Hardly a Gentleman - by Eloisa James (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns to the Accidental Brides series with a romance about a forced marriage between a feisty heroine and a Scottish laird... neither of whom have plans to marry, let alone fall in love.

Desperate after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland.

The laird of Castle CaerLaven has no interest in a wife, especially a love match--but when Caelan sees his new housekeeper, he changes his mind. Marriage to a delectable bookworm strikes him as a perfect arrangement.

To his surprise, Clara refuses his proposal once...and again...yet again.

When her true identity is revealed, and they're forced to marry, Caelan realizes he has a far more crucial challenge.

He finally has Clara's hand--but how will he ever win her heart?

Review Quotes

"With a fast-paced plot, dynamic leads, and plenty of heat, this proves unputdownable." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"The second in James's "Accidental Bride" series will be an instant favorite of friends-to-lovers romance fans, and readers of the first book, Viscount in Love, will delight in this sequel." -- Library Journal (starred review)

"James (Viscount in Love, 2024) cleverly constructs another whimsically witty addition to her superbly entertaining Accidental Brides series that is graced with a delightfully book-obsessed heroine with a flair for designing animal-inspired drawstring bags and a smolderingly sexy Scottish hero with a penchant for clothes-free fly-fishing." -- Booklist

"James has long been one of the masters of zany, witty Regencies, and for much of the story she's in top form. The second novel in her Accidental Brides series starts strong, with a setting that fans of Scottish romances will fall for... James' many fans will be happy to add this laird to their shelves." -- Kirkus Reviews

"James always brings something special to her stories, and her references to real popular novels and poetry of the time add depth and meta fun on every page of this charming romance." -- BookPage

"Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love. Her style is exquisite, her prose pure magic. Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James." -- Julia Quinn

"The first in James's (Not That Duke) new Accidental Bride series takes readers on a journey to find love, with a plot that takes shape quickly, even as the dynamic cast of characters are more slowly developed and carefully crafted. The classic miscommunication trope is used effectively to create tension between the protagonists and move the story along, while a surprise revelation comes to light at the end of the novel, which serves to make sense of earlier events. Verdict: James's latest book is a must-read for fans of historical romance." -- Library Journal (starred review) on Viscount in Love

"Launching her new Regency-set Accidental Brides series, James (Not That Duke, 2023) once again displays her usual perfect sense of literary aplomb by first creating a uniquely appealing pair of protagonists (including a heroine who is not about to let not being able to read or write hold her back) and then setting them loose in a wit-infused plot enhanced by a wildly entertaining cast of secondary characters." -- Booklist on Viscount in Love

"An unusual dyslexic heroine provides depth to a solid Georgian romance." -- Kirkus Reviews on Viscount in Love