The Reluctant Bride by Monica Murphy

Drama filled and steamy, The Reluctant Bride is an addictive arranged marriage romance. The main characters are flawless, and there’s a looming tension and mystery that laces through the story.

At the start, we find both Perry and Charlotte being forced into an arranged marriage by their wealthy and powerful families. Neither loves the idea nor are they willing at first to accept their fates. It doesn’t matter, though, as their families and not them are in control.  Eventually, they come around to the idea of marrying each other for their own reasons, and we get to see how these two go from relative strangers to engaged and how their relationship greatly evolves.

I really enjoyed both Perry and Charlotte. She’s this seemingly shy and timid character, but it’s because of the sort of life she’d been forced to live under her parent’s forceful rule. Her father is unpleasant and domineering, and her mother is icy and has plenty of expectations for her only daughter. Charlotte yearns to be able to live a life free of her gilded cage, and she sees her looming marriage as a way out of it. Then there’s Perry, and he’s incredibly charming and surprisingly genuine when it comes to Charlotte. He’s also struggling against the wishes of his family and wants to break free of their demands, but his intentions change with Charlotte in a rather sweet way I wasn’t expecting. I loved witnessing their journey from enemies to lovers and from their families’ pawns to becoming their own selves.

The hidden conflict that winds itself just under the surface throughout the book makes this such a gripping read. Rather quickly, you get the sense that not everything might be as it seems, and I found myself wondering what the families’ true intentions for their marriage was and about the odd things that occur occasionally. I’ll warn you that this book ends on a cliffhanger, and the twist at the end left me desperate to know how Perry and Charlotte’s story will finish. This book is seriously good, but you will be left with a lot of questions. Personally, I love the anticipation and am now even more excited to see how it all goes.

This is a delectable book with all the drama and friction you could want. Perry and Charlotte’s tale isn’t over, and I absolutely cannot wait for it to continue in The Ruthless Groom.