Scan barcode
A review by emmalb1984
The Duke's Runaway Bride by Jenni Fletcher
5.0
Jenni Fletcher’s excellent ‘Regency Belles of Bath’ series continues with the story of Beatrix, who readers of the previous book will know as Belinda Carr, and Quinton Roxbury, Duke of Howden, the husband she left at their wedding reception. Having established a new life for herself as a baker at Belles, Bea writes to her husband asking for a divorce, only for Quin to arrive in Bath, announcing he has know her whereabouts for some time and ask that she gives marriage a try before making any decisions on the future.
With an entertaining cast of characters and strong plot whereby Bea and Quin discover they are better suited than they may have thought, the reader is drawn in to this wonderfully created Regency world from the outset, and you find yourself invested in what will become of the unlikely union as Bea fights for her independence and Quin is forced to consider how his past has affected his ability to show his feelings to the world. Moving from Bath to Yorkshire and ultimately to London, Quin and Bea’s six week trial marriage is well plotted and essentially gives them a chance to have the courtship they never had because, as Quin himself comments, ‘they had barely discussed the weather before he proposed.’
In Bea and Quin, the author has created two well-rounded and likeable characters who on initial impressions seem to have little in common; indeed Quin himself admits the marriage was more about Bea’s financial status than anything else, not to mention Bea’s unlikeable Uncle essentially pushing for the match for the benefit of Quin’s connections more than his niece’s happiness. One of the things I loved most about this story was that Bea is willing to essentially give up all the trappings of society and settle for a new life baking biscuits with no one really knowing her true background, and it is this characterisation that really sells the plot to the reader; the conflict between going back to what you left behind or staying in your new life with friends who have accepted you simply for being you and not judging you on the past. Similarly, Quin is trying to hold his family together and repair the damage caused by a drunken comment from his father which has almost irreparably damaged their reputation. It is to Quin’s credit that, as much as he want Bea to stay in his life once their six weeks is up, he is willing to give her what she wants if it will make her happy. As the plot progresses and decisions need to be made, the reader is drawn into the dilemmas faced by both characters and you really do root for them to overcome the scars of the past and look to the what could be in the future.
Once again, the author has also created some wonderful secondary characters who add so much to the plot with Quin’s mother, brothers and sisters (special mention to the scene-stealing Helen who hides under the table and plays a key role in the conclusion of the story) adding to the already established Nancy, Henrietta and Sebastian, not to mention the worth the wait re-appearance of the ‘magnificent’ Lady Jarrow (if you haven’t read the first book, please do!) who almost steals the show with her role in proceedings.
This is another excellent instalment to the series, and all that remains is to know whether there will be a fourth book featuring Nancy and James, or whether the lovely epilogue is meant to make us think if they will get their own happy ending.
With an entertaining cast of characters and strong plot whereby Bea and Quin discover they are better suited than they may have thought, the reader is drawn in to this wonderfully created Regency world from the outset, and you find yourself invested in what will become of the unlikely union as Bea fights for her independence and Quin is forced to consider how his past has affected his ability to show his feelings to the world. Moving from Bath to Yorkshire and ultimately to London, Quin and Bea’s six week trial marriage is well plotted and essentially gives them a chance to have the courtship they never had because, as Quin himself comments, ‘they had barely discussed the weather before he proposed.’
In Bea and Quin, the author has created two well-rounded and likeable characters who on initial impressions seem to have little in common; indeed Quin himself admits the marriage was more about Bea’s financial status than anything else, not to mention Bea’s unlikeable Uncle essentially pushing for the match for the benefit of Quin’s connections more than his niece’s happiness. One of the things I loved most about this story was that Bea is willing to essentially give up all the trappings of society and settle for a new life baking biscuits with no one really knowing her true background, and it is this characterisation that really sells the plot to the reader; the conflict between going back to what you left behind or staying in your new life with friends who have accepted you simply for being you and not judging you on the past. Similarly, Quin is trying to hold his family together and repair the damage caused by a drunken comment from his father which has almost irreparably damaged their reputation. It is to Quin’s credit that, as much as he want Bea to stay in his life once their six weeks is up, he is willing to give her what she wants if it will make her happy. As the plot progresses and decisions need to be made, the reader is drawn into the dilemmas faced by both characters and you really do root for them to overcome the scars of the past and look to the what could be in the future.
Once again, the author has also created some wonderful secondary characters who add so much to the plot with Quin’s mother, brothers and sisters (special mention to the scene-stealing Helen who hides under the table and plays a key role in the conclusion of the story) adding to the already established Nancy, Henrietta and Sebastian, not to mention the worth the wait re-appearance of the ‘magnificent’ Lady Jarrow (if you haven’t read the first book, please do!) who almost steals the show with her role in proceedings.
This is another excellent instalment to the series, and all that remains is to know whether there will be a fourth book featuring Nancy and James, or whether the lovely epilogue is meant to make us think if they will get their own happy ending.