BAD LUCK BRIDE

A notorious spinster gets lucky, but not the way she expects.

Lady Kay Matheson is finally getting married. After two false starts, and many years as the subject of the gossip columns, she’s found a man who seems likely to make it all the way down the aisle with her: Wilson Rycroft, one of America’s richest men. She’s not in love with him, but he seems kind, and he has enough money to pay off her family’s growing pile of unpaid bills and allow her younger sister the debut she deserves. With the wedding only 10 weeks away, Kay goes to the florist at the Savoy hotel, but when she turns the corner to look for a gardenia, she’s shocked to see Devlin Sharpe, her first fiancé, now back in England after 14 years abroad. He’s also shopping for wedding flowers, and though they still loathe each other because of the way their engagement ended, they manage to be cordial. And because the London season is too small for them to avoid each other, their paths continue to cross, each time reminding them of the reasons that they wanted to elope in the first place, all those years ago—especially as they each start to see another side of their respective fiancés. But it’s not until they finally kiss, and see their lives change instantly as a result, that they have to confront the slow burn that’s been building back up between them. In the third installment of the Scandal at the Savoy series, the famous hotel once again plays a pivotal role in the story, and readers will be pleased to see the return of characters they’ve met in earlier volumes. Like the first two books, it’s a pleasure to read, with enjoyable characters, fun dialogue, and engaging historical detail. And, though it takes most of the book for Kay and Devlin to fully connect, once they do the spice level escalates quickly, leading to a slightly abrupt conclusion that is nonetheless satisfying, given all that the lovers have gone through to get there.

A Victorian romance that will thrill readers who love to see a second chance.