'Loving Lady Marcia' by Kieran Kramer

STORY: Marcia gets schooled…
Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life. But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school. In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is—until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.

On the subject of love.
A dark and dashing earl who knows Marcia’s past, Duncan Lattimore is surprised by what a fascinating and independent woman she’s become. Marcia, too, is surprised—by the fiery attraction she feels for Duncan. But why—why—must he be the brother of the scoundrel who broke her heart? Why must Marcia’s rival at school forbid her from seeing him? How can this lady possibly resist this fellow—when they know that it’s much more than a hunch…?

REVIEW: Kieran Kramer has decided to resurrect the Brady Brood [and if you haven’t ever seen this show from the 70’s that went into the 80’s, you need to watch it] in her new regency series, House of Brady.

Now, if all you fans of Brady Bunch are expecting this to be a retelling of the show, you’ll be disappointed. Ms. Kramer does have only couple of light touches that bring back the memories of the much-loved series, but the story is as fresh and original as all of her earlier books.

The story opens in 1814 with Lady Marcia at an impressionable age of 15 and even at that tender age, she believed in and knew that she wanted to find that perfect love. That belief becomes her reality as she meets the love of her life in Mr. Finn Lattimore, the younger brother of Lord Duncan, Earl of Chadwick, who is along with the Earl, accompanying her on her trip to Ireland. All three will undergo profound changes and Lady Marcia especially.

It’s 1819 and Duncan, Earl of Chadwick is a man who has gone through a profound change in the past four years. His life finds a purpose with the birth of his illegitimate son and things seem to be more settled with his household. Where in the past he was too somber and serious, now he’s much mellowed and relaxed, especially with his brother Finn far away in America. He doesn’t expect that the chance meeting with his ‘girl-on-the-prow’ would turn his orderly life into one journey that he never really thought would be possible for him.

To follow these two while they try to grapple with the past and try to come to terms with their own feelings for each other in the present, while still looking to fulfill their own dreams for the future was a thrill not to be missed.

‘Loving Lady Marcia’ is yet another delightful tale from an author that I’ve become so found of. I loved almost everything about this story. What I could have done without, is the use of the word ‘okay’ in the dialogue but that is my personal pet-peeve. It, however, never took away from my enjoying the story. The chemistry between the characters, and not just the hero and heroine, but also between the parents and the siblings; servants and friends alike, was wonderful. As for the dialogue, Ms. Kramer knows her craft and she gives us not just witty, but smart and sharp.

I would be remiss in not mentioning the steamy and sensual scenes which were accompanied with her prose that made me sigh and smile all through the book.

“Almost in a panic, he kissed her, if only to ignite that ember in her that should never dim. He held her tight and parted her lips with his own, a teasing, soft, lingering kiss. And like a blossom in the rain, she opened up to him.”

And then I read this…..I dare you not to sigh…

“For a few intense moments, he refused to let her gaze stray from his. Her eyes were large and soft and stormy, all at once. Framed by the green leaves, she was as pretty and beguiling as the naked Eve must have been in that long-ago garden.”

As I look forward to the next story in this series, I can’t help but wonder if there will be Prequel because there MUST be a Prequel! All of us want to know the story of the Marquess of Brady, the widower that ends up with the love of his life and adds daughters to his brood.

If you’re looking for a sweet, sensual and utterly charming tale, this is it. Find it, buy it and enjoy it!

ARC provided by NetGalley.

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