They’re both broken hearted. Nicholas has never felt his father’s love. The final nail in the coffin of their relationship came when the Duke disowned him in front of a crowd of his peers while he was still a student at Eton. That day, he vowed to amass more wealth than his father. This has been the singular mission of his life.

The heroine, Emma, is tired of the endless seasons where women are trotted out to be weighed, measured and found lacking by men who are inferior in all things except the privilege of being born male. Still reeling from her friend's death that she is certain was murder, she wants to be a spinster who has full command of her life and can champion women who are don't.

What follows is an engaging tale of Nicholas and Emma meeting, finding love and exposing secrets. I really enjoyed this read.

I received an ARC of this book, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've just finished The Bride Who Got Lucky by Janna MacGregor. It's the second book in the Cavansham Heiresses series. Each book in this series tells the story of a different relationship but they all link, so Claire and Alex, the couple from book 1 are featured in this book. Just as the main characters for the next novel are also introduced, here.

I requested The Bride Who Got Lucky on NetGalley and I was lucky enough to get it so thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.

The Bride Who Got Lucky is a novel set around the regency era that tells the story of at first Nick who hasn't had a great childhood. His mother died in childbirth and his father disowns him in front of his peers at the beginning of the book. Nick doesn't know how to feel love because of this. The real story starts when Nick meets Lady Emma Cavansham and they share a kiss.

Lady Emma blames herself for the loss of her dear friend, Lena. She wants to open a women's bank, where women can go to feel safe from abusive husbands.

Emma and Nick have been friends since childhood but can they sustain a romantic relationship on top of that or will it break them?

This is an ADULT read because of sexual situations as well as abusive matters that are discussed.

Spoilers below...

Nick and his father didn't get on before they separated ways.

"His father never came to see him ever"

The reason for this is because his father blames Nick for the death of his wife, a woman he loved so much. Nick is therefore on his own, until he meets Emma, our heroine.

Emma is very much a female who wants to do things her own way. She doesn't want to be held to account by a man. Of course in this time period (1811), women were controlled by men.

"Over the last several months, I've been toying with an idea. I'm thinking of an institution that would allow women a means of creating financial independence"

Emma is very forward thinking for this time period. She doesn't just let things go without airing her thoughts. She puts her thoughts in progress to try and make the world a better place. However, in saying this there are some things a woman of this time couldn't easily avoid.

"Why should she marry ever? Why be subjected to a life where she might be considered nothing more that a piece of property or a nuisance or worse yet a punching bag?"

This, again demonstrates how Emma is very much a modern woman. All she wants is to be able to make her own decisions. However, with Nick in the way protecting her, this becomes pretty impossible. For example, when Emma wants to go and see Lena's husband, the person Emma believes is responsible for her death, Nick tries to stop her.

"Lena never said outright, but I think she feared Aulton. She wrote that she needed me by her side"

is what Emma says to Claire, her cousin (the main protagonist of the first book) when she suspects Nick won't let her go to see Aulton. Emma feels guilty as she believes she could have saved Lena if she'd been with her. There's a chance that Emma could have gotten hurt too, of course, but Emma doesn't care about that. She comes across as a very gun-ho character. Especially in the first half of the novel.

Emma does, of course get married to Nick. Her father forces them, after a time away from the family home where they could have been doing who knows what. Emma believes Nick is "perfection incarnate" at the beginning of The Bride Who Got Lucky. It's only after she speaks to and gets to know him that she falls for him, though. It takes a while for them to settle into married life. Emma questions herself quite often about whether or not marriage was the right thing to have orchestrated but by the end of the novel she considers herself "the bride that got lucky", just as her husband considers himself lucky too.

What did I like about The Bride That Got Lucky?

I liked how the love story had everything I like from sweetness to passion.

I also liked how Emma started as a woman who behaved as she pleased but learnt throughout to be a woman of the time and still independent.

I liked how Emma is 25 years old. I'm that age. Most heroines I read about are younger than me, so it was nice to be able to relate, even if the story is set in a different time period.

What didn't I like about The Bride That Got Lucky?

I didn't like how the author wrote some American phrases into this Regency period English story. For example, the word garbage is used, instead of rubbish.

Overall then, I really enjoyed this novel. It had a bit of everything for me. The main thing, of course was the romance, which I just loved. I also loved how this novel could have been set at anytime. Yes, the language would need changing to suit the time period but the basic storyline would work in any context, I feel. The only thing that I didn't feel was right about the story is some of the language used was too modern. That's why I'm giving The Bride Who Got Lucky 4 Stars.

The next novel tells of a swapped role relationship, where the male is a Cavansham and the female is not. I'm already excited to read it!

Will you be picking up The Bride Who Got Lucky?

I really enjoyed this story. It kept me captivated right from the start.
It does deal with a serious matter of abuse. Our heroine, Emma, has a freind who passed away after being thrown down the stairs whole in her kaye stakes of pregnancy. Both she and the baby dies. Emma takes this very hard and vows not to let this go unpunished, as was usually the case during those times.
Nick, Lord Somerton, a family freind, tries to help Emma and keep hey or of trouble. The men in her life, her 2 brothers, her father, and Nick all try to support her but also reign her in.
The ending of this book I found very touching.

If you have read "The Bad Luck Bride", you might remember that Alex and Claire remarked on the probability of something developing between Somerton and Lady Emma. Claire was convinced that she saw something between those two whereas Alex was equally convinced that Somerton would never allow himself to get close to a woman. Well, "The Bride who got Lucky" might enlighten both of them, whose assessment was the more accurate...

At least, she might, when all is said and done because our hero and our heroine being as opposed to marriage as they are, both of them with good reason and due to their personal experiences, do not exactly have a smooth trip when they're trying to navigate the marital seas. Their courtship, if you could even call it one, is overshadowed by Emma's loss of a good friend, bad decisions, adversaries and the everpresent rumors of the ton. Considering the fact that, originally at least, none of them was even in the market for a spouse, well, things tend to change and to change fast, when love comes along.

I already loved Emma's family, the Cavenshams after everything they have done for Claire and how much they protected her at all costs at the time when she was "The Bad Luck Bride". You can always feel that this is a family whose members care deeply for each other and who protect their own. Once again they prove how amazing they are, even if the Duke and his wife are getting a bit upset sometimes, in this book and, well, looking at Somerton and his lack of a loving and caring family, you can but be very happy to see him become a part of this close-knit family.

I also loved that Emma was not just talking about the injustice of the way women were treated and what rights they had, her attempts at getting justice for the death of her friend in a man's world but that she was also doing something about it and that her family was backing her up.
I already said that I loved this family, right?

Well written with lots of action, wit, and a well-plotted story, I really enjoyed reading this book and can definitely recommend it!

I must admit I prefer historical romances which have a little levity in their story. I’ve now read two books by Janna MacGregor and I realize that she writes very dramatic books without much by way of humor. That’s fine and the story progresses well; however, as I said, I like a little fun thrown in.

In this story, Lady Emma Cavensham is determined to bring justice to the husband of her best friend (Lena), the man Emma feels is responsible for her friends death. Nicholas St. Mauer, a family friend, decides to keep Emma from crossing too far over the boundaries of societal rules. When Emma becomes the brunt of gossip (due in part from his assistance among other things), Nick is there to help her, both in her cause and in salvaging her reputation.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

This story had me laughing, crying, and turning the pages. Emma shows her strength by standing up for what she believes in and working toward a very unladylike goal although she is driven by guilt. Nick's past has him believing that he is unlovable. My emotions were wrapped up in these two as they learned what it would take to be happy forever, learning to compromise and forgive themselves and others. There are a lot of dark places in this story, but I loved the whole package. I look forward to the next Cavensham Heiress story.

I received a copy of this story through Netgalley, and this is a Book-Obsessed Chick Star Review Team selection.

The Bride Who Got Lucky is the second book in Janna MacGregor’s Cavensham Heiresses series of Regency-era historical romances. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series-The Bad Luck Bride, so I was already looking forward to reading this book even without knowing anything about it.

Nick and Emma were secondary characters in The Bad Luck Bride, so I became even more excited when I found out that they had been paired together for The Bride Who Got Lucky.

Nick and Emma are both very strong-willed, and they are much more similar than they realize. They both want to do things on their own, without relying on their families. This manifests for Nick in his business acumen; he has been estranged from his father since his Eton days, and he has amassed a fortune through hard work and shrewd investing. Likewise, Emma wants more out of life than an aristocratic marriage and children. She wants to open a bank for women who need financial assistance to get out dangerous situations.

Emma doesn’t always consider the consequences of her actions, which is problematic since she lives in an era in which women’s actions are particularly scrutinized. Nick wants to protect Emma from that scrutiny, but it isn’t always easy to do because she isn’t always honest about what she’s planning; she knows she’d be prevented from doing what she wants to do if people knew about it.

Emma and Nick have some great chemistry, and it’s kind of funny that they spend so much time denying their mutual attraction. This book has a good blend of serious moments and lighter ones, and both characters grow as their relationship deepens.

I would recommend The Bride Who Got Lucky. I think it does help readers to start with the first book in the series, although it’s hardly a requirement. I think it would be easy enough to follow along if the books were read out of order. Janna MacGregor is a talented author and I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s going to write next!

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

He would do anything to protect her. Even marry her…

The son of a cold-hearted duke, Nicholas St. Mauer isn’t one to involve himself in society…or open his own heart to anyone. But driven by honor, the reclusive Earl of Somerton feels obliged to keep a watchful eye on Lady Emma Cavensham. She possesses a penchant for passions unbecoming a woman that finds Nick in constant peril of losing his well-structured solitude. She even dared kiss Nick once―an utterly unladylike, and delightful, lapse…

Emma can’t deny the appeal of the earl’s attention, and occasional affection, but she has no need for a man. There are worse fates than spinsterhood, as Emma knows too well. She still mourns the loss of her dear friend Lena, and is determined to prove Lena’s husband responsible for her death before he lures another innocent woman into a brutal marriage. But as Emma pursues her prey, a compromising moment upends all her plans. Now, with gossip swirling and her reputation in tatters, Nick may be the only man brave enough to join in Emma’s cause. . .and fight for her heart.




Review:




Of the 4 historical romance I read for this week, this is my favorite.




I quite enjoyed the first book in the series and equally enjoyed this one too. There is no need to read them in order to enjoy either story, but you will know who and what the story is of some of the secondary characters if you read "The Bad Luck Bride" first. This one was a much more emotional story for me. I really felt bad for Nicholas, Emma, Lena and others. I teared up multiple times throughout the book. Emma is a rebel, passionate character and a caring friend, that lends to her getting into many jams. Nick is there to protect her at every turn. He has had a hard, lonely life and does not know how to deal with emotions well. He does know that he wants to care and protect Emma though she thwarts him at every turn. The building of the passion between them is sweet and very hot. One of my favorite scenes between Emma and Nick is right before they marry when he is trying to convince Emma not to run, it is so heartfelt and wonderfully written. I need to stop now because this could go on for a while.




Overall, if you want a well written, historical romance with sweetness and spice, then throw in some drama and action and this is for you.




4.5Stars

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

Such a great story,I enjoyed this historical romance.. I adored the stubborn Lady Emma.Emma is such a strong character, The book kept my interest throughout and I eagerly kept turning the pages to find out what would befall Emma and Nick next.

4.5 Stars
Nicholas St. Mauer, Earl of Somerton, was sent away to school at the tender age of five by his cold and distant father, the duke. Nick's mother died at his birth, so his life was sadly lacking in affection and very lonely. When Nick was fifteen, a fellow student gambled with the wrong people and got in some serious trouble. Nick signed for the gambling debt, and wrote his father asking for his help. The duke, enraged, came to the school and proceeded to berate and disown Nick in front of many of his classmates. From that point on, Nick vowed three things - first, he would never set foot on his father's property until the duke died; two, he would use his intellect and build a fortune greater than his father's; and, three, he would never be vulnerable to feelings and emotions that could cause him that kind of pain ever again.

Lady Emma Cavensham, daughter of the Duke of Langham, is on a quest. Her dearest friend, Lena, along with her newborn daughter have died, and Emma is sure it was at the hands of Lena's husband, Aulton. During Lena's marriage, she showed physical signs of being abused, yet she denied it. Shortly before Lena died, she wrote a letter to Emma, sharing her fear for her life and that of her child, stating that if she died, it would be by Aulton's hand. No crime was ever charged to Aulton, and now he is on the lookout for another wife. Emma is wracked by feelings of guilt for never taking any action when she first saw Lena being abused, and she is determined to bring Aulton to justice. She devises a plan to travel to visit Lena's former maid, hoping to bring her back to town and convincing her to testify against Aulton. If Emma's parents or brothers discover what she's doing, she will be in serious trouble. As she is at a less than reputable inn, with only one elderly servant, and about to be kidnapped by two thugs, she is rescued by Nick.

Nick and Emma have a long standing connection because his best friend is married to Emma's cousin. Over the years, they have shared a friendship, a subtle attraction, and one stolen kiss. Nothing further ever came of the attraction, because Emma is determined not to marry, while Nick avoids all but the most superficial of affairs, and doesn't take part in society events. Still, he feels a protectiveness and an obligation to keep her safe. Their close proximity does bring their passion almost to the boiling point, but Nick, leery of being forced into marriage, retreats. When Emma's brothers learn of her scheme, they rush to rescue her, only to find her alone in a room with Nick. He can hear the wedding bells tolling.

Their hasty marriage begins on a high note, as they are each determined to make the best of it. Truth be told, they are eager to explore their sizzling chemistry, and that part of their marriage is all either hoped it could be. But soon, events test their new relationship, and their very basic differences may cause a falling apart that can't be reconciled. Emma is so passionate about her beliefs, how she feels she needs to help other women, and how she can possibly atone for her inaction regarding Lena. I admire her strength, intelligence, and determination, while at the same time wanting to caution her to be realistic and take things slowly. She has a generous heart, a great spirit, and a giving nature that sometimes overruled common sense. Poor Nick is such a mess from his troubled childhood - he never received love, and is slow to recognize it when it appears in his life. His wounds did not make him cruel or bitter, just determined. If he is unable to let go of his childhood vows, it may well cost him the happiness he's found. I love both these characters, flaws and all.

THE BRIDE WHO GOT LUCKY is a fabulous read, with plenty of emotion, character growth, romance, and definitely steam. I adored Emma's parents and the loving relationship they had with her and each other - a direct contrast to the relationship Nick had with his father. The resolution was satisfactory on many levels, and I felt confident that this wonderful couple would live happily ever after.

I fell in love with this beautiful historical romance with two main characters that you have never quite seen the likes of before.

Emma is not like the other young women in her time. She is fiercely independent and feels no need for marriage. She loves her life the way it is, with no man telling her what she can or can not do nor controlling her finances. Her views are cemented when her closest friend passes away - which she does not feel was due to natural causes. Instead she feels the death lays at the hands of her best friend's husband. In a time when women were viewed as property and allowed to be beaten as punishment, she may just be right. Emma carries guilt over not protecting her friend and vows to uncover the secrets and bring justice for her.

Nick is a young man whose childhood has influenced his adulthood. His Father was cold and cruel and is a man who Nick refuses to be like. His Father cuts him off from the family wealth and Nick's main goal in life is to gain more wealth than his Father.

These two very opposite and independent individuals are drawn together over the death of Lena, Emma's best friend. There is a lot of attraction between the two of them but neither can really let go of their own goals - Nick to gain wealth and Emma to bring justice, equality and fairness to all women.

This is a beautiful romance novel that is very well written. I loved the very different plot with our female character being so different than many characters during this time period. She draws attention to the plight of women and really helps drive home how far we have come as women in equality. This is a definite must read!

The Bride Who Got Lucky by Janna MacGregor
The Cavensham Heiresses #2

Nick has pretty much been abandoned by his father from birth and sent to boarding school with few memorable trips home since he was five. At fifteen there is an encounter with his father that marks and changes him. He does alright for himself but the cost to his emotional wellbeing is severe. Emma is a “lady” but has dreams of having the freedoms a man has – including choosing her spouse and going into business. She gets herself into a number of pickles that made me question her ability to think things through and also made me wonder how she circumvented family to get to the places she went.

The romance between Nick and Emma began when she was 22 but didn’t come to fruition till she was 25. There were encounters and a kiss or two with Nick being sent to follow her by friends and family to keep Emma from getting into trouble. That doesn’t work entirely but he does his best. In addition to the romance and the characters backstories there is a friend that Emma is trying to avenge and that storyline plays throughout the book.

The story was a solid read but, to me, did not seem highly believable. I liked both characters but often wondered if what they were doing and saying in the story would really happen. I liked the comeuppance of the bad guy and a reveal that happened toward the end of the story as it provided a way forward for the couple. I am not sure what will happen in book three but believe it will have to do with a client of Emma’s bank and one of her brothers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars

There were many things I loved about The Bride Who Got Lucky and a few things I didn't like so much. We have two people averse to marriage for completely different reasons. Nicholas St. Mauer, Earl of Somerton, was humiliated in his school years by his difficult father. He has rejected anything to do with his father and has amassed a fortune on his own. Lady Emma Cavensham is fiercely independent and an advocate for women because of experiences in her life. When her dear friend dies from an abusive relationship she is galvanized into action. Emma's headstrong ways continually get her into trouble and it falls to Nick to bail her out. Both characters have a lot of work to do before reaching their HEA.

Things I liked: the depth of the characters, a dose of intrigue, some sparkling snippets of writing, nicely moving character development, a very satisfying conclusion. Things I didn't like so much: Emma seemed a little too much ahead of her time, the flow of the story was a bit choppy.

Overall, The Bride Who Got Lucky was a solid, very readable historical romance. I will look for other books by this author.

An ARC of the book was provided in return for an honest review.

This is the second book in the series and it was as enjoyable as the first. You can watch the characters grow and learn about themselves and each other. Of course there is an evil vilian hanging a stormy cloud over their heads. Revenge, forgiveness, honor, and a happy ending.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I really liked both Emma and Nick so it was great when they finally were forced to marry. Emma seemed to take too many risks for an unmarried young lady but she had firm beliefs that she felt needed to be acted upon.

You almost think that they are going to avoid the problems that face many married couples because they seemed so happy together. Poor Emma had to keep putting her feelings aside as the men in her world didn't act until Lena's brother finally got his act together. Unfortunately, Emma and Nick found an issue that both felt strongly upon but on different sides.

I liked that they both tried to come up with an alternative as they knew that their marriage was worth fighting for and they loved each other.

I really am looking forward to the next book as I want to find out why Emma's brother would be so careless and not help out an impoverished family. I had not read the first book in the series but that also sounds like an interesting book!

Nicholas St. Mauer is the heir to a Dukedom that he wants nothing to do with. He hasn't seen his father since he was 15 and was told by his father that he never wanted anything to do with him from then on.
From that point in his life, he vowed that he would never ask his father for anything ever and will make a fortune larger than his father. His friendship with Alex the Marquess of Pembrooke (The hero from the first book in the Series, "The Bad Luck Bride') is the only bright spot in his life, besides his businesses that have made him a very rich man.

Lady Emma Cavensham is a young lady on a mission. She is determined to help young woman who has no one to turn to when they are at the mercy of an unscrupulous abusive man or in financial straits because of the laws of the land that do not allow a woman to control their own lives and money. She is mourning the death of a friend who was killed by her husband and is getting away with it because he is a Lord. She will stop at nothing to bring him to justice. Emma decides to travel to her friend's town to find evidence to convict the murderer.

Nick finds out about what Emma is up to and follows her to keep her from getting hurt and being caught in a scandal. Emma has no intention of ever getting married and putting herself under any man's control. She wants to be an independent woman who will help other women by opening a bank just for woman so they will have the option to take control of their own lives.

This is a lovely emotional charged story of two people who believe that they are better single and concentrating on their individual goals for their lives. Nick doesn't let anyone in. He has always kept his feelings locked up so no one can hurt him. Emma is afraid to lose her independence and her goal to help other women.

Janna writes a deeply touching tale of a love that will test Emma's and Nick's convictions that have made them who they are. They are both stubborn and convinced that they are right. Only when they are in danger of losing each other will they realize that they will only be truly happy together.

This book is a wonderful journey of discovery that will make you laugh and cry. Janna is a truly gifted author whose writing is addictive. Her characters are compelling, complex, and lovable. This is a book that you will love. I cannot wait for the next one in the Series.

I loved Nick and Emma's story!

Nick and Emma had known each other for awhile, since Nick's best friend was married to Emma's cousin. Emma was devastated by the loss of her best friend and and was determined to see if her husband was guilty of killing her. Nick knows Emma is up to something, but he doesn't know what. He is, however, determined to save her from herself.

I loved watching Nick and Emma together. Their bantering back and forth had me laughing out loud. This is a definite must read in my opinion. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Review of "The Bride Who Got Lucky" by Jana MacGregor.

ARC kindly provided by publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to try this new-to-me author due to the high praise she had received from other readers for her debut novel, but unfortunately, I ended up having quite the apathetic feeling towards this particular book.

I can't really put my finger on it. It could be because of the fact that certain points in the story just did not have enough of a solid ground to stand on. I felt the punishment meted out to the h for her actions were rather dramatic. That is, even given the historical period the story is set in, her actions didn't justify her punishment. Also, why is the H sent after her all by himself? When Lydia ran of with Wickham in "Pride and Prejudice", a single, unmarried young man was not sent off all on his own to fetch her back. I would have at least thought the h's cousin's husband would accompany the H to avoid any unnecessary scandal - said scandal being more severe than the one of getting a rare book from a questionable book store.

It is wonderful that much of the story is built on the premise of women's rights, what with the h trying to stand up against domestic abuse and violence that led to her best friend's death, and later trying to establish a bank for women from all walks of life, whatever their need may be. However, plot holes such as the ones mentioned above, kept nagging me at the back of my skull, and so ultimately, I personally could not enjoy the book as much I wanted to. So, rounding off, this book gets a 3-star from me.

I enjoyed this second book in The Cavensham Heiresses series. You don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one. Emma is so independent and this is great for the time period. Nick had to learn how to be part of a family and Emma needed to learn to lean on others. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Emma siempre fue una mujer fuerte pero creo que nunca me había desesperado tanto que las mujeres no tuvieran ni voz ni voto en esta época.

En este libro realmente se estudia más esta situación. La protagonista no quiere casarse, sobre todo por lo que le pasó a su amiga Lena y a sus padres les vale. Su eventual esposo dice que la respeta pero aún así siempre quiere que se haga lo que él quiere. Afortunadamente Emma era una mujer formidable que nunca se dejó abatir pero si hubo momentos en que hasta yo dudaba de su fortaleza y me molestaba la necesidad de hacer todo un gran esfuerzo por convencer a los demás cuando ella tenía la razón.

Por su lado Nick no me desagradó ni nada pero a veces actuaba de forma muy machista y eso no iba bien conmigo. Al final se redime pero siento que le tomó demasiado tiempo. Había cosas como permitir que otra chica se casara con el esposo maltratador de la amiga de Emma solo porque Nick tuvo problemas con el hermano de la chica y no entender el dolor y la necesidad de Emma para que se le hiciera justicia a su amiga. Cuando no se trataba de estos temas fuertes la relación si me gustó porque eran muy lindos el uno con el otro y no era como en otros libros donde se la pasan calientes los dos. Esa parte si me hacía sonreír.