I enjoyed watching the relationship between two hurt people blossom into love and devotion. Not without struggles of course!

3.5 stars

I am torn about this review - I liked the book, but I didn't love it. My understanding is this a debut novel and in my mind, that explains a lot of the qualms I had with the book.

There is A LOT going on in this book - revenge, a "curse", past tragedy, a heroine with PTSD, a hero with a guilt complex, deceit, betrayal, marriage of convenience, wagers and a lot of mistrust. It is too much, I felt like the author was trying too hard and kept adding elements to make the story more interesting, but sometimes more is not better, it is just more. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if the author choose one or two elements and focused on them, rather than trying to cram everything into the story.

In a nutshell, Lady Claire Cavensham is "cursed" she has been engaged four times and never made it to the altar. I honestly didn't get the whole "curse" angle - bad luck, yes, but cursed? I understand that she might be considered cursed until she finally got married, but after her marriage shouldn't all the curse nonsense stop? It didn't and it didn't make sense to me. Claire has other issues besides the "curse", she was the sole survivor of an accident that killed her parents and still suffers from nightmares and has a crippling fear of storms and bridges. She is a very kind and generous person, who keeps all her fears to herself to spare her loved ones any grief. She doesn't trust or love easily and seems prone to assuming the worst - can't say I blame her considering her past.

Alex, Marquess of Pembrooke is on a quest, he wants to ruin the man who he believes ruined his beloved sister Alice. The final step in his plan is to steal Lady Claire from him. He really thinks that he is saving her, but proceeds to manipulate every one around him to achieve his goal. He means well, but ends up causing a boatload of misery for himself and Claire.

These two have a long and hard road to their HEA and at times I couldn't see how they would get there.

I think with time this author will shine, this story had good bones and the potential to be a great book, but it just didn't flow that well and the dialogue at times seemed awkward. Even though I wasn't overwhelmed by this book, I will definitely read the next book in the series and look forward to seeing this author come into her own.

Its an okay read. I would of wished for more life and humor as well as real passion. There is a lot of manipulation and domination for different situations. However, being fair, the plot is good as are the characters themselves. It is just not my cup of tea without some more life in the book itself. I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna

Brilliant debut book. A completely different storyline with characters that I could get invested in. Enjoyed.

The Bad Luck Bride begins with the heart of the relationship between three best friends. Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke is about to kill his childhood friend for being the cause of his sister Alice taking her own life. Alice left Alex a note telling him not to blame Lord Paul. Only Alex and his other close friend, Lord Somerton knew from her note she was pregnant and could not live with the shame. Lord Somerton kept Alex from killing Lord Paul outright. So, Alex spends his year of mourning for his sister doing everything he could to ruin his childhood friend. Included in his ruination Alex forced Paul to break his engagement with the lovely Lady Claire Cavensham, daughter of the deceased Duke of Langham. Marrying her would have provided Paul the funds to stay out of debt. Alex cannot allow that to happen.

Lady Claire is considered to have a curse due to the mishaps of the men with whom she has been engaged.
Each has befallen a mishap keeping her from ever marrying. She had been friends with Paul and believed they might even come to care for each other once married. At what would have been her betrothal ball, Paul sends her a note he will not be attending their wedding. In her distress to be alone at the ball, she finds herself outside and alone with Alex. He seems to be attracted to her and wants to protect her from his scoundrel of a former friend. They are ‘caught’ alone and an engagement and wedding quickly follow. Her uncle, the current Duke, warns Alex she is tender and to care for her. She is surrounded by family who chose to care for her rather than force her to marry.

This sweet couple comes to care for each other as they spend time together. She is enthralled by Alex, yet, does not completely trust him with her secrets. Nor does Alex want to tell her of his duplicity in how they were brought together or how he ruined her former fiancé. They slowly forge a relationship upon which to build a good relationship and marriage. Somerton has pressed Alex to tell her everything. So, you can guess what happens . . . .

You would never guess this is a debut novel as Janna MacGregor has written a heartfelt and heartrending story that keeps you interested to the end. Your heart breaks right along with this couple and the tragedies they have had to endure. Janna has interwoven the love, strength and loyalty of family into a captivating tale of two lovers who kept trying to find their HEA, not willing to give up until it seemed it was too late. I loved everything about this book. When you want to reach into your kindle and tell the hero to quit being an idiot and fess up, you know it is a good book. Thank you Net Galley for sharing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Outstanding debut!

The Bad Luck Bride is Ms. Janna MacGregor’s introduction into historical romance, and she does not leave you disappointed. There is not that awkwardness or timid story telling. I was pleasantly surprised by the steady flow of the story, the surprising twist and the steamy chemistry between our main characters.

In this story we find Alex, Lord Pembrooke, on a mission to avenge his sister’s sad passing. He blames an old friend for taking advantage of his sister, leaving her and ultimately driving her down the path of death. Part of his plan is to ruin his enemy’s engagement to our heroine, Claire.

Claire has had such terribly luck with engagements. Sadly losing past fiancés, which brands her with a curse. She needs to be able to successfully marry so that she can break the curse and move on. Sadly Alex’s plans get in her way and she is forced to marry him to save face. I was surprised how fast these two were able to connect, but it did not take away from the story. It was very intriguing to learn about the demons that were chasing Claire. The numbing memories of losing her parents to an accident in an awful storm and how much it still paralyzes her.

Alex was very sweet in trying to help her. He tried so hard to get Claire to slowly melt and share her fears, but yet still carried with him what he did to break her engagement, and not being able to break down and confess. I many ways, he was very selfish. Alex wanted Claire to be able to bare everything and yet he was not being very truthful with her as well.

The story did start to drag a little towards the end. There was a minute when I did have to pause and say, “Come On!...let’s move on and forgive him!” , but in the end, it did work well with the story. I must say that there were times I thought we were heading a certain path, and yet was pleasantly surprised by twists in the story line.

I look forward to future books from Ms. Janna MacGregor’s

"The Bad Luck Bride" is a 4.5 star read. I loved the story line, the main characters and the secondary characters as well. Alexander's sister has died by her own hand and he is hell-bent on revenge against the man he believes is responsible for her downfall, a man who used to be one of his closest friends - Paul. Paul is engaged to marry an heiress, Claire, and Alex will do anything to stop the marriage and take her as a bride himself.
Claire is a bad luck bride. She has been engaged four times and still not made it to the altar. She is starting to believe that she will finally be married to Paul, when he sends a note breaking their engagement at their engagement ball. Claire is devastated, but Alex steps in with a plan - marry him instead and pretend that she ended the engagement with Paul and not the other way around. Under duress, she agrees and finds herself starting to believe that she may not be cursed in truth.
Of course Alex goes into the marriage with devious intentions, but not toward Claire, just her former fiancee. Alex is interesting, he wants justice for his sister and will stop at nothing to ruin Paul's life, but he is instantly attracted to Claire and wants a real marriage. Claire is a completely sympathetic character that readers will connect with, she has a great amount of pain and trauma from when she was a child and lost her parents in a carriage accident. She was honestly in love with her first fiancee and lost him to a fever, she has lost so many people close to her. She is not the ordinary simpering romantic heroine virgin. Claire is starting to fall for Alex as well until she finds out her marriage isn't based on attraction or decency, but based on revenge.
There is sparking chemistry between Alex and Claire and passion. "The Bad Luck Bride" is a lovely story that peels the layers back on its two characters, until we find out who they truly are and what they will become as a couple. This is the first book I have read by Janna MacGregor, but it won't be my last. I hope Alex's sister and his best friend will end up together and get their own story. Really, really enjoyed the book.

DNF at 18%. Too many actions/motivations/plot lines/sentences that made little sense or were exaggerated responses to rather benign situations. The writing itself was not bad, but the author needs to plan through her plot better for greater coherency.

Claire truly believes that she is cursed. It sure does seem that way. She finally has her happily ever after in sight and poof it's gone. Time is what they need to get to know each other, and learn to trust each other. Alex is so caring, for not only Claire, but everyone on his lands. He deeply cares for what is going on around him. How could Claire not fall in love with him.

DNF at page 114. The Bad Luck Bride is the first book in the Cavensham Heiresses series and the first book I've read by this author. Set to publish on May 2, 2017 I've been given an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Alexander Hallsworth, Marquess of Pembrooke is seeking revenge against his former best friend whom he believes solely responsible for the suicide f his sister the year before. Alex sets out to not only ruin him financial and buying his vowels, by taking his estates and ultimately by stealing his recent fiance Lady Claire Cavensham who is known by the ton as having the Lady Claire Curse, which causes harm to her fiances leading to no wedding. Four unsuccessful engagements later and she's terrified the curse will never break. They each harbor secrets that will test their relationship through a hasty engagement, wedding and life together. Is their love strong enough to break the curse and lead them towards their happily ever after?

As mentioned I didn't finish the book, it just wasn't going where I had hoped it would. No angst, no witty banter, just a lot of Alex pulling strings to manipulate and his domineering and self interest wasn't appealing. Sometimes that type of character can be pulled off, but for him it just seemed weak and self serving. Lady Claire seemed kind of weak at times and strong at others so I'm mixed with my feelings of her. Unfortunately, historical romances are tricky in sticking with historical accuracy of the times but modern writing style allows for more strength of the female heroine and I would have liked to see more of that here in her case or none at all at first and build her up along her journey to conclude with that at the end, but I'm left confused about who these people are and felt little connection. The author has potential though to be sure, so I'll not write her off just yet.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The Bad Luck Bride ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Janna MacGregor
(The Cavensham Heiresses #1)

Lady Claire Cavensham believes she carries a curse and she fears it will follow her for the rest of her life. That being said, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke will not rest until he gets revenge for his sister Alice's death. Alice committed suicide because she could not face her family, and tell them she was pregnant out of wedlock.

Alex believe the father of this child was Lord Paul Barstow one of his best friends. Lord Paul in currently betroth to Lady Claire and Alex wants to destroy Paul and marry Claire himself even though he does not love her. Lord Paul is in tremendous gambling debt and Alex buys up all his vowels and forces him to break his engagement.

As Alex becomes more and more acquainted with Claire he see the women who is very unsure of herself. She has been betroth three times each story sadder than the previous. She believes she carries a curse.

This is truly a heartfelt story of how revenge reveals a fragile person and how revenge turns to friendship and love on both sides. Alex falters quite a few times but rights himself up to prove his worth and love.

I really enjoyed this tale and will continue to follow this author.

Loved this book! I cant wait to read more from this author!
You really felt for the characters (especially Clare) and shes made them so utterly lovable that you cant hep but cheer them on with every sentence you read. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

a pretty good read. look forward to more from this author.

This is my first book by Janna MacGregor and I loved her book. I can't for the next book. This is the story of Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, who want revenge and to get it he has to get Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead. I laugh while reading this book. I really enjoyed it.

This is my first time to come across this author and i must say that i enjoyed this book tremendously.. This is not the kind of romance that is light, fluffy and sweet.. This is the exact opposite.. You deal with complex characters that have to deal with their own demons.

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is dealing with the death of his beloved sister who committed suicide and wants to avenge her death.. So consumed with his grief he decides to take revenge on his childhood friend, Lord Paul, whom he believes is the reason why his sister took her life.. He then gets this idea of taking away everything that Lord Paul has by any means necessary and ruin his life.. In comes Lady Claire Cavensham.

Lady Claire Cavensham survived a horrific carriage accident wherein she lost her parents at a young age.... She believes that she's cursed because all her engagements never came to fruition- 4 to be exact.. Her only dream is to have a family and children of her own. Her latest fiancee happens to be Lord Paul but due to the manipulation and scheming of Lord Alex, he convinces her to call of said engagement and marry him instead which she does..

It's never a good thing to enter into a marriage full of secrets because somehow, it will always come to light.. Like the saying goes " you can never keep a secret, the truth will always come out" and that's exactly what happens when Claire finds out that she was tricked by Alex into marrying him simply for revenge..

I truly enjoyed this story and i cannot wait to see what Ms. Janna MacGregor comes up with next time around..

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Paperbacks and Ms. Janna MacGregor for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book for the most part. The characters were likeable and well written, but the conflict between Alex and Claire did feel a little bit draggy. I will definitely look out for the next book, which I imagine will be about Emma and sommerton.

This book had potential but MacGregor's decision to make the characters completely suck at communication for no reason pretty much ruined it for me. I get that the lack of communication/unwillingness to open up was the foil in their relationship but the reasons the characters chose not to speak up when they were given plenty of opportunity just didn't wash and it wasn't very believable.

I had reservations about this book, since the H was very deceptive initially, but I came to like him very much. I really liked the h initially, then became irritated by her as the story progressed, as she became obstinate about her marriage. They were both great characters but each had flaws. Lots of passion. Looking forward to the next in the series! Well written and interesting characters.

A most unlikely duo but so funny together. She has the worst luck and he is not the best man in the beginning but really has a heart of gold.

Not a bad luck book loved it cant wait to read more from this author