Salt Bride – Lucinda Brandt

When the Earl of Salt Hendon marries squire’s daughter Jane Despard, Society is aghast. Forced by circumstance into a marriage neither wants, the newlyweds must overcome a secret past of heartache and misery to fall in love all over again. Meanwhile, a sinister family opposition will go to any lengths, even murder, to tear the marriage asunder.

Jane Despard hates that she is dictated by her Uncle’s will to marry in order to save her step-brother’s inheritance.  For the past four years, she lived under the strict rules of her uncle in order to have some semblance of a life after everything fell apart.  What she didn’t expect was a deathbed promise her father had made forcing her into a union with the last person she would ever expect.  The man who tossed her aside when he promised her forever.

Magnus Sinclair, Earl of Salt Hendon (and many other titles) is not happy about this union either.  Four years ago, he thought himself in love with the lovely Jane Despard, but was crushed when she broke her promise to him.  Now, because of deathbed blackmail, he was going to be stuck with the last and only woman he’s ever wanted.

Jane and Salt are wonderfully complex characters.  Both of them have been terribly hurt by past events, but you can tell instantly how much they still feel for each other.  Jane deciding to make the best out of a bad situation, but is also determined to stand her ground and speak her mind…two things that seem to shock Salt.  For his part, Salt, determined to still hold that grudge against Jane, finds himself needing Jane, to talk to her, to just be with her.

The cast of secondary characters are wonderful and the villain of this story, Salt’s cousin Diana St. John, is exceptional in just how evil she is.

This was a surprisingly great read, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

This blog was originally posted on Romancing-the-Book at http://www.romancing-the-book.com/2011/06/review-salt-bride-by-lucinda-brant.html