I was completely unprepared for how unexpected THE BAD LUCK BRIDE was. Unexpectedly not great. The premise sounds like the best kind of historical romance. And MacGregor included all the usual elements that draw readers into this genre and make them come back for more; including, but not limited to, bets, revenge, childhood trauma, and discovered secrets. But sadly.. none of it worked for me.

The characters lacked substance. The plot was not compelling. Events that should have held weight or emotional gravitas didn't and, instead, felt awkward and forced. And then some characters were just downright confusing and/or hypocritical. I found the flow was almost non-existent and it just didn't seem to have a very authentic 'historical romance' feel. I apply that not only to the intimate scenes, which did nothing for me and also felt laughably unrealistic, but the general flavour of the story and the world.

Normally I'm willing to give most series I start a second (sometimes third, fourth, etc) chance, especially for a debut or new-to-me author of which MacGregor is both, but at this stage I feel fairly hesitant about getting into a repeat of THE BAD LUCK BRIDE. That being said I'm pretty sure I know who the second pairing is so, depending on the synopsis.. maybe.

1.5 stars

I received this from Netgalley/ Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a new series by a new author to me. I just did not love this. Lady Claire has had bad luck when it comes to men and Alex is a man set on revenge to her latest fiancé. These two come together and have to navigate a marriage to each other. Claire just got on my last nerve and while Alex had some rough motives I liked him way more than her. She was just annoying!!

What a wonderful first book! I couldn’t put it down. It’s not a light story as it has complex characters who have some personal demons to overcome.

The hero, Alex, Marquess of Pembroke is suffering from his younger sister’s suicide. He blames his former friend Lord Paul and is planning to ruin him. Lord Paul is to announce his engagement to Lady Claire Cavensham, the wealthy only child of the late Duke and Duchess of Langham, and Alex is going to prevent that announcement and marry her himself.

Lady Claire has been engaged several times but something always goes wrong. She doesn’t love Paul but wants a family of her own and believes they could learn to love. When he doesn’t show at the ball she’s attending she hides in the garden to be found by Alex. When they are discovered together Alex announces his plan to marry her.

I do not want to spoil this book by revealing too much of a complicated plot. Claire agrees to marry Alex as he will not interfere with her charity work and she is attracted to him. However, when she discovers the extent of his manipulations she leaves him. There is a HEA but you must read this book to learn about their healing and reconciliation. It’s a keeper.
The secondary characters are interesting and I hope her cousins, his sister and his best friend get stories of their own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC. Release date is May 4th.

I really enjoyed the Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor. The characters were fully developed. I loved Claire and Alex. The secondary characters were great. This is definitely an author who I will be reading again

After reading The Bad Luck Bride it's hard to believe this is the authors first published book. Janna MacGregor has given us a polished, intricate and entertaining story.

Our heroine Lady Claire Cavensham is a wonderful character. She has suffered many past traumas, she still has the ability to look on the bright side of life. Claire is by no means perfect, which makes her all the more likable. However, her strength, loyalty, and giving nature warms the heart and makes the reader love her.

Alex, the Marquess of Pembrooke is also a well-developed character. As our hero, he eventually makes the grade. The story begins with all of his actions being driven by revenge. In that respect, Alex was calculating and outright deceptive. He can be forgiven for this lapse as he quickly begins to truly care for Claire. When revenge is no longer Alex's only motivation, he is dashing, caring, and charismatic.

The relationship between Claire and Alex was rushed, but still felt natural and was very enjoyable to read. Their chemistry felt real, their pain honest and their love strong.

It was refreshing to read a novel in which both the H/h are normal people with real problems and faults.

Hopefully, there will be many more books in Janna MacGregor's future for us to enjoy.

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor is my first book by this author. What a fantastic surprise. Ms MacGregor has penned a well-written book. Her characters are absolutely amazing. If this is Ms MacGregor's debut, I can't wait to see what she gives us going forward. Alex and Claire's book is loaded with drama, action, a bit of suspense and just the right amount of sizzle. The Bad Luck Bride is a fantastic read from start to finish and I look forward to reading more from Janna MacGregor in the future. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.

4.5 stars - I've never read anything by Janna MacGregor before this offering, but she can count on me being a devoted follower of her work.

This story is filled with main characters who experience all the joy and disquiet of growing affection, blossoming love and genuine passion. There are also themes of familial love, loss and true friendship.

Lord Pembrooke's love drives him to revenge, trickery and a bit of stalker-like tendencies, but you don't hold any of that against him. His heart is full, grief real and affection for his new wife genuine. Lady Claire has suffered great loss and endured shame that no single lady should have to bear. Yet, she is all that is gracious, loving, and practical. Two people with such loss in their rear view and capacity to love in their hearts deserve a HEA and MacGregor delivers.

I received an ARC of this book, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 Stars!

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lady Claire Cavensham’s bad luck started with the death of her parents in a violent carriage accident when she was a child. It followed her throughout her life and made another lethal appearance with the death of her first fiancee only a month before their wedding. Now on the brink of announcing a betrothal for the fourth time, Lady Claire’s curse appears again when the bridegroom ends the engagement.

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembroke, believes Lady Claire’s fourth fiancee, Lord Paul, is the reason for his younger sister’s suicide. He will stop at nothing to ruin Lord Paul, including marrying Lady Claire himself. When Alex comforts Claire the night Paul breaks their engagement, they are found in a compromising position and announce they will be wed.

This debut novel from Janna MacGregor is a fantastic ride through a thrilling romance. It has all the best elements needed for success, witty dialogue, heart wrenching backstories, and charismatic characters. Alex is driven by grief, but that grief brings him the greatest gift of all, Claire. Even though I would never approve of the way Alex deceived Claire, it comes from a place of utter devotion. I love Alex’s transformation from grief stricken brother to besotted husband. Claire has her own transformation that is utterly mesmerizing. Her curse is so ingrained in her that it takes an epic event to bring her out of her despair and except the love before her eyes.

This novel ranks high with seasoned romance authors and I am ecstatic to read what is to come in this series. MacGregor has a cavalcade of developed secondary characters, but I’m hoping Claire’s cousin, Emma, is the next lady to find love.

Lady Claire Cavensham is a survivor. Having survived a tragic accident that claimed her parents, and several fiancees to various reasons..not the same but all beginning with the letter d, leading the cattier members of the ton to declare her 'cursed'.
Lord Alexander Hallworth has his own reasons for insisting on marriage, and they are not all that honorable.
But time spent together draws them so very close...but can they overcome the reasons they were thrown together to reach the HEA they could have with a bit of give and take?
You will not regret grabbing this historical romance with mystery, angst,sensuality and some of our baser interactions as humans.
I highly recommend it and will watch for the next book from Ms. MacGregor

This book captivated me from the very start. To see the heartache Alex and Claire had faced and the love they find together was fantastic. The plot was believable and I cannot wait for more works by Janna MacGregor

It's always exciting when you discover a new author, especially if she's venturing into my favorite escape - regency romance. Janna MacGregor has a wordy and witty style that's reminiscent of Lisa Kleypas and Sarah Maclean - a humorous blend of steamy romance, original characters, and dramatic, attention-grabbing plot - in this case, a bit over dramatic. Both Clair and Alex were fully fleshed characters, that evoked real emotions, had palpable chemistry and stayed true to the era. The book shined the most for me in the beginning, the couple's staged meet cute in the garden was exciting and page-turning. As the story progressed however, the plot suffered from one too many unnecessary complications and over the top dramatic moments - Clair's childhood trauma rang too made up and Alex's behavior dragged. Having said that I truly enjoyed The Bad Luck Bride and will 100% get the next book in the series (I hope it's Emma's story, her character sparkled off the page and seemed completely original). Recommend!

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Janna MacGregor's debut title doesn't feel like a first title; the characters well developed, nuanced, and grow throughout the story. When the story begins, Alex, the Marquess of Pembrooke has just lost his younger sister and blames his former childhood friend Lord Paul for her death. Fast forward a year later, and Alex is about to achieve his revenge against Paul, but first must prevent his marriage to an heiress. Lady Claire is the daughter and niece of a duke and is believed to be cursed after 4 previously failed engagements that ended due to a variety of reasons. When she receives a note from Paul calling off her 5th engagement on the night the announcement was to be made, she flees to the gardens where she runs into Alex. Afraid of the coming storm, Alex provides comfort and they are caught in a compromising position leading to their engagement. They find themselves quickly married and head off to his estate. Claire lost her parents in a tragic accident at a young age and the story being the accident is slowly revealed throughout the rest of the book. What is clear from the beginning is that Claire has never truly dealt with her parents deaths and needs to do so to finally be at peace. I loved Claire and Alex even though Alex's inability to trust frustrated me at times. There was a really nice scene when he realizes just how much Claire has come to mean to him and that he can't lose her from his life. I'm looking forward to additional titles from this author and can't wait to see stories for some of the secondary characters in this book.

I liked this novel. It involves a "curse", romance, and revenge.
Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, wants revenge on Lord Paul for his sister's death. However, appearances can be deceiving and the unexpected can happen. He gets Lord Paul in debt and for his "payment" he wants to "save" Lady Claire Cavensham from marriage to Lord Paul.
Claire has had 3 previous fiancees and all have met unfortunate ends. When Lord Paul "breaks" their betrothal (which is betrothal number 4), Alex comes to the rescue. However, Claire is hiding her own secrets and Alex has his plans of revenge. Alex also looks into Claire to make sure no scandal will result from this marriage. Claire believes she is cursed and does not want something to happen to Alex and almost runs away. but a bet makes her stay to marry Alex. Alex realizes there is much more to Claire than meets the eye and is happy being married to her. He wants to discover what about her parents' deaths still haunts her. Claire is happy being marriage to Alex and believes that maybe the curse is no longer there. When Claire finds out why Alex married her and other things he has done, she is devastated and hurt. She wants to separate from him. Alex realizes he loves Claire and will do whatever it takes to win her back. Alex also discovers other truths about his sister's death and realizes he made mistakes. A plan of revenge turns into love, but is it enough?