The Bride Wore Pearls [Mass Market Paperback]

Liz Carlyle (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 31, 2012

“Intriguing…engaging…an illicit delight”
--Stephanie Laurens

“Liz Carlyle weaves passion and intrigue with a master’s touch.”
--Karen Robards

Beneath the elegant façade of Victorian high society, the rules of danger and desire are the only rules that apply for the mysterious men of the St James Society. New York Times bestseller Liz Carlyle carries readers deep into this realm of intrigue and passion once more in her breathtaking historical romance sizzler, The Bride Wore Pearls. The third book in her sexy, compelling, action-packed series, The Bride Wore Pearls is a scorching story of a very proper lady who flees her home in a far corner of the British Empire, entrusting her safety and her heart to a dangerous outlaw in Victorian London. Amanda Quick and Gaelen Foley fans will most certainly be enthralled.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Beneath the elegant façade of Victorian high society, the mysterious men of the St. James Society play only by rules of danger and desire.

Rance Welham, the Earl of Lazonby, has survived scandal and disgrace, even evading the Queen’s justice at the end of a hangman’s rope. Now he’s about to gamble everything on something far more dangerous—desire.

An exotic and elegant beauty, Lady Anisha Stafford fled her native India to seek refuge within London’s secretive St. James Society. But accepting protection from someone called a cold-hearted killer is a double-edged sword . . . especially when he’s the most intriguing man Anisha has ever laid eyes upon.

In a world where treachery abounds, no one can be trusted—and no true passion can be denied. Together, these two tempestuous souls will risk their lives for a love that could redeem them . . . or destroy everything they hold dear.

About the Author

A lifelong Anglophile, Liz Carlyle cut herteeth reading gothic novels under the bedcovers byflashlight. She is the author of over twenty historicalromances, including several New York Times bestsellers.Liz travels incessantly, ever in search of the perfectsetting for her next book. Along with her genuineromance-hero husband and four very finefelines, she makes her home in North Carolina.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Avon; First Edition edition (July 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061965774
• ISBN-13: 978-0061965777
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.3 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

During her frequent travels to London, Liz always packs her pearls, her dancing slippers, and her whalebone corset, confident in the belief that eventually she will receive an invitation to a ball or a rout. Alas, none has been forthcoming. While waiting, however, she has managed to learn where all the damp, dark alleys and low public houses can be found.



When Liz isn't living in the 19th century, she resides in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, a corporate attorney, and their four very fine felines.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Small Let Down Keeps It From Perfection August 4, 2012

By Melissa McHugh

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I love Liz Carlyle. She has a wonderful lyrical way of writing prose that makes even the most dense and heavy subjects seem light. From the moment I picked up The Devil to Pay, she's never disappointed me. That being said, I felt niggling details in this work that kept it from being five stars. The best thing about Carlyle's work is that it's a self-contained universe. No book exists in a vacuum. Her first characters, introduced in My False Heart, were featured in one of her most recent works, Wicked All Day. The hero and heroine in The Bride Wore Scarlet were children of former heroes and heroines. Few authors continue this kind of universe the way that Carlyle does with such flawlessness, and manage to weave in new characters. Yet, for the first time here, she stumbles, and it costs this book the last star.

The leads in this book are wonderful, just as I thought they would be in the first two books in the series. Rance and Anisha are complex, damaged and emerge at the end better for the trials. Anisha is a strong heroine, willing to pursue her own future without Rance if he's not willing to step up, and Rance is willing to give her up because he thinks he's not good enough. Until it's time to actually do that. Rance's tortured past is completely on display here, his obsession with restoring his name and honor ring true as well as his desire to keep his promise to Ruthveyn about protecting Anisha.

I liked seeing characters from past books show up-Benedict and Frederica, particularly as they hold a special place in my heart. I also was glad to see that Anaďs played such a strong supporting role, that her part in Anisha's past almost betrothal was not forgotten. The actual mystery behind Rance's framing for murder was interesting and well done, as well.

So, what bothers me about this book? What keeps me from rating it highly? Why did I put it down after devouring it on my vacation with a vague feeling of dissatisfaction? I was bothered the moment Anaďs set foot in George Kemble's old shop and visited her father's old friend. Every moment George Kemble is in the story is a wink to Carlyle's old readers and is completely out of place for the story. The scene between Anaďs and Kemble in the shop is unnecessary fill, just to remind you of his flamboyancy. His role in the story is fluff, and leads you to believe, that along with the notes in Rance's police file, he held the key to the mystery all along. If Anaďs held connections to the Guardians before, why did no one use them on behalf of Rance? Why did no one ask de Vendeheim to look into it? He would have commandeered the file, and Kemble, to be sure. It leaves a niggling feeling in my head that it all could have been solved so much more neatly and sooner when Kemble is the one that holds the cards. You take out George Kemble, and put in someone else who doesn't have the history with Anaďs's father, it wouldn't be an issue.

That won't bother people who've haven't read every Liz Carlyle cover to cover nine or ten times like I have. Unfortunately, I have. I feel like George Kemble was in this story because Liz Carlyle had queries from fans asking about him, and she gave into temptation. Better to leave it to mystery. Kemble would have approved.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Story and characters August 2, 2012

By Romanzwriter

Format:Kindle Edition

I've been waiting for Lazonby's story and it didn't disappoint! I won't go into the whole story line since you can read it on other reviews. Just the highlights...
This story is the third book of a series about a unique group of men (and now women) who have some sort of supernatural gifts (like esp...etc..) but this aspect of the story is only a minor thing and these particular characters gifts were so muted that it didn't really affect the story much. Besides the love story, there is the whole story line of Lazonby trying to clear his name of murder. He had already been exhonerated by the courts, but public opinion still labeled him guilty. Usually I skim through the "mystery" storylines of books and focus on the love story part, but this one caught my attention and Ms. Carlyle did a great job of making it fresh. There is also that "situation" with Jack Coldwater that happens in the first book in the series (and is told again here, so you don't necessarily have to read the first one,). It was disturbing and intriguing and I couldn't wait for the explanation of it (You'll have to read and find out if there is one ;-))

Lazonby is not your typical hero. He's a little messed up from all he's lived through and he frequently get's high on Absinthe. My only complaint is that it took a little too long for him to finally give into to his feelings for Anisha. You know he has them, but he made a promise to her brother he wouldn't touch her and he wants to clear his name, also. It didn't seem to matter that Anisha is a widow & mother and NOT an innocent and practically begged him to sleep with her. He was dogged and determined not to give in.

Anisha is very likable. She was raised in India and is half Indian, so she is not your typical English miss. She tries to fit in, but she also has all these Indian teachings from her mother like reading palms, the stars etc... So it's a nice change for a Character to truly be a rebel, and it not feel unrealistic in this Victorian Era where most all English women were demure and a little uptight.

I like the emotion that these two shared. This is my favorite kind of love story where they are friends, and despite one of them trying to fight it, they just have to give in to their feelings. This one is like that.

One of the highlights are characters from a former series are the parents of some of H&H's in this series. I didn't catch that at first until I started recognizing certain names. It was a wonderful surprise...like visiting old friends. Now, I want to go back and re-read their stories!

Bottom line: This book has it all: Great love story, likable characters that you'll find yourself rooting for, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining book with some great characters August 1, 2012

By AnneB

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I have been reading a lot of long, serious books lately so it was great to take a break from those and read something fun. I liked this book from the very beginning when the two main characters, Anisha and Rance, meet for the first time. There is great chemistry between them right away and I loved reading about their adventures together.

Anisha finds herself coming to London with her two young sons after the death of her husband. She leaves her home in India to make a new life for the boys in England with the help of her brother. A lot of time is spent in the book with Anisha trying to find her way in London society while still holding on to her beliefs and customs from India. I enjoyed reading about Anisha a lot, she was a strong capable woman who went after what she wanted while never forgetting her responsibility to her family.

Rance Lazonby was a great character as well. At the beginning I thought he was rather thoughtless and lazy but he was not these things at all. He suffered greatly from wrongs in the past and with the help of Anisha he works to clear his name and make a new life for himself.

There is a lot going on in this book with Rance and Anisha falling in love, Anisha trying to blend into society, and the two lovers trying to solve the mystery of who framed Rance all of those years ago. It made for an exciting read that moved quickly. This is a romance story with a depth that I was surprised by and it made it a much better book to read. I think any historical romance reader will enjoy this one.