Lord Alexander Hallworth is desperate to avenge the death of his dear sister and that means ending the suspected villain's engagement to Lady Claire Cavensham. To ensure the engagement is off, he steps in as the next fiance the "cursed" Lady Claire. After getting to know Claire, Alex falls hard but can he salvage their marriage when she discovers his original intent.

The highlight of this story was the strong bond of the Caversham family. They were devoted to each other's happiness. The love they showed each other was endearing. Alex, despite his original motives, had those same traits and fit right in.

The "curse" that was constantly referred to, seemed to be misnamed. It was too overly exaggerated and melodramatic. Claire had a sad story, true, the curse made it hokey.

I will continue this series just because of the Caversham' s. I expect the Duke' s sons will be hilarious, sexy and fun.

3.5 STARS

A well written historical romance, that is not only twisted, but a little disturbing at times and confusing at times (that's just me). It seems that the author did a great job by researching when it comes to well described historical details.

It was hard for me to connect to the story, especially when it was hard to believe it at times. For example, as being of how temperamental they were, every single time that someone had interrupted their conversation, they never put people on their place or got upset as one expect them to react!!

However, don't take my word for it and please just give it a try and judge for yourself! For a debut novel, the author did a pretty good job and have no doubt that her stories will only get better!!

ARC Kindly provided by Publisher via NetGalley!

IS MARRIAGE A BLESSING OR A CURSE?
A man of honor, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, will not rest until he exacts revenge on the man who destroyed his family. Just one more piece must fall into place for him to succeed he needs to convince his enemy s fiancee, the tragically beautiful Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead.

Lady Claire s curse has always left her one misstep away from social ruin her past three engagements have gone awry, and now her fourth is headed in the same direction. . .until Alex, a man she barely even knows, shocks the ton and Claire by announcing their engagement. What begins as a sham turns into something deeper, and more passionate, than either Claire or Alex could have imagined. But when their secrets are revealed, will the truth behind their union scandalize them both or is their love strong enough to break the curse and lead them toward their happily ever after?




Review:




You have to feel bad for Claire when you here about her story. Four engagements broken from one thing or another, then losing her parents at a young age in an accident. You would think it would break her, but throughout she remains steadfast. Working for her charities and trying to let other's whispers get to her. The only thing that threatens her resolve and heart if Alex, Marquess of Pembrooke. Out to get revenge for his deceased sister, Claire comes into the middle of his schemes. Alex does quickly fall for Claire and knows he must tell her the truth about his deception, but it comes too late and the growing feelings are put to the test.




I have not read this Author before and I quite enjoyed her writing. I thought that both Claire and Alex were complex and interesting characters. I came to care what was happening to both of them. There is a little intrigue, having to do with Claire's past and fears and also the truth behind Alex's sisters death. Now, there is some sexy times but it is not an overly erotic romance. It is the first in a new series, so I would imagine the series will only get better as it goes on.




Wonderful historical romance!




4Stars




*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

Alexander Hallworth the Marquess of Pembroke needs his revenge and will not rest until he has destroyed the man who has ruined his family. Everything is set in place and all he needs is to secure marriage to Lady Claire Cavensham his enemy's betrothed.

Lady Claire has been cursed three engagements failed, at the brink of ruin she needs to marry but her betrothed seems to be heading down the same road as her previous three. Until the Marquess of Pembroke comes to her rescue, but Alex has his own reasons for perusing Claire. What starts of as a scam engagement turns into something more passionate and complex.

A really enjoyable story will definitely keep your attention from start to finish.
Make sure you have a tissue handy it could get you emotional if you're the soft tender hearted kind of reader but never fear there definitely is a very happily ever after!
Jenna MacGregor rocked this! Outstanding writing and this goes on my keeper shelf.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest freely given opinion.
Comment

Revenge isn't a great motive for marriage, but that is the plan of Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke in this highly entertaining Regency romance. He plans to thwart the aspirations of the man he blames for his sister's demise, ensuring he will never get to marry Lady Claire Cavensham by getting him to break their engagement and Alex then marrying her himself. Lady Claire has already been engaged three times and in each case some untoward action has resulted in her marriage plans being thwarted. She's been dubbed by the ton as the bad luck bride and no one is certain she'll ever actually be the bride, least of all herself!

The story has a grand mix of intrigue, mystery, blackmail, hate and love, skilfully mixed by a skilled writer to create an engaging read for anyone who enjoys reading well crafted Regency romances. The background information pertaining to the main characters is revealed as the story progresses and their mutual attraction grows. This is a romance commencing as revenge but, after a plethora of problems are encountered and overcome, will it prove to be a delightful romance. I enjoyed reading it and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone else who enjoys this genre.

I was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and chose to read and review it. This is my honest opinion after reading it.

I liked the book although the plot wasnt very strong and Alex was a little difficult to really liked. However the book has some good scenes and the style was good.

I really liked this historical read. Clair has definitely been cursed with bad luck in the fiancé department and now Alex plans to take revenge on her 4th fiancé Paul and his plans include Clair. I like the story as well as the characters. The story is fast paced with lots of drama and plenty of intrigue. I found the entire cast of characters very entertaining. A good read.

What happens when a curse meets revenge? In the Bad Luck Bride two people find and then almost lose each other. Alex starts out looking for revenge and then realizes that he is about to destroy a innocent woman. Clair has had three engagements broken and is said to be cursed when Alex causes the fourth to also be broken. Both have a lot to learn about faith and truth. I liked Clair and though she let Alex off too easily. I was not that found of Alex and his drive to ruin Lord Paul. He just did not see the truth about how he felt about Clair until it was almost too late. The is the first book by Janna MacGregor and it is a good start to her writing career.

When I saw the title of this book I knew I had to read it. That wasn't the only reason, the cover really drew me too. It was both of them that started me wanting to read this story, the blurb signed the deal.

All that was the good part, here's the bad. I really thought I would have liked this story more. It was way too dense for me. It's a very heavy book and I really thought for some reason that it was going to be lighter.

Silly me!

I had trouble really liking Alexander. I got where he was coming from and it didn't bother me that he was seeking revenge, or even how he was going about it. but at times I thought the love story suffered for it.

At times I also felt the story was standing still. I kept wanting it to move but it wasn't listening to me.

I loved the idea of how everyone was thinking Claire was cursed because of her bad luck with suitors. I have to admit her bad luck gave me a chuckle. She just couldn't keep a man.

I don't want you to think that they whole book is bad, because there are moments that I enjoyed. I just don't feel excited about it after reading the story then I'd like. I'm not sure if it's the authors characters or writing style that didn't suit me. Since this is her first book it's hard to tell.

I might not have loved it but since I liked it somewhat I would give it about 3 stars. I kinda think I'm being a little generous but this is her first book, so...

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Dawn – ☆☆☆
This is a difficult one. The book started off quite slow, then when it got going I found the main character to be very annoying.

I liked the writing style, which is why I gave three stars.

I just didn't enjoy the characters, and sadly, wouldn't read the second book. :(

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor caught my attention with its absolutely lovely cover. I love reading historical romances, especially Regency Era romances and this book just fell right in that category.

The blurb is interesting and will instantly catch a reader's attention. After picking up this book. I came to know that this is the author's debut story and I must congratulate her on a story well done.

Lady Claire has been termed "unlucky" after so many broken engagements. She also feels that she is cursed. Enter Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, who convinces her otherwise but is he so sincere and honest?

I enjoyed reading The Bad Luck Bride which started slow but gained pace as the story progressed. However, despite the ups and downs in the narration pace, I was kept at the edge of my seat throughout the book. Janna McGregor's style is fresh, crisp and very characteristic. I enjoyed how she sketched the characters and events which is very different from the other historical romances that I have read in quite sometime.

Lady Claire is a confusing yet delightful mix of contradictions. She is sometimes shy, sometimes bold but always a strong character who is a match for the manipulating ways of Alexander who knowingly and sometimes unknowingly manipulates people around him. He is determined to avenge his sister's death and unfortunately for Claire, she falls right in his plans for revenge.

While I empathized with Alexander's grief, I also felt angry with him for using an innocent woman. Sometimes both Claire and he went in circles in their conversations which was exhausting to read and also frustrating but still the author managed to keep my interest alive.

Why Claire feels that she is cursed is an open ended question with no direct explanation given. I kept guessing the reasons and once you start adding the pieces you come to many answers. I just dont know which one is the right one! This was at once fun and also very frustrating.

I enjoyed the spunk of Claire who quickly became my favourite character in this book.

All in all, The Bad Luck Bride by Janna McGregor is a very promising and entertaining historical romance with plenty of suspense that has a simple plot but a very fresh execution that makes it a recommended read. 4 stars out of 5 to it and I hope to read lots more from the author in the future.

I received an ARC from the author and the publishers via Netgalley and I am very thankful to them. The above is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.

On the grovelling index, I’m not even sure I’d put Alex at a single puppy level — not the adorable dogs gifted in Hardly a Husband nor the puppy cannon of Suffragette Scandal. He himself might qualify as a lovesick puppy with the way he shadows Claire. He does manage to be in the right place in the right time, and does confess his sins most admirably. It just takes him a while to get there.

Lady Claire Cavensham has found herself engaged to Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke. It’s quite shocking, considering she’s engaged to someone else. Unfortunately, she’s already had 3 bad engagements and her 4th one seems to now be ruined, so she must continue on with it and hope this one will allow her to finally get married. As part of his revenge, Alexander has forced his enemy’s fiance to become his. Unfortunately, this sham of a marriage seems to be changing into something real.
This was a pretty good story. I really liked that there was some meat to the characters, making it more than just a light-hearted historical romance. It covered things that aren’t usually in this genre of book I liked all of the interactions between the different characters. I really enjoyed the plot. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This arranged marriage has more intrigues than it initial appears to be! If you like your historical romances with a mysterious angle and lots of secrets just waiting to be revealed then Bad Luck Bride is for you. Refreshing in its approach, it doesn't pretend that the hero is a good guy and the heroine a wilting damsel in distress. Claire's distress comes from being the unlucky recipient of a so-called curse that renders her well not ending up married. With four engagements all ending abruptly to her name, Alex's offer of a short engagement and a quick wedding is an answer she could not really refuse. She has her own reasons to agreeing to this engagement and it has nothing to do with just being accepted in polite society. Alex also has his own reasons for offering for the hand of the beautiful Lady Claire. His quest for revenge on those who wronged his sister comes first and it doesn't help that he is quite attracted to his fiancee at the same time distrustful of her. Bad Luck Bride is sexy, intriguing and quite the romantic suspense all together.

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is out for revenge, on none other than his best friend. He has read the letter that his sister had left when she committed suicide, and could not believe his friend caused her to get pregnant and then left her destroyed, so he vows to destroy him. Unfortunately, he goes after the one person that had nothing to do with this Lady Claire, and while he does destroy his friend causing her to get another betrothal cancelled, and she was already dubbed cursed. So he advises her to marry him, so that she wont be tainted anymore. They do end up falling in love, but he never let her know why he was so adamant to marry her, and she is hurt. So she leaves him, and then the truth comes out, on what really happened to his sister, and he is heartbroken, and now he has so many people to make up for.

The Bad Luck Bride was a fairly decent debut novel by Janna MacGregor.

You have a jilted man of honor who is furious with a man he thought his friend and you have the target, the individual who he will use to get back at said friend. The premise to begin with left me scratching my head because I felt disconnected from the beginning. Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is on a mission to destroy the man he once thought was his friend because of a horrendous and cold act, because he's out to destroy him he focuses his attention on the fiancee of said removed friend, Lady Claire Cavensham and seeks to woo her. She has endured many engagements and surely one more failed engagement will ruin her!

Ahhh, this book as a whole did not succeed in grabbing my attention or even ensnaring my affections for any of the characters right off the bat. While the book was well written [or enough so,] the characters just didn't appeal to me, I didn't find myself liking any of them immediately. There were some quick developments in the early chapters that also didn't sit well with me, too fast - too soon - and without reason that left me blinking. All of these feelings were carried through the book in various situations.

However! I am extremely picky when it comes to Regency Romances, I will be the first one to admit that and it takes just the right formula in just the right way to ensnare my attention as well as my affections. So, I think by and large this is mostly a 'me' thing because the premise is interesting enough, the characters are [in general,] likable enough and it was a lovely enough book, too.

I think if you're like me, and you take your Regency Romance seriously, and you demand a certain formula then you'd have the same views as me [maybe!] Generally speaking, it's a nice read!

Blinded by his need for revenge Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke will stop at nothing to destroy the man he blames for his sister's death. Lady Claire Cavensham has been plagued with cursed luck for as long as she can recall. When her latest engagement of many failed ones comes to an abrupt end Alex Hallworth's sudden marriage proposal seems to be the perfect solution, but it is not long before much more is at stake and a chance at love wars with a thirst for revenge.

Janna MacGregor makes a marvelous and notable Historical Romance debut with The Bad Luck Bride. In her introduction book to the Cavensham Heiress's series one of first things that stood out is that Claire's bad luck was not trivial but had a firm basis in traumatic events that Ms. MacGregor brought out convincingly and with sensitivity. Alex could easily have come off as an undesirable character but through this author's talented writing his development was guided in such a way to show the depth of his grieving and how it influenced him to make rash and poor choices that he ultimately regretted. The very present physical attraction of this couple to each other throughout this work kept the pages hot and the sexual tension high. The acceptance of each other’s imperfections by Alex and Claire, when their outer facades were broken down, strengthened their relationship and the resulting love they formed showed this author's finesse at tackling complex dynamics. Nothing was black and white in The Bad Luck Bride and it was all the grey that made it a compelling read. I suspect Janna MacGregor's debut will mark the beginning of many a great author / reader love affair with her work!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1988993069

Orphaned at a young age, Claire has been raised by her beloved aunt and uncle, along with cousins she views more as siblings but she feels the loss of her parents keenly and her deepest wish has always been to create a family of her own. She was deeply in love with her first fiancé but he died before they could marry. By the time she becomes engaged to Lord Paul, the ton's whispers that Lady Claire must be cursed have turned to shouts and Claire has long since given up on love. After a history like that, when Alex steps in to rescue her from broken engagement #4, I could fully understand her reticence and when her heart becomes engaged, her fear. I found Claire to be a fascinating and complex woman; a blend of admirable strength and heart-wrenching vulnerability, impacted by the horrific events surrounding her parents' deaths in ways she's unable to share or move beyond.

Alex is a typical man of the times: arrogant, single-minded, and certain that his way is the right way. His heart is in the right place when he sets out to avenge his sister but he goes about it in the wrong way and realizes almost immediately that he's put an innocent person in the middle of the fray. Unfortunately, that innate arrogance keeps him from fixing things until the damage is done. While there were several instances when I wanted to toss him off a cliff or whop him upside the head with a frying pan and yell "What have you done?," I found myself unwilling to give up on him. MacGregor gives him a worthy black moment and deliciously good groveling (he deserves it) before his happiness can be achieved.

This is Janna MacGregor's debut and the author shows great promise. As the first book of a new series, this story has many characters and the beginnings of what will likely be future storylines. At times it felt a bit cluttered but that is often the case with a first book. Alex and Claire are complex characters with immediate chemistry and plenty of sizzle in the bedroom, but both have some growing to do before enough trust is built between them to forge a lasting relationship. The secondary characters add flavor to the journey and I'm looking forward to what MacGregor has in store for some of them. I'm especially intrigued by Lord Paul, the villain of this book. He reminds me a bit of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent in Lisa Kleypas' Devil in Winter in that his actions are inexcusable but glimpses of inner pain - and goodness - make me believe he might be redeemable. Time will tell.

If you're looking for a light, frolicking romance, this may not be the right book for you but if you want to sink your teeth into a meaty story, with twists and turns, great depth of emotion, and a happy ending that is worth the heartache it takes our hero and heroine to achieve then I encourage you to give The Bad Luck Bride a try. I've already marked my calendar for book #2, The Bride Who Got Lucky, scheduled to be released October 31st.

3.5*
THE BAD LUCK BRIDE is the first installment of debut author Janna MacGregor and her series THE CAVENSHAM HEIRESSES. It's the story of Lady Claire Cavensham and Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke.

I really liked this book. It's characters are captivating and relatable. I felt so sorry for Lady Claire because she really had some bad luck with her past fiances. What I didn't understand was the curse. I was kind of left guessing as to whether it was an actual curse (it was hinted but never confirmed) or just a run of really bad luck.

Alex made me want to smack him upside the head. He would've been better off if he'd actually did what he was thinking instead of waiting. But that's a man for you. When all was said and done I _did_ really like him. Like every other man... he has his flaws.

Overall it's a good story and I will be reading the next book when it releases.