The Sherbrooke Bride (Bride Series)

by Catherine Coulter

Overview

The first book in New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter's beloved Bride series.

Douglas Sherbrooke, Earl of Northcliffe, marries the wrong woman-only to find himself haunted by a bride of an entirely different kind.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780515107661
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/01/1992
Series:	Catherine Coulter's Bride Series , #1
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	4.20(w) x 6.75(h) x 1.05(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Catherine Coulter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the FBI Thrillers featuring husband and wife team Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock. She is also the author—with J. T. Ellison—of the Brit in the FBI series. She lives in Sausalito, California.

Editorial Reviews

In a display of what poses as wit in this Regency novel, the first of a trilogy, Douglas Sherbrooke, Earl of Northcliffe, tells his wife Alexandra that she is ``as amusing as a boil on a backside.'' Unfortunately, he's right. Worse, bestselling romancer Coulter's ( Earth Song ) lame story is no more amusing. The tale begins when Douglas is dispatched to France on a secret mission for the British government just as he is to marry the beautiful Melissande Chambers. He sends his cousin Tony Parrish to act as his proxy during the ceremony, but the bride and substitute groom fall in love and elope. They return to carry on with the proxy wedding, making Melissande's younger sister Alexandra the bride. Douglas is predictably annoyed when he returns and arrogantly makes this very clear to his unwanted wife. He rebuffs Alexandra's attempts to earn his favor until she wises up and tries to run off; then he decides to keep her. To prevent things from getting too cozy Coulter resurrects the poorly developed spy subplot and has Alexandra kidnapped. Douglas and Tony take off in pursuit, evil is vanquished and everybody who is supposed to be happy ends up that way. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In this first in a trilogy of Regency romances, Douglas Sherbrooke, the Earl of Northcliffe, must marry to produce a legitimate heir. Because he needs to be in France on the day of his marriage, he sends his cousin to wed Melissande, his chosen bride, by proxy. The cousin, instead, marries her for keeps. Douglas ends up with her less-appealing sister Alexandra, who coincidentally has been in love with Douglas for several years. Both couples are together in the Sherbrooke household after the wedding, so Douglas has plenty of opportunity to compare the two women. Of course, as is to be expected, all ends well, and Douglas and Alexandra overcome a number of pitfalls, including her kidnapping, and fall in love. Some listeners may have trouble finding the humor here and will consider parts of the plot preposterous and silly. Read by Anne Flosnik, this novel is recommended where Regencies are popular.-Mary Knapp, Madison P.L., WI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Douglas Sherbrooke, the Earl of Northbrook, coolly and logically decides to marry, selecting Melissande, a beauty beyond compare, and sending his cousin Tony to marry her by proxy. But Tony returns actually married to Melissande--with Alexandra, a curvaceous red-head, in tow as Douglas’s bride. Thus ensues the romance of Alex and Douglas as they sort through lust and cold, hard logic to arrive at, shall we say, love. Anne Flosnik seems to have a wonderful time with this romance, reading in staid, unemotional tones that fit Douglas’s attitude about marriage. As hot-blooded Alex discovers lust that quickly turns to love, Flosnik’s reading engages the listener right though to the luscious conclusion. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

APR/MAY 06 - AudioFile