Once Again a Bride

Starred review from December 17, 2012
Ashford (Bride to Be) delights with a smoothly told Regency-era double romance in which gentry and faithful servants alike find family, love, and belonging. Young Charlotte Wylde was abused and neglected by her husband, Henry. When he’s murdered by footpads, Charlotte is surprised to be taken in as family by the busy household of Henry’s kind nephew, Sir Alexander Wylde. Though Alec’s young sisters only have friendship on their agenda, Alec’s aunt and nephew are less forthright in their expectations about the relationship. Alec slowly realizes what a gem Charlotte is as she discovers her freedom. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s maid, Lucy, catches the attention of sweet, sassy footman Ethan. This simple novel offers a near-perfect example of everything that makes this genre an escapist joy to read: unsought love triumphs despite difficult circumstances, unpleasantness is resolved and mysteries cleared, and good people get the happy lives they deserve. Agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency.

February 15, 2013

Married off at 18 to a much older friend of her dying father's and at her wit's end to please him, Charlotte Wylde is shocked when her tyrannical husband ends up dead on the London streets. Now widowed and alone, Charlotte learns she is practically destitute and must deal with relatives she never knew existed, including the attractive but most suspicious Sir Alexander Wylde. Danger, mystery, and a Gothic slant add a touch of intrigue. VERDICT Well-rendered, relatable characters, superb writing, an excellent sense of time and place, and gentle wit make this a romance that shouldn't be missed. After an absence of ten years from the romance market, Ashford returns with a Regency winner that will please her longtime fans and garner new ones, as well. Ashford (Bride To Be) lives in Boston.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
Charlotte spent the entire wretched year she was married to Henry wishing he was dead. Now her dark wish comes true when her husband is murdered by thieves while returning home from his club late one night. Yet even from beyond the grave, Henry manages to make Charlotte's life miserable. When his will is read, Charlotte discovers he has left her nothing. Everything, including what remains of her dowry, goes to establishing a private museum for his collection of antiquities. Even with the assistance of Henry's nephew, Alexander, there is nothing Charlotte can do to break the will, but what is even worse is that Charlotte soon becomes the leading suspect in her husband's untimely death. Ashford spices up the plot of her latest Regency historical with an intriguing thread of mystery while at the same time realistically tempering the story with details about the social and political unrest of the time. In addition, readers who remember the Upstairs Downstairs flavor of Marion Chesney's classic Regencies will especially enjoy the secondary love story between Charlotte's maid and Alexander's footman.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)