Series Name: Brothers and Rivals, #2
Robert closed his eyes briefly to prepare himself, when something caught him off guard. An enticing scent of lavender filled his senses—a heady aroma that somehow seemed familiar. But how could that be? He swung around and lifted the veil. And there standing in front of him in her sumptuous finery, looking every part a noble bride, was the bedraggled woman who had challenged him in the woodlands a few days ago.
It could not be her! His senses must be playing tricks on him on this unusually warm spring day. He looked at his bride again and blinked several times before flicking his gaze from top to bottom. The same oval-shaped face, and lush body underneath the fine clothing.
The same eyes which had widened in shock, and were on close inspection a pretty shade of hazel green with flecks of gold. Indeed, it was her. It was the woman from the woodland.
Get ready to be swept off your feet with this historical romance.
Could the wrong bride…
Be right for him after all?
For the sake of his family name, Lord Robert must marry to seal an alliance with an Irish clan. Only, the woman at the altar isn’t who he was promised! Instead, it’s her sister, Lady Mairenn! The sharp-tongued Irish beauty is as reluctant to wed as Robert, but as friction turns to fire between them, she’s further derailing Robert’s plans for this purely pragmatic arrangement…
I love a good Harlequin Historical romance, and The Knight’s Substitute Bride was everything I hoped it would be. Firstly, I loved that this book was set in Ireland, where I don’t get to spend too much time. It’s always fun to explore a new place, and Melissa did a wonderful job transporting her readers to this lush land. I enjoyed this story; it was a fun, easy read, and I ended up reading it in one sitting. This book has plenty of drama, humour, spice, and action. Melissa brings all these story elements together beautifully and creates an entertaining and romantic love story. What stood out most for me was the banter between Mairenn and Robert. I just devoured every scene these two were in. Mairenn is smart, quirky, and keeps Robert on his toes. I loved how she befuddled him and tore down the walls he erected around his heart. Their conversations just elevated this story and my enjoyment of it.
The romance was so sweet and had just the right amount of spice. Mairenn and Robert don’t get off on the right foot. Robert is angry that he has to marry Mairenn instead of her sister, and Mairenn is weary of Robert and what her future holds for her as his wife. The scene at their wedding banquet was great! I loved watching these two interact with each other in this scene. It was just so entertaining; it hooked me and had me wanting to see what would happen next for these two. If you love stories with one-bed scenes, forced proximity, and grumpy/sunshine, you will love Robert and Mairenn’s story. It was just perfect.
The Knight’s Substitute Bride is an addictive and satisfying historical romantic read.
Thank you, Harlequin Historical and Rachel’s Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for a review.
