You May Kiss the Bride

by James J King

Overview

A Publishers Weekly Best of the Year Pick!

In an unforgettable debut, Lisa Berne introduces you to the Penhallow Dynasty—men destined to marry, but hesitant to love.

Wealthy and arrogant, Gabriel Penhallow knows it’s time to fulfill his dynastic duty. All he must do is follow “The Penhallow way”—find a biddable bride, produce an heir and a spare, and then live separate lives. It’s worked so well for generations, certainly one kiss with the delectable Livia Stuart isn’t going to change things. Society dictates he marry her, and one chit is as good as another as long as she’s from a decent family.

But Livia’s transformation from an original to a mundane diamond of the first water makes Gabriel realize he desperately wants the woman who somehow provoked him into that kiss. And for all the ladies who’ve thrown themselves at him, it’s the one who wants to flee whom he now wants. But how will he keep this independent miss from flying away?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062451781
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	214,048
Product dimensions:	4.10(w) x 6.70(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Lisa Berne read her first Georgette Heyer book at fourteen, and was instantly captivated. Later, she was a graduate student, a teacher, and a grant writer — and is now an author of historical romance, with her first three books set in Regency-era Britain. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

Editorial Reviews

Delicious [...] Berne’s debut is a lingering homage to the heyday of the Regency historical romance — a lovingly crafted story of opposites forced together by society’s censure, quirky side-characters and stolen kisses.

Sarah MacLean

Definitely recommended to Regency lovers.

Historical Novel Society

Prepare to be swept away! Lisa Berne’s sensuous, richly imaginative debut will delight and satisfy you. I savored every page!

Lenora Bell

Berne’s exceptional romance debut, the first in the Penhallow Dynasty series, will dazzle readers with its irresistible mix of graceful writing tempered with just the right dash of crisp wit, splendidly captured Regency setting and atmosphere, and beautifully nuanced characters.

Booklist (starred review)

UNPUTDOWNABLE! This book consumed me. Truly one of the absolute best romances I’ve ever read!

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan

Really fun! Very smart and engaging.

Megan Frampton

★ 2017-02-07
A well-born but penniless orphan is compromised by a wealthy gentleman and comes to realize that all the luxuries in the world aren't enough reason to enter into a loveless marriage. Her plans to escape are foiled, though, when she begins to question her feelings—and his.Livia Stuart has endured years of neglect from her guardians and derision from her neighbors— especially the spoiled, unkind Cecily Orr—which she has tried to rise above. When rich, handsome Gabriel Penhallow arrives to court Cecily at his pompous grandmother's behest, he winds up kissing Livia at the ball where everyone's expecting him to make an offer of marriage for Cecily. Of course, they are discovered; after Gabriel stiffly does his duty and says he'll marry Livia, it isn't long before he finds himself confused by his strangely ambivalent feelings toward the matter: "Green eyes blazed up at him, and he had to remind himself that blue eyes were better than green, and it was a foolish, regrettable kiss that had stolen from him his safe and predictable future. If she hadn't been so tempting, everything would be perfect right now." From that moment on, Gabriel is determined to maintain the legendary Penhallow control while Livia struggles with the idea of marrying the arrogant Gabriel. She wants to be loved and accepted, though she'd die before she'd admit it to him, or even herself. As they dance back and forth, aware of their blazing attraction but hiding behind their masks of manners and pride, they meet—and create—obstacle after obstacle to finding true affinity. Author Berne offers a masterful Regency debut that explores pride and prejudices with a tone that seems much less modern than that of many recent historical releases and two main characters who epitomize traditional Regency sensibilities (but for two love scenes) as they sort through what they want and how to get it. Livia becomes the sun shining in on a stuffy, wounded family whose initial dread at the thought of her joining them transforms into happiness as she turns out to be their salvation. A sheer delight.

Kirkus Reviews