He vows to never risk his heart again. She hides her love to avoid rejection. A marriage of convenience is not what either of them wished for.Overlooked by society and underappreciated in her family, Ellen Bringhurst has resigned herself to spinsterhood and a life of reading. Until her match-making friends contrive to reintroduce Ellen to the man she has secretly loved since their shared … secretly loved since their shared childhood.
As the younger son to an earl, Marcus Calvert must wed in order to inherit his estate. Still nursing a broken heart, he prefers a practical approach to matrimony rather than romantic love. When Ellen is presented as a possible bride, he proposes a marriage of convenience.
Ellen accepts his hand, hiding her feelings rather than risking her husband’s rejection. Marcus, though determined not to expose his heart again, finds more to admire in his childhood friend with each passing day. What began as a sensible arrangement now has the possibility to become so much more. But is Marcus willing to risk his heart a second time?
His Bluestocking Bride is clean/sweet, standalone romance featuring a marriage of convenience, though it is part of a larger series. The entire series may be enjoyed in any order.
Martha’s Patience, a prequel novella
The Social Tutor
The Gentleman Physician
His Bluestocking Bride
The Earl and His Lady
Miss Devon’s Choice
Courting the Vicar’s Daughter
more
This was a delightful sweet romance! In a word: adorable! I loved how Marcus slowly, step by step, fell in love with his wife, Ellen. After offering her a marriage of convenience−quite rational-minded-Marcus comes to realize that he might not be able to do without love after all. I loved how he slowly realizes that she is not simply a part of his life, but life itself to him. When she is snowed in at a neighbor’s home, he all but rushes out into a snow storm to bring her home…not because she’s in any danger, but simply because he misses her! Very sweet!
Highly recommended!
What a great love story! I truly felt Ellen’s pain during the process of her marriage to Marcus. And I truly felt her happiness when Marcus finally professed his love to her. Ms Britton’s writing abilities have to be truly remarkable in order to evoke the tears I experienced while reading this. Very well written. And if there were historical inaccuracies in this book, I wouldn’t have noticed because I got lost in the romance. If you love good sappy historical romance books then this is one perfect for you.
It’s easy to put oneself in their position––the fear of heartbreak and rejection they each face.
Life with such structured rules left everyone playing a game or acting a part to the point where the truth was nearly impossible to discern.
I love everything from Sally Britton! She’s fantastic with her world-building, as well as witty dialogue. She makes me wish I could go back in time and be a lady during the regency era. Bluestockings have always been a special character for me. I love that these women are smart and yes still find themselves all flummoxed when meeting a handsome gentleman.
I enjoyed reading this well written, clean, “gentle” story with a happily ever after ending.
His Bluestocking Lady was a bit different than the other books in the series since it doesn’t follow the story of one of the characters we’ve already been introduced to so far. Instead, we’re only told of the relation between the hero, Marcus, and his brother, Lucas, Earl of Annesbury (whom we’ve only met briefly in The Social Tutor). However, as the author points out in her note to her readers, it makes sense for this book to be the third in the series since it needs to be before the Earl’s (4th).
Having said all these things, however, none of them take away from the great experience and quality in storytelling a Sally Britton’s reader is already used to. Her descriptions and historical accuracy are on point (as far as I could tell), and she plays definitely well the marriage of convenience trope (it’s beautiful to see Marcus’s development and growth of feelings for Ellen, his wife). As always, the romance is Sweet (or others would say Clean), and, at least to me, very satisfying.
All in all, a delightful “prequel” to “The Earl and His Lady”. Completely recommended
It is surprising what you might have in common with someone if you give it a chance. Charming, sweet.
A marriage of convenience, too many I can’t bare to love again to count, but they do. All ends well
This is another terrific book from author Sally Britton. She has taken two childhood friends and turned them into a married couple. A marriage of convenience.
Ellen Bringhurst believes she will be a spinster for the rest of her life because no gentleman has offered for her and there is no gentleman she is interested in, except for her childhood friend, Marcus Calvert. Marcus has vowed never to give his heart to anyone after being spurned once already. However, in order to get his inheritance, Marcus must get married.
Ellen’s cousin and his wife, Ellen’s friend, invite her to visit them for a time and little does Ellen know, they have also invited Marcus. Seeing as how they all grew up together, they get along fine. Ellen still has feelings for Marcus, but is too afraid to tell him and be rejected. Marcus realizes that Ellen would make a fine wife since they are already friends. He proposes to Ellen, but makes it clear to her it is a marriage of convenience and he never intends to give his heart to her or anyone else. After believing she could do worse and remain a spinster, Ellen accepts Marcus’s proposal.
Marcus gets his inheritance, a home with a modest income and the newlyweds settle in to domestic bliss, until they have to leave the countryside and return to London for the Season. Will this quiet couple survive the harshness of London society? Will London society accept country mouse, Ellen into the fold? And what of the feelings Ellen has for Marcus? Will they be returned or will Marcus stand by his word and never give his heart to Ellen?
Check out this novel by a talented author and see what happens. While the misunderstandings and the fact they don’t fully listen to each other without interrupting the other is a little daunting, this is a very good story. There is character development and the writing is wonderful. This is also a clean story without sex scenes and bad language. Enjoy!
I liked the twist in thi s book. They were not swept off their feet. Probably more realistic of a lot of arranged marriages.
Good story and no steamy sex – YEA!
I really liked this book and the characters…. look forward to reading the other books by this author.
Loved it!
very enjoyable regency romance, this is a new author to me and I feel she has a good sense of the time period and well developed characters and plot lines.
Ellen is an unmarried, 26 year old spinster, who has no hope of marrying. Marcus is a second son and knows women are always wanting to talk to him to get to his brother, who is an Earl. Marcus is being forced to marry by his mother. He has no choice but will only marry for convenience, not love. Ellen knew Marcus since childhood and has secretly loved him but knew he was lost to her for she never attended the London season. Through the help of two friends, they meet again, marry for convenience, but discover love. This is a book in a series, Branches of Love.
It starts out slowly and steadily builds–one of the best marriage-of-convenience stories I’ve ever read.
This story contains none of the standard formulas: forced marriage due to compromising situation; evil villain (parent or uncle or “pockets to let” dowry seeking noble or second son); bodice ripping, often with descriptions of bodily fluids/parts in the heat of passion. H/h do not even a kiss until very near the end.
It tells a lovely story of a brilliant woman, who cannot fit the vapid mold of a debutante. She agrees to a practical marriage with her childhood friend; she held a torch for him, always. We watch him fall in love with her, but it’s not all sunshine and roses. This practical lady trusts not his all too easy flattery, a learned tactic of survival in the shadow of his brother, the Earl. She guards her heart well, and in doing so, she forces him to jump the wall he’d built around his own.
Forgive my sappy desire, but I wanted an epilogue, describing six children and bountiful orchards, and I didn’t mark “Happily Ever After” because Ms. Britton doesn’t write fairy tales; she writes historically sincere prose. Brava!
It was easy and quick to read. I’m keeping it to re-read later on.
I loved it!
I’m officially a big fan of Sally Britton!