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The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride
The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride
The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride
Ebook305 pages11 hours

The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Marriage… To the highest bidder Lady Lydia Barton cannot seem to avoid Owen Wolfe since he’s returned after being wrongly transported for stealing her family’s jewels! But Lydia has more pressing problems, like her impending arranged marriage. Until Owen makes her father a counteroffer for her hand. Is Owen purely after her society connections, or dare Lydia hope that the charming stable boy she once loved is still within her ruthless, wealthy new husband? “Virginia Heath’s writing is as warm, witty, and insightful as ever...one of the best authors of historical romance around.” —All About Romance on The Determined Lord Hadleigh “I loved every minute of this story along with the wonderful witty moments that I have come to love from Virginia Heath’s writing.” —Rae Reads on The Determined Lord Hadleigh From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 1, 2020
ISBN9781488065774
The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride
Author

Virginia Heath

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it look her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Over thirty books and four Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

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Rating: 4.571428571428571 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Right from the start, the chemistry between Lydia and Owen is SO obvious, despite the years that have passed and circumstances that have changed between them. Kicking things off at a public affair, allowed us to see their snipey flirtatious ways in action from the word go, and yet...you also caught a glimpse of the golden heart beneath Owen's bravado. His namesake may say wolf...but when it comes to Lady Lydia, he's more of a pup...just don't go saying that out loud because he'll deny it at rather high volumes and I must say I agree with his business partner's wife, Gertie, if one must yell about it, it's probably not a truth.

    Lady Lydia was definitely sold the short end of the stick in SO MANY ways, and you get a notion right from the beginning that despite the events that separated them, they are still tethered at heart. Really though, with his good guy streak seen in action, it was very hard to believe Owen did what he was accused of...and even though Lydia likes him to believe she believed everyone, I don't believe she ever truly did...she just couldn't bear her heart to be broken all over again if it did in fact prove true. Let's just say all things are revealed in good time...and though surprising in some ways, in others it was more a confirmation.

    All in all, another FABULOUS read from an author who is most definitely on my auto-buy list.


    **ebook received for review; opinions are my own
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good second chance love story that also includes enemies-to-lovers and a marriage of convenience. Ten years earlier, Owen was a stable hand at sixteen-year-old Lydia's family home. Lydia was charmed by the boy who gave her the affection she craved, and Owen by the girl who saw him as a person worth knowing. They carried on a secret romance until the day Owen was accused of stealing her mother's jewelry. Heartbroken by the evidence, Lydia stood by as Owen was convicted and sent to the penal colony in Australia.Seven years later, Owen returned to London, pardoned of his crimes. A self-made man, he and a friend own a high-end gambling establishment. He spends the next three years making money and doing his best to irritate Lydia. The story opens at yet another society ball where they encounter each other. Lydia uses a cold and snarky attitude to disguise the fact that she is still attracted to him. Owen mockingly congratulates her on her upcoming marriage to Lord Kelvedon, which is the first she's heard of it. After confronting her father, she's horrified to learn that she's been essentially sold to the marquess to settle her father's debts.I liked Owen. Though he works hard to convince Lydia that he's an unrepentant scoundrel, and himself that he doesn't care what happens to her, it is obvious that he cares very much. It was fun to see Owen's partner, Randolph, call him out on his self-deception. Owen convinces himself that offering for her himself is purely business, even though he can't keep his mind off of her.I had a little harder time liking Lydia at first. Even though she claimed to love him at the time, her acceptance of his guilt indicated otherwise. It took me a while to realize that her constant reminders of his guilt were her way of protecting herself from falling for him again.I enjoyed the rekindling of Owen and Lydia's romance. Sparks flew at their encounters, their overt antagonism a cover for the attraction both continued to feel. Though he denies his feelings, Owen makes her father an offer he can't resist. I loved how Owen protected Lydia from her father's desire for revenge. Once he and Lydia are married, they have to find a way to live together. I ached for Owen because the best Lydia can do is put her belief in his guilt to the side with a "truce" when all he wants is her to believe in him. I hurt a little for Lydia, too, because Owen dealt with his feelings by avoiding her altogether. It was fun to see the guilt over that finally get to him, and they start to spend some time together. I loved the event that sparked the admission that they both want more from their marriage.At the same time that Owen and Lydia finally admit their feelings for each other, Owen receives unexpected information in his investigation into his past. He debates the wisdom of telling Lydia, who is dealing with her father's death. I ached for Lydia, who has an unpleasant conversation with her brother and an eye-opening one with Owen. I loved Owen's realization that his love for Lydia is more important than the results of his investigation and the effect it had on her. The ending was fantastic. I especially enjoyed seeing Lydia take control of her future.I also can't say enough about Owen's partner, Randolph, and Randolph's wife, Gertie. I loved how well Randolph knew Owen and his ability to call Owen out on his self-deception. I liked the way that he and Gertie supported Lydia when Owen was an idiot. Gertie's marriage advice to Lydia was great, including the backstory of her marriage to Randolph. One of the best scenes in the book was when Owen and Lydia delivered Gertie's baby. She had me laughing out loud with her demands toward the end of her labor.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Series: StandAlonePublication Date: 7/1/20Number of Pages: 288*** 4.5 Stars Rounded Up ***OMGoodness! Lady Lydia Barton’s family gives a whole new meaning to cruel and dysfunctional! She’s up for sale, literally, to the highest bidder. Well, not exactly the highest bidder because they would never entertain an offer of any sort from Owen Wolfe – until … they did. I loved both Lydia and Owen but had to wonder how they came to be such good people given their beginnings. The book is excellently written and conveys the emotions and conflicts wonderfully.Ten years ago, Lady Lydia Barton was a sixteen-year-old girl who fell head-over-heels in love … with the new stable boy. Yes, that is a highly inappropriate and unlikely match, but she doesn’t care. He is wonderful – he actually ‘sees’ her – who she is – and nobody else does. Then, he does the unthinkable. He steals from her family and is caught red-handed. When he is dragged off in manacles, she is heartbroken. Her heart doesn’t think he’s guilty – but she’s seen the proof first hand. Lydia has had offers of marriage since then, but nobody touched her heart. That doesn’t matter any longer – her father has just announced that she must do her duty to the family and save them from financial ruin. She has no choice – no matter how loathsome the man is.Owen Wolfe was orphaned at eight and came to work at the Barton’s stables when he was eighteen. He was very intelligent and wanted to make something of himself. What thrilled him was that the daughter of the house fancied him – he couldn’t believe it. He knew it was an impossible match, but he loved her anyway. When the unthinkable happened and he was arrested, she didn’t defend him. He’s sure she could have freed him had she spoken up. But she didn’t, and he was convicted and transported – forever. Then, he earned a pardon, and now he’s back!Does Owen want revenge? Can he, after all of this time, find the real thief? Can he forgive Lydia? Does he want to save her from the hellish life that is in store for her? Will Lydia ever believe that Owen wasn’t guilty? Can they finally find their HEA? You’ll just definitely have to read this delightful story to find out.I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Scoundrel's Bartered Bride - Virginia Heath

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