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Bride's Trilogy #1
Royal's Bride
Though he is a tilted nobleman, Royal Dewar is singularly unlucky…forced to choose between his soul mate and his salvation.
After years abroad, Royal has returned to Bransford Castle to find his father dying and the family treasury nearly empty. Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancée who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.
Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction—but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing—money—that keeps them apart….
After years abroad, Royal has returned to Bransford Castle to find his father dying and the family treasury nearly empty. Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancée who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.
Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction—but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing—money—that keeps them apart….
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 18, 2009
109 people are currently reading
1108 people want to read
About the author
Kat Martin
188 books3,171 followersKathleen Kelly Martin (aka Kathy Lawrence, Kasey Mars)
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 2, 2025
Thank goodness I hated the MMC, Royal Dewar, Duke of Something-or-Other. The way I kept wanting to choke the living hell out of him for his escalating dishonor of the heroine at least kept me awake and turning the pages.
Oh, and the number of calories burned from eye-rolling the “sweet and gentle” heroine who was more passively foolish and recklessly horny than sweet and gentle got my New Year’s fitness goals off on the right foot. (Wink, thumbs up.) So there’s that.
Ah, Royal Dewar, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. Or at least the whys.
First, after being attracted to Lily for days, he followed her into the hedge maze and kissed her breathless knowing, later that evening, he would get down on bended knee to propose to her cousin Jocelyn to fulfill his vow to his dying father. Oh yes, he did.
He offered Lily a ride in his carriage, then grabbed her, pulled her into his lap, and proceeded to unbutton her dress and maul her naked breasts on the way to negotiate the marriage contracts with Jocelyn’s father.
He took her virginity in a neighbor’s upstairs bedroom during a soirée. He felt so bad about it that he presented Lily with a list of five potential husbands he would buy for her with the money he would get by marrying her cousin. Because, ya know, she might be with child and he was, well, marrying her cousin so he couldn’t do it. What a guy.
I’ll interrupt here to answer the question, “How does Lily react to all this?” Her heart aches, she knows it’s wrong to feel these feelings and do these things with her cousin’s intended but every time he touches her she melts, and she keeps doing them over and over, and then thinking about how wrong it was. I was hoping she would crumple the husband list and stuff it up his nostril but no.
But back to hating on Royal: he shows up at Lily’s shop for a booty call, then tells her she can be his mistress. Lily, lying in bed with him after their hot sex, says no because she’ll not be the other woman TO HER COUSIN. The irony seems lost on her.
Royal decides to go full-on attentive to Jocelyn for awhile. However, when an attractive Viscount introduces himself to Lily, Royal gets territorial and runs him off, insulting Lily in the process. The old “I can’t have you but nobody else can either” move?
When he comes to Lily’s shop to apologize he can’t keep his hands off her but UH OH his fiancé and her mother catch them in a clinch. Lily gets booted from her cousin’s house but Royal gets to keep his fiancé because Lily takes the blame and he lets her. What a guy.
Royal has sex “one last time” with Lily after she helps him retrieve part of his fortune and then he publicly announces his engagement to Jocelyn, officially to be married in three months time. And he’s totally committed to it, thinking it was unfair to Jocelyn to harbor feelings for Lily and he needed to tuck them away and focus on the wife and family he would have. This is at the 83% point in the book.
Let’s recap: this so-called hero kissed, manhandled, and deflowered a poor relation to the woman he intended to marry, tried to buy her a husband, make her his mistress, and gets her kicked out on the street, all while she is loving him and risking her life to help him retrieve his family fortune. And then he decides he’s not being fair to his fiancé.
What a guy.
Oh, and the number of calories burned from eye-rolling the “sweet and gentle” heroine who was more passively foolish and recklessly horny than sweet and gentle got my New Year’s fitness goals off on the right foot. (Wink, thumbs up.) So there’s that.
Ah, Royal Dewar, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. Or at least the whys.
First, after being attracted to Lily for days, he followed her into the hedge maze and kissed her breathless knowing, later that evening, he would get down on bended knee to propose to her cousin Jocelyn to fulfill his vow to his dying father. Oh yes, he did.
He offered Lily a ride in his carriage, then grabbed her, pulled her into his lap, and proceeded to unbutton her dress and maul her naked breasts on the way to negotiate the marriage contracts with Jocelyn’s father.
He took her virginity in a neighbor’s upstairs bedroom during a soirée. He felt so bad about it that he presented Lily with a list of five potential husbands he would buy for her with the money he would get by marrying her cousin. Because, ya know, she might be with child and he was, well, marrying her cousin so he couldn’t do it. What a guy.
I’ll interrupt here to answer the question, “How does Lily react to all this?” Her heart aches, she knows it’s wrong to feel these feelings and do these things with her cousin’s intended but every time he touches her she melts, and she keeps doing them over and over, and then thinking about how wrong it was. I was hoping she would crumple the husband list and stuff it up his nostril but no.
But back to hating on Royal: he shows up at Lily’s shop for a booty call, then tells her she can be his mistress. Lily, lying in bed with him after their hot sex, says no because she’ll not be the other woman TO HER COUSIN. The irony seems lost on her.
Royal decides to go full-on attentive to Jocelyn for awhile. However, when an attractive Viscount introduces himself to Lily, Royal gets territorial and runs him off, insulting Lily in the process. The old “I can’t have you but nobody else can either” move?
When he comes to Lily’s shop to apologize he can’t keep his hands off her but UH OH his fiancé and her mother catch them in a clinch. Lily gets booted from her cousin’s house but Royal gets to keep his fiancé because Lily takes the blame and he lets her. What a guy.
Royal has sex “one last time” with Lily after she helps him retrieve part of his fortune and then he publicly announces his engagement to Jocelyn, officially to be married in three months time. And he’s totally committed to it, thinking it was unfair to Jocelyn to harbor feelings for Lily and he needed to tuck them away and focus on the wife and family he would have. This is at the 83% point in the book.
Let’s recap: this so-called hero kissed, manhandled, and deflowered a poor relation to the woman he intended to marry, tried to buy her a husband, make her his mistress, and gets her kicked out on the street, all while she is loving him and risking her life to help him retrieve his family fortune. And then he decides he’s not being fair to his fiancé.
What a guy.
dnf-too-early-to-mark-it-read
December 19, 2025I made till Chapter 9 of the audiobook and I was just so annoyed at everyone.
The weak ass hero.
The weak ass heroine.
The catty women all around. Not a single healthy woman/woman friendship or relationship.
Then I came to GR and saw my friend Gloria had already sacrificed herself to the cross of bad books so the rest of us could DNF in peace 🙏🥰
Negative 5 storm-butt wallaby 🦘⛈️⛈️⛈️⛈️⛈️
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━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The weak ass hero.
The weak ass heroine.
The catty women all around. Not a single healthy woman/woman friendship or relationship.
Then I came to GR and saw my friend Gloria had already sacrificed herself to the cross of bad books so the rest of us could DNF in peace 🙏🥰
Negative 5 storm-butt wallaby 🦘⛈️⛈️⛈️⛈️⛈️
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬
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June 15, 2023
This is an older Kat Martin writing Historical Romance before she settled into being a great Romantic-Suspense writer. This is a good book. It has a really hot romance and a suspense plot too. I listened to the audio and enjoyed it. The characters were wonderful, and I look forward to the books about Royal's brothers.
For years Royal Dewar ran his family's plantation in the West Indies. While he was being successful there, his father was losing control of his fortune in England. When Royal is finally called home, there is not much in the family coffers and his father is dying. On his death bed Royal's father forces a promise from him to restore the family fortune by marrying the heiress, Jocelyn Caulfield.
Lily Moran had loving parents who died in a terrible accident. Her uncle Jack took her in, but he was a grifter and that live wasn't for a young girl, even if she learned some valuable skills during that time. When Jack sent her to a distant wealthy cousin, Lily was sad but knew it was for the best. Her cousin Jocelyn was close in age and very beautiful but spoiled. During a trip to Bransford Castle the home of Royal Dewar, the Duke, her carriage is attacked by robbers. She is saved by Royal and he falls fast and hard.
Knowing he must marry Jocelyn is no barrier to the hot passion that flares between Royal and Lily. When Royal resolved to find the money that was swindled from his father, Lily and her contacts come in handy.
For years Royal Dewar ran his family's plantation in the West Indies. While he was being successful there, his father was losing control of his fortune in England. When Royal is finally called home, there is not much in the family coffers and his father is dying. On his death bed Royal's father forces a promise from him to restore the family fortune by marrying the heiress, Jocelyn Caulfield.
Lily Moran had loving parents who died in a terrible accident. Her uncle Jack took her in, but he was a grifter and that live wasn't for a young girl, even if she learned some valuable skills during that time. When Jack sent her to a distant wealthy cousin, Lily was sad but knew it was for the best. Her cousin Jocelyn was close in age and very beautiful but spoiled. During a trip to Bransford Castle the home of Royal Dewar, the Duke, her carriage is attacked by robbers. She is saved by Royal and he falls fast and hard.
Knowing he must marry Jocelyn is no barrier to the hot passion that flares between Royal and Lily. When Royal resolved to find the money that was swindled from his father, Lily and her contacts come in handy.
May 31, 2024
It was okay. Don’t think I’ll reread or continue the series. The con/plan could have been shorter, especially when the third act action was fast-paced.
October 29, 2024
It wasn't going super well (the heroine was insipid, preferred her bitchy friend) and then I realized Royal "managed a plantation"....
This is an older book, and I'll give Martin another shot, but not a greeeeat first impression.
This is an older book, and I'll give Martin another shot, but not a greeeeat first impression.
May 30, 2017
This story started out decent then seemed to go all awry. (audible review)
I liked Royal and Lily as a couple. They had good chemistry and it felt genuine, not forced so that is good.
To many things going on that should have not been there, made the story irritating. Why did there have to be so many more characters and elements added after about 30%. It started to get confusing and did not flow very well.
As for the narration it was okay at best. The narrator needs to work on her men's voices.
I liked Royal and Lily as a couple. They had good chemistry and it felt genuine, not forced so that is good.
To many things going on that should have not been there, made the story irritating. Why did there have to be so many more characters and elements added after about 30%. It started to get confusing and did not flow very well.
As for the narration it was okay at best. The narrator needs to work on her men's voices.
June 24, 2019
Royal Dewar hrs memenuhi amanat yahnya, menikahi seorang pewaris kaya raya utk mengemballikan kembali kejayaan keluarganya. Tapi apa lacur, Royal malah kepincut dgn sepupu jauh calon tunangannya, Lily Moran.
Dan terjadilah apa yg sudah saya khawatirkan. Royal dan Lily main belakang di belakang Jocelyn Caulfield, si calon tunangan. Yg membuat saya makin keki, author membuat karakter Jocelyn lebih buruk drpd Lily demi mengagungkan karakter heroine-nya. Jadi si Jocelyn diceritakan jg berselingkuh kpd pria idamannya yg lain.
Royal selalu ditekankan sbg pria yg bertanggungjawab demi keluarga dan memaksakan diri utk tetap menikahi tunangannya, tapi Royal tetap saja meniduri Lily bahkan setelah terpergok oleh tunangannya. Ya gak gitu juga, bambang. Perasaan bersalah campur galau selalu membuat Royal mengeluarkan pernyataan-pernyataan yg malah tambah bikin saya sewot. Dan author "membebaskan" rasa bersalah Royal dgn membuat Jocelyn memilih pria idamannya.
Karakter Lily juga sama ampasnya. Lemah dengkul lebih tepatnya. Digombali dikit aja sama Royal langsung berlinang air mata.....
Lily juga tipe muna bagi saya, tau banget Royal itu pria terlarang, tapi tetap aja "hajar" dgn menyodorkan tubuhnya utk dinikmati Royal sepuasnya. Ini ibarat makanan all you can eat secara gratis. Plus bonusnya lagi, Lily membantu Royal utk menjebak pria yg menipu almarhum ayah Royal. Yg malah mnrt saya caranya super konyol dan Lily udh ky aktris sinetron Indonesia yg super lebay.
Kesimpulan: buku ini justru paling konyol dan paling gak banget.
Saran saya, baca spt saya saja urutannya. Mulai nomor 2, terus ke-3 baru yg ini.
Dan terjadilah apa yg sudah saya khawatirkan. Royal dan Lily main belakang di belakang Jocelyn Caulfield, si calon tunangan. Yg membuat saya makin keki, author membuat karakter Jocelyn lebih buruk drpd Lily demi mengagungkan karakter heroine-nya. Jadi si Jocelyn diceritakan jg berselingkuh kpd pria idamannya yg lain.
Royal selalu ditekankan sbg pria yg bertanggungjawab demi keluarga dan memaksakan diri utk tetap menikahi tunangannya, tapi Royal tetap saja meniduri Lily bahkan setelah terpergok oleh tunangannya. Ya gak gitu juga, bambang. Perasaan bersalah campur galau selalu membuat Royal mengeluarkan pernyataan-pernyataan yg malah tambah bikin saya sewot. Dan author "membebaskan" rasa bersalah Royal dgn membuat Jocelyn memilih pria idamannya.
Karakter Lily juga sama ampasnya. Lemah dengkul lebih tepatnya. Digombali dikit aja sama Royal langsung berlinang air mata.....
Lily juga tipe muna bagi saya, tau banget Royal itu pria terlarang, tapi tetap aja "hajar" dgn menyodorkan tubuhnya utk dinikmati Royal sepuasnya. Ini ibarat makanan all you can eat secara gratis. Plus bonusnya lagi, Lily membantu Royal utk menjebak pria yg menipu almarhum ayah Royal. Yg malah mnrt saya caranya super konyol dan Lily udh ky aktris sinetron Indonesia yg super lebay.
Kesimpulan: buku ini justru paling konyol dan paling gak banget.
Saran saya, baca spt saya saja urutannya. Mulai nomor 2, terus ke-3 baru yg ini.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2012
This was my first time reading a Kat Martin novel and I enjoyed it. There were some holes in the story that bothered me however an overall satisfactory read. I did wish Royal would grow a pair a few times. It is difficult for me reading historic romance novels sometimes when the heroes get so wrapped up in honor and duty. Obviously these are qualities romance novels enthusiasts expect to see in the Duke or Viscount or whoever but about two thirds of the way through I wanted to shout at Royal "YOU LOVE LILY! FRIGGIN MARRY LILY ALREADY!" But he eventually saw the light and simply took longer than I would have liked.
August 22, 2025
3,5 - La trilogia è dedicata ai tre fratelli Dewar, figli del Duca di Bransford, che debbono rimboccarsi le maniche alla morte del padre, per salvare il patrimonio e rispettare le promesse.
Da subito, tocca al maggiore, Royal, biondo e affascinante, che deve sposare l'intrigante figlia di un ricchissimo commerciante e, al contempo, scoprire chi ha truffato il duca padre portando la famiglia quasi in rovina.
L'indagine si sviluppa insieme ai tormenti amorosi di Royal per la cugina della fidanzata, la dolce Lily, scaltra e decisa a farsi strada come modista.
Il finale porta al coronamento di ben due coppie: nel complesso, il primo volume parte bene, poi si rivela un eccessivo feuilleton, allungato e drammatico.
Da subito, tocca al maggiore, Royal, biondo e affascinante, che deve sposare l'intrigante figlia di un ricchissimo commerciante e, al contempo, scoprire chi ha truffato il duca padre portando la famiglia quasi in rovina.
L'indagine si sviluppa insieme ai tormenti amorosi di Royal per la cugina della fidanzata, la dolce Lily, scaltra e decisa a farsi strada come modista.
Il finale porta al coronamento di ben due coppie: nel complesso, il primo volume parte bene, poi si rivela un eccessivo feuilleton, allungato e drammatico.
July 14, 2020
Beautiful plot with great characters. The first book in this series and it's Royal's story. I love historical romances, and this one now has me wanting to read more.
May 5, 2010
Set in 1855 - Arriving home to discover their father, the current Duke of Bransford, on his death bed, each of the brothers (Royal, Reese and Rule) all pledged to a dying wish. A year after their fathers death, Royal knew he could wait no longer to start fulfilling that wish. He could not return Bransford Castle to it’s previous glory without money and he could not get money until he married Jocelyn Caulfield, the women that his father had arranged for him. All she wanted was the title of duchess and the social prestige that went along with it, since her father had arranged the marriage for her to get that and was willing to pay the new Duke for it, everyone should have been happy. Arriving ahead of the Caulfield women at Bransford Castle, cousin Lily Moran had planned on preparing for their particular needs only to be involved in an accident that left Royal believing her to be Jocelyn. Corrections were made and the betrothal and wedding preparations were under way but still Royal felt an attraction for Lily but knew nothing could ever come of those feeling for a distant relative of his soon to be betrothed. Except that didn’t stop either of them form feeling it every time they were near each other. With her help, Royal might not ever get his fortune back but he could get justice for his father, that would have to be enough - wouldn’t it?
Book 1 - So much information, action and romance for one book. It is fast paced but easy to follow. There are lots of characters to get to know (probably in set up for the rest of the series), but they are introduced in such a way that it does not become confusing. Really enjoyed the multiple romance lines, and the bits of Lily’s family. Also got a sneak peak at Rule’s personality and in the end a great lead in to the next book (Reese’s Bride). Of all the series I have read, this has to be one of the best Book 1’s that I have ever read. This is also the first Kat Martin that I have ever read. If this is a good indication of her writing, I can see her becoming one of my favorites. I am so glad I took the time with this one and am eager to start Reese’s Bride to see how it works out for him.
Book 1 - So much information, action and romance for one book. It is fast paced but easy to follow. There are lots of characters to get to know (probably in set up for the rest of the series), but they are introduced in such a way that it does not become confusing. Really enjoyed the multiple romance lines, and the bits of Lily’s family. Also got a sneak peak at Rule’s personality and in the end a great lead in to the next book (Reese’s Bride). Of all the series I have read, this has to be one of the best Book 1’s that I have ever read. This is also the first Kat Martin that I have ever read. If this is a good indication of her writing, I can see her becoming one of my favorites. I am so glad I took the time with this one and am eager to start Reese’s Bride to see how it works out for him.
August 30, 2010
Great book! i love Kat Martin! Royal was the older brother of three and when his father lay dying on his deathbed he promised his father to marry a woman his father chose, Jocelyn, in order to restore their home. Lily is Jocelyn's cousin and acts more like a servant rather than family. Lily arrives at the Dukes place first to make sure everything will please Jocelyn and her mother. But on her way up there their coach is attacked and Lily and her coachman are thrown from the coach. Well Royal is out on his lands and finds the coach on its side and realizes the woman is missing out of it. Thats when he see's Lily's body lying in the snow and he thinks its Jocelyn. He IMMEDIATLY is attracted to Lily and vice versa. Well he realizes Lily is not his fiance but the attraction doesn't fade. Throughout the story these two beautiful characters try to fight their attraction while also trying to uncover who duped his grandfather out of his money causing it to go to ruin. We meet other characters including Jocelyn's love interest Christopher. And also some of Royals very handsome friends including Sheridan and Jonathan. I finished this book in a day and a half. i could NOT put it down!
December 15, 2012
Royal the eldest son of the sixth Duke of Branford was sent home from Barbados, because of his ailing father. Coming home after seven years was a suprised to Royal due to Branford's decaying empty castle.
Upon the Dukes deathbed his dying wish is for Royal to marry Jocelyn an heiress of incredible fortune who'll rebuild their fortune, and the condition of once been the grandest house of England in exchange to his title, since Jocelyn wanted to become a Duchess.
Royal's willingness to marry Jocelyn just to appease his father the Duke wish, and for the restoration of his childhood castle was his intend. But when he met Lily Moran Jocelyn's poor ralation a green-eyed beauty and pouty lips Royal was done and overwith~~~
Upon the Dukes deathbed his dying wish is for Royal to marry Jocelyn an heiress of incredible fortune who'll rebuild their fortune, and the condition of once been the grandest house of England in exchange to his title, since Jocelyn wanted to become a Duchess.
Royal's willingness to marry Jocelyn just to appease his father the Duke wish, and for the restoration of his childhood castle was his intend. But when he met Lily Moran Jocelyn's poor ralation a green-eyed beauty and pouty lips Royal was done and overwith~~~
October 30, 2009
i really enjoy kat martin's books. this book was really good. it was totally predictable. some parts annoyed me. you know like when the nobility marry for money but fall in love with someone poor...then they acknowledge on every page that they can't marry the poor person because of a stupid vow to a dead person or some other person and they have to "restore" everything to rights.
the main character, Royal utters this to his heroine Lily for like the entire book. and yet they keep having great sex, despite him being promised to another...of course, you don't have to be a genius to figure out what happens at the end.
the main character, Royal utters this to his heroine Lily for like the entire book. and yet they keep having great sex, despite him being promised to another...of course, you don't have to be a genius to figure out what happens at the end.
February 15, 2011
I loved the heroine in this book.. She dreams of owning her own hat shop and is a companion. I love when my heroines are on the poor side instead of perfect, titled and beautiful. So the book was good in that way and the premise is really quite good. I love a good Film-Flam except for some reason this one just seemed boring. It never hooked me as they usually do. I will probably try to read the others in this series but I'm not going out of my way for them. 3.5 stars but just couldn't bring myself to give it a 4.
April 27, 2019
There are many things I could say about this book and all are not good. Yes, I am aware that Royal is blonde and handsome, Jonathan Savage is dark and handsome, Lily has pale blonde hair, Serafina is a redhead and so on and so on, but is it worth mentioned a thousand times? Lily is so resourceful that she could be a lady companion, a hat-maker and a fortune teller at the same time and in the end I am not even sure what happen with her hat shop after she became a duchess. I am bored to the verge of tears and I just want the book to finish.
January 5, 2010
Just finished the first book of Martin's "Bride" trilogy. Am captivated. Love the characters, both primary and secondary. Great storyline and wonderful dialogue. Have Book 2 and will be starting it immediately. Can't wait for the 3rd due out April 27th. All around great historical read.
June 1, 2010
This is a better than average Regency romance, but I'm still looking for a writer who equals Georgette Heyer in that genre.
May 2, 2012
I hope we see more of the Oarsmen too!
March 24, 2016
Πολυ καλο, βασικα ενα απο τα καλυτερα στο ειδος του. σου κραταει το ενδιαφερον, τα εχει ολα, ιστορικες αναφορες, περιπετεια, σασπενς, ερωτα και παθος. Το συνιστω.
February 6, 2019
An enjoyable read. Money or Love. Love won in the end.
July 5, 2017
The writing is terrible.
The book lost me early on when the friend commented on how he is having second thoughts on marriage after setting eyes on Lily. They only met for a short amount of time and the friend's comment might as well be the author shouting, here is the conflict the hero must overcome. I was just agog at how terrible that was. It felt like the author thought her reader was brain dead and had to hold their hand through the story. This book is two star at best. It has a potential to be one star but the general story isn't outright terrible. It just wasn't written well. I also thought Jocelyn and Christopher were more interesting. I liked that Jocelyn had her eye on somebody else. Christopher seemed like a smart man. They just seemed more interesting than the main couple, who came across as Mary Sue-ish.
The story revolves around Royal and Lily. Royal falls for Lily at first sight. He has second thoughts about the marriage because of his attraction to Lily. However, his impoverished estate and his father's dying wish prevent him from following his heart. Even though, Lily and Royal acted on their attraction, he couldn't jilt Jocelyn because he needed her money and wanted to fulfill his father's wish.
Lily and Royal were tied together for some time because they were catching a con man. The con man stole Royal's father's money. They knew that man responsible but had no evidence against him. Lily suggested catching him with his own game. Lily had a colourful past as a thief and had connections to their scheme. As a result, Lily and Royal spent a lot of time together.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn can't forget about her kiss with Christopher. She started an affair with him. They knew she was going to be engaged soon. She broke off the engagement with Royal and asked Christopher to marry her. She asked before but he rejected her. He had hang ups over their difference in wealth and class. She persisted and they got together.
Royal and Lily succeeded in their scheme. However, the con man found out and took revenge. He abducted both of them. They got rescued and the con man's henchman got killed. During their captivity, Royal figured out that love supersedes all else. He decided to break the engagement with Jocelyn, not knowing that it was already broken. He and Lily got together. He got his money back and his brewery business was growing.
The book lost me early on when the friend commented on how he is having second thoughts on marriage after setting eyes on Lily. They only met for a short amount of time and the friend's comment might as well be the author shouting, here is the conflict the hero must overcome. I was just agog at how terrible that was. It felt like the author thought her reader was brain dead and had to hold their hand through the story. This book is two star at best. It has a potential to be one star but the general story isn't outright terrible. It just wasn't written well. I also thought Jocelyn and Christopher were more interesting. I liked that Jocelyn had her eye on somebody else. Christopher seemed like a smart man. They just seemed more interesting than the main couple, who came across as Mary Sue-ish.
The story revolves around Royal and Lily. Royal falls for Lily at first sight. He has second thoughts about the marriage because of his attraction to Lily. However, his impoverished estate and his father's dying wish prevent him from following his heart. Even though, Lily and Royal acted on their attraction, he couldn't jilt Jocelyn because he needed her money and wanted to fulfill his father's wish.
Lily and Royal were tied together for some time because they were catching a con man. The con man stole Royal's father's money. They knew that man responsible but had no evidence against him. Lily suggested catching him with his own game. Lily had a colourful past as a thief and had connections to their scheme. As a result, Lily and Royal spent a lot of time together.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn can't forget about her kiss with Christopher. She started an affair with him. They knew she was going to be engaged soon. She broke off the engagement with Royal and asked Christopher to marry her. She asked before but he rejected her. He had hang ups over their difference in wealth and class. She persisted and they got together.
Royal and Lily succeeded in their scheme. However, the con man found out and took revenge. He abducted both of them. They got rescued and the con man's henchman got killed. During their captivity, Royal figured out that love supersedes all else. He decided to break the engagement with Jocelyn, not knowing that it was already broken. He and Lily got together. He got his money back and his brewery business was growing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2020
I hate to say it, but this book was a huge disappointment. Let me tell you the reasons why:
1. The hero, Royal, is kind of an alphahole--he makes up his mind not to ravish Lily but he JUST. CAN'T. STOP. He's totally not in control of his actions because his pants feelings are too strong. It's consensual, but they've both made up their minds not to be together and Lily can totally keep her shit on lock, but Royal keeps accidentally seducing her. It's just gross.
2. Lily's cousin, Jocelyn, who is apparently a human Barbie, gets her own chapters. Like, they're told from her viewpoint and she has her own little side story in her own POV and it's very weird for a book that isn't about her or her plebeian boyfriend. Like, I didn't care about her because in the actual hero and heroine's bits, she seemed like a spoiled, selfish brat--which was only reinforced by the chapters from her POV. I don't understand why those parts were there. They didn't add to the story and in fact really annoyed me.
3. For me, this is the big one. This book is HELLA RACIST. Lily and Royal plan a con to get his family's money back, and the entire con depends on Lily dressing as a Roma fortuneteller and being all "exotic" and alluring and sexy and, y'know, casually racist. I lost count of how many times the G*psy slur occurred. It. Was. AWFUL. So problematic, not only because a white British woman was playing a Roma woman, but her act was so stereotypical and offensive, while also perpetuating the racist stereotype that Roma people are oversexed con artists and mystical magical fortunetellers. And somehow the book never realized that it was being super racist. I was extremely disappointed, offended, and disgusted.
And yet, I finished the book. I wanted to see if it would redeem itself. In case you're wondering: it did not. When I finished reading the damn thing, I literally rolled my eyes. My advice is, don't bother with this one, unless you're cool with a crappy hero, poor plotting, and rampant racism.
1. The hero, Royal, is kind of an alphahole--he makes up his mind not to ravish Lily but he JUST. CAN'T. STOP. He's totally not in control of his actions because his pants feelings are too strong. It's consensual, but they've both made up their minds not to be together and Lily can totally keep her shit on lock, but Royal keeps accidentally seducing her. It's just gross.
2. Lily's cousin, Jocelyn, who is apparently a human Barbie, gets her own chapters. Like, they're told from her viewpoint and she has her own little side story in her own POV and it's very weird for a book that isn't about her or her plebeian boyfriend. Like, I didn't care about her because in the actual hero and heroine's bits, she seemed like a spoiled, selfish brat--which was only reinforced by the chapters from her POV. I don't understand why those parts were there. They didn't add to the story and in fact really annoyed me.
3. For me, this is the big one. This book is HELLA RACIST. Lily and Royal plan a con to get his family's money back, and the entire con depends on Lily dressing as a Roma fortuneteller and being all "exotic" and alluring and sexy and, y'know, casually racist. I lost count of how many times the G*psy slur occurred. It. Was. AWFUL. So problematic, not only because a white British woman was playing a Roma woman, but her act was so stereotypical and offensive, while also perpetuating the racist stereotype that Roma people are oversexed con artists and mystical magical fortunetellers. And somehow the book never realized that it was being super racist. I was extremely disappointed, offended, and disgusted.
And yet, I finished the book. I wanted to see if it would redeem itself. In case you're wondering: it did not. When I finished reading the damn thing, I literally rolled my eyes. My advice is, don't bother with this one, unless you're cool with a crappy hero, poor plotting, and rampant racism.
May 29, 2025
Almost, almost a 5 star! But still, I needed more oomph and pzzah in order to wrestle my elusive 5 stars from me.
What I liked-
A more realistic romance. Why realistic? We have a duke who is poor and is badly in need of money. The swiftest solution is to marry a rich heiress who aims to be titled. And that’s exactly what happened- Royal Dewar was betrothed by his father to the most beautiful woman in England- but he was not in love with her. Instead, her cousin, the lowly Lily Moran, is the one who caught his interest.
Our hero is torn between fulfilling his father’s last dying wish and doing his duties and obligations and answering the lust that calls to his blood whenever he sees Lily.
But since this is a realistic romance, we see the duke choosing responsibility over his heart.
We see Lily crying and suffering, and although she is portrayed to be kind and pure of heart, she still selfishly followed her heart’s desire despite this being a betrayal to her cousin. Which is the most realistic reaction from anyone if placed in the same situation.
And the cherry on top- Lily is not just a wonderful companion to her cousin Jo, she is an excellent hat maker, an independent woman who makes sure her future is secure, and a talented actress with a colorful past. I simply loved her character.
What does it say though that I’m more excited on the love story between Jo and Christopher Barclay?
It means the romance between Royal and Lily became so realistic that it lost some of its romantic appeal to me. Royal should have also acted and decided sooner, not dragging on his engagement to the last minute possible.
Still a 4 star read, especially since the secondary characters in this story are great. I love that the plot is not just about romance, but also about revenge and justice, friendship and forgiveness.
Very good read. Next!
What I liked-
A more realistic romance. Why realistic? We have a duke who is poor and is badly in need of money. The swiftest solution is to marry a rich heiress who aims to be titled. And that’s exactly what happened- Royal Dewar was betrothed by his father to the most beautiful woman in England- but he was not in love with her. Instead, her cousin, the lowly Lily Moran, is the one who caught his interest.
Our hero is torn between fulfilling his father’s last dying wish and doing his duties and obligations and answering the lust that calls to his blood whenever he sees Lily.
But since this is a realistic romance, we see the duke choosing responsibility over his heart.
We see Lily crying and suffering, and although she is portrayed to be kind and pure of heart, she still selfishly followed her heart’s desire despite this being a betrayal to her cousin. Which is the most realistic reaction from anyone if placed in the same situation.
And the cherry on top- Lily is not just a wonderful companion to her cousin Jo, she is an excellent hat maker, an independent woman who makes sure her future is secure, and a talented actress with a colorful past. I simply loved her character.
What does it say though that I’m more excited on the love story between Jo and Christopher Barclay?
It means the romance between Royal and Lily became so realistic that it lost some of its romantic appeal to me. Royal should have also acted and decided sooner, not dragging on his engagement to the last minute possible.
Still a 4 star read, especially since the secondary characters in this story are great. I love that the plot is not just about romance, but also about revenge and justice, friendship and forgiveness.
Very good read. Next!
December 27, 2021
If I could have given this book minus points, I would have done so.
I have given up hope of finding anyone who can write as well as Georgette Heyer and don't expect this anymore.
I have even got used to authors taking present day habits and attitudes, putting their heroines into long dresses and, hey presto, we are in regency England. Sloppy and badly researched, but it is what one has to expect nowadays.
The fact that Ms Martin has the heroine's cousin go about unattended by a maid or companion, book a hotel room, invite a man to have sex with him when she is a virgin just beggars belief.
But that is not my main objection.
The fact that the "hero" virtually rapes the main female character and this is supposed to be sexy and romantic is not just off-putting, it is downright dangerous. I checked whether the book had been written in the 1980s when such attitudes were more common, but no, it came out in 2009. It is not romantic that the duke was so overcome with passion he could not control himself. It made me so angry, I can't put it into words properly.
We need to achieve a society where unacceptable behaviour is not couched in terms of romantic pink-washing.
I have given up hope of finding anyone who can write as well as Georgette Heyer and don't expect this anymore.
I have even got used to authors taking present day habits and attitudes, putting their heroines into long dresses and, hey presto, we are in regency England. Sloppy and badly researched, but it is what one has to expect nowadays.
The fact that Ms Martin has the heroine's cousin go about unattended by a maid or companion, book a hotel room, invite a man to have sex with him when she is a virgin just beggars belief.
But that is not my main objection.
The fact that the "hero" virtually rapes the main female character and this is supposed to be sexy and romantic is not just off-putting, it is downright dangerous. I checked whether the book had been written in the 1980s when such attitudes were more common, but no, it came out in 2009. It is not romantic that the duke was so overcome with passion he could not control himself. It made me so angry, I can't put it into words properly.
We need to achieve a society where unacceptable behaviour is not couched in terms of romantic pink-washing.
May 24, 2021
The story was fun and the characters were interesting. Adding Jo's story seemed a bit much and unnecessary and only made the book longer. Yawn. I was irritated every time one of her chapters came up.
Royal was so wishy-washy. He talked about honor and yet couldn't even bother to keep it in his pants. Lily was too perfect - was there anything that she couldn't do?
Also, I had a bit of a problem with the fact that the author, at times, felt the need to beat you over the head with the same information repeatedly. Example: if she stated who The Oarsmen were one more time... I got it the first time. Definitely the second. But by the 6th, 7th, 8th, I was rolling my eyes. Yes, yes, I know who they are. Move on.
Royal was so wishy-washy. He talked about honor and yet couldn't even bother to keep it in his pants. Lily was too perfect - was there anything that she couldn't do?
Also, I had a bit of a problem with the fact that the author, at times, felt the need to beat you over the head with the same information repeatedly. Example: if she stated who The Oarsmen were one more time... I got it the first time. Definitely the second. But by the 6th, 7th, 8th, I was rolling my eyes. Yes, yes, I know who they are. Move on.
August 18, 2024
1.5 starts.
The hero was not really a hero. He kept talking about honor and yet, he dishonored Lilly. He took her virginity and then was like, oh sorry i couldn’t help it. But I can’t marry you bc I made a promise to my father that I would marry your cousin and IM a mAN OF my WORd and HOnor. What a lame excuse. The hero wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He talked about honor and keeping his promise but didn’t mind leaving Lilly in the dust. And when he would have sex with her, he did not take precaution to prevent pregnancy.
He was a bad hero, selfish, I don’t think he loved lily.
I hated him.
The hero was not really a hero. He kept talking about honor and yet, he dishonored Lilly. He took her virginity and then was like, oh sorry i couldn’t help it. But I can’t marry you bc I made a promise to my father that I would marry your cousin and IM a mAN OF my WORd and HOnor. What a lame excuse. The hero wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He talked about honor and keeping his promise but didn’t mind leaving Lilly in the dust. And when he would have sex with her, he did not take precaution to prevent pregnancy.
He was a bad hero, selfish, I don’t think he loved lily.
I hated him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2019
This whole series is interesting in a few ways - the stories are more complicated than just the A story of the couple in a relationship. There is always something else going on. Secondary and tertiary characters are mentioned in a way that you don't need to know their entire backstory for them to enter the book. So there can be a couple who exists who we have not experienced the relationship drama of - or a set of dysfunctional parents that we don't follow throughout their child's life. It was nice to see a more complicated plot and the presence of these characters.
November 5, 2022
Fantastic book.
Wow, I absolutely loved this book and want to read the series now. I don’t really read historical romance but this is one of my favorite authors and I was hooked from page one. Royal really tries to honor his promise to his Dad, that he would marry Joselyn but it’s her cousin Lily that he’s fallen for. Loved how on edge I felt as they try to con a man that had conned his Dad before he died. I even cried as it looked like their love is doomed but thankfully they do get a very happy ever after. I highly recommend this book.
Wow, I absolutely loved this book and want to read the series now. I don’t really read historical romance but this is one of my favorite authors and I was hooked from page one. Royal really tries to honor his promise to his Dad, that he would marry Joselyn but it’s her cousin Lily that he’s fallen for. Loved how on edge I felt as they try to con a man that had conned his Dad before he died. I even cried as it looked like their love is doomed but thankfully they do get a very happy ever after. I highly recommend this book.
April 6, 2023
This was an entertaining read although I didn’t know that I would be getting two romances for the price of one. Having two romance plots going, which also happened to literally cross over one another, made for some confusing characterization and a cast of characters that are at the mercy of everything but their own free will.
We even have chapters from secondary characters. It was as if this book wanted to cover a lot of bases, which I followed just fine, it just didn’t give me that depth I enjoy with one couple.
3.25✨’s
We even have chapters from secondary characters. It was as if this book wanted to cover a lot of bases, which I followed just fine, it just didn’t give me that depth I enjoy with one couple.
3.25✨’s
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