Happy Friday, reader friends!
Are you ready for the weekend?
Today, we’re featuring my review of Vanessa Riley’s new novel, The Bashful Bride.
It’s the perfect weekend read!
My Review of The Bashful Bride:
This book was amazingly well written, and completely captivating from start to finish. Vanessa Riley, the author, has really outdone herself with this one. I’m not a big fan of historical romance but Vanessa’s stories are delightful and make me want to read more books by her brilliant mind!
Reading this book was a theatrical experience on paper. It’s like the author takes you by the imagination from page one and transports you back in time to the Regency era then invites you to a front row seat as you watch this beautiful story unfold.
The characters were likable, their background was believable and the dialogue was beautiful. I loved the idea of love at first sight and enjoyed seeing how the heroine’s celebrity crush became her real-life love interest via a meet-cute that threw them together in the most unique and intriguing way.
The author is not afraid to make her characters real and heroic in every sense—the hero is a famous, handsome actor with the passionate platform of an abolitionist. Arthur Bex is his name and he’s not afraid to speak out a time in history where most kept silent. He’s passionate about freedom and he’s not afraid to express his views even when his push for equality threatens to overhaul the status quo.
The heroine, a shy heiress by the name of Ester Croome, is heroic in terms of honesty and loyalty because she refuses to marry anyone who her heart does not love in a society where sometimes women married for money, status or other practical reasons. She may be shy but when it comes to marriage, she knows what she wants and who she wants—handsome actor Arthur Bex. But beyond good looks, Ester wants a man of character and integrity, and Arthur seems to fit the bill.
But love at first sight only becomes the forever kind of love that lasts when it’s tested and tried to be true. The author doesn’t shy away from testing the love between Arthur and Ester. She throws her main characters into quite the plight as the story progresses! Riley knows how to build tension and leave the readers wanting more at the end of each scene. I kept turning the pages until I finished this story in one sitting!
Even if you’re not a fan of historical romance, read this book by Vanessa Riley. It will captivate your heart!
*I (Alexis A. Goring) received a complimentary copy of this book (The Bashful Bride) from the author for me to read. My opinions in this book review are my own.
About the Book:
A friend’s newspaper advertisement for a groom nets the most famous actor in London, Arthur Bex. Shy heiress Ester Croome proposes to elope with the handsome man, who she’s secretly loved for two years, in order to escape an impending engagement arranged by her overbearing family.
Trying to outlive the shadow of his villainous uncle, Bex needs to marry quickly—to a woman of good character. And smart, beautiful Ester fits the bill. But a harrowing trip to Gretna Green and dangerous abolition rallies prove to be a more treacherous stage than either imagined. Infatuation and a mutual love for Shakespeare might not be enough to bind a couple looking to outrun the chains and secrets of family and the past.
Buy The Bashful Bride on Amazon
About the Author:
Vanessa Riley writes Regency and Historical Romances of dazzling multi-culture communities with powerful persons of color.
Vanessa writes for historical romance readers who admire and acquire books that showcase women who find joy in sweeping kisses and strong sisterhoods. Even in the darkness, she promises to give you laughs and to show you how light always prevails and how love always, always wins.
Vanessa juggles mothering a teen, cooking for her military-man husband, and speaking at women’s and STEM events. She’s known for her sweeping romances and humorous delivery of poignant truths. You can catch her writing from the comfort of her southern porch with a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Connect with Vanessa:
Website – http://www.vanessariley.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/VanessaRileyAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/VanessaRiley/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/RegencyMaid
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vanessarileyauthor/
Sign up for her newsletter to get access to free stories, giveaways, and more at:
http://www.vanessariley.com
Lena Daniels never thought she’d get the chance star in a movie. Headstrong and determined, she has her life planned out to the minute. But when her best friends, Savannah and Emma, tell her about an audition, she knows there’s nothing else in the world she’d rather do. And now that she’s gotten her wish, Lena finds that being in the spotlight is harder than it sounds. She got everything she never wanted! Her face turns up everywhere she goes, and everything in her life is flipped upside down. Lena wonders if this is a dream come true or a horrible nightmare. Even a visit from her best friends during filming turns into a disaster.
Alena Pitts is a young actress and model from Dallas, Texas. As the oldest of four girls, Alena first cut her teeth in acting through making home videos and dramas with her sisters, using their entire home as their recording studio. She has a natural love for all things creative which falls right in line with her gifts and talents. The Kendrick Brothers’ War Room marks Alena’s professional acting debut. With only school theater on her young resume, Alena jumped at a chance to audition for the role of Danielle Jordan. In addition to school and acting, Alena models and is a frequent contributor for the magazine For Girls Like You.
Wynter Pitts is the founder of For Girls Like You Magazine and the author of For Girls Like You: A Devotional for Tweens and You’re God’s Girl. The mother of four girls, Wynter’s mission is to empower and equip girls to walk boldly into becoming who God has created them to be and to provide parents with the resources and support needed to raise strong Christ followers. In addition to publishing the quarterly magazine, Wynter is a frequent blogger, a contributor for LifeWay’s ParentLife Magazine, and a public speaker. She is also the niece of Dr. Tony Evans. Wynter, her husband Jonathan, and four daughters (ages 6-11), reside in Dallas, Texas.
Diversity Between the Pages 