Rating: 
Summary: long and drawn out
Review: As a Laurens fan I couldn't wait for this book! Well, I should have kept on waiting. Sorry to say, it took my days upon days to get throught this book. The first hundred pages or so seemed to be slow dry reading. The characters aren't that well developed and are lacking her usual flare. The plot could have amounted to a more exciting story if we didn't have to keep reading about the lack of [physical relations] in Caro's first marriage.
Rating: 
Summary: A fine romance
Review: By 1825 everyone in the know believes that the future in Parliament is bright for rising luminary Lord Michael Anstruther-Wetherby. His sister's marriage to the influential Cynster clan only enhances his superstar status in politics and in the ballroom. Aristocratic mothers know Michael is quite a catch and his arrogant confident manner makes all the unmarried and a quite few with spouses desire him.Michael understands that politics at the top tier in England requires the perfect wife to serve as an ornament. His sister's marriage to the Devil compels him to find a compliant pretty spouse who knows how to host galas, but passion and love are not perquisites for the position. His paragon is Elizabeth Mollston, but Michael finds his heart and other bodily parts rebel instead seeking his chosen one's Aunt Caroline, a diplomat's widow. Caro knows first hand the odious life of a politician's candy wife and wants love for her niece. She persuades Michael that an experienced woman would further his career more than a virgin would. Michael agrees as he wants Caro at his side in Parliament and more so in the boudoir, but she rejects the notion that happiness and politics are compatible bedfellows. The latest Cynster tale uses the extended family of an in-law to continue the series. Though Michael is not a pureblood, he behaves in the same haughty compassionate manner as all Cynster males that DNA testing should be required. The concept of convenient relational marriages is cleverly drawn within the fiery romance between the delightful lead couple. Fans of the Cynster series will enjoy this entry as THE IDEAL BRIDE is a chip off the old block. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: YAWN-fest
Review: I enjoyed most of the previous books in Lauren's Cynster series but was disappointed with The Ideal Bride. The plot is far too predictable; you will know exactly what is going to happen 50 or so pages before it does. There's lots of steamy sex but the descriptions are over-blown and quickly become repetitive. The author churned out three or four books over the past year; perhaps The Ideal Bride is the result of quantity over quality.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointing entry in the series...
Review: I enjoyed most of the previous books in Lauren's Cynster series but was disappointed with The Ideal Bride. The plot is far too predictable; you will know exactly what is going to happen 50 or so pages before it does. There's lots of steamy sex but the descriptions are over-blown and quickly become repetitive. The author churned out three or four books over the past year; perhaps The Ideal Bride is the result of quantity over quality.
Rating:
Summary: A Never Miss Hit
Review: I really enjoyed this book, the force of his feeling for the heroine was expected but was not unforgettable. Although he first viewed her niece as a prospect to further his career and life, Caro became the obsesseion, that a male like Michael could not resist and loves seducing. This was a passionate story, and there is an introduction of the next Bastion Club book.
Rating:
Summary: A Never Miss Hit
Review: I really enjoyed this book, the force of his feeling for the heroine was expected but was not unforgettable. Although he first viewed her niece as a prospect to further his career and life, Caro became the obsesseion, that a male like Michael could not resist and loves seducing. This was a passionate story, and there is an introduction of the next Bastion Club book.
Rating:
Summary: The Ideal Bride
Review: I'll not take up your time by telling the story. All I will say is this is a keeper. The "older" characters from pass books make this one a delightful read.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the price of a hardback
Review: I've been waiting for the Michael's story. Stephanie, it was worth the price of the hardback edition. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the price of a hardback
Review: I've been waiting for the Michael's story. Stephanie, it was worth the price of the hardback edition. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Super-sexy historical thriller
Review: Michael Anstruther-Wetherby has a challenge. There's an opportunity to move into the British cabinet, but only if he can do so as a married man--married to the right kind of woman. Because in 1825 England, women control society and can make or break a man's career. Michael identifies a candidate, Elizabeth, the daughter of a neighbor, and moves in. But his plans don't take into account the schemes of Elizabeth's aunt Caro. Elizabeth has fallen in love with another man and begs Caro to help her fend Michael off. Caro is willing and her plan works--sort of. Because Michael is soon convinced that Elizabeth isn't his perfect bride after all--Caro is. Caro has never really recovered from her marriage to an aging diplomat. Although she was successful as a society hostess and made her late husband even more powerful, she has always known that he married her only for her political insights and not out of love. As a widow, Caro has a certain power--power she's sworn never to give up by marrying another. Michael may be sexy and strong, she might even consider an affair with him, but marriage--never. Of course, Michael isn't going to give up on his goals. But he'll take whatever path comes open and an affair sounds like the perfect first step. Things really get complicated, though, when Michael discovers that someone is trying to kill Caro. Author Stephanie Laurens writes a steamy-sexy story. Caro is an interesting damaged character--filled with strength but still wounded from her former marriage. Michael is a fine alpha hero, fiercely protective of his woman and forceful in his lovemaking. Fans of Laurens' books will find a lot to like here, including appearances from some of the Cynster men who were heros in earlier novels. Several errors pulled me out of the story (note: this review is based on an early review copy. Some or all of these may have been corrected in the published volume). Although it's a minor point, the Austrian general who claims that Austria has no seacoast is living in the post-World War I world rather than in 1825 when the book is set. At that time, the Austrian empire included much of northern Italy (including Venice) and Croatia. It had a seacoast and a navy. Later, Caro refers to Michael as a 'prehistoric caveman.' That term hadn't yet been introduced. More fundamentally, I found the action-packed conclusion to be unconvincing. Surely the intelligent Caro could have come up with a smarter plan to save her love. Also, alpha heros are a matter of taste but I think Michael's decision not to tell Caro about the pellets in her horse (which almost killed her) and his plan to get her pregnant were both unattractive. In contrast, Caro is a highly likable character who's easy to identify with and cheer for as she faces her own problems and the deadly threat to her life. If you like sexy stories set in an England where the aristocracy still reigns supreme, where manners still matter and where a woman's every gesture can be packed with meaning, you'll find a lot to like in THE IDEAL BRIDE.
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