Review: The Beast's Bride (The Bluestocking War #1) by Eva Devon (writing as) Maire Claremont

          

Print Length:  330 pages

Publisher:  Eva Devon (October 22, 2020)

From Goodreads.com:  Lady Augusta Penworthy is in dire straits. Her father has spent every last coin, and she and her sisters cannot even afford coal. One chance encounter and a torn gown change everything. While one might think a sudden marriage to a wealthy lord would be a relief, if that marriage is to to the Duke of Blacktower, one would be vastly mistaken. For no young lady wishes to be the beast’s bride.

The Duke of Blacktower, known to the ton as "The Beast," has a secret. He has vowed never to marry and ensured his fearsome reputation would dissuade any hopeful lady or their scheming mama. Now, his hand has been forced, and his fury is unleashed. But Lady Augusta is not the manipulative young lady he believed, and suddenly, he finds himself tempted by his own bride.

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5 

This was a cute read and, while it was admittedly a little too predictable for my liking, it was also a quick and easy book that served its purpose well. Sometimes you just need something light to pass a rainy afternoon, and this fit that role nicely.

One of the stronger aspects of the novel was the relationship between Augusta and Adam. I genuinely enjoyed their banter, and there were several moments where their chemistry felt natural and believable. In fact, I think some of the best scenes between them were the quieter ones where they were simply joking with one another about everyday things. Those interactions allowed their personalities to shine through far more effectively than the constant internal monologues ever did.

Unfortunately, both characters spent far too much time trapped inside their own heads, and Adam's emotional whiplash nearly gave me whiplash in return.

With Augusta, a significant portion of her storyline revolves around realizing she misjudged her husband and wishing they could have a real marriage, despite Adam making it abundantly clear from the beginning that their union was intended to be one in name only. To be fair, I can understand some of her confusion. For a man who swore he'd never marry or produce an heir as a way of spitefully defying his father, Adam certainly wasted no time sharing a bed with his new wife.

In fact, if I had to summarize the majority of this book, it would probably look something like this:

Adam desires his wife.

Adam beds his wife.

Adam makes his wife laugh and lowers her defenses.

Augusta begins developing feelings for her husband.

Something triggers Adam's memories of the wife and child he lost years ago.

Adam retreats into himself and starts treating Augusta coldly.

The next day he acts as though nothing happened.

This cycle continues for the vast majority of the novel until Adam finally arrives at the inevitable realization that he actually loves his wife. At that point, he finally decides to share the details of his tragic past. What surprised me wasn't that he told her, but rather Augusta's reaction to it. Instead of being hurt that he hadn't trusted her enough to confide in her sooner, she essentially shrugs, tells him it's fine, and assures him he can talk about his first wife whenever he wants.

Was it a little odd? Absolutely.

Was it also incredibly kind and supportive? Also yes.

Honestly, Augusta displayed far more patience and understanding than I probably would have after enduring Adam's emotional hot-and-cold routine.

The one aspect of the story I'm still not entirely sure what to make of was the subplot involving Augusta's younger sister Felicity, the captain she believed herself to be in love with, and Augusta's father. It never felt as though there was a clear objective driving that storyline beyond her father's apparent belief that Adam would somehow be pressured into handing over more money. The whole thing felt underdeveloped and somewhat disconnected from the rest of the novel. I think it could have worked much better had it been given clearer motivations and higher stakes rather than functioning primarily as the catalyst for Adam's realization that he's been an idiot where his wife is concerned.

Overall, this was an enjoyable enough read, and I generally have good luck with this author's books. Whether I'll continue with the series, however, remains to be seen. Especially because every title seems determined to include the word "Beast," and if I'm being honest, Adam spent most of this novel being many things, but beastly wasn't really one of them.