A beautifully written and entertaining love story. I enjoyed watching a romance begin and have to go through a lot of adversaries and issues to find a love what will last. I highly recommend reading!

A bad decision on Captain Byron Balfour's sense of duty, when he becomes the Marquess of Bridgewater, kept my stomach in knots. The man had tunnel vision determined to fulfill his father's wishes. He falls in love with Lady Mirelle Strong, but continually gives her mixed signals. Mirelle is confused. She knows she loves him, but where does he stand? WHAT IS HE THINKING! Mild descriptive sex with hot kisses.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I usually love Alexa Aston's books, but I had trouble with this one. I took a really long time (probably too long) to warm up to Byron, the MMC. Mirella was way too nice and quick to take him back. She deserved better.
I'm really looking forward to Effie's book-from one who loves animals and has way too many strays - Effie's my spirit animal.
It also would be really great if Aunt Matty got her own book!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this novel and this is my freely given opinion...

This is book 6 of the Strongs' series and Mirella will get her chance for love and a happily ever after. Her come out has been delayed because of an injury, causing a broken arm. In the meantime, Mirella has been witness to many examples of endearing and devoted love, since so many of her family have wed and are happily in love and starting their families. She hopes to follow in her footsteps.

In the meantime though, she and her younger sister, with their beloved aunt, are travelling the Lake District, and are staying with dear friends of her aunts for a visit. There, she meets the newly titled Marquess of Bridgewater, who was just recently Captain Byron Balfour, a second son who inherited the title after the sudden passing of his brother. Byron never expected to inherit the title and followed the traditional path of the second son into military life. He is a somber man who had adored his older brother, and holds close to his heart the belief in honoring his family duty. Before his death, his father had expressed a deeply held wish, and the plans to unite his family with that of his best friend in marriage, between his heir and his friends daughter. They were just waiting for her to come of age. Unfortunately the intended bridegroom, Byron's brother, died before fulfilling this plan.

On his return to England, Byron find himself unprepared to take on the reins of the marquessate, since the focus was on the heir, his brother. But he is keen to learn and do his duty. But the more he learns the more he comes to realize that the brother he placed on a pedestal was not the man he thought him to be, and had been neglecting his duties to live the life of a rake about town. But Byron wants to do better, including fulfilling the plan to wed his father's friends daughter, whom he remembers as being a rather spoilt little girl.

During his period of learning, Byron takes time to visit his beloved aunt and uncle, who also at the time were hosting their friend and her nieces. There, he meets Mirella. Initially Byron resents their intrusion into his time with his family, and comes across brusque and imposing, but Mirella breaks through his wall, and they become friendly and affectionate. Byron wishes he could court the lovely Mirella, and she develops strong enough feelings that she wonders if she is falling for the handsome but stern man. But Byron is set on his course, and is determined to do his perceived duty and severs the relationship, breaking Mirella' s heart.

When they meet again in London, Byron and Mirella dance around each other in Society, with Byron continuing to yearn for Mirella as he pays court to his unwanted bride to be, who remains ignorant of their betrothal. Mirella tries to find a man who can replace Byron in her affections with no success. Byron approaches Mirella again and they renew their friendship, but then he breaks her heart again, when he again persists on his plans to fulfill his dead father's wishes. But when he finds that he does not need to take the dutiful path and can instead plan a love match for himself, Byron fears it may be too late to prove his love to Mirella.

A sweet story, but I was frustrated by Byron's persistent, dogmatic desire to do his so-called duty, when there were so many reasons he did not have to, even when others, including his own family and his own lawyers told him he did not have to. I would not have blamed Mirella for not giving him another chance.... but of course, that would not be conducive to the path of true love and an HEA would it?

3.5 stars out of 5


..... and then there was one...

Remaining Strong sister to be launched that is....

Though, please, the lovely auntie deserves her own HEA as well, especially now that we know the story behind her own unwed state.

4,5 stars

I enjoyed this new installment of the series. The well written plot is nice and runs partly parallel and overlaps with the previous book. It has grumpy-sunshine, instalove and a touch of forbidden love tropes, filled with interesting tidbits about the Lake District area, romance, emotions, some twists, a few steamy love scenes and lots of very likable characters. Byron was a bit too honorable for his own good. I liked Mirella's intuition and openness. They really are perfect for each other. I especially loved the loving bond and dynamic between the now extended Strong family and how they accepted Byron into their midst.

As she has not yet been introduced to society and would rather have her own debut next year, Lady Mirella Strong decides not to attend her cousins' house party but instead to go on a trip to the Lake District with her aunt Mattie and her younger sister Effie. There she meets the reserved, gruff Marquess of Bridgewater and is immediately attracted to him.

Captain Byron Balfour always lived in the shadow of his older brother, whom he idolised. When his brother dies unexpectedly, Byron is forced to give up his military career and return to England to take over his new title, Marquess of Bridgewater.
He soon realises that his late brother, unlike him, did not respect honor and duty as their father had instilled in them and Byron now tries to make up for his brother’s mistakes. On a visit to his relatives in the Lake District, he meets Mirella and immediately falls in love with her, but is forced to keep his distance, as honor and duty compel him to fulfil his late father's wish and marry his brother's fiancée in order to unite the two neighboring families, even though he cannot stand the young woman...

Overall, an enjoyable read with endearing characters that I am happy to recommend!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In this historical romance we join the Strong family from Shadowcrest again. In the series so far we have seen five of the siblings and their mother find their happy ever after. Because they are siblings it is better to read the series in order although each book has a separate story.
Our hero is a bit of a stubborn blockhead with his idea of duty.
Luckily our heroine knows exactly what she wants , even if she's a little impulsive. Love and family are the most important things to this family.
I think there are two more books to come in this series. I will definitely be reading them.
Good fun.

Humor, suspense, mischief, bantering and more. Byron and Mirella are really meant to be together. A great read! Am looking forward to reading more from this creative author.

Who will he choose?

I never understood inheriting your brother's fiancée, along with the title. It was, ironically, illegal to wed your brother's wife. That being said, here we go again. Byron's brother, the heir. dies because he's an idiot. Byron, a sea captain, does his duty and comes home and intends to fulfill his duties, including wedding his brother's fiancee. His father also wants this match.

Meanwhile, Mirella (of the Strong family), very young and impressionable falls for Byron during her first season. He lets her down when he tells her he intends to wed his brother's fiancée. I did like that Byron tries his best to do his duty and makes every attempt to be honorable.
Recommend.
4.5

The Marquess’ Quest for Love by Alexa Aston takes us back to the Strong family. The Strongs believe in love and allow marriages only when there is love involved. Lady Mirella Strong has been on a short trip with her Aunt Matty and sister, Effie, while her mother is busy with a house part focusing on her two cousins. Since they are both younger and not yet out in society it seemed appropriate to make themselves scarce. They have come to visit the Bentons, friends of their aunt’s and there Mirella meets (and falls in love with) Byron Balfour, Marquis of Bridgewater. Byron had been happy in the army but when he got word of his brother’s death he had no choice but to return home to take up the title. He also felt duty-bound to enter into an engagement with his brother’s former betrothed, a woman he had not seen since she was a child (and didn’t much like even then). It had been their father’s wish that the families be united and Byron was all about duty. After meeting and kissing Lady Mirella, Byron realized she would be a danger to that end and abruptly left to return home. They met again months later as Mirella began her first season. He had missed her but was firm in his resolve to do his duty.

Mirella was kindness itself. She couldn’t figure out Byron’s odd behavior but interpreted it to mean they would not suit. Byron was a neglected second son upon whose shoulders duty sat heavily. It was a fun plot with no kidnappings, a staple in Regency romances. Things worked out for the two, but not until they had jumped through several hoops. Mirella saw something she misinterpreted which was almost the end of them. It was a fun plot, peopled by interesting characters, may of whom the reader had met before. These characters are written by a master who knows what her goals for them are and pulls no punches. The story was complex and full of twists and turns. Thanks, Alexa Aston, for another terrific story!

I was invited to read The Marquess’ Quest for Loved by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AlexaAston #TheMarquessQuestForLove

I always find it interesting to see how the training we receive in childhood becomes ingrained in one's personality. Byron never expected to inherit the title of Marquess of Bridgewater, nevertheless, lessons drilled into Byron and his brother by their father made their mark on him. Determined to do his duty and carry out his father's wishes, Byron sets aside his own needs and desires to honor the betrothal intended for his brother. Meeting Lady Mirella Strong makes that decision so much harder, especially when his heart becomes involved. Mirella is a delightful character and her joy in living makes it that much harder for Byron to keep his resolve. Fortunately, his intended bride has a mind of her own, thereby allowing Byron to seek his own happiness together with Mirella, at least until his brother's past intrudes on their lives. Although part of a series, this novel is a standalone and ends well. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

The Strong family series continues with Mirella. Sparks fly when she meets Bryon, a second son, who just inherited a title. A truly entertaining story around the sense of duty vs family vs the heart. Excellent characters with both strength, purpose and idiotic ideas that will have the reader knocking their head wondering why Bryon can be so dense. Very entertaining and full of angst just like life is for all of us. Don't miss this one as the Strong family is awesome. Hope Caleb gets a turn next.

4.5 Stars
Captain Byron Balfour never expected to inherit the title Marquis of Bridgewater, let alone the weight of responsibility that comes with it. When his beloved brother Dawson dies in a phaeton race in Hyde Park, however, Byron sells his army commission and returns to England. He visits his aunt & uncle who live in the Lake district & there he meets the enchanting Lady Mirella, a woman who captures his heart and fills him with hope for a future he never thought possible. But his brother had been betrothed, though, to their neighbour’s daughter. Byron’s father had always instilled in his sons the importance of fulfilling their obligations and had wanted to join the Balfour family with that of this neighbour, his closest friend. Byron finds himself torn between duty to his family and his desire for true love. But as Mirella & Byron fall in love, he informs her he cannot pursue her because he will soon announce his betrothal to another woman.
The sixth book in the series & it could be read on its own but the Strongs are just that one strong family. I loved both Byron & Mirella, the chemistry between them sizzled but they also became friends, however he was too honourable for his own good & several times I wanted to shake him. There are a couple of misunderstandings before the couple get their HEA. Another well written romance which I read in two sittings
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

With her mother, her brother and all her sisters but one happily married, this is Mirella Strong’s quest for love…

Mirella & Byron
He’s an overlooked second son instilled with so much sense of duty by his father that, even after his father’s and elder brother’s deaths, he believes himself bound to honour a marriage contract that no longer stands. He’s nearly lost himself because of obligation when she steps into his life.
She’s an insightful young woman with an indestructible sense of family. She’s also very beautiful and a duke’s sister ready to make her come out when his path crosses hers in the Lake District. It’s love at first sight, but he knows he can never court her, and so he runs.
Once the Season starts, avoiding each other becomes nearly impossible and those feelings they both buried a few months back, come clawing their way out, creating an irresistible pull towards the impossible.

With a delicate family secret on his side, a lucky twist of fate, a bountiful social season and her loving family’s unrelenting support this romance meanders at its leisure. It’s not a slow burn, but a slow lovers-to-friends-to-lovers tale. Mirella feels almost too grown-up for her age, too rational - with the exception of a small laps near the end - and Byron is somewhat of a stubborn dunderhead. He’s smart, has a good heart, is considerate and honourable, but he’s so so terribly misguided I wanted to kick him a few times.

While romantic and interesting, this story feels more subdued than the previous books in this series, and is also rather tame on the steam side, almost like it’s missing that signature Alexa Aston sparkle, that little bit of extra magic I’ve come to know and love.
A beautiful book and a nice read, this one isn’t my favourite in the series, but by now I’m so invested in this family’s colourful love life that I can’t help but like the story, and I most certainly hope Caleb will get his happily ever after as well!

Byron is the dutiful second son of a marquess who is called back home from the army when his older brother dies in a carriage race and is now the new marquess. He’s all sorts of disappointed to learn what a terrible person his brother is and vows to do better; including possibly marrying the neighbor girl that his brother was engaged to (even though she’s terrible and he won’t be happy). When visiting his aunt and uncle in the Lake District, he meets Mirella, sister of a duke, who turns his head a bit, but not enough for him to shirk his duties. She’s equally enamoured of him, but doesn’t see him as marriage material since he keeps running hot and cold. They meet again several months later in the London Season, but he’s still determined to marry the neighbor. I enjoyed seeing Byron learn to let go of his staunch feelings of duty and responsibility as he opens himself up to the possibility of love. And he fits right in with the boisterous and loving Strong family.

Beautifully written, a heart warming and passion filled romance. A wonderful journey for Byron and Mirella. Duty vs true love, finding out what truly matters.

This is an entertaining, fun read. Byron and Mirella are interesting, complex, wounded, strong, intriguing, stubborn, entertaining characters. The path to their HEA is not an easy one but is entertaining to read. Byron is such a misguided sweetheart it’s impossible not to want to shake and pull for him at the same time. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. I love being back in this world and getting to hear and/or see the other family members. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read many of Alexa’s stories and they all are emotionally charged. Her stories, including this one, will leave you feeling good and smiling even though there are angsty moments so it is not all nicey-nicey. Okay, now for this story. This has more angst that some and I have to be honest, Byron needed to grovel a little bit more even though he is a super nice guy. I do like the grovel. I love that even though Byron and Mirella have their ups and downs, the strength of their families hold them up and balance them out. The Strongs are amazing.

Alexa, you must write a story for Caleb. I think he deserves a love who will challenge him.

So I absolutely love the Shadowcrest series. Alexa Aston is one of my very favorite authors. I have been hooked on this series since James and Sophie. Alexa Aston is not afraid of a strong heroine and a good man.

This is the sixth book in the series. The series covers James‘s sisters, cousins, and even his stepmother. (For the record, I absolutely adored the fact that the stepmother got a book. Stepmothers gets such a bad rep, but she was one that you liked from the beginning so I don’t think anybody had complaints about her getting a book.)

The third book in the series, with August and Georgie is absolute perfection.

We have been seeing and hearing about Mirella throughout the series but to be honest, I’ve never felt very close to her. She broke her arm and couldn’t have her come out which led to the love matches of her sisters. For those people who haven’t read the previous books, I won’t go into specifics but it was interconnected. But unlike her sisters and even her cousins, she just hasn’t felt a huge part of the series and therefore it was hard to excitedly anticipate her story.

And then there was Byron. He just made me mad. Without spoiling it too much, his feelings of responsibility are just way difficult to get behind. His issue with his parents and his brother were believable but his responses were just a little too over the top. He definitely felt like a character more than an actual person. I never felt like I empathized with him. Throughout the book I was mostly wishing that he would stop behaving so irrationally. Then, when the big conflict finally happened, I felt like Mirella acted out of character, since she had been relatively levelheaded and could communicate well until then.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an excellent book. I definitely enjoyed it and I did purchase it to complete my collection but I don’t see myself rereading it like I’ve done with the previous books in the series.

NOTE: I would love a book about cousin Caleb. Caleb has been a great character who I think deserves his own happily ever after. He also seems to have secrets that will make for a very interesting read. Verity maybe?

When second son Byron inherits his family title he decides he must also honor a marriage promise his brother had. Mirella, visiting his aunt, is immediately attracted to him. Though they try, they cannot deny their mutual attraction. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade publishing for my honest review.

Byron returns from the army to take the new title after his much adored brother has died in a carriage accident.
Finding out his brother had feet of clay, he attempts to pay his debts and reconcile his misdeeds.
He feels obligated to follow through on a family betrothal when he meets marvelous Mirella.
He is torn by his love for her rated against the family honor.
A frustrating love story with a slight twist.
Enjoyed the writing.