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A Bride Most Begrudging Editorial Reviews
Source: Product Description
When Lady Constance Morrow finds herself held against her will aboard a ship bound for the American colonies—a ship filled with "tobacco brides" and felons—she is quite sure that as soon as she arrives she will find a reasonable man who will believe her father is an earl and send her back on the next ship to England. Instead she meets Drew O’Connor, a determined Colonial farmer who is nearly as headstrong as she is. Drew wins Constance as his bride but soon realizes he has taken on much more than he bargained for
A Bride Most Begrudging Customer Reviews:
Average Rating: 4.0 (112 reviews)
Rating: 5 (Extremely Satisfying both Historically and Inspirational) Was helpful to 117 from 121 votes
Setting - Virginia Colonies, 1643 --- Lady Constance Morrow snuck aboard a ship without a chaperone in order to say goodbye to her dearest Uncle Skelly who was being transported to the colonies. Naively believing no one would ever harm the daughter of an Earl, she had no idea of the danger she was in. Having left her maid behind, and with no footman in sight, the unscrupulous captain had her thrown in the hold along with the female felons who were earmarked as `tobacco brides' for the colonist farmers.
Drew O'Connor, grew up in colonies loved the land but knew it was a harsh life and had experienced all the sorrows along with the joys and knew full well that only the strongest survive. Having lost his beloved a week before their marriage, he had sworn to never love again. Therefore, he was unmoved by this latest ship full of brides, coming only in search for a maid to tend his house and look after his young sister. Though after a game of cards that very evening, what he ended up with was a wife claiming to be the `kidnapped' daughter of an Earl, and who demanded to be sent immediately back to England. Not only was she argumentative, but she'd no idea of how to cook, no housekeeping skills whatsoever - and to his horror - she had RED hair and freckles! She wanted nothing more than to spend time doing mathematical equations rather than housework.
Although they seemed to have nothing in common but individual stubbornness and a love for mathematic puzzles, Drew and Constance came to admire one another with both wishing that their marriage of convenience would become a marriage designed in truth by the power of God's great love.
*** In a most delightful way this new author has taken a small slice of American history and created a perfectly lovely romance. The heroine, Lady Constance, though educated and intelligent was in for the culture shock of her life when faced with the harsh life realities of early colonial America. As the pampered daughter of an Earl, the author clearly had a field day in being able to portray both the frustrations Constance went through as she struggled to adapt to her new life and the joys as she overcame those challenges. Drew, though morally strong had lost so much and buried so many loved ones that he'd thought the best way to protect his heart was to not let it become engaged and so the theme of faith in God during trials was extremely uplifting and very lovely indeed. This book was well written, well researched, emotionally engaging, and featured two wonderful protagonists. Along with a superb cast of secondary characters, the author opens the door for what I hope to see is a sequel featuring Drew's brother Josh. I most definitely recommend this novel for anyone looking for an extremely satisfying and wonderful feel good read. -- Marilyn, for www.romancedesigns.com ---
Rating: 4 (fantastic colonial romance) Was helpful to 9 from 10 votes
In 1643, Lady Constance Morrow says goodbye to her beloved Uncle Skelly, a prisoner on board the Randolph. Skelly failed to bow to the king so he will spend the next seven years as an indentured prisoner in the Virginia Colonies. Before Constance can leave the vessel, the captain and his crew abduct her and toss her in with the other female detainees.
Two months later Constance is for sale in Virginia while Skelly died on board. To the spirited lass' chagrin odious tobacco farmer Emmett wins the booty. However, Drew O'Connor collects the prize having won Constance in a card game. He takes her to his tobacco farm where he only wants her to serve as a maid and companion to his younger sister. He definitely does not want marriage still mourning the death of his beloved Leah. Drew rejects Constance's babble that she is the kidnapped daughter of an earl until he realizes she can't cook or clean or do anything domestic, but he desires her. She falls in love with her employer.
A BRIDE MOST BEGRUDGING is a fantastic colonial romance that highlights the plight of women and incarcerated indentured servants. The gist of the story line provides a vivid look at the mid seventeenth century Virginia Colony, especially life on a tobacco farm. The lead couple is a delightful pairing as he begins to believe her only after he sees how domestically pathetic except for their kisses she is. The support cast is a bit extreme either being real nice folks or loathsome soulless thugs. Still Virginia and the prime lovers make for a wonderful historical tale.
Harriet Klausner
Rating: 5 (Excellent book by first time author Deeanne Gist.) Was helpful to 3 from 3 votes
First time author Deeanne Gist did an excellent job writing this story. It had everything you could want in a book -Romance, adventure, comedy, etc. The story is about a woman named Constance who is kidnapped aboard a ship and sold as a tobacco bride. She is bought by a man to work as a servant then forced to marry that same man. But it goes as neither planned for Constance is a lady who is educated but as no knowledge of work and of the frontier and its harsh ways. Will Constance end up staying or will she go back to England come spring? This is an excellent book and i can't wait to read whatever books she writes next!
Rating: 5 (A great love story) Was helpful to 4 from 4 votes
I laughed, I cried, I learned something about history. What more can you want from a novel?
But wait, there's more--Gist also reminds us that God is loving. A BRIDE MOST BEGRUDGING is a satisfying book without any heavy agenda, but flavored with the truth of God's grace sustaining his children in tough times.
The characters are well-rounded and likeable, their conflicts are, for the most part, credible, and Gist's light sense of humor moves the story along enjoyably.
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Rating: 5 (Wonderful book) Was helpful to 2 from 2 votes
I bought and read this book in the same day. I found the two main characters to be very believable and I enjoyed reading about their interactions with each other. For all the books that I've read with a marrage of convience involved this is by far the best. I find the heroin to be both witty and charming along with really smart which is rarly seen in books based in this time period. I woudl recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good romance.
