Devon’s review of The Borrowed Bride by Elizabeth Lane
Historical Romance released by Harlequin Historical 1 Nov 08

A beautiful girl, her childhood sweetheart, and her childhood sweetheart’s brother…AWK-WARD. Being a lifelong soap fan, I can’t help but be drawn to love triangles, all the tension and guilt (Is that bad of me). But in a romance, I don’t want things to be too tense. One relationship should be stronger than the other, and no one should get too hurt. The Borrowed Bride has delicious tension, a quiet romance, and is sure to be enjoyed by fans of Westerns/Americana.

Hannah Gustavson has loved Quint Seavers forever. Only two things stand between Hannah and Quint: Quint’s cold, disapproving Mother, and Quint’s desire to get out from under the thumb of said Mother. When Quint’s older brother Judd returns to Colorado after a stint fighting with The Rough Riders, it is Quint’s chance. He sets off to hunt for gold in the Klondike, but not before leaving Hannah a parting gift. The baby kind. The upright and super-responsible Judd offers Hannah a marriage in name only, until Quint returns. Ah, the Marriage of Convenience, an oldie but a goodie.

Judd leaves right after the marriage takes place, returns and takes off again. He is already drawn to Hannah and her to him, so it made me a little crazy that they were apart. How can they be falling in love when they haven’t spent any significant time together? Less Hannah stuck with a crotchety old lady, and less brooding Judd, please. When Judd returned, the developing feeling seemed a bit rushed. But the chemistry was good and the tension was involving. I was waiting for that first kiss.

So things are humming along nicely until, uh oh, Quint returns. I didn’t particularly like Quint, even though he was written fairly sympathetically. He seemed rather immature and self-centered. He was likeable enough that I could see why Hannah cared for him. For this all to work Hannah had to be likeable as well, worthy of two men’s love. She was sweet and slightly bland. Although she clung to the idea that she loved Quint, it was very clear that she loved Judd as well. I like heroes like Judd, uptight, moral, burdened with responsibility. He was a very nice guy as well. Could’ve done with a bit less of the mother, personally.

Overall, this was a nice story that kept me reading. There was no real question of who Hannah would end up with, but I enjoyed the developing romance. The turn of the century Colorado setting was a refreshing change of pace as well. Those who like American-set Historicals, or Marriage of Convenience stories should check it out.

Grade: B

The Summary:

“We’re going to have a child. You need to come home so we can get married.”

So wrote Hannah Gustavson to her childhood sweetheart, the father of her baby. But with no response, she was forced to marry another man…her lover’s brother.

Tall, handsome and honorable, Judd Seavers could make any woman’s heart race. Hannah was no exception, and she was awed by the ex-soldier who gave her his name.

A forbidden love as grand as the Rockies crested between them. But a shadow loomed. Would the baby’s father come home? And if he did, would Judd return his borrowed bride?

Read an excerpt