Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.

This is a minefield of misunderstandings and underhanded tactics which blow of in our hero's face. He has to come to a epiphany to win the heart of his wife. Great romance and clever plot make this a series to watch.

This book had its moments but I didn't love it.

I did really love the idea of a cursed bride, but for me the forces keeping this couple apart were a bit too complex and convoluted - the alleged curse, a phobia, past relationships, a family scandal, and a LOT of withholding information, a trope I'm not overly fond of. With all that going against these two, I felt that the forces drawing them together weren't convincing enough and that their characterization was too limited to making the reader feel sorry for their past traumas. I wish the curse had been the main focus of the book rather than all this other stuff.

That said, I do feel this book had its strengths. I loved the inclusion of and characterization of the servants and townspeople. Also, when Claire finally revealed her dark secret, that scene was movingly written. So I think that Janna MacGregor is an author to watch, even if this particular book wasn't a great fit for me.

Loved the blurb, but just couldn't get into the novel.

Alex Hallworth the Marquess of Pembroke is suffering from his younger sister’s suicide. He blames his former friend Lord Paul and is planning to ruin him. Lord Paul is set to announce his engagement to Lady Claire Cavensham, the wealthy only child of the late Duke and Duchess of Langham. Alex will stop at nothing to ruin Lord Paul and save Lady Claire. Lady Claire is one of the most tormented heroines you will read about she believes she’s cursed. She’s been engaged four times and something always seems to happen to end the engagements and then she becomes gossip for society. So when Lord Paul doesn’t show for their engagement announcement, but sends a note breaking the engagement she know the curse and disaster has struck again. Alex is going to prevent that announcement and marry her himself if only he can convince Claire it is the best thing for everyone. Claire is shocked when Alex, a man she barely even knows announces their engagement to everyone present. What begins as a sham of a marriage turns into a passionate and deeper relationship then either one them were ready for. Alex and Claire both have secrets keeping them apart, they must learn to trust each other, but will their love be strong enough to break the curse and allow them to find the HEA they both yearn for and deserve. Claire is a tormented young lady who needs someone strong to hold onto who will love her no matter her flaws. Can Alex earn her trust before their marriage is over before it’s really had time to begin? I loved this story and its complex characters. They both have such depth of character and a strong family bond filled with love for their families. Great writing I can’t wait for the next book in the series!!!
This is my honest opinion and review from an ARC copy I received from Net Galley and the publisher.

Most of the ton were shocked to hear that the “cursed” Lady Claire Cavensham was about to marry Lord Alexander Hallworth especially when it was apparent that the ball she was intending to announce her betrothal to another Lord, failed to said Lord who sent a note instead. However, Lord Alexander had an inkling of what was going on and rushed to Lady Claire’s aid.

What left Claire breathless though, was Lord Alexander’s pronouncement of his esteem for Claire and asking that she do him the honor of becoming his bride. Claire hardly knew Alexander but after three other engagements that all ended in disaster, and now the fourth about to disintegrate, Claire was hardly in a position to refuse.

*** I have to say I feel honored to have been able to read an advanced copy of THE BAD LUCK BRIDE by Janna MacGregor. At 352 pages I was so ensnared that I couldn’t put it down. Not only was the writing fresh and engaging, but the dialogs, the plotting, and the buildup of such a sensual romance was intoxicating.

This is not to say that Claire and Alex didn’t have issues. Claire was still reeling over the death of her parents many years back and the powerful tangle of her emotions of that horrible accident haunted her
still. Alex on the other hand, felt immense guilt over the suicidal death of his young sister and was bent solely on revenge of the person he held responsible. Both Claire and Alex had to come to grips with these haunting events that threatened any happiness they might be able to find together.

To me I found this a very powerful and emotional read waiting and hoping that one or the other would finally open up and let the pain flow out to be shared and let the healing begin. When that happened the love they had each been afraid admitting to would be a most glorious end to such a wonderful story.

Marilyn Rondeau

What an Awesome book! The Marquess Alexander, is devastated by the death of his younger sister! His mother, and his other young sister, have been in mourning for a year. During this time, he has been planning revenge on the man he considers responsible for her death. His former best friend, Lord Paul, heir to a Dukedom. Lord Paul, has as usual gotten himself into more debt than he can pay, Alex buys up all his vowels, and decided that he should also take Paul's fiancee' , Lady Claire. She is on her fourth engagement, and is considered by the ton to have a curse! This is richly developed, the characters are fully developed, you understand where they are coming from,and what they would like to become! I am thrilled to to highly recommend you buy this today! Thanks! Enjoy!
carolintallahassee 👒

So much to get excited about with The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor. One, she’s a new author! Huzzah! I always like cheering for a new author. Two, since she’s a new author, this is the start of a very promising series centered around the Canvensham family. Three, Ms. MacGregor knows how to steam the veggies, if you know what I mean. While the plot is interesting and keeps the reader turning the pages—more on that later—it’s the intimate scenes that honestly sealed my love for this book. I’m not sure what it was about them, seeing as how I’ve read my fair share of *ahem* scenes over the years, and many of them start to blend together. But something stood out of for me with this story.

Perhaps it was the voices of our hero and heroine, or that I could sense how the intimate acts brought the two together despite the initial terrible reason behind the coupling. Deception and revenge are never good bedfellows when love is the ultimate prize. Yet the scenes helped me see a softer side to the Marquess, and understand how Lady Claire might fall for the insensitive cad despite his machinations to ruin lives.

Yes, you heard right. Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke is on a mission to avenge the suicide of his sister by ruining the man he deems responsible. Once a friend of Pembrooke’s, Lord Paul is accused of ruining Lady Alice, resulting in her suicide. Alex demands revenge and Lady Claire Cavensham, Lord Paul’s fiancée, ends up getting caught in the crossfire. With Alex ruining Lord Paul’s reputation, she is forced to accept Alex’s proposal. She does so, hesitantly, and hopes her curse with engagements is finally over, as this is her fifth engagement. Yep. Five.

Yet it’s not just in love that she seems to be cursed. She lost her parents when she was young. An accident that has haunted her throughout the years. Our first glimpse Alexander isn’t as cold and calculating as he seems happens early. After he decides to steal Lord Paul’s fiancée, they get caught in a thunderstorm.

When he brought her close, something flared between them as he hazed into her haunted eyes. Whether the desire to keep her next to him as passion or the need to protect a vulnerable woman made little difference. He pulled her into the shadows and brought his mouth to her ear. “Wait until they pass.” The warmth from her skin beckoned.

It’s these small moments that redeem the hero, making him more human and likeable, despite his devious scheming. And, he’s got a sense of humor to boot.

This was an unexpected topic, but if he wanted to discuss children, that was fine with her. “I want as many as we can have. It makes no different to me.”

“I want to know which I prefer. That’s why I want a girl and a boy to start.” His gaze appeared thoughtful as he studied her. “I’ve heard if seasoned properly, they’re quite tasty.”

Our Marquess is good at being sensitive at the right times, joking at others. So much that our heroine just might fall in love with him.

Without touching him anywhere except for his hands, Claire welcomed his kiss with one of her own. She savored his touch, and more important, she savored the moment. In that speck of time, she blindly decided to take the risk.

She knew the pitfalls that lay ahead, but, without much protest from her heart, she’d fall in love with her husband.

And we think, yay, they finally fall in love. Because he feels the same for her. But his deception hangs over them like a plastic bag ready to smother. And once Claire begins to fall, telling her his true intentions despite the deception, might be their downfall.

Miscommunication is abound in this book, as both bride and groom make assumptions about the other without having a chance to talk it through. But the will they won’t they work it out premise works for this story and in the end, I breathe a sigh of relief when they finally talk. And listen. Their love doesn’t start out as a love match, but it certainly ends with one.

In this Regency period romance, Alexander Hallworth, Lord Pembrooke, feels so strongly about the honor of his late sister that he is determined to ruin the man he holds responsible for her death. Even if that means taking advantage of a young woman who through no fault of her own, has had 3 prior engagements fall through and now number four is on its way out the door thanks to Lord Alex’s plot to take down Lord Paul, her current finance. Alex offers to marry Claire and she feels relieved at the offer to hopefully end her notorious curse. However, a marriage based on subterfuge of the groom has grim prospects for being successful. While Alex truly comes to love Claire, he has trouble learning from his mistakes and keeps repeating them causing much pain and heartbreak for himself and Claire before he finally understands what his need for revenge is costing them.

Claire has some deep seated anxieties from a childhood accident that took her parents and left her with some paralyzing fears she is deeply ashamed of and desperate to keep secret. She feels her dreams of a family and home of her own have finally come true; however, all of Alex’s machinations threaten their happiness.

While Claire is a likeable strong heroine with many good qualities, Lord Alex did not thrill me. His repeated blunders and lack of maturity despite thinking his intentions were honorable makes this tale often frustrating and sometimes aggravating. The story is well crafted and the emotions heartfelt, but I prefer a hero with more intelligence and the common sense to realize his mistakes and rectify rather than continuing to cause harm and strife.

everyone whispers about lady claire cavensham's curse, she's the bad luck bride after all. she's had three engagements and no marriages. orphaned at a young age it's almost as if anyone she cares for is destined to meet an unfortunate end. so she's hoping this fourth engagement is the charm, except before she even has a chance to announce it her fiancé cries off.

uncertain how to handle the sudden reversal of fortune claire is about to panic when lord alexander pembroke swoops in to save her. he announces their engagement when it appears that she's been compromised. and claire realizes that she has very little options if she doesn't want to be a social pariah.

what claire doesn't know is that the responsibility for her sudden jilting can be laid at lord pembroke's feet. and when she has occasion to doubt moving forward with their marriage, alexander makes some social maneuvers to ensure her cooperation. it sounds really sinister and he really is being kind of a presumptuous jerk, but he has his reasons for behaving the way he does. he really does believe that he is doing his best for her. he is concerned for her safety. he cares for her.

claire doesn't really want alexander to care for her. she doesn't want to care for him. because as ridiculous as it sounds, what if she really is cursed? alexander doesn't believe in curses. he makes a lot of mistakes and he has to make up for them. but he loves claire. he just has to prove it beyond all reasonable doubt.

this is the first in a new series, and i can't wait to see where the series goes next. i believe we'll see the story of claire's young cousin next. and her potential hero may just be her perfect match.

Janna MacGregor sucked me into the story and i found myself saying "one more chapter" until i reached the end - which was about 3 in the morning! I loved the way she brought the characters together. They story was equal parts drama, love and hot sex! :)

Machinations, Curses and Romance 4.5*
Lady Claire is an orphan, her parents having died in a horrific carriage accident whilst she was a child but she is not without family; living with her uncle, her aunt and three cousins but even they can't protect her from rumour. The gossips of the ton delight in saying that Lady Claire is cursed and it is unhealthy to think of marriage to her. Her first fiancé died of a fever, her second was in an accident involving his horse and had his leg amputated, her third fled the country after killing his lover's husband (the night he proposed to her) and now her fourth is facing financial ruin. Alex Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke is consumed with revenge against his former friend Lord Paul Barstowe, the second son of the Duke of Southart and thinks the theft of Paul's betrothed will be a fitting denouement regardless of how that may affect Lady Claire. The story deals with the fallout of his decision to break their engagement and his subsequent marriage to Claire; having concealed his actions. An enjoyable book with believable and engaging characters which gave me a good read, I dropped half a star as I couldn't make 'head nor tail' of Emma's actions in the last chapter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Historical note: The title of Marquess is usually held by the first born son of a Duke, whilst his father is still living; once he inherits, he drops that title and becomes a Duke. (e.g. Claires's cousin is Michael Cavensham, Marquess of McCalpin). The Marquess of Winchester, is the only Marquess in the Peerage of England without a higher title; all other Marquesses in the Peerage are also Dukes.

The Bad Luck Bride
The Cavensham Heiresses Series - Book 1

By Janna MacGregor
St Martin's - May 2017
Historical Romance


Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, had one goal. The complete and utter ruination of a man who had once been his friend. He had accomplished most of what he wanted, but the final step was to end Lord Paul's betrothal and claim the bride as his own. Lady Claire Cavensham didn't deserve a scandal, and the fact that this would be her fourth failed engagement only helped him in his endeavor. He would simply step in and become her fifth fiance.
The Curse had struck again. She should have known, she should have been prepared for the possibility, but Claire was still stunned at the end of another betrothal. There could not be any way to overcome such a disaster, but then Alex appeared and seemed to be the answer.
Alex was caring, attentive, and once they were married, Claire began to think that perhaps they were a perfect match. These are two individuals who have been brought unexpectedly together, but fit perfectly. But just as all seems to be settling into a comfortable arrangement, the past makes a most unappreciated appearance.
The Bad Luck Bride is an all-around lovely romance. Full of passion, forgiveness, understanding, compassion, romance and a hero and heroine who embody those titles. Alex enters the story full of vengeance and pain, but with Claire, we see the depth of caring that he has. He is willing to go the distance to understand what had happened in Claire's past that made her the woman she is today. Claire wants to leave the curse in her past and embraces her position in her new household. She is not just a wife, but there are others relying on her. But that is not something new as she has always helped others. I must say that I am impressed that this is Ms MacGregor's debut novel. There is a depth of emotion in The Bad Luck Bride that is often missing in a new author's work. I look forward to the next Cavensham Heiresses story.

This is an honest review in return for being allowed to read and review this ARC. How do you break a curse? We all have curses, be they big or small. The more important part is how we allow them to rule our lives. So long as you believe they are affecting you, they can. Such is the lesson learned by our hero and heroine. Nice tale.

2 helms

Please follow me on my blog :) Review originally posted on Vellum Voyages (www.vellumvoyages.com)

I’m actually really annoyed that I have to give this book such a low rating being a debut…It had all the right elements for a really good historical romance….a tortured heroine with a curse, a hero with a family tragedy and that great opening scene of a duel on the moors! But sadly these just weren’t mixed well within the pages and I was mostly confused and bored and skim read at least 20% of the book.

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke has determined Lord Paul has ruined his sister Alice, hence resulting in her suicide. Now he plans on exacting his revenge on Lord Paul by stealing his fiancé from him and also to save another innocent young lady from ruin. The cursed Lady Claire Canvensham is currently engaged to Lord Paul, her fourth fiancé. Claire desperately wants a family of her own but her previous engagements have never quite gone through. Lord Paul suddenly calls off their engagement too, on the day of their engagement party, until Alexander Hallworth shocks her family by announcing their engagement. Two people with hidden secrets come together in a hasty union and when love starts to bloom between them, these secrets threaten their marriage and new found love.

Ok the curse….what exactly was the curse? I still don’t know…it was very very vague…a witching ball was also thrown in there too…also some gypsy was mentioned but never explained? But yeap still no idea…

The characters….Claire and Alex…they were both just so weakly developed and really didn’t have much personality at all. I found them difficult to like and relate to. Pembrooke started lusting after Claire almost instantly which is of course quite commonly done in romance, but this felt very weird rather than romantic. The secondary characters also were weak but seemed to fare better with their personalities shining through than Claire and Alex.

There was a LOT going on this book with very few explanations or detailed subplot developments, hence why I think it felt very confusing and messy right from the beginning. The characters developed eventually but you had to grab their personalities from different parts of the book and you could only piece them together towards the end, which is a bit too late to like or relate to them. Towards the end of the book, I was happy that Claire got her happy ending.

Janna MacGregor has the talent to write well, but with more order and synchronisation in her work, her talent really has the potential to shine through.

*Thank-you Janna MacGregor, Netgalley & St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the ARC.

This was a very frustrating book to read. On the one hand, the prose was easy to read, but I failed to find the "curse" or the heroine's trauma believable for some reason.

This was a delightful book. I liked how the main characters fell in love even after a deceitful start. I'm also glad she stood up for herself when she found out how he had manipulated her and many others. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

The blurb for this make really screamed "historical romance" to me so I was excited to read it, hoping it'd be as good as it sounded and I'm happy to say that it met my expectations, it was a great reading!!

I loved the opening scene, I thought it was pretty original and had a dramatic quality to it that just got me hooked and I wanted to keep reading and find out what happens next. The plot may sound simple enough but there's actually complexity to it, it has depth and the same goes for the characters, they're not simple minded or one–dimensional, they each have their own problems and demons to face and that allows them to develop and grow.
I enjoyed the author's writing, it's a solid story, the pacing is good, Truly, "The Bad Luck Bride" is a book every fan of historical romance should read. I'd love to keep reading the next book or books in the series.

A fantastic first book by this author! I am floored by the beautiful characters, the captivating backstory of the heroine, and the surprisingly gentle nature of the hero. I almost didn't read this book, based on some of the reviews on Goodreads. However, I reminded myself that I rarely agree with reviews and should let this book have its day with me. So I did. I read the whole book. And you know what? I don't think I read the same book as those other reviewers. I loved it, and I think you would love it too!

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is on a mission of revenge. After finding out his sister killed herself rather than remain pregnant with a bastard child, he swore to get even with the man who forced her hand. And what better way to do it than to ruin him financially and steal his betrothed? But when he sees her standing in the ballroom at her betrothal ball, a note from her fiance breaking the betrothal clutched in her hand, he sees a kindred spirit and vows to save her from the humiliation he has caused her. They soon find themselves engaged and then married. Lady Claire Cavensham is used to such bad luck. After all, she has gone through four broken betrothals now, all as the result of a curse laid on her since childhood. She finds Alex an easy man to love, but when secrets come out and trust is broken, she must decide if her love for him can surpass his apparent distrust of her. It's a story of deception and lies, and it all seems to come down to the old saying - O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!

This is one of those rare moments when I love the hero way more than I do the heroine. Don't get me wrong - I like both characters very much! There is something about Alex, though, that makes me believes in fairytales again. Sure, he did some questionable things in the first few chapters, particularly in deceiving Claire. However, it quickly becomes clear that he genuinely likes her and just wants to see her happy. However, Claire frequently frustrated me, as she seemed so hung up on the few misunderstandings she had with Alex. She overreacted in a few situations, when really she should have been looking at how kind Alex was to her after they were married. What she kept assuming of him - that he doesn't trust her, that was using her, etc. - didn't match the affection, support, and understanding he showed her. He didn't even consummate the marriage right away, which in those days, said something! Especially of a man who supposedly thought so little of her. It was a bit much ado about nothing, but I still greatly enjoyed them as a couple. Her curse made her vulnerable, and that caused a lot of her insecurities. Once the curse is explained, the reader does fully understand why everything is so hard for her.

Great debut novel for Janna MacGregor! I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Masterful storytelling and a great writing style, this author is one to watch out for.

If you enjoyed Elisa Braden’s “The Madness of Viscount Atherbourne or Katharine Ashe’s The Devil’s Duke series, then Janna MacGregor’s novel “The Bad Luck Bride” will definitely interest you. This was not your typical light hearted historical romance (thank goodness) and the tension between the two main characters was palpable. The story begins with the Alex, Marquess of Pembrooke, coming to grips with the death of his sister, Alice. Believing Lord Paul, the second son of the Duke of Southart, to have been to blame, Alex sets about ruining him. Lady Claire Cavensham, becomes his pawn when Alex intervenes in her engagement with Lord Paul. Claire has suffered through several failed engagements, and believes herself to be cursed since the death of her parents. What follows is an intense romance that is nearly destroyed by Alex’s demons.
I thoroughly enjoyed the two main characters and felt that Ms MacGregor did a marvellous job with portraying the difficulties faced by both Alex and Claire. Whilst Alex appears to be determined to ruin Lord Paul, his affection for Claire is obvious from the beginning. I look forward to reading the secondary characters in future novels. I now have a new author to look out for!
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel and to write an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. Loved this book. The love story between Claire and Alex has many ups and downs but in the end they have a HEA. It is well written and holds your attention. I would recommend this book for a great read. Beautiful cover.