Birdie and the Beastly Duke: The Wishing Well Series

I enjoyed this book and the 3 others that make up an interlinked story about 4 school friends who all end up one way or another marrying Dukes…The plots are gentle and engaging, energetic heroines and dashing and often reluctant heroes…if you generally like regency romances you will like these…I am reading these romances to relax amid all the Covid madness, 4 kids at home, homeschooling etc, very stressful…this is just pure relaxation too, romance rather than sex…

The Honorable Roberta Talbot, known as Birdie, has spent her life supporting and organising her feckless, impoverished aristocratic family.On her way to yet another governess job she comes across Cecily. Distressed to be going to an arranged marriage to a stranger, Cecily suggests that they swap. Soon Birdie is on her way on an adventure, all the way to a haunted castle in Scotland and into the domain of its beastly lord.Captain Gabriel Eversleigh never expected to become the Duke of Dunross. Racked by survivor’s guilt after a disaster at the Battle of Waterloo, Gabriel became a recluse in his castle.To honour his father’s dying request, Gabriel promises to marry a girl he has never met, a family friend left orphaned and destitute. Gabriel plans to be a husband in name only.Birdie is determined to turn her sham of a marriage into the real-thing, Birdie not only confronts the ghosts of Gabriel’s past but stirs up a dangerous secret hidden deep within the castle walls. But when Gabriel discovers he’s married the wrong bride, will their love be able to flourish, or will his softening heart harden once more?Birdie is indomitable and Gabriel is lovely underneath his wounded surface.I really loved this book and couldn't put it down.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views expressed are my own.

Roberta Talbot has spent her whole life supporting her feckless and impoverished aristocratic family. On her way to her new governess post she encounters Cecily who is on her way to Scotland for an arranged marriage. Cecily does not want to marry a complete stranger reported to be a Beastly Lord living in what is reputedly to be a haunted castle.Captain Gabriel Eversleigh never expected to become the Duke of Dunross, racked with survivor's guilt after the Battle of Waterloo he secludes himself in his castle away from the world. Marrying a girl he has never met is his way of honouring his father's last wish. Birdie is everything he did not expect and she fights to break down his walls to find the man underneath, they are attracted to each other, how will he react to finding out that the bride he thought he had married is not the woman he loves will he realise that despite her name she is his future before it is too late.

Birdie is a strong, capable woman who's been dealt a difficult lot in life: her gambling father kills himself leaving her family in ruin, and she has to work to support her ungrateful mother and siblings. It is no surprise that, when an opportunity to marry, even if it is a total stranger, comes up, she grabs it without a second thought. Can you blame her? Gabriel is a wounded war veteran, disfigured and depressed, with the weight of guilt for his men keeping him in a dark place. He must marry the chit because he promised his father he would, but the last thing he wants is company. But Birdie, resourceful, caring Birdie, will have none of that! She will care for him and his home, and his people too, because that's what she does. Will this be enough to get her hearts' desire, just to be loved by someone, not just needed? Read it! It's absolutely delightful, it's set in Scotland, and it has cameo appearances by beloved characters Lucy and Arabella too! My only complain is that it is not longer.

I really wanted to like this book but it was let down by the appalling editing. It looks like the author has self edited as her previous two books were well edited. I hope the author learns from her mistakes and gets herself a good editor for the next book.