Early Review of Bride for a Night by Rosemary Rogers

• Title: Bride for a Night
• Classification: Adult Fiction
  
• Genre: Historical Romance
  
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (September 20, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0373775970
• ISBN-13: 978-0373775972 

"With a dowry well over a hundred thousand pounds, Talia should have been snatched off the marriage market her first season, even with a boorish father who promised to be a yoke of embarrassment around the neck of his prospective son-in-law."

We've all heard of ambitious mommas, but ambitious poppas can be even worse. Talia Dobson is the daughter of such a father, and he is determined to gain entry into the ton even if he has to use his daughter to do it. If he can't be accepted into London's elite, then his heirs damn well will be. He's willing to pay a hefty price for the honor and that's just what he attempts to do. He buys Talia a husband, Henry Richardson. What he didn't count on, however, was his daughter being stood up at the alter, and the potential husband running away with his money.


"I think I should at least comprehend what is expected of me as a wife," she said with a shrug. "Otherwise I am likely to be even more of a disappointment."

"The silver eyes narrowed. "You will not be a disappointment, my dear."

"No?" A humorless smile curved her lips. "How can you be so certain?"

"Quite simply because I will not allow it."


Talia has no desire to be part of the ton. If she did she would have paid attention to all the lessons she received from all those expensive nannies and tutors her father hired. She would rather never have married than be subjected to anyone even remotely as domineering as her father. When her father forces her absentee fiance's brother, Andrew, the Earl of Ashcombe, to take his brother's place, she tries to explain that she had nothing to do with the devious scheme. Andrew won't believe a word she says. So after a brief time period the two are wed. After what she thought was an unforgettable night, her husband ships her off to his country estate. Lord save him from being accused of not having done his husbandly duty.   

The Earl of Ashcombe was not given to showing emotion and he hated scandal. Deciding to make sure that his new wife knew her place, he shipped her off to the country. He thought that it would only be a matter of days before she wrote and begged him to let her come back to London. Strangely enough that didn't happen. He let it be known by all that he'd been trapped into this marriage, but if he was totally truthful with himself, no one could have forced him to marry her if he truly didn't want to. When she disappears, he has to face reality.

I really loved this book. The espionage angle was a nice touch. Talia while overhearing a treasonous plot, is discovered. She is then captured and spirited away by the local Vicar who is not what he seems. He's a French spy and is about to handover papers which contain information that could get English soldiers killed.  He also is extremely attracted to the abandoned young woman. That is when things get interesting.

 By the end of this book I absolutely adored Andrew, the Earl of Ashcombe. Talia's description of him:
"His hair was the palest gold that shimmered like satin in candlelight, and his lean features were so perfectly carved that he appeared more like a god than a mere man. His cheekbones were high and sharply chiseled, his nose full. His eyes..."
"His eyes were a pale silver rimmed with black. They could glitter cold intelligence or flare with terrifying fury. And his lean body was hard with the muscles of a natural athlete." 
What starts out as a mutual attraction, however, turns into something much deeper by the end of the book.

On the Lisarenee's Romance Rating Scale this one gets a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. Extreme caution should be used when reading this book in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and your face looks flushed. 

This was the first book by Ms. Rogers that I've read. I will definitely need to read more of her books. Overall, I gave it a rating of  4 1/2 out of 5 roses.