A Perfect Bride

Rating:
Summary: A perfect book
Review:
This is my first book by this Author, and wont be my last. I took it on vacation, and couldn't put it down. When my kids yell at me, or my hubby, to quit reading, and I have to sneak it into the bathroom, it makes it a 4-5 star book in my humble opinion. This book is what makes you hooked all over again to romance, it was romantic all the way to the clouds, and sizzled back down to earth. I salute you Samantha James, A very fun read. Thank you.


Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST
Review: All of the characters were special. I laughed, I cried, but, mainly I really cared about the people in this book.

Rating:
Summary: Sometimes entertaining, sometimes embarrasing.
Review: Both this book and its companion, The Perfect Groom, require a little more work. Plots are a bit far-fetched. Heroines could be a little more profound (I'd settle for less silly). Problems and behaviors are excused and explained with psycho-babble and too neatly and predictably resolved.
I've liked some Samantha James books in the past and had her on my list of authors to buy (no longer). I bought both books at the same time, was relieved to finish Perfect Bride and have been stuck in Perfect Groom for days and don't look forward to picking it up. No way, I'll buy the story of the third sibling!

Rating:
Summary: WELCOME BACK Samantha!!!
Review: Finally she's back! I have been a long time fan of this very talented author and had to resort to re-reading her older books while she was away from writing. Once I found out she was back I quickly picked up this book and inhaled it in one day!

The characters are wonderful and I can hardly wait for the rest of the books in this series. Our heroine is tough and tender all at the same time. Our hero is just how a hero should be. Dark, handsome, with just a touch of insecurity which makes him real.

Devon St. James lives in a rough part of London but she doesn't let that stop her from being a dreamer and working hard at holding her head high. One night on her way home from her job at the tavern her life changes in a way she never expected. Someone tries to rob her of her mothers necklace, an item that holds great personal meaning. It came from her father that she never knew, and she fights for it. She manages to hang on to it, but is stabbed in the side and is left for dead. Dying in the gutter of St. Giles is not how she imagined her end.

Sebastian Sterling, Marquess of Thurston has had is own battles to fight in his life. He has had to live down the whispers and scandal that his mother brought down on their heads when she ran away with her lover only to die while crossing the channel. He has just announced to society that he is now looking for a bride. This of course has brought out all of the matchmaking mama's out of the woodwork. His needs are simple, she must be refined, of good character, and she must want to have and love her childen. Little does he know that he's about to learn a lot about what he thought he wanted and how you may just find what your looking for in the most unlikely of places. Namely St. Giles on a rain drenched night looking for his brother Justin!

This was a wonderful romance. Each and every character brings something to the story. The storyline although not new (girl from wrong side of the tracks meets a prince...okay lord) is told in such a way that it will stand out in your memory. This was a sweet romance and one that I highly recommend! Thank you Ms. James for finally returning and offering a read that was truly worth waiting for!

Offical reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

Rating:
Summary: This is my first Samantha James novel
Review: I am not as impressed as some other reviewers. I thought that the entire begining of the novel was a little slow and then there was little time to wrap up so the end was a little rushed and forced. It took me a week to read this book and I usually read them in a day or two. I just kind of had to force myself to continue. There were very few characters involved with the actual novel. More specifucally - I was glad that their relationship took time to develop, but it just seemed like it was stagnent for much of the book. Part of that is because I knew this was a romance novel and we had to get from poverty to educated to wife material, so when it took most of the novel for that first step to occur I had lost interest. It was all just too neat and tidy for me. I understand that this is the first in James' new series that involves this family, but they talked about Sebastian's sister Juliana throughout much of the novel and we barely hear a sentance from her in the book. I get that she was being introducted to us for the future, but I had expected more. I felt like I spent a great portion of the novel waiting for the necklace to mean something and waiting for James to introduce another character of any kind. So when the only person who is a secondary character enters the picture and it was she who reckognized the necklace it was just too much for me.
I am interested to hear Justin's sotry, however. I liked his character.

Rating:
Summary: just wonderful!
Review: I have read Ms. James' "The Truest Heart" and really liked it. This book is simply wonderful! The characters were very well developed and the love that grew between them was believable. I enjoyed both characters very much. Neither was perfect, but neither one of them was unreasonable either. Some books base their plots on outrageous misunderstandings or unnecessary and unattractive stubborness or pride in their characters. But this book has main characters who are lovable. One can understand and sympathize with both of them. Also, the secondary characters are great! I can't wait to read about Justin and Julianna (I'm assuming the next two books of the trilogy are about them). Ms. James really made them interesting and a little mysterious!


Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Romance!!
Review: Now this is what romance is all about! I was hooked from the beginning-what a fabulous read! Deeply emotional, as are all of James's novels, but with a dash of humor thrown in. Loved the banter and sizzle between Sebastian and Devon. It kept me awake long past my bedtime! Somehow I just couldn't put this book down. The next installment can't come soon enough for me!

Rating:
Summary: Positively and Perfectly Charming Romance
Review: Setting - London 1815 --- Devon St. James, lived in St. Giles working in an ale house for meager earnings. She had survived the dangerous streets by playing it smart and taking precautions by disguising herself as a heavily pregnant woman when walking home in the dark. This particular evening she carried not only her desperately needed wages but her most precious possession, her mothers necklace. She was set upon by thugs and fought like a wild cat to get back her necklace by defending herself then being stabbed and left to die in the gutter. When she opened her eyes, it was to see herself being rescued by the biggest, handsomest man she'd ever seen and thought she'd died and gone to heaven.

Sebastian Sterling, Marquess of Thurston had grown up serious, letting duty chart his life. Since the age of 10 he'd assumed the responsibility of taking care of his two younger siblings and did his best to shield them from their father's cold and unrelenting displeasure. That night searching for his younger wild brother Justin, he was directed to a gaming hell in the dangerous part of London known as St. Giles. He was on his way there when he came upon a body lying in the street. Upon closer examination, he found the bundle to be a female, alive but severely wounded and rather than try to find a doctor in the wee hours of the morning, he brought her home to his town house. In the light and removing her filthy clothing, he discovered a young woman who nearly took his breath away. Perhaps it was kismet, or the fates laughing at him that he chanced upon this street urchin, particularly when he had all but announced his intention of finding a `perfect bride'.

This was the first time I've read this author's work and I can tell you that I will be looking forward to researching her back booklists and pre-ordering the proposed sequels to this `Perfect' new trilogy. This was a `perfect' read of an absolutely divine romance filled with wit, charm and beautifully drawn and endearing characters. Several times I found myself chuckling out loud by the lively interplay between the very proper Sebastian and street wise and irascible Devon, as he became entirely captivated by her forthright manner. Bottom Line - You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll sigh over this perfectly wonderful regency era love story! -- Marilyn Rondeau, for www.historicromancewriters.com ---


Rating:
Summary: This was a wonderfully romantic book!!
Review: There was just something about this book that I enjoyed so much. Sebastian & Devon were such a compelling couple. I loved Devon - for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks she was as elegant and lovely as any girl of the ton. Sebastian was so very taken with her - he just could not help but falling in love with her!! Their romance was so believeable! Something else that was very important for me was the fact that Sebastian had already decided that duty and honor be damned he was going to have Devon as his wife!! It was so very important for me a true romantic to not have it just be Devon's high birth but love that motivated Sebastian. This is just a great love story!!

Rating:
Summary: A Successful Return. ** Grade: B+ **
Review: Welcome back Samantha James, after a three-year hiatus, it is a joy to have you writing romance again! This is one author that is on my automatic purchase list, so what about THE PERFECT BRIDE? I liked it! This is light easy reading, this is page turner material, this is "make you feel good" entertainment. And that is the joy of reading -- entertainment.

Devon St. James is a victim of circumstance; Devon St. James lives in a London slum. Sebastian Sterling is a marquess; Sebastian Sterling lives his life above reproach. Devon and Sebastian are destined to share a life together. Ms. James manages to surround her romantic couple employing small doses of humor, light distress, and desire. The author even winds an air of poignancy into the story as Devon emerges from society's sidelines.

Yet, there are problems with the story. A contemporary feeling prevails. Questions surround the lack of a female maid to help with Devon's introductory care. Questions surround the long hours Sebastian donates to Devon's refinement - after all this man is a marquess -- why not hire staff? And finally Harry's corny return. However, look past these MINOR concerns and just imagine the stuff of fairytales. Grade: B+

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.