Rating: 
Summary: Not My Style
Review: I've just finished reading The (four book) Bride "Trilogy" which consists of #1 The Sherbrooke Bride, #2 The Hellion Bride, #3 The Heiress Bride and #4 The Scottish Bride.I'm sorry to say I didn't really enjoy them. I enjoyed the story of the Sherbrooke family (three brothers and a sister) in which each of the stories revolves around one of them. They also wind up with a big family get-together in each book. What I had a problem with was the author's writing style. I'm not sure what Catherine Coulter does differently from other authors but it comes across as very choppy (periods and commas every four or five words) and the characters sound flat and monotone when they're speaking. Also the books reminded me of the ones I used to sneak from my Grandmother when I was young-where the men were beasts (shut up and like it, it's your duty as my wife) and the women were pathetic (ohhh, you're too big). I know what you're thinking, "Well why'd ya read all four of them then?" I ordered all four because the author seemed very popular and when I start a book or series of them, I have to finish it. They were some-what entertaining. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Not My Style
Review: I've just finished reading The (four book) Bride "Trilogy" which consists of #1 The Sherbrooke Bride, #2 The Hellion Bride, #3 The Heiress Bride and #4 The Scottish Bride. I'm sorry to say I didn't really enjoy them. I enjoyed the story of the Sherbrooke family (three brothers and a sister) in which each of the stories revolves around one of them. They also wind up with a big family get-together in each book. What I had a problem with was the author's writing style. I'm not sure what Catherine Coulter does differently from other authors but it comes across as very choppy (periods and commas every four or five words) and the characters sound flat and monotone when they're speaking. Also the books reminded me of the ones I used to sneak from my Grandmother when I was young-where the men were beasts (shut up and like it, it's your duty as my wife) and the women were pathetic (ohhh, you're too big). I know what you're thinking, "Well why'd ya read all four of them then?" I ordered all four because the author seemed very popular and when I start a book or series of them, I have to finish it. They were some-what entertaining. :-)
Rating: 
Summary: One of Catherine Coulter's best.
Review: I've read this book at least four times. It's hilarious, the best in the series. The characters are lovable, funny, and memorable.
Rating: 
Summary: A Love/Hate Story
Review: Normally I love Catherine Coulter's stories, but this one infuriated me which surprised me. Douglas, The Earl of Northcliffe is the prototype crude, rude, arrogant, tyrannical, rutting bore who projects his own vile temperament onto his new wife Alexandra, in unceasing torrents of verbal abuse. He doesn't want her because he contracted to marry Melissande, who is sister to Alexandra. The story conflict revolves around the situation where the Earl cannot be in two places at once. He had been called upon to rescue a damsel in distress for a Frenchman named Caudoudel, at the same time as his wedding to Melissande, so he sends his cousin Tony as his proxy. Tony and Melissande fall in love at first sight, so Tony marries both sisters. He selects Alexandra for Douglas, and Melissande for himself.
Later, when faced with this deception and sabotage, the Earl goes around the bend and starts to rant and rave at Alexandra whom he targets as his scapegoat, and there is no cessation from his intransigent ire. I found my stomach clenching repeatedly while reading this book because the level of debasing vitriole was so immense.
Douglas' poor bride Alexandra is so superior to him yet she is reduced to a miserable, bloodless wife by his unremitting diatribes of utter rejection of her. Apart from the sexual part of their married life. In that area he is described as a dark haired man covered with black coarse thick hair all over his body who acts like a mindless rutting beast as he rapes Alexandra daily. There is no love in his repellant sexual congress, merely his interpretation of "lust".
Instead of whipping his cousin Tony, who deserves the pounding for his deception and sabotage, we see the good ole boy network is in full operation. It is heartbreaking. Yet, Alexandra thinks that she loves him regardless.
I have to say that the book is very well written despite the subject matter of an emotionally abusive husband.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the "Bride" series
Review: Not exactly earth-shattering literature, but for what it's worth, "The Sherbrooke Bride" was surprisingly entertaining, and had a lot more depth than the badly-conceived "Hellion Bride" (If marital rape makes you swoon, then I highly suggest getting some therapy) and the rather annoying "Mad Jack." The plot *does* have an air of contrivance, but hey, it's a romance novel; who really reads them for the originality of the plot? Douglas as a hero is, well, more three-dimensional than most, and he meshes quite well with Alexandra, who as a heroine is fun and touching at the same time. At times sexy, funny, and (natch) romantic, their relationship was interesting enough that I read the book in one sitting. Oh, and did I mention that the sex is hot? Number one clue that you're reading a Coulter romance... ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Best of the "Bride" series
Review: Not exactly earth-shattering literature, but for what it's worth, "The Sherbrooke Bride" was surprisingly entertaining, and had a lot more depth than the badly-conceived "Hellion Bride" (If marital rape makes you swoon, then I highly suggest getting some therapy) and the rather annoying "Mad Jack." The plot *does* have an air of contrivance, but hey, it's a romance novel; who really reads them for the originality of the plot? Douglas as a hero is, well, more three-dimensional than most, and he meshes quite well with Alexandra, who as a heroine is fun and touching at the same time. At times sexy, funny, and (natch) romantic, their relationship was interesting enough that I read the book in one sitting. Oh, and did I mention that the sex is hot? Number one clue that you're reading a Coulter romance... ;-)
Rating:
Summary: The best Coulter book
Review: The one and only Coulter book I like. Alexandra Chambers has loved Douglas Sherbrooke forever, but he prefers her stunningly beautiful sister, Melissande (what a shock). Anyhoo, he comes home from the wars expecting to find himself married (by proxy) to Mellie and ready to get the honeymoon going, and finds that the person he sent to do the contract, his cousin Tony Parrish, has married Mellie - to himself. Oh yeah, Tony's also married Douglas - to Alexandra. And yes, there are a couple of places where I just wanted to shoot Douglas for being so mean to poor Alex, but in the end, he ends up a nicey.
Rating:
Summary: 10 Stars! I've read and re-read it a million times.
Review: The Sherbrook Bride was one of the books that got me addicted to romance novels. All of the characters are wonderful! They become your friends and when you finish the book, you end up missing them, so you'll want to re-read the novel again. Douglas becomes so sweet in the end and in the other bride series. I want someone like him. Alexandra is so sweet and just plain old loveable. They are opposites, but are by far, extremely romantic, admireable and a perfect pair. I love all of Alex's and Sinjun's humorous antics. I thoroughly recommend this novel...I've made all my friends read it and they too love it. DOUGLAS AND ALEXANDRA SHERBROOK FOREVER...
Rating:
Summary: an all-time favourite
Review: The Sherbrooke bride was one of the first books by Catherine Coulter I've ever read and I don't regret it one second ! I just FELL IN LOVE with Douglas and the couple he forms with Alexandra is one of the most perfect couples in romance I know. The book made me smile and laugh, my heart has ached for Alexandra's pain...and I've read it at least five or six times since I bought it ! I also enjoyed meeting Alexandra and Douglas in the other books from the Bride Series, the Sherbrooke Bride is definitely the best of them all ! I'm glad there're only few bad reviews about this book and I don't understand why they exist...of course, everyone has his own opinion...but I RECOMMEND this one: if you like Barbara Cartland, don't read Catherine coulter because her books are totally different and that's why I love them, there are heroes and heroines with their strenght and weaknesses and that's why they're so human and believable, not like other characters who only have qualities. And about the marital rapes some reviewers have talked about : I think they add a dramatical touch in the plot and make the story less "à l'eau de rose" (like in The Hellion bride). No one can say that life is always pink and fine, and romance is a part of life...I can only say : Catherine Coulter is a great writer and she has no reason to worry about critics because she has a lot of loyal readers who know that, even if all her books are not equally good, she remains a terrific author !
Rating: 
Summary: Misses the mark
Review: The story was wonderful, but it just misses the mark. The components are there for a superior story, but it remained undeveloped. Douglas's treatment of Alexandra was disappointing. The dialog was stilted and not believable. Compared to Johanna Lindsey's character development and riveting exchanges, it was a disappointment.
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