The Reluctant Bride

Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins has little hope of a better life. When she's offered an opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. After witnessing so much painful heartache and loss in the slums, the bride ship is her only prospect to escape a bleak future, not only for herself but, she hopes, someday for her sister. Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves home and takes to the sea in order to escape the pain of losing his family. As ship's surgeon, he's in charge of the passengers' welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love. With hundreds of single men congregating on the shore eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph lose their chance at true love, or will they be able to overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?

She never wanted to marry. He hopes to make amends for past wrongs. Can love find a way to heal both of their hearts? Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry—she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man—the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away. Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can’t let her down—even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life. Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn’t the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family—and herself.

Sir Edmund said: “I think it is a mistake for a man of unstable temperament to marry, don’t you?” Lizzie replied: “To marry a timid lady, yes. Good gracious, is this the reason you espouse misogamy? Don’t be such a gudgeon, Edmund. Find someone who is not afraid of your blustering, arm her with a stout club and marry her.” Or they could hunt for her missing diamond necklace and just pretend to be engaged… Regency Romance by Joan Smith; originally published by Fawcett

The Pemberton Arms would have long since crumbled but for the cockeyed optimism of Molly Hughes. She dreamed of a chance to restore the old seaside hotel, the only home she'd ever known. That chance was suddenly within her reach--depending on how she handled the good-looking, insufferable Englishman who meant to sell off her beloved "Pem."

The Reluctant Bride by Janis Flores released on Mar 25, 1996 is available now for purchase.