Retired spy, Bear Gavenor has fled the marriage mart for the familiarity of his work; restoring abandoned country manors to sell to the newly rich. Never does he anticipate that his first task will be to deal with the thief he’s caught stealing his roses.Evicted from her home and ruined with claims she has a lover, Rosa Neatham fears she will soon be unable to care for her invalid father. When … father. When she returns to her former home to gather roses to brighten his room, her fortune worsens when she’s startled by the home’s new owner and injured in a fall.
Bear takes her in, but when the rector confronts him about living with an unmarried woman, Bear decides to halt the rumormongers’ attempts to ruin her further and marries Rosa.
He needs an heir.
She needs a protector.
Love needs to overcome the scandal, secrets and self-doubts that each brings to this marriage of convenience.
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This book was delightful. As a regular reader of Ms Knight’s stories I knew to expect engaging characters, impeccable research, and an intriguing plot; House of Thorns did not disappoint.
Bear Gravenor unexpectedly encounters Rose Natham ‘stealing’ roses from his garden and before long he discovers her sad and unhappy past. Scheming villains, plots to defraud, long hidden family secrets and scandals – all are woven into this pacy romance. Using a marriage of convenience trope, the author twists and turns this story before granting her main characters their well-deserved HEA.
What a delightful story! Characters lovely and full of interest. Jude tells a pleasant romantic historical story and I highly recommend it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rosabel and her father were displaced from Rose Cottage and living in a hovel when they meet Bear. The lady has a scandalous background that the whole village is more than willing to share, only the rector insists that the her reputation can be saved by a marriage of convenience. With lots of twists and turns the story of the two unfolds. A sad testament to the greed of some men and a soothing balm to see a husband fall in love with his wife.
House of Thorns
A true beauty and the beast retailing. Only the beast wasn’t so beastly, or was he? This book was all over the place for me. Even though it’s set 1816 at times I had a hard time imagining it in that time period. What bothered me the most was Bears treatment of Rosa. I’ve read many of Jude Knights books while this one isn’t at the top it’s definitely closer to the bottom. If your a fan of the beauty and the beast trope it’s worth the read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It was a wonderful story that just kept me turning the pages. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for a free copy.
A great historical romance…
I really enjoyed this historical romance that involves a marriage of convenience between Rosa Neatham and Hugh “Bear” Gavenor. This book has well-developed characters, some good and some bad. The storyline is well written and kept my interest throughout, with gossip, rumours, evil, misunderstandings, and a possibility of happy ever after.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
After Rosabel Neatham and her invalid father were put out of their home after the property was sold she was finding it hard to make ends meet. They were now living in little more than a hovel. When she is falls and is hurt after trying to get a few roses that her father asked for from their old cottage she is cared for by the new owner, Bear Gavenor.
Bear Gavenor does not know what to make of Rosa stealing his roses. She was unlike any lady he had met in London society. She reminded him of a fairy, one who spat at him like an angry kitten and did not back down.
When he discovers that Rosa had hurt her ankle when she fell, he offers to go check on her father. He is surprised that their home is so rundown and is determined to find out more about Rosa, her father and their circumstances. What he eventually discovers is a village full of rumors concerning Rosa and her reputation. Rumors that do not coincide with the woman he is coming to know.
Can Bear wad through the rumors and find the truth about his fairy? Will Bear and Rosa be able to find happiness even though many conspire against her to make Bear believe the worst?
Thought this book was a decent read. There are no explicit sexual scenes but sex is intimated to the reader. Recommend for anyone who enjoys historical romance without sexual scenes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this story about Rosa and retired spy Bear. When he buys much a neglected estate intending to repair, he plans to live in the small cottage attached to the holding. He does not however count on encountering a “rose thief” who claims the property was hers. He makes matters worse by causing the young woman to fall and become so injured she cannot return home at once. Nosy villagers, greedy men with unsavory agendas, and condemning gossips add to his problems as he finds himself inexplicably attracted to the older spinster. Delightful cast of characters whit some self righteous prigs and villains tossed in for good measure. Wonderful story well worth the time to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Didn’t Like the Hero, Ultimately
I am not quite sure what I think about this book because of several factors. I like the heroine because, while she was much put-upon by evil people and those who believe them, she had a strength and tenacity that rose above it all. All she wanted was to take care of her father as best she could. I found the hero to be problematic. At times he seemed more kind-hearted than his size and nickname of Bear would suggest. But at crucial moments and for crucial things, he was a bit of a jerk. I found the way he handled their wedding night and afterward so distasteful, questioning her virtue even after it was clearly obvious. And he persisted in his wrongheaded thinking for far too long. I thought the way the heroine was treated by just about everybody was wrong. Seriously, did everyone think so poorly of this woman based on innuendo and the words of evil people? And I find it quite unbelievable that those who worked for her husband could get away with calling her terrible names. I found this book disappointing.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
I enjoyed the story of Rosa and Bear and all they went through to have a successful and happy marriage even though it started our rather unconventionally. Rumors have surrounded Rosa mostly since her father started to become senile and unable to protect her, and even though Bear does not believe all of them, he feels there might be a hint of indiscretion that might had started them. This is not the case, but on their wedding night things do not go well and Bear leaves to conduct business and is gone for awhile. A large part of this story is told from his perspective and what he is currently involved in and then the story is from her perspective and what is currently happening to her. There are people trying to destroy her and her marriage and they almost succeeded. There is a lot happening in the book and it makes for a good read.
Like Turns To Love
Cheshire, England, 1816
Oh, the angst of never knowing who you really are!
That is everything in this well written book about Hugh, a former soldier and wealthy real estate developer in this Regency era ADULT Romance.
Hugh knows who he is and he wants a wife that will be there to talk to, to love, and to always be at his side, a partner and a friend. In his early 40s, Hugh is a bear of a man, in fact his nickname is Bear.
His trip to The Ton is a total waste of time, he’s too old for vapid debutants, and not interested in crafty widows only after his money.
When he finds a woman in the garden of his newly purchased cottage picking climbing roses, he scares her so badly she falls from the ladder she was on and twists her ankle.
This chance meeting of Rosabel, the former tenant of the cottage, starts a small trickle of feelings and involvement that turns into a raging torrent of love and caring.
Rosa, is no spring chicken either, she is 36 years old and has been isolated with her invalid father at the cottage for 6 years, until ousted by a creepy landlord when Hugh buys the property.
ARC Received from Booksprout
I also got this ebook with KU
The book was very interesting because it is a tentative love story between two people set in their ways, but badly wanting a relationship. The local villagers treat Rosa like a fallen woman, because it is known she is illegitimate. Her relationship to her relatives is complicated, and for the reader to find out!
I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the sweet innocence of Rosa. The author doesn’t portray her as naive. The whole courtship of her and Bear is . . . It just hits that spot. There is definitely misunderstandings and miscommunications between the two of them, but it’s expected in a young relationship and for the time. I also enjoyed the drama of the backstory, also. It’s a story that it’s never too late to fall in love and love can find you in unexpected places. You’ll really enjoy this read too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A consummate storyteller, Jude Knight delivers a story that warmed my heart. This is the tale of a person wronged by gossip and innuendo all of her life but she had a strong will and only wanted to take care of her ill father. Making a trip back to the only home she had know before they were tossed out, she goes to pick some roses to hopefully cheer her father. But it seems fate steps in and she ends up injured and taken care of by Bear Gavenor.
Bear made a living taking old homes and refurbishing them to almost new condition and when he causes Rosa to fall (he yelled at her while she was up high picking a rose!), he can only bring her in until she can walk on her injured leg. Of course an unmarried woman in the house with a single man? Oh the gossips loved that! I adored Bear because even though he was an intimidating man as he was so large, he had a kind heart and was so compassionate with her father.
With a full cast of characters, some good and some really nasty (yes I wanted to pound them!), the author created a town and surroundings with her wonderful prose that enabled me to feel part of the story! As I turned the last page I could only smile and hope there would be additional books connected to this book!