A sweet, clean, romance. A twist in the story, to make you wonder how it would end. I enjoyed!

"All her life, things she cherished were taken away—fanciful wishes and whimsical wants and eventually, simple needs. Fate had been cruel before, but now it was downright hateful. After all she'd sacrificed, she could expect abject ruin. She swallowed the lingering pain. She'd do it all again—subject herself to the sacrifices and the pain and the shame—as long as her family was safe."

Bottom Line (Up-Top). A really fantastic and emotional read, with two wonderful leading characters (especially the heroine) who are supremely lovable by themselves and are perfect together. It's #3 in a series, but it can stand alone and I would highly recommend skipping the first two books. Wish the last section had been tighter and and more cleanly done, but is a great book nonetheless. Enjoy!

The Cavensham Heiresses Series. This is the third book in the series, but you don't need to read either of the two prior books to enjoy this one—and thank goodness for that. I'm not sure what drove me to take a chance on this book, but I'm going to say it was hope. I received an early copy of Book 1 from NetGalley and the publisher and I absolutely abhorred it; I couldn't get past 1/3 of the book, before I had to DNF it (read my 1-star review). It was just horrible. I then got an early copy of Book 2 and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was definitely better than Book 1 (how could it not be), but it still wasn't great and I wouldn't recommend muddling through it just to get to this one (read my 3-star review).

Now why on earth I requested an early copy of this one, who knows, but I had made a crack in my Book 2 review that maybe the author was going to continue on this path and get better and better, and Book 4 would end up being an all-time favorite of mine. No way of knowing about Book 4 yet, but I was right in my hope/guess that MacGregor's books would continue getting better! Were it not for the very last section of this book, this would have been a 4.5 star-read for me.

Summary / Background. The book summary is pretty accurate, which they aren't always for romances. March (odd first name, anyone else find so?) has been forging Michael's signature to withdraw some money from her dowry—she's stealing, but not really, since the money is by law hers, now that she's of age (25). She is the head of the household, responsible for her two younger sisters and one younger brother, a viscount, and they have absolutely NO money. For years she has tried to access the money put aside for them, but due to irresponsible and negligent guardians and then unresponsive lawyers, they've been living hand to mouth for years. Complicated web, but Michael was recently appointed the trustee of the estate; unfortunately, he joined the ranks of irresponsible / unresponsive guardians. His first face-to-face with March is after discovering her forgeries, so needless to say, they don't exactly start off on the right foot (but it's a great foot, nonetheless ;-).

As Michael discovers the actual situation that March and her siblings are living in, he's troubled and determined to right the wrongs they've been dealt over the years. He and his family want to do all they can to help March's sisters claim their rightful place in society, see that Bennett is finally getting the tutoring and training he should as a peer of the realm, and that March finally have the come out that she never did, because her parents died right before it could happen. The more time they spend together, the closer Michael and March become, and it is clear to them and the close people around them that something is developing between them.

Complications arise, however, in the form of an evil cousin who has been plaguing March and her siblings for years. Rupert is a real nasty piece of work and he, along with the havoc he wreaks, serves as the main foil to our love story.

Thoughts. I really, really loved this book (ugh!!! if only that last part had been done better!!!!). I loved March's strength; she's a total boss lady. I also connected with her and felt for her so much: I never, and I mean NEVER , cry at romances—I can count the number on one hand and I've read probably 400+ romances—and I teared up ... oh, I'll be straight, okay I cried multiple times. March has such a difficult hand dealt to her ever since her parents died when she was just 17 and she had to take over responsibility of the estate and her siblings, including her younger brother who was just a baby at the time. When the hits just keep on coming, my heart broke for her and I felt her devastation and turmoil so vividly; MacGregor really did a fantastic job with her character.

At first I was a bit unsure of Michael; I liked him from the previous books, but I disliked him for being one more person to make March's life more difficult. Turns out he's actually a very good and decent guy. Michael suffers from some form of dyslexia; I say some form, because he's fine with letters and words, it's just numbers he has problems with—he can't do anything involving numbers, whether it's simple (let alone complex) calculations or even figuring out what time he has to leave someplace to get to another place at X time. His younger brother, William, serves as his right-hand man and helps him cover up his difficulties, basically taking over all number-related duties. Michael hates that his brother has to do so much for him, for both of their sakes, and as a marquess and heir to a duchy, he feels completely unworthy and like a complete failure and faker.

Michael is apparently drop-dead gorgeous and I have gotten to the point where I get a little annoyed with the obsession with looks, whether it's of the heroine or the hero. We like to have heroines who aren't perfect physically, so isn't it only fair that it be the same with our heroes. I'm not saying they have to be ugly, but this head-over-heels-because-he's-so-gorgeous-OMG gets on my nerves. Anyway, although this does happen and March is continually impressed by Michael's looks, it doesn't stop her from standing up to him, getting angry with him, etc., thankfully.

For his part, Michael is intrigued by March from the very beginning. He's attracted to her, but he's most interested by the way she treats him, which is very different than all the society ladies he usually interacts with, and by her strength and the sacrifice she continually makes for her siblings. She's extremely loyal and hardworking and he (rightfully) greatly admires that about her.

I loved March's siblings, and Bennett, her younger brother, is super cute (the letters he writes to Michael are HYSTERICAL!!!! Literally laugh-out-loud funny). Also loved William, Michael's brother, and how protective he is of his older brother. He's understandably wary of March and his brother's developing feelings for her, especially since he doesn't want Michael to end up trusting the wrong person, divulging his secret, and then finding himself embarrassed; he knows how distressed Michael is by his problem.

Unfortunately, in the last 20% or so, the MacGregor from previous books returns—in the last plot twist, it is completely unclear what March and Michael feel and think; they bounce back and forth and I couldn't get a handle on whether X believed Y or didn't, whether Y was mad at X or wasn't, etc. Just super simple things, that were completely, completely unclear, because they're written both/multiple ways. It's like MacGregor wrote multiple versions, and then a hybrid copy-and-paste one was created of all the different copies, making it a confusing mess. Also, and this was INSANE, there is NO GROVELING. Which on the one hand, I'm not sure how much was necessary, because again, I was not even clear on who thought or felt what, but regardless, some amount of groveling was DEFINITELY called for and that none occurred ... the asshole made me cry!! That's how much my heart broke for March, I cried, and yet the requisite having-it-out and groveling never occurred. It was honestly a travesty.

More Details About My Problems With the Book. (view spoiler)

*This review is of an ARC provided by Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

March and Michael were very enchanting together. I loved the story line, and the chemistry between them.

The luck of the bride is the third in Janna MacGregor’s The Cavensham’s Heiress’ series. I have not read any books in this series but it’s not necessary to read them in order. Each stand well on its own.
March Lawson has been forced to care for her siblings in any way she could. Unable to contact their guardian to release the funds needed to run her family’s estate and ensure they won’t starve she is driven to desperate measures. Her only option could land her in jail. Forging her absent guardian’s signature to release funds from her dowry.
Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin, is dismayed to discover an embezzler is using his name. Setting out to see his new wards for himself and discover the embezzler, he is shocked at the conditions the Lawson family are living in.
The two main characters can’t help but be drawn to each other but the path to true love is never easy. Both have secrets they are desperate to keep. with outside forces interfering in their lives for their own nefarious wants, these two strong individuals have many obstacles to overcome.
While I enjoyed the first half of the book I feel there was too many obstacles placed in the couples’ way. Even when they eventually reconciled there was still more hardship for them.
If you are looking for a complicated and angst-ridden story, then this may be for you.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This latest edition to MacGregor's Cavensham Heiresses series is my favorite so far. The challenges faced by March and Michael and the way the struggle to overcome them on their own but find solutions with the other's help was a great dynamic to see woven through the plot. There was a few points where March and Michael's responses to events seemed a little over the top or poorly thought out given their reactions to other events in the novel. Overall, the characters were lovable and the pacing of the novel was steady and never got bogged down. Definitely going on my re-read shelf!

A romance froth with sadness, downright selfishness, and greed, Michael and March waltzes into an unseemly attraction with Cupid's hand guiding them, but trust issues on Michael part caused a deep ravine to open up between them blinding him to the truth. A pickle is what they were in, and he had to find a way to rectify things or lose it all. I’m saddened by the hard times March and her siblings had to go through all due to man’s ineptness and refusal to accept women as capable beings in that period of time, but no matter she was a strong woman. March always put her loved ones first no matter what, family matters, except when they are out to destroy you. A seemingly tender romance that morphs into an intriguing and interesting read with a bit of bite in it, the storyline is a classic and the characters brought it all to life, a lovely read.

I was absolutely enchanted by this book. It was my first by the author so I was not sure what to expect but I loved March and Michael and was swept away by their story. The secondary characters were all wonderful as well. This books works as a stand alone but I have already added the first books in this series to my TBR as I liked the glimpses in this book that we had of the couples featured in them.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review and am so glad I did as I discovered a new author that I really like.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've read dozens of historicals in the last few months, but this one was a particular standout for me. The characters were compelling--in particular, the heroine is a new favorite for me. Looking forward to interviewing the author!

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

March Lawson is desperate. Because of some stupid mistake, she has not received her inheritance when she turned twenty-five. Her parents died when she was only sixteen and she was left to care for an estate, two younger sisters, and the heir to it all, her one-year-old brother. Practically destitute, she begins the unthinkable when no man will help her, she begins to embezzle her own money by forging the trustees signature, the Marquess of McCalpin.

Micheal Cavesham, the Marquess of McCalpin, became the trustee of the Lawson estate in some strange way that I still don’t fully understand. Several men died and somehow McCaplin became the trustee without really knowing it. Once he learns of the embezzlement, he sets out to find out what March Lawson is all about.

Once the pair meet in the flesh, the attraction is instant. Several things stand in the way, including a secret Michael has closely guarded his entire life. Somehow, MacGregor makes it all work.

MacGregor follows through and brings the spark she created in the first two books then makes it explode on the page for March and Michael. March is a proud and dynamic character who works through so many obstacles but never once does she give up on herself or her family. Micheal somehow learns to love and to trust someone who he should stay away from if all her faults were listed on paper. Knowing March in body and soul brings the character a peace he has never known.

I don’t know what is next for Jenna MacGregor, but if it is anything like this series, I can’t wait to find out!

Skipping over the graphic sex I really enjoyed the story in 'The Luck of the Bride'. March, at the young age of 17 is left to care for her sisters and baby brother. Through much hardship she finally finds joy in her relationship with troubled Michael, heir to the Duke of Latham. Through lies and villainy all that joy crumbles, making both March and Michael completely doubt themselves. There is a touching and satisfying ending, a true story of love and family. Without the graphic and unnecessary sex it would have my highest recommendation.

The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor
When their parents die of influenza, seventeen-year-old March Lawson becomes head of a family that includes her two sisters, Faith and Julia, and her one-year-old brother, Bennett, the new Viscount Lawson. After a disastrous winter storm damages the estate and their tenant’s farms, March, desperate for funds, must take action. When a series of increasingly urgent requests to her trustee is ignored, March decides she must embezzle money from her own trust fund. She forges the signature of her trustee, the Marquis of McCalpin. Michael Cavensham, the marquis, has a secret, known only by his brother, Will. He can’t conquer mathematics. Even simple computations are challenging. So he relies on the help and advice of his brother, and their solicitors. When a new accountant is retained, March’s embezzlement is discovered, and Michael must take action. Adding to the complications is the Lawson’s hateful cousin, Rupert, who wants to marry March’s beautiful sister, Julia, in order to get his hands on the family’s large trusts funds. March decides to take the Lawson children, Bennett, Faith, and Julia, to London to give Julia a season and evade Cousin Rupert. Each of the family members becomes a fully drawn character, as are Will and Michael Cavensham. The story is told with humor, and the question of whether March and Michael’s romance can weather a further embezzlement is realistically portrayed. Although this is book 2 of the “Cavensham Heiresses” series, The Luck of the Bride can be read as a stand-alone novel as previous characters are totally peripheral to the story. I look forward to the next Cavensham adventure!

This is the 3rd book in the Cavensham Heiresses series from Janna MacGregor and they just keep getting better and better. Every now and then a book makes me have that pang in my chest because my heart is breaking for someone in the story. I loved March Lawson and her strength through all of her hard times and I had some of those chest pangs/heart breaking moments during her story. That is definitely a sign of a great book! I hope more books are coming in this series.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Luck of the Bride is the third title in the series but can easily be read as a stand-alone. At a time when most young ladies are preparing for their Season, March Lawson unexpectedly finds herself responsible for her three younger siblings following the sudden death of her parents. Eight years later, March is struggling to support her family and keep her younger brother's estate afloat despite having a dowry after the death of their inattentive guardian. At her wits end when the new guardian, the Marquess of McCalpin, fails to answer her requests for money, she begins forging his signature on requests for funds from her dowry. When McCalpin realizes someone has been forging his signature on March's requests, he travels to the estate to determine what is going on. When he arrives and realizes the dire situation the family is in, he decides that they will stay with his parents in London so March and her two sisters can have a Season. March reluctantly agrees and the family moves to London. March is a very loyal to her family and determined to do whatever it takes to ensure her siblings success. McCalpin has a secret that he is desperate to keep from everyone and it influences his responses to several events in the story. I liked that March ad McCalpin truly complement each other and make the other one stronger. After not enjoying the second title in the series as much as the first, I was very happy to see that this book was just as enjoyable as the first.

Fun, angst free, enjoyable regency escape, that takes you away for an afternoon of steamy, witty romance. Recommend!

This book was painful. The beginning and middle flowed really easily as a story, without a lot of strife and then the last bit is a total punch in the face. I was not prepared for it. The H was such a buttface. I just didn't see the reconciliation as believable but everything else was really interesting.

I'm not to sure about this one. I really liked the supporting characters - March's siblings and Michael's sisters and parents were fantastic - but I wasn't too keen on March and Michael. I just felt that March fell for Michael too quickly. There was this one scene near the beginning where Michael kissed March to distract her from an injury which made me slightly uncomfortable and made me dislike Michael.

The book overall was on the sedate side of historical romance. There's not a great amount of action adventure -it's the type with over the top pantomime villains - but it's an entertaining read nonetheless.

This is actually a 4.5 / 5 stars

At only seventeen March’s parents died leaving her in charge of three children and a property she must look after until her baby brother becomes of age. The young Lawsons were scared; most of the people they knew and relied on were either dead or gone. They are alone, but March will be strong for the sake of her siblings.

After eight years of negligence, March now twenty five years of age is in a desperate situation. The manor is almost in ruins, they have almost nothing to eat, all of her servants and workers abandoned them because she could no longer pay their salaries… and all because the man who was appointed their guardian is ignoring her pleas to release her funds. She has to talk to her trustees through lawyers and bookkeepers… but her letters are never answered. Until one day she starts impersonating her main trustee, one Michael Cavensham, Marquess of McCalpin, borrowing sums from her own trust every time she fails to make ends meet. Until one day she gets caught.

Michael decides to see for himself, he couldn’t believe March when she claimed that they were poorer than rats and all because hers and he siblings’ allowances were insufficient. She’s the daughter of a late viscount and sister to the heir. But when he visits her in her family estate and sees for himself that she’s working with her own hands, shepherding and all he decides that he’s going to help her, taking her to his family, sponsoring the sisters’ Season and providing an education for the young viscount. He never knew that the woman who stole for her family’s sake would steal for herself… and the thing she would steal was his heart. Nothing more, nothing less.

I was contacted by St Martin’s Press offering me the opportunity to read this book by Janna MacGregor. Of course I read the synopsis and said yes! And I don’t regret it. On the contrary I am so happy they offered it to me. This is a book that I couldn’t stop reading from cover to cover (in a manner of speaking, as it is an eARC), and all because I had fallen in love with March, the heroine

March is such a good person, so strong, determined, levelheaded… she never gives up. Not on her family, not on her friends, not on her love, even though at some point Michael disappoints her (and me), after he makes her believe that she’s worthy of love and admiration. March is such a hardworking woman and so selfless that she only thinks of everyone else’s welfare, especially her two sisters and her lovely rascal of a brother. She never, not once, prioritizes her own needs above her children. She is a mother and a father to them; she gives everything she has and some more to them and for them, including herself. So when Michael is so reluctant to trust her, because that’s the biggest problem between them… it feels so unfair that I kind of wanted to punch him in the face. These two along with March’s hardships throughout the book broke my heart several times. I even shed a tear at some point and I’m not ashamed of it.

And Michael, he’s so arrogant sometimes, so cold at the beginning… and so scared and insecure because he has one handicap, just a little handicap, but he lets that insecurity rule his life. The problem is that his brother is overprotective of him, so he lets William cover for him; or rather Michael hides behind his little brother. And trust me, he’s making a world out of a little problem. And that will be one of the key points in the scandal that will take place in the Cavensham household. I loved Michael, but sometimes I think he needed to grow up a little, and trust that his heart’s choice can’t be wrong, because that’s March.

I loved the secondary characters. Faith and Julia reminded me a bit of the youngest March sisters from Little Women. Bennett, the 9 year old viscount is adorable and brave despite his young age, he’s willing to defend March and look after her; he’s like a little knight in shining armor. Michael’s parents are so supportive of the Lawsons’ siblings, also Michael’s sister and brother… although in the end William seemed a bit of a hypocrite, I can’t explain why because spoilers, but nevertheless you can’t help but like him anyway. Uncle Hart is very special too…

There are many other things that I loved in this book and I’m afraid to give them away but, the conversations… on art, on theorems, on sheep, on love. This book is very very special. And lastly, I have to mention the note March leaves in one of Michaels books… I can’t tell you anything about it but know this, Jane Austen would be proud.

Plot and characters were fun to follow and draw the reader in. Just the right amount of details and suspense to keep the reader turning the page until the very end.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher.
It has been awhile since I have read a historical romance, I must say it is a bit different from the ones that I have read in the past. Big sister March is thrown into the position of caring for her siblings when both of her parents pass away. As the head of her family and doing all she could do to protect them, even if that means "stealing" from her own trust. The story begins to unfold when she is caught. Her love interest, Michael and manager of the trust have some self confidence issues that must be overcome before they can truly be together.

This book has a very interesting premise and characters that are very unique for the time period. I really liked the plot line and how the characters changed and grew.
March Lawson has been in charge of her family from a very young age. Hey parents' tragic death left her, her two sisters, and younger brother all alone with a guardian who was beyond negligent. They received a pittance for upkeep for the estate, and March's letters asking for more were left unanswered. The appointment of a new guardian gave her hope until he passed them off to his "people"--who promptly ignored them. It became so dire that when there was no food left, March forged the guardian's signature and seal to get some money. This becomes the looming issue upon which the story turns.
The Marquess of McCalpin is the heir to the Duke of Langham and he's been training all his life. Unfortunately he's very bad at math and hides it from his father, using his younger brother to cover for him. He heard about March's embezzlement in front of his father, and it becomes mixed in his shame about his inability to do the books for the estates. Henceforth, every time he deals with March and her family, he's tied to feelings of shame. This unfortunately colors all of his interactions toward her. I found that frustrating and unimportant to their relationship, and I wished he'd drop it. Otherwise I liked him.
There were a lot of issues in this book. There was Hart's homosexual relationship (he was a friend of their parents who'd stepped in to help take care of them). Femininism and women's rights were woven into the plotline when March was offered a job at the bank for women because of her skill with numbers. I found all of them interesting but they overwhelmed the romance. The writing is great; I just wished there had been fewer distractions.
An interesting read that's filled with colorful characters. If you like historicals with a lot of history inside, read this! Thanks
#TheLuckOfTheBride #NetGalley