My Favorite Bride [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Christina Dodd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2003

A New York Times Bestseller

When Miss Samantha Prendergast arrives at Devil's Fell to take charge of six rebellious girls, the vibrant, outspoken governess is not quite prepared to deal with the tall, dark and dashing master of the grand estate. The children she can manage with intelligence, guile, and a little bribery. Their widowed father, Colonel William Gregory, is not so easily charmed -- and far too easy to fall in love with.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Sound of Music meets Jane Eyre in Dodd's refreshingly humorous addition to her post-Regency era Governess Brides series (In My Wildest Dreams, etc.). After being dismissed again! for her inability to stand by and watch injustice reign, Samantha Pendregast, a born and bred Londoner and ex-cutpurse, is exiled by the proprietress of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses to the wild Lake District and the home of widower Colonel William Gregory and his six daughters, who've already run through 11 governesses. Despite her preoccupation with the governess-eating bears, wolves and lake monsters that supposedly roam the area, Samantha captures the interest of the children and of the colonel, who finds himself distracted from his spy-catching duties by his mouthy and clever governess. Determined to fight temptation, William entertains a noblewoman who has all the wifely qualities he desires except, he realizes, desire itself. The comedy that highlights Samantha's and William's sparring magnifies the couple's compatibility, and Dodd serves her hero and heroine well by allowing them to mostly escape the grim, lust-led relationship that characters from her previous books have endured. But passion still thrums throughout, peaking in the sexy scenes Dodd's fans have come to expect. (Sept. 3) Forecast: The book's bland cover design isn't likely to impact sales Dodd's Governess Bride novels sell well no matter how they're packaged but print advertising in Redbook and the Romantic Times may attract new readers.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Christina Dodd's novels have been translated into ten languages, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA^® Awards, and have been called the year's best by Library Journal. Dodd is a regular on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and New York Times bestseller lists. Christina loves to hear from fans.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 388 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (March 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786250593
• ISBN-13: 978-0786250592
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,539,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chat with Christina via Facebook and Twitter, and even better, join her mailing list to have her news delivered right to your inbox! http://christinadodd.com/lists/?p=subscribe

Readers become writers, and Christina Dodd has always been a reader. She reads everything, but because she loves humor, she likes romance best.

A woman wants things like world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants things like a Craftsman router with attachments, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will miraculously make his bald spot disappear. So when Christina's first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to quit work and write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?

Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before her first novel, CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, was published. In the twenty-two years since, her novels have been translated into 25 languages, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards and been called the year's best by Library Journal. Christina Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle (11/18/05, # 13 Down: Romance Novelist named Christina.) Publishers Weekly praises her style that 'showcases Dodd's easy, addictive charm and steamy storytelling.'

Christina's 2011 releases include TAKEN BY THE PRINCE, #9 in the Governess Brides series, and in the tradition of Nora Roberts, a new romantic suspense series starting with SECRETS OF BELLA TERRA and REVENGE AT BELLA TERRA.

Christina Dodd is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable book, September 15, 2002

By 

Sarah W "Sarah W" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: My Favorite Bride (Governess Brides, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

My Favorite Bride is Christina Dodd's latest book in her Governess Bride series. Like In My Wildest Dreams, My Favorite Bride has a theme that the reader has seen before. But, instead of Sabrina, we see the Sound of Music.

Samantha Prendregast was a pick pocket before she was rescued by Lady Adorna Bucknell, and recruited to be a governess. She is sent to the wilds of Cumbaria, in Northern England where she goes to work for Colonel William Gregory, a widower with six girls. The Colonel lost his wife when she was killed by thieves in Kashmir, and since that time, William has been trying to bring down Russian spies, whom he holds responsible for his wife's death.

Samantha comes in and interrupts his neat and orderly life. She brings happiness and laughter back to his house, and helps his children to be happy also. She really does wonders for the family, and she is really a great character. She has a lot of backbone for a female, especially an ex pick pocket. She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right, which was why she got dismissed from so many other previous posts.

Of course William can't resist Samantha's feisty ways, but he tries very hard. He even brings in his wife's best friend Lady Teresa Marchant whom he hopes to make his new wife. Conflicts abound in this story, but nonetheless it is very engaging. Samantha is a wonderful character. I really enjoyed reading about her antics and the way her and the Colonel fell in love. There is even a charming side romance between Lady Marchant and William's best friend Duncan which adds to the story.

If anything, the Russian spy plot took away from the story. I looked on it as more of an annoyance. I was much more interested in the romance between Samantha and William, and reading about how William changed from a dispassionate parent, to a man who was much more comfortable in the role of father. This is a great story. I would definitely recommend it to any romance fan. Don't let the Sound of Music like theme throw you off either. I was not very tempted when I heard how it was comparable to that classic story, thinking this book would turn out like In My Wildest Dreams, which wasn't very good in my opinion. But, in fact My Favorite Bride is a wonderful story that will have one wanting to march off to the wilds of England to find their own true love.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sound of Music, September 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: My Favorite Bride (Governess Brides, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

Miss Samantha Prendregast is a former pickpocket, rehabilitated by Adorna (from previous Governess books), and currently a competent governess herself. Unfortunately, Samantha is blessed with a kind heart that can't bear injustice, and when she manages to get herself in trouble in London, Adorna sends Samantha to the wilds of the Lake District to be a governess to Colonel William Gregory's six daughters. Sure she's going to be eaten by bears and wolves, she quickly finds out the kids are a lot more trouble than any wildlife, and their father is a handsome despot. Soon she's got the kids eating out of her hand, but William isn't so easy to manage. He demands disciple and respect. Instead, he gets an intelligent young woman with a witty tongue who is far too attractive. With spies on the loose and a gorgeous woman in his house, William quickly finds catching the spies are the easy part -- more important, he must earn Samantha's love.

Dodd wraps up the connected spy stories from IN MY WILDEST DREAMS and LOST IN YOUR ARMS in this funny, satisfying addition to the Governess Brides series.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK, but enough with the spies already, June 23, 2004

By 

S. Reader "scibarfan" (Franklin, TN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: My Favorite Bride (Governess Brides, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

I hadn't considered the similarities to The Sound of Music until I read them here, but they are there. Still, William is much more interesting, heroic, and sexy than that movie's leading male.

William does go overboard on the rules, integrity bit. He's rather dour at first and there are times that he's totally obnoxious. Samantha does forgive him too easily for his horrid treatment of her. Sh'es very energetic and fun-loving, which appeals to both him & his kids. Lady Marchant is interesting as is Duncan. In fact, they sometimes steal the scene. Nevertheless, Samantha is a feisty gal, and her sparring with William is often quite comical.

The spy subplot is very long & involved and detracts from the romance. The worst thing is why on earth did it take nearly 4 years since the last book for the spies to be routed!!!!! Ridiculous! Beyond that, the traitors became stupid (no hints of such different inner characters in previous books) and, once it's done, the reader is thrilled to be finished with it. "It's about time!"

Ms. Dodd makes many mistakes here as well, often forgetting her plotting or the details of her settings. For example, early in the book, there is an appearing/disappearing rug in the girls' room. This sort of thing occurs often enough to distract and annoy the reader.

3 stars for Samantha's excellent characteriation & her interactions with the children & William; and William's not all bad either.