Customer Reviews

The Wedding of the Century & Other Stories: The Wedding of the Century\Jesse's Wife\Seduced by Starlight

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY & OTHER STORIES is a collection of 3 short historical romance stories all about marriage with the most unlikely man. I haven't always been a fan of short stories nor have I been a big fan of anthologies. I'm starting to understand the benefit of being able to sample a few different authors before spending larger amounts of money on them. Having never read anything by any of these fine ladies, I was very happy with this anthology and to discover some new (new to me) authors. I've seen these authors around the blogosphere and on the bookshelves, but hadn't read anything by them before.



***The Wedding of the Century by Mary Jo Putney (131 pages)--4 Stars

American heiress Sarah Vangelder made her British Society debut, but returns home without a match having turned down several offers. Even though she only spent an hour in the presence of Justin Aubrey, she made quite an impression. Such an impression that when his older brother dies leaving the dukedom to Justin, Justin immediately seeks out Sarah as a bride feeling that now he has a title he would finally be worthy of her. Sarah's mother accepts Justin's offer, but Sarah can barely remember the man! And she just accepted another man's offer!

I really enjoyed this story. I loved watching Sarah and Justin meet; even if it was forgettable to Sarah it was memorable to me. I loved watching Sarah and Justin getting to know each other. One thing that stood out to me is the wedding night disaster! Sarah's mother has given Sarah advice to just lay there...things don't go well.



***Jesse's Wife by Kristin James (105 pages)--4 Stars

When a late-night walk on her father's ranch inadvertently destroys her reputation, Amy McCallister is saved from marrying the gold-digger who tried to seduce her by marrying ranch hand Jesse. Jesse has been the closest thing to a friend Amy has ever had and isn't quite sure what to make of their marriage of convenience. Jesse promised her from the beginning that he wouldn't force his "marital rights" because he loves her and doesn't want her to feel forced, especially after a scoundrel just recently did try. Amy is falling in love with her husband and goes about seducing him.
I enjoyed this story as well. Both Amy and Jesse are fun loving characters who help each other grow and adapt to their new life. It was funny to watch innocent Amy try to seduce Jesse. And a very nice "Aww" moment when Jesse confesses....I don't want to spoil it. But I loved it.

The only drawback for me on this story was it felt like both Amy and Jesse constantly made assumptions about what the other was feeling. You know: "He said this only because he must think such and such." And "She doesn't want me because I know she loved so and so even though I have no idea what I'm talking about." It got a bit old.



***Seduced by Starlight by Charlotte Featherstone (136 pages)--4 Stars
(Part of the Addicted World)

Lady Blossom has been intended for Samuel Markham, the second son of the Marquis of Weatherby, since the cradle have been the best of friends. With only months away from their marriage, Samuel confesses he has fallen in love with someone else. Blossom isn't hurt, but only wishes she could find such passionate love and urges Samuel to follow his heart. Now Blossom's parents are determined to find the right man and host endless parties to introduce her to perspective husbands. Jase Markham, Samuel's older brother, has long loved Blossom. He has kept his distance in the past not bearing to watch the two together. When Jase hears the news, he dashes for home to throw his hat into the ring. Just a few problems: first, Blossom doesn't believe him sincere in his declarations as his rakish reputation precedes him. Second, Blossom doesn't want a rake or rogue.

I have heard so much about Ms. Featherstone and most especially about the Addicted Series. When I found out this story was part of that world, I was hesitant to read it since I hadn't read any of the series. Gladly, this is a stand-alone story. I never felt as if I were missing out on anything.

I absolutely LOVED Blossom and Jase. I was so enthralled by the story and watching Jase go about convincing Blossom that he was indeed sincere and did love her. He wasn't trying to right the wrong of his brother; he was trying to claim what he has always wanted.

The only problem I had with this story was the fact that Jase convinces Blossom to give him seven nights to prove his passion. Blossom has said over and over again that she wants a passionate marriage like her parents. She boldly tells Jase that she thinks there has to be more than desire and the skills he has learned as a rake, yet she stupidly believes that if she gives him 7 nights to seduce her and have sexual contact with her that that will prove there is passion, that they will prove they have "that something more" she is searching for. How stupid! She wants more than just sex between her and her husband but decides that to get to know her suitor she will embark on a sexual relationship with him to get to know him. What about actually talking?

Despite my annoyance with that, I did enjoy this story. I loved how passionate Jase was about Blossom from the very beginning. I loved that Blossom wasn't a sheltered and ignorant girl. In the very beginning she reflects on advice given to her from her father about how to avoid rakes and why. She isn't naïve.

Come on, a girl is allowed a little mind candy sometimes, isn't she? This is one volume made of three Harlequin romances. All the relationships are consummated after the weddings, and yes, we get to watch. There is no literary value to any of these stories, they are all pure fluff and I had a great time reading this book. There is nothing new original or different about any of the stories; as the saying goes, "they are what they are". Grade: B (I can't give any higher rating for this type of story).

The Wedding of the Century by Mary Jo Putney

This was such a nice romance. The hero was the quiet younger brother who unexpectedly inherits a dukedom. The heroine an American Princess who has been groomed to be aristocrat's wife. He met her and fell in love before becoming a duke but she almost doesn't remember him because she was entranced with a more handsome and charming rogue at the time. Their marriage has a rocky beginning mainly because she is railroaded into it by her domineering mother and because her mother has made her believe that it is unladylike to enjoy marital passion. Also, he has his own mother issues and is used to concealing his feelings.

Jesse's Wife by Kristin James

Amy is the plain older sister who is overshadowed by her younger, more vibrant sister. When a handsome guest asks her to take a walk in the moonlight, she is flattered. Unfortunately, he is a cad who is determined to compromise her and force her into marriage. She is rescued by Jesse who is a horse trainer on her father's ranch. He has loved her for a long time but knows she is socially out of his reach. Rather than marry the cad, she marries Jesse but the two are not communicating well. She thinks he married her out of pity; he thinks she really loved the cad.

Seduced by Starlight by Charlotte Featherstone

Blossom is a duke's daughter betrothed to a younger son of a neighbor. They love each other but are not "in love." When he finds a woman he loves, Blossom lets him go and clears the way for his older brother Jase. Jase has loved Blossom for years and has the reputation of being a rake. Blossom is afraid to trust him with her heart. But Jase seduces her to his point of view.

It is interesting that in two of the three stories the reason for the marriage and the conflict in it is based on "current to the day" social-moral philosophies. In the first story, the conflict comes from the bride's mistaken idea that women don't feel lust or, if they do, they are loose women undeserving of their husband's respect. The whole idea of an arranged marriage and bridal ignorance is rather appalling if you look at it with 21st Century eyes. The second story has to do with a young woman being "compromised" by walking in the moonlight with a single man and needing to be married to save her reputation.

All the stories were well-written and engaging. I recommend this book to lovers of historical romance.

I purchased this book for the Mary Jo Putney story and read the entire book because the other stories were that good. Kristin James is a long time favorite, I'm happy to see her back in form. Charlotte Featherstone is a new author to me and I'll enjoy reading more of her books.

Characters are well developed by all three writers, because of the brevity allowed for the stories, there was no opportunity to explore the characters thoughts and development, however I feel that they were all handled well.

Enjoy!

(this review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)

The Wedding of the Century by MARY JO PUTNEY
This is the first time I read something by Mary Jo Putney and I'm glad to say it won't be the last. I really like her writing style. We meet Sarah, an American young lady, at a party in England, she's young, beautiful and loved by everyone. Justin is the Duke's brother, he's in the shadow, he's the one running the estate while his brother parade away. When he meet Sarah he's attracted to her, but she has only eyes for another man.


A few years later, Justin finds himself in his brother's shoes. He needs a lot of money and he must marry an heiress. His first thought goes to the pretty Sarah he was so attracted to. Here comes the wedding of the century between a Lord and an American heiress. Sarah's aunt told her not to enjoy her marital duties, she told her she should 'lie and not move until his husband is done'...so that's exactly what Sarah does. For month, it's really a marriage of convenience, both doing their duty without enjoying one minute of it. It was painful to read about, Sarah doesn't want her husband to think she's wanton and Justin doesn't know why she reacts this way every time he touches her. It's killing them both from the inside, they both want each other. I loved how Justin and Sarah slowly discovered each other. They both wanted more from their relationship but both didn't know how to show it. The lack of communication was killing me, but I got what I wanted in the end. ;)

I didn't know what to expect of this novella and I was pleasantly surprised. It was fun and refreshing to see the Wedding of the Century taking place. The author's writing was perfect to make us realize how fasts the events happened for our couple, while reading it's like you're thrown in there, too. And Justin's reaction to the American press harassing him was really hilarious, a clash of cultures between England and America that's for sure. ;) It's a fast and engaging novella that will make you want to talk things out with your loved ones.
4 stars

Jesse's Wife by KRISTIN JAMES
Amy is young and naive and doesn't realize that she's in danger of being ruined. Lucky for her Jesse, a young man who's been working in her father's ranch for years saved her, but servants saw him with a half naked Amy. It's too late to save her reputation. Amy's parents want her to marry to avoid a scandal. Jesse has been in love with Amy for years but he knows she deserves better than him. Still he asks her to marry him so that she doesn't have to be forced to marry to someone else. He even agrees never to touch her if she agrees.
Jesse and Amy's life together is a sweet story.
Both young and innocent, at first they lack the knowledge to make their marriage work. Amy hasn't been prepared for this life, she doesn't know how to take care of a household, which leads to very funny moments. They have to live in a small place and intimacy is rather difficult to get. I really loved Jesse, he's sweet and so nice. He'd do anything for her, even if it means never being able to touch his wife. He's a real everyday hero to me. I liked that Amy found herself and started being proactive on her situation. She really grew up to become a woman, a wife. It was a really cute story. 3.5 stars.

Seduced by Starlight by CHARLOTTE FEATHERSTONE
This story is the reason why I requested this book. I'm a bit fan of Charlotte Freatherstone and I couldn't wait to read this story! It features the son and daughter of the heroes from Addicted and Sinful. *squeee* So of course we see all our favorite characters again, 25 years after their HEA *squeee*.

Jase is in love with his brother's fiancée. Something he can't bear, so he's fled to the other side of the country to avoid seeing them. He can't very well be seen lusting about his future sister-in-law, can he? Blossom is an artist just like her father. She loves to paint and wouldn't stop for anything in the world. She's been engaged to her childhood friend thinking it was the most natural step in their relationship. But when he tells her he met someone else he wants to marry, she understands. As you can imagine when Jase hears that the engagement is broken all he's thinking about is having Blossom for himself. I loved the chase. I love how he tried to prove her they are made for each other.
This story fits in the theme of the anthology because Blossom thinks Jase wants to marry her because he feels obligated to right his brother's wrong. She thinks he wants a marriage of convenience. Oh, how I loved this story. it was hot, cute, passionate, and oh so romantic. This was my favorite story in the anthology.
4.5 stars!

Final thoughts: This is a very good anthology about marriage of convenience and how love can creep on you when you don't expect it. I loved that it was often about the lack of communication between the leading characters and the prejudices people can have on married life. I can only recommend it to all the HEA lovers. If you need a dose of love this one is for you.

I give The Wedding of the Century 4 Bookies

A railroad heiress betrothed to the Gargoyle, a rancher's daughter chooses marriage over scandal, and a rake is given a second chance to win the woman he's loved since childhood.

Romance at its best and passion that pulls you into its depths. Prepare to be swept away on a tide of breath taking first love, heart ache, betrayal, sweet romance, courtship and passion. The talented minds of Mary Jo Putney, Kristin James and Charlotte Featherstone have graced us with a terrific anthology of stories that begin in Regency England, then across the plains of Texas, and finally back to England's countryside for a triad of stories sure to win your heart and capture your soul.

From Mary Jo Putney we are treated to a story that spans an ocean and back. In The Wedding of the Century, American railroad heiress Sarah "Sunny" Vangelder has been raised to be the perfect wife and hostess. Now all she needed was to find the perfect man to be her husband. Society (and her mother) tells Sunny that a dutiful wife does not display passion towards her husband otherwise he will not respect and treat her as a lady. But what is a lady to do when she realizes that she truly loves the man she agrees to marry? Through Mary Jo Putney's incredible writing reader's will run the gambit of emotions Sunny feels right along with her. Her attraction to a handsome and charismatic man that turns out to be a toad is soon replaced with surprising admiration and blossoming love for the quite and considerate man society misnames The Gargoyle.

Kristin James penned a beautiful love story that might never have been. In Jesse's Wife, Amy McAlister is the daughter of a prosperous rancher and Jesse Tyler is the young ranch hand who saves her from being forced to marry a man after her father's money. Jesse is so obviously in love with Amy but she is convinced he's only trying to repay her family for a debt he doesn't owe. Amy is very booksmart and when she finally realizes Jesse's true feelings she puts what she knows to good use in seducing her husband. This was a really sweet and heart warming story with just enough detailed heat to have me grabbing for a fan.

The last story is by Charlotte Featherstone. Seduced by Starlight was my first taste of Ms. Featherstone's writing but it won't be the last. Her characters and the plot had me from the first page and didn't let go until the very end. Lady Blossom Torrington is an accomplished young lady of the ton with a talent for painting. When she isn't painting she dreams of making a love match that equals the example set by her parents. She knows what she wants in a husband and isn't willing to settle. Thanks to her very supportive parents she won't ever have to. When her childhood friend and one time crush, Jase Raeburn shows up at a house party her attraction is instant but so is her doubt that he is sincere in his pursuit of her hand. Ms. Featherstone's writing style is so easy to read and the dialogue is fun to follow.

Wedding of the Century and Other Stories has all the elements of a successful anthology. The writing is vivid, the stories are unique and well developed and the characters have you cheering for their HEA. I enjoyed every moment spent with these talented ladies and wonderful stories they've penned. I look forward to seeing what other books they have available. Add this book to your TBR, you won't regret it.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

The Wedding of the Century by Mary Jo Putney. In 1885, beautiful and affluent Sarah "Sunny" Vangelder of the New York upper crust has come to London to follow in the footsteps of her godmother who rode like a Comanche in Hyde Park and not wanting to wed just for a title. Justin Aubrey needs income to save his dukedom. First came marriage, and then came love.

Jesse's Wife by Kristin James. Amy McCallister knows she is a plain wallflower who cannot compare to her vivacious beautiful younger sister, but dreams of Charles Whitaker courting her. She was walking on her father's ranch with Charles, but Jesse Tyler spots them. Her reputation is ruined when Charles insists he loves her and begins to kiss her over her objection. Jesse rescues her and offers to marry her as he seeks acceptance. First came marriage, and then came love.

Seduced by Starlight by Charlotte Featherstone. In 1874 England, rake Jase Markham loves Blossom, who is his brother Samuel's fiancée. They were engaged since they were children. Samuel informs Blossom he loves someone else so she ends their engagement as he races with his love to Gretna Green. Euphoric Jase is in the game for the first time as he plans to court and marry his angelic succubus Blossom. For her first came marriage, and then came love; for him first came love and then came marriage.

These are three wonderful historical romances though Kristin James' feels a bit out of place with the two Victorian English aristocratic tales and also is a reprint of a 1994 tale.

Harriet Klausner

The Wedding of the Century and Other Stories by Mary Jo Putney, Kristin James, and Charlotte Featherstone
Harlequin Books, 2011
381 pages
Romance; Historical
5/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Misunderstandings abound in these three lovely romance stories.

The Wedding of the Century by Mary Jo Putney: 5/5 stars
This is a classic story of misunderstandings and miscommunications, which ordinarily drives me crazy. Why can't the hero and heroine just talk to each other?! And yet here, it felt appropriate and, because it was only a novella, it didn't drag on and annoy me. Justin is the new duke of Thornborough, the traditional repressed Englishman who can't speak of his feelings. His wife Sarah "Sunny" Vangelder was raised by a mother who loathed her marital duty and warned her daughter about it; additionally Sunny was burned by an Englishman she thought truly loved her. He also needs her money for his estate. Not the most auspicious start to a marriage but these two eventually get to a point of honest communication and mutual respect and love.

I loved the alternating perspectives as we see Justin fall for Sunny right away while she takes longer and both of them struggling to be good spouses without knowing what to do. They are both good, kind well-read, opinionated people and it was a joy to watch them fall for each other.

Jesse's Wife by Kristin James: 4.5/5 stars
One night Amy walks out with a man who actually seems to prefer her to her beautiful younger sister; but when his intentions turn sinister, she is faced with the prospect of marrying a fortune-hunter. Until Jesse, who works for her father, volunteers to marry her. She thinks he's attempting to fulfill a debt while he thinks he's the luckiest guy ever to get to marry the smart and charming Amy and he promises not to force intimacy. Soon though they're both attempting to get their spouse to fall in love as they build a new life together on a ranch in Texas.

I loved Amy and identified very strongly with her as someone who loves to read and daydreams a lot. My favorite part was when she attempts to get Jesse to seduce her; very funny with their alternating perspectives on what is happening. I took off half of a star for the ending, which I figured was coming but didn't really like.

Seduced by Starlight by Charlotte Featherstone: 5/5 stars
For years Blossom has been betrothed to Samuel until he declares that he's in love with someone else and she releases him so that they can both find love and passion. This clears the way for Samuel's brother Jase, the dashing rake, to finally go after Blossom, the woman he's lusted after for years.

I loved how Blossom has been raised to be independent and daring; she paints for commissions, she fly-fishes in trousers, and she speaks her mind. Jase's efforts to seduce Blossom were quite lovely and his many passages about how much and how long he loved Blossom were a delight.

Note: The first two stories were originally published in 1994 so they may be familiar to long-time readers of romance.

Overall: Very charming stories that just left me grinning from ear to ear!