“There are still two more cards to be presented, yes? You could be so fortunate. Her aunt’s stale breath was a clear indication the woman was good and foxed. “Don’t look so forlorn.” Lady Beauchamp waved her fan vigorously in a vain attempt to mask a belch. She could scream, making a frenzied dash for the French doors in the adjoining room, or she could retain her composure and nod agreeably. Miss Madelyn Haywood nibbled on her bottom lip as she weighed her choices. Perhaps one day you’ll blossom into a beauty like my Harriet.” “All hands! All hands on deck, I say,” Lady Eugenia… “So tell me,” Charlotte murmured from behind her glass of…Īn hour later Madelyn sat opposite Charlotte in the cushioned… “His gaze has been fastened on you since the moment…Ī wide, shallow puddle sheltered from the sun by a…

The next morning, there came a knock on Madelyn’s bedchamber… Pulling the thick, ivory coverlet up to her nose, Madelyn…īelinda and Bernadette continued to poke about the hall with… They were loaded in a wagon like sheep at the… Madelyn looked up into eyes of blue flame and a… The next afternoon, Madelyn was still recovering from the astonishment… Perhaps if he banged his head hard enough on the…

“Arming oneself with bow and arrow when one’s rivals are… Gabriel took one look at Miss Haywood and instantly regretted…īy noon the entire household knew exactly where Madelyn had…įour days later Madelyn was forced to admit that the… “You’re throwing me to the wolves?” Madelyn’s heartbeat tripped as… Then, there's a Misunderstanding (not even really a Big Misunderstanding), an HEA scene, and an epilogue with babies.“Don’t fret, my dear. Eventually, she starts smouldering too, and the couple has several steamy encounters before finally succumbing to temptation. Madelyn was sweet and insecure and saddled with a cruel, ambitious stepmother, but I never felt that we knew much about her. There follows a whole lot of smouldering repressed passion, and he constantly finds himself barely able to restrain himself in her presence. Instead, we have the duke finding himself unaccountably attracted to our heroine, Madelyn. I suppose that a clever author could have crafted a funny book from this idea, but once the ladies arrive at the duke's castle for the face-off, the contest becomes a secondary story. The duke himself has sworn never to marry, having been scarred by his father's cruelty to his loving mother.

The main premise is inspired by a stupid TV show called The Bachelor, but here the duke is setting up a competition to find a bride for his younger brother. So many of my GR friend loved this book, but I'm disappointed to say that I found it very slight and shallow.

At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker