I knew with a beginning like that, that this book was going to be a total mess and I was right.

This is the most twisted, white woman fantasy I have ever read and that's saying a lot since I read a lot of books. I don't know if the author did any research before writing this book, but it's riddled with inaccuracies and the plot has so many holes in it I can't believe that it's still afloat.

Nothing about this book made sense and the plot was made to be more complicated than it actually is. This book just made me mad and sad at the same time with how bad it is.

I wasn't a huge fan of many of the plot devices used...and I generally found Marcus to be unlikeable. It wrapped up so fast at the end it felt rushed. Not my favorite.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

It's been two years since Josie Wentworth went from captivity to captivity, exchanging the brutality of the Cheyenne warrior who nearly whipped her to death for the indifference of the Duke of Blackthorne, who deposited her in one of his most distant holdings and forgot his promise to return her to the America. She's spent those years working as an unpaid maid and stepping between his nephews and their "caregivers", whose feud puts the boys in the middle, giving them a life of great hardship, with no love or tenderness. When a Pinkerton detective shows up at the keep, Josie learns that her siblings have been searching for her AND she's an heiress.

Marcus Wharton needs a wealthy bride to save the estate his father and brother gambled away. In spite of that, he can't get the woman he rescued two years ago out of his mind. Her courage and strength against all odds made an impression, but he long ago put his best friend in charge of sending her home to America. As Josie plots to become his wife - so she can teach him a lesson in honoring his promises - she begins to glimpse a different man than she thought she knew. Desperate to see her family, and to liberate the boys from their uncle, she makes a foolproof plan, but she didn't take into account getting her heart involved.

Reading this story made me want to go back and read the first three books in the series!!! Set in both England and the US, this story provides many swoony moments with a strong female lead and the man who saves her.

Book four in the Mail-Order Brides/ A Bitter Creek series.a well written story that held my interest until the end. Josie Wentworth and Marcus Wharton, the Duke of Blackthorne's second chance.I enjoyed seeing this story come together. I received a copy through Net Galley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book has tropes I normally avoid ("mail order" bride, widower etc). I'm an avid romance reader, specifically historical romance, and the story and characters were just okay for me in terms of likability. I'm not sure I'd read another Johnston book again.

Two years have passed since Josie Wentworth was bought from the Sioux for a gold watch and whisked back to England by Marcus Wharton, the Duke of Blackthorne. When Marcus breaks his promise to return Josie to America, she ends up as a maid in the home of his charming but neglected nephews. Once Josie’s long-lost family finds her, however, the suddenly wealthy heiress sets out to save the two boys from their indifferent uncle—and teach the duke a lesson in honor.
I’ve read this author before so I knew that I liked her writing and was glad to see she didn’t disappoint. This was a pretty good story. I really enjoyed following Josie through her tale. I haven’t really read any books with this premise in a long time. It was a good change of pace. I highly recommend for anyone who likes this genre.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Blackthorne’s Bride by Joan Johnston is a magically weaved love story that brings its reader to the forefront of every sizzling detail! I thoroughly enjoy being about of Marcus and Josie’s story. I highly recommend this novel to all fans of the romance genre, even if you're not into historical romance.

Historical, adventurous, multi continent, romantic escapade. With family drama and genteel etiquette of the times.
Very entertaining and well written.

A brutal act start this read, but it is the cornerstone of the book. Several years after Josie is saved from a cruel whipping leaving her back wickedly scarred, she is reunited with Marcus, the Duke of Blackthorne. However, Marcus has no idea who she is, Thinking the young girl he saved was sent back home after she healed. Why was she sent to one of his rundown estates to work as a maid? Has he completely forgotten his nephews, also at the same estate? Just what kind of man is he? All of those questions are asked as the many layers of their relationship is unraveled. It makes for an enjoyable read. This is the first book by Joan Johnston, since most of her books are set in the west. I am not a big fan of the genre. I may consider reading some of the preceding books in this series. The Wentworth family is quite interesting.

I really enjoyed Josie and Marcus's story!

Marcus rescues Josie and brings her back to England. He then entrusts others to take care of her welfare. What he doesn't know, is that those people don't have have her best interests in mind. When Josie is reunited with her family and is now an heiress. When she learns that Marcus is seeking a rich bride, she puts her hat into the ring. She wants to teach him a lesson for the way he treated her. She soon learns that he had no idea that she was treated so poorly and is nothing like she imagined. Can they get passed all their issues to find their HEA?

I really enjoyed the last book in the Mail-Order Brides series and can't wait to see what Johnston comes up with next!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for providing us with a copy of this book so that we could bring you this review.

It is a bit saddening to see all the things Josie goes through at the beginning. And I know that Blackborne has his heart in the right place to help her, but he doesn't see all the things that happen in between. Again intentions are all good in all sides but the lack of knowledge about them is what is most hard to deal with. but all well that ends well, at least we think that is how its going to go until other things come into play. Other members of the family on both Josie and Blackborne's ends. They make us worry and wait to see what is going to happen next. I honestly will say there are characters that I would love to know more about and what is going to happen in their lives. We shall see what happens.

I give this book 5 kisses.

Happy Reading... Adri

Good. This is how I describe this book. It is one of those historical romances about destiny andRose of romance art, sketch, romance, drawing misunderstandings. I consider it a so called “guilty pleasure books.” Sincerely speaking, I do not actually feel guilty about. The plot line was similar to other books I’ve read in this genre. I liked it but I was expecting for that extra something to make it memorable. But, it never came.

Blackthorne’s Bride is part of a long series. Although, it can be read as a standalone. Overall, the story was cute. The author did an amazing job in creating another subplot romance. I was so invested in the secondary romance, unfortunately, it was cut short.

As you can expect, the sexual content is heavy but not overwhelming. Hint, it is categorized as an adult book. Wink-Wink. Also, there is a torture scene in the beginning and that might be a trigger warning scene for some people.

Small spoilers ahead:

As a side note, I have mixed feelings about Marcus’ first wife. I understand(-ish) why she did what she did but she kind of ruined Josie’s life. And I cannot believe that Marcus’ best friend was forgiven so easily for being an accomplice to that. Also, I was not a fan of the lack of communication and the whole children abduction plan as plot devices.

End of spoilers.

This was my cup of tea.

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Good Book with excellent plot line and wonderful characters.

What’s it About? It’s been two years since Josie Wentworth was rescued from the Sioux and brought to England by Marcus Wharton, Duke of Blackthorne. Two years in which he was supposed to return her to her family in America but instead she’s become a maid in the home of his nephews. Then her family finds her and Josie is suddenly wealthy and looking to teach Marcus a lesson since, in the time she’s spent with his nephews has seen his neglect of them. Fortunately Marcus is on the hunt for a rich bride to save his estate and Josie is certain that he won’t recognize her in all her fine clothes and refined air. Once married though, Marcus proves to be a very different man than Josie imagined, and one by one each of her reasons for wanting revenge are unraveled and the truth revealed.



Overall reaction to the story? Blackthorne’s Bride was frankly all over the place. It bounced from Josie and Marcus in England to Josie’s family in America and back again. I felt that the focus of the story should have been Josie and Marcus, not like, 12 different characters. I also had a problem with how the plot seemed to go on forever and then abruptly ended. This was my first time reading this author and it wasn’t the best experience.


I had an issue with both “lead” characters from the get go. To start off, Marcus is engaged to his best friend’s sister in the beginning but of course, as he’s a good sort, rescues Josie from the Sioux and personally cares for her on the voyage back to England. During that time he develops feelings for her but he still marries his best friend’s sister. Hmm. Then he kind of washes his hands of Josie by handing her over to someone else to take care of, which doesn’t happen. She ends up a maid and falls in love with Marcus’ two nephews who have been neglected by him. That part is explained later on but I had a hard time believing that a “good guy” would trust that his nephews are being cared for instead of checking up on them from time to time. Or better yet, bring them to live with him right?


Then there was Josie who spends over half of the book lying to Marcus (He totally doesn’t recognize her) all while nursing bitterness and resentment over not being sent home. Why didn’t she just confront him and point blank ask him why he didn’t keep his promise? Why all the deceit? All that time lying and there was little time spent convincing me that these two fell in love and belonged together. So that affected how I viewed the romance aspect. Conveniently there is a reason Josie was kept in England against her will but I honestly couldn’t see past the part where Josie was essentially imprisoned in England and forced to work as a maid until Marcus was a widower and in need of a bride.


Click It or Skip It? Skip It. I just couldn’t get a good grasp of what the author wanted to accomplish with this one. That’s not to say I wouldn’t read her again but this was not a good start.

Blackthorne's Bride has a dramatic Prologue with an interesting combination of a Historical Romance with a little bit of Western Historical.

I will be honest and say that it took me a few tries to complete the book but once I settled into the pages I was impressed with Marcus's character. He did mesmerize me in the Prologue and I felt a little disappointed in who he was two years later. However, he did redeem himself and once again became a man I admired as the book continued. The author handled this transition with finesse causing this reader to continue reading with interest.

Josie was quite the interesting girl/woman. With all the trauma in her youth one would expect a bitter woman instead she is very loving to others worrying about their welfare more than her own. Which makes her revenge, not fit her personality though it does fit her circumstances. I kept expecting her to give up her desire for revenge, but she was rock solid on her reasons.

Author Joan Johnston's scenic descriptions were rich and fully detailed. Her ability to weave in Josie's family in America and Josie in England was unique.

I give this 3.5 STARS and plan to read more of this authors books.

A very enjoyable read. It made me want to take my time so I didn't miss anything. The side story of Seaton and Lark I'd definitely enjoy more in it's own story, but it was okay to help the main storyline along. I alternated between feeling sorry for and hating Fanny. Josie and Marcus were fascinating and at times I wanted to just smack them both. Definitely was worth the time.

I loved this book so much that , I am going to purchase the previous book's from this series. ☆☆☆☆☆ rating.

A really nice story that ends the series.Loved Marcus and Josies characters,I felt they were well developed and believable.

Two years ago Josie Wentworth was rescued from the Sioux and brought back to England by Marcus Wharton, the Duke of Blackthorne. Marcus is to be married so he asks his friend to see her reunited with her family after she fully recovers. Instead of heading home, Josie ends up as a servant.

There is a lot more to the synopsis but so many of the other details still didn’t lend to the conflict being made out to be what it was. One simple conversation and all would be understood.

The story wrapped up too quickly and in the overly sweet side.