A lovely romance that was rather a breath of fresh air in the historical romance genre. I love it when authors branch out to touch upon other communities that existed at the same time that our favorite hero's and heroines did! The storyline followed some rather predictable tropes, but both the characters were beautifully drawn out and I loved spending time with them.

My one complaint is admittedly rather nitpicky, but I can't not mention only the positive. I don't know much about the author, but she does a thing that I associate with new authors: the conversations she depicts between characters are stunted, they don't flow. Nearly every time a character says something, she (the author) needs to provide insight, background, action, or a thought of some kind that, as an avid reader, makes reading the story jerky. It's just something that irks me. Not so much that I won't remember this author and check her out again, but enough that I mention it in hopes the dialogue will flow smoother!

In my experience, historical romance has never been as diverse as Vanessa Riley's The Bittersweet Bride. Theodosia Cecil is a widowed, former flower girl, now the owner of a successful flower farm. Because of her late husband, Matthew Cecil, Theo is left with a home and money to care for herself and her son for eternity. Still, she faces resentment and unfair treatment because of her background and skin color. This is especially so when it comes to Ewan Fitzwilliam.

Ewan and Theo fell in love, but his family were completely against the relationship. Off Ewan goes to war and a mix up sends false notification of his death. Theo was the only one who didn't know he actually survived, but she's still left with a baby on the way and no place to call home. Fast forward six years, Ewan and Theo are reunited and Theo is looking for another husband to stand as protection for her son.

The set up of the story is spectacular with bold characters and colorful landscape. The one thing that holds me back from absolutely loving this story is the slow build up and repetitious dialogue that never really evolves from Theo and Ewan talking about their past. It is a point of contention between them, but it's never taken further or explored in deeper context. On the other hand, Theo's friends offer enlightening conversation that paints a wide view of the society Theo lives in and her character.

Out of tragedy comes hope for a better future for Theo and her son. She is one fierce heroine who knows what she deserves and you'll be rooting for her all the way. Vanessa Riley offers readers a romance that will appeal to fans of Alyssa Cole and Beverly Jenkins!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Widow Theodosia Cecil needs a husband to help protect her son. The former flower seller turned estate owner posts an ad in the newspaper, and no one is more surprised than she when her first love, the man she thought dead, reappears. Ewan Fitzwilliam has been at war for six years. Now, the second son of a powerful earl is back but his beloved Theo needs a husband and will not consider him.
Not your usual Regency romance by any means & it was certainly bittersweet. The story was very well written & the characters were very well fleshed. The pace of the story was also very good. I particularly liked Theo & all she had achieved. I didn’t warm to Ewan for the majority of the book but he came through in the end. The road to their HEA wasn’t smooth but was a captivating read. This is the first book I’ve read by the author but won’t be the last

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

DNF @ 35%. I loved the idea of this one, and I was disappointed I didn't love it as much as I had hoped.

My biggest issue with this book was that the male lead could not be redeemed, IMO. Ewan constantly puts Theo down. Calling her a gold digger and schemer simply because she married when she got word Ewan was presumed dead. Then, it seemed he just wanted to hurt her and do the most damage, deciding he was her judge and juror. It didn't make any sense why he would attack Theo in this manner. The toxicity of him as a character turned me off entirely.

Theo herself, however, was marvelous. Determined to succeed and stand up for herself, she wants to get remarried and puts an advertisement in the paper. There are secrets and worries and just trying to be herself...I admired her to pieces.

On the other side, my love for her only made me even more aware of how Ewan doesn't deserve her.

Honestly, Theo was the only reason I read as long as I did. While this was a miss for me, I did enjoy the author's writing style, the unique plot, and the amazing heroines. I definitely will look for more from this author.

This is a really well written historical romance. It turned out to be not my tropes, but I know it will work really well for other people. It was too melodramatic for me and I’m not a secret baby person, but for people who are, this is a great addition to the genre.

I snagged this one simply because it was mentioned by a favorite author on twitter, once I got it approved I jumped in. I had just finished reading a historical romance by Beverly Jenkins and was looking forward to another and this was perfectly right up my alley.



Going in I never read the synopsis especially if a fave recommends it. I found that I needed to put this book down and give myself complete time and attention in getting this book established on my reading schedule. I normally read ebooks during the day at work and during travel and save my physical books for being at home, there was so much going on that I needed to wait until I finished everything else and could devote time to it.



The beginning of this novel is a bit of an information dumb as it needs to establish the story and the time period for you, once it's established this novel actually flew by. It's full of angst, people being prideful and stubborn and everything that makes a regency romance the fun read that it is. I loved that this romance was a second chance romance, I guessed what her secret was pretty early on and knew what her motivation was, Ewan?? That boy worked my last nerve, he couldn't see past his pain and never once considered how things could have gone for her once he wasn't around.



Ewan is a good guy who is a bit selfish, he hasn't quite grown up yet despite having been apart of the military and having a close to death experience. Like most men of that time period he had a major double standard and I wasn't really ok with the way he talked to the woman he claimed to love. More than once his brother had to challenge his views before he would begin to wonder if the rumors were just that vicious rumors especially when you considered the sources. I loved that the author showed the complicity and viciousness of some of the women in this era even as they wanted to be protected they threw other women under the bus, even when they could have aided them.



Theo carried a lot of guilt because she wanted to be a respectable woman but she's black and her pedigree didn't allow her the same kind of respect,she clung to the past as a way to make sure she never repeated those mistakes again. While I understand that even her friends could tell that she wasn't as happy as she claimed to be.



I loved that this was a complex story line that dealt with forgiveness and learning to stand on one's own. This demanded that the characters challenge their perspectives of their peers and themselves, while learning to navigate the world as the other did. Theo's experience made it hard for her to trust especially in such an openly hostile environment where they were happy to eat her food but still looked down on her because she was black. She also wasn't alone anymore her actions could hurt her husband's heir and this made her extremely cautious, she feared failing him and disappointing the man who loved her enough to take on society's scorn.



I loved the way in which Theo challenged Ewan, he wanted everything to go back to the way it was and was willing to 'forgive' her for moving on when he most certainly didn't wait for her either. I found myself googling about places and the names people were called especially after the theatre manager made his comment,and like a really good book not only did I enjoy the story but I also learned something.



While I did enjoy this one, I felt it took too long to get to them reconciling, most of the obstacles where self created and each time one got taken care of another was placed in the way. I also felt as if at times we didn't get much on the characters' friends and family, they were simply tossed in the scene without much background given. There was a whole lot going on and every once in a while I felt a little lost on who was who and what was happening.

Overall once the story got started it moved pretty quickly, with secrets being revealed and everyone being left to find out they were supposed to be after it's reveal. I loved the friends and Ewan's brother Jasper and can't wait to find out if one of the friends ends up as his partner. Very interesting read, I learned a bit more about the Regency era and Blackmoors. I can't wait to see what happens to the other girls. It will be interesting to see if we get glimpses of Theo and Ewan and even any future children and how that is affected by the world they live in.

I was very pleased to be able to get a copy of this book. I knew that after reading the first sentence that I would become immersed in a world that wouldn't let me go. I held on for life as I dove in head first into this world of love and passion. Theodosia Cecil is a strong yet vulnerable woman who shows feminity and passion. I became to see myself through her eyes. What would I do if the man I loved came back from the dead? In reality, he was always alive in her heart. I rooted for them and I cried with them. I will be reading more books by this offer. I love historical romance or romance that moves me.

<em>The Bittersweet Bride</em> is a fitting title for the romance that unfolds in this novel. It is full of conflict to get to that HEA. Maybe a little too much conflict. There's the heroine Theo vs. the hero Ewan's family over ownership of her home Tradenwood. And Theo trying to do what's right for her son. And the unwanted advances of the villain Lester. And Ewan and Theo not trusting each other after a failed romance six years prior. The actual newspaper ad part of Advertisements for Love gets somewhat lost in all of this. There's also the class, social, economic, racial, and gender politics of the day to contend with. It feels a bit overwhelming.

I loved learning about Blackamoors in England; this was my first encounter with even the term itself. It'll be great to explore than more with future books in the series. I'm especially curious about Theo's friend Frederica (and possibly Ewan's brother). Though Ester will probably surprise us. It's always the quiet types...

But, the strength and heart of the novel is Theo, who, as previously stated, faces an uncommon amount of odds - her race, her low birth, and the secret she must keep to protect her son. But, her strong will and determination shine brightly. Theodoshia Cecil is actually too much woman for Ewan Fitzwilliam. That man was lucky to win her heart again, tbh.

And look at that beautiful updated cover! This is what Vanessa Riley deserved in the first place...

The Bittersweet Bride (Advertisements for Love, #1)
by Vanessa Riley
Anna Swedenmom's review Jan 08, 2018 · edit
really liked it

A second chance romance. While I enjoyed the journey with the heroine and all of the ups and downs, I would of preferred the hero not be so mean. While that did change it detracted overall from a wonderful story. The life journey was interesting, the charm, the ups the downs, the romance, the growth. Each step was like being there and watching a woman mature in heart and life. I sincerely enjoyed each step with her. I can say my heart was indeed touched. I will look for this author again as this book kept my emotions engaged. I was given this book in return for an honest review via netgalley. Regards, Anna

I deeply disliked the hero of this book. He was manipulative, controlling, and a bit of a stalker at times. I didn’t feel he deserved the heroine by the end of the book. I liked the heroine and loved her friends. I liked the hero’s brother. But at the end of the day, I didn’t believe these two would end up happy.

I have never read this Author, one, she got on my nerves, two, the grammar is incorrect for that time period. Three, the father was a Duke the first few Chapters, then he became an Earl. Fourth, a son of a Duke would not have married a Mulatto, the writer's words, not mine. This is all too far fetched for me.
carolintallahassee

I’m on the fence about this romance. While i like the concept of reading something different i just couldnt get excited.

This was a tear jerker, lots of angst and heartbreak! This is a second chance at love story. Full of twist and turns have you turning the pages, deceit, vengfullness and betrayal make this an amazing story. Keep your tissues at hand they will be needed before Ewan and Theo get their rightful happily ever after.
I received a complimentary copy by the publisher through NetGaley for my honest unbiased opinion.

The Bittersweet Bride, written by Vanessa Riley, is book 1 of the Advertisements for Love series.
I've read other books by Riley and I'm sure this is my favorite by far!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it easy to follow and most engaging! My favorite characters were Ewan and Theodosia. Ewan was from a wealthy family with a lot of money and too much pride. Theodosia was a woman who learned the hard way through everything in life starting with being born to a woman of lower standards and then falling in love with a man whose family thought they were better than others. In the midst of it, she found shelter for a time from a caring friend who defended her...until he passed away and then she was on her own against the world and with a son to protect.
I love the way Riley shows passion and romance in a controversial time and place while showing it in a classy clean read. Throughout The Bittersweet Bride, I saw many times how these characters kept looking back at all the mistakes made instead of finding forgiveness and hope in difficult situations...learning the hard way.
Strongly recommend reading this book. I received this book from Negalley. All thoughts and comments are my own.

This captivating novel of historical fiction provided well developed characters attempting to navigate difficult situations where desperate pursuit of their dreams threaten the integrity they hold as dear!

An engaging and entertaining story about second chances and lovers that overcome their resentment and reunite. I liked the writing style, the characters and their shared past. The way Ewan and Theo worked through their sorrow, bitterness, grief and regrets was well done, without easy solutions. As they realize they can’t go backwards, they talk, cope, accept changes and learn to trust each other.
Some details make this more interesting than the standard historical novel: Theo, the heroine (for starters, she’s a strong woman, but there are other aspects that make her an appealing character), Ewan’s profession, the strong bonds between Ewan and his brother, Jasper. I also liked the way the author approached the war between families and all that hate and greed.
Ewan, with his “bluer-than-blue” eyes, is a gorgeous hero, a former soldier and a playwright.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book one in a new series by Vanessa Riley. This was just okay read for me. The main guy was just annoying for about 80% of the time. I just wasn’t over the moon about it.

It's a good story.
Lots of angst, secrets and misunderstanding.
A second chance romance.