Always the chaperone and never the bride – until she catches the eye of the very man whose courtship she’s supposed to be helping… as match after match is made – with her help. But a lady over thirty, no matter the title, doesn’t find true love.
William Lennox, Duke of Mercia, never expected to come to fame and fortune, and never thought anything could be more tiring than soldiering – except the marriage market. He needs to make a good match, but no matter how many young chits he’s introduced to, it’s always the chaperone who catches his eye.
He’s determined to convince her. She finds the idea of anyone courting her laughable. This soldier has never been defeated, and he won’t now. A seduction is the only recourse.
Can Charlotte allow herself to be loved or will the Duke of Lennox be tempted away by a bright young thing?
This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.
Never the Bride Series
Always the Bridesmaid
Always the Chaperone
Always the Courtesan
Always the Best Friend
Always the Wallflower
Always the Bluestocking
more
A fun read though I prefer not having the detailed sex!!
Reading all 5 books
Very good read. Can’t wait to read more in the series.
When I read my first book by E.K. Murdoch Always The Bridesmaid I didn’t feel the characters were fleshed out enough. In this second book, I feel she did a better job.
When I met Lady Charlotte in book 1 I thought she was a quiet yet spunky character. In book 2 which focused on her, I got to know her better and though I love her she was a wee bit of a self victim. I mean I get insecurities as I am learning to overcome mine but she seemed to always be winning about being a chaperone yet here was a handsome Duke dotting on her. I think I really just wanted her to own who she was. I older woman who knows her mind and wasn’t settling for just any guy.
As for our hero William I loved he saw Charlotte as a mature, strong, beautiful woman that was intelligent., I loved that he liked her for her ability to carry a conversation and had wisdom. That she didn’t spend her time talking fashion, and tea parties.
I was also impressed that we got to learn more about Charlotte and her upbringing which in turn made me understand Richard more from the first book.
Overall a good book. I won’t say I loved it unconditionally but nor did I hate it. It was a pleasant afternoon read.
A little different storyline than usual historical romances, but I enjoyed reading it.
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I like independent women in these romance stories because they are going against the stereotypes.
I love the Regency Period romances. The culture and society of period is a study of its own and it intrigues me. A woman is considered old, no longer sault after if pass the age of 30! A wonderful story.
Thius i s one that you could read again and again.
Well told story of a spinster who learns to see herself as more than a chaperone.
I love this book. The characters are very interesting and the main character seems to be the underdog but she comes through in the end with a little help. And as a romantic.
Always the Chaperone is another engaging regency story in the Never the Bride series by Emily Murdoch.
Lady Charlotte St Maur is a spinster and 35, well on the shelf and relegated to chaperoning young debutantes. Enter William Lennox, a former soldier and now the newly minted Duke of Mercia. William is instantly attracted to Charlotte, she’s the only one he wants but she can’t get her head around that. It takes a long time for her to believe she is actually worthy at her age to still find true love. She doubts him all the way but he has plans for seduction. A wonderfully written steamy regency romance.
A romance, fun to read. I don’t think it could really happen like that (cf USA author)
It is a way to move into the romatic ever after world we don’t have realistically any more.
Good reading.
A Duke who knows what he wants.
William Lennox recently inherited the title of Duke of Mercia. A former soldier, having a title is a little daunting. All the mamas and their eligible daughters are boring him to sleep. At a wedding he is arrested by an older woman he immediately knows he wants to marry. Lady Charlotte had five miserable seasons and at five and thirty is the chaperone for many young ladies. How can a man like William really want to marry her? William is in hot pursuit, but Charlotte doesn’t make it easy. You can’t help feeling sorry for William as he stumbles and bumbles his way to Charlotte’s heart. A charming romance with interlocking characters from the previous book in the series.
I have read three books in this series, Always the Bridesmaid, Always the Courtesan and Always the Chaperone. All the books are a quick and easy read, with good characters that you can understand.,
These are steamy, entertaining if some what madding stories. For the most part I enjoyed reading them. I read a lot of historical and regency romance and these do not follow the time period. Some of the things the H & H do would just not happen. When you have Dukes, and Earls involved they can get things done others can not. They do not let incidents or crimes against those they love to go unnoticed. They do not bargain with the evil doers of the lower class.
You will have to read the series your self to see how you feel about the stories.
They are good for a quick read but I need my stories closer to the truth of the time period.
I adore this author. Her books are so swoon worthy. This one has Charlotte, the sister of a duke and 35 year old spinster and William a soldier who has inherited a dukedom. When he first sees Charlotte he wants to know her more. But Charlotte is used to being on the back burner and can’t believe he is interested in her. As they fumble through courtship and misunderstandings they may find the love of their lives if they can get past their insecurities.
Delightful!
Lady Charlotte St. Maur is both the daughter and sister of a duke. As such, she is a woman of lofty position in London society, and her reputation is spotless. But Charlotte is getting up in years and has not had an offer of marriage, in fact in her day, she’s pretty much considered too old to go down that road. So she assists other, younger girls in their marital quests by acting as a chaperone for them as they are courted by eligible gentlemen who continue to overlook Charlotte herself.
One afternoon at the wedding of her brother she is caught by a glance rom an attractive man. A former military commander, William Lennox, the new Duke of Merica. He has not been raised in the gentility, and has only recently come into his inheritance from an unknown and distant relative. He is being chased by every doting mother and daughter team in London, and beyond- all looking to marry his title.
But William doesn’t want a girl straight out of the schoolroom, and he can’t seem to stop thinking of Charlotte.
This is a story of instant attraction between two people, hesitant to trust each other, yet some invisible pull leads them down that path to romance. It has moments of humor and sadness, as well wonderful characters throughout. I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the next in this series too.