THE UNWILLING BRIDE

Author: Margaret Moore ISBN: 0373770650 9/2005 HISTORICAL Publisher: Harlequin/HQN
Time Period: Medieval 1246

Betrothed at birth... Promised to Merrick of Tregellas when she was but a child, Lady Constance was unwilling to wed a man she remembered only as a spoiled boy. Sure he had grown into an arrogant knight, she sought to make herself so unappealing that Merrick would refuse to honor their betrothal. Yet no sooner had this enigmatic, darkly handsome man ridden through the castle gates than she realized he was nothing like the boy she recalled. And very much a man she could love... Bound by desire... Haunted by secrets from his past, Merrick was unwilling to return to Tregellas -- until he caught sight of his bride-to-be. Beautiful and spirited, Lady Constance was everything he wanted in a wife. She stirred his passion -- and his heart -- as no woman ever had before. But what would happen when she discovered the truth? When enemies begin plotting their downfall, only trust can save a marriage never meant to end in true love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

It has been awhile since I have read a Margaret Moore book, so I had almost forgotten that she is one of the most talented writers of the historical genre. Her writing captivates, spellbinds, taking a reader away on a whirlwind of emotion and intrigue until you just can't wait to see how it all turns out. I had to stop myself more than once from skipping to the last chapter because I was so excited to see how this book would end.

When Merrick of Tregellas returns home after his horrid father has died, it has been fifteen years since he last laid eyes on the home that he loved. He is a handsome, strong man, a total Alpha male, but at the same time a very generous and caring lord. He is not a cruel man, and yet he has to fight his tenant's inhibitions toward him, due to his cruel father's maltreatment of his people. Merrick has never forgotten the girl he first saw sitting in a hayfield when he was ten years old...a girl he has been in love with since that day.

Lady Constance is a little harder to like, at first, because she is a bit on the bossy side. I did grow to love her character for how she dealt with her people and how much she loved Merrick, and eventually forgave her for her penchant towards bossiness. She is beautiful and spirited and wants a man to love her and cherish her, someone to treat her with respect and listen to her ideas—something that is entirely uncommon to that day and age. She proves a great heroine for our silent, brooding Merrick.

The absolute best part of this book was the ending. There is such a twist that I was totally taken by surprise. Maybe it is just that I have read too many books, or I am not as good as I used to be, but I never saw the twist coming. There is a pretty good, if not predictable plot that takes a total back burner to "the twist", but that's what makes Margaret Moore's books so good. As soon as I think I have things all figured out, I realize that I don't, and that the best is yet to come!

THE UNWILLING BRIDE is part of the Brothers-In-Arms series but stands beautifully on its own. While I impatiently await the arrival of the fourth book in this series—due out in February—I think I will go out and grab the first two and get myself good and immersed in another Margaret Moore tale.

Kristal Gorman