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Colleen MacGregor has never wanted to be apart of the ton, and most especially never wanted to get married. Yet, the night she finds Sebastian Ware unconscious in the field, her conscience won’t let her leave him out there to die, even knowing the consequences. Dragging him home, she nurses him back to health. Only to be caught, alone, in the bedroom with him… by the vicar! Forced to marry, they concoct a plan so both are satisfied with the outcome. When Sebastian leaves for London, she will wait a few weeks and let everyone know he died. After a year of grieving, her life would be back to normal.
With a bad marriage behind him, the last thing Sebastian wants is a wife. Especially a spinsterish, dowdy, sharp tongued … Arg! But his often unused conscience won’t let this woman suffer condemnation for saving his life. Grudgingly offering for her hand, he waits for tears of joy. Only to have her refuse him! Him, the second in line to an Earldom. Can you believe it? With some fast talking and a scheme in hand, they perform the nuptials in a private ceremony. Sebastian can’t wait to shake the country soil off his boots and return to what he knows… London.
Only things don’t work out as intended. Instead of him leaving, his family showed up on her doorstep. Tragedy struck his family. Now she, plain Colleen MacGregor, er, Ware, is now the new Countess of Penwyth! Sebastian has no intention of leaving his Countess behind, for she is all that stands between him and the husband hunting debutants of town. Instead of the convenient marriage they both wanted, they get much more than planned. But danger stalks the new couple. To survive, they must come together or suffer the consequences alone.
The Accidental Countess is an engaging and enjoyable read. I love historicals and felt the world come alive under Melissa Schroeder’s description. A hint of humor, a stab of danger, and a seduction from a rake –this book has it all. In some spots, the characters came off a little two dimensional. This problem cleared up the further we read, and was all but forgotten near the end. One thing I couldn’t ignore was how often the information was repeated to the reader. I felt this book could have been a bigger hit if it had been tightened a bit more. Otherwise, the book only got better the further I read.
Reviewed by Stacey Brutger
for The Road to Romance
January 10, 2006
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