BARELY A BRIDE

Author: Rebecca Hagan Lee ISBN: 0425191249 8/2003 HISTORICAL Publisher: BERKLEY SENSATION
Time Period: Georgian

On this, the seventh day of January in the year of our Lord 1793, we, the sons and heirs to the oldest and most esteemed titles and finest families of England and Scotland, do found and charter our own Fee Fellows League. The League is dedicated to the proposition that sons and heirs to great titles and fortunes, who are duty-bound to marry in order to beget the future sons and heirs, should be allowed to avoid the inevitable leg-shackling to a female for as long as possible... Visit Ms. Lee's website at http://rhaganlee.com/

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

While away at school, Griffin Abernathy and two friends form the Free Fellow League. They signed in blood that they would not take brides until family duty forces them. Then, under no circumstance, will they ever fall in love with their wives. Griffin wishes to join the Calvary but his father insists that he marry and procure an heir before leaving to fight Napoleon. Griff has 14 days to find a bride, get her with child, and join his unit.

Lady Alyssa Carrolton wants to design flower gardens, not be a social butterfly going from society balls, teas, and dances. The only way she can live her dream is to marry so she can run her own household. While hiding behind a pot plant she hears Griff and his friend discussing finding Griff a bride, then setting her up at his country estates to do as she pleases while he heads to save his country.

BARELY A BRIDE is a delightful romance within a marriage of convenience, a spicy honeymoon, and then great letters to each other as they are separated by war. Griff leaves a happy carefree soldier but returns a wounded man, determined to set her free. But Griff hadn't counted on Aylssa falling in love with him and fighting for their marriage.

Ms. Lee does a wonderful job of building the characters for future books--the next MERELY A GROOM (04/2004)--without detracting from the romance of Griffin and Alyssa. Be sure to watch for that first kiss! <BG>

DeeKay

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

An interesting twist on an old story is the best way to describe Rebecca Hagan Lee's new release, BARELY A BRIDE. Like most historical romance set in this time frame, a London batchelor is forced to do his duty and take a wife in order to provide an heir and a spare. However, this Viscount, Griffin Abernathy, has formed a club called the Free Fellows League, and has no intention of being a husband but a war hero.

Griffin is only prodded into marrying by his father when he meets Lady Alyssa Carrollton, an Incomparable Beauty of the season and an avid lover of gardening. Of course, Griff's purchased commission in the Army is also an incentive, since he expects not to return from his mission in the war. Both Griff and Alyssa are looking for a marriage of convenience and find unexpected passion and caring in the short time they have together. Both realize, as well, that love is worth fighting for.

There is a lot more to this story, but I feel its worth reading yourself in order to delve into the rules of the Free Fellows League and the mix of characters, pompous gentlemen, and always-a-bridesmaid ladies involved here, that will certainly crop up in subsequent books. It's also a sad tale about the horrors of war, and the glory soldiers thought to find there, only to come away scarred and humbled. If they were lucky to come home at all.

Shannon Johnson