I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Fairy Tale Bride
in Paperback edition on October 1, 2000 and has 319 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
First in the Once Upon a Wedding historical romance series. This installment is set in England in 1832. The couple focus is on Miranda Fenster and Simon Watterly.
My Take
Cute idea, but never make me read this melodramatic claptrap again. Talk about taking liberties with the time period. The heir would never have been in the military. That was always the second son’s career path with religion set aside for the third son. Oh, please. The almost-scandal “forces” Miranda’s mother to remove her from Society??
While I appreciate McClymer’s creating an emancipated female in this post-Regency tale, I wish it weren’t so dorky. Although, to be fair, there is very much a sense of the fairy tale merged with historical romance. Now if only McClymer had done some research and put some effort into making this a more believable tale. She certainly isn’t lacking in imagination and a sense of the dramatic.
WTF? His mother knows she’s unwelcome at Simon’s home and at his wedding, so she shows up and then berates him for wanting a wedding night?? Has the boy no spine? Toss her out of the house… Oh, wait. Then McClymer would have to think instead of having the wicked, witchy mother for the readers to hate.
Oh please. “Was this woman evil inside, as Snow White’s stepmother had been?”
And the storyline is full of these silly fairy tale references. And, yes, I’m shocked that I’m actually saying that because I do adore fairy tales. I suspect my problem with it is that McClymer has created a strong female character. Who seriously believes that life is a fairy tale.
The Story
Simon’s greatest ambition is to die. To take his secret to the grave and ensure that the bloodline continues.
It’s a painful choice as he had been about to make an offer to a woman he saw as more than worthy to be his duchess.
The Characters
Miss Miranda Fenster is considered plain, and she can’t resist fairy tales. She also firmly believes in her own worth and her own opinions and is determined never to put herself under the control of a man. Valentine is her protective twin brother. Together they have an additional five sisters: Hero, Juliet, Rosaline and Helena are twins, and Kate. Their parents died a few years ago, and it doesn’t appear to be any great loss.
Simon Watterly, the current Duke of Kerstone, is an officer in His Majesty’s service, bound for India, bound by a ridiculous secret. Sinclair was the sixth duke, the man whom the world saw as his father. William is his coachman; Mrs. Hoskins is the housekeeper at his country seat; Dome is the butler; Barcus is the head groom; and, the sickly cousin Arthur is Simon’s heir. Peter is the older brother who died in the wars.
Giles Grimthorpe is his venal, disgusting cousin. Celine Camberley is a duke’s daughter. Watson is an American who comes to apologize to the dowager duchess. Jeanne is his youngest daughter.
Emily is the daughter of the Earl of Connaught and beloved of Valentine. Only the earl refuses his suit. Betsy is a village urchin who’s gotten lost. Her mother, Katherine Lawton, is an herbalist whom Miranda hires as her lady’s maid.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a very posed couple in historical dress, totally absorbed in each other. And it looks as though they’ve been holding that pose for hours and are getting tired of it…
The title is too true, for Miranda believes that life is a fairy tale, and she is The Fairy Tale Bride.
