Royal's Bride
by Kat Martin.

Mira paperback, 408 pages. 2009.
1854. England.

they haven't much chance at happiness, but can't deny their love.

  

"'I thought that . . . that putting some distance between us might . . . might be wise.'

His eyes bored into her. 'If I had my way, there wouldn't be the slightest distance between us, Lily. I would bury myself so far inside you we wouldn't be able to tell where one of us stopped and the other began.'

Her eyes widened and her cheeks burned. The words stirred an image so erotic dampness slid into her core. 'Royal, please, you  . . .you mustn't talk that way.'

"'I thought that . . . that putting some distance between us might . . . might be wise.'

His eyes bored into her. 'If I had my way, there wouldn't be the slightest distance between us, Lily. I would bury myself so far inside you we wouldn't be able to tell where one of us stopped and the other began.'

Her eyes widened and her cheeks burned. The words stirred an image so erotic dampness slid into her core. 'Royal, please, you  . . .you mustn't talk that way.'

He sighed into the quiet side of the shop. 'I know, It's just that when I see you, I seem to forget everything but having you again.'

Her heart stuttered. He wanted her. But then, there had never been any question of that. She wondered what else he might feel for her, knew that whatever it was, it wasn't enough.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the tears. 'Why are you here, Royal? What do you want?'

He reached out and caught her hand, brought it to his lips. She wore no gloves and the warmth of his mouth sent a curl of heat into the pit of her stomach.

'You know what I want - I want you, Lily. But that is not the reason I'm here.'

She couldn't look away from his handsome face, from the straight nose and sensuous lips, the solid jaw and the tiny indentation in his chin. 'Why, then?'

Reaching into the inside pocket of his brown, velvet-collared tailcoat, he withdrew a sheet of paper and handed it to Lily. She frowned as she unfolded it and saw a list of five men's names.  'What is this?'

'Those are the names of men who would make satisfactory husbands.'"


Royal promises his father on his deathbed that he will marry a certain heiress so that their estates can be restored with the money she will bring to their marriage. The woman is exceptionally beautiful - and exceptionally spoiled. Jocelyn Caulfield has a cousin who is paid as her companion and instead of the woman he is scheduled to wed, he is in love with this cousin named Lily Moran. His affections are returned as well. But Jo wants to be a duchess and Royal needs the money and a deathbed promise is not to be broken. So, it is an unhappy situation all the way around.

Meanwhile, Royal, Lily and some friends plan on retrieving some of the money back from the man who took advantage of Royal's ailing father. It is a huge sting operation. Also, Jo has fallen in love with another man -  a man lacking any title or real money.

This is a terrific historical romance novel.  Kat Martin knows how to write good romance, along with an intriguing plot that has depth and twists to it. Interesting all the way thru, it isn't perfect and you can find some flaws in the reasoning along the way, but that's nit-picking. It's an exciting read.

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