A touching and romantic love-story about overcoming grief and allowing true love to take root. A stellar read that will leave you VERY satisfied, indeed!Mallory Byron is knee deep in the throes of grief after the loss of her beloved fiancee', Major Michael Hargreaves. She won't take dinner with the house guest anymore, she hardly speaks at length with members of her own family, and the tears and nightmares still plague her lonely nights.
Who would have thought it would take the 'notorious rake' and family friend, Adam Gresham, Earl of Gresham, to work a smile on her face. But little does she know, he plans to work way more than a smile out of her and plans to see to her future happiness...with him. Mallory isn't sure if she's ready to abandon her 'comfortable' isolation and take a chance on a man whom she may never be able to love, but Adam is persistent and soon she may find her self become well acquainted with the wondrous, amazing and Wicked Delights Of A Bridal Bed.
Read an excerpt: here
Mallory Byron is the sister to Duke of Clybourne. She has a loving and supportive family, albeit with their "mad,bad and dangerous" reputations, all of whom have settled and benefited from marriages filled with love, passion, and understanding. That was all she wanted out of life as well, but after her fiancee' is reported dead on the front lines of war, she can't help but feel the acute pain as her deepest desire begins to slips from grasp. Her mourning period has come and gone, but still, Mallory feels Major Michael Hargreaves' passing keenly. Somehow, the tears keep falling, and her heart fall further and further to the point of no return.
At a house party (designed with working Mallory out of her funk in mind), in walks the dashing and deliciously rakish Adam, Earl of Gresham, who has been a friend of the family for many years and silently in love with Mallory for what feels like just as long (although Mallory hasn't a clue). When he first realized his feelings for Mallory, he was nothing more than a financially deprived heir who was poised to inherit his father's outstanding debt and damn-near decrepit house along with the Earl's title. He didn't have much to offer Mallory, so he decided to hold out until his circumstances improve before starting any courtship. While he kept his distance, the young Major stole Mallory's heart, and Adam had to fight every impulse and let her go.
As unfortunate as Hargreaves' death is, it provides a window of opportunity for Adam which he can't pass up. But first, he must coax the reluctant Mallory out of her depression and bring some sunshine and laughter back into her life.
Being found in Mallory's bed, in a compromising state, by all 4 of her intimidating brothers, and forcing the hand of his pal, the Duke of Clybourne, wasn't exactly what Adam had in mind for his grand woo-ing. The circumstances ties our Hero and Heroine together for a lifetime of passion, desire, and mutual healing and understanding as they begin to develop love for one another; but how will Mallory ever be able to let go of her past and embrace this new future?
In this beautiful love story (and you can not read this book and not call it that), Adam will have to learn that if he truly loves someone, sometimes he just has to let them go-a second time-; and hope that the Wicked Delight of a Bridal Bed and his unconditional love will be enough to have them coming back and staying where they belonged all along.
Rating: 4 Red Roses
My Favorite Part of the Book: Is the general beginning as Adam begins to work Mallory out of her depression. She hardly eats or socializes, choosing to isolate herself from those who love her most in her time of grief. She has been unhappy for so long, that the family is desperate to bring some warmth and happiness back into her life. Adam loves her, and wants to see her happy again, and you can feel the genuineness of his actions. He barges into her rooms all casual-like and convinces her to eat dinner with everyone else, he helps pick out her dresses and takes her for intimate picnics when she's had enough of everyone else. It is just so heart warming to recount Adam's actions in regards to his Mallory. *sigh*In the end, when you open a romance book, you want to see some romance. The love Adam has for Mallory, and the love Mallory develops for Adam, is really believable. I love the concept of Mallory's grieving over a lost love and being granted a second chance at a new one. There is a plot twist towards the end that will have you gasping and "OMG"-ing like crazy and you'll have to read the story to find out what it is (my lips are sealed. =X), but this was one of the more genuine stories I've read in a while. It was deep and dark without letting those elements overwhelm the plot, and you're sure to fall in love by the time you reach the back cover!
*Check out my Interview (and giveaway) with Tracy Anne Warren where she'll answer some of my questions on the book and more!: -Tentative date- scheduled to be up on the day Wicked Delights of a Bridal Bed is release, August 31st, 2010!
[special thanks to Tracy's publicist, Christine
for sending the
egalley for review.]
*Want some more of the Byrons of Braebourne? Check out 'At The Duke's Pleasure', Mallory's brother (the Duke of Cylbourne), Edward's Story! My Review can be found: here
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