His Bid For A Bride download epub

Carole Mortimer was one of my favorite authors when I was a teenager but, as I grew up, I got tired of her "formula" and stopped reading her books. So this book was like a reunion with her, and I was curious to see how I'd rate it...

When I started reading this book, I had a strong feeling of "déjà vu" and I could swear I had read it before. But this was a very recent release, so that couldn't be right... As I hadn't read Ms. Mortimer's books in a long time and didn't know how much her writing had changed since I last read her, I couldn't tell if my impression was due to my previous familiarity with her "formula" or if this book was simply a rehashed version of an old story. The thing is, the "déjà vu" vibe stayed with me the whole time I was reading the book and, in the end, I think it helped me appreciate it better. I mean, I was filled with nostalgia, remembering how much I loved Ms. Mortimer's books when I was younger. I couldn't find myself hating something I used to love!

Falkner was the typical older hero who fell in love with the much younger heroine, Skye, when he was 32 years old and she wasn't even 18. I should have balked right there because I'm not fond of an age difference between the H/h that's that big - especially considering she was still a minor! - but I went along with it. The "love at 1st sight" angle wasn't quite believable considering how less-than-charming they behaved with each other on their 1st - and only! - meeting, so the setup was doomed from the start. After a 6.5-year separation, during which they stayed "in love with each other" for reasons I'll never understand - Falkner and Skye were thrown together again when her father died, and that was when the bickering, oops, the relationship between them started to make its way toward their HEA. I like love/hate stories because I enjoy the clever and funny banter between the H/h that comes with it, but Falkner's and Skye's lines were anything but clever or funny. They were sometimes teen-ish, not what I expected from a man who was almost 40 years old.

All that may make one think I had a hard time reading this book, which would be untrue. I read it very quickly in two seatings - I had to pause for lunch - and it wasn't bad. The ending and the epilogue was very nice, actually. :) I guess it all comes down to the fact that I knew Ms. Mortimer's "formula" beforehand and it was kind of nice to see that some things never - or hardly - change.

SPOILERS

The H and h meet when he is 32 or so and the h is not quite 18. Within a year he has married a woman who looks like the h. This is probably my least liked trope. How stupid can a man be to expect that a physical resemblance will equate to personality? Because we all know that it doesn't so why don't these guys know that at their age?

We get the HEA but in the meantime the H has clearly had to smex the OW/ex-wife (and whoever else that we don't know about) and is also a divorced man. Which he uses as part of his excuse to not marry again.

Not a favorite by any means.

I read this book many years ago and really liked it. I'm one of those readers who prefer a romance author 's earlier books to the newer ones. This book has little to none sex scenes, except at the last, rather than more recent ones which have the H & h between the sheets by the second paragraph. Very good story as well. You really like both the H & h.

3.5 stars

Skye O'hara, injured in an accident which took the life of her father, is all alone in the world except for her horse and her uncle. In steps in her late father's business partner, Falkner Harrington. Skye was secretly in loved with him since she was 18 and secretly carried this love for 6 years. He took her into his home to recover. After burying her father, Skye realizes that Falkner was keeping things hidden from her and she wasn't going let him run her life for her. Finally, she was going to spread her wings and made him realize that she wasn't a little girl anymore.

This is reminiscent of what the Presents line used to be about. The hero was not constantly thinking of getting the heroine into bed and keeping her there for the entire book. The writing was well done and never lagged from chapter to chapter. It wasn't a gripping novel and went with a constant flow, but the charm of the main man kept bringing me back. Falkner is the older man I would love to have in my life. He's the tragic, enigmatic man, who loves his family, but still is a bit autocratic which irks the heroine's. The heroine mistakes his need to help her as a way to control her and fights for her independence. It was good read of how unspoken affections can be misread. It was pretty predictable and the ending, very sweet. For those looking for gripping passion, this isn't the book for you. This is a clean romance except for a few passionate kissing scenes. But if you're looking for a sweet romance, this is the book for you.