Guest Review: The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Judith‘s review of The Brazen Bride (The Black Cobra Quartet, Book 3) by Stephanie Laurens.

Shipwrecked, wounded, he risks all to pursue his mission – only to discover a partner as daring and brazen as he.

Fiery, tempestuous, a queen in her own realm, she rescues a warrior – only to find her heart under seige.

Bound by passion, linked by need, together they must brave the enemy’s gauntlet to win all their hearts’ desire.

First off, I need to state that I am an avowed Stephanie Laurens fan! I haven’t met one of her books that I haven’t liked, and liked a lot! This book is no exception. As the third novel in The Black Cobra series, it takes its place with pride and upholds the level of excellent writing and story construction that was displayed in the first and second novels. I was proud to be given the opportunity to read and review the first two. Now it is another positive experience to be able to read and review this third novel.

Linnet Trevission was gorgeous with masses of flame-touched hair, curvy, sexy, sassy, bright and inventive, a real take-charge kind of gal that knew her strengths and used them, and knew her weaknesses and found others to help her in those instances. She is the Grande Dame of an estate on the Isle of Guernsey and she takes her responsibilities seriously. But she is also the owner of a shipping company and the captain of one of the fastest ships holding a “marque” from the English Royal Navy. The fact that she is female is now not discussed among the maritime masters–they know her skill and her dedication to the sea, and they turn a blind eye to her gender. Enter Major Logan Monteith, a wan and nearly dead man who has washed up on the shore near her estate, who even in his comatose state is clutching the section of ship which kept him afloat and his dagger in one hand. He has been gravely wounded by some Black Cobra cultists but was saved from final attack by the wreck of the ship on which he was traveling. And . . . he has lost his memory because of the head wound he sustained.

So these two main characters sit at the core of this novel surrounded by persons in Linnet’s household–the men and women who now live with her and her “wards,” the children of seamen who have perished at sea and who now have a home with her. They are also surrounded by the characters from the first two novels as well as new characters who are introduced into this tale. Logan is absorbed into Linnet’s very different kind of family, ruled without question by this woman who draws him like a moth to flame, who inspires great lust on the one hand and yet brings out all his protective instincts on the other. In spite of their affair, she never lets him get close; she knows he will regain his memory and then he will leave. Yet through an interesting and quite inventive set of circumstances–Laurens knows how to set these stories up in such a creative way–Linnet is drawn into Logan’s mission to get his copy of The Letter to the Duke of Wolverstone, the man who can bring the Black Cobra to light and to justice.

This is one of those kinds of books that just seemed to hook me from word one. First it was Logan’s dicey health situation; then it was the recovery of his memory; move on to his need to return to England safely and without interference from the cultists; bring on the action and the problems getting the letter safely to its destination; now you have a who cadre of personalities who are unusual, witty, rare for their time, and who all form this wonderful society of adventure-loving men and women and their children. Linnet has seldom experienced such an open kind of acceptance of “different” people and Logan is hungry for the kind of family togetherness this represents.

This novel has more of an edge to it than book two–the bride herself is indeed brazen, out of step with English social norms, and not about to change. Yet there does come a time when she, like all of us, must re-examine her personal needs and goals, her deep desire for love and children, her inner questioning about what she is willing to do to keep someone special in her life. It is also about a fictional assembly of characters that teaches the reader that unusual and inventive kinds of people can be together if they are openly accepted and their differences celebrated rather than oppressed. Each of these characters are socially OK for their times, but inwardly they are all “square pegs in round holes.” Yet they all make it work as couples as well as friends. It is a joy to read. I think one of the cutest issues is the wonder and downright jeolousy all the women have of Linnet’s soft leather breeches–and the awareness each husband has that his wife is one of those “brazen” types who would actually wear them. Who would have believed it in that day and time?

So get out your book buying budget sheet and try to find a bit of change to go out and get this book. It is fun, full of good loving, lots of action, and the warmth of family and authentic friendship. I don’t think you can ask for more. I can’t wait for book four, The Restless Bride.

I give this book a rare 5 out of 5.

The series:

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.