The Substitute Bride
Margaret BlakeHistorical romance
Available from Whiskey Creek Press
ISBN: 978-1-60313-412-3
October 2008
| Sixteen year old Elizabeth Mary/Bess is convinced by her sister Mary Elizabeth to take her place in marriage to Lord Edward Hinchcliffe. Bess is a naïve young woman, not knowing what she’s getting herself into but wanting to keep her sister from doing harm to herself. She’s pleasantly surprised by Edward who doesn’t seem to be the ogre some say he is. But when she does things he doesn’t approve of his cold shoulder lasts for days. What will he be like if he finds out the deception she and her sister have worked on him?
Margaret Blake has written a well crafted story of fifteenth century lovers thrown together by deceit who seem to weave a relationship against all odds. We get some hints that older sister Mary may not be as honest as she appears to be when convincing Bess to help her out. As young as Bess is she proves her metal against the odds and shows a maturity beyond her years in her relationships with the staff at the castle and with nearby townspeople. She’s a really likeable character who most readers won’t be able to resist. Edward is also superb as he shows his humanity then hides his feelings behind temper and withdrawal. Of course he’s a fifteenth century macho man so much of his behavior is still better than the drunken debauchery many escaped to in the times. There are many well done secondary players who help tell the tale and prove their loyalty to the Lord and his Lady throughout the story. The book would lose something if not for Merry, Bess’ maid, friends Anne and Francis and many others. This is one of those novels that give us the best and the not so good of people of those times but is easy to relate to our own times too. True love can happen not matter what brings people together and, if it’s strong enough, it can survive anything as this superb author reminds us.
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Reviewer: Dee Dailey |
