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I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Book Review-The Laird Takes A Bride by Lisa Berne

by | Aug 13, 2017 | Book Reviews | 7 comments

Book Review-The Laird Takes A Bride by Lisa Berne

I received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review-The Laird Takes A Bride by Lisa BerneThe Laird Takes a Bride by Lisa Berne
Also in this series: You May Kiss the Bride
Series: The Penhallow Dynasty #2
Published by Avon on August 29th 2017
Genres: Historical Romance, Scottish Highlands
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Avon
ISBN: 0062451804
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary Thing
three-stars


Lisa Berne’s Penhallow Dynasty series continues as a Highlander marries against his will —

and discovers he may have found the perfect bride.

Alasdair Penhallow, laird of his clan and master of Castle Tadgh, is forced to end his carefree bachelorhood, thanks to an ancient decree that requires him to marry. But Alasdair’s search for a biddable wife comes to a screeching halt when Fate serves up Fiona Douglass. Prickly as a thistle, Fiona challenges him at every turn, rendering herself surprisingly irresistible. Her love would be a prize indeed . . . if Alasdair could accept it.

Fiona gave her heart once, and doesn’t plan to repeat that folly. Yet she finds herself drawn to Alasdair’s intelligence and strength, and the passion he incites goes well beyond her expectations for what’s only a marriage of expedience. Despite herself, she’s falling in love with her husband.

But there’s a high wall between them — and Fiona’s not sure it can ever be torn down.

The Laird Takes A Bride is the second book in the Penhallow Dynasty and this is where we have Alasdair’s book so I was pretty eager for this one, because I adored his character in the first book “You May Kiss The Bride”.

In The Laird Takes A Bride we have a story that begins with our heroine. Fiona has witnessed multiple marriages of her family members and clansmen and women, but has never found a marriage of her own. She has had to watch a man she once loved be her sister’s husband. Fiona is well learned and independent and strong willed. She is really the glue that keeps her family’s home together. But when her father hears of a group of women being gathered to win the hand of Alasdair Penhallow, he forces her to go along with it. From the start Aladair and Fiona are at odds with each other. Fiona really has no desire to win over Alasdair’s affections especially when there are many women that want him more than she does. Then fate deals its hand, and Fiona finds herself married to Alasdair.

In The Laird Takes A Bride we have a story that I liked but I won’t say that I loved it, in fact there were times I really struggled with this one. The story line was solid and as individuals I become endeared to these characters. Both Alasdair and Fiona were fantastic characters that you want to cheer for. But I have one complaint that really could make the story drag in the first half. The Angst in this book was not my cup of tea. Now many who know my taste in romance, understand I love some good angst in romance. However in this book it felt a bit off and not quite what I was expecting. It disrupted the flow of the story at times and I really had a hard time getting into this one. Thankfully, once you reach the middle of the story, then it starts to level off and we really get to the heart of the romance and this is where it really blossomed. If you like the way that Lisa Berne handled the angst in her writing, than I definitely feel you won’t have any problems with this one. But for some reason, I struggled with it. Once we get past the angsty part of the story, then it gets really good and I couldn’t put it down.

There were many other elements that had me really enjoying this story. I did like seeing Alasdair and Fiona work through the issues that had been building in the first half of the book. We see them come to terms with it, accept it and just embrace their new life together. And on the plus side we have a side romance involving Alasair’s uncle and Fiona’s companion and they were so cute together. They added some charm to the story which I found very appealing.

Overall The Laird Takes A Bride is a story that is humor filled, a full on angst romance that brings together two that bridge the gap between love and hate….a romance to capture your attention!!

How do you feel about Angst romance? Do you love or hate it?

What are some of your favorite highlanders to read?

 

About Lisa Berne

I read my first historical romance when I was fourteen. I remember it distinctly. It was Georgette Heyer’s effervescent Lady of Quality, which my mom had gotten from her book club. The jacket cover had this elegantly dressed lady in a ruffled yellow skirt, dainty little sandals, and a bonnet.

Despite being over 5,000 miles from Bath, England, and understanding very little of the period terminology, I was instantly captivated. A smart, capable, independent heroine. A clever, dashing, irresistible hero. Crackling repartee. Who knew that conversation could be so incredibly romantic?

I’ve read a lot of romance since then — and I mean a lot — but it’s Heyer who’s probably had the strongest influence on me. I’m thrilled to now be writing my own historical romances, and it’s with a respectful tip of my hat (a high-poke bonnet, of course) that I’ve set my first three books in the United Kingdom in 1811, just when the Regency era had officially begun.

When I’m not writing, I like to read (of course), bake (not to brag, but my chocolate-chip cookies are amazing), go to museums (all kinds, and in particular I highly recommend the Museum of Bad Art in Boston if you ever get a chance to visit it), and travel with my intrepid family.

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7 Comments

  1. Ann Lorz

    I love humor in my stories! Great review!

    Reply
  2. Blodeuedd

    I can not resist highlanders

    Reply
    • Vellum Voyages

      hehehe they are wayy too tempting as heros aren’t they!?!

      Reply
  3. Vellum Voyages

    Great review! Totally agree that there was something off with the interaction between the characters….some of the arguments were total misunderstandings and could be avoided but I guess because they were getting to know each other I kinda let it pass 🙂

    Reply
  4. Quinn's Book Nook

    I really like the cover of this book. Too bad it wasn’t great. You know i struggle with angst, and if it bothered you, for sure it would bother me!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      I love the cover too…the angst was just done weird. Normally I don’t mind angst in a romance, but I don’t like the way the author writes it, it feels strange. Like it just didn’t fit the story right.

      Reply
  5. LilyElement

    Only checked your rating since I just started this one today. <3333

    Reply

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