I enjoyed the first book in this series, and this book was also very enjoyable for me.

Nicholas is the Earl of Sommerton. He is a self made man who has created his success and his life on his own. His father, the Duke of Renton, humiliated him in front of his school mates when he was 15. At that time, Nick was told that he was never to appear at his home again. So, with no family of his own, he has become a sometime member of the Cavensham family.

A part of that family is Lady Emma Cavensham.

She is the only daughter of a duke. She has a strong sense of independence as well as an intelligence that has led her to have some adventures which were enough to make her parents leery of what might be her next decision for herself. She has been well loved and indulged for her entire life. At times that indulgence is illustrated very well.

The relationship between Emma and Nick starts as a friendship.

Emma does not believe in happy marriages for women. Although her parents and her cousin both have marriages which are not only loving but also emotionally supportive of her mother and her cousin, she still does not believe that is the normal marriage.

Nick does not feel worthy of anyone because one of the things his father pounded into him was that his mother did not love him before she died.

Although this is a romance, it is also an introduction to the realities of the lives of women in the 1800's. No matter their station in life, they were considered property and their wants and desires were not considered important. The murder of a woman by a family member was not considered important either.

Emma is devoted to the memory of her best friend and her determination leads her to put herself in danger. It also leads her to make decisions which do not match up with her intelligence. She is a woman who is quite capable of using facts to make sound decisions.

This is a well plotted story and the character development is quite good. Although Ms MacGregor has not been writing long, she is learning her craft quite well.

But, for me, there were a few issues.

One thing that was confusing at times was the change of scene and character without any sign that the reader would be moving to another place and time.

I really liked Emma and Nick very much. In fact, nearly every character was quite entertaining and added a great deal to the story. But, Emma's choices for herself became rather annoying for me. She is intelligent but allows herself to be put in situations which would not be at all acceptable to her family and could put her in danger. It seemed out of character to me.

This is an adventurous romance. There is villainy as well as wonderful pictures of a loving and affectionate family life. Emma's family is fun, supportive and willing to defend one another no matter the cost.

Ms MacGregor has provided another very good book.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am writing this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

The characters were not always likeable and a bit more damaged than normal. Nick was mean to Claire a couple of times by trying to get her drunk to take advantage one night. He had a rough childhood but rose above it so he could rise above other behaviors. Claire was indecisive and did not make the best decisions. It all works out though.

The first chapter in this novel which delves into the childhood of Nick, the Earl of Somerton and his relationship with his father, the Duke of Renton, had me captivated, such that it was difficult to put down. Once again, Janna MacGregor has written a great story and like the first in this series, I can’t recommend it enough. Nick has been sent to return Lady Emma back to her family by his best friend Alex, who is married to Emma’s best friend, Claire (from Book 1). As a consequence of her action, she is sent to the family’s country estate, but not without a kiss from Nick.
Fast forward three years and Emma is mourning the loss of her friend Lena. Emma believes that Lena’s husband, killed her and now she is determined to bring him to justice. Once again, Nick follows Emma, hoping to protect her but soon finds himself unable to leave her side.
Both characters were so well fleshed out. Nick is the product of his father’s rejection whilst Emma, having been allowed great freedom by her parents, wants to help those less fortunate than her. Together, Nick and Emma are perfect for each other, but events surrounding them threatens to destroy their burgeoning relationship. What sets this novel apart, is the tremendous respect that Nick has for Emma and his realisation that with her, he can overcome the bitterness of his past. This book also explores some of the darker issues behind marriages of the ton without becoming too depressing. There are also so many multi-faceted characters in this story and I look forward to reading more about Emma’s family.

The Bride Who Got Lucky

The Cavensham Heiresses Series - Book 2


By Janna MacGregor

St Martin's - November 2017

Historical Romance



Nicholas St. Mauer, Earl of Somerton kept to himself. He might make appearances in society, but there were few he called friend. Alex Hallworth was one, and by extension, Alex's family. In fact, he often found himself in the company of Alex's wife Claire's family, and there was one Cavensham whose presence he often sought out. Lady Emma Cavensham. Claire's cousin. Someone whom he had helped years earlier to avoid a scandal. A lady whose unorthodox views could cause havoc. A woman he was willing to step forward to help when she places herself once again in the midst of danger.

Emma was heartbroken. Her friend, her close friend, had needed her help, but Emma hadn't been there for her. Now Lena was dead, and Emma knew it was at the hand of Lena's husband. Oh, of course there was no explicit evidence, and he was wealthy enough, and had sufficient power, to remain in the ton, looking for his next victim. Emma was determined to find witnesses and evidence to bring justice for Lena. If her family wasn't willing to help her, she would do it herself.

And when she finds herself in yet another potential scandal, it is Nick who comes to her rescue. Emma doesn't need a man to marry to protect her honor, she needs a man willing to stand beside her and fight to help not only Lena's memory, but other women in her position.

The Bride Who Got Lucky was a wonderful read with a heroine who grew up in a big loving family and is passionate in her defense of women, and a hero who had lost his mother, was abandoned by his own father, and had been bullied. Nick doesn't trust people easily, but Emma is someone who has always been able to draw him out of his shell. I loved how Emma was determined to heal the wounds on Nick's heart, and how accepting Nick was of Emma and her beliefs. I considered Emma an intelligent woman, but I did find she sometimes acted with her heart, rather than her head, leading to some potentially dangerous, yet preventable, situations.



Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

Outstanding second book, by Janna MacGregor, who is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It's an enchanting blend of a quick paced storytelling, emotional and complicated characters and witty dialogue. I loved it!

Find blatantly lustful thoughts, (tying the heroine to his bed) discordant given the time period and the constant contrivance of the male lead always being present just when the female lead is trying to get away with something was clumsy. Wasn't able to finish

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

Jenna McGregor gets this right all the way! Love the danger, love, and family camaraderie

I read the first book in this series and was so excited to see this one on NetGalley available to preview! This is one of my new favourite romance writers! The characters are all so great and the writing is wonderful, the style reminds me a lot of Julia Quinn.

This story follows Nick and Emma. Emma is on a path to avenge her best friends murder and Nick is dealing with a whole host of demons from his childhood. The two are friends who have had the hots for each other for years. Emma, however, has sworn never to marry and Nick seems to think he's unworthy/doesn't have the time for a wife.

This trope is one we've all seen before, but I just really loved how it all came together. It did not feel stale or flat at all. I found it very engaging and stayed up well into the night reading it. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Janna MacGregor's 'The Bride Who Got Lucky' is a wonderful story of love, and loss, and growth and redemption. The warm theme of the importance of family is beautifully portrayed. I found myself weeping at the ending of the book. I feel the graphic sexual descriptions detracted from the beauty of the love story, so I just skipped over those parts. Other than that I would highly recommend this well-crafted story.

Three stars. There are aspects of The Bride Who Got Lucky that I liked and there are things about it that makes me wish it won't get published until they are addressed.

I liked that the heroine Lady Emma is very passionate about her causes - her fight to get justice for the death of her friend Lena and her desire to help women in need by setting up a bank. I liked that she's brave and that she loves to read.

I liked that Nick is a self-made man, that he amassed his own fortune. I liked that he is so protective of Emma even though he kept fighting his feelings for her. I admire that he stands on his principles and is not wishy-washy.

I approve of Ms. MacGregor making them wait until they got married to consummate their relationship.
I also liked that the whole family gets involved and although I haven't read the first book, I appreciate that the story of Alex and Claire gets an update.

There are things that are questionable. The reason for Emma's banishment is flimsy. Getting caught sneaking off to meet someone to buy a rare book from him is hardly worth the punishment she received. Nobody outside of the family knew about it so there wasn't any scandal.

The forms of address among the nobility are inconsistent. I've read hundreds of historical novels and never have I seen two Earls address each other as Lord so and so except here.

The transitions between scenes don't flow smoothly. Why would you put a conversation about the hero's estrangement with his father right after a love scene? It doesn't make sense. The emotions go up and down within the course of a conversation, it was difficult to follow.

The deus ex machina of that duel that killed the villain is an unsatisfactory way of resolving the main conflict. Also, the villain is a caricature. He's not a compelling character, he was a prop necessary to follow the formula.

Some of the word selection and phrasing are awkward and they betray the fact that Ms. MacGregor is a fairly new writer. However, a good editing team should have been able to assist her. Hopefully the mistakes in the ARC are corrected before its publication at the end of October.

Oh my god, no, this book really wasn't for me. I am DESPERATE to find a historical romance that doesn't revolve around insta-love. This book wasn't that. Hopefully other people enjoy this book more than I did.

The Bride Who Got Lucky ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Janna MacGregor


Lady Emma Cavensham objects to women being treated as lesser than men. Her goal is to make the world better for women and lessen their oppression. As a free thinker, she finds herself off to pursue one of her greatest hobbies. She collects rare books. While on this adventure unbeknownst to her her cousin Claire send their friend Nicholas St. Mauer, the Earl of Somerton to rescue her from this madness.

Nick is a friend of Claire's husband and has known Emma for years. He has always admired her gumption and spunky character. She was no mundane chit. Claire, too, has had eyes on Nick since he bestowed on her her first kiss.

Nick is the son of the Duke of Renton who disowned him as a young man. The Duke sent him off to school and didn't look back. As Nick matured he made his own way with the help of several true friends. His goal has been to have a greater fortune than his father. His has become addicted to this goal and forsaken living his life with any joy or love.

It is the combination of these two characters both very strong in their convictions that make is a classic read. This story has so much to offer and the author does it justice with her narrative. This is the second book I have read by Ms MacGregor and both her stories are wonderful reads. I would highly recommend this book.
A Book Obsessed Review Team Selection


Sent from my iPad

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is pretty much your typical Historical Romance novel. The author does try to give the book a little uniqueness but making the heroine a feminist but other than that the plot formula is the same. It's the second in the series and while there are mentions of events from the first book you don't have to have actually read the first book.

The plot is familiar but the writing is good. If you pick this up looking for an easy read you won't be disappointed.

What a sweet, utterly romantic book by the consistently wonderful Janna MacGregor! I cannot tell you how enchanted I was by her first book (which was treated poorly by much of the reviewer community, much to my chagrin - I have never disagreed with the overall star rating for a book as much as I did that one), so I was delighted to read her next book in the series. Janna has a way of creating characters that capture your heart and make you believe in love again. I sat down with this book, read as much as possible before I had to actually sleep that night, and then quickly devoured the rest in the morning.

Nicholas St. Mauer, the Earl of Somerton, is a businessman first and foremost, and most of his life has been devoted to amassing enough wealth to surpass his father, who abandoned him as a youth. While money is always on his mind, it takes a backseat when he meets the charming Lady Emma Cavensham, whose brother-in-law has been his dearest friend for years. Headstrong and searching for independence, Emma is consistently thwarted in her desire for such by Nick, who is determined to keep her safe. When she travels to Portsmouth in secret, hoping to take the next step in bringing justice to her murdered friend, Nick follows her and ultimately saves her life. However, she is away for days and is thus compromised, leading to her family's demand that she marry. While Nick and Emma feel desire for each other, both are hesitant to call it love. As their marriage unfolds, Nick's past will collide with the present, and he will have to choose between his desire for revenge and his desire for love.

I absolutely adored both Emma and Nick! While I found Emma to be overly willful at times, making life for her family and friends extremely difficult, she was consistent in her desire for the better treatment of women. Nick won me over quickly with his eagerness to make her happy and his defense of her beliefs, which at the time, were controversial. Their obvious affection for each other warmed my heart and made the story so appealing in every way. That being said, there was a moment towards the end where Nick's appeal waned significantly. His desire for revenge over a childhood bully outweighed his love for Emma and her desire to protect a woman from marrying a known abuser and murderer. What saved the book for me were two things: (1) Emma stood by her convictions and told Nick that he was wrong. Repeatedly. (2) Nick finally pulled his head out of his rear end and did the right thing. Eventually.

This book remains a beautiful story, in spite of that momentary lapse, and I greatly enjoyed it as a whole. Janna MacGregor remains one of my favorite new authors this year, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. It's sure to be an enchanting read!

What will an almost spinster do for a rare book? Lady Emma Cavensham would duck out of a ball, steal the family carriage, and meet a gentleman at an inn without a chaperone if it meant she could possess such a gem. Fortunately, the Earl of Somerton, Nicholas St. Mauer, stops her before it’s too late. For her trouble, her parents banish her to the country estate, but before she leaves London, Nick presents Emma with the treasured book she was searching for. In exchange for taking the book, she and Nick share her very first kiss. What a kiss that one is!

Three years later, the pair are both back in London. While Emma has experienced the tremendous loss of her best friend, Lena, Nick is still single and has a memory burned on his brain of the passion he glimpsed with Emma. When Emma takes off with just an elderly carriage driver on a personal mission, Nick goes after her once again.

MacGregor has another smashing success on her hands with her second novel. I adored Emma in the first book which featured her cousin, Claire, and Nick’s best friend, Alex. I fell head over heels for Nick after the prologue. Even though he is an earl and the heir to a dukedom, he is determined to make a name for himself in business when his father cuts him off at a young age. He’s so contained and proper, I knew when his passion was released it would be explosive. Emma is a champion as she takes on a crusade that no one else would. She was threatened with physical and financial harm at several turns, but she never gave up on getting justice and helping those women who were unable to help themselves.

I am anxious to see where this series goes as it continues with book three, The Luck of the Bride. It will feature Emma’s oldest brother, Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin, and Emma’s new friend, Miss March Lawson.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The cute romance that starts of an almost love to hate. Emma wants to be a spinster and not be tied down by the ropes of an arranged marriage. When Emma needs someone in her dire moment of need its Nicholas that comes to her rescue. This is a great novel for anyone who loves a good historical romance novel with a determined heroine and a brooding hero.

Emma wants revenge for her friend’s death at the hands of her husband. Nick just want to surpass his father in wealth to feel worthy. Emma feels guilty for not going to her friend Lena when she asked her, she is second guessing her priorities and goals in life. She has decided to never marry and open a bank for women who needs a money. She wants to have a purpose.

Emma plans a trip to Portsmouth to find Lena’s maid so she can testify against Lena’s husband. As she is finalizing her plans she literally runs into Lord Somerton. He wonders why Emma is in this bookshop in a bad part of the city. As Somerton involves himself in Emma’s plans, he starts to fall for her. Can two people who have their own agenda’s put them aside to find the love for each other. And will it be enough.

Janna MacGregor has done it again. She has given us another exciting novel that has you feeling the same emotions the characters are. Emma feels responsible for her friend’s deaths. Somerton just wants to be loved. He has a lot of things he has to let go so he can have a life with Emma. I really enjoy Emma and Nick. He treats her as an equal and Emma has her purpose she was searching for.

What a delightful book! Ms. MacGregor has a flair for creating real characters--their wants, passions, regrets and mistakes. I loved Nick, Earl of Somerton. He had been treated horribly by his cruel father, the Duke of Renton, as a child, but Nick was a survivor and when he grew older, he built a trading empire that made him a very wealthy man. Lots of money and no one to share it with, that is, until he meets Emma Cavensham. With her brother as one of his best friends, he was present at many Cavensham's family events and his admiration for the strong-willed Emma grew. When a scandal threatens to ruin her, Nick steps up and weds her.

The book kept my interest throughout and I eagerly kept turning the pages to find out what would befall Emma and Nick next. I was not disappointed as Ms. MacGregor painted a masterful stroke of Nick and Emma's relationship. Their passion for each other was undeniable, but even with great love comes misunderstandings and heartache. Would Nick ever learn how to open his heart and fully embrace Emma as his wife and partner in life? Fans of Regency romance will definitely enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

THE BRIDE WHO GOT LUCKY is ultimately a disappointment. Romance fans have read many of this type of book and most have seen been better. This seems a bit slap dash, and the significance of the title does not turn up until the last page and then it’s just wrong. The basics: Nicholas St. Mauer, Earl of Somerton, has a few friends in his life due to his father’s humiliating denouncement of him while at college. St. Mauer now considers himself a self-made man with obligations to no one. He has no intention of marrying not wanting to give his father the gift of a grandchild. Enter Lady Emma Cavensham the daughter of a duke who believes in women’ s rights. Emma is in mourning the death of her best friend Lena. Emma is sure the dead woman’s husband is to blame and she sets out to prove it. This leads inevitably to trouble and Nicholas is forced to save Emma from disaster time after time. One time too many it seems as caught in a compromising position, they must marry. But really, who cares?

Lady Emma Cavensham lives in the depth of her grief over the loss of her best friend, three years earlier, whose she suspects died at the hands of her husband. A desire to see the wicked man brought to justice drives her daily existence and it seems no one can reach her. That is, no one except Nick St Mauer, Earl of Somerton. Nick, estranged from his father since his teen years, had built his fortune independent from his family and lives life as a somewhat loner. When he learns of Lady Emma’s goal to seek justice for her dear friend’s death, he presents himself as an obstacle, protecting her from the evil husband’s threats and from her own questionable reputation. But Lady Emma’s plans include far more than exposing her late friend’s husband for the evil deeds he committed, she wishes to create a financial institution for the sole purpose of providing assistance to women in desperate situations, be that an unwanted marriage or an abusive home. Nick, Earl of Somerton learns of this plan and vows to make it a reality while also taking Lady Emma to be his wife. This fast paced romance delivers with a delectable heroine and her brilliant, handsome suitor. Readers will enjoy the banter between characters and cheer for both Lady Emma’s independence nature and the moment her new husband makes her dreams become reality.

I received this advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.