His Substitute Bride (Harlequin Historical) [Kindle Edition]

Elizabeth Lane (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dashing but cynical Quint Seavers lives for danger. A past betrayal has made him wary of love, and he has no idea that independent, practical Annie Gustavson holds a secret longtime passion for him. Nor does he realize that the only reason Annie has traveled to San Francisco is to win his love--or walk away forever.

When disaster strikes the city, Annie's courage and determination match his own--and suddenly Quint knows that she is exactly what has been missing from his life all along....

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 249 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Historical (March 1, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0023EFADI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #254,553 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nicely written historical romance, April 8, 2009

By 

Cherchezlafemme (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: His Substitute Bride (Harlequin Historical) (Mass Market Paperback)

The setting drew me to this book, and since I found Elizabeth Lane's prior releases to be pleasant reads, I decided "His Substitute Bride" would be one as well. The plot is simple: Annie has been in love with Quint for years, but he had eyes only for her sister. Quint didn't win her sister Hannah's heart for reasons found in Hannah's own book, "The Borrowed Bride." This book does take place almost immediately after that book, but Lane dropped enough backstory into the narrative to keep the action moving.

Quint lives in San Francisco and makes a living as an investigative journalist who has run afoul of the city's politicians for exposing the misappropriation of funds to repair San Francisco's infrastructure. The book is set in 1906 and though we know the devastating earthquake looming on the horizon, Lane expertly conveys the period and the characters so well, one feels as though they are living in that moment in time, unaware of the danger to come. The romance is rather nice, as is the relationship between Quint and his niece, but the conflict falls short in the face of the historical backdrop. Quint sees Annie and is immediately attracted, which lessens the impact of Annie's supposedly unrequited love.

The book also features what has only recently become my pet peeve: that of a carefree hero who is attracted to a marriageable young woman, but chooses to act on that attraction all the while planning on remaining a bachelor. Thankfully, Lane keeps Quint's disavowal of marriage to a minimum as the earthquake takes precedence in the plot. Lane's writing is neat and clean, and conveys the emotions of the characters quite nicely. I would have wished for more passion between Quint and Annie for their romance was rather muted. However, His Substitute Bride is nonetheless a good way to spend a few hours.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great follow-up to ' His borrowed bride', May 24, 2011

By 

thaaii - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: His Substitute Bride (Harlequin Historical) (Kindle Edition)

This is a sweet love story that centers around mystery and adventure. It takes place in San
Fran and is a great quick read. I was entertained throughout and really enjoyed it.