Nobody's Lady

Ten years ago Captain Michael Redmond met Lilly Bridges & they fell in love on first sight, they spent a whirlwind season before Michael was called away to his father, The Duke of Cortland’s estate. When he didn’t return after a few weeks Lilly’s dying father persuaded her to marry Baron Beauchamp her elder sister Rose’s widower.
Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland, needs to be in London most expeditiously but a band of highway robbers have thwarted his plans. Purse-pinched, coachless, and mired in mud, he stumbles on Lilly Beauchamp travelling to London with her debutante step daughter. A widowed stepmother now, Lilly aids Michael in reaching London. Michael is now engaged to be married, to Lady Natalie Ravensdale.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & I was blown away by it. A lovely story of misunderstandings & second chances. The characters really spoke to me & I was enthralled. I’m not a lover of stories with flashbacks but in this story it worked, I think because they were usually a separate chapter & clearly shown as being from a decade ago.
It was definitely a case of what if..
I certainly wanted Michael & Lilly to have their HEA but I also really liked Natalie & didn’t want to see her hurt & for her to find love also. Definitely a keeper & I’ll certainly be reading more from this brilliant new author

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Publisher's Description:

Dukes don’t need help, or do they?

Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland, needs to be in London—most expeditiously—but a band of highway robbers have thwarted his plans. Purse-pinched, coachless, and mired in mud, he stumbles on Lilly Beauchamp, the woman who betrayed him years ago.

Ladies can’t be heroes, or can they?

Michael was her first love, her first lover, but he abandoned her when she needed him most. She’d trusted him, and then he failed to meet with her father as promised. A widowed stepmother now, Lilly loves her country and will do her part for the Good of England—even if that means aiding this hobbled and pathetic duke.

They lost their chance at love, or did they?

A betrothal, a scandal, and a kidnapping stand between them now. Can honor emerge from the ashes of their love?

My Thoughts:

Supposed betrayal and a manipulating father are behind this second chance romance. The young Lily in this reader's opinion, although in love with Michael was far from ready to marry anyone. But her father manipulated things so she ended up marrying a cruel man of his choosing.
Now seven years have passed and her husband is dead. Who would think that she would run into Michael in an inn where he is trying unsuccessfully to convince the inn keeper that he is in fact a duke despite his disreputable appearance. Thank Lily for small favors since she knows he speaks the truth.
In spite of his recent betrothal to a young heiress he feels the same pull towards Lily as before.
Will this second chance at love and we'll for this pair?

I gave this book 4.5 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 3 of 5 flames.
This book is filled with love, mystery, a kidnapping and an intriguing plot.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Michael, the Duke of Cortland, is set upon by highwaymen while on his way to London. He and his coachman and outriders set out, barefoot, for the nearest inn but that takes most of the day. When they finally arrive at an inn, they are soaked from the rain and covered in mud. Of course the innkeeper doesn’t believe Michael’s a duke, but a voice from Michael’s past pipes up and vouches for him. The voice belongs to Lilly Bridge, the woman he fell in love with and the woman who left him to marry another man. He tells himself he’s over her but he’s not sure that’s true. He’s engaged to another woman, however, and despite what his deep-down feelings for Lilly are, he can do nothing about them.

Lilly hasn’t had a great life since leaving Michael at the house party. She felt betrayed by him and felt that he didn’t truly love her – he just abandoned her after they had made love! Lilly had spent years married to Baron Beauchamp – her dead sister’s widower - and he’d made her life miserable. Now he’s dead and Lilly is trying to secure a good match for her niece/step-daughter, Glenda. They are on their way to London for the Season when they run into Michael. Lilly never got over the man but when she finds out he’s engaged she determines that she’ll stay as far away from him as she can. Things don’t always work as planned.

Lilly and Michel, despite the extended separation, never stopped being in love. Now Michael is trying to do the honorable thing by keeping his promise to marry Lady Natalie but he wants no one but Lilly. Lilly just wants to be free from the pain of her life and figures once she marries Glenda off she’ll get a small cottage and live in peace, on her own terms. Of course life has its ups and downs and, as Lilly knows, life doesn’t always work out the way you plan it.

This was a sweet story that I enjoyed reading. I loved reading about Michael and Lilly when they were younger. For about half of the book it has alternating chapters in the present and the past. This did get a little old but once the whole past story was out the book stayed firmly in the present.

Both Lilly and Michael felt betrayed by the other but neither had the full story about what happened. Michael had a very good reason for not contacting Lilly but I also understood Lilly capitulating to her father as he insisted that she be well taken care of. He was dying and wanted her secure – too bad he didn’t know what a bastard Baron Beauchamp would be to his daughter.

While I loved reading this story and about how much Michael and Lilly loved each other, there were times when their declarations of love got a little too cheesy for my liking. It was heart-warming, but I found myself laughing as well when it got to be a bit too much. When the “villain” in the book does something near the end of the story it was a little over the top and contrived. The villain had been mostly silent during the book so for him to make the move he did made me roll my eyes a little.

Overall it was a nice historical romance.

Rating: 3.5/3.75 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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I am so thrilled that I now have a new author to follow but am amazed to not have discovered Annabelle Anders sooner. ‘Nobody’s Lady’ with its gorgeous cover, was beautifully written. Here were two characters Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland and Lilly Beauchamp, who were nearly betrothed nine years earlier, only for Lilly to have been forced to marry her sister’s husband and care for her niece. A chance meeting puts them together again, only for both to realise that their feelings for each other have not diminished with time.
This is a book that will have you spellbound from the beginning to the very end. You will want to read on at a frantic pace, just to see what happens. However, slow down and savour the magic that Anders weaves. Her secondary characters are also integral to the plot, that you can’t help but hope that they will reappear in future novels. This book definitely deserves more than one reading!
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

WOW !!!! loved it .... what a beautiful , heartwarming Regency Romance ... Nobody’s Lady by Annabelle Anders is book 1 in Lord Love A Lady series. This is my first book of Annabelle’s that I have read & i m glad i picked it up ...she has presented her story so beautifully , it has all the ingredients Romance, sex, action , an illegal marriage, politics, rescue, broken promises, highway robbers, kidnapping, well coordination... even the secondary characters placed well &in synch with the story...

It was heart breaking wen It was inevitable that due to circumstances Micheal & Lilly wouldn't ve a relationship... I adored the couple & fell in love with Micheal ....both the characters so strong , brave , humble ,modest , sensible, honourable my heart broke for dem ... just couldnt put the book down as wanted to know the end of the story & was so happy at the conclusion to this story... Annabelle has written , scr[pted a Superb book ....

Nobody's Lady is a second chance romance very well written ..The pace is easy , It flows beautifully, the story is touching and emotional, the characters gel perfectly. Annabelle has intertwined the past and present efficiently ...The intensity of love in this book takes your breathe away ... I highly Recommend this book & i am hopeful it will be a best seller... Annabelle comes out as a very talented author ...I definitely have become her fan...

A second chance romance that will have you wondering if everything can work out in the end…psss, it can, it is a romance. I felt so bad for both Lilly and Michael. They struggled quite a bit through the story and there were a lot of misunderstandings that did not help. I like how their struggles were portrayed in a realistic manner. They tried to do the right thing and there was no “going behind the back” shenanigans. A lovely, lovely story.

So Natalie is up next, looking forward to her and the new Hawthorn heir’s story. Also, I think Danbury needs a story, someone very feisty and outspoken.

This was my first book by Annabelle Anders, but it definitely will not be my last! I normally don't care for stories that go back and forth between the past and the present, but it really works here. It was crucial to show how Lilly and Michael were torn apart in the past, so we could see how tragic it was when it appeared to be happening again. I loved how they were reacquainted after nine years, when Michael 's coach was robbed and he walked miles in the mud to reach an inn. And there was Lilly....

Usually when there's an "other woman" keeping our hero and heroine apart, you absolutely hate them. But you couldn't here, because Michael's fiance Natalie was a lovely woman, and she also deserved happiness. How was everyone supposed to get their deserved happy endings?! The yearning Michael and Lilly felt for each other had me in tears. Heartbreak, laughter, tears and love....This book had all the makings of a truly satisfying romance. I can't wait for Natalie's story to be released!

everyone should read this book. i am on a historical kick. A title like, Nobody's Lady, was so much more...Love it

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Loved the book. After almost a decade apart Michael and Lilly meet again and the love they once shared comes flooding back to each of them. Unfortunately, Michael in to be married to Lady Natalie. As hard as they try they can not stay away from each other and events happen that gives them a HEA. The book has a roadside robbery, stolen kisses, a kidnapping and a death. The book is a great read, a wonderful story and I highly recommend it.

Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland, is on his way to London when he is robbed. All his important papers are gone as well as his coach and horses. He has to walk miles to the nearest town to stay at an inn for the night. Michael cannot believe his eyes when he runs into an old flame there, one he has not been able to forget.

Lilly Beauchamp has not seen Michael since he abandoned her all those years ago. She has never gotten over him or his betrayal, but she has never been able to quit loving him. Lilly aids Michael in getting a room as well as retrieving his valuable items. It is during this time they become close again and Lilly and Michael realize that they both were in the wrong in the past. Can they forgive and forget? Could this be their second chance at love?

NOBODY'S LADY... a beautiful cover, a beautiful synopsis, a beautiful story! Both hero and heroine are in for a rude awakening. They both thought they had let the past go, but turns out some things are just not meant to be forgotten. I love that Michael and Lilly get their second chance. Both kind of let one another down in the past, but outside circumstances brought it all about. Lilly and Michael had many struggles and things that got them down that they had to overcome to become the person they are today. Both are stronger people for it and willing to fight for what they really want. NOBODY'S LADY really tugged at my heart strings. I will be patiently waiting for author Annabelle Anders next novel. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars!

When she was 17, Lilly fell in love with Michael, the younger son of a duke. They had a passionate affair, which both people assumed would culminate in marriage. Unfortunately, circumstances arose, misunderstandings abounded and the two were separated, each believing themselves betrayed by the other. Pressured by her dying father, Lilly illegally married her brother-in-law and became stepmother to her niece. Ten years pass and they meet again. Michael is now the duke and involved a political dispute that has become dangerous. He is also engaged to be married, while Lilly is a widow. Can Lilly and Michael find their way back to each other? I generally have a hard time with books that depend on improbable misunderstandings as a plot device.. You constantly want to yell at the protaganists "why don't you just write a letter?" Or at least make a move to find out where the other is in orderto speak to them in person or get a message. The other issue I had was that Lilly's father supposedly pressured her to illegally marry her brother-in-law because he was dying and wanted her cared for.. How was that helpful? She might just as well have been someone's mistress. Lilly and her niece/stepdaughter constantly speak of the fear that someone will find out Lilly was illegally married. Who could possibly believe the world wouldn't know? Her husband would be in Debretts, her sister's marriage was a public affair, etc. There were just too many improbable things to buy into to make the plot work.. Both hero and heroine are OK as a couple, if a little wimpy and there's enough passionate interaction to satisfy those who enjoy an emotional romance if they can ignore the practicalities.

Nobody's Lady by Annabelle Anders is the First book in the Lord Love a Lady series. This is the story of Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland and Lilly Beauchamp.
Michael and Lilly were young and in love but a misunderstand took that away. Now all this time later they meet again when Michael is set upon by highway men who take everything from him. When he meets Lilly again hurt feelings between them standout but they slowly start to work through what happen all those years ago...can this be their second chance?
Great characters and story-line....you won't be able to put this one down until the end!

This was a great read. Pretty new to this author. Def did. It disappoint . Loved the characters and look forward to more!!

Michael Redmond, the Duke of Cortland, is not having a good night. He has just had his coach robbed, containing important documents for an upcoming vote. He is stranded, drunk and bootless. Arriving at an inn he is demands a room. The innkeeper doubts his word. No duke would be so dishevelled and stinking of drink. It is only when a fellow traveller comes to his aid and reveals she knew him is Michael believed.
Lilly Beauchamp, hoped to never see the man who broke her heart again. Michael was her first love and she has never recovered from his abandonment when he suddenly became Duke. Now widowed and bringing her step-daughter to London for a season, she is dismayed to discover her feelings never went away.
Michael believed Lilly never loved him, she did not wait for him when he went to care for his dying family. Instead she married within the month. Now engaged to someone else, he battles with his feelings for her.
I really liked the two protagonists and their love was realistic. I was rooting for them to find a way to be together. The issue I had was Lilly’s first marriage. Her father wanted her and her mother to be secure after his death, so insisted Lilly marry the man of his choosing. Even if it was her widowed brother-in-law. This is the part of the story I could have done without. It is not consistent for the time. No loving father would want his daughter to be in so dangerous a position. Why? Because firstly it was illegal. Secondly, she would be ostracised from both the local community and society at large. The marriage would not have been recognised so his daughter would face ruin and prison. This is covered in the book, but it’s used as a plot device. Something else could have been used here to cause a scandal.
Leaving that issue aside, I did enjoy this book. We are given a complete backstory to Lilly and Michael’s romance and its clear this is true love. The book was well plotted with a compelling balance of comedy, drama and one scene that was utterly heart-breaking.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more reviews please visit my blog:
http://www.wonderfullyweird88.com/

Two lovers torn apart for almost a decade by circumstances beyond their control. They finally see each other under less than ideal situations. A powerfully written story of star crossed lovers. Unlike Romeo and Juliet these two do get their happily ever after. A seamlessly written story that brings the reader between the past and the present to show how things can change with just a missed opportunity.

This is a romantic, endearing, sweet and suspenseful story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Michael is chivalrous, charming, honorable and kind. Lilly is sweet, caring, determined and protective. They first met and fell in love at a ball 9 years ago, they had a sweet and loving relationship, until life interfered. Now they find themselves still in love, still filled with passion, but unable to marry, because he is set to wed someone else soon. They have to constantly fight their feelings and consciouses in order to live honorably. There are a bunch of very personable and likable characters in this story, unfortunately fathers are rarely on that list. It's a brilliantly written story that I enjoyed reading very much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

This is a story of 2nd chance love. Micheal and Lily meet when lily, age 17, is making her debut. Michael 2nd son of a Duke, is a Captain and returning home from the war. Its love at first site. They spend the entire season in each other's pockets.
Michael is about to propose, when he is called home. His father and brother have come down with Scarlet fever. The whole village is quarantined for 3 months. With no communication from Michael, now the Duke, Lily's father takes her home to marry another.
Ten years later, with Lily as a widow, they meet again.
I enjoyed the story of Lily and Michael. This is my first book by this author. I look forward to the next one.

Michael, The Duke of Cortland and his servants have been attacked by highwaymen. They have no money or identify of any kind. They are muddy and bedraggled when they reach the first inn that they can find. The innkeeper refuses them a room and food. They are turned away until a voice from the past speaks. Lily Beauchamp was betrothed to Daniel when they were young. She tells the innkeeper who Daniel is. He is surprised to see Lily. She is escorting her stepdaughter to London for her first season. When they have dinner together, the attraction is still there, but he is engaged and thinks that Lily married someone else as he was only a Captain in the Army at that time. She thinks Michael deserted her causing her father to force her to marry someone she didn't love. They are back in London where the Season begins for her and Glenda, her stepdaughter. Michael has taken his place in Parliament where a bill that he wants passed puts him in danger. They see each other at social functions and feel like they are more than friends. Politics, secrets, a fiancee and a kidnapping are all part of this story about missed chances and love. I received this book from Net Galley and Wild Rose Press for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

This is a true romance! The world conspires against our two young lovers, but 10 years later they meet again. I really loved the development of our hero and heroine. Michael and Lilly are a special,honorable couple.
I received a complimentary copy of this story in exchange for an Honest review.

Nobody’s Lady by Annabelle Anders is a story of love found, lost and found again. Set in 1815 and 1824 during the debutante seasons. Lilly is a widow at the beginning of the story. She is traveling with her step-daughter to London for the season. They are staying at an inn along the way when a disheveled man comes in claiming he is a duke. She hasn’t seen him for nine years but vouches for his identity. Michael is also her one love in life though their relationship is in the past. Will love found be forever this time or will friendship thrive?
I enjoyed this book. It is an easy read and mostly realistic though some characters do dumb things. I give it 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.