Customer Reviews

An Unwilling Bride

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

First of all, I purchased this book because the back summary made the book seem passionate and original. I wanted to see what Beth would do with the marriage she is forced into. I thought she would use her wit and intelligence to ensnare her new husband. I thought there would at least be some sexual tension. However this is not the case at all. Beth in fact goes out of her way to make herself unattractive to her future husband, like snipping off her bow from her modcap before she first meets him. This is supposed to make us cheer her on, but I felt more frustrated. The hero, Lucien, is so shallow that without even knowing the character of the heroine, tells her he finds her "unattractive". This is what she wants, but she still feels hurt by his comment (FRUSTRATING!!!). This pretty much happens throughout the whole book. She goes out of her way to seem unaffected by him and he goes out of his way to hurt her. I really don't like the way JB forced the reader to read the interaction between Beth (who we're not even sure Lucien loves) and his mistress Blanche (who JB lets us know he does love). There is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between Lucien and Beth. Lucien admits even after they are married that he felt no pressing need to make love to his wife. What galls me the most is that there is more passion between Lucien and Blanche than between Lucien and the woman he "loves" Beth. Then there's the back-handed slap. There were many times that JB could have made Lucien feel jealousy towards Beth, but didn't.Instead we are left with the impression that he slaps her because of wounded pride. Strangely this is the first show of any sort of intense feeling toward Beth and it falls flat.There was no justification for it. Considering he had a torrid affair with Blanche, even after he agreed to marry Beth, the jerk had no right to hit her merely because he saw an old tricorn hat. When the love scene DOES occur it is over before it begins, literally. Try two measly sentences. Worst of all, we're STILL not sure Lucien truly loves his wife. After this "love" scene, Lucien and Beth Join Blanche (I know, dumb) and Nicholas Delaney in one of the cheesiest stings ever to catch the villains. Beth and Blanche dress up like hookers while the men dress up like ruffians (?????). Blanche, once again is glorified, for being beautiful, graceful, etc., etc, and they all work together to bring the villains down. Needless to say there was no passion in this book, and in my opinion no love. Just a bunch of frustrating interactions between the hero and the heroine, and the knowledge that Lucien's mistress is the best. I would definitely recommend that people not waste their hard earned coin on this book between a "heroine", a "hero", and his greatest love, his mistress "Blanche"(Dare I mention I absolutely abhor this name!!!!)

First, and most importantly : this book is a REPRINT (from 1992), which the "Product Details" should indicate, instead of a 2011 date. However, I either must have missed it the first time around, or forgotten reading it, because I have read all of the other books in the "Rogues" series. This is the weakest. I am not panning it for the threatening and ultimately violent character of the "hero", though I prefer my romance novels without that element. What bothered me more was that the heroine was the stereotypical "feminist ninny", who purports to hold progressive modernist views about female freedom, but almost immediately "unemancipates" herself and succumbs to a life of contented luxury and patriarchy. Beth gives feminism a bad name. She spends most of the book agonizing over a choice she's already made. It's boring - and the abrupt declaration of mutual devotion that occurs is jarring. As well, the book references two great previous Beverley characters - Nicholas and Eleanor Delaney - against whom Lucien and Beth suffer dramatically by comparison.

I absolutely loved the book . Lucien de Vaux is a handsome, charming regency buck and Beth Armitage is an intelligent independent school teacher ( commoner)who dislikes the aristocracy. The two are forced into an arranged marriage and the intellectual sparring between the two is perhaps the most interesting part of their romance. Lucien discovers to his great surprise that he is attracted to her mind and sparkling wit and Beth finds herself falling in love with the handsome aristocrat much against her strong beliefs that the aristocracy are frivolous. Reading about how these two unlikely people with all their misgivings from such different backgrounds get to understand each other and fall in love is the charm of the book. I love that the author has created an intelluctual attraction between the two , a refreshing change when most romances are built around physical attraction and beauty. It is nice to see that a man can fall just as hard for a woman's brain.One review I read said that there was no passion between the two , but I felt plenty of it all through the book.I like that they become friends before becoming intimate even after they are married. Hats off to Lucien for his good sense and self control, in befriending her first before the passionate sex.In most of the regency romances, the man just feels it his right to bed his wife whether she is ready or not.This hugely elevated my opinion of Lucien.The scene where he backhanded her was not one of my favorite , but he was really sorry about it and truth be told ,her lie to him at the start of the story was partly responsible for it and Heck, if she could forgive him , why cant we ???.They both change into better persons as they discover their love for each other . I followed the couple through the other Rouge romances and find their antics - Lucien's harmless flirting and Beth interfering in the rest of the Rogue's romances charming. They are just such an interesting couple and add spice to the other novels .I love Beth's strong character and the way she helps the other Rogue wives in the other Rogue stories. Her befriending Blanche ( Lucien's beautiful Ex mistress)shows her self confidence for which Lucien is probably largely responsible. What grabbed me about the book is the wit, verbal sparring and tension between the two. I did however not like the fact that Lucien had a hot love scene with Blanche after he was engaged to Beth.(I know he was not in love with Beth at that time , but still....)But since he acknowledged to Blanche that Beth is the only woman he has ever loved , It makes it a little better. On the whole it is a great book, the secondary romance between the Duke and his wife is lovely too.Their involvement with the couple is touching. I like the duchess immensely and the affection she offers Beth right from the beginning is sweet. I wish there was a scene when the duke realizes that the marriage of convenience that he engineered has turned into alove match. My favourite of the Rogue Romances. I highly recommend reading all of them in order.The bond they share is superb. I wish JB would write a 2nd epilogue book reuniting all the rouges , so we can read what happened to them later in life.

What appalled me more than Lucien's backhand was Beth's reaction to it. Instead of hitting him back (my preferred reaction) or taking him to task, she forgives him and shoulders most of the blame. The whole interaction disgusted me. I don't mind that the man had a temper. In fact, I think an angry man can be a sexy man. But he should have hit the wall or thrown a priceless vase. He shouldn't have hit a defenseless, innocent woman.

Lucien is NOT a hero, a man, or anyone I could admire or root for. He is a spineless coward who uses his fists against people who are no match for him physically. And then to say he did it because he loves her so much - UGH! He's a wife beater and I wish instead of forgiving him, Beth would have kneed him in the balls.

I'm not sure I can ever read another Jo Beverly. This was my first and it really turned me off.

Okay, the slap was a little too much, but it doesn't change the fact that this is still a very good story. What's more is that the love that develops between the characters is actually believable. As far as the slap goes, it was unneccesary to push the plot forward. However, this is a fast and highly entertaining read. I would recommend that you read it and form your own opinion.

Fans who've come to know the other rogues will understand and enjoy this book immensely. Yes, Lucien did a stupid, dopey thing, but the fact that he realized it and agonized over it proved to me that he wasn't a wife beater! Feminists would have had Beth crucify the guy! And for what? For Beth and Lucien to separate and be miserable without each other while hovering feminists gloated that they'd 'saved' another woman from A MAN? How I hate that! Wake up, women. Feminists of all eras believe men dislike intelligent women. I believe they simply dislike feminists and adore intelligent women.

Sigh -- so many readers latch on to one small incident and trash the whole thing because of it, and all without looking at the whole. As to the issue of abuse, Jo Beverley is known for dealing with difficult and sometimes uncomfortable (to be kind) issues. Abuse is one of the issues addressed in "An Unwilling Bride." Yes, the reader can be rightly concerned about the hero's temper and the one (count 'em, one) time Lucien backhands his wife. I am NOT justifying his behavior, but reading his reaction and all that follows, he seems to be even more upset about it than she is. Lucien is appalled at himself. It is also true that he is at times emotionally cruel to Beth early on, but it is the result of a very serious misunderstanding that she caused and a backlash from his own pain. As unpleasant as that is, it's real; people really do lash out at others when they themselves are in pain, particularly if the other person manges to add to the load. In addition, she is a virago early in their relationship, due in large part to her trying to get out of a marriage she doesn't want. Nevertheless, she is truly obnoxious at times and there is a portion of the book in which the reader may not like either character. Both are dealing with very difficult situations they feel powerless to change, and both have very strong, independent-minded personalities. Friction is inevitable. Moreover, responses that so berate Lucien fail to recognize that people are imperfect; they make mistakes. Odd how Lucien is condemned for one terrible mistake and the rest of his character, which is very fine indeed, is overlooked. At least Beth comes to realize that she started their problems (not "is responsible for his hitting her") and continued to exacerbate them. Like all relationships, both are responsible.

Did those who dubbed this book a typical Regency (or those who could not get past the one incidence of violence) actually finish the book? The message is that neither physical nor emotional abuse is acceptable. The couple must learn to deal with each other with respect, compassion, and understanding. And there is plenty of meat for the idea of equality between the sexes, too. Beverley's book takes a realistic look at the issue of spousal abuse in the Regency period (and one must keep in mind the historical context), as well as the misunderstandings and compromises necessary in a marriage between such high-spirited people, the gap between the aristocracy and lower classes, the sorrows and concerns of war, and much more. It is a deep book which, it seems, is not appreciated by all.

Jo Beverley has a gift for writing unique books. Somehow Beverley manages to deal with difficult subjects at the same time that she presents interesting twists on standard plots such that each book is new (not becoming repetitive as even other good authors are want to do) and the characters are individual and memorable. I liked Lucien a lot -- other than the anger, which is explained in everything he has to deal with at that moment (and all who know him agree that, although he has a temper, he is acting far from normal), and the time he hit her. I'm less pleased with Beth's stubborn and selfish actions that keep creating more problems for them. For example, one of her hang-ups is that he's of the aristocracy; it takes her a long time to start to get past that, in part because of her own self-righteousness and her ignorance of aristocratic duties. While she cannot be blamed for his hitting her, Beth was responsible (she herself admits it) for making a difficult situation horrid. She does, however, realize eventually that she's wrong and begins to soften and compromise. In the end, they come to appreciate each other's strengths and to become friends and lovers in the sort of marriage most intelligent people would appreciate (and violence has no part in it).

It is because of those two "flaws" and the fact that I would like to have had a little more attention to Lucien's parents (especially at the end when JB could have dealt with Lucien's evolving relationship with them) and a greater emphasis on the couple's falling in love with each other (making it clearer in actions, not just the sudden declaration, considering all that happened beforehand)...because of those things, I give it 4 stars.

It is not necessary to read the Company of Rogues series (and the companion books about the 3 Georges) in order; they are each delightful, intense stories, and all of the characters mentioned are given enough space to be understood even though they appeared in previous books. Having said that, however, reading them in order cannot help but add to the experience by allowing everything to fall into place in the correct order, since the plots as well as the characters overlap somewhat.

Short version: If you cannot get past the issue of violence, you'll hate this book. If you can delve deeper, looking at larger issues, motivations, the intricacies of character, and all the other realities of life (especially life in a given historical period) that Beverley refuses to smooth over or ignore, you'll have a wonderful read on your hands.

Basically the only reason I liked this book was because of the heroine. i usually really like the hero so this is a surprise!! I really sympathised with everything she went through. She seemed like a genuinely real character. She was such a strong and intelligent person. The only part where she annoyed me is when she forgave the slap she was dealt so easily. Lucien had no right to do that - but unlike other reviewers I don't judge the book on such a small happening. I didn't like this book because how can someone who adored his mistress more than life itself in 'An arranged marriage' suddenly just like her as a friend and not care if his friend wants her in a matter of days. That's sooooo unrealistic! Also I could never really be good friends with my husbands ex-mistress so I am in awe that our perfect heroine accomplished that. In short the book was unbelievable, annoying and quite boring at parts.

Even leaving aside the revolting manner in which the so-called hero behaves, this book is dull in the extreme. she is a shrew, he is self-centered, and the whole thing comes to a convoluted and crashing halt at the end of the book. the author has totally lost her way on this one. Trying to set up for a new title in the series is never a good idea, and you would reall have had to read other books in the series to understand a lot of what is going on, or even like any of the characters. Her terror of his violence becomes all too real, and making excuses is not acceptable. I agree with the other reviewers that publishing houses and especially the predominantly female editors in these house should never make abuse or forced sexual ecounters the stuff for which they base their entertainment or their profits. And any author who thinks it is amusing for readers should donate her time and at least part of her profits to a women's shelter!

I didn't enjoy this book because it was a very dull and typical regency romance. Yes, the domestic violence didn't help either, especially since I am no stranger to this issue (which, some don't seem to realize, is still all too relevant), but it's certainly not the only reason not to like it.