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I chose to read this novel due to its unique and refreshing plot. I stuck with this novel because it forced me to look deeper than just the essential romance. This was a book with characters that faced difficulties and transformed into better people by the conclusion through their self-discovery and tenacity. Gentleman Seeks Bride is a fascinating love story that dives deep into societal expectations and feelings of self-worth.
In a role reversal, Thomas Sharpe is desperately seeking a wealthy heiress to save his family from financial ruin with the only attributes he has – his good looks and his charm. Thomas and Lady Jane Capel strike a bargain that Jane will help Thomas find a wealthy bride, and in return, Thomas will show Jane about parts of the world and intimacy she has never experienced.
Thomas knows he is handsome and charismatic. I was concerned he would seem vapid, yet he had many insecurities and good qualities. Thomas was quietly intelligent and emotionally raw. As the character matured throughout the story, my investment and appreciation for Thomas grew. Jane takes scandal and turns it into freedom, as much as a single lady can. Disowned by her mother, she lives with her half-brother. She has always been the epitome of a well-bred young lady. Jane decides to change all that. Jane’s ability to decimate the boundaries society placed on her was enthralling. Jane was mature in her emotions and sure in her expectations. Jane’s unabashed joy in everything she experiences is contagious.
Thomas is selling his looks and charms as a way to save his family financially. This plot turned a well-worn trope upside down. I felt the inner battle Thomas forged between feeling degraded and humbled simultaneously. Jane’s fierceness and indomitable spirit were the perfect balance for Thomas.
The couple’s push and pull between their sensual connection and their burgeoning feelings kept me turning the page. The couple’s intimate and romantic journey was fraught with Thomas’s guilt and Jane’s battle with her emotions. Thomas and Jane’s connection was insanely passionate, and their encounters seared the page. Thomas and Jane complemented one another. Together, the couple brings forth the best qualities in each other. The physicality of their story was authentic, and their love felt genuine. Both of these qualities create a complicated, angsty romance that ensnares and enchants the reader.
Gentleman Seeks Bride is the fourth book in the Hazards Of Dukes series. This novel stood out due to its uncompromising, visceral plot and vivid, intimate, and relatable main characters. Megan Frampton has the uncanny ability to create an engaging, relevant story that still feels fundamentally like a beautiful, sexy romance. This book hooked me in the first chapter and kept my attention. This novel is thought-provoking, scorching hot, and tenderly romantic.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Release Date: November 30, 2021
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