Marriage with a Proper Stranger (Men of Wollstonecraft Hall, #1) by Karyn Gerrard Published by Lyrical Press on February 6th 2018
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“Build a wall about your heart.”
Riordan Wollstonecraft labors under the heavy burden of his forebears. For generations, a curse has followed the dashing young men of his family, guaranteeing the women they love an untimely death. The youngest grandson of the Earl of Wollstonecraft Hall, charismatic Riordan is quietly resigned to his fate, an educator who devotes his life to good works, and ignores any longing for something more.
Widowed and penniless, Lady Sabrina Lakeside is desperate to avoid a second forced betrothal—this time to an aged marquess. Her chance encounter with Riordan leads her to an impulsive offer: a temporary marriage of convenience that could benefit them both. His agreement is as surprising as it is welcome. Before long, Riordan’s keen intellect and kind words have Sabrina rethinking her plans of a union in name only. But her new husband is holding something back. Will giving in to their tantalizing passion lead her only to further heartache . . . or could it be the first step toward healing them both?
~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~
Marriage with a Proper Stranger is the first book in the Men of Wollstonecraft Hall series by Karyn Gerrard.
Riordan Wollstonecraft is a second son, and also the youngest grandson of the Earl of Wollstonecraft Hall. The family has always been ready to help the underdog, especially underprivileged children, and the rights of women once they are married. So it’s no surprise that when Riordan is asked by a woman to help her that he agrees.
Lady Sabrina Lakeside is that women. She was forced into marriage, a very bad one, by her father and when her husband died she had to move back home. Now he is trying to force her into another marriage, to an even more disgusting old man so she must use desperate measures to escape her plight. She asks Riordan to marry her, but only for long enough to get her father off her back, then they can get an annulment. Fortunately, there is an instant attraction between them, so a short time of marriage won’t be too much of a hardship for either of them.
That is the basis of the story but there is so much more going on, such as Riordan working as a schoolmaster under a different identity, rather than living off his family’s wealth. His twin going missing. What Sabrina has gone through, and what her evil father gets up to. Not to mention the fact that the Wollstonecrafts believe that there is a curse on the family that means that every woman that marries into the family for love ends up dying an early death.
This book is such a wonderful read because of just how much goes on in it. Sabrina’s past is so heartbreaking because of her father’s machinations and I shed tears for her. She deserves the happiness that Riordan can give her, but they have so many obstacles in their way. I couldn’t read quickly enough to find out if she would get her happily ever after. I loved this book and definitely recommend it. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.
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About Karyn Gerrard
Karyn lives in a small town in the western corner of Ontario, Canada. She whiles away her spare time writing and reading romance while drinking copious amounts of Earl Grey tea. Tortured heroes are a must. A multi-published author with a few bestsellers under her belt, Karyn loves to write historicals, particularly in the Victorian era. She also writes the occasional contemporary.
As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden.
Karyn’s been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement keeps her moving forward.
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