortune of receiving several of her books and I'm completely besotted with them, this is very much another book I will definitely re read and recommend as I do all the books I adore, thank you so very much Virginia. This book has every emotion possible to have and a great many characters some you will adore and some you will want to punch. Brilliant and very much a book you can completely get engrossed in xxx
September 21, 2017
I gave this a B at All About Romance.
Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal offers a fresh take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. By giving the heroine a fuller backstory, providing her with the means to secure her own happiness with or without a prince, and allowing her to subvert the influence of her evil stepmother (and stepsisters), Ms. Heath twists the traditional version in small but satisfying ways. I liked it very much, though parts of it, especially the villains, are underdeveloped. Fortunately, the principals don’t suffer the same fate! The romance is believable, sweet and appropriate for the circumstances in which our lovers find themselves.
Our Cinderella is Miss Evelyn – Evie – Bradshaw. She’s announced her engagement to the dissolute Fergus Matlock, third Marquis of Stanford, and is shortly to travel to his Yorkshire estate with him to plan the wedding. Readers quickly discover this isn’t a love match – it’s an escape plan. Due to circumstances beyond her control, the death of her beloved mother and then father, Evie has spent the past decade playing nursemaid. Since her father’s passing, she’s lived in the shadow of her money-grubbing, manipulative stepmother and stepsisters, tolerating their constant abuse and criticisms. But she’s had enough. The sole beneficiary of her father’s estate, Evie has a fortune at her disposal and a plan in place to finally live her own life as far from her spiteful stepmother as possible. She’s paid the Marquis to pose as her fiancé and despite her stepmother’s best efforts to dissuade her from this path, Evie is leaving London. She actually has no intention of marrying the odious Marquis, but she’ll inform her stepmother of that fact once she’s established herself in a home of her own far away in the north of England. In a letter. Soon. Probably. Maybe. Did I mention Evie is a bit of a doormat when it comes to her stepmother?
As promised, the Marquis delivers Evie to Stanford House in Yorkshire, accepts a partial payment from her and departs for the local inn leaving Evie (and her chaperone, her fairy godmother/elderly aunt) alone at last. Evie is ecstatic – she’s escaped, her step mother is none the wiser, and Stanford House is more than she hoped for when Fergus agreed to her plan. Unfortunately, Evie’s happiness is short lived. Wandering late at night through the house, she’s surprised by Fergus whilst standing in the library enjoying the warmth of the fire. But her visitor isn’t the Marquis – it’s his identical twin brother, Finnegan Matlock. And this isn’t Stanford House, it’s Matlock House. And it belongs to Finn.
Finn Matlock is surly, grumpy and antisocial. Since the death of his beloved wife three years ago, he’s avoided the outside world and occupied himself with the business of running his estate and no one has ever questioned his self-imposed solitude. When he discovers who Evie is and why she’s in his home, he makes it perfectly clear she cannot stay and that she’s a fool for marrying his brother. Evie, thrown by this unexpected complication (but not surprised by her fiancé’s perfidy), doesn’t back down in the face of his rudeness. Determined never to be cowed by anyone again, Evie insists she will speak to Fergus in the morning and shortly relocate to Stanford House (despite Finn’s dire warnings that it’s uninhabitable). The revelation that Fergus is the dissolute, reprehensible rake he’s reputed to be shakes Evie’s composure but doesn’t deter her from her plans. Finn be damned, she isn’t breaking her engagement and she isn’t leaving Yorkshire. When she marches out of the library, head held high, Finn senses change is afoot.
Since the moment he saw spotted Evie framed in the firelight of the library, Finn feels an unwelcome attraction to her. His repeated, rude attempts to dissuade her from her plans to marry his brother (whom he hates), remove her from his household, and his regular criticism of the ugly gowns she wears each day (a legacy of her stepmother’s interference over her wardrobe), seem to fall on deaf ears. Evie appears immune to his not-so-veiled attempts to get her to leave. He finds himself admiring his tough, stubborn houseguest and though he’d never admit it, he begins to look forward to seeing her. Though Finn resists his attraction to Evie out of a misplaced sense of guilt over his wife’s death, it isn’t long before Evie consumes his mind and heart.
Evie falls in love with Yorkshire and the freedom she experiences once she’s finally far away from her stepmother. Determined to follow her plan, albeit from Matlock House instead of Stanford House, she makes inquiries into acquiring a home of her own, spends time wandering the estate (often barefoot), visits the dressmaker and finds herself looking forward to breakfast with her grumpy host every morning. Evie likes the way Finn challenges her and the way she feels when she spends time him. When he’s thrown from his horse and injured, Evie capably resumes the role as nursemaid and forces Finn to accept her help. Despite her attempts to resist her attraction to Finn, and his attempts to keep Evie at arms length, they fall for each other.
Once Evie reaches Yorkshire, ditches her dowdy London dresses, and spends time in Finn’s company, she blossoms. Finn, the not-so-charming prince of this story, similarly transforms in the face of his attraction to Evie. Unwilling to play doormat to Finn or anyone else for that matter, Evie never backs down when he lashes out or tries to push her away, and Finn loves seeing Evie assert herself. Evie, as the Cinderella of this story, is a nice warts-and-all reimagining of the oh-so-perfect fairy princess. She’s been a doormat all her adult life, but given a taste of freedom, she finds her backbone and learns to love herself. Though Finn is no prince charming, he’s a good match for her. A gentleman to his core, his amused and amusing responses – he’s mostly bark and no bite – and tender and protective instincts, provide a safe harbor for Evie to rediscover herself. An angry exchange wherein Evie finally admits she never planned to marry Fergus, finally leads to a passionate kiss and though confusion and frustration follow (on both sides), a surprise visit from her stepmother and stepsisters, and then Fergus, force Evie and Finn to team up in order to forge a future together. An impromptu tumble in the meadow cements their relationship – and though I enjoyed this glimpse into the passion between Evie and Finn, I wish there were a few more romantic scenes sprinkled throughout the second half.
Ms. Heath does a great job developing the principals, but I wish she had similarly developed the secondary characters. Hyacinth Bradshaw is awful to listen to, but nothing she does is all that reprehensible and in the end, after one brief confrontation, Evie banishes her from Matlock House – though she never actually cuts her off or punishes her in any significant or painful way. Fergus, Marquis of Stanford, the other villain of the story is similarly underdeveloped. How and why did he become such a dissolute scoundrel? Through a late confrontation with Finn we learn there was some family conflict, but enough to cause Fergus to become such a vile, selfish prig? I’m not sure I bought it.
Problems with the villains of this story aside, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal is a whimsical and enjoyable twist on a classic fairy tale. I liked almost everything about it and look forward to reading more from Ms. Heath in the future.
Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal offers a fresh take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. By giving the heroine a fuller backstory, providing her with the means to secure her own happiness with or without a prince, and allowing her to subvert the influence of her evil stepmother (and stepsisters), Ms. Heath twists the traditional version in small but satisfying ways. I liked it very much, though parts of it, especially the villains, are underdeveloped. Fortunately, the principals don’t suffer the same fate! The romance is believable, sweet and appropriate for the circumstances in which our lovers find themselves.
Our Cinderella is Miss Evelyn – Evie – Bradshaw. She’s announced her engagement to the dissolute Fergus Matlock, third Marquis of Stanford, and is shortly to travel to his Yorkshire estate with him to plan the wedding. Readers quickly discover this isn’t a love match – it’s an escape plan. Due to circumstances beyond her control, the death of her beloved mother and then father, Evie has spent the past decade playing nursemaid. Since her father’s passing, she’s lived in the shadow of her money-grubbing, manipulative stepmother and stepsisters, tolerating their constant abuse and criticisms. But she’s had enough. The sole beneficiary of her father’s estate, Evie has a fortune at her disposal and a plan in place to finally live her own life as far from her spiteful stepmother as possible. She’s paid the Marquis to pose as her fiancé and despite her stepmother’s best efforts to dissuade her from this path, Evie is leaving London. She actually has no intention of marrying the odious Marquis, but she’ll inform her stepmother of that fact once she’s established herself in a home of her own far away in the north of England. In a letter. Soon. Probably. Maybe. Did I mention Evie is a bit of a doormat when it comes to her stepmother?
As promised, the Marquis delivers Evie to Stanford House in Yorkshire, accepts a partial payment from her and departs for the local inn leaving Evie (and her chaperone, her fairy godmother/elderly aunt) alone at last. Evie is ecstatic – she’s escaped, her step mother is none the wiser, and Stanford House is more than she hoped for when Fergus agreed to her plan. Unfortunately, Evie’s happiness is short lived. Wandering late at night through the house, she’s surprised by Fergus whilst standing in the library enjoying the warmth of the fire. But her visitor isn’t the Marquis – it’s his identical twin brother, Finnegan Matlock. And this isn’t Stanford House, it’s Matlock House. And it belongs to Finn.
Finn Matlock is surly, grumpy and antisocial. Since the death of his beloved wife three years ago, he’s avoided the outside world and occupied himself with the business of running his estate and no one has ever questioned his self-imposed solitude. When he discovers who Evie is and why she’s in his home, he makes it perfectly clear she cannot stay and that she’s a fool for marrying his brother. Evie, thrown by this unexpected complication (but not surprised by her fiancé’s perfidy), doesn’t back down in the face of his rudeness. Determined never to be cowed by anyone again, Evie insists she will speak to Fergus in the morning and shortly relocate to Stanford House (despite Finn’s dire warnings that it’s uninhabitable). The revelation that Fergus is the dissolute, reprehensible rake he’s reputed to be shakes Evie’s composure but doesn’t deter her from her plans. Finn be damned, she isn’t breaking her engagement and she isn’t leaving Yorkshire. When she marches out of the library, head held high, Finn senses change is afoot.
Since the moment he saw spotted Evie framed in the firelight of the library, Finn feels an unwelcome attraction to her. His repeated, rude attempts to dissuade her from her plans to marry his brother (whom he hates), remove her from his household, and his regular criticism of the ugly gowns she wears each day (a legacy of her stepmother’s interference over her wardrobe), seem to fall on deaf ears. Evie appears immune to his not-so-veiled attempts to get her to leave. He finds himself admiring his tough, stubborn houseguest and though he’d never admit it, he begins to look forward to seeing her. Though Finn resists his attraction to Evie out of a misplaced sense of guilt over his wife’s death, it isn’t long before Evie consumes his mind and heart.
Evie falls in love with Yorkshire and the freedom she experiences once she’s finally far away from her stepmother. Determined to follow her plan, albeit from Matlock House instead of Stanford House, she makes inquiries into acquiring a home of her own, spends time wandering the estate (often barefoot), visits the dressmaker and finds herself looking forward to breakfast with her grumpy host every morning. Evie likes the way Finn challenges her and the way she feels when she spends time him. When he’s thrown from his horse and injured, Evie capably resumes the role as nursemaid and forces Finn to accept her help. Despite her attempts to resist her attraction to Finn, and his attempts to keep Evie at arms length, they fall for each other.
Once Evie reaches Yorkshire, ditches her dowdy London dresses, and spends time in Finn’s company, she blossoms. Finn, the not-so-charming prince of this story, similarly transforms in the face of his attraction to Evie. Unwilling to play doormat to Finn or anyone else for that matter, Evie never backs down when he lashes out or tries to push her away, and Finn loves seeing Evie assert herself. Evie, as the Cinderella of this story, is a nice warts-and-all reimagining of the oh-so-perfect fairy princess. She’s been a doormat all her adult life, but given a taste of freedom, she finds her backbone and learns to love herself. Though Finn is no prince charming, he’s a good match for her. A gentleman to his core, his amused and amusing responses – he’s mostly bark and no bite – and tender and protective instincts, provide a safe harbor for Evie to rediscover herself. An angry exchange wherein Evie finally admits she never planned to marry Fergus, finally leads to a passionate kiss and though confusion and frustration follow (on both sides), a surprise visit from her stepmother and stepsisters, and then Fergus, force Evie and Finn to team up in order to forge a future together. An impromptu tumble in the meadow cements their relationship – and though I enjoyed this glimpse into the passion between Evie and Finn, I wish there were a few more romantic scenes sprinkled throughout the second half.
Ms. Heath does a great job developing the principals, but I wish she had similarly developed the secondary characters. Hyacinth Bradshaw is awful to listen to, but nothing she does is all that reprehensible and in the end, after one brief confrontation, Evie banishes her from Matlock House – though she never actually cuts her off or punishes her in any significant or painful way. Fergus, Marquis of Stanford, the other villain of the story is similarly underdeveloped. How and why did he become such a dissolute scoundrel? Through a late confrontation with Finn we learn there was some family conflict, but enough to cause Fergus to become such a vile, selfish prig? I’m not sure I bought it.
Problems with the villains of this story aside, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal is a whimsical and enjoyable twist on a classic fairy tale. I liked almost everything about it and look forward to reading more from Ms. Heath in the future.
August 10, 2017
It's a Cinderella retelling as Evie buys a betrothal to a licentious and broke marquess to escape the horrible clutches of her greedy and mean stepmother and stepsisters, only to find herself falling in love with the marquess's twin brother.
This was such a good read. Evie and Finn had a gradually unfolding relationship where you can see them care for each other, while both fighting the feelings that were growing between them. She dealt well with his temper. He dealt well with her pushover-ness and bullied brokenness. Each of them helped the other to heal. It was lovely. Also, I love books where one of them gets sick and the other one has to take care of them. And when he breaks some ribs in a riding accident, she comes into her own. It's lovely.
This was such a good read. Evie and Finn had a gradually unfolding relationship where you can see them care for each other, while both fighting the feelings that were growing between them. She dealt well with his temper. He dealt well with her pushover-ness and bullied brokenness. Each of them helped the other to heal. It was lovely. Also, I love books where one of them gets sick and the other one has to take care of them. And when he breaks some ribs in a riding accident, she comes into her own. It's lovely.
November 7, 2020
A delightful Cinderella story
Heath's writing is far from perfect, and her stories frequently take turns into the ridiculous and/or contrived, but at the end of the day her heroes and heroines each learn and grow in such utterly satisfying ways that I leave each book with my heart lighter.
Heath's writing is far from perfect, and her stories frequently take turns into the ridiculous and/or contrived, but at the end of the day her heroes and heroines each learn and grow in such utterly satisfying ways that I leave each book with my heart lighter.
April 26, 2025
Stupid cover but a fun plot -a Cinderella story that lets everyone get past their guilt and shame. Well done. Only a little 🌶️.
June 12, 2020
4 stars. A kind of Cinderella retelling with a focus on grief...finding your way through it to happiness. Nice butterfly metaphor throughout. It was very sweet, short, and simple.
March 2, 2023
The whole premise for this story is so annoying!
The female lead, Evie, is a door matt therefore she has to make up a fake fiance arrangement with lord Fergus, a drunk and a gambler, in order to escape her cruel and parasitical stephmom and 2 evil stephsisters. ( Cinderella cliche ?)
She has spend her whole youth taken care of first her sick mother and then her selfish father, who sticks her with an just as egotistical stephmom before he dies.
Now 26 years old and propperly on the shelf, spinster Evie plans to escape to Fergus home in York, to later on buy her own home living far from her step family, after breaking the engagement.
As she is a lady of indepentent means, and dont owe her family anything, she could just say: "I'm leaving -I have been your door matt for too long. I dont ever wanna pay an other of your bills - I hate your guts and dont wanna hear from you again." But, no. Evie has to make up a pathetic excuse - or else there would not be any story.
The story unfolds when Evie is taken to Fergus estranged twin, lord Finn, brothers home and then Fergus disappear.
Even though Finn is a grouch and plauged with guilt because of his disabled wife' s suicide 3 years ago, which he takes out on Evie, and everybody else, he is a vast improvement to living with her bully of a stephmom. Evie blossoms and finds a bit of a backbone.
But in chapter 16 stephmom reappears, unannounched on Finn' s doorstep- like the bully she is. Believing that Evie wount object to her visit - and Evie complys. Conveniently - because the story have to have a reason to delay the happy ending.
And now it really gets so annoying that I almost loose all interest in what happens to the female lead.
Evie new found confidence melts away - her father - that she wasted 6 years on nursing - have made her promise that she would treat her stephmom as her own mother - even though the stephmom has done nothing else than belittling her and reduced her to a door matt. Evie still thinks she should honor that promise. Even though she dont owe her father anything after forcing her to co-exist with a cruel and egotistical woman, two awfull stephsisters and never once sticking up for her!
True to caracther- only a door matt would ask for more abuse. Its hard to respect a woman like that. I get that she has a soft heart - but apparently she is also spineless.
Finn who knows how poorly Evie has been treated wants to stick up for her and throw the steph family out, but, no!
Evie wants to persuade Finn to have them stay for 14 days! 3 god awfull people who are mean and have sponged off Evie, since her father died, even though stephmom has her own money.
It does not makes sense! Why would anybody continue to allow her self to be treated like dirt - and expect an unrelated person to bear the repercussion of it and being subjected to the steph family' s pressence?
Before Evie came Finn has been accustomed to his own company and now she wants to force her family on him - when she does not even like that family. Be a door matt - by all means! But, do it in your own home!
It is totally ridiculous and unfair to Finn.
It is Finn' s home. He has no obligation to put up with the potential stephmom of his extranged twin brother and pay for their stay- or Evie for that matter. And it gets worse- she wants Finn to pretend to be Fergus- her fake fiance! I mean, come on!
Its such a contrived plot twist ! Evie says she is afraid that her stephmom will drag her back to London if she finds out that Fergus has vannished.
But Evie is 26 years old and stephmom has no legal say in her life- so its just a convenient excuse for the author to push the two caracthers together. Its so contrived.
I thought the premise for whole story - the fake fiance was ridiculous- but I began to warm up to the story and Evie because she began to come out of her shell and develop a personality and now this!
I dont even wanna finish the book!
The female lead, Evie, is a door matt therefore she has to make up a fake fiance arrangement with lord Fergus, a drunk and a gambler, in order to escape her cruel and parasitical stephmom and 2 evil stephsisters. ( Cinderella cliche ?)
She has spend her whole youth taken care of first her sick mother and then her selfish father, who sticks her with an just as egotistical stephmom before he dies.
Now 26 years old and propperly on the shelf, spinster Evie plans to escape to Fergus home in York, to later on buy her own home living far from her step family, after breaking the engagement.
As she is a lady of indepentent means, and dont owe her family anything, she could just say: "I'm leaving -I have been your door matt for too long. I dont ever wanna pay an other of your bills - I hate your guts and dont wanna hear from you again." But, no. Evie has to make up a pathetic excuse - or else there would not be any story.
The story unfolds when Evie is taken to Fergus estranged twin, lord Finn, brothers home and then Fergus disappear.
Even though Finn is a grouch and plauged with guilt because of his disabled wife' s suicide 3 years ago, which he takes out on Evie, and everybody else, he is a vast improvement to living with her bully of a stephmom. Evie blossoms and finds a bit of a backbone.
But in chapter 16 stephmom reappears, unannounched on Finn' s doorstep- like the bully she is. Believing that Evie wount object to her visit - and Evie complys. Conveniently - because the story have to have a reason to delay the happy ending.
And now it really gets so annoying that I almost loose all interest in what happens to the female lead.
Evie new found confidence melts away - her father - that she wasted 6 years on nursing - have made her promise that she would treat her stephmom as her own mother - even though the stephmom has done nothing else than belittling her and reduced her to a door matt. Evie still thinks she should honor that promise. Even though she dont owe her father anything after forcing her to co-exist with a cruel and egotistical woman, two awfull stephsisters and never once sticking up for her!
True to caracther- only a door matt would ask for more abuse. Its hard to respect a woman like that. I get that she has a soft heart - but apparently she is also spineless.
Finn who knows how poorly Evie has been treated wants to stick up for her and throw the steph family out, but, no!
Evie wants to persuade Finn to have them stay for 14 days! 3 god awfull people who are mean and have sponged off Evie, since her father died, even though stephmom has her own money.
It does not makes sense! Why would anybody continue to allow her self to be treated like dirt - and expect an unrelated person to bear the repercussion of it and being subjected to the steph family' s pressence?
Before Evie came Finn has been accustomed to his own company and now she wants to force her family on him - when she does not even like that family. Be a door matt - by all means! But, do it in your own home!
It is totally ridiculous and unfair to Finn.
It is Finn' s home. He has no obligation to put up with the potential stephmom of his extranged twin brother and pay for their stay- or Evie for that matter. And it gets worse- she wants Finn to pretend to be Fergus- her fake fiance! I mean, come on!
Its such a contrived plot twist ! Evie says she is afraid that her stephmom will drag her back to London if she finds out that Fergus has vannished.
But Evie is 26 years old and stephmom has no legal say in her life- so its just a convenient excuse for the author to push the two caracthers together. Its so contrived.
I thought the premise for whole story - the fake fiance was ridiculous- but I began to warm up to the story and Evie because she began to come out of her shell and develop a personality and now this!
I dont even wanna finish the book!
February 5, 2017
This book was positively wonderful! And trust me, I DO NOT say that lightly. I rarely ever give a book those shiny five star ratings but this one definitely earned it. [spoiler free review below]
Virginia did a lovely job with this book. The story itself was paced just right and despite the Cinderella-esque themes going on in the plot it never felt silly or even boring. I wasn't at all sure I would enjoy this book when I began, mostly due to the description of the heroine Evie being a doormat. Usually that type of beginning for a heroine is never handled quite how I wish and it almost always leaves me frustrated. But you know what? That was SOOO not the case here. Virginia wrote a perfectly lovely heroine who despite her ability to act the doormat to her biggest bullies and tormentors, she was actually a strong woman. She knew that subservient part of her personality was hugely caused by her stepmother Hyacinth and her stepsisters Iris and Rose presence in her life. I think her forming a plan and putting it into action, no matter her anxiousness over it and initial urge to scrap it and never leave her home where she lived with her stepfamily took incredible courage. And as the story progresses we see the heroine Evie bloom and shatter that glass ceiling she had been bumping for nearly half her life and it was so enjoyable to read. It was never hard to believe that Evie could act both the doormat and then be decisive and assertive with a drop of a hat. It really was a matter of whom she was with and the situation. It was only truly around her stepfamily that her backbone wilted, and naturally it was frustrating to experience because like the hero Finn, I was eagerly rooting for Evie to just buck up and tell her stepmother where to go! But it wasn't as easy as all that and the author Virginia did a great job pacing that particular issue throughout the book without it being the sole focus of the story.
I have to say that the hero Finn was also just so utterly swoon worthy! He was such a good man and he was just so overwhelmed by the guilt of losing his first wife Olivia to her wasting illness that he basically refused to live his life anymore. Under the belief he didn't deserve to life or be happy when Olivia was dead in the ground. It was a heartfelt and emotional journey Finn needed to take to fully accept his wife's death and his assumed guilt in it all. And the beauty of his journey was that Evie with her bright light of kindness and warmth guided him out of his own chosen darkness, albeit begrudgingly. A lot of the book Finn was quite the surly, rude gentleman but it was never harsh or truly cruel. He was hurting and he absolutely despised his solitude being trampled on by the appearance of Evie and her Great-Aunt Winifred.
Overall the story was entertaining, heartfelt, emotional and sweet. There was one mild love scene which was lovely and didn't disappoint or overshare. The book did not have an epilogue but the final paragraph provided a bit of a brief glance at what the future held and although not much it still left me with a contented smile on my face upon finishing.
It is worth noting that I adored both Evie and Finn. They were just perfect for one another. When Evie finally stood up to her family it was just the absolute best thing! So entertaining, and made even more so by Finn's part as well. I loved that scene! Her stepmother was a evil hag to say the least! And Evie's Great-Aunt Winifred was just the best! I wish she had more scenes in the book but regardless she was a gem amongst it all and I loved her!
Virginia did a lovely job with this book. The story itself was paced just right and despite the Cinderella-esque themes going on in the plot it never felt silly or even boring. I wasn't at all sure I would enjoy this book when I began, mostly due to the description of the heroine Evie being a doormat. Usually that type of beginning for a heroine is never handled quite how I wish and it almost always leaves me frustrated. But you know what? That was SOOO not the case here. Virginia wrote a perfectly lovely heroine who despite her ability to act the doormat to her biggest bullies and tormentors, she was actually a strong woman. She knew that subservient part of her personality was hugely caused by her stepmother Hyacinth and her stepsisters Iris and Rose presence in her life. I think her forming a plan and putting it into action, no matter her anxiousness over it and initial urge to scrap it and never leave her home where she lived with her stepfamily took incredible courage. And as the story progresses we see the heroine Evie bloom and shatter that glass ceiling she had been bumping for nearly half her life and it was so enjoyable to read. It was never hard to believe that Evie could act both the doormat and then be decisive and assertive with a drop of a hat. It really was a matter of whom she was with and the situation. It was only truly around her stepfamily that her backbone wilted, and naturally it was frustrating to experience because like the hero Finn, I was eagerly rooting for Evie to just buck up and tell her stepmother where to go! But it wasn't as easy as all that and the author Virginia did a great job pacing that particular issue throughout the book without it being the sole focus of the story.
I have to say that the hero Finn was also just so utterly swoon worthy! He was such a good man and he was just so overwhelmed by the guilt of losing his first wife Olivia to her wasting illness that he basically refused to live his life anymore. Under the belief he didn't deserve to life or be happy when Olivia was dead in the ground. It was a heartfelt and emotional journey Finn needed to take to fully accept his wife's death and his assumed guilt in it all. And the beauty of his journey was that Evie with her bright light of kindness and warmth guided him out of his own chosen darkness, albeit begrudgingly. A lot of the book Finn was quite the surly, rude gentleman but it was never harsh or truly cruel. He was hurting and he absolutely despised his solitude being trampled on by the appearance of Evie and her Great-Aunt Winifred.
Overall the story was entertaining, heartfelt, emotional and sweet. There was one mild love scene which was lovely and didn't disappoint or overshare. The book did not have an epilogue but the final paragraph provided a bit of a brief glance at what the future held and although not much it still left me with a contented smile on my face upon finishing.
It is worth noting that I adored both Evie and Finn. They were just perfect for one another. When Evie finally stood up to her family it was just the absolute best thing! So entertaining, and made even more so by Finn's part as well. I loved that scene! Her stepmother was a evil hag to say the least! And Evie's Great-Aunt Winifred was just the best! I wish she had more scenes in the book but regardless she was a gem amongst it all and I loved her!
April 28, 2020
Funny and romantic
May 8, 2018
What a great discovery was this book, I meet the author yesterday at a book fair yesterday, the plot of a revisited Cinderella tale attracted me so I picked up this book.
I read it in less than a day, even with the plot sets in the regency area, the author was able to add humor, wits fights and sweet sexy moments.
The two main characters are nice and sweet persons, Evie hides beneath her ugly clothes and an apparent lack of personality while Finn used his storming mood to keep people at arm’s length.
Both will learn and grow while cohabiting together, each having to confront with its own fears.
Evie is on the run, she is leaving behind her old life in the hope of a new free one, but will it be possible whiteout tackling with her past and her issues, this without loosing her heart to an impossible attractive man.
Finn is no more living, he is only existing, unable to go past his wife’s death, but with Evie, he begins to feel again, appreciate to not be only alone, anticipate their banters, with Evie he feels alive again.
The author has a talent to describe her world and its different protagonists, from the goods to the bads, setting slowly the plot until everything goes smoothly.
It was my first read but definitely not my last.
I read it in less than a day, even with the plot sets in the regency area, the author was able to add humor, wits fights and sweet sexy moments.
The two main characters are nice and sweet persons, Evie hides beneath her ugly clothes and an apparent lack of personality while Finn used his storming mood to keep people at arm’s length.
Both will learn and grow while cohabiting together, each having to confront with its own fears.
Evie is on the run, she is leaving behind her old life in the hope of a new free one, but will it be possible whiteout tackling with her past and her issues, this without loosing her heart to an impossible attractive man.
Finn is no more living, he is only existing, unable to go past his wife’s death, but with Evie, he begins to feel again, appreciate to not be only alone, anticipate their banters, with Evie he feels alive again.
The author has a talent to describe her world and its different protagonists, from the goods to the bads, setting slowly the plot until everything goes smoothly.
It was my first read but definitely not my last.
July 26, 2017
An excellent read. The hero and heroine were less than perfect but you tended to like them anyway. Finn was brooding but basically moral and kind. Miss Bradshaw had a poor body image of herself but reading between the lines, I personally imagined a voluptuous figure such as Marylyn Monroe or Sophie Loren, so not so much fat, but contrary to what was perceived as attractive in Regency England. I liked the mischievous Aunt, who although 89 years old, still had appreciation for a well formed gentleman and the step mother, step sisters and Fergus were suitable obnoxious.
Altogether a good read which I can recommend.
Altogether a good read which I can recommend.
April 7, 2019
A fake betrothal between Miss Evelyn Bradshaw, heiress, and Fergus Matlock doesn't quite go as planned. Her fiance has disappeared and the home she thinks is his actually belongs to his brother. She can't go home to her awful stepmother so she bargains with Finn Matlock to be able to stay at his estate until her new home is purchased and she is far away from her problems. How hard can it be to share your home for a few days with strangers? Welllllll. Oh, and Fergus shows up and takes Evelyn's money and runs off again. Loved this story, could not put it down.
July 25, 2022
I have been in love with Ms. Heath’s books for a long time. However this one was awful. It has taken the personality description of “doormat” to a whole new level for me. I cringed every time the h, Evie, was the focus. I made it halfway through the book and then went straight to the end. I couldn’t stomach Evie’s confrontation with her step mother where she finally had the courage to confront her while the hero, Finn, sat there smiling his approval at her. I wish I hadn’t bought this one and do not recommend it even as a borrow from a library.
February 24, 2017
Absolutely loved this book, even with a plot point that I really don't like to read. This wasn't your usual take on the Cinderella trope. Instead of being a rags to riches story, the heroine was actually rich and the hero was definitely no prince charming. This book was one that played with your emotions; you laughed, you cried and you got mad/upset with both main characters.
October 9, 2018
Another wonderful book from Virginia Heath. This is a charming take on the Cinderella story and I just loved it. A sweet, funny heroine, a quirky aunt and a hero in need of saving make this a delightful read.
Miss Bradshaw is a stand alone as far as I can tell and just the thing to brighten anyone's mood.
Miss Bradshaw is a stand alone as far as I can tell and just the thing to brighten anyone's mood.
January 30, 2021
To be fair, this book probably deserves another star, but I utterly despise love triangles, and one involving a widower heartbroken and still in love with his dead wife is the worst possible kind, as far as my tastes go. Of course I adored the insecure heroine, though she was not actually really plain or plump, just had an AFWUL stepfamily. I am really enjoying this author!
March 16, 2021
Loved Evie and Finn. It was wonderful to watch them overcome and grow together despite the wicked relatives and problems they had when they met. One less star for steaminess.
dnf
August 18, 2022i forgot i had already tried this one before and ended up not liking it. just didn't really connect to anything so dnf @ 5%
October 23, 2017
I had the delightful opportunity to meet Virginia Heath at the 2017 Historical Romance Retreat and thought she was a fantastic person, bubbling with wit and a sassy humor. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read any of her books before the retreat, so I couldn’t sing her praises to her face. Hopefully this review will make up for that. Because, wowza, her voice comes through loud and clear in this book. It has the same verve and humor that Virginia exudes in person I mean, come on, the phrase “hoist by his own petard” is actually IN this book! I love that phrase and am SO GLAD to finally have read it somewhere! Not to mention the bacon and sausage jokes. I literally laughed out loud at all of them.
But, as for the book itself, let’s start with the heroine, Evie. She considers herself to be a doormat and is working hard to be more bold and independent. We get to watch her grow from an aspiring moth, flying around in the dark where no one can see, to be a beautiful butterfly, well-loved and fluttering in a field of wildflowers. Read the book and that phrase will make sense. She is vulnerable from years of emotional abuse at the hands of her wicked Stepmother and stepsisters (it IS a Cinderella retelling, after all). Yet, she retains a whimsical, optimistic, innocence – sure in the knowledge that things will work out for the better. Her soft exterior also hides a strong well – a sense of who she is, what she wants, and a decisive mind that comes up with a path to get here where she wants to go. As a bold woman now, that was once a a rather shy, plump, plain girl myself, I found her to be INFINATELY relatable and just want to give her a big hug.
Then there’s Finn, the hero. And, hello there, Mr. Swoon-worthy. First off, he constantly puts bacon on her breakfast plate. Any many that gives me bacon is good in my book. But, more than that, Finn is a glorious, broken, dark and broody man. More like a Beast than a Prince Charming. He’s even a little Prince Phillip for all that he slays a dragon or two. VERY hero worthy. And, for all of Evie’s emotional growth, he goes through even more of a change! He goes from being a reclusive, angry, hurting, grieving man – riddled with guilt. RIDDLED. To someone that is laughing, looking forward to the future, and eager to engage and embrace joy again. Can you imagine the emotional hoops he has to jump? They’re fantastic to read. And, because you’ve experienced both of their journeys, as a reader, you are absolutely ecstatic to read that they get their Happily Ever After.
Not that there was any doubt about the HEA, since, yes, this is an Historical Romance. But, considering at the 50% mark they had not really kissed, I had my doubts. The romance is definitely a slow build and they have some emotional one step forward, two step back moments. But, once they were both on the same emotional page (HAH! A book joke!), the romance comes together quickly. And, by that, I mean they end up making love after only having two, maybe three kisses. The longer of the two romantic scenes is rather tame and uses euphemisms and language that is comfortingly familiar, much like the common writing tropes in the plot. It is an obvious Cinderella retelling and also uses forced intimacy, a common frenemy, and a nurse/patient scenario to build the relationship. It really is the emotional growth of the two characters that moves the plot forward and keeps things interesting.
I also want to take a moment to talk about the atmosphere of the book. If I have to rank it, I would say this is the weakest element in the book. While the reader really gets a fantastic sense of the insides of the hero and heroine’s heads, you only get an adequate sense of the setting. We hear about Evie’s dresses, but Finn’s cravat, waistcoat, and boots weren’t mentioned during either boudoir scene, so it felt a bit hazy on those details. You know what they eat, particularly for breakfast, and can almost picture the meadow and drawing room in your head. But, there is nothing that really anchors this book to the Regency period. The only indicators of time are the heading of May, 1816, on the first page and the woman’s dress style on the cover. I feel like it really could have been anywhere in England and at any point in time. Though, for all of that, the real focus was on the emotional growth of the two characters, so while this comes across as an afterthought, it is by no means forgotten.
So, in general, if you’re looking for a fast, funny, sweet romance set in the countryside and NOT in London’s ballrooms, give this one a try. You’re going to love it!
But, as for the book itself, let’s start with the heroine, Evie. She considers herself to be a doormat and is working hard to be more bold and independent. We get to watch her grow from an aspiring moth, flying around in the dark where no one can see, to be a beautiful butterfly, well-loved and fluttering in a field of wildflowers. Read the book and that phrase will make sense. She is vulnerable from years of emotional abuse at the hands of her wicked Stepmother and stepsisters (it IS a Cinderella retelling, after all). Yet, she retains a whimsical, optimistic, innocence – sure in the knowledge that things will work out for the better. Her soft exterior also hides a strong well – a sense of who she is, what she wants, and a decisive mind that comes up with a path to get here where she wants to go. As a bold woman now, that was once a a rather shy, plump, plain girl myself, I found her to be INFINATELY relatable and just want to give her a big hug.
Then there’s Finn, the hero. And, hello there, Mr. Swoon-worthy. First off, he constantly puts bacon on her breakfast plate. Any many that gives me bacon is good in my book. But, more than that, Finn is a glorious, broken, dark and broody man. More like a Beast than a Prince Charming. He’s even a little Prince Phillip for all that he slays a dragon or two. VERY hero worthy. And, for all of Evie’s emotional growth, he goes through even more of a change! He goes from being a reclusive, angry, hurting, grieving man – riddled with guilt. RIDDLED. To someone that is laughing, looking forward to the future, and eager to engage and embrace joy again. Can you imagine the emotional hoops he has to jump? They’re fantastic to read. And, because you’ve experienced both of their journeys, as a reader, you are absolutely ecstatic to read that they get their Happily Ever After.
Not that there was any doubt about the HEA, since, yes, this is an Historical Romance. But, considering at the 50% mark they had not really kissed, I had my doubts. The romance is definitely a slow build and they have some emotional one step forward, two step back moments. But, once they were both on the same emotional page (HAH! A book joke!), the romance comes together quickly. And, by that, I mean they end up making love after only having two, maybe three kisses. The longer of the two romantic scenes is rather tame and uses euphemisms and language that is comfortingly familiar, much like the common writing tropes in the plot. It is an obvious Cinderella retelling and also uses forced intimacy, a common frenemy, and a nurse/patient scenario to build the relationship. It really is the emotional growth of the two characters that moves the plot forward and keeps things interesting.
I also want to take a moment to talk about the atmosphere of the book. If I have to rank it, I would say this is the weakest element in the book. While the reader really gets a fantastic sense of the insides of the hero and heroine’s heads, you only get an adequate sense of the setting. We hear about Evie’s dresses, but Finn’s cravat, waistcoat, and boots weren’t mentioned during either boudoir scene, so it felt a bit hazy on those details. You know what they eat, particularly for breakfast, and can almost picture the meadow and drawing room in your head. But, there is nothing that really anchors this book to the Regency period. The only indicators of time are the heading of May, 1816, on the first page and the woman’s dress style on the cover. I feel like it really could have been anywhere in England and at any point in time. Though, for all of that, the real focus was on the emotional growth of the two characters, so while this comes across as an afterthought, it is by no means forgotten.
So, in general, if you’re looking for a fast, funny, sweet romance set in the countryside and NOT in London’s ballrooms, give this one a try. You’re going to love it!
January 17, 2025
I used to lap up this sort of story, and part of me is sorry that the formula just doesn't work for me anymore. Part of me is annoyed with Past Me for not caring about plot inconsistencies or character flip-flopping, or minor irritations (it's usually 'chaperone' not 'chaperon'—TIL that's actually a kind of hat).
And Present Me got dragged out of the story early on by a couple of things that, OK, don't matter hugely in the grand scheme of things, but are symptomatic of a thoughtless book.
1. Evie has been brought up as any conventional girl and is well aware of the proprieties. So, she decides to visit a dissolute peer in a remote inn by walking there on her own, on a hot day? To cool down, she takes off her shoes and stockings, unbuttons her bodice? Look, at what point do you think V Heath thought, "sod it, no one's gonna know any better how a well-brought-up girl should behave, how else is the hero gonna get to perv on her cleavage?"
2. The wicked stepmother has been left "several thousand pounds a year" by her first husband, let's say between £4-7,000. At this time, according to Colquhoun (A Treatise on the Wealth, Power & Resources of the British Empire), bishops had an average income of £5,000 a year, baronets £3,000. So her motivation for bullying Evie into supporting her is...weak. More than that, it shows up V Heath as believing that her readers won't care about the facts of the period she's set the book in. Throw in a mention of a marquess, silk nightgowns, and a cleavage or two and to hell with authenticity.
I freely acknowledge that it's taken me eight years (and counting) to write a book that's as authentic as I can make it, and equally that I confidently expect not one reader to care a hoot about authenticity. So, yeah, some sour grapes here, perhaps? But, damnit, V Heath, this reader is pissed off by your lazy writing.
And Present Me got dragged out of the story early on by a couple of things that, OK, don't matter hugely in the grand scheme of things, but are symptomatic of a thoughtless book.
1. Evie has been brought up as any conventional girl and is well aware of the proprieties. So, she decides to visit a dissolute peer in a remote inn by walking there on her own, on a hot day? To cool down, she takes off her shoes and stockings, unbuttons her bodice? Look, at what point do you think V Heath thought, "sod it, no one's gonna know any better how a well-brought-up girl should behave, how else is the hero gonna get to perv on her cleavage?"
2. The wicked stepmother has been left "several thousand pounds a year" by her first husband, let's say between £4-7,000. At this time, according to Colquhoun (A Treatise on the Wealth, Power & Resources of the British Empire), bishops had an average income of £5,000 a year, baronets £3,000. So her motivation for bullying Evie into supporting her is...weak. More than that, it shows up V Heath as believing that her readers won't care about the facts of the period she's set the book in. Throw in a mention of a marquess, silk nightgowns, and a cleavage or two and to hell with authenticity.
I freely acknowledge that it's taken me eight years (and counting) to write a book that's as authentic as I can make it, and equally that I confidently expect not one reader to care a hoot about authenticity. So, yeah, some sour grapes here, perhaps? But, damnit, V Heath, this reader is pissed off by your lazy writing.
February 26, 2019
eview may contain spoilers…
The Regency romance, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal (Harlequin Historical, 2017) is Virginia Heath’s charming take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. This Regency romance tells the tale of a heroine who refuses to be bullied, and a reclusive hero consumed by a guilty conscience.
Miss Evelyn “Evie” Bradshaw is a sweet young lady in desperate need of a backbone. When the courage to defend herself against the cruel jibes of her step-mother and beautiful step-sisters fails, Evie devises a plan to remove herself from their close proximity…she buys herself a pretend fiancé -- Fergus Matlock, the ne’er-do-well Marquis of Stanford. But upon her arrival in Yorkshire at Stanford’s family seat, Evie’s careful planning is all for naught. Her fake fiancé has disappeared, and his twin brother demands she immediately leave his home.
The fact that Lord Stanford even has a sibling, never mind a twin, nearly ruins everything, but she refuses to allow even this detail to interfere with her planned independence. While Evie struggles to maintain control of her destiny, Finn wonders how it is possible for him to resent and desire this young woman all at the same time.
I liked Evie. She is funny, compassionate and a character that came off the page as realistic. We can all relate to someone who doesn’t like conflict and to someone who really wishes they could speak their mind, but just can’t get the words out. I do wish though that Evie had confronted her step-mother & sisters out of her own desire to put them in their place rather than as a reaction to Finn delivering his scathing opinions on their behavior. Finn is a charming, but cranky hero, but beneath that irritable exterior is a thoughtful, kind and loving man.
Overall, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal is a well-crafted Regency romance with realistically-drawn characters, a charming story, and witty dialogue. It’s a fun read with serious but not heavy, undertones.
I am left with a question though…is Fergus Matlock, the feckless Marquis of Stanford, going to get his own story? Should Iris?
The Regency romance, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal (Harlequin Historical, 2017) is Virginia Heath’s charming take on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. This Regency romance tells the tale of a heroine who refuses to be bullied, and a reclusive hero consumed by a guilty conscience.
Miss Evelyn “Evie” Bradshaw is a sweet young lady in desperate need of a backbone. When the courage to defend herself against the cruel jibes of her step-mother and beautiful step-sisters fails, Evie devises a plan to remove herself from their close proximity…she buys herself a pretend fiancé -- Fergus Matlock, the ne’er-do-well Marquis of Stanford. But upon her arrival in Yorkshire at Stanford’s family seat, Evie’s careful planning is all for naught. Her fake fiancé has disappeared, and his twin brother demands she immediately leave his home.
The fact that Lord Stanford even has a sibling, never mind a twin, nearly ruins everything, but she refuses to allow even this detail to interfere with her planned independence. While Evie struggles to maintain control of her destiny, Finn wonders how it is possible for him to resent and desire this young woman all at the same time.
I liked Evie. She is funny, compassionate and a character that came off the page as realistic. We can all relate to someone who doesn’t like conflict and to someone who really wishes they could speak their mind, but just can’t get the words out. I do wish though that Evie had confronted her step-mother & sisters out of her own desire to put them in their place rather than as a reaction to Finn delivering his scathing opinions on their behavior. Finn is a charming, but cranky hero, but beneath that irritable exterior is a thoughtful, kind and loving man.
Overall, Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal is a well-crafted Regency romance with realistically-drawn characters, a charming story, and witty dialogue. It’s a fun read with serious but not heavy, undertones.
I am left with a question though…is Fergus Matlock, the feckless Marquis of Stanford, going to get his own story? Should Iris?
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