The Untamed Bride (Black Cobra Quartet, 1)

If you loved the Cynster novels and Bastion Club novels you will love this. Other reviewers have said it very well! Great characters, well researched, a very nice read.

Colonel Derek "Del" Delborough and four of his friends have been tasked by the Governor-General of India to bring down the Black Cobra, head of a cult that has been terrorizing Indian villages, raping, pillaging, and murdering Indians and Englishmen alike. After discovering the identity of the Black Cobra, Del and his men know that to bring them down, they're going to need hard evidence and help from the powerful Duke of Wolverstone. Del's mission becomes personal when one of his friends is killed by the Black Cobra's men while securing the evidence they need. Under Wolverstone's instructions, Del and his friends split up, one carrying the original piece of evidence, the other three carrying decoys. Each is heading to England by a separate route; and that's just the beginning of Del's adventure. Arriving in Southampton, Del receives word from his aunts that he needs to escort a neighbor back home with him. Since Del is on a mission, he absolutely refuses to do so. Too bad for him Miss Deliah Duncannon, has no intention of being packed off by herself. As Deliah is drawn into Del's mission, the now-retired colonel realizes that while he has faced off against numerous enemies, he has no chance against one brash, stunning Englishwoman, or his attraction to her. The Black Cobra's men are closing in on the pair, but possibly more frightening to both than losing their lives is the possibility of losing their hearts. Though the Black Cobra Quartet is all new, The Untamed Bride is classic Stephanie Laurens. It has a strong, protective hero, an unconventional, intelligent heroine, romance to warm your heart, and action a plenty. Del is a hero straight out of Ms. Laurens's library with his strong sense of honor and his acknowledgment that he's powerless to resist his desire for the woman destined to be his. As for Deliah, she's a woman with a somewhat scandalous past who may seem unusual among women of her time, but fits right in with Ms. Laurens's other heroines. The similarities to previous heroes and heroines is apparent because the Cynster cousins, Bastion Club members, and their wives all play strong supporting roles in The Untamed Bride. Readers new to Ms. Laurens's work do not have to fear being lost, for The Untamed Bride is written to stand on its own. Those already familiar with Ms. Laurens's books will likely enjoy revisiting some of their favorite characters once more; I definitely did. While the romance between Del and Deliah is at the heart of The Untamed Bride, equally important is the baiting game the group plays with the Black Cobra and his men. I was drawn into Del's mission and avidly read the story to see what would happen next in terms of intrigue, every bit as much as I did for the love story. All in all, The Untamed Bride was a satisfying read and a strong start to what is sure to be an exciting quartet. I'm eager to see what happens next and as such, can't wait to read book two in the Black Cobra Quartet, The E

I thoroughly enjoyed The Untamed Bride as it allowed me to catch up with the main group of Cynster men and their wives and also a couple of the Bastion Club members. It was good to see that the women that they married were still as fiesty as ever and hadn't changed. I look forward to the next installment of this new series. I have been a fan of Stephanie Laurens for years. She never fails to deliver.

The Untamed Bride is as good as the best of the Cynster series.I am looking forward to the rest of the Black Cobra Quartet. I felt the characters were interesting and very true to the period of time that was being written about.In addition, the geographical details, as well as meteorological ones, were spot on. Well worth the price of purchase and investment of time in reading! Cheebaba

I loved the first book in Stephanie Laurens new quartet. I have read A LOT of regency romance novels, including almost all of Ms. Laurens, and this is the first series I have seen that includes four stories, simultaneously unfolding, with such a unique and suspenseful plotline. It honestly had me thinking about a movie script or something, but would be difficult with all the different character stories. Maybe I love it so much because I have read all the previous books and it was great to see some familiar and beloved couples interacting all together. I think this is the best she has done in a long time. Reading this made me remember the first Cynster story I encountered "All about Passion", and how I skipped class in college to finish, then immediately went and checked out all the preceding Cynster books and eagerly awaited every new one. Then came the Bastion Club, which I mostly loved. I honestly don't know how other reviewers found it boring. I couldn't wait to finish it, and can't wait until february to read the next. I didn't consider all the pages in the back to be advertising for previous novels. I was actually glad to sit and catch up on all the other couples, and remind myself of their stories. The family tree helped as well. Anyone who reads this book and loved it, but hasn't read the previous will appreciate the guide, and will probably run right out and check out all of them from the library! Ms. Laurens is too prolific to buy all the previous ones at once! I do wish it wouldn't be so long between novels. I'm sure she probably has all of them finished, and love to be her reviewer and get to read them right away! I was hoping since it culminates at Christmas then they would all be out by Dec. 25th, but it seems more likely it will be Dec. 2010! I won't say anything about the storyline itself, since I hate spoilers but I totally recommend the book, and can only hope the next three live up to expectations.