Initially, I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It felt like the story was going to be a little bit more than your typical “bodice ripper” but towards the end the book kind of went downhill. Michael wasn’t a great make MC to begin with but by the end it felt like he was a walking red flag. I’m not sure what happened but it felt like the author stopped caring about the book halfway through and just wanted to get it over with.

Excellent read! Not your typical “easy goes it” romance. Our heroine, had the absolute worst of luck, honestly, at times it’s almost depressing. You feel for the heroine and you’re rooting for her. The heroine has a secret but he is a decent man and clearly loves the heroine. Still, the book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster with a powerful love story, the characters genuinely fought for and deserve their HEA.

The Luck of the Bride is the third book in Janna MacGregor’s Cavensham Heiresses series. I have enjoyed the writing. And, in this story, I could envision this time period perfectly. The characters just felt right.

March is attempting to keep her siblings safe and the family together after their parents died from influenza. The guardians in charge of the family and estate seem not to notice or care that they have been struggling.

After eight long years, March begins forging Michael, Marquess of McCalpin, signature to secure funds from her trust to aid her family.

You see, she is good with numbers and he is not.

When Michael, the heir of the Duke of Langham, learned of her forgery, instead of turning her away, he makes other arrangements.

https://lorisbookloft.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-luck-of-bride.html

THE LUCK OF THE BRIDE - Janna MacGregor

#3 in the Cavensham Heiresses Regency romance series

TRUST ISSUES - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When March and her family reach the end of their finances and can't continue to live in their home, March forges the Marquess's signature so she can release some funds from her dowry in trust. Unfortunately (or fortunately), when her "embezzlement" is discovered, she is called to task and her family is taken to London to live with the Duke and Duchess of Langham.

Writing - 4 stars - I was caught up in the story right away. Although March (and McAlpin) are new characters to this series, I immediately felt a closeness to them that I hadn't actually felt with the previous characters in this series.

Characters - 4 stars - March is the tragic heroine. After suffering destitution, she overcomes this obstacle by being resourceful and clever. But then everything falls apart at an embarrassing ball and she is tragic again. But she gets back up and finds love and happiness, then--you guessed it--she's tragic again when she's banished. Despite these extremes, I liked March and applauded her loyalty to her family. If she was a little over-the-top, I forgave her because she figured out how to deal with her real problems in a society that doesn't allow any sort of rights for women at all. McAlpin is strong and handsome, but of course he has a secret that haunts him and causes him to have little self-confidence. They actually make a great pair, complementing each other. I loved Lawson, March's little brother, as he stepped up to be the man in the family. And it was especially endearing that the Duke and McAlpin treated him as a nobleman (and an equal) even though he's a little boy.

Title - 4 stars - Poor March has luck all right, but it's only bad luck.

Cover - 4 stars - A lovely cover, with soft pastel colors that draw the eye.

Overall - 4 stars - Overall, I liked this book very much. It was fairly typical of a Regency romance, with the girl and the family destitute and the nobleman rushing to the rescue, then falling in love. But March's ability with numbers and her cleverness in trying to solve her problems was unusual and impressive. And McAlpin's secret made him a lot more approachable and human. I did wonder, however, how March and Michael would be able to overcome the trust issues they had. They each devastated the other with March allegedly stealing and not really defending herself and with Michael believing her guilty and sending her away. That would have been a pretty tough obstacle to overcome, but it was mostly pushed aside with the HEA. I was satisfied with the ending, but I had my doubts about the reality of the situation and the future of their relationship.

Janna MacGregor, why must you toy with my emotions? I came off the high of reading The Bride Who Got Lucky, book two in The Caversham Heiresses series, and couldn’t wait to dive into book three, The Luck of the Bride. Holy moly, I was taken on another roller coaster ride of emotions.

The Luck of the Bride follows March, who was briefly introduced in book two, and Michael, whose family is the focus of the series. March lost her parents just as she was about to be presented to society and had to raise her younger siblings and she’d do just about anything for them. Michael is reluctantly in charge of their trust funds until March and her siblings come of age. There are definite sparks when these two come together.

I loved March. She was fiercely protective of her siblings, extremely smart and clever. She was super proud and didn’t want help from Michael and his family, she just wanted her inheritance in order to support her family. She had so much thrown at her in life and yet she makes the best of it and barrels through life at 120%. And when she loves, there’s no turning back. Michael was a typical titled hero. A bit arrogant, thinking he knows what’s best for everyone. But he’s also fiercely loyal to his family and is guarding a pretty big secret. And when he loves, he falls hard and fast and it shakes him to his core. And together, while they butt heads, they also can’t deny the chemistry between them.

Their story had so many ups and downs, I was glued to the book. Just when I thought we’d get the happily ever after, Ms. MacGregor threw in a wrench I wasn’t expecting and it made the story all the more enthralling. I enjoyed the visits from the past couples in the series and the whole Cavensham family. March’s siblings were quirky and made for enjoyable secondary characters.

I absolutely adored The Luck of the Bride. I couldn’t put the book down and was up past my bedtime so I could get to that promised happily ever after. The tears were flowing and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I highly recommend this series and in particular this story.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

A well-written engrossing story, this book pulls many disparate elements into an engaging tale. Yes, it has some historical inaccuracies and inconsistencies, but the story is complex, as are the characters. The plot is engaging, with many storylines weaving through it to a coherent whole. March and Michael are likable and feel real as the story progresses. The secondary characters are also well-developed, not just add-ons, enhancing the book further. Even though parts of the plot seem a stretch, and the end felt rushed, the story hangs together nicely for an enjoyable read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. This is my freely given, honest review.

I've had a few Netgalley books slip through the cracks and this is one I really regret not reading much sooner.

Just what the doctor ordered!

What an enjoyable read of loyalty, family, kindness, and love.

March Lawson took care of her younger siblings since she was sixteen. Along with that responsibility came Lawson Court, the bookkeeping, the sheep shearing, and putting food on the table. The solicitor assigned to the estate was non-existent and after eight long years the hunger pangs were starting to affect each of them.

When the new solicitor, Michael Cavensham, Marquess of McCalpin, decides to visit the estate to understand why March is in need of so much money from the estate, his angry heart softens at her beauty and the struggles the family has been experiencing.

There's so much to this story you have to read this well written story to get all the feels.

He doesn't deserve her, even a little bit, and I will die on that hill. What a disappointing ending after that buildup. I don't think it's realistic that she would've forgiven him after two days.
Michael deserves no rights.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the content of this book. Janna is a relatively new author to me and I've been reading a few of her books as time goes on. I liked the characters and how their relationship developed. I also enjoyed the historical content.

Title: The Luck of the Bride
Series: The Cavensham Heiresses
Author: Janna MacGregor
Genre: historical romance
Rating: 4
Family secrets, mistaken identities…love and money make people do crazy things in The Luck of the Bride, the third Cavensham Heiresses novel.

March Lawson has never had much luck, and in a desperate move to save her family, she's been posing as the Marquess of McCalpin. But when she's summoned to a meeting with the Marquess himself, March expects jail time…not to be bewitched by dark hair and sapphire eyes.

Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin and heir to the Duke of Langham, finds himself drawn to March despite the judgments from his peers. He isn't sure he can trust March, especially since Michael has a secret that could ruin him and his family.

But society conspires to keep March and Michael apart, and when March is accused of not being who she says she is, will Michael toss her aside or fight for the woman he's come to love

My thoughts
Would I recommend it? yes
Will I read more of this series? yes
Would I read more of this author? yes
This is a new to me author , and like with other new to me author's I like going in blind not knowing a whole lot about the story, or the series plus I can admit that sometimes I read a series out of order. With this one I had no trouble reading it at all, found it to be light hearted and sweet and very enjoyable to read, as well as a page turner that kept me wanting to know what happens next to our main characters. With that said I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read and review it .

Janna MacGregor is a new author for me and I am delighted to have found her. The Luck of the Bride has a sweet storyline where the main characters, March and Michael fall for one another. At first, March couldn't believe the audacity of the all high and mighty heir of a dukedom. But, as things would have it, fate brought the two together in a storm of mistrust and love. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others who enjoy a sweet romance with a bit of drama.

The Luck of the Bride is the third in a series (Cavensham Heiresses). I liked this book the best in the series so far. March Lawson is responsible for raising her siblings and takes some risks to gain control of her inheritance - which her family is in desperate need of.

Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin, is the man who stands between March and her inheritance - though he wasn't aware of it. When he finds out what March did to get her money, he visits her home and gets involved with her and her family.

This story was really enjoyable - the main characters are interesting and their romance is really nice. I would definitely recommend it!

The third book in the Cavensham Heiresses series is an absolute must read, even if you did not read the first two. I have really enjoyed the storylines in all three books, but there is something about these characters that make this read very special. It is my favorite book in the series so far. March and Michael are made for each other. Their storyline allows them to discover that, even though the road is not smooth. I had romance, great famlies, characters, and of course a dastardly villian that tries to foul things up royally. My only disappointment is that Michael could have trusted March more towards the end of the book. Thankfully there are more books in the series and they are in my TBR pile.

TBR — I hope to revisit this title, wonderful premise!

Full review to come...

I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am majorly reading this series out of order. But whatever. I loved March, but boy did McCalpin annoy me. He's mean when he can easily be kind and rarely thinks of others. There are things he says to March that personally, I could have never forgiven him for. While I'm happy that she's happy, I honestly think she was too good for him. That said, I loved watching her take care of her family.

This is the second book I've read from this author and I loved it!!! I am a sucker for historical romance so this was perfect for me. I recommend it!!!

March is used to overcoming challenge in her life so she views Cavensham as just another one! I loved the strength of her character as she did her best for her family even as she was falling in love. A great followup to Janna’s debut!

March Lawson is an orphan who, for the past eight years, has struggled to raise her siblings on a meager allowance. Most women March’s age would be picking out ball gowns for the upcoming season. But March’s focus is not on finding a husband. First, she must devote her energies to just one man: the coldhearted skinflint who refuses to release her inheritance.
This was a pretty good story. I’m very familiar with this author and her writing style so I had an idea on what to expect. Both main characters were very likable and made you want to finish to get their HEA. There were some things in the book that I didn’t really care for, but I still enjoyed it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor
Subgenre: historical romance
Release date: 1 May 2018
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Format: ebook and print
Length: 384 pages
RRP: $10.34 (ebook); $15.99 (print)
Her family are in dire straits and she has to take drastic measures to ensure her family can survive.
March Lawson has had responsibility for her siblings since she was sixteen, the last eight years. Her two sisters and her baby brother, the heir, have constantly wondered when their guardian and or their inheritance will be available to repair the family property, but more importantly, feed them all. She has had to complete many of the jobs around the Manor as there isn’t the staff to do the work. March is also very good at numbers and bookkeeping and offers her services to the local shop keepers to earn extra money to buy what they need. Her next step, signing a bank note from the Marquess, who is their new guardian, to access money in her inheritance, is a step into desperation.
Michael Cavensham, Marquess of McCalpin, the future Duke of Langham, discovers that someone has signed some bank notes on his behalf. He arrives at Lawson Place to see the circumstances and finds the family is really in dire circumstances. This is reinforced when he finds at the dinner to impress him, they have eaten the entire week’s supply of food. It is what comes next that shocks him more (sorry you will have to read what that is). He then moves the family into his family home to ensure that the girls have their season and that Bennett, the future Lord, has the tutoring he needs. Michael has a secret, he has difficulty with numbers and his brother helps him with the financial aspects of the duchy.
As March and her siblings are becoming more and more enmeshed in the family, Michael finds he is attracted more and more to March. And just as Michael asks March to marry him, and he thinks she would make the perfect Marchioness and future Duchess, her cousin makes several accusations and ruins March’s reputation. Michael struggles to deal with these accusations and he knows March isn’t like this, but the evidence points to her guilt. Naturally, there is a HEA.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this historical. What also struck me while reading was that the family were all about love and not fighting. March and her siblings were a unit. Michael, his siblings and his parents are a unit. There is love and understanding among them all. It is the peripheral character that comes in to try and destroy the heroine as he wants the money, and one of the sisters.
I started reading this book and was immediately absorbed in the story. Ms Macgregor is a new to me author and I have since bought the previous two books as I’m keen to read Emma and Clare’s stories, and any future books!
Reviewed by Heather