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Lady Isabella has a very high opinion of herself, especially when she's told she's to marry a Baron, Martin, of all people. Why she's furious her plans are much higher. An agreement to delay, allows them to deal with many conflicts including one that may turn deadly. Book 5 of this series is excellent as are the other books before it. Can be read as a standalone.

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The opening chapters of this novel portray Lady Isabella as an embittered, angry young woman who seeks revenge against those who have dominated her life. When Baron Martin de Vere arrives with the Queen's missive in his hands, Isabella feels that it is the final slap in her face. She is definitely worth so much more. I loved Martin's character, as he sets out to woo Isabella with wit and patience, but even he begins to wonder whether she has any redeeming features. Fortunately, he sees her with her younger sister, whom she will protect with her life if necessary, and Martin realizes that not all is lost. A storm takes the ship the group is travelling on off-course, making Isabella think that perhaps her own ambitions will be realized, until reality sinks in. She quickly comes to see that Martin is a man she can trust, and together with him, they outwit their enemy. The novel is part of a series but can be read as a standalone, and comes to a happy conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

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This was a delightful historical romance that was clever and frustrating all at once! Lady Isabella is arranged to marry Martin, a baron she felt was much below her station. Although he was kind and wanted a willing wife, she set her sights on marrying an earl to further her place amidst the nobility. Not surprising, when you see how calculating and cruel her own parents are. The story follows the newlyweds as they journey to Martin’s home along with Isabella’s chronically ill younger sister. Determined to annul the marriage and find a more fortuitous match, Isabella puts on a show as an ill tempered menace to try and drive Martin away. Little does she realize, he sees right through it all and does all he can to make her fall for him instead. The back-and-forth is very entertaining!

Martin is sincere throughout and a very likable hero. Although she is stubborn and bites off more than she can chew with her scheming, Isabella is good hearted. This is the first book of this series that I have read, but apart from mentions of other characters, I was able to follow the story without reading the others. I read this as an EBook ARC in return for an honest review from NetGalley.

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This was a wonderfully written storyline. Our characters were well defined and they come together to give us a truly great love story. The past and present come together to add a sense of understanding and love. A very rewarding read.

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Winning the heart of a lady.
Lady Isabella is furious when her mother tells her that she is to be married off to a lowly baron mere hours before the ceremony takes place. Martin wants a wife who will be a helpmate and run his castle and cinque port when he is at sea, and so doesn’t want a coerced wife, nor does he want to break her fiery spirit. And so he agrees not to consummate their marriage and to agree to an annulment on reaching his home, as long as she allows him to woo her on their journey. His gamble looks decidedly shaky when part way through their journey a storm forces them to stop at Yarmouth, where the Earl Isabella intends to be her husband is unfortunately staying!
Loved the character of Isabella and her devotion to her sister, and Martin was delightful.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Isabella was a bit too spiteful and mean girl for me. Martin didn't deserve it. I wanted to go over there and rescue that man and take him away. DNFed.
Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

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This is the first book in the series that I have read but I did not find that to be a problem at all. There is some mention of other members of the DeVere family but nothing that seemed to come from a previous book. I loved the character of Martin - he might be too good to be true, but he was immediately likable and it was easy to root for him. I had more of a problem liking Isabella. I understood her motivations but she was pretty awful through the first almost 2/3 of the book. She was downright cruel to Martin and his crew and refused to listen to reason from either Martin or Adelaide. I think my favorite part was when Martin told he that if she had just told him about her real reasons for wanting to marry the earl he would have agreed to it. That one comment from him showed how everything could have been prevented had she just opened up to him. Of course that would have made for a slightly less interesting plot, but it would have saved him a knife through the foot. I am not sure I totally bought the way they eventually made their escape, but it was cleverly done so I was willing to overlook that. I am hoping a future book or story will follow up with an adult Adelaide to see what happens with her life in the future.

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Don't usually read the historical romances, but took a chance on this one, and glad I did! A fun deviation from the usual big, hot, stud and perfect girl - yet in the end that is how they are to each other, which was a delight! Enemies to love, a complex plot with all kinds of twists and adventure, and a HEA to look forward to. A fun read!

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charming at points, but all entirely too neat to work too well for me, and i find the FMC to be a little bit oddly written for my taste at the start. 3 stars. tysm for the arc.

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Wager and the Wedding is a charming historical romance with a clever premise and endearing leads, but it doesn’t quite live up to its full potential. Isabella’s transformation from spoiled noblewoman to someone more self-aware is engaging, and Martin’s quiet strength and sincerity make him a standout hero. Their slow-burn romance has sweet moments, especially during their journey at sea. However, the pacing occasionally drags, and the tension with the earl, while promising, resolves a bit too predictably. Fans of character-driven romance will find much to enjoy, but the story never quite surprises or fully capitalizes on its stakes.

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Hmmm, okay book. I liked the hero Martin, he's not a typical tall dark and handsome dude, but rather a clever, brave and kind person. The heroine was just a shrew, a spoilt shrew who could not see a go9d thing if it bonked her on the head. She really was quite annoying, which made reading this book painful.



#TheWagerandtheWedding #NetGalley

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Thank you NetGalley. Isabella has just got home from being at court. Her mother calls in to see her in the morning to tell her she will marry at noon. She does not know this man or have they ever met. She meets him in the breakfast room where they make a deal that they will not consummate the marriage until they reach his home. She acts like a shrew but Martin is kind to her. If they don't get along by then they will annul the marriage. She is taking her sister with them. She is thinking she will have the marriage annulled and marry an earl at one of the ports along the way. Martin treats her well and tries to make her love him. He was taken with her as soon as they met. There are so many problems caused by her and the story mainly is how they handle them.

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The Challenge, a Promise, a Love Story
An intriguingly wild story that completes the end of a very enjoyable series.
The characters were complex individuals and determined in what they each wanted.
They took me on a journey of thrills, angst, smoldering passion, along with many heartfelt situations
that kept this story moving at a fast pace where it reached a very rewarding ending.
I truly enjoyed this book.
🏆 Favorite Character: Martin was a lady's dream come true💖
Con:😞 Book Cover. My pet peeve is when a cover displays a character different that their description. Martin was much shorter than Isabella
Adult Advisory 🔥🔥🔥+

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Isabella exemplified strength in difficult circumstances.
Martin was the dearest little Romeo.
Adelaide was the sweetest little angel.
These characters have my heart.
Read The Wedding and the Wager and you’ll fall in love.

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