More or Less a Marchioness by Anna Bradley Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation on February 6th 2018
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo
Goodreads
Rating:
"The Somerset sisters, three beautiful, headstrong debutantes in Regency London, are discovering that a bit of scandal is a delightful thing . . . For the sake of propriety, and her younger sisters' reputations, Iris Somerset has kept her rebellious streak locked away. But though she receives a proposal from Phineas Knight, Lord of Huntington, Iris can't marry a man she knows isn't truly enamored with her. In fact, Iris no longer wants to be chosen-she wants to choose. Under the clandestine tutelage of "wicked widow" Lady Annabel Tallant, she'll learn how to steer her own marriage prospects-and discover her secret appetites . . .
What kind of debutante refuses a marquess? Finn is surprised, a little chastened-and thoroughly intrigued. This new, independent version of Iris is far more alluring than the polished socialite she used to be. Finn believed he needed a safe, quiet wife to curb his wilder impulses. But the more Iris surprises him, the more impossible it becomes to resist their deepest desires . . .
"
~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~
More or Less a Marchioness is the first book in The Somerset Sisters by Anna Bradley.
Iris Somerset is in London, and for the sake of her younger sisters, she is looking for a husband. She’s an independent woman with a wild streak, but she must put her true character away and act the perfect young lady that any nobleman would want to marry.
Phineas Knight, Fin, the Marquess of Huntington is looking for a wife, somebody biddable, and quiet, and one not expecting love. There are two women who he would be content to marry, but as his friend is also looking to marry a biddable miss, they decide to wager on which of them would court which lady. Fin loses or thinks he does when it’s decided that he court Iris.
All goes swimmingly, and they soon are betrothed, but after overhearing a conversation between Fin and his mistress who he is telling that their arrangement is over, things come to light for Iris. She realises she can’t keep up the perfect persona and that it wouldn’t be fair to Fin, so she breaks the betrothal!
Of course, no sooner than the betrothal is broken than Fin starts to see Iris in a new light. When they are both invited to a house party he makes it his mission to keep her from getting involved with a scoundrel who is sniffing around her, and in doing so starts to realise that he really wants to marry Iris still. Can he convince her he is the right choice for her? Or will she convince him that she can’t be the woman he deserves as his Marchioness?
This was a heartwarming story, one that had me smiling a lot as our two main characters start to realise things about themselves and each other. Things including if nothing else a firm attraction to each other, one that leads to some very steamy, passionate yet loving scenes between the couple. They have a lot of obstacles to go through before they possibly have their happily ever after, but one thing that is never a problem for them is how much they lust for each other. It was a real pleasure reading Iris’ story, and I look forward to reading her sisters’ stories in the next books in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.
Rating:
About Anna Bradley
Anna Bradley has been an avid reader, writer and book fondler since childhood, when she pilfered her first romance novel and stole away to her bedroom to devour it. This insatiable love of the written word persisted throughout her childhood in Maine, where it led to a master’s degree in English Literature.
Before she became a writer, Anna worked with a rare books library featuring works by British women writers from the 1600s through the Regency period. Here she indulged in her love of stories, fondled smooth, leather-bound volumes to her heart’s content and dreamed of becoming a writer.
Anna writes steamy historical romance (think garters, fops and riding crops) and squeezes in a career as a writing and literature professor on the side. She lives with her husband and two children in Portland, OR, where people are delightfully weird and love to read.
Leave a Reply