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The Bluestocking War #5

The Beast’s Bed

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Miss Margaret MacGregor has a secret. To protect her family she has done the darkest of deeds and now she is determined to find the protection of a good marriage. A marriage that will let her pursue her dreams. Arranged by a powerful friend, she is ready to marry the Earl of Derby. But when she arrives, the earl does nothing as expected. He demands a trial. Drawn to the Earl who seems to carry a shadow in his heart, she agrees. Margaret cannot deny her desire for him but if he learns the truth will he cast her out? When her heart begins to long for him, she is determined to keep him. . . And her secrets.

The Earl of Derby needs a governess not a wife. Except no governess has been able to manage his spirited sons! But when Margaret arrives on his doorstep, eyes flashing, and a wild plan in hand, he cannot resist her. To his amazement, her remarkable ways beguile him and his small sons in a way he never thought possible. But there is a wall around his heart that almost matches his highland lass'. Will she ever trust him enough to tell him why she has terrifying nightmares or will they both keep to the fortresses of their hearts. . . Alone without love in a marriage of convenience.

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2022

292 people are currently reading
176 people want to read

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Eva Devon

106 books545 followers

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5 stars
593 (54%)
4 stars
341 (31%)
3 stars
120 (11%)
2 stars
20 (1%)
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10 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Elaine.
4,628 reviews90 followers
October 5, 2022
Great characters, especially Margaret, a heroine. Loved her Scottish accent, also how she was so kind to everyone, including the Earl's children. She gets the household up to scratch and sacks the kitchen staff and hires better servants.
I did not think the Earl a beast - in or out of the bed. Enjoyable reading. 4☆
Profile Image for nush &#x1050c;՞ ܸ.ˬ.ܸ՞&#x109af;.
609 reviews18 followers
July 12, 2022
the characters are solid. the heroine is extremely ambitious & headstrong. she holds her own & her traumatic past is the reason she is able to connect to other damaged people well. the hero is also a good man & a good father. the kids are adorable tbh. so all those elements were 10/10 but the romance was lacking for me. this felt more like a story about her finding herself & the joys in being around those kids. it was...i can't even say insta lovey bcz it was like two interactions lovey. it made no sense actually. i didn't have any reason to believe that these two characters belong with each other.
Profile Image for Dew.
764 reviews62 followers
May 13, 2022
ye kennae

I generally loathe phonetic dialogue. This book uses “ye”, “ken”, and “nae” ad nauseum in an effort to affect a Scottish accent.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,531 reviews48 followers
April 28, 2022
Good book

Margaret has secrets to keep. She is determined that they do not come to light.
Adam is determined not to marry again. He had not
loved his first wife but felt guilty about her death.
Miss Margaret MacGregor has a secret. To protect her family she has done the darkest of deeds and now she is determined to find the protection of a good marriage. A marriage that will let her pursue her dreams. Arranged by a powerful friend, she is ready to marry the Earl of Derby. But when she arrives, the earl does nothing as expected. He demands a trial. Drawn to the Earl who seems to carry a shadow in his heart, she agrees. Margaret cannot deny her desire for him but if he learns the truth will he cast her out? When her heart begins to long for him, she is determined to keep him. . . And her secrets.
The Earl of Derby needs a governess not a wife. Except no governess has been able to manage his spirited sons! But when Margaret arrives on his doorstep, eyes flashing, and a wild plan in hand, he cannot resist her. To his amazement, her remarkable ways beguile him and his small sons in a way he never thought possible. But there is a wall around his heart that almost matches his highland lass'. Will she ever trust him enough to tell him why she has terrifying nightmares or will they both keep to the fortresses of their hearts. . . Alone without love in a marriage of convenience.
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
1,051 reviews2 followers
January 20, 2023
A gentle rolling love story from lose to love

Derby lost his wife in child birth and he had been wounded and scarred by war. The had three sons to care for and an overwhelming sense of loss and failure to protect. Margaret was reared by the Duke of Clyde. She was not his blood but he treated as a daughter. Clyde had been in love with her mother who died in childbirth. This story is about children and adults dealing with loss, coping with newness and being accepted for who they are. Margaret was guided here by a friend who believed they were right for each other. So the story builds as Margaret shows her strengths and Derby shows his warmth, understanding and goodness. It rolls gently with small blurbs of worry about sharing pasts but ultimately they passed through successfully. The author did manufacture a crisis at the end which I felt was not necessary. These characters deserved their HEA.
Profile Image for Bridget Love to read Lewis.
2,509 reviews30 followers
June 4, 2022
A family at last

Margaret knew she was loved by her natural father but she wanted a love and family of her husband own! Adam has 3 sons and and is a widower. His wife died with the birth of the third son!
Margaret wants: freedom to write poetry, love, and a family! When Clyde and the man that sent Margaret there arrive its almost too late as the banns have been called twice!
There are secrets revealed that Margaret was afraid to ever tell Adam but they came out anyway and he loves Margaret anyway! I did not understand Adams mysterious injury and it was just kind of glossed over and no real reason for it! Yet he almost died!?
Do they get a HEA yes and on to the next story!
Profile Image for Aj.
2,509 reviews
April 26, 2022
A beautiful and enduring love story, this romance swept me away on a few hours of blissful reading. Adam and Margaret are wonderful characters, both wounded from past trauma, she beguiles him from the start and he soon captures her love and trust like no other. I adored the three young boys and secondary characters that added depth to this story. I loved the dialogue between Margaret and Adam and Margaret with the children. Their honesty was heart felt and their growing desire for one another didn't feel rushed. This was definitely a forever kind of love that made me feel like I stepped into a fairy tale.
Profile Image for Wendy Tavenner.
1,331 reviews12 followers
May 8, 2022
Finding your place

I absolutely loved Margaret and Adams story. He a widower with 3 boys and she a bastard whose mother died in child birth but raised by a good man The Duke of Clyde. She wanted something for herself so while he adopted papa was away she went to find her future.
Adam thought she was here to apply for the governess job and she thought he understood she was here to be his wife. When they find out that a friend played them, because he thought they were perfect for each other. They decided on a 3 week trial period. She has secrets and he is in darkness. But the 2 together can bring the light in. A wonderful story with a beautiful ending.
1,711 reviews6 followers
June 2, 2022
Margaret is the ward of the Duke of Clyde. Lacking a noble birth, Margaret has had to endure the hardship of the cruelty of the ton. Prey to Nobel men who feel entitled to every woman without reproach. Spiteful women who think they are better because of their birth.
The Earl of Derby had been a soldier. Married to Anna who had given him three sons. Unfortunately he had returned home injured in time to witness the birth of his third son. It was also the death of his wife. Despite a midwife and doctor, she bled to death. He swore to raise his sons better than most English Nobel men.
Margaret needed to forge her own path. Adam needed to break the shakles of depression. .
510 reviews3 followers
June 14, 2022
Love this group of free thinkers

Loved the opening when Adam finally realized the actual position Blackmore had sent her to fill. Growing up with an adopted father as free thinking as Adam and even more scared gave Margaret the best training to deal with Adam and his sons. Thankfully fixing the castle only required caring and the money to hire more hands to do the work. Lived when the new cook arrived. Adam and his boys didn't even realize what they were missing till it arrived. The way to a man's (or boy's) heart truly is thru their stomach.
Profile Image for Patricia.
838 reviews
April 27, 2022
IN WHICH I ADMIT- I DID FURTHER FEED MY ADDICTION

The Duke of Clyde has a step-daughter.
He raised her to be strong, to take life by the neck and do what is needed. Even if it's scandalous.
The story of that woman finding her mate is full of joy and tension, love, and vibrant laughter.
The characters are full-bodied, like a rich merlot. They work and play, laugh, and love with the usual intensity (I strongly recommend this author - I am addicted to her writing.)
Profile Image for Cindy Woltman.
288 reviews
April 24, 2022
A fulfilling kind of love!

The Beast’s Bed is a wonderfully written story of past pain, regrets, fear, strength, challenge and yes, love. Love not only between Margaret and Adam but also between Captain Bly and three young pirates. This is a book that is a must read! It’s a HEA with a cherry on top!
651 reviews3 followers
April 29, 2022
A great read!

Adam and Margaret met when she showed up at his castle to maybe marry him. A matchmaking Duke suggested she would be good for him, help him heal, in the end they healed each other. The boys took to her when she befriended them, told them she lost her own mother to childbirth. I highly recommend this book! 👍👍👍👍❤❤❤❤
974 reviews5 followers
July 12, 2022
Adam and margaret

Wonderful story and well written. So much hard ache and sorrow. Two people with lives so much alike looking for that forever love and happiness. Its a hard book to put down and keeps you turning the pages to see where their lives will take you. Would highly recommend this series and author vas you won't be disappointed. they get their HEA.🙂
20 reviews
July 13, 2022
A singular woman of character who goes after what she needs.

An excellent story of a strong woman, a survivor who takes control of shaping her life in a period in time when women, were owned. In meeting the Earl who’s a kind and decent man with gorgeous sons and the scenarios are then built around them. Certainly, a most enjoyable read which was completed in one sitting.
273 reviews
April 25, 2022
We’ll written you can see from the dates this book was unputdownable if that’s a word. Great chemistry between Margaret and boys. Love how Adam and Margaret work through loss and pain to great ending
1,130 reviews4 followers
June 5, 2022
I really liked Adam and Margaret's story. It was a bit sad and then very happy. The children were full of mischief and very endearing. I liked all the characters and the plot. Good to see characters from other stories. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
1,290 reviews5 followers
June 16, 2022
Another brilliant addition to the series

This is another brilliantly written story that is a great addition to the series. All the characters in this steamy at times plot are amazing, and have some intriguing fears to overcome. a very compelling read.
Profile Image for Pam  Bereznak.
1,847 reviews141 followers
June 26, 2022
Love Eva Devon.

This is my 45th book by her. I read one of her books in 2016 and then picked her up for good in 2018 and have been reading her ever since.

this was a good read. Not my favorite of the series but sill liked it.
889 reviews4 followers
July 22, 2022
Pain Turns to Love

I love the books in this series. The characters grab you on page one and refuse to let you go until the end. Love is expressed in a caring manner and not graphic sex.
363 reviews
November 6, 2022
Oh my gosh

I was wondering what the plot was going to be. I don't know why Margaret thought she was a beast for saving her friend. People perceive things differently. Good book altogether.
Profile Image for Angela Harriman.
456 reviews1 follower
November 15, 2022
Sweet and angsty

I liked this sweet little romantic tale. Sort of Beauty and the beast mixed with Mary Poppins. The flow was a bit off. There were places where it felt a bit bogged down but overall enjoyable. Nice to revisit familiar faces. Loved the ending.
Profile Image for MARIE MARUCCI.
506 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2023
Love that Margaret was able to oversome her rough start to life and the abuse received growing up and being abused by Lovedale.

Happy, too, that the Earl of Derby was able to see that Margaret was just what he and his sons needed in their life.
Profile Image for Heather.
1,210 reviews
May 8, 2022
Oh Jeez, there’s that romance novel Scottish accent. One extra star for using the phrase ‘cocked up’.
Profile Image for Marjorie.
2,099 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2022
Touching love story

I enjoyed this book. Adam went through a lost of a wife and Mother and Margaret had a lot of things going against her but love won out.
4 reviews
June 14, 2022
Love her.

These books are good short reads. Some spelling mistakes. Knowing about the spelling has helped me. I really am enjoying what I'm reading.
Profile Image for Kenneth.
632 reviews12 followers
July 4, 2022
Too short. Everything resolved too easily and too quickly to be truly satisfying.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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