Publishers Weekly
Gracie (His Captive Lady) charms and entices with this launch of the Regency-era Chance Sisters series. Orphaned governess Abigail Chantry receives the astonishing news that her younger sister, Jane, has been abducted and is captive in a brothel. Abby rescues Jane with the assistance of housemaid Daisy and fellow captive Damaris; the four bond together but struggle to make ends meet. Desperate, Abby breaks into a house—and meets ailing, charming Lady Beatrice Davenham, who has nothing worth stealing but could use some company. She takes in the four “Chance” sisters as her purported nieces, but the deception falters upon the return from overseas of her handsome nephew, Max. Abby’s warmth and caring nature shine from the first moment, and Max’s dedication to his family and friends make him worthy of her love. Layers of secrets and deft characterization make for a deep, rich story that will leave readers starry-eyed. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for Anne Gracie's THE AUTUMN BRIDE
~Chosen as one of the best romances of 2013 by NPR and Library Journal ~
~Shortlisted for the American Library Association's 2014 RUSA Reading List~
“Gracie charms and entices with this launch of the Regency-era Chance Sisters series. Orphaned governess Abigail Chantry receives the astonishing news that her younger sister, Jane, has been abducted and is captive in a brothel. Abby rescues Jane with the assistance of housemaid Daisy and fellow captive Damaris; the four bond together but struggle to make ends meet. Desperate, Abby breaks into a house—and meets ailing, charming Lady Beatrice Davenham, who has nothing worth stealing but could use some company. She takes in the four “Chance” sisters as her purported nieces, but the deception falters upon the return from overseas of her handsome nephew, Max. Abby’s warmth and caring nature shine from the first moment, and Max’s dedication to his family and friends make him worthy of her love. Layers of secrets and deft characterization make for a deep, rich story that will leave readers starry-eyed.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A complex, charming heartwarmer that celebrates love, brave heroines and the miracle of second chances." —Kirkus Reviews
"Abigail Chantry sprints across London rooftops and into the window of an abandoned mansion in search of something to sell in order to save her sister and friends from a life on the streets. What she doesn’t expect is to be greeted by an elderly lady asking, “Have you come to kill me?” and then being taken in by the woman. ... Delightful Jane Austen quotes introduce each chapter and add to the fun. VERDICT With a pair of beautifully matched protagonists and some particularly despicable villains, this funny, dangerously addictive page-turner is a hands-down Regency winner; the rest of the series can’t come fast enough. –Library Journal
"I honestly can't remember the last time I've enjoyed a book quite this much.... I predict The Autumn Bride is going to be “THE” book to add to the TBR list of Historical Romance fans everywhere." —Night Owl
"Readers will want to take a chance on this delightful, heartwarming series about sisters of the heart, family, friends, and the fun and passion of romance. Gracie lifts readers' spirits, creating a delightful cast of characters, tender moments and lighthearted repartee designed to tug at the heart. Keep a hankie handy for tears of laughter and joy." —Romantic Times
"A warm and well-crafted romance novel, perfectly setting the stage for the stories to follow in Anne Gracie’s new “Chance Sisters Romance” series....Heartfelt, charming and wonderfully paced, The Autumn Bride is full of emotionally rich characters, witty conversation and Anne Gracie’s characteristic expert storytelling, guaranteed to leave readers with this story stamped on their hearts." —Reader to Reader
"There is nothing more enjoyable then a beautifully written, sweet romance where you watch two people fall in love—and The Autumn Bride is precisely that. –Heroes and Heartbreakers
"I loved this romp through the nineteenth century, an entertaining rags to riches story….. I suggest you pick up THE AUTUMN BRIDE and laugh and cheer. I did. –Fresh Fiction
“I loved everything about this book—the “sisters” who create a family out of affection and need, the hero as disillusioned boy and as honorable man, and the gallant, all together wonderful Lady Beatrice, who almost steals the book from the lovers. From page one, I was engaged with this story. When Abby assures the three younger girls that “It doesn’t hurt to dream,” and the four share their dreams of what they want from life, I was in up to my heart. …. I didn’t allow a small thing like the need to sleep keep me from the story. I finished it in the wee hours, knowing that Anne Gracie had created another world that I would want to visit again and again. I can’t wait for Book 2." —JustJanga
"What an absolutely enchanting story!!" —EBookObsessed
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"Narrator Alison Larkin's diverse English accents set the mood for this warm story of love, friendship, and class in English society." —AudioFile
MAY 2013 - AudioFile
Narrator Alison Larkin’s diverse English accents set the mood for this warm story of love, friendship, and class in English society. Four young women who are on the verge of destitution and are hiding from a sinister brothel owner discover an elderly woman who is being neglected by her servants. Posing as the woman’s nieces, they move into her house to take care of her, but their charade is threatened when Max, Lady Beatrice’s nephew, returns from India. Larkin’s modulated voice conveys the growing kinship between the women while her Cockney accent and changes in intonation highlight the characters’ different social statuses. Larkin’s low tones serve to illuminate Max’s suspicion and the constant danger from the villains who are tracking the girls. M.F. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
After governess Abigail Chantry saves her sister and two friends from abduction and ruin, the four women determine to survive together, finding a surprising champion in an elderly baroness--much to the chagrin of her handsome nephew. When Abigail Chantry receives a mysterious message that her beautiful sister has been abducted and taken to a brothel, she races to save her and ends up with three young women to look out for. Bringing them to her home gets her sacked, so they rent a tiny room and look for work, hoping for some miracle that will keep them off the streets. Instead, they meet Lady Beatrice, an ill, elderly baroness who is practically imprisoned by the criminally neglectful servants living off her. Abby takes charge of Lady Bea's household, running off the servants and hiring a small crew of new ones, and the four young women--who call themselves the Chance sisters--begin to nurse the invalid back to health. At the same time, Lady Bea's nephew, Max, who has been out of the country rebuilding his fortune, comes home to find his aunt thin and sick and blames the mysterious Abby Chance, who seems to have an alarming sway over his aunt. Confronting her with his suspicions, he is astonished when the woman counterattacks, admonishing him for abandoning his aunt and placing the blame for Lady Bea's condition squarely at his feet. Max investigates and learns the truth of his aunt's troubles and how the young women--whom Lady Bea has taken to calling her nieces--saved her. It doesn't answer the question of where they came from or what their motives are, but soon Max is convinced Abby Chance is the woman he's waited for all of his life. Unfortunately, he's betrothed to another, and danger lurks from the girls' past, so Max and Abby must fight for their chance at happiness. Historical romance author Gracie is known for her nuanced, unconventional characters and rich, original plot lines. This book, first of a planned quartet, doesn't disappoint. A complex, charming heartwarmer that celebrates love, brave heroines and the miracle of second chances.
