What do you think?
Rate this book
Be My Bride
Three Regency Novellas: Sweeter Than Candy, A Place by the Fire, and The June Bride Conspiracy. Three dashing gentlemen find it takes the help of three lonely boys, a small kitten, and a master French spy to win their lady loves. Regency Romance novellas by Regina Scott; originally published by Zebra in A Match for Mother, Mistletoe Kittens, and His Blushing Bride, respectively.
- GenresRomance
Nook
First published April 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Regina Scott
134 books1,009 followersRegina Scott started writing novels in the third grade. Thankfully for literature as we know it, she didn’t actually sell her first novel until she had learned a bit more about writing. Since her first Regency romance was published in 1998, her stories have traveled the globe, with translations in many languages including Dutch, German, Italian, and Portuguese. She is now the author of more than 50 works of warm, witty historical romance.
She and her husband of 30 years reside in Washington State on the way to Mt. Rainier. Regina Scott has driven four in hand, learned to fence, sailed on a tall ship, and dressed as a Regency dandy, all in the name of research, of course. Sign up for her free alert service to hear when the next book will be out or on sale at https://subscribe.reginascott.com/. You can find her online blogging at www.nineteenteen.com. Learn more about her at www.reginascott.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorreginascott .
She and her husband of 30 years reside in Washington State on the way to Mt. Rainier. Regina Scott has driven four in hand, learned to fence, sailed on a tall ship, and dressed as a Regency dandy, all in the name of research, of course. Sign up for her free alert service to hear when the next book will be out or on sale at https://subscribe.reginascott.com/. You can find her online blogging at www.nineteenteen.com. Learn more about her at www.reginascott.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorreginascott .
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 13, 2014
These stories take place in the same world as the full length novels. They're centered around the Wen Valley area (My True Love Gave to Me/The Twelve Days of Christmas, Catch of the Season, Utterly Devoted). The placement of the stories in the collection is all wrong. They're backwards in chronological order.
In "Sweeter than Candy," the three Jacobs boys are stuck staying with their stodgy uncle Jonathan Kinsle while their mother petitions the Navy for help finding any money her late husband left for them. While Cynthia is away, the children form a friendship with a neighbor, Mr. Daniel Lewiston, a lonely bachelor who once had a tendresse for the lovey Cynthia. The boys believe Jonathan would be the perfect new father for them and Jonathan agrees, if only Cynthia will look more kindly on him now than she did before. Cynthia is desperate for a home where her children will be able to run and play and a place where she'll be taken care of. If she marries Jonathan she'll have all that, but she knows she'll never love again. Can she accept a marriage of convenience for the sake of the children? Will Jonathan accept a marriage in name only?
This story is OK. It's a bit different from most marriage of convenience novels because Cynthia is an impoverished widow who actually loved her husband. She's a little hard to like because she's a bit stand-offish. Jonathan is nice guy and at first he seems like a push over but once the reader gets to know him, he's just a nice man who happens to long for a lively, loving family. The plot is predictable of course. The plot involves a lot of inner turmoil and two characters who doubt their own self-worth. The ending is a bit silly. There are a bunch of little historical errors. The author knows better now so she's forgiven for making mistakes at the beginning of her career. Bonus points because Genevieve and her husband make a cameo along with her sister Allison.
I had read "A Place by the Fire" before so I skipped it this time. It's cute but not my favorite. I refuse to read Utterly Devoted because of a character who appears in this story. He doesn't deserve to be reformed.
The last story is "The June Bride Conspiracy." Having brought the mysterious Baron Trevithan up to scratch, Joanna Lindlay is determined to marry him come June, no matter what. Allister Fenwick, Baron Trevithan, has been a member of His Majesty's Secret Service for ten years. He believes he can give it up for the peace and quiet of married life. His friend Davis believes otherwise. When someone tries to make Joanna call off the wedding, Trevithan fears it's his old nemesis "The Skull." He'll do anything to keep Joanna safe but the lady is stubborn and determined not to be coddled. How can he make her see reason?
This is the best of the three stories. I like spunky, determined Joanna, though I think she's a bit too strong at times. Her absolute determination to be married in June is a bit ridiculous. I also liked the mysterious Baron and wanted to know more about him. He's a hero I could grow to love. I love the development of the relationship in this novella. The feelings between the bride and groom to be grow as the story goes along. This one is more romantic than any of her other stories. There's a lot of kissing and pressing against each other but it's totally clean and doesn't go overboard. I liked the extra romance. It was more believable given the plot and background of the characters.
In "Sweeter than Candy," the three Jacobs boys are stuck staying with their stodgy uncle Jonathan Kinsle while their mother petitions the Navy for help finding any money her late husband left for them. While Cynthia is away, the children form a friendship with a neighbor, Mr. Daniel Lewiston, a lonely bachelor who once had a tendresse for the lovey Cynthia. The boys believe Jonathan would be the perfect new father for them and Jonathan agrees, if only Cynthia will look more kindly on him now than she did before. Cynthia is desperate for a home where her children will be able to run and play and a place where she'll be taken care of. If she marries Jonathan she'll have all that, but she knows she'll never love again. Can she accept a marriage of convenience for the sake of the children? Will Jonathan accept a marriage in name only?
This story is OK. It's a bit different from most marriage of convenience novels because Cynthia is an impoverished widow who actually loved her husband. She's a little hard to like because she's a bit stand-offish. Jonathan is nice guy and at first he seems like a push over but once the reader gets to know him, he's just a nice man who happens to long for a lively, loving family. The plot is predictable of course. The plot involves a lot of inner turmoil and two characters who doubt their own self-worth. The ending is a bit silly. There are a bunch of little historical errors. The author knows better now so she's forgiven for making mistakes at the beginning of her career. Bonus points because Genevieve and her husband make a cameo along with her sister Allison.
I had read "A Place by the Fire" before so I skipped it this time. It's cute but not my favorite. I refuse to read Utterly Devoted because of a character who appears in this story. He doesn't deserve to be reformed.
The last story is "The June Bride Conspiracy." Having brought the mysterious Baron Trevithan up to scratch, Joanna Lindlay is determined to marry him come June, no matter what. Allister Fenwick, Baron Trevithan, has been a member of His Majesty's Secret Service for ten years. He believes he can give it up for the peace and quiet of married life. His friend Davis believes otherwise. When someone tries to make Joanna call off the wedding, Trevithan fears it's his old nemesis "The Skull." He'll do anything to keep Joanna safe but the lady is stubborn and determined not to be coddled. How can he make her see reason?
This is the best of the three stories. I like spunky, determined Joanna, though I think she's a bit too strong at times. Her absolute determination to be married in June is a bit ridiculous. I also liked the mysterious Baron and wanted to know more about him. He's a hero I could grow to love. I love the development of the relationship in this novella. The feelings between the bride and groom to be grow as the story goes along. This one is more romantic than any of her other stories. There's a lot of kissing and pressing against each other but it's totally clean and doesn't go overboard. I liked the extra romance. It was more believable given the plot and background of the characters.
January 7, 2017
2.5 - As these kinds of stories: the clean, fluffy regency romances with little passion between the characters just aren't my cup of tea.
Sweeter Than Candy - 2 /5 - Cynthia and her three boys come to live with her brother after the husband she eloped with 10 years earlier died. Now a widow, she has to search for another husband to support herself. Her sons spend their time with neighbor Daniel Lewiston, who Cynthia has never liked and always treated with disdain because of his geeky nature. But when he suggests marriage so he can be a father to the boys he’s come to love as his own, she hesitates, balking at the idea of intimacy with him. She ultimately agrees and over time begins to see Daniel for who he really is. I was enchanted by Daniel, the delightful and slightly pudgy, lonely geek. But, I pretty much hated Cynthia. She was uptight, selfish, judgemental and really quite rude to Daniel, who was nothing but nice to her. Sadly she never really improved...as she was only later impressed after he “defended her honor,” lost 50 lbs and started buying her pretty things. So her attitude ruined the whole story for me.
A Place by the Fire - 3 /5 - Miss Eleanor, a teacher, gets sacked for coddling a student and acting above her station. The student insists that Eleanor go to her home, to ask the assistance of her uncle, Justinian Darby, in caring for the student’s kitten. Eleanor would rather not go, having fallen in love with Justinian 10 years earlier and being told by his father exactly what her place is, but she agrees. She’s sucked into the family Christmas against her will and Justinian has never lost his love for Eleanor , but can’t understand why she rebuffs him at every turn. He doesn’t realize that she doesn’t feel worthy of him. But her purpose in giving the Darby’s a Christmas to remember might bring those feelings of self-worth back. This was pretty good. I liked both characters much more this time around, but did find myself becoming mildly irritated with Eleanor.
The June Bride Conspiracy - 3 /5 - Joanna Lindby is to be married in June, to Allister, who has recently retired from the war office. But Joanna has reservations, since Allister seems rather bored, perhaps missing his adventurous lifestyle. And Allister has reservations because he acknowledges his feelings aren’t as strong as they should be. But then a letter, forged to look like Allister canceling the wedding shows up and the two work together to uncover the villain who wants to see them separated. In doing so, they overcome their hesitations in marrying. This was okay as well. Very sweet, rather than dangerous or exciting. I liked that Joanna refused to give up and was willing to fight for her man.
Sweeter Than Candy - 2 /5 - Cynthia and her three boys come to live with her brother after the husband she eloped with 10 years earlier died. Now a widow, she has to search for another husband to support herself. Her sons spend their time with neighbor Daniel Lewiston, who Cynthia has never liked and always treated with disdain because of his geeky nature. But when he suggests marriage so he can be a father to the boys he’s come to love as his own, she hesitates, balking at the idea of intimacy with him. She ultimately agrees and over time begins to see Daniel for who he really is. I was enchanted by Daniel, the delightful and slightly pudgy, lonely geek. But, I pretty much hated Cynthia. She was uptight, selfish, judgemental and really quite rude to Daniel, who was nothing but nice to her. Sadly she never really improved...as she was only later impressed after he “defended her honor,” lost 50 lbs and started buying her pretty things. So her attitude ruined the whole story for me.
A Place by the Fire - 3 /5 - Miss Eleanor, a teacher, gets sacked for coddling a student and acting above her station. The student insists that Eleanor go to her home, to ask the assistance of her uncle, Justinian Darby, in caring for the student’s kitten. Eleanor would rather not go, having fallen in love with Justinian 10 years earlier and being told by his father exactly what her place is, but she agrees. She’s sucked into the family Christmas against her will and Justinian has never lost his love for Eleanor , but can’t understand why she rebuffs him at every turn. He doesn’t realize that she doesn’t feel worthy of him. But her purpose in giving the Darby’s a Christmas to remember might bring those feelings of self-worth back. This was pretty good. I liked both characters much more this time around, but did find myself becoming mildly irritated with Eleanor.
The June Bride Conspiracy - 3 /5 - Joanna Lindby is to be married in June, to Allister, who has recently retired from the war office. But Joanna has reservations, since Allister seems rather bored, perhaps missing his adventurous lifestyle. And Allister has reservations because he acknowledges his feelings aren’t as strong as they should be. But then a letter, forged to look like Allister canceling the wedding shows up and the two work together to uncover the villain who wants to see them separated. In doing so, they overcome their hesitations in marrying. This was okay as well. Very sweet, rather than dangerous or exciting. I liked that Joanna refused to give up and was willing to fight for her man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2015
These 3 short stories are adorable, fun, and entertaining. The author develops her characters so well that it was easy to imagine them. The romance was passionate and clean. Short stories are my favorite because you can read it in one sitting. Regina Scott's writing style is excellent.
February 6, 2016
The stories were light and predictable, but the characters were likable and interesting enough. Enjoyable afternoon read. 3.5 stars
April 9, 2015
Awesome stories. My favorite would probably be the first one. The children are just adorable and Danny was awesome. Least liked would be the last one. Spies are just not my thing
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews