The Chaperone Bride

Historical, regency

I'm not normally a fan of the regency sub-genre, so you may not see too
many of those from me, unless something about the blurbs on the back
really promise a great story.

The Chaperone Bride did just that. As with all regency titles it takes me
a little longer to get absorbed into the story. Perhaps if I were to
conquer a few more of these, I might find them as comfortable as a
contemporary or a western.

I would recommend The Chaperone Bride for anyone wanting an intriguing
story without too much sexual content. The conflicts were believable
and would require some work to overcome. Plus, I respected the
heroine and her choices which is critical for me to enjoy a romance.
Though our hero was a rake, I was able to have empathy for him and
some of his choices. I'm more of a Carter McCoy (The Texan's
Wager) type of woman.

The Chaperone Bride is a Harlequin Historicals #692 – 2004 imprint. It will take some work to find it, but it is well worth the effort.

Synopsis: The Chaperone Bride

Lady Annis Wycherley, as a young widow began working as a paid chaperone
to young ladies of affluent families to help guard their virtues and
steer them toward eligible young men who would be appropriate (with
titles and wealth) husbands.

Though a beauty herself, she dresses the
part of a matronly woman and disciplines her personal conduct to
maintain proper appearances so that she will be employable for her
services. Having once been very unhappily married, Annis treasures
her personal independence and fears reliving the confines she once
lived through in her marriage. Seeking marital matches for her
charges, when she could also just as easily marry again, doesn't
create longings for Annis on her own lonely path until she meets the
man who challenges the passion resting quietly within her.

Lord Adam Ashwick, respected but of notorious reputation with the ladies
finds himself unusually attracted to the dowdily dressed chaperone.
An affinity he hasn't felt with any woman since before his wife's
death. However the target of his affections isn't as easy to pin
down as other women. The woman has a lot to risk, should she be seen in his company. Finding her both a challenge and a potential place to rest his heart,
Adam is determined to make this woman his own.

Sinthia
hea@sinthiacain.com

Love is a conscious choice we make,
not the feelings that cause us to tingle and shake.
Romance begins as a state of mind,
and is expressed in the efforts to care and be kind.