Lord Holt Takes a Bride audiobook

3.5 StarsOverall Opinion: This was cute! I really liked both characters. I enjoyed their adventures and how they didn’t let poverty and bad situations get them down, but just rolled with the punches together. I liked their connection to each other. However! The ending was really disappointing! This had the build up for a grand, adventurous ending for the couple that I felt like they both deserved…but nope. It was a jump ahead, abrupt ending instead. I had in my head all these options for how they would go traveling, or back on their journey to revisit all the characters that helped them when they were down, or even just an actual explanation about his great aunt would’ve been nice! Super bummed.Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Winn and Asher’s story. Winn is about to marry a man she doesn’t love but needs her rather large dowry. Her friends arrange for her to run away from her wedding and she doesn’t realize that Asher is not her friend’s cousin, but the man that her friends previously kidnapped to research for their book on scoundrels. Asher is always down on his luck due to his ruthless father that gambles away every asset and coin he has, so when he has an opportunity to sail away to find a treasure he wants to take it. When some debutants kidnap him and he loses his money for the voyage, he plans to get it back by kidnapping the one with a big dowry. They have some adventures, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Winn and Asher in 3rd person narrative.Overall Pace of Story: Good until the ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Asher. I really liked him! He was a genuinely good man that had been dealt a horrible hand with his father. I appreciated how smart and able he was and how he cared for the h.h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Winn. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she went along with whatever was thrown at her.Sadness level: Low, no tissues neededPush/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away and pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.Descriptive sex: YesOW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[ The h is betrothed to OM but doesn’t even like him (hide spoiler)]Sex scene with OW or OM: NoCheating: NoSeparation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Verbal abuse/neglect (h’s parents on and off page), emotional borderline abuse/criminal activity (H’s dad on and off page), and the h was a virgin (hide spoiler)]Closure: This ends in an abrupt but good place for the couple with what I would call a HEA ending (but while grumbling because it wasn’t nearly enough considering the buildup for a potentially awesome, adventurous ending) (view spoiler)[they’re married and she’s just found out she’s pregnant (hide spoiler)]Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers(view spoiler)[- Does Not have cheating- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM- Does have both the h and H pushing away- Does have a separation between the h and H- Does Not have abuse by mcs- Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]

We wavered between 3 and 4 stars with this one, and we ended up with 3.5 rounded up to 4. The book has a lot of things we like:A hilariously OTT setup;Road trip romance to the max;Charming banter between two well-suited characters;Fun AND sexy relationship!But it also includes a lot of downers:So much diet culture;A weird secret secret that doesn't seem to be in character;A third act conflict that was barely redeemed by its resolution.We aren't disappointed that we read it, because the series setup is great and we really liked both MCs. 4-Word SummariesLaine: A nunnery or piracy?Meg: Wacky road trip shenanigans!

Title: Lord Holt Takes a BrideSeries: The Mating Habits of Scoundrels #1Author: Vivienne LorretRelease date: March 31, 2020Cliffhanger: noGenre: historical romance“You’re a tempting armful.” Another puffed exhale of disbelief left her, bemusement in her expression. “And you’re the adventure I never expected."This is my second read by Vivienne Lorret, the first being The Rogue to Ruin. I wasn't wowed by that particular story, but my issue was with the characters themselves, not the author's writing. I'm so glad I gave her another go, because this was the light and fun historical romance romp I didn't know I needed. Right off the bat, I clicked with Winn and her quirky group of friends. Each and every one of them are unique (not to mention entertaining) with their own fully developed personality. Jane, Ellie, and Prudence give me something to look forward to in the following books. Winn is a young woman with a common problem of the times. She's been forced into an advantageous marriage by her parents that has nothing to do with love. In fact, it promises to hold nothing but embarrassment and loneliness. Her fiancé has a mistress, and has no plans to change that fact once their financial transaction wedding is over. Her mother assures her that it's better to go into marriage with no expectations of love than to have your hopes crushed later, which is just about the worst pre-marital advice I've ever heard. You certainly don't get the best first impression of either of her parents, but as the book wears on, they have their own story arc that was actually surprisingly sweet. They won me over in the end. Winn tries to accept the fate chosen for her, but quickly realizes she can't go through with the wedding. Her friends hatch a crazy scheme to help her escape her dismal future and she grasps onto it with both hands. Of course things don't go as planned, and hilarity ensues. After jumping into Asher's dilapidated carriage in her wedding dress, they set off on a wild ride to end all wild rides. Lord Asher Holt has a hidden agenda when they begin their journey that will come back to bite him in the butt later on. He's a desperate man taking desperate measures. I couldn't really hate the man for any of his dishonest actions. His father is one of the most infuriating characters I've come across. Shettlemane was a narcissistic man who was indifferent to the pain he repeatedly brought on his son, and the wreckage he made of his life. I instantly sympathized with Asher because of their toxic relationship, and I was rooting for him to find a way to be free of him once and for all. There was no hope for a happy future with Winn if his father wasn't dealt with. His malice would infect her life as well, and that's something that made him distance himself out of fear. He wanted her to be his. In fact, he’d never wanted anything or anyone so much. He ached from wanting her. To see her face every morning. To lie beside her every night. To hear her voice and to make her laugh. And if the circumstances were different, he’d give himself over to this love that was burning like an ember inside his chest. He’d let the flames consume him.What should have been a fairly quick trip to her aunt's home is derailed by one disaster after another. Trouble seems to find the two wherever they go, but as they escape each mishap, their attraction for each other grows. I loved how Asher not only accepted Winn, but made helped her to grow more confident in herself. Her mother's condemnation over her appearance has damaged her self-worth, but she was finally able to shed the insecurities that have accumulated over time. I liked her character growth in that area, but especially the fact that he found her beautiful inside and out from the start. "For most of my life I’d felt like I was wearing the wrong skin, and had the wrong hair, and needed to do something to change it all. Yet, when I was standing there and looked across at you, I felt like I’d been in the right skin all along. It’s peculiar, isn’t it? But it seems that I had to step away from everything I knew in order to appreciate the person I really am.”My one complaint about the book is the speed in which they fall for each other. You do have to suspend disbelief over the two of them finding love in a matter of a couple of days. The insta-love was strong. However, in this case there were so many other factors that made the book enjoyable as a whole, that it didn't detract very much from my reading experience. The humor, the secondary characters, and the jaunty adventure and heartwarming conclusion, made for such a fun time. Asher had some groveling to do after his ticking time bomb of a secret did its damage. I think he went above and beyond proving to her that his feelings were genuine and that he cherished their moments together. There was a scene where he went to one of her friends' houses to plead his case that made me laugh out loud. Her friends are loyal to their core, and Jane got creative in how she made her displeasure known. The hero of the next book happens to be a secondary character from The Rogue to Ruin, one that I was already intrigued about. I couldn't be more excited about reading My Kind of Earl, Jane and Raven's full length story. It's scheduled for publication September 2020.FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

4.5 StarsAdored this! Review to come!

I loved Winn and Asher! Asher is so sweet, I adored him. So poor Winn is set to marry an awful man who just wants to marry her for her money. On the morning of the wedding she receives a gift from her fiancé meant for his mistress and decides she can’t marry him and runs away. Asher happens to be passed out drunk in his carriage in front of the church. Winn hops in and away they go. What follows is a sweet, funny road trip. Asher is just so sweet and protective of Winn, I just loved him. I look forward to the rest of the series.

Facing an arranged marriage to an awful man, Winnifred Humphries decides to take her future into her own hands, determined to marry for love. Except, she's not sure how to tell if a man truly loves her or merely wants her obscene dowry. She and her friends set out to author a primer on the mating habits of London's aristocracy. But when their endeavor leads to her friends kidnapping a lord, Winn winds up dealing with a man wanting revenge.Lord Asher Holt has always tried to be a good man but his father's obsession with gambling and excessive spending, using Asher's name to do it, has made that nearly impossible. Now he has a plan to finally be free of his father's schemes, until it is ruined by a group of debutantes. Then he learns one of those ladies is an heiress and, though he's not proud of it, he finds himself willing to do a little kidnapping of his own.But when Winn flees her wedding straight into Asher's carriage, their journey becomes an unforgettable, madcap adventure and Asher finds himself falling in love with a woman worth far more than any monetary value. The problem is convincing Winn he truly loves her and not her fortune.Overall I really enjoyed this book. I found it a bit difficult to get into but I think that's just my stress level and not the book's fault. This was a fun road trip story and I enjoyed the rapid development of Winn and Asher's relationship. I do wish Asher had gotten just a bit more vindication against his father and a slight bit more credit himself. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this promising start to a new series and look forward to the next book.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

Simo_Mica - per RFS.In fuga con la sposa è il primo della serie intitolata Le abitudini dei libertini di Vivienne Lorret. Come tutti i gli altri romanzi è autoconclusivo. Le protagoniste indiscusse sono quattro amiche debuttanti, che decidono di scrivere un libro con l’unico scopo di aiutare le ragazze della loro età a capire se i loro pretendenti sono dei libertini o dei veri gentiluomini in cerca di spose.A ognuna di loro l’autrice dedica un volume: Winny, Prue, Jane, Ellie.La storia è ambientata nell’Inghilterra del 1827 e ha come personaggi Asher Holt e Winnifred Humphries. Quest’ultima, ricca ereditiera, viene convinta dalle sue amiche che merita più di una vita accanto al suo futuro sposo, che non ama ma disprezza.Per un equivoco si ritrova a scappare con Asher, un giovane scapestrato (almeno all’apparenza) erede del marchese Shettlemane.La vicenda di due giovani che si ritrovano in fuga insieme senza conoscersi l’ho incontrata più volte nel genere Regency e si conclude sempre con i protagonisti che sviluppano dei sentimenti l’uno per l’altro. Quindi non è l’originalità che contraddistingue l’opera, ma la scrittura scorrevole e le avventure narrate sono divertenti e per nulla noiose.Tutto si svolge in un paio di settimane, in modo frenetico, senza lasciare un attimo di respiro ai personaggi che si ritrovano coinvolti negli intrighi delle rispettive famiglie senza la possibilità di uscire dal vortice.Winny è una figura femminile in linea con il periodo storico in cui v ive. È figlia unica, possiede diverse insicurezze tra cui il suo aspetto, è piuttosto prudente visto la sua posizione di ereditiera e non si fida facilmente.La sorpresa invece arriva dal personaggio maschile, Asher, anche lui figlio unico con un padre prepotente, imbroglione e avido. Il giovane nel suo cuore conserva gli insegnamenti della madre e prova a rendere onore alla sua memoria come meglio può. Non mi soffermo sulle sue caratteristiche fisiche perché tanto quasi tutti i Lord sono atletici, belli e affascinanti; la parte su cui l’autrice si focalizza maggiormente sono i suoi sentimenti e la sua trasformazione. Obbligato per sopravvivere a essere un giocatore dalla dubbia reputazione, alla fine si dimostra affidabile e di parola.Il libro non è noioso grazie al ricamo favoloso, ma partendo da un’idea non originale perde un po’. Alla fine tutto si riassume con il raggiungimento di un unico obbiettivo e come dichiara la stessa Winny: “io esigo di essere desiderata per ciò che sono. Forse sembrerò una ingenua, ma voglio essere l’amore senza il quale un uomo non può vivere.” (Tratto dal libro)Questo primo volume mi è piaciuto meno del secondo (non li ho letti in ordine), ma ho apprezzato lo spirito dei personaggi, l’ambientazione e lo stile della Lorret che riesce a tenere il lettore inchiodato fino all’ultima pagina, curioso di scoprire quale avventura succederà in seguito. Il fatto che i protagonisti siano davvero divertenti e facili da amare aiuta tanto.Anche se ho già letto il secondo volume e il terzo, concludo che non vedo l’ora di continuare le avventure delle quattro amiche.Attendo il quarto capitolo, perché mi piace troppo come scrive la Lorret!

This frothy and fun historical romance was an utter delight. Lorret creates characters that are so charming. In the case of Lord Holt Takes a Bride - it was Winn and her determination not to cave into the expectations of others. I also loved that Lorret didn't make Winn's parents the stereotypical disapproving parents and really enjoyed their backstory for their estrangement. *Review copy provided by the publish via Edelweiss.

Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret was such a great start to the new series The Mating Habits of Scoundrels! This historical romance takes the characters of Miss Winnifred Humphries and Lord Asher Holt on a wild adventure while fleeing her arranged marriage wedding to a money-hungry, jerk.I loved the character of Winnifred, a young girl with a plumper figure, whose father wants her to marry into the peerage. My favourite lines in the book happen to be right in the first few chapters where Winn’s fiancé grimaces every time, she takes a bite of food. Winn decided right there, to eat the entire piece of cake, you go girl! Lord Asher Holt finds himself in the carriage Winn uses to flee the wedding ceremony and antics ensue. This is a really cute story and I really enjoyed many of the secondary characters including the backstory of Winn’s parents, ugh, that killed me emotionally. Get a tissue ready….I absolutely love the beautiful cover art for the book, it is stunning, however, I would have liked to see a plumper girl as the cover model. This story is so good, and I appreciate it when authors write characters that don’t meet the era’s definition of beauty. I do believe the cover should reflect more diversity as it is a major part of the story line in Lord Holt Takes A Bride.That being said, I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the next installment, My Kind Of Earl.

Lord Holt Takes a Bride is the first book in Vivienne Lorret's Mating Habits of Scoundrels series. I love starting a new series; there's always the excitement of potential. This was my first book by Ms. Lorret, so my excitement was doubled. And I was thrilled that I wasn't the least bit disappointed!Winnifred Humphries is an heiress set to marry the horrible man her parents chose for her. She wanted to marry for love, not to a man who gives her a wedding gift originally intended for his mistress, in which is enclosed a note referring to his intended as a cow. She and her two best friends decide to write a primer for women about the mating habits of London's scoundrels. It was too late for Winn, but maybe she could help other women. In the name of research, her friends abduct Lord Asher Holt. When he wakes up tied to a chair, he is not amused! After hearing the women refer to a friend as an heiress, he begins to plot how this can possibly help him escape the crushing debt his father has placed him under. He is released, and Winn gets ready to wed. However, she bolts at the last minute and jumps into the carriage her friend arranged for her just in case. Except this carriage didn't contain the cousin who was to drive it, but Asher! And thus begins the road trip from hell...and heaven.The story was a lot of fun, but it was our two leads who made the book such a joy. Winn was a different sort of heroine - she was a bit plump, had uncontrollable hair and suffered from deep self-esteem issues. It was beautiful to watch her grow into a woman who believed herself worthy of love and one who could attract a man with her wit and unconventional beauty, not just with her money. Asher was just as compelling. He was spending his entire life trying to escape the heavy debt his father put him under, and he was getting desperate. He did not want to use Winn for her money, especially as her grew to care for her deeply. About two-thirds of the story was very amusing as Winn and Ash went on their road trip, heading to Winn's aunt's home. They were constantly soaked by rain, Winn's sleep was disrupted by a "pitchfork" , and they pretended to be traveling troubadours. However, I spent the last part of the book in tears, puffy face and all. How could these two possibly rise above all the odds? This book wasn't Shakespeare, but it was exactly what I want in a romance: love, fun, humor, tears and steam. I read to escape, and this book gave me all that in abundance.I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I overspent my budget buying this so felt I needed to like it. Alas the exaggerated plot devices tossed this into a madcap adventure with all of the characters reeling from one silly situation to the next. The h was hot and cold with the H until the end. He's had a terrible life due to his father, but that didn't excuse him lying to h as he did. Her home life was equally awful, yet she forgave their cruelty too easily. I didn't believe her mother's change of view at all, she was cruel to the h. Just OK, and I won't be re-reading.

The summer of love continues. Is there any better escape then then a delicious romance? Yes, reading that romance in your hammock.