Review: In Regency romance Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret, Lord Holt literally takes a bride

 

If you regularly read my reviews of Regency romances you know I hate kidnapping plots.  Yet, even though the entirety of Lord Hold Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret revolves around a kidnapping, another kidnapping, another . . . I lost track -- it was mostly really fun.  

SPOILERS:

 

 

Heroine Winn runs away from an arranged marriage, and finds herself kidnapped by hero Asher Holt.  They have all kinds of great adventures for the next few days as they make their way towards Winn's aunt.  There are bad guys to escape from, and sweet horses to steal, and cows to learn how to milk, and drenching rain to get soaked in.  They are having the time of their life, and it's enjoyable to go along for the ride.

Not so enjoyable is an unpleasant reveal about Asher's motivation that comes halfway through the book.  He has been lying about something really big.  He is a cad.

The ending was also quite a letdown. Rather than Asher figuring out how to move forward -- and I really, really wanted him and Winn to sail away in search of buried treasure, which seemed to be where this book was leading -- he is miraculously rescued by a distant, rich relative. He and Winn go on to leave a dull, conventional (although happy) life, in which she decides when she is three months pregnant that she does not want to travel until after the baby is born.  I know both Asher and Winn are only children, but can you not?  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to travel with a baby, toddler, young child?  And are you planning on having only one?

There was also a very sad interlude in the middle of the book where Asher and Winn are befriended by a farmer who seems wise and lovely.  He learns something devastating, turns home, and is never heard from again.  I want a book about him.