Dory has only ever loved one thing: music. An accomplished musician and composer, she has longed to grow old with her music but as a daughter of a Lord and Lady, she must marry and marry well. When her unfeeling parents order her to marry Lord Hartly (a man old enough to be her grandfather), she must act and quickly.



Thomas has been half in love with Dory for years but she’s above his station in life and the ton, let alone her parents, would never approve of him offering marriage. But in a strange twist of fate, Dory proposes to him. At first, he rejects her but after seeing the odious man she’s intent to marry, he reluctantly agrees. They elope to Scotland and get married with Elinor and Michael as witnesses.



Now married and perfect strangers, both Thomas and Dory come to grips with what they’ve done. Dory is wracked with guilt, especially when her father calls out Thomas at White’s. Thomas tries everything he can to bring out love and affection in Dory but she’s closed herself off from him. Conflicts and misunderstandings abound but can Dory and Thomas overcome them in order to live a happy life or has this been one giant mistake?



I love this whole series and am a big fan of Fenichel’s work. That being said, I found this installment to be less appealing than the other two. Dory and Thomas go round and round again with misunderstandings and conflicts. Instead of communicating their feelings, they let things fester and it only leads to more misunderstandings. I disliked Dory as a heroine because it appeared that no matter what Thomas said, she didn’t believe him or his love for her. There were certain times when I wanted to wring Dory’s neck.



Other than that issue, I loved Desperate Bride. Extremely well-written with spot-on historical accuracies, colorful characters and a satisfying ending. Fingers crossed for a book four in the series.



Thank you to Kensington Books, A. S. Fenichel and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in the hopes I’d review it.



Favorite Character/Quote: She let out a long sigh. “I do not give a damn about titles. I am to be married to a lecherous old man who will keep me as a trophy and perhaps allow me to play pianoforte from time to time to entertain his friends. Everything I have ever wanted tossed aside. My mother will do as she has always threatened and burn all of my music.” She leaned forward and touched his face. “Everything I am is about to be ripped from me. Can you understand, Thomas?”



My Rating: 4 stars

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a really good addition to the series. I enjoyed it a great deal. I just wish that the characters would have actually talked to each other instead of making assumptions. Other than that this was a pretty good read and the story moved along very well.

Although this is part three in a series, you do not need to have read the first two in order for this story to make sense. You will not feel as though you are missing anything by not reading it, and if you have read the others, you will be happy to see some familiar faces make an appearance in this story.

As someone who has read and enjoyed the other two novels in this series, I have to say this one was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't that there was a problem with the author's writing style per-say, however, the constant and unnecessary re-hashing of the same issue over and over again became tiring. I understand that there would be some issues between this couple, especially when Dory believes he married her for nothing other than wanting to save her from an unfit marriage and Tom overhears something not meant for his ears, but punishes her anyway - it was a constant circle that I feel would have been better left as a one and done (where they argued, they got their feelings out in the open and they moved on) instead of becoming the focal point of the story. Even when faced with the fact that they have a deep affection for each other and all that they shared, they continue to push each other away, and then are miserable for it.

I also felt that her parents were a little too over the top. Her father is an obvious drunkard, why would they still be allowed to mingle in society when all he does is cause scenes and fall over? And her mother, while with redeeming qualities in the end, had little to endear herself to the reader as well.

Overall, I do think this novel will still appeal to those who enjoy a "friends to lovers" historical romance. I would read more from this author!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Dorothea Flammel was desperate and Thomas Wheel seemed to be her answer. Trying to escape an arranged marriage to a horrible man, Dorry goes to Tom, who she has known forever through her brother. Tom has admired her from afar but never felt he could court her due to him not being titled and Dorry was the daughter of a nobleman. Dorry asks Tom if he would consider marrying her in order to save her from the Earl she is being forced to marry. What follows is a story of strong emotions, scandal and intrigue that keeps the reader turning the pages as fast as possible! The author brings the characters to life and makes you feel you are right there with them. The emotions are complex and often Tom and Dorry are at cross purposes. But as a well written melody, the song brings a contentment that cannot be forgotten. This book is part of a series but can be read alone. Well done Ms Fenichel!!!

I had a very hard time getting into this book. I am not a fan of wishy washy females. And to top it off the lead male was not a very masculine man. Always trying to placate the female.

"Desperate Bride" by A. S. Fenichel ,,, It took me longer (elapsed time) to read this story than it should have... I got interrupted a few times by other commitments for my time. But I hurried back as quickly as possible.. I had to discover, if and how, Tom and Dory, could or would, overcome their fear of emotional pain. Would they ever trust themselves and each other enough to dare to reach for what they wanted most. A good, fun read.. Very glad I took the opportunity to spend time with Tom, Dory, and their friends and family. I think you will enjoy their company also.

This was a well-written, entertaining historical romance. Dorothea (Dory), a nobleman's beautiful daughter, has turned down many proposals because her greatest passion is playing music. Thomas adores her from afar, knowing that without a title he has no right to ask for her hand in marriage. Dory's father arranges to marry Dory to a lecherous Earl to pay off his gambling debts, and Dory begs Thomas to marry her instead. She thought it would be a marriage of convenience, but slowly they begin to open up and trust each other. Throw in some rumors, scandal, and unspoken feelings and I found myself not wanting to put the book down so I could find out what would happen next! This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is part of a series with related characters. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I found this historical romance by A.S. Fensichel to be well-written with a solid plot. Good!

This novel was a good read. I did not read the other novels in the series but it is not necessary for the story line. You can read the other books if you want to know about the supporting characters in the novel.
Lady Dorothea Flammel, the daughter of an earl, is an accomplished musician. She has a passion for music and desires to perform in front of others, but because she is a woman, it is considered scandalous. When her father arranges for her to marry a despicable man to pay off his debts, she runs to the one man who could help her.
Thomas Wheel has known Dory since she was a girl and over time has fallen deeply in love with her. He wants to help her, but refuses since she wants to live separate lives. She knows love is not for her due to her own parents failures at marriage. Dory has a twisted view on marriage. Tom wants a partner and could not refuse Dory what she asks, but tries to change her mind.
When Tom overhears a conversation, it changes his opinions on his and Dory's marriage. Dory is frustrating at times since she does not see what Tom can give her. She only thinks of her music and does not understand all the consequences of her actions. When Tom is gravely injured, Dory realizes she loves Tom. Tom would make sacrifices and do anything for Dory, for he is a kind and dependable person. Dory decides to sacrifice herself to save Tom's reputation, even though it hurts her deeply. Tom misunderstands why she is doing this. Still, there are those who are not happy about their marriage and plot to destroy it to see to their own desires. Will Tom and Dory be able to work out their problems and issues or will those plotting against them get their desires?