| Title | : | Tempting Bella (Accidental Peers, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1622662482 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781622662487 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 241 |
| Publication | : | First published September 9, 2013 |
Forced to marry as a teen to rescue his family from certain ruin, Sebastian has been apart from his child bride since their wedding day. When he encounters an enchanting impish beauty at the opera, he’s is thrilled to find she is none other than his long-ago bride and he is more than ready to make her his wife in truth.
Too bad the beguiling beauty has no intention of coming meekly to the marriage bed.
Tempting Bella (Accidental Peers, #2) Reviews
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After thoroughly enjoying "Seducing Charlotte", I had been waiting to get my hands on "Tempting Bella" by Diana Quincy for a long time and finally thanks to ARC I did :)
It's a purely romantic fun read that kept me smiling insanely for most part.. Really liked the bond the Stanhope brothers shared and how they kept pulling Sebs leg.
Tied in a match arranged by their fathers at the age of 13 & 19 both 'Sebastian & Mirabella' are quite headstrong in their own ways, as Bella's old man says "One
thing is certain. Once the two of you come together, even the devil
himself will be running for cover.”
Don't wanna spoil the fun by revealing too much of the plot in the review now,would I!!
I totally fell in love with Sebastian, he's my kindda hero, one who stays truly faithful to his bride ,earning him the nickname "SAINT" by his friends..even though their marriage is not consummated for a longgg time.
'Seb the Saint' is a true gentleman, love how he takes on Bella'S responsibility, is so thoughtful and considerate of her needs and * deep sigh * his beautiful display of emotions aahhh!! Even though she truly tests his patience with the stunt she pulls in the 'Scarlet gown' :)
Although I did like Bella, she's some ferocious tigress this one in her own right,
but her too dubious , suspicious nature with Seb was quite irritating whereas she was too trusting of the scumbag Orford who kept manipulating her till the end..
That old Big misunderstanding thing has been used here as Bella thinks Sebastian to be a fortune hunter and all....then again this plot here felt very old and used where the husband & wife don't recognize each other at the theatre since not seen each other for years yet the sparks flyin high at first sight...read this way too many times BUT HEY ENJOY IT EVERYTIME;)
OhOh !! and I LOVED the 'Monty' twist in there, simply did'nt see it coming..it was fabulously romantic...read it to find it !!
The turn the story took at the end was lovely..Sebastian was a true sweetheart;)
Sadly the missing Epilogue was a must here for a nice HEA closure!! Oh and yes I loved the cover of the book 'lady in beautiful white wedding gown' :)
Recommended to all my friends!!
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DNF 15 %. Too many inconsistencies and contradictions involving both plot and characters.
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Nice story.
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Despite this having one of my lesser liked tropes - that of mistaken identities and unintentional-turned-intentional deceits, this was a nice read. Good character depths - the hero especially, while the heroine is unfortunately a little flat. The villain is somewhat predictable but feigned malice, so it was nice that he was not a blatant figure from the start.
Against my expectations, I enjoyed this work and will follow the author's works. :) -
Well Written Historical Romance!!
Sebastian Stanhope was forced to marry at age 19 to Mirabella Wentroth age 13. She was the the daughter of the Duke of Traherne who was deeply indebt to Cyrus Stanhope, Sebastian's father. Mirabella being the only child of the Duke would become a Duchess at the death of her father inherting the title and all of his properties and wealth. She was granted this by A Royal Decree. This was rare but some female chidlren were granted there fathers titles if there were no males heirs to inherit it.
Sebastian only marrid Maribella because he was forced to by his father. He tried to stop it because Bella was to young. One of the terms of the marriage contract was that Sebastian would not consumate the marriage until Bella was 17. However he would have complete control of all properties, money and a annual allowance.
It is obvious that the Traherne Dukedom was broke if the Duke had to sale his own daughter to pay his gambling debts. Well because of Sebastian great care of her and kindness she never knew her father had been about to lose everything.
Sebastian stays away from Bella until she turns age 19. Then he sends for her to come so they could acknowledge there marriage. But Bella and her group of friends had already been back in England from her tour for weeks without letting Sebastian know. She was a real self centered Brat!!
Bella believes that Sebastian must to stealing money from the Ducal estates, becasue he very rich. What she fails to realize is Sebastian pulled her estates out of debt and build on his own fortune. All of the money he made off of her estates were being held in a bank account under her name. Well Bella was determined to ruin Sebastian. Her and one of her unsavory friends she had been supporting would prove that Sebastian was stealing from the ducal income. This is the only part I didn't like about the story. Bella's father had given all of the control over his estates plus Bella's dowry into the hands of Sebastian. Because of his great business mind they prospered. He grew the ducal income from penury/penniless to a Vast Wealth. While investing his very own money into Mills and Shipping enterprises with his 4 brothers.
Bella begins to get on my nerves when everyone of her reason to not trust Sebastian are disproved. She and one of her despot friend Orford try to find dirt on Sebastian. I wanted to scream at the dumb twit and say My God dummie girl your husband has only had your best interest at hand. Sebastian feels guilty that she was made to marry at such an early age. Well he was very young too. At times Bella comes across as a Self Centered Spoiled Brat. It takes her forever to realize her true enemy is one her so call best friends. That she has been financially supporting for two year!!
I enjoyed reading all of the side stories of Tempting Bella. This is truly a well constructed and well developed Historical Romance. He will make you want to slap some of the characters! Which to me means it was believable!! -
I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Seducing Charlotte, so I was hoping to like this book just as much. And Tempting Bella didn't disappoint! This book was a lovely, wonderful historical romance. I really enjoyed reading this book and I thought it was brilliant.
Mirabella was a strong heroine. She may have been forced into this marriage with Sebastian, but she has no intention of becoming a meek wife. After years apart, she returns to her estate, determined to do her duty as the owner and take care of her lands. And that includes finding out where the money from her estate account has been disappearing. I really liked Bella. I thought she was a lovely character. My only complaint is that she was so stubborn in holding on to her suspicion of Sebastian. At first, I understood it. She didn't really know him at all, other than she married him and didn't see him again for years. But, after she got to know him and found that he was an honorable man and even fell in love with him, she was still suspicious. That irritated me because, not only did it throw a wrench in their relationship, but it was also unfair to Sebastian, who had only proved himself trustworthy. Other than that, I thought Bella was a likable character.
Sebastian was wonderful. I don't think anyone can claim the title of gentleman quite like he can. He is the epitome of the term. Noble, honorable, trustworthy. It's no wonder he earned the nickname "The Saint." He really was one. Just the fact that he was never unfaithful to Bella, even when they were apart, as soon as they were married, was a million points in his favor. That doesn't happen much in historical romance, where the hero is celibate and I really appreciated that he never cheated on Bella, despite how long they were apart. And he was so sweet and wonderful and generous and basically perfect. I absolutely adored him.
The romance was wonderful. It was a perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Bella and Sebastian were adorable together. And the sparks between them were definitely hot. I thought they were a lovely couple.
The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was brilliant. I can't wait to read to read the next book in the series because the Accidental Peers series is fast becoming one of my favorites.
Tempting Bella was a fantastic historical romance. I really enjoyed this book. It was lovely, wonderful, and just a great read. Lovers of historical romance, this is a book you'll want to read.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review -
Posted on
What I'm Reading
Rating 4 1/2 Stars
So, I spent most of my day reading Tempting Bella by Diana Quincy. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Seriously, I found the hero to be impeccable and honorable. Now the heroine, she's a bit of a challenge and at times I wanted to bang my head on the wall. So, let me explain further.
Mirabella Wentworth (Bella) was just a child when she married Sebastian Stanhope. As she grew, she believed her husband to a horrible man, so she painted him a blackguard. Which Sebastian would be the polar opposite of a blackguard, dude he's practically a saint.
Plus, he tries to atone for his sins. Honestly, they weren't that bad, actually he tried to give Bella freedom until she was ready to take her roll as being his wife. Seriously, who does that? To top it all off, he honored his marriage vowels even though he probably could have done more.
When I first started Tempting Bella, I felt horrible for Sebastian, because he really thought he was doing what "he" thought was best. Not only that, he was served as the sacrificial lamb and married a 13 year old at 19. I know some of you are going eew. However, he went off to finish his school and let Bella grow up. When she became of age he didn't force her to become his wife, but allow her to have some freedom.
Some may not like Sebastian, and claim he's too perfect. Yes, he's perfect, but it's a story. Sometimes you want a perfect hero. I wasn't really found of Bella at first. I had huge problem with her trying to find fault in Sebastian. Every little thing she analyzed and tried to find the imperfection. It didn't help that her "friend" was feeding the negative thoughts.
However, I found the story quite enjoyable. The best way to describe Sebastian is he's practically a saint. Bella could definitely try the patience of a saint. So, this sounds like a smashing good time. I'm surprise Sebastian didn't give up (or try to kill her), because I would have said "I'm done." Yet, he was perfectly understanding and willing to work with Bella to gain that trust. Overall, a good read. So, if you are looking for a saint and someone who can drive a saint crazy, you will find a win with Tempting Bella.
Copy provided by publisher -
Oh my gosh, I love Diana Quincy's Regency historicals, and Tempting Bella didn't disappoint.
While this story has the often-used idea of an arranged marriage, it isn't the usual pairing of an overbearing hero and the meek heroine who does his bidding. Bella is hardly one to roll over, and has spent the better part of the years since their marriage gallivanting around Europe with a charming and loyal band of friends. Sebastian is the ever noble, saintly hero, above reproof (he reminds me of Darcy from Pride and Prejudice). Disgusted that he was forced to marry a young innocent girl in order to fulfill his father's debt, he nobly sends the poor girl away so that he isn't forced to humiliate her any further.
The tug of war between these two, when they again meet, is a joy to behold. Sparks fly, reasonable doubts and fears rear their ugly heads, but ultimately, the steamy attraction that keeps drawing them together prevails.
A fun, steamy read with some of Quincy's trademark social consciousness thrown in.
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3.50 stars
So I picked this up because of the gorgeous cover. I'm not a big reader of historical romance, but I enjoyed this. Woman are either the Madonna, the whore, or the servant, the men their savior, or a ssing anything? I just find it frustrating and limiting.
That said, I loved Bella's pride and spunk, as opposed to Stan's strong and calm nature. Both of them hiding their true passionate but wounded characters beneath, so that when they come together, sparks fly and the witty banter ensues. Stan wants her immediately. Bella has been hurt, so it takes her much longer to trust. That's basically it.
Oh, and Stan is hinted at being a huge innovator of things like running for exercise and carbonated water (with lemon). These references we're cite, but also made me roll my eyes.
Overall, I enjoyed this and will endeavor to read more historical fiction titles from time to time. -
The blurb is what sold me on this book and as per usual I started the series with book two (thankfully all the stories in the series are standalone.) Typically I like my historical romances to be set in the Highland and don't venture to Regency category. However, I am complete convert now. I am in love with the series, the story, and Diana Quincy!
Sebastian is forced to wed a very young Mirabella to settle a gaming debt. Sebastian is a true gentleman that tries to make the best of the situation and let's his child-wife grow up without his presence around. That is until he runs into a woman at an opera years later and just can't seem to stay away. As luck would have it... it is his long estranged wife!
Watching the pair make a go of it was a hilarious venture to read through, what with her being so head strong and some very interfering friends and family. The laughs is not the only thing I enjoyed but their sweet chemistry and courtship. I swooned so many times I ran out of my smelling salts.
The story does have some nice twists and revelations to spice the story up. That and the fantastic fast paced storyline made it a one day read for me. Lovers (or potential lovers) of historical romance should really look into this series!
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I do love my estranged married couple historical romance
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Maybe 2.5
This story is pretty simple, there were a few minor details that were new to me, but for the most part, it was a typical regency romance. I liked the characters and the author even surprised me concerning Bella's father. Good, bad or parent-challenged?
The things that I didn't like were mostly mistakes of the editing. But there was also the author's way of relaying age. She used the old fashioned version, such as nine and ten. There were several circumstances of this being backwards, which threw me off. I had to think about whether it was wrong or not but it sounded off.
My favorite error is this:
"his child self's long-ago" I think it was supposed to be child's self? *shrugs shoulders*
I realize this is an ARC and there are likely errors but this book really took the cake for errors. For whatever reason, whenever a word is spelled with a F I in it together like F I S H...the F and I were almost always missing. Even in the middle of the word like, C O N F I D E N C E, the F I was suddenly gone from the word. Once I figured this out, sentences made much more sense but this was certainly annoying.
The use of hack driver...hackney driver?
The use of Puny instead of funny, was in fact funny. My kids can't say their "F's" very well so funny comes out puny. This error made perfect sense to me. haha
The first half of the book was less to my liking. The author constantly reminded the reader that Sebastian could just take Bella and assert his husbandly rights upon her. These reminders became excessively annoying.
All during the first half of the book, Sebastian, the hero, comes for his wife, Bella, now 19 and they meet for the first time in 6 years. Because it has been so long and they were both children, their appearances have changed and they don't recognize each other. So, the first half is full of Sebastian's dominance, or what we are lead to believe. However, the second half of the book he changes into this really nice, reasonable person. I truly liked him better.
He states, " You belong only to yourself. His fingertips traced over her cheekbone. I would never presume to own you."
Ahhh, such a nice guy. I just got sick of the tough guy act.
The things I liked about this book were the author's descriptions of the time, space and activities of the characters. She was good at placing the reader into the story. For example, "Servants had spent the past few days airing out the place, cleaning the large, empty rooms that now smelled heavily of lemon, soap, and beeswax."
The moment I read this, I wanted my house to be this way. I wanted servants and I could, pretend, for a moment it was all true.
The author did a great job in setting up the characters of Bella's friends. There is some concern about one of them and it is exposed so I won't give it away. But I really liked how the author set up this secondary story line and I was a little surprised about the circumstances but I had a feeling something was going to happen with this character because they were just slimy, which made me think there was good character development there.
There was yet another mystery in the book. I had this one panned out before it was even exposed as a mystery. However, I don't think the author intended it to be too difficult and therefore, didn't have much pull in the story.
For those that don't know, a Sennight is 7 days and nights. I had to look it up myself. The author uses this term often.
Overall, this was a pretty good story. It definitely had it's errors which, I assume were corrected right before publication. I think the author needed to touch up on the ending. It was really cute but it was sort of unfinished, especially where Bella's friends were concerned. Maybe add an epilogue. I also liked the second half of the story. The first half was just a bunch of I own you so deal with it garbage that got old fast and wasn't enjoyable. I would recommend this story to those who like Regency but this author added in some elements that might rub some readers wrong. Although it is a HEA ending, getting there was full of men asserting themselves over women. If this bothers you, you wouldn't like this book. Although, I liked this book, it wasn't the best. I'm not sure I would re-read it again, or soon. This is why I scored it a little lower than most other stories in its class.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. -
***ARC received from Entangled Publishing for an honest review***
Mr. Sebastian Stanhope and Duchess Mirabella Wentworth. They were strangers on their wedding day six years ago, and they are still strangers now. Married young, he was nineteen and she was thirteen, they've lived apart, never coming together as man and wife even after Mirabella came of age. She grew up resenting her husband, fuming over preconceived notions about him, then spent two years adventuring on the Continent after she turned seventeen. He finished his studies then managed his father-in-law's affairs, using his sharp mind to save the estate from financial ruin and turn it into an inheritance worthy of wife's title. Now it's time for Sebastian to claim his wife, to make her his in more than name only. But how can he possibly do that when Bella has no interest in him or the marriage bed?
This is a getting to know you historical romance, where the hero and heroine are married but are virtual strangers. The story is rich with everything newlyweds in an arranged marriage might encounter--suspicion, caution, defiance, distrust. But it also shows a couple who tries to work past those issues to build not only a strong friendship but also a strong marriage built on trust and love. Oh, there's plenty of mishaps along the way but there are a great many pleasant discoveries they make about each other that compensate for those mistakes.
Maybe it was the storyline, or the memorable characters, or the ups and downs Sebastian and Bella experienced that made this type of historical romance an enjoyable read for me. Perhaps it was all three. While it's difficult to decide the most appealing aspect of this story, I can say with certainty that I look forward to reading more of Ms.Quincy's work, and hope to enjoy each of her stories as much as I did this one. -
Bella’s story is actually the last in the series, but all three stories in this series may be read out-of-order and stand on their own.
And now here’s what I loved most about this story.
Sebastian. Sebastian. Sebastian…and have I said, Sebastian?!
Holy cow, this was a man to die for. I adored this man. Talk about honorable, patient, loving and saintly. No wonder his brothers nicknamed him Saint!
I loved the complexity of this character. His childhood was not easy and he had to work extra hard to please his parents and prove himself to them and to himself that he’s worthy of their love, but he knew in his heart that no matter how hard he tried, it seemed to him that it was never enough and that was very hard for him to accept.
DAMN but I wanted to give this man a huge hug!
I know this book carries Bella’s name, but boy I thought Sebastian’s story totally took my breath away.
The character of the heroine, Bella, was also complex and couldn’t be compartmentalized. She grew up abandoned and it showed in all she did and wanted to do. It took her awhile to ‘come into her own’ and Sebastian was a perfect man for her.
Again, besides being well written, plotted and fast paced, as were all the stories in this series, I was most impressed with the dialogue between the main protagonists. It had wit, passion and substance that I just loved. Hope you give it a try.
*Melanie for b2b
*Book provided by the author -
I wanted to really like this book. It had an unusual hero, Sebastian, who is morally upright an virtuous (most of the time--see later comment). He has had only one sexual relationship that he ends when forced into an arranged marriage with a 13 year old girl, Bella. He is kind, patient, and romantic when he meets Bella 6 years later.
Like I said, I really wanted to like this book.
BUT.... When Sabastian loses control, he becomes arrogant, cold and cruel. The scene that really disturbed me was when Bella disobeyed him by wearing a totally inappropriate gown to meet his family (which, by the way, they were amused and forgiving about), he threatens to RAPE her! This is a totally unacceptable (and unbelievable) plot twist. -
A romantic story of two people, married young, then being years apart and eventually coming back together. Could you even image marrying at 13 to a boy 19? To settle a gambling debt, Sebastian's father made a deal with a Duke for his daughter, Mirabella, to marry Sebastian and he would receive a large sum of cash. Sebastian would take over the Dukedom one day until he had a son and he would not make his marraige "official" until she was 17.
London, six years later. Sebastian had let Mirabella grow up and do as she liked, but now it was time to actually meet her again. But fate steps in when is at at the Opera and sees a beautiful girl and find's out it is his wife!
Thus begins the adventure or rather push and pull as she tries to thwart him at every turn! What I loved was that Sebastian was such a true gentleman and had acted honorably. He had stayed true to her over the years and his friends called him "The Saint". This would not have happened with many men and he was so sweet to her.
Mirabella on the other hand was so stubborn and very suspicious of him. He'd married her for her money and title, hadn't he?
Prepare to be enchanted as you read this wonderful story and just sigh as you turn the last page! -
This is one of my comfort-reads and I was very surprised to find out that it does not exist in my Goodreads shelves.
Mirabella was married to Sebastian when she was just thirteen for reasons she is not aware of. After completing her schooling she goes on a tour of the Continent, finally returning to London to pick up the mantle of a wife. To extend her period of freedom by a few more days, she falsely informs her husband that her arrival has been delayed and spends this time exploring what the city has to offer. During this time she meets a handsome man and they are both drawn to each other. Unbeknownst to either of them, that man is none other than Sebastian Stanhope, her lawfully wedded husband.
I usually enjoy mistaken identity tropes and this one was no exception. Sometimes the binds of society and personal prejudices need to be set aside to truly realise the connection with someone. Sebastian was an amazing and compassionate character. Mirabella is a strong-willed woman who had mistaken Sebastian’s attempt to let her have her freedom as a lack of concern and hence she felt like she had no family who cared for her. Upon learning of the deception she is very hurt and thinks that it was a way of toying with her affections and forms a grossly inaccurate opinion of Sebastian’s character, but as they spend time together their interactions make her realise how much he cares about her and others. The tension in the book is mostly about Bella’s hesitation to trust Sebastian, hindered by deliberate misguidance by a nefarious character. There is also a side plot involving Tabitha and Monty, two of Bella’s friends. Since Sebastian is Camryn’s brother, we get to see familiar characters from the previous book.
I am fairly certain I haven’t read book 3, but I can’t completely be sure as I am completely certain I've read book 1 and don’t remember anything beyond the main characters’ names. I like the author’s writing style so I will try and read them both someday. -
I read this as a second chance title. I would have expected it to have been an well edited version but it was full of misspellings and formatting issues making it difficult to read.
I couldn't give it a higher than 2.25 of 5.0 stars.
Even an unedited version of most books is better. -
I loved this. A very entertaining read. Loved the characters and the storyline. Can't wait to read #3.
5☆ -
Tempting Bella is a fantastic example of Historical Romance. The descriptions of the clothing, the mannerisms, and vernacular brings the reader back to a time that seems so long ago. Women were expected to be prim and proper - in highly decorated gowns - and perfectly polished. Men were in charge (haha...as far as that worked on headstrong women, anyway) and handled the daily affairs, household, and business.
Our story begins with Mirabella Wentworth at the age of ten-and-three being unceremoniously wed to Mr. Sebastian Stanhope at the age of ten-and-nine. The purpose of this totally creepy wedding? Mirabella Wentworth's father, the Duke of Traherne, needs to settle a gambling debt with Cyrus Stanhope, Sebastian's father, which will, in turn, prevent the financial ruin of the Stanhope family. No worries, though ~ no consummation of the marriage happens and, although married, Bella and Sebastian go on to live their lives independently for the next six years....the end of said six year period is when the novel really begins.
The duo has grown up and matured a bit; Bella is now 19 and Sebastian is 25, but they haven't set eyes on each other in 6 years. Feeling bad for Bella being forced into a marriage at such a young age with absolutely no say, Sebastian leaves her alone to experience life as a teenager should. The marriage could have been consummated when Bella turned 17, however, Sebastian decides to let her go abroad and do her own thing. Sebastian did what he thought was best under the circumstances. In the meantime, he was able to take the Traherne legacy and build it up to something strong and secure.
Bella has nothing but resentment for the the now-man that she was forced to marry. Upset that he didn't try to dissuade the union or prevent it by walking away, Bella doesn't want anything to do with Sebastian. She's also very suspect of his motives behind the Traherne fortune. Knowing that she'll have to face him sometime, she returns from abroad but her identity is a mystery to not only him, but the whole town, since she was kept away from the villagers while growing up.
A chance meeting at the opera has both Bella and Sebastian's hearts fluttering but neither knows the other's identity. Staying faithful to the person he married is of utmost importance to Sebastian, but he's drawn to this mystery lady. When he finally learns who she is he feels obligated to tell Bella his identity but each time he tries, something something prevents the actual revelation. What ensues is misunderstandings, distrust, and a building of a relationship 6 years in the making. Are Bella and Sebastian up to the task?
This novel is phenomenal. I loved each and every aspect that the author gave the readers. This isn't a simple historical novel about early arranged marriages and scandal. There are many story lines woven between the pages of this majestic book.
Bella is a fantastically written lead character. She has endured a lot at the hands of her alcoholic father, Duke of Traherne, including being passed off in marriage to settle his gambling debts. She's been abandoned by the man she was forced to marry; left to learn the ways of the world alone. She is not without friends, however. Her little group consists of Cary Orford, Josette Laroux, Tabitha Quartermain (Tabby), and a man simply known as Monty. Bella is fiercely strong and very protective of her family legacy, one she insists that Sebastian is draining slowly. She will do anything in her power to prove Sebastian to be the fraud that he has been cleverly able hide.
Sebastian is a very strong, masculine, and tender hero to our Bella. He has been nothing but loyal and faithful to the wife she hasn't seen since their wedding day. He has gone about Traherne business as is his role as wife to Bella, Duchess of Traherne. He is genuinely a decent male and is frequently called the "saint." He just has to reel his wife back into his life for it to be truly complete.
I adored the secondary story involving Tabby and Monty, too.
The writing style is fluid and easy to read and comprehend. The story lines all intersect with each other at some point, bringing everything full circle.
Please note that this is the 2nd book in the series and I have not read book 1 yet. I did, however, purchase it this afternoon. I absolutely can't wait to devour Seducing Charlotte (Book 1) just as I devoured Tempting Bella.
There are some adult scenes in this novel.
Review Copy Courtesy of: Entangled Publishing, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review. -
The wedding day; it’s the happiest day of two people’s lives. In the case of Sebastian and Tessa, it’s not their happiest day–it’s their fathers. Wagered in a game of chance, one nineteen year-old mister and one thirteen year-old duchess marry, going their separate ways barely after the ceremony is complete. Six years later, they are resigned to their fate and meet once again, still unhappy with the imposed wedding. Totally and utterly unhappy. Well, more like: mostly unhappy. Ok, maybe more like: not completely happy. Actually, the wedding might not have been such a bad idea…
Yikes–-I have such mixed feelings about this book that it’s so hard to give it a rating! First off, I definitely felt bad for Sebastian and Tessa’s situation right away and could totally see where they’re coming from throughout the book. The characterization is fantastic, because you can see how each one’s background shapes who they are in the present. Sebastian is such a sweet, understanding, honorable, and ‘saint’-like hero that it’s so hard to not like him, which makes it so difficult to read how Tessa is constantly trying to prove he’s bad. Tessa is such a loving character to her friends that it’s so sad (and takes some of the fun out of the book) how she pretty much punishes Sebastian, because she misunderstood his past and present intentions. Some of the stuff she pulls is so childish and immature, which at times made her unlikable when I wanted to like her. Luckily, that doesn’t last the whole book.
The book has many surprise twists towards the later half of the book that at times seemed completely implausible even though they made the story even more entertaining and happy for the characters. I did feel that one of the early misunderstandings between Tessa and Sebastian was a bit silly. It’s one of those things where someone is trying to tell you something important for days and the other keeps cutting you off so you can’t. I mean, come on: it’s important! Just spit it out and save yourselves some future angst and aggravation that is totally and completely avoidable! The secondary characters were interesting, and I loved so many of the surprises with them! I didn’t see many of those coming at all!
Other than Tessa and Sebastian getting to know each other and overcoming other forces trying to break them up, there really isn’t any other major plot lines. Tessa trying to prove that Sebastian is as bad as she built him up in her mind, and Sebastian wooing her takes up the majority of the book. I will admit that there was one scene where I teared up, because I felt so bad for Sebastian and Tessa.
There are sex scenes but nothing too graphic so I’m labeling it as medium heat level. I definitely recommend this to those that like historical romance with clean cut heroes. I would have rated this as a 4 out of 5, but since it did make me cry, I’m going higher. It’s weird that I would rate something that made me cry as higher, but I figure if I cared about the characters that much, then it’s a 5 out of 5 for me!
(Originally posted on my blog; I received an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.) -
This is the second book of this series and focuses on Sebastian, who is the brother of Cam from the first book. Sebastian Stanhope is middle of five brothers but he has always felt different from the rest of the family. And the truth is, he looks nothing like his four tall, lithe, golden-haired brothers. He is shorter, but very muscular, and has dark hair and olive-hued skin. Suspecting himself a natural born son of his mother, who dotes on him, he grew up trying to be as pious and upstanding as his father, with the hope that he might be able to win his father's love.
The story opens on Sebastian's wedding day. He has been called back from University by his father... to wed a mere girl of thirteen to settle a gambling debt between his father and the Duke, who is the girl's father. He doesn't even meet Bella until they are travelling by coach to the chapel. Horrified by what his father and the Duke forced upon the young Bella, he vows to make it up to her by restoring the Duke's fortune, and basically leaving Bella alone to live her life.
Bella, now nineteen, returns to London to face her "husband" that she feels abandoned her. Throughout the past two years, to stop herself from feeling alone, she has gathered about her a ragtag group of friends and they have traveled the Continent. But she realizes she must face Sebastian at some point. And besides, she suspects that he may be skimming money off from her inheritance and she is determined to stop him.
This story had a very good beginning, especially when Sebastian and Bella were attracted to each other but didn't know that the person they were talking with was their spouse. However, once they figured it out, I thought it took too long for Bella to trust Sebastian. Really, every time she found out something about him, it was only a benefit to him but she kept not trusting his motives on anything. But, this didn't seem to stop her from falling into his arms and being passionate with him. I didn't like that - how could she not trust him but want to be intimate with him?
I really liked Bella's group of friends except for Orford. He didn't seem, to me, like a fully formed character. In some instances, he seemed to really like Bella, in a romantic way. In other cases, he acted like he was just her friend. In others, like he was just using her to fund his life. He then became a "villain" all of a sudden that seemed a bit too contrived and was not believable to me. (Frankly, I couldn't figure out how he had time to do what he did.)
Sebastian's birth circumstances turned out to be surprising. I thought it would go one way but went in another direction entirely.
I also thought the book ended rather abruptly. I would have liked a few more scenes at the end, but I did read an ARC (received from the publisher) so it might not end like that in the final published form. There is also a sneak peak of "Compromising Willa", which will be the third book, but is actually a prequel. I am very much looking forward to that book as I really loved Hart and Willa in Seducing Charlotte. -
I love arranged marriage tropes and Diana Quincy offered up a most unusual one in Tempting Bella the second book in the Accidental Peers series. While I did not read Seducing Charlotte the first book, each works as a standalone. With fleshed out characters, intriguing secondary characters and a unique arrangement I became completely caught up in the tale. Mini review: intriguing, romantic, witty and refreshing.
A marriage arranged between the Duke of Wentworth and Cyrus Stanhope to pay off a gambling debt. The Duke marries off his thirteen year old daughter, Mirabella Wentworth to the 3rd son of Stanhope, Sebastian who is barely nineteen. Deeds are drawn up, and the marriage will be consummated when Mirabella comes of age. Sebastian sets off to learn his duties and run the estates, while Mirabella finishes school and then with his permission tours the world. It is six years before they meet again, and the tale that unfolds was positively delightful with strong feisty characters and intrigue.
Mirabella, or Bella is a very smart woman, who learns the running of estates while abroad and is keen on keeping the duchy secure. A Duchess by birth, she is determined to make sure her husband doesn’t run her estates into the ground. She is head strong, opinionated and doesn’t fully understand the circumstances behind her arranged marriage. Sebastian is a good man, noble and determined to restore the dukedom coiffures to their former glory. He feels bad for Bella and hasn’t forced her to return. For the first time a young woman he meets stirs his needs and he realizes he must call his wife home. I so enjoyed the banter and cat and mouse game between these two. I laughed, sighed and wanted to knock them over the head. Secondary characters from an old mistress to Bella’s wayward friends added to the drama and kept me flipping the pages.
Tempting Bella was a delightful tale, and Quincy offered a different twist to the arranged marriage trope. She weaved in drama, and suspense with clever little twists that kept me on the edge. The sexual tension between Sebastian and Bella was delicious. They bickered, and Bella’s independent streak led to some humorous situations and life lessons. I loved the growth we saw from them, and the depth Quincy brought to the characters. Devilishly handsome and anal about order, Sebastian, was a pleasure to read about. I loved how Bella twisted him about, and the more we learned about him, the harder I fell. This was positively delightful!
Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @
Caffeinated Book Reviewer -
Tempting Bella by Diana Quincy is the second book in the ‘Accidental Peers’ series and part of the ‘Entangled Scandalous’ line of novels and follows the adventures of two people, Mirabella (Bella) Wentworth, daughter of a duke and Sebastian Stanhope, who were married when she was merely thirteen and he was a newly-minted adult of nineteen. Sebastian spends the time waiting for his child bride to mature learning how to manage the ducal estates, honing his physical prowess and gaining town polish but he is in no hurry to claim his husbandly rights for six long years. An inexplicable attraction to a beautiful stranger he meets threatens to overthrow all of his lofty ideals but his relief at discovering the truth of her identity is compromised by discovering that his long-neglected bride has no intention of being a biddable wife. Each of these opinionated individuals must learn to compromise and to reveal their true selves to one another if the arrangement that they have been forced into has any chance of becoming a meaningful relationship. Fortunately, neither lacks for tenacity. A sweet romantic read with just a hint of spice.
This delightful historical romance combines engaging characters who superficially should be delighted by all that they have yet have emotional scars that make them afraid to lower their guard with anyone. Bella’s misconceptions about her groom are rivaled by his feelings of inadequacy with his own family and their journey to discover their respective truths is a delightful read. The author has done an excellent job of blending a series of events that could be considered to be cliches into a fresh story that epitomizes the romance and color that I enjoy about historical romances. Sebastian’s steadfast behavior and his gentle wooing of his bride does strain credulity a bit but definitely provides a portrait of an honorable gentleman and the variety of companions that Bella has surrounded herself with give insight into her character while providing intriguing secondary characters who hopefully will get their own stories told. I loved the gradual revelation of facts that caused one to look at various people in a new light and I was compelled to finish the story quickly because I became invested in all of the characters. I greatly enjoyed this author’s style and look forward to many more stories from her.
© Night Owl Reviews
I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review. -
As some of you know I've found a new love for historical romance books. Tempting Bella is one of those wonderful books that has made me so glad I have rediscovered this genre! I loved Tempting Bella, I just plain adored Bella. This woman is strong, independent, has a wonderful flair for dressing to get attention, but yet has a little problem with her confidence because of her father.
Diana Quincy has written a delightful story full of fascinating characters and a great storyline. I was completely captivated by the storyline. Bella was married to Sebastian at a very young age. They met for the first time at their wedding that was arranged by their fathers and then go their separate ways. What I loved is that when they meet again they feel an instant attraction without knowing who the other is. They have a wonderful chemistry that leads to some interesting sparks.
Sebastian is a true gentleman and takes the time to get to know his wife and make sure she is comfortable. Sebastian is a smart, charming, handsome, honorable fellow that I just could not help but falling in love with. There is of course tremendous tension with all the unknown things between these two. It was a lot of fun watching their relationship build as the story went on. There is also some mystery and a few unsuspected surprises.
On the whole this is one wonderfully written book. It contains all my favorites things, some humor, a little mystery, some nice steamy romance scenes, and charming characters. When you mix that all together Diana Quincy has created an ideal book for me. This book is part of the Accidental Peers series. I have not had a chance to read the first book in the series but I did not feel I was at any disadvantage. I think you could read this as a stand alone with no problem. However after reading Tempting Bella I know I sure would not mind reading the first book in the series and I will certainly be looking for more work by Diana Quincy.
I don't know if there is a story in the works for Bella's friend Tabby, but I hope there is. I really enjoyed her friendship with Bella and think she has a story to tell.
I was given the chance to read this fabulous story in exchange for sharing my thoughts with you. As always it has been my pleasure to share my thoughts. If you get a chance to read Tempting Bella, I would love it if you stopped by my blog to let me know what your thoughts are. -
Forced to wed at the ages of 13 and 19, Bella and Sebastian are simply the pawns of their cold-hearted fathers. Sebastian, feeling horrible about all the experiences that Bella has been robbed of after being forced to marry so young, vows to give Bella all the freedom she wants. Bella, not realizing that Sebastian feels any remorse for her circumstance, believes that he is a fortune hunter and a completely negligent and unfaithful husband. After 6 years of separation, they meet again, though neither of them know who the other person is. They are instantly drawn to one another. Sebastian figures out first that the beautiful woman he is so attracted to is none other than his wife. Intending to find the perfect time to give her this information, he waits to reveal his identify and when Bella finds out from another, she feels extremely betrayed and is even more skeptical of her husband. As Sebastian works to prove his true feelings and motives to her, events transpire to keep them apart. Will Sebastian ever be able to gain the trust and love of his beautiful wife or will they be forever stuck in a loveless marriage?
A delightfully entertaining novel by Ms. Quincy. I absolutely adored the hero, Sebastian, for all his effort to insure Bella’s future, despite her father and his habits. He is everything a reader ever wants in a hero. He is faithful, kind, forgiving, patient, caring, and the list could go on. However, that is not to say he is a doormat either. He stands up for what he believes and is passionate about defending his character. The heroine, Bella, I found a little eccentric but given all the experiences in her life and having grown up with little family or love, I could understand why she behaved the way she did. I certainly found myself wishing for their happily ever after and felt like just when they were about it get to it, another obstacle was thrown in their way. A great read for anyone who enjoys historical romance. I will definitely be reading the next in the series!
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: Mild
Reviewed by April P
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More -
I really enjoyed this book! I don't read many historical romances anymore and I loved this one! Diana Quincy takes you into a world of ball gowns and dashing gentlemen, where the relationship between men and woman were simple and yet mystifying at the same time.
Sebastian and Mirabella were forced to wed by their fathers a children in order to settle a dept of estate between them. Then Sabastian left his young bride in order to school himself in running the day to day of the young Countesses estate.
Years later Sabastian's father-in-law demands that he do his husbandly duty and beget a heir to the estate that he has been taken from ruin to riches. After being separated from her husband for so many years Mirabella is furious when she is summoned home in order to meet the husband that abandoned her so many years ago. She plans to expose him for the money grubbing thief she is sure he must be to have married a child bride.
When a chance encounter at the opera, where neither know who the other is, feelings of love and longing surface. When Sabastian learns she is none other then his long ago bride he is ecstatic, maybe there is a future for them after all. For he knows that he can't bare to be without her, but Mirabella isn't sure if she can trust what they have for she has always been sure it is her money he loves and not her.
Will they ever learn to trust? or will mistrust ruin the future they could have had?
I really loved this book! I couldn't put it down for a min while reading! Diana Quincy is a amazing storyteller that sucks you into her world and makes you feel as if you are living the story.
if you are a historical romance fan then this should be on your TBR as it is an awesome read!
