One Golden Ring

One Golden Ring is yet another wonderful addition to the library of Historical Romances by Cheryl Bolen. Without repeating previous reviews, I'll tell you that I fell in love with these characters, found myself unable to put the book down, and found myself cheering the characters on throughout the entire journey. Don't miss this one!

If you're looking for a book to put a smile on your face - from beginning until the end - of a truly heart-warming romance, then give yourself a treat and gift yourself with this latest offering from Cheryl Bolen. In an attempt to cheer up his best friend the very effeminate Trevor Simpson convinced, Lady Fiona Hollingsworth to attend the theater with him. Feeling somewhat guilty enjoying herself while her brother's life was being threatened she couldn't help admiring the beautiful actress on stage. Trevor, in his usual informative way of `being in the know' pointed out that across the theater from their box sat her protector - the fabulously wealthy and extremely handsome Nicholas Birmingham a powerful stockbroker. Birmingham was not unknown to her as her brother had reluctantly introduced her to him a year ago. While she'd been impressed by the more than pleasant and handsome man, due to the difference in their stations, he a Cit and she a member of the ton, a friendship could never be condoned. Except desperate times called for desperate measures, and after the last year of having, lost her father; been jilted by the man she'd been in love with half her life, Lord Warwick; and with her brother being held for ransom and his life hanging in the balance, Fiona announced to Trevor that she had a plan. She needed money, lots of it - to free her brother held for ransom - and with only a week to do it, she would enlist the help of Mr. Birmingham. She would simply go to Mr. Nicholas Birmingham and strike a bargain asking him for the money needed to pay the ransom. Astonished, Trev asked what she planned to use for collateral since her estate was nearly bankrupt and all the land entailed. Fiona calmly answered `herself'! Although, the next morning when face - to face with the handsome financier - she wasn't quite so calm, especially when after she asked, if he would accept as collateral, herself, as his bride - he turned her down - flat! --- Ah, well as the story proceeds, our devastatingly handsome hero, does end up taking the beauteous Fiona as his bride in this totally delightful, beautifully sensual, and endearingly romantic love story. These two leads were simply made for one another with both sharing a sensual passionate nature that made their physical relationship a dream come true [totally hot!]. Naturally, they would have some misunderstandings, but the author crafts these two as such loving and caring people that the angst they face on the road to happiness was not without some bumps. The secondary love story with the pompous Randolph and Nicholas' sister Verity was a lovely bonus as well as the secondary characters who filled the pages with love, camaraderie, and humor (Trevor was a hoot!) - A quick read, it is nothing short of a fresh breath of spring air - and deeply satisfying! I so totally loved this! --- Marilyn (...)

This has not been a good year for Lady Fiona Hollingsworth. Her father died, foreign secretary Lord Edward Warwick ended their long time unofficial betrothal to marry someone else (see THE COUNTERFEIT COUNTESS); and her brother Randy is being held for ransom in the Peninsular. To rescue him, she needs 25,000 pounds, which she not only does not have but could not raise in a decade let alone the week she has. Her best friend Trevor Simpson convinces Lady Fiona Hollingsworth to attend the theater though she feels guilty that she goes out for entertainment while Randy remains imprisoned. Fiona notices in a nearby box is wealthy stockbroker Nicholas Birmingham, Fiona decides to strike a devil's bargain with the commoner by offering her only asset in exchange for the money. However Nicholas rejects her proposal of marriage until Edward insisted England needs his help in the matter. Rather quickly, Fiona falls in love with her husband and his illegitimate preadolescent daughter, but Nick cannot believe that his spouse no longer pines for Edward while she is jealous that he goes out every night, assuming he sees his lover. This is a golden historical romance starring two fabulous lead protagonists who love one another but do not trust the other to reciprocate. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Fiona offers the deal until the final confrontation. Interestingly in spite of the marriage saving his life, Randy is upset that his sister married beneath her station. The support cast is fabulous whether enhancing the situation in the Peninsular or causing further suspicion between the newly married lead couple. Cheryl Bolen has written a fascinating tale. Harriet Klausner

I love Cheryl Bolen's marriage of convenience stories. Marriage of convenience stories are ultimately about the death of expectation. Both parties go into the relationship with one set of expectations -- this is a marriage in name only, both parties will "behave" in society and do whatever they want in private, neither will attempt to put a hold on the other -- and end up surprised. The road to love and passion is usually long and arduous; the hero and heroine are filled with trepidation at their slowly growing feelings; a series of trials brings out the best in both and they finally see each other for who they really are. AN IMPROPER PROPOSAL was an excellently executed marriage of convenience story in this vein, so I began reading ONE GOLDEN RING with my own feeling of trepidation. Would Ms. Bolen be able to pull off another such story? Would it pale in comparison to AN IMPROPER PROPOSAL? I should have known better than to ask. ONE GOLDEN RING attempts a much more difficult scenario and pulls it off with grace. Lady Fiona Hollingsworth, who was jilted by her beloved Edward in THE COUNTERFEIT COUNTESS, faces a new challenge: her brother is being held for ransom by Spanish bandits and her family's fortune has been lost. Only a desperate action can save her brother's life. That action is to propose marriage to Nicholas Birmingham, a stockbroker rumored to be the wealthiest man in England. Nick has long admired Fiona from afar, but his common birth and shady past have prevented him from attempting to move in her circle. To say he's shocked by her offer of marriage in exchange for the twenty-five thousand pounds needed to save her brother would be to oversimplify the emotional complexity of the proposal scene. Fiona doesn't approach Nick Birmingham as a shining star of society deigning to speak to the likes of a lesser being. Instead, she approaches him as a businesswoman. Thus, in the framing of her proposition, she speaks to Nick as an equal, regardless of their stations. Nick, on the other hand, has been raised to be a gentleman and finds himself and his brothers, as Fiona's delightful friend Trevor tells her, "Too good for women of their own class and not good enough for women of our class." Nick is therefore acutely aware of their unequal positions and declines her offer though he hates doing so. Nick is, at heart, an acquirer of money and possessions, but his wish to acquire Fiona, whom he considers to be a model of feminine perfection, grace, and breeding, is held in check only by his strong disinclination to marry a woman who will come to hate him in a loveless marriage. Nick is a man accustomed to denying himself what he most desires, and his desire to have Fiona as his wife is no exception. And no matter how the sparks might fly between them, he believes she's still in love with Edward. After an initial balk, they marry. It takes all of two paragraphs for them to realize just how sexually compatible they will be, and that promise b

Lady Fiona Hollingsworth needs twenty-five thousand pounds quickly to free her brother, Randy, who has been abducted by Spanish bandits in The Peninsula. However, the family fortune is depleted. When she sees Mr. Nicholas "Nick" Birmingham, the richest stockbroker in England, she gets an idea. The very next day, Fiona goes to Nick's office and offers to marry him in exchange for his help. It is fairly well known that Nick's deceased father had always hoped his son would make an aristocratic match. Even though Nick does not believe himself worthy of Fiona, he agrees. It does not take the pair long to fall totally in love with each other. Lord Edward Warwick, the Foreign Secretary, had grown up unofficially betrothed to Fiona. Yet last year he jilted Fiona to marry another, Countess Maggie. The Crown needs the help of Nick, his brother (William), and his money. Edward goes to Nick, hoping Nick's patriotism will force his agreement. It does, but only because William has experience in stealthy dealings. If not for his loyalty to his country, Nick would have refused. Nick could not help being jealous that Fiona had once loved Edward for so long. Fiona has truly gotten over Edward. She is deeply in love with Nick. She is even growing to adore Nick's illegitimate, eight-year-old daughter, Emmie. But she is jealous that Nick keeps disappearing at night and fears he is going to another woman. In addition to this, it is no secret that Randy frowns upon Fiona marrying so beneath their station. Yet Randy may soon be forced to eat crow. ***** You say that you want dreamy romance? Then pick up a copy of "One Golden Ring". This has got to be the most PERFECT Regency Romance that I have read this year. I actually found myself envying Fiona. You will not find any stupid characters that you will want to strangle. These characters are intelligent and realistic. I have high hopes that a couple of the secondary characters will get their own stories told someday soon. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.