The Lost Bride

The Lost Bride was a lovely and enchanting romance between a sweet and naive, yet smart and charming heroine and a handsome, rakish artist. All the characters are wonderfully written, to the irresistible Perry to the villainous (or is he?) Exton; I loved how no one was truly perfect or evil. Chloe is believable as the woman who catches Gideon, the rogue who has sworn off women. Marianne Willman was perfectly able to catch both sides of story and making them more than mere characters in a story. Chloe and Gideon are people who have both appealing features and flaws in their personalities, yet they were made for each other. While the "Lost Bride" doesn't enter the story until later, the is she or isn't she Lost Lenore question adds suspense to the growing relationship between Chloe and Gideon. The mysticism of the whole story is beautifully written into the flow of the story. I cannot recommend this book enough for romantics who love magic and mystery thrown into a lovely and beguiling story.

Ms. Willman writes another wonderful romance. I usually prefer books where the main characters grow to love one another and avoid the "misunderstanding" storyline, but this story rises above that typical plot trap. It also avoids the black and white "good guy/villian" trap.Ms. Willman is a skillful writer who gets into the mind of our hero - who happens to be a painter - and you can actually see his thought processes. I found it interesting that this painter sees life in pictures, not necessarily words. Our heroine is a bit naive, but I suppose it fits the plot. The secondary characters are a delight and add so much to the story. Add in a dash of fairy dust and "poof" a geat read!My only criticism of this book is the compact amount of time in which the story unfolds. Everything happens in such a short period of time, I felt that it would be hard to get to know each other let alone fall in love. Other than that, Lost Bride is definitely worth reading.

In 1880 England, nurse Chloe Hartsell has been a loyal housekeeper and companion to the ailing Tobias Lacey. Chloe feels that Tobias, who knows her dark secret, is her only friend in life and trusts him when he vows that she will be the next mistress of his home, Lacey's Folly. When Tobias dies, Chloe grieves deeply for her loss.However, she is quickly snapped out of her gloom by the stunning reading of Tobias' will. The estate, including Lacey's Folly, goes to a distant relative, Gideon Stone, a financially ruined artist. A giddy Gideon plans to sell the house when he arrives. Instead he becomes enchanted by the century old legend of a missing bride and the arrival of an enigmatic lady suffering from apparent amnesia. Suddenly, Gideon wants to keep the house and with Chloe's help, he begins to paint inspired masterpieces instead of the drivel he previously produced. However, Gideon must realize that he is now painting with his heart before he loses his most precious inspiration.THE LOST BRIDE is the typical magical spell readers have come to expect from the talented Marianne Willman. The story line oozes with legends, mystery, and enchantment as only can be described by Ms. Willman. The lead protagonists are charismatic couple and the support cast, including an enchanted house, add a Gothic feel to this beautiful Victorian romance. This novel is a great tale from a master spinner who knows how to reach her audience's soul.Harriet Klausner