Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is out for revenge, on none other than his best friend. He has read the letter that his sister had left when she committed suicide, and could not believe his friend caused her to get pregnant and then left her destroyed, so he vows to destroy him. Unfortunately, he goes after the one person that had nothing to do with this Lady Claire, and while he does destroy his friend causing her to get another betrothal cancelled, and she was already dubbed cursed. So he advises her to marry him, so that she wont be tainted anymore. They do end up falling in love, but he never let her know why he was so adamant to marry her, and she is hurt. So she leaves him, and then the truth comes out, on what really happened to his sister, and he is heartbroken, and now he has so many people to make up for.

The Bad Luck Bride was a fairly decent debut novel by Janna MacGregor.

You have a jilted man of honor who is furious with a man he thought his friend and you have the target, the individual who he will use to get back at said friend. The premise to begin with left me scratching my head because I felt disconnected from the beginning. Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, is on a mission to destroy the man he once thought was his friend because of a horrendous and cold act, because he's out to destroy him he focuses his attention on the fiancee of said removed friend, Lady Claire Cavensham and seeks to woo her. She has endured many engagements and surely one more failed engagement will ruin her!

Ahhh, this book as a whole did not succeed in grabbing my attention or even ensnaring my affections for any of the characters right off the bat. While the book was well written [or enough so,] the characters just didn't appeal to me, I didn't find myself liking any of them immediately. There were some quick developments in the early chapters that also didn't sit well with me, too fast - too soon - and without reason that left me blinking. All of these feelings were carried through the book in various situations.

However! I am extremely picky when it comes to Regency Romances, I will be the first one to admit that and it takes just the right formula in just the right way to ensnare my attention as well as my affections. So, I think by and large this is mostly a 'me' thing because the premise is interesting enough, the characters are [in general,] likable enough and it was a lovely enough book, too.

I think if you're like me, and you take your Regency Romance seriously, and you demand a certain formula then you'd have the same views as me [maybe!] Generally speaking, it's a nice read!

Blinded by his need for revenge Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke will stop at nothing to destroy the man he blames for his sister's death. Lady Claire Cavensham has been plagued with cursed luck for as long as she can recall. When her latest engagement of many failed ones comes to an abrupt end Alex Hallworth's sudden marriage proposal seems to be the perfect solution, but it is not long before much more is at stake and a chance at love wars with a thirst for revenge.

Janna MacGregor makes a marvelous and notable Historical Romance debut with The Bad Luck Bride. In her introduction book to the Cavensham Heiress's series one of first things that stood out is that Claire's bad luck was not trivial but had a firm basis in traumatic events that Ms. MacGregor brought out convincingly and with sensitivity. Alex could easily have come off as an undesirable character but through this author's talented writing his development was guided in such a way to show the depth of his grieving and how it influenced him to make rash and poor choices that he ultimately regretted. The very present physical attraction of this couple to each other throughout this work kept the pages hot and the sexual tension high. The acceptance of each other’s imperfections by Alex and Claire, when their outer facades were broken down, strengthened their relationship and the resulting love they formed showed this author's finesse at tackling complex dynamics. Nothing was black and white in The Bad Luck Bride and it was all the grey that made it a compelling read. I suspect Janna MacGregor's debut will mark the beginning of many a great author / reader love affair with her work!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1988993069

Orphaned at a young age, Claire has been raised by her beloved aunt and uncle, along with cousins she views more as siblings but she feels the loss of her parents keenly and her deepest wish has always been to create a family of her own. She was deeply in love with her first fiancé but he died before they could marry. By the time she becomes engaged to Lord Paul, the ton's whispers that Lady Claire must be cursed have turned to shouts and Claire has long since given up on love. After a history like that, when Alex steps in to rescue her from broken engagement #4, I could fully understand her reticence and when her heart becomes engaged, her fear. I found Claire to be a fascinating and complex woman; a blend of admirable strength and heart-wrenching vulnerability, impacted by the horrific events surrounding her parents' deaths in ways she's unable to share or move beyond.

Alex is a typical man of the times: arrogant, single-minded, and certain that his way is the right way. His heart is in the right place when he sets out to avenge his sister but he goes about it in the wrong way and realizes almost immediately that he's put an innocent person in the middle of the fray. Unfortunately, that innate arrogance keeps him from fixing things until the damage is done. While there were several instances when I wanted to toss him off a cliff or whop him upside the head with a frying pan and yell "What have you done?," I found myself unwilling to give up on him. MacGregor gives him a worthy black moment and deliciously good groveling (he deserves it) before his happiness can be achieved.

This is Janna MacGregor's debut and the author shows great promise. As the first book of a new series, this story has many characters and the beginnings of what will likely be future storylines. At times it felt a bit cluttered but that is often the case with a first book. Alex and Claire are complex characters with immediate chemistry and plenty of sizzle in the bedroom, but both have some growing to do before enough trust is built between them to forge a lasting relationship. The secondary characters add flavor to the journey and I'm looking forward to what MacGregor has in store for some of them. I'm especially intrigued by Lord Paul, the villain of this book. He reminds me a bit of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent in Lisa Kleypas' Devil in Winter in that his actions are inexcusable but glimpses of inner pain - and goodness - make me believe he might be redeemable. Time will tell.

If you're looking for a light, frolicking romance, this may not be the right book for you but if you want to sink your teeth into a meaty story, with twists and turns, great depth of emotion, and a happy ending that is worth the heartache it takes our hero and heroine to achieve then I encourage you to give The Bad Luck Bride a try. I've already marked my calendar for book #2, The Bride Who Got Lucky, scheduled to be released October 31st.

3.5*
THE BAD LUCK BRIDE is the first installment of debut author Janna MacGregor and her series THE CAVENSHAM HEIRESSES. It's the story of Lady Claire Cavensham and Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke.

I really liked this book. It's characters are captivating and relatable. I felt so sorry for Lady Claire because she really had some bad luck with her past fiances. What I didn't understand was the curse. I was kind of left guessing as to whether it was an actual curse (it was hinted but never confirmed) or just a run of really bad luck.

Alex made me want to smack him upside the head. He would've been better off if he'd actually did what he was thinking instead of waiting. But that's a man for you. When all was said and done I _did_ really like him. Like every other man... he has his flaws.

Overall it's a good story and I will be reading the next book when it releases.

What a lovely debut. A heroine w/bad luck and hero out for revenge make an unlikely combination, but somehow, Janna MacGregor shows us how they fall in love despite the obstacles.
Lady Claire Cavensham is the forever-engaged, but never-married hero ine— she is bad luck to potential grooms, and rumor is, she is cursed (the why is never explained). In steps, Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke, to save yet another broken engagement -- at a ball to celebrate her impending marriage no less. But he's not a knight in shining armor, Lady Claire is just a tool for the marquis to use so that he may get his revenge. Alexander believes Claire's betrothed seduced his sister and he will stop at nothing to ruin the man's life. Even if it means ruining Claire's future. That's always a problem for me -- a woman caught up in men's feuds, attacked simply for her relationships rather than for her own actions. Even though Alexander marries Claire, she still is a pawn. When this strong heroine discovers she's been duped, their prospects appear dim. How they fight their way through actual pain (not faux misunderstandings) back to a HEA is one of the best parts of this debut. Janna MacGregor takes a tired trope and makes it fresh. I'll be reading more of her work. (I received an ARC on NetGalley in return for an honest review.)

With this debut novel, MacGregor shows she has industry "staying power"!

Clair and Alex are two dysfunctional people -- each for their own reasons. Claire seeks to break the "curse" of failing to make it to the altar multiple times in a row. Alex seeks revenge against the childhood friend who he holds responsible for his sister's death. Together, they try to help each other lay to rest the demons of their respective pasts. But, their road to personal peace will not be an easy one, and each must learn to trust the other, if they are to succeed.

This was a heart-warming tale about healing and new beginnings featuring complex, likable and sometimes charmingly-exasperating characters. The story is smartly-written and has an engaging and fast-moving plot. It is definitely "un-put-downable".

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & St. Martin's Press in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Dorchester - 1811

Alexander (Alex) Hallworth, Marquess of Pembroke, is preparing for a duel with Lord Paul Barstowe, the second son of the Duke of Southart. The two men had been best friends. Alex’s youngest and unmarried sister, Alice, has killed herself because she was carrying a baby. Paul claims Alice had pursued him and that it must be Paul’s baby. Nicholas St. Mauer, the Earl of Somerton, has arrived to stop the duel. When Paul flees, Alex vows to take everything from the man.

London - 1812

Alex has just informed Paul that he has bought his vowels after which Alex demands Paul give him the deed to his home, Willow House, in Dorchester and he must give up his engagement to Lady Claire Cavensham, niece of Sebastian, the Duke of Langham. Paul claims that, like Alice, he has compromised Lady Claire too. If Paul refuses, Alex says he will sell his debts to someone else. But Paul agrees. Now, as his final jab at Paul, he will ask for Claire’s hand.

Rather than see her in person, Paul breaks off their engagement via a note to Claire that arrives just as their engagement party is to begin. It is the fourth time this has happened to Claire and it is known among the ton as the Lady Claire Curse.

Trying to flee the room and her humiliation, she sees Alex who offers her his assistance. Knowing what has happened, Alex suggests that she announce that she has broken the engagement. But before she can do that, Claire and Alex are discovered in the garden in a compromising position at which time Alex announces their engagement.

Claire has some emotional scars left from a devastating carriage accident that killed her parents. Alex also has some secrets he is hiding. Will those two virtual strangers be able to make a good marriage?

This is a good book, however, some of the plot is a bit convoluted which makes it a bit difficult to follow at times. I did not care for Claire as I felt she was too weak.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Tragedy, betrayal and love!

Lady Claire Cavensham believed the rumours ... that she was 'cursed'. After all she had survived a tragic accident when her beloved parents had been swept away to their doom. Her first tue love had died just before their wedding. Subsequently Claire had become engaged for a third time. Now she was about to withdraw from a fourth. Yes, the curse she laboured under was well and truly alive!
Lord Alexander Pembroke blamed his best friend Lord Paul for his sister Alice's death. His determined vengeful pursuit of the destruction of his former friend was alive, virulent and focused. And Lady Clair was now being dragged into this vortex of swirling antagonism.
When Alex saw a chance to destroy Lord Paul he took it. That destruction lay via Lady Claire . Little did he know that the pawn he was about to use could well-nigh end up destroying him.
The portrait of Alex in pursuit of vengeance is masterful. Claire is a tragic figure who courageously fights her memories and moves slowly and excruciatingly forward. Her grief is palpable and the methods she takes to confront her fears and guilt are admirable.
I did like the character of Charles the footman. His loyalty to Claire is a touching segue.
I was never sure about Alex's best friend Lord Somerton. Perhaps I'll like him more in the future as there are hints of something brewing here. He always seemed a bit wooden to me, although his advice to Alex was sound--even though Alex ignored it.
I was not entirely satisfied by the way the story slid into final resolution. It's complex plot devolved too quickly. However, as I mostly enjoyed the love tangle Alex had tied himself and Claire into by his early Machiavellian manoeuvres, I was well satisfied.

A NetGalley ARC
(May 2017)

If you’re looking for a fluffy Regency romp then… no, that’s not what you’re going to find here. If you’re looking for a deeply detailed plot line, characters who have so many personal issues to get past and the possibility of an amazing love to fight for – then The Bad Luck Bride would be exactly what you’re looking for.

Although being labeled as “cursed” for bad timing and poor choices in her relationships shouldn’t be enough to doom Claire to the shelf for the remainder of her life, it is enough to have her almost desperate to agree to an engagement that she might have otherwise run from. Poor Claire, like the old song, “if it weren’t for bad luck she’d have no luck at all”.

Alex is a man set on revenge. He will do anything – lie, deceive, manipulate and not give one thought to the feelings of others in order to get his revenge on the man he blames for his sister’s death. Granted, the man he’s after is a nasty piece of work, yet Alex is somewhat possessed in his need to end this man in any way humanly possible. Stealing the woman he’s planning on marrying is the latest step in his ultimate plan of revenge. That the woman involved might have emotions engaged is totally beside the point. Alex will get what Alex wants. What he hadn’t counted on was discovering feelings for Claire that went beyond using her as a pawn. Now he’s made a mess, and continues to further destroy any trust or feelings she might have returned for him. Somehow he has to fix what he’s broken – and it’s not going to be easy.

The Bad Luck Bride is Janna MacGregor’s debut novel, and I have to admit that I am looking forward to the next title in this series. Claire and Alex are both flawed characters with major issues. At times, Alex is a very difficult man to actually like during the majority of their romance. But there are bits and pieces that show the man he was before his sister’s death that allowed me to hold out hope for this man. Claire allowed herself to believe in that silly curse, and now she’s developing feeling for the man she’s married. Feelings that will be shredded once she learns his reasons for marrying her in the first place. Love is blooming but can it withstand the harsh realities of how they started. I enjoyed my time with Claire and Alex. Yes, there were times when I wanted to shake my fist at them or sit them down for a stern conversation. But overall, I “got” them, and watching them unravel this mess was completely entertaining.

If you love Historical Romance then I’d suggest trying out a new author’s intense, interesting romance. The Bad Luck Bride is many things, and one of them is entertaining. Give it a try, you may find a new author to follow – I know I have.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Alexander Hallworth the Marquess of Pembrooke is determined to have vengeance against the man who caused his sister to commit suicide. He will take everything from him, including the heiress he is planing to marry.
Lady Claire Cavensham, and most of polite society believe she is under a curse. She has been betrothed three times. It always ends in disaster. If she wants a family of her own, it must work out this time.
Our characters have all got to learn to leave the past behind or it may destroy the future.

This is a wonderful story full of emotion and unexpected twists. Our author certainly knows how to keep our attention throughout. Lovely strong characters and a fascinating tale. This is the start of a series that I will definitely be reading more of.

Poor Lady Claire Cavensham has had what as an Aussie I'd have to call a pretty rough trot. She lost her parents in an appalling accident when she was only child - an accident she survived and pretty clearly is still suffering from the trauma of - and though then taken in by the not-at-all wicked uncle (which was a nice change) bad luck seems to have dogged her ever since, to the point at which she herself has started to believe she might be cursed.

Losing her fourth fiancé in five years (it feels a bit like the litany of Henry VIIIs wives at one point... died, disabled, disgraced, cried off) is more than bad luck, though Claire doesn't know it at the time. Her erstwhile fiancé Lord Paul angered the wrong man, and now Alex, Marquess of Pembrooke, is out for vengeance, which means taking everything Lord Paul once held dear.

Including Lady Claire...

I liked Claire a lot and I felt a great deal of sympathy for her, particularly the way that Alex avoided telling her the truth. There was a great scene where she called him on it, accusing him of never apologising or taking responsibility for his actions; I felt like applauding. Alex was really pig-headed, never willing to take anybody's word for their actions, and to really the whole mess he made of his marriage was his own fault. Certainly Claire was innocent of any wrong-doing.

There was a rather shocking reveal towards the end of the book which turned on its head a 'fact' we thought we knew from the beginning, a fact which had driven Alex's motivations to that point. I have to say that this 'fact' being what turned him around didn't please me; he needed to change not because of external factors, but because of his own understanding that he had mucked up in a pretty epic way.

The book is well-written and I'd probably read the second in the series because I liked Lady Emma and Alex's friend together, but I can't say it was really enjoyable. I'll give it four stars.

The Bad Luck Bride is available now. Yet again, however, it's a case of a publisher making the ebook the same price as the paperback. One of these things is not like the other, folks. No wonder that big publishers are reporting declining sales of ebooks.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited about the opportunity to read The Bad Luck Bride because historical romance is one of my favorite genres. I was even more excited when I found out that this was author Janna MacGregor’s debut novel; new authors are always a special treat.

When Alex approaches Claire with a marriage proposal, he actually has an ulterior motive. This is supposed to be the final part of his ultimate revenge plot against the man who was once one of his closest friends.

Claire has developed an unfortunate reputation as a “bad luck bride” due to several broken engagements. She barely knows Alex, but isn’t really in a position to add another broken engagement to the list.

Admittedly, Alex is thinking primarily of himself and his thirst for revenge when he proposes marriage, but as he gets to know Claire, he realizes that he genuinely cares for her. Likewise, Claire feels comfortable with Alex and trusts him enough to share her tragic past.

This was an absolutely stunning debut. There is a lot going on, and sometimes, it almost feels like there is a bit too much, but I couldn’t imagine cutting any of the story elements. Alex and Claire are two flawed individuals who have been through so much, and it seems like discovering each other would lead to a quick happily ever after. Of course, that’s not the way things really work, and their journey is captivating and fraught with emotion.

I would recommend The Bad Luck Bride. MacGregor crafts a compelling story, and there were several surprise twists. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. I am already looking forward to the second book in the series, and I love the way that MacGregor dropped hints about the second book in this book.

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor is an historical romance. Once again we are reminded of how revenge is a double edged sword when people plot to revenge another. Alexander Pembrooke is a man on a mission. His sister was left in what she saw as without hope and chose suicide. Alex believes he knows who is guilty and goes about to ruin the man. The last step of ruining him is to force his fiance to marry Alex, which was handled easily. Alex Pembrooke forgot one important facet...all lies come back to haunt you.

Lady Claire Cavensham is the bad luck bride. Men seem to be badly hurt or die after becoming engaged to her. She was engaged to one man who died, one who had a horrible accident, and this newest one who lost everything. When Alex offers for her instead and manages to make it look ordinary, Claire jumps at the chance to have a marriage and children, thinking that they would rub along just nicely. Until she discovers about the lies.

The Bad Luck Bride by Janna MacGregor was light read. I found I did not particularly like the overbearing nature of Alex Pembrooke, but that may have been as the writer wanted. The book is one I would recommend to the right person.

A thrilling story about love and forgiveness, and considering this is from a debut author, very well done.

The characters are portrayed wonderfully and you get a feel for them. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and left my opinion voluntarily

I was quite keen on the premise for "Bad Luck Bride" - the marriage of convenience trope is one of my favourite in the historical romance genre. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. I was not a fan of the "hero's" manipulation of the heroine. Quite honestly, that level of manipulation just wasn't sexy, or Alex wasn't a dark enough character to pull it off. I enjoyed the author's writing style and I liked the introduction to the Cavensham family, and for that alone I will be back for the next book in the series. This one wasn't for me!

One fiance died of fever; another fled the country; another lost one leg... Lady Claire Cavensham is really unlucky.
The night she was to announce her new engagement to Lord Paul Barstowe, at the ball she received a note from him saying he would not attend. Another one running away...
But, unlike what she thought, the night was not a complete fiasco. A new fiance has appeared, even though the circumstances of the engagement have been because they were caught in a compromising situation.
But would everything have happened on that way?

Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembroke, had only one thing in mind: revenge.
His younger sister, Alice, had killed herself to avoid embarrassment and it was Lord Paul Barstowe's fault. Pembroke would do his best to take revenge on the bastard, first by taking away his wealth, his estate... and his bride.

Despite revenge, Pembroke knew that Lady Claire was not to blame for anything, and she was already carrying a heavy burden before the Ton: the men seemed to run away from her as who flees from the plague. Paul would be the fourth fiance to disappear. So Pembroke would find a way to soften the lady's sadness, but he did not expect her to be so kind, beautiful, and stubborn.

While Revenge is a dish that eats cold, Passion is a feeling that creates flames in the heart...

5 stars

'The Bad Luck Bride" by Janna MacGregor is book One in "The Cavensham Heiresses" series. This is the story of Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke and Lady Claire Cavensham.
Alex sister died pregnant and unmarried. Alex feels that his one time friend Lord Paul is to blame. With that knowledge Alex has taken it to seek revenge against him. With buying up all of Lord Paul's 'vowels' and moving forward to now take his future bride. Lord Paul's future bride is Claire.
Claire feels she has been cursed because each time she gets engaged it seems to end with several different issues with the groom. Now she is engaged to Lord Paul who is a friend of sorts. But now that engagement is going down hill quickly and Alex has stepped in. Claire doesn't know all that Alex is up to or what he has done. Alex is having trust issue with Claire...can these two work things out? Will Alex get over his revenge quest?
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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