Review by Booklist Review
Viscount Dominic Kelbourne thought he had the perfect future viscountess in the person of Leonora Sutton. Then Dominic unexpectedly becomes the guardian to his late sister's twins, Valentine and Florence, and he discovers that his and Leonora's views on raising children could not be more different. Proposing to Leonora's sister Victoria, who has become a good friend to both Val and Florence, thus seems like a logical next matrimonial step for Dominic. However, soon after the wedding, Dominic discovers Victoria isn't happy just being his de facto nanny; she wants to be his wife in every way possible. Launching her new Regency-set Accidental Brides series, James (Not That Duke, 2023) once again displays her usual perfect sense of literary aplomb by first creating a uniquely appealing pair of protagonists (including a heroine who is not about to let not being able to read or write hold her back) and then setting them loose in a wit-infused plot enhanced by a wildly entertaining cast of secondary characters.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller James (the Would-Be Wallflowers series) introduces her Accidental Brides series with this middling Regency romance. Victoria "Torie" Sutton, a dyslexic artist, suspects that her older sister Leonora and Leonora's handsome fiancé, Viscount Kelbourne, are not truly in love, but she tries to dampen her own attraction to Kelbourne by focusing on his bad temper rather than his impressive physique. For her part, Torie is holding out for a love match, but finding an eligible suitor proves difficult when her inconsiderate father and sister have spread the fact that she's illiterate throughout London society. After Kelbourne unexpectedly becomes the guardian of his late sister's young twins, Leonora elopes with someone else, having not signed up to play mother. Kelbourne, whose affection has shifted from Leonora to Torie anyway, decides she'll make a suitable replacement bride--if he and the meddlesome twins can convince her to say yes. Though plucky social outcast Torie is an admirable heroine, grumpy Kelbourne feels rather one-note and the obstacles keeping them apart are drawn out and repetitive. This is far from James's best. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Suddenly a guardian to his twin niece and nephew, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne finds himself in need of a wife, more specifically a nanny. When his fiancée runs off with another man, he has no option but to quickly propose to her sister Torie. Unable to read and mocked by society, Torie has developed a talent for art. She dreams of marrying for love but agrees to marry Dominic for the sake of the twins. While their relationship has passion, they aren't in love, but maybe time, circumstances, and a growing closeness will change that. The first in James's (Not That Duke) new "Accidental Bride" series takes readers on a journey to find love, with a plot that takes shape quickly, even as the dynamic cast of characters are more slowly developed and carefully crafted. The classic miscommunication trope is used effectively to create tension between the protagonists and move the story along, while a surprise revelation comes to light at the end of the novel, which serves to make sense of earlier events. VERDICT James's latest book is a must-read for fans of historical romance.--Jenn Laskosky
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An icy viscount melts after he faces a sunny artist. In just a few months, Dominic, Viscount Kelbourne, has found his regimented world turned on its head. First he's thrust into the role of guardian to his orphaned and charmingly odd niece and nephew and then jilted by a woman he thought would make his perfect viscountess. The solution to both problems would appear to be one Miss Victoria "Torie" Sutton, his neighbor and, unfortunately, the sister of his ex-fiancee. However, as much as Torie has come to adore the viscount's family, not to mention his "burly physique," she's reluctant to be served as her "sister's leftovers" to a man who's her total opposite. Because she's unable to read or do arithmetic, her family has always spoken down to her, and society has loved gossiping about her shortcomings--though they've overlooked her eidetic memory and extraordinary painting ability--so she fears he too won't respect her. Nevertheless, after some steamy conversations in which both admit their attraction, she agrees to the marriage, but that's just the start of a rollercoaster of attraction and frustration for both husband and wife. Although Dom finally comes to realize that Torie isn't his perfect viscountess--she's better--and that what he thought was just lust is actually love--he may have been a bit too imperious for their marriage to be repaired. This first volume in a new series is a return to form for James; though it has uneven moments, the emotions at the heart of the story are compelling enough to help readers get past them. In particular, Torie's dyslexia (not identified as such in the story, but mentioned in an author's note) and her vulnerability to unkind words after a lifetime of thoughtless remarks are sensitively drawn. Dominic is an arrogant nobleman for the ages, and readers who like to see such a hero humbled will enjoy it repeatedly here. An unusual, dyslexic heroine provides depth to a solid Georgian romance. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
