A Perfect Bride (Avon Historical Romance)

Delightful! Both characters felt "real" and made me believe they were in love with one another deeply. Both had great senses of humor too, which is always a plus. Samantha James is such a master at weaving a fairy tale and this book is just that. Sebastian and Devon are such dynamic characters in their own right that it's only a matter of time before the sparks fly. If you long to be swept into the lives of two enchanting people, I highly recommend this one. This book had everything you need to create a good romance: a dashing hero, a beautiful heroine, a person who always seems to interfere with the hero and heroine, and, most of all...PASSION! Samantha James has the ability to break down her characters souls and feed their emotional struggles onto the pages. Samantha James has found a perfect match for the dashing Sebastian with feisty Devon. They are well matched in temperament, intelligence and in their loyalty to their families. It was an interesting. There is enough conflict to make the story line interesting and not so much that your left wondering why they ever got together. The reader will feel the despair, the heartbreak, passion and the joy of Sebastian and Devon in this very excellent character driven romance. A Perfect Bride is a very easy reads. I read this book in half a day and enjoyed it to the end. I love this series. I really don't agree with the reviewer who says she thought Devon's dismissal of his marriage proposal extreme and unlikely. I think it was realistic. Devon didn't trust Sebastian at that point and she had her grandmother to be able to take care of her. Sebastian needed to prove he love her no matter what. Devon felt used by Sebastian. I likes seeing Sebastian romance Devon. I'm reading this book for the 3rd time and I still love it.

I started this book several months ago, but put it down after the first 50 pages. Recently, I came across it on my TBR shelf and decided to give it another go and boy am I glad I did. A Perfect Bride has been summarized already so I will add my two pennies instead. I loved the well-written chemistry and sexual tension. My stomach was in knots through the whole novel. These two people were star-crossed lovers that belonged together. How can they overcome the complications of coming from different stations in society? My favorite part: *SPOILER ALERT* When the hero had to find the heroine a husband, his jealousy and agony over his decision was palpable. I have read the other two in the trilogy: A Perfect Husband and A Perfect Hero, and this one is by far the best.

There was just something about this book that I enjoyed so much. Sebastian & Devon were such a compelling couple. I loved Devon - for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks she was as elegant and lovely as any girl of the ton. Sebastian was so very taken with her - he just could not help but falling in love with her!! Their romance was so believeable! Something else that was very important for me was the fact that Sebastian had already decided that duty and honor be damned he was going to have Devon as his wife!! It was so very important for me a true romantic to not have it just be Devon's high birth but love that motivated Sebastian. This is just a great love story!!

Setting - London 1815 --- Devon St. James, lived in St. Giles working in an ale house for meager earnings. She had survived the dangerous streets by playing it smart and taking precautions by disguising herself as a heavily pregnant woman when walking home in the dark. This particular evening she carried not only her desperately needed wages but her most precious possession, her mothers necklace. She was set upon by thugs and fought like a wild cat to get back her necklace by defending herself then being stabbed and left to die in the gutter. When she opened her eyes, it was to see herself being rescued by the biggest, handsomest man she'd ever seen and thought she'd died and gone to heaven. Sebastian Sterling, Marquess of Thurston had grown up serious, letting duty chart his life. Since the age of 10 he'd assumed the responsibility of taking care of his two younger siblings and did his best to shield them from their father's cold and unrelenting displeasure. That night searching for his younger wild brother Justin, he was directed to a gaming hell in the dangerous part of London known as St. Giles. He was on his way there when he came upon a body lying in the street. Upon closer examination, he found the bundle to be a female, alive but severely wounded and rather than try to find a doctor in the wee hours of the morning, he brought her home to his town house. In the light and removing her filthy clothing, he discovered a young woman who nearly took his breath away. Perhaps it was kismet, or the fates laughing at him that he chanced upon this street urchin, particularly when he had all but announced his intention of finding a `perfect bride'. This was the first time I've read this author's work and I can tell you that I will be looking forward to researching her back booklists and pre-ordering the proposed sequels to this `Perfect' new trilogy. This was a `perfect' read of an absolutely divine romance filled with wit, charm and beautifully drawn and endearing characters. Several times I found myself chuckling out loud by the lively interplay between the very proper Sebastian and street wise and irascible Devon, as he became entirely captivated by her forthright manner. Bottom Line - You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll sigh over this perfectly wonderful regency era love story! -- Marilyn Rondeau, for www.historicromancewriters.com ---