Review: The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens.

Publisher: Avon, Harper Collins

Rowena’s review of The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens.

A second battle-hardened, completely unstoppable, all-male hero, an ex-officer of the Crown, confronts the deadly enemy known only as the Black Cobra.

He’s focused on his mission, then sees a lady he never dreamed he’d see again—with an assassin on her heels.

She secretly followed him, unaware her path is deadly—or that she’ll join him to battle a treacherous foe.

Through ever-present peril, through passion, desire, and ecstasy, they race to reach England—and their destiny.

This is the second book in the Black Cobra Quartet and the excitement kept right on rollin’. This book follows Major Gareth Hamilton as he makes his way back to England and encounters cultist after cultist. On the way to England, he comes cross the pretty young thang who delivered the evidence that they needed to bring the Black Cobra down and because she did this, she’s in danger as well.

So off they travel together with Gareth guarding Emily with his life (literally). Gareth sets off back to England with his scroll containing the “evidence” that he must bring back home and Emily is chasing Gareth because she thinks he might be her “one”. Emily comes from a pretty big family and she wants to have the kind of marriage that her sisters have, one filled with love. It’s the main reason why she’s 26 and still single. She has been waiting to feel that zing and she finally felt it when she met Major Gareth Hamilton way down in India.

Their story takes off when Gareth and his little entourage take off on their leg of the journey to bring the Black Cobra down. Emily chases him down because she needs to be near him so that she could find out for sure if he’s her “one” or not. So she departs India sooner than she thought and she catches up with Gareth and his folks and is unwittingly thrown into the nasty mix that is the Black Cobra’s web. Her life is just as much in danger as Gareth’s is and Gareth takes her under his care and takes over the protection of her and her people.

As their journey progresses Gareth and Emily grow closer and closer. Emily keeps a journal that we’re privy to while she goes about her mission to land Gareth as her husband. Reading Emily’s thoughts on everything from Gareth to the Black Cobra and the cultists was at times funny, thoughtful but always a welcome delight from the actual story being told. I thought her journal entries were a great addition to the story.

Gareth was one fine hero and I wasn’t disappointed in his development. His backstory was kind of breezed over but I didn’t come away from the story, not knowing who Gareth was. I enjoyed getting to know Gareth and I came to love him quite a bit. More than I thought I would, considering I was only mildly interested in him in the first book.

Emily was a ball of joy. Her determination to find out all there was to know about Gareth so that she could figure her future out was admirable. Her desire to prove herself to him that despite not being trained in fighting, she was capable of taking on the cultists however, was not admirable. It was damned irritating. This is the second heroine in this same series who feels the need to show just how strong she is by fighting alongside her man. Sometimes, it’s the man’s job to protect to the woman. I wish they’d get over themselves and let the men go to work.

But as irritated as I was at Emily, I never once hated her. Being irritated with her was like being irritated with one of your sisters, they make you roll your eyes down the street but you still love the heck out of them. The chemistry between Gareth and Emily was undeniable and it made the story come alive even more. The two of them together wasn’t boring and I enjoyed every scene that they were together in. They just felt right together. I loved these two!

The series is starting to feel bombarded with characters from other series. I haven’t read all of the Cynster’s books nor did I read all of the Bastion Club (though I was really excited to see glimpses of Christian in this book, woo hoo!) so all of these men who are totally welcome to be part of this story since they’re helping Gareth and his friend’s carry out this very important mission but as excited as I am to see them in the story, I’m finding it hard to figure out why the wives need to have parts in the story. Maybe, it’s because I don’t know them but meh, whatever.

The story is told in true Stephanie Laurens fashion. It’s very wordy but still mighty intriguing. You won’t be able to put this one down, at least I wasn’t. It was a fun reading adventure and one that has me anxious for more. I cannot wait until The Brazen Bride comes out, I’m eager to learn more about the next soldier, Logan Monteith. I’m still mighty intrigued with Rafe, especially since we’ve heard not one word from him over the course of the books so far and that makes me salivate for his story all the more.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed the first and it’s done nothing to sate my hunger for more. If anything, I need the next story …now! Kind folks of Avon, please make that happen! If you’ve read the first book and enjoyed it then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one as well. This is a series that I’d definitely recommend to historical lovers and Stephanie Lauren fans the world over.

Grade: 4.75 out of 5

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here.

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