Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart. Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who … discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.
There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match–to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage–to Lord Williams.
Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.
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Margaret Brinton intends on getting a match that won’t break her heart by being something other than what she expects: a rake. Just when she thinks she has found exactly who she needs, a Mr. Northam, her father informs her he has arranged a match with Lord Williams, who is Mr. Northam’s cousin. WIll Margaret get what she thinks she needs or will she allow herself to get something better?
I was pleasantly surprised by this. Oftentimes, when a book has readers that proclaim it to be ‘like Jane Austen’, I tend to disagree. This one, however, has definite Pride and Prejudice vibes.
The story is told from Margaret’s point of view. Her position and desire for a marriage of convenience are easy to understand. Her anger when she learns what her father has done and who she has been arranged to marry shine through. I wasn’t sure I even liked her at first but she definitely grew on me as the story continued.
This was a delight to read and I would recommend it to readers looking for a clean Regency romance.
I was so reluctant to end this book. I really enjoyed every single moment in it and I wanted more of Margaret and Lord Williams. I love when that happens.
This story is gentle and doesn’t hold many climactic moments but wow, it sure did hold my attention. I was interested from the very first dinner scene because Margaret has such a determination to marry someone that cannot hurt her and that she has no real affection for even at her brother’s obvious disapproval. Getting to know Margaret was a treat even though at times I wanted to shake some sense into her.
The beginning third of the book had a distinctly Pride & Prejudice feel to it as Margaret and Lord Williams have a bit of a battle of the wills and some heavy judging. (mostly Margaret). But then, Lord Williams is there and at every turn he is proving himself to be the most gallant of men. I really adored him- his tenacity, his hope and his patience.
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was just lovely. Oh! And I love the cover too.
Content: kissing
– I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love reading books from new authors. It’s an awesome surprise, especially when you really like the book and can’t put it down.
Promised, written by Leah Garriott, has such wonderful Jane Austen vibes that this novel clicked with me instantly. It all starts with a very humorous match-making party. We meet the strong-willed Maragaret Brinton who is there to find a husband of convenience after having been heartbroken in the past. Soon she meets two men that catch her interest, Mr. Northam and Lord Williams. After an unsuccessful attempt at matchmaking, a frustrated Margaret heads home. Once there, she finds out that she is now engaged to Lord Williams and she is not happy. Margaret does everything in her power to undo this travesty. This is when the fun begins as Lord Gregory Williams and Margaret banter back and forth in a dance of chase and run. I love most of Margaret’s family except her older brother, Daniel, even though later he finally comes round later and acts more reasonable. Also, Margaret’s younger sister Alice was a cute addition to the story. A true favorite character in this novel was Lord William’s mother. She was delightful! This emotion-filled book will keep you laughing one moment, crying the next, and greatly puzzled at what is really going on. I enjoyed it so much.
This engaging Proper Romance has a fun plot, great dialogue, and a slow burn romance that pays off in the end.
Leah Garriott’s debut novel really drew me in, and I read it all in one day. Every time I even thought about putting it down something else pulled me back into the story, and I needed to finish it.
At first I didn’t really care for Margaret because she seemed like a whiny brat who made foolish decisions. However, through the first person point of view we are given the thoughts and reasons behind these decisions and I understood where she was coming from and felt for her.
When Lord Williams lets down his guard I really liked him. What I didn’t like was his aloof facade. I will never understand how it was so common during that time to pretend not to care.
My favorite scenes were with Margaret and Lord Williams as well as scenes about a certain donkey that I won’t leave spoilers for.
While some situations in the story-line have been done before, they were done really well. This book was well written and extremely interesting.
5 stars to Promised and a spot on my favorites shelf!
What a great story. The heartbreak from her engagement when she found her fiancee had at least one mistress, maybe more. She Called off the engagement and tried to forget. It had been a long time but she had gone, with her brother to a house party that catered to finding a mate. She met Mr.Northam, who confessed he was a Rake and proud of it. Another gentleman named Lord Gregory Williams, a Baron was his cousin, tall, muscular, and had the most stunning eyes. She felt that Mr. Northam, she knew she could never love him. She would have her freedom and he could go on his merry way. She couldn’t be hurt if no love was involved. After Edward that is exactly what she wanted.
Lord Gregory Williams was a nice, gentle man . He stood up and left in the middle of her pinaforte rendition. She
was so embarrassed by it. Both Margaret and her brother were called home. She was so glad to be gone.
Lord Williams had gone straight to her father and arranged engagement papers. He was very intelligent and ran his own estate and took care of his mother.
From page one I was caught and read until I was done. The way the problems seemed to escalate and more or less found a solution. The characters were great and so engaging. The tale moved steadily and was easy to read.
I found it entertaining and kept me so interested. I really loved it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.
***4.5 stars*** rounding up!
Sigh. I love and hate when a good book comes to an end.
This book starts out with a matchmaking party. Margaret is drawn to a known rake because she knows that she won’t love him and he will not break her heart. To make things interesting his cousin, Gregory (Lord Williams), is continually warning her away from him. A quote from a well-known poem comes to mind. “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” (Robert Burns)
The book gets really interesting at this point. Margaret is called home early from the party to find that she is engaged! To Lord Williams. (I am chuckling as I write this.) It’s pure and total goodness for a reader. The banter is well done. They have a volatile relationship, to say the least.
I really couldn’t help falling in love with the story and most of the characters. This book is well written and very entertaining.
I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book should come with a label that says “Warning! Loss of sleep can and will occur if you begin this book after dark.” I stayed up way too late to finish it because I couldn’t put it down… but it was definitely worth it!
Margaret has promised herself she would never fall in love again and is convinced a marriage of convenience is the best way to make sure it never happens. Enter Lord Gregory Williams. I loved the witty banter, the family relationships, the character depth, the plot twists, the laugh-out-loud moments, and the real chemistry between the main characters.
This is truly one of my favorite regency romances and I will be reading it again as I anxiously await the next book by this author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book but my opinions are my own.
This novel was adorable. The few predictable plot points were handled so uniquely I was delighted the whole way through.
The romance was swoon worthy and developed expertly. My favorite relationship however was between the siblings. Their support and teasing and understanding of each other really connected me to the story.
Delighted by this debut author and can’t wait to see what she does next.
Promised by Leah Garriott is a delightful read that really hit the spot on this snowy, nothing is open, can’t go anywhere day. It is a clean, engaging read that is a great addition to the Proper Romance line.
I was surprised by Lord Williams’ secret. Trying to figure out his motivation and determine if he was really a good guy kept me intrigued.
Margaret was very stubborn, but her attitude and reactions made a lot of sense given the betrayal she’d faced.
Leah Garriott did an excellent job with this story. I believe it is a debut novel for her, and I’d happily read more from her in the future.
*I received a review copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Promised by Leah Garriott.
I believe this is the first book by this author and if that’s true I can’t wait to see what else she writes.
I could not put this book down! A wonderful, clean, regency romance. The characters are amazing, even the supporting characters were great. I was pulled into the story immediately, there were so many interesting twist and turns. I would think it was about to end (which I was not ready for) and then it moved onto another twist, but never losing its momentum. I felt anger at stupid “alpha” behavior, sadness at those that fell ill, lighthearted at the quirky humor, and swooned at the romantic gestures. Definitely a 5 star read for me!!!
Every now and then, you come across a book that immediately draws you in and doesn’t let go until you finish the story. This is one of those books. I found myself rushing through my “gotta-do’s” so I could hurry up and get back to reading.
My heart ached for Margaret, and I really couldn’t blame her for basically closing off her heart… or attempting to, anyway. But, she is not a robot, no matter how much she might have wanted to be, and those pesky emotions kept getting in the way.
I honestly wasn’t sure what to think of Gregory, and had a hard time trusting him for quite awhile. I definitely liked him better than some of the other men in the story though. Mr. Lundall was an amusing character, although I thought his story was going to end up differently than it did.
I’m glad I had the chance to read this story and look forward to reading more from this author.
I was completely confused as to why Lord Williams was intent on courting and marrying Margaret. Fortunately, readers gain an understanding before the book is finished. Both Margaret and Lord Williams show characteristics that seem common in young adults. LOL
The book’s beautiful cover and premise intrigued me. And early on in the story, it was a pleasant surprise to come across a loving father who wants his daughter to be happy and feels remorse for the role he must play in securing her future. I’ve read so many books in this genre with villainous or disinterested fathers. The development of the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine was extremely difficult to believe. I’m accustomed to suspending my disbelief, but something about this story proved far more challenging than usual, and it was difficult to ignore the glaring inconsistencies. She willfully misunderstood him, but in a petulant way, not in a strong-willed, opinionated way. And there’s definitely a difference. Some parts were so obvious, yet our smart heroine was acting totally clueless, denying the facts right in front of her face. I did not care much for these characters at all, unfortunately. They felt superficial, even with first-person narration. Miscommunication is a standard trope, and I tolerate it when it’s useful, but when a single question to any number of people might resolve the glaring confusion, and the supposedly forthright heroine won’t even ask it or demand an answer, the story loses credibility. Some of the encounters between characters, including secondary ones, simply left me confused. I actually had to go back and re-read several chapters just to make sure I hadn’t missed something. The writing itself was strong, but the character development and plotting lacked depth and flow. The romance would have been far more satisfying if it had developed naturally. I just couldn’t enjoy the sweetness when I couldn’t see how it arrived at that point. It was all too convenient. Nearly every character was distressed for one reason or another, lending a somber air to the story, and that single note carried throughout the entire book. Even in potentially devastating circumstances, the emotional reactions rang hollow. I never connected emotionally with the characters, and there was a lot of angst that might have increased the tension and suspense if it were proven necessary, but the reasoning for it was unrealistic, making the happily-ever-after not at all satisfying. Overall, this didn’t feel like a true romance to me.
Warwickshire, England – 1812
Miss Margaret Brinton’s heart has been broken by her neighbor and long time beau as he flaunted his mistresses for all to see. She and her brother, Daniel, have accepted an invitation to a week-long soiree touted for matching couples. She is simply interested in a marriage of convenience and in name only.
At dinner, Margaret is seated between Mr. Frederick Northam, a wealthy aristocrat, and Baron Williams on the other side. Turns out they are cousins. Baron Williams comes across as rather arrogant while Mr. Northam is quite solicitous. When Margaret plays a medley on the piano after dinner, Baron Williams jumps up, acting furious and leaves the room. The man had given her the direct cut!
Her father calls her home early from the soiree to inform her that he has made a match for her. It is none other than the odious Baron Williams. Furious at her father, she refuses to be gracious to the Baron and vows not to marry him. If he wishes to get into her good graces, he has his work cut out for him.
This book started off well and then…it went from bad to worse. I found myself constantly put out with Baron Williams and Margaret’s brother, Daniel, for essentially laughing at Margaret’s refusal to accept Baron Williams at face value. They expected her to accept him no questions asked. The little woman is to shut up and take it. No! That did not set well with me and I found myself angry with the lot of them. I really wanted to read this book but am sorry to say it was not my cup of tea.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, but with a backbone of its own
This is the debut novel of Mrs. Garriott and I was impressed by the quality of the writing and the flow of the narrative. The descriptions are beautifully done and the dialogues are intelligent and interesting.
Margaret was in love and engaged to be married when she found out her intended had a mistress and was only pretending to love her to set his hands on her dowry and please his father.
Feeling betrayed and fool, Margaret decided she would never give her heart away again. She would make a marriage of convenience to someone she could never really love and be forever safe from heartbreak.
With this intent in mind, Margaret went to a house party where she met two cousins: the handsome and rakish Mr. Fredrick Northam, and the arrogant and proper Lord Williams.
The story revolves around Margaret having to choose between the safety of a marriage to a known rake she could never respect or the risk of giving a second chance to love.
The story is told exclusively from Margaret’s point of view, using the first person, and I must confess I disliked it a little in the beginning. But, as the story progressed, seeing things exclusively in her perspective helped me to connect and understand her motives.
If at first, I thought her too stubborn, by the end, I had realized it was more determination than stubbornness, a reaction to the trauma she suffered and an attempt to regain control of her life.
Gregory, the hero, was handsome and intelligent but could be highhanded at times. Like Margaret, he had an ingrained sense of duty and gave great value to family and honor. Both main characters are complex and very relatable.
As a fan of Pride and Prejudice, I could not fail to identify several references and inspired-by characters, but it pleased me to see the story has its own backbone.
Mr. Northam, or should I say, Mr. Wickham, is a wonderful anti-hero and I hope he gets his own HEA one day (preferably in more redeeming circumstances than his Austenesque counterpart).
Promised is an engaging traditional historical romance and a strong debut novel. I’m looking forward to reading Mrs. Garriott’s next titles.
Disclosure: I have received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Pride and Prejudice inspired story
My rating is 3.5 stars
It wasn’t until I was a good way through Promised that I saw the similarities to Pride and Prejudice. The way in which Margaret was so repulsed by Lord Williams’ manner and his haughty attitude. Then I started noticing other subtle things and began to realize that there were a number of connections. What I appreciated is that the author did not attempt to make this a retelling, including all the characters and situations with slight variations. Instead, Leah Garriott made the story her own.
There were some cute and some romantic moments, such as with the donkey. And some odious yet indispensible characters.
While I liked Lord Williams – mostly – I didn’t really understand his motivation for the “thing” that ended up being a problem. Somehow it didn’t quite ring true. Other than that, he was kind despite being a bit aloof and was certainly persistent!
Margaret had a deep love for her family, especially her sister, Alice. Her relationship with her brother, Daniel, was humorous at times, especially when they were goading and needling each other. I do have to confess, though, that her prejudice against Lord Williams and her grief over her sad circumstances was a bit overwhelming throughout much of the story. She wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t much of a fan. And I wasn’t quite sure why Lord Williams fell in love with her.
There were a couple of items I would have liked to have had explained more thoroughly (or at all, like the donkey). The narrative style was good yet not compelling. Overall, Promised was enjoyable.
Read my review of Promised by Leah Garriott at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Isn’t the cover of this book stunning?!? I love the red. One day when I organize my bookshelf by color instead of by author this red is going to really pop 🙂 Anyway, it’s definitely something that would catch my attention and make me want to see what it was all about.
Poor Margaret! What she went through, and then what she decided to do to never go through it again! It all just broke my heart. But I loved how her family was actually supportive and loved her. In a lot of stories the family doesn’t can about the girl at all and it was refreshing to see a loving family (I like those other stories too, but sometimes different is good). The relationship Margaret had with her brother was fun, and I was sad to see it change, even though the change was for the good of the story.
While I never doubted that Lord William’s was a good guy, I was totally curious as to his motivations the whole book. His role reminded me strongly of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. There were some strong similarities there for awhile.
I loved the book, and I will be rereading it again. However, I felt like the end just kinda….ended. Not in a cliff hanger sort of way, but definitely not wrapped up in a pretty little bow. It was sort of … anti-climatic. Which I realize is odd since the climax was all wrapped up nicely, but the end just…ended, and I was like, “Oh. It’s over.” That was a little disappointing to me, but not enough to ruin the very good book that I just read.
*I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own