The Rose Red Bride

Alexander is Laird of Kinfairlie and it is his duty to see his younger sisters wed. But Vivienne has dug in her heels and refuses to marry. When someone whom Alexander believes to be Vivienne's long lost love appears to ask for her hand, Alexander sets a scheme in motion that will insure a marriage between the two love birds. At dinner that very evening, Alexander tells the mystical tale of how in the highest chamber of Kinfairlie a maiden met and was courted by her fairy tale lover and spirited away to become his bride. Vivienne decides to spend the night in the same chamber dreaming that her true love will find her there. So when a man in a hooded cloak shows up and makes sweet love to her, she is sure that the tale has come true for her as well. But her dream is shattered with the sunrise when she discovers that the hero of her dreams in none other than Eric Sinclair, the brother of the womanizing Nicholas who she once rejected.
Eric has been disinherited and has set out to reclaim his birthright from his brother. Eric is sure that the way to do so is to produce a male child by the one woman who rejected his brother Nicholas. Eric feels guilty about tricking Alexander and Vivienne, but with more at stake than just his childhood home, he is determined not let anything stand in his way. Will this ill-fated union produce the needed heir that Eric so desires? When feelings start to turn tender, will their match of convenience turn to a love match?

WOW. This book is a must read. Claire Delacroix had this reviewer turning the pages as quickly as possible, unable to put this book down. The Rose Red Bride is the second book in a series about the siblings of Kinfairlie. The characters are three dimensional and very believable. Vivienne is delightful in her youthful rose-colored glasses. She feels her world has come crashing down upon her when she realizes that the man she believed was her fairy suitor turns out to be a man with ulterior motives and a kidnapping scheme. At the start of the book, Eric is a cad; a man out to despoil a young innocent maiden for his own selfish purposes without the benefit of marriage. But as the story unfolds the reader will fall in love with him. All he does is done in order to protect his two young daughters from his evil brother, Nicholas. The attraction between these two characters fairly scorch the pages. The reader will not be disappointed. The love scenes are tender and romantic and yet hot, hot, hot!

Well written, this book flows smoothly. The action is non-stop and all too soon the tale comes to a satisfying conclusion. The Rose Red Bride is a must read for all Historical Romance lovers out there. And as an added bonus, Ms. Delacroix has added an excerpt of the first book in the series, The Beauty Bride that this reviewer has also read and enjoyed, and the next book in the series The Snow White Bride.

Reviewed by: Penny