Lady Linnet Cadwallader has been raised a helpless invalid in her own castle. Brought up to believe she will ‘never make old bones’ she lives a quiet and lonely existence, hiding away her excessive freckles and red hair from a world that believes her to be hideously misshapen and ugly. Until one day her uncle arranges a marriage of convenience for her, a marriage in name only with a young puppet … young puppet groom… but Sir Roland does not show up. In his place turns up his base-born brother Mason Vawdrey. And dark, forceful Mason is no-one’s puppet.
Things are about to get interesting at Cadwallader Castle. And Linnet is about to discover that maybe a golden leopardess does not need to change her glorious spots.
This is a full length novel of over 80,000 words set in a medieval style landscape in the fictional kingdom of Karadok. Please do not purchase if you are offended by strong language and or sex scenes.
This is a new release of an edition previously published by Alice Coldbreath.
more
This is my new favorite author. Please read this series! The Vawdrey Brothers series is mouthwateringly amazing and constantly keeps one on their toes. Captivating, funny, and with the greatest characters I’ve read in some time. I’ve devoured 4 books in as many days even going so far as to forego chores in lieu of reading. Read these books. You will love them!
There are not enough stars to rate this book! I’ve seen it recommended over and over, I’ve purchased it and stored it on my Kindle, but I never took the time to read it. I am kicking myself for my stupidity now. This was absolutely the most perfect book in this genre, ever!
I love a growly, obstinate hero and Mason was certainly that and much more. He is rude and boorish, demanding and determined to get his way in all things that pertained to his wife. I adored watching him struggle with his feelings as they slowly emerged. He was totally possessive and incredibly jealous, even when it came to a fictional character. I can’t give words to how perfect his actions and reactions were for me as a reader who enjoys this type of hero.
Linnet’s character begins as a weak and frail heroine who grows into her own woman. Not directly because of the hero which I appreciated, but because it is the woman she was always meant to be. She just needed the opportunity to find that out for herself. I laughed at some of the naïve things she believed and the way Mason used those times for his own desires. Her internal strength becomes evident before the great conflict and is then released in all its splendor when she needed it the most.
This doesn’t read as an insta-love story making the progression of Linnet’s and Mason’s relationship all the more entertaining. What starts as an arrangement evolves into moments of passion, uncalled for jealousy, eye opening wonder and heartbreaking decisions. Gah! It was freaking amazing!
While this wasn’t necessarily a short book, it has a fast pace that I couldn’t stop reading once I started. The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the hero and heroine. I fell in love with them just as much, and I’m not only referring to the Vawdrey brothers. This story has a rich, full feel to it that added to my overall enjoyment as it pulled me into a new time and place and I already miss everything about it.
If there is anyone, like myself, who has put this book aside, I’m urgently encouraging you to jump into it ASAP. If you haven’t heard of this book before, do not hesitate if anything about it intrigues you. You will not be disappointed.
Linnet Caldwallader has been told her entire life she is an invalid and any exertion on her part would lead to her early demise. Thus, she has remained in her tower room while her maternal uncle and aunt run her village. They have decided she still needs to marry and have negotiated a by proxy marriage for her with Roland Vawdrey. However, Roland has decided he is no longer interested in the ugly invalid that lives in a tower and has sent his older brothers, Oswald and Mason, to dissolve the contract. Upon hearing the news of her rejection before the marriage and seeing the headstrong Mason, Linnet decides to take charge of her life and destiny. Mason Vawdrey, born on the wrong side of the blanket, but the general of the King’s army, is disgusted with doing the dirty work of his verbally abusive father and spoiled younger brother. When he looks upon Linnet and she makes him a deal of the lifetime, he decides he wants to be more than a soldier.
This is my first novel by this author. I am not much for medieval novels; it is a subgenre in the romance/erotica area that I read rarely. This novel was beautifully written and surprisingly entertaining. I enjoyed the story so much I read it in one sitting. This is a full-length eBook that is almost 300 pages. The development of the romantic and loving relationship between Linnet and Mason was interesting to read. Although Mason was “worldly” and Linnet was “naïve and sheltered”, both were not prepared or had the language to describe what they were feeling as their relationship developed. As Linnet became strong in body, Mason became strong emotionally. This novel is more about the romance than historical accuracy, of course I did not Google everything. I hope the following novels in the series is as entertaining and interesting as this novel.
I’ve read this book twice now (once under it’s original name: “Her Bastard Bridegroom” and the other time under the newer name “Her Baseborn Bridegroom”). I definitely enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to go on to the next two books. I’m looking forward to her spin off with side characters we met in this Trilogy.
This took me back to my historical romance days. It was a great reminder as to why I love them so much and makes me want to dive into more. I really loved this book.
This book started on shaky ground for me. I struggle when the heroine is talked about due to body issues or lack of beauty. I just hate when that is a focus, because to me that has nothing to do with romance. I’m telling you right now to hang in there.
What started with me being outraged for Linnet, ended up me swooning over what happens as the story progresses. I’ve never read a better book that completely turned an issue like this around without the heroine going through some major transformation. What you get here is a man who falls in love with a woman without realizing it and finds her utterly beautiful by the end of the book.
Mason is actually one of my favorite types of heroes (except for a few things he said in the beginning.) I just like the men who are very much a man’s man but also clueless to how he should be with a good woman.
As the story progresses, his callous words start showing what he was really feeling. His jealousy and possessiveness of her start to shine through. And the fact that he isn’t even realizing that’s why he is behaving that way just tickled me.
Linnet was fantastic. She handled so many scenes in this story perfectly. I loved her and loved that she caused a man like Mason to fall hard. I could keep going but I probably should stop before I give the whole book away. Let’s just say that it’s a must read!
This is a little more like it. After some well done but sad books, this sweet and unrealistic romance between the gruff, rough and tough rampaging bastard hero and the sheltered heroine was a lot of fun.
Mason arrives at the estate to break off his younger brother’s engagement to what everyone thinks is an invalided hunchback on her deathbed. Linnet, ironically the second redheaded and freckled heroine in a week, is not quite on her deathbed. She proposes to the hero who is glad to marry a bride with an estate larger than his father’s. Given Linnet’s greedy aunt and uncle who’ve been gaslighting the heroine as well as defrauding the estate, the hero commands instant marital consummation. It’s not as awful as it sounds. The hero is one big tough guy, but pretty quickly becomes overly protective and besotted with the naive heroine.
Linnet is a fun heroine. She moves to set right the damage her uncle has done to her reputation by his high taxes to the serfs, and she makes an effort to get stronger and banish the whole hunchback rep. When one of the neighbors come to visit, the dowager is infuriated to see that the heroine is not an invalid, is now married as she would have married her off to her son. Linnet is pretty taken with the hero who has no idea.
Conflict comes when the aunt and uncle appeal to the king to have the marriage annulled so they can go back and “rescue” the heroine. Fun secondary characters as well.
The dialogue is a little too modern and it’s a little fluffy at times, but huzzah for a fun and sweet romance.
This is my second book by Alice Coldbreath and totally loved it again.
I really enjoyed all the characters and especially Linnet and Mason. She seems afraid of everything since she’s been sheltered all her life but when a decision needs to be make, she comes up with a daring proposition to fierce general Mason. And surprisinly, he accepts it.
They are completely strangers to each other and are married but both of them are willing to make their marriage work for the best. Just for different reasons and hoping different things of it. However, day by day Linnet is conquering rough Mason with her sweetness, attitude and good will.
Love jealous and posessive Mason and how he struggle to come to terms with his feelings for sweet and naive Linnet. I also liked Oswald and some of Linnet’s servants. Great characters, interesting love story and good steamy scenes between the main characters.
I’m totally going to read next book of this series.