Two vastly different books. Anabel was annoying and spineless and Emily was fun and intriguing. It's probably good to sell this as a double header as I wouldn't have given up on Anabel's story if there wasn't a second story waiting inside this same book..

FIRST SEASON/BRIDE TO BE are two historical romances that are together in one book. The only similarity is that they have London at its core as well as the ton and two women there for the season.


Ashford's FIRST SEASON has the Wyndham family, Anabel and her three children along with their cat, her mother and her cousin front and center. The three children were a little mischievous but since they are used to running and being outside at their country home not in the confines of London it was understandable. Anabel was extremely naive given that she had been married and has been a widow for many years and was definitely outside of her comfort zone. Her cousin, Georgina, was hard to like at first given her low self esteem but when she got a hold of herself and started to care about herself, her life and her appearance, she became livelier and more confident. There was a dark side and a playful side to the story based on which of the two main male characters were involved. They could not have been more different, Sir Charles Norbury, who was very hard to like and narcissistic to boot and her neighbor from the country, Christopher Hanford, whom the children loved being with. The story took a lot of twists and turns as scrapes were gotten into by the children and the adults. There were a few frightful moments due to Anabel's naiveté but also her abhorrence to ask for help thinking that for once in her life she had to make her own decisions and act like an adult. Lots of action, family, friends, dinners, parties and balls, animals and love with a happily ever after in the offing. There were a few loose ends with some closure but an epilogue would have been great.

BRIDE TO BE has Emily and her parents who do not fit the norm especially since they were part of the ton growing up. Their daughter Emily has a very unusual upbringing and really doesn't fit in anywhere. When it's agreed that she'll live with her aunt's family in London so she can have a season and hopefully find someone to marry things really pick up. Her interactions with her family and those she meets as well as some "friends" of the family had me chuckling at times while other times cringing. She and Richard have immediate chemistry when they meet and quite a bit in common. The deal they make have each of them rethinking their lives but unfortunately since they don't seem to communicate well neither really knows what the other is thinking. There are lots of twists and turns, good vs. evil, accidents and crimes being committed, family and friends, love, loving and vivid descriptions of homes and the land. There was a happily ever after that was unexpected and nice closure but the story ended too abruptly for me.

Ashford is a new to me author. I look forward to reading more of her historical romance books.

I rated the book 3.5 stars but rounded to 4 stars here and on other sites.

Jane Ashford’s romances are all about finding the love. These two books are excellent examples. Although her h&h find the sizzle as well, it seems almost incidental to their path to finding the way to work together to make a love match that will grow. Pleasing and entertaining novels, both.

I have not been able to get into this novel so I am not going to continue to read as it may be given a low rating.