A Belated Bride, by Karen Hawkins, came to me from a used book store. They were going out of business and I grabbed up as many books as my cash supply would allow. This story has turned out to be one of my all time favorites. It's a 2008 re-issue of the story with a reworked ending. I have no idea what the original ending was like but this one explains more detail on what happened between the 2 lovers 10 years ago. Life was not kind but Karma got them together again. 2nd chance love stories can be iffy, too harsh a break-up can color my feeling for the pair later on. A Belated Bride walked a fine line with me. At least it wasn't a cheating story, thank goodness.

Lucian and Arabella are meant to be together, you know it from the start. So much passion, quite often cloaked as anger but still passionate anger. This story answered my questions about the Duke of Wexford from the pervious book, The Abduction of Julia. It's a stand-alone but I was curious about him & his backstory. Arabella has been backhanded by life for years. She's managed to carry on for the sake of her family, she's a caregiver type personality. I liked her, understood her motivations. Her 2 aunts are remarkable, funny, wise, prudish, sweet ladies. One gambles and one drinks, loved them. I think you'll have an enjoyable time with Lucian and Arabella's journey. I, once again, have to ask...what happened to Edmund Valmont? He's the hapless fribble friend in both books and what a hoot. I think he deserved his own story.

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A Belated Bride started out great. I am not sure why, but the story just dragged on for me.
Normally I read a book in one day, maybe two to three days if I am really busy. This book took me seven days to finish and I am so glad it is done. ( )

Cute story of a duke who returns, by accident to the woman he loved (and ruined) ten years earlier. She's having nothing to do with him while running a clandestine business smuggling cognac off the coast of Yorkshire to keep her family estate afloat - barely. His charms and that old thing called passion just won't let her stick to her guns. Before she knows it, he's wormed his way back into her heart. While trying to expose a traitorous jewel ring, can he also save her from the someone that's trying to kill the two of them as well?

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2010/11/belated-bride-by-karen-hawkins.html ( )

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