MoonglotexasKa’s Review:
I guess it was to be expected, theirs was never going to be a run of the mill wedding. No surprise there! And yet! The family drama and dynamics were delightful (I just loved the metaphor used) and the murder mystery both intriguing and exasperating.
I have read the others in the series and enjoy the growing ensemble of characters as each one brings a unique perspective and richness to the story. Am I the only one to find the ‘gangsters’ a touch endearing and the brother perhaps a little too invested?
I highly recommend this cosy, murder mystery series. Each one is able to stand alone, yet at the same time builds towards the next one. Will the next cosy mystery be set in Europe? I can’t wait to find out.
Kel’s Review:
I love this series by Dianne Freeman and “A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder” brings to culmination the love between our two leading characters. The cast that surrounds them is wonderful, complex and interesting! The mystery includes just enough clues for the attentive reader to work it out which makes it more fun!
The robber barons from America and their accompanying characters are a great addition, fleshing out the story and giving us a better sense of the time.
If you love a good cosy murder mystery, I highly recommend this series, it’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale.
We received complimentary copies of the book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in these reviews are completely our own.
From the back cover:
On the eve of her marriage to George Hazelton, Frances has a great deal more on her mind than flowers and seating arrangements. The Connors and the Bainbridges, two families of American robber barons, have taken up residence in London, and their bitter rivalry is spilling over into the highest social circles. At the request of her brother, Alonzo, who is quite taken with Miss Madeline Connor, Frances has invited the Connor family to her wedding. Meanwhile, Frances’s mother has invited Mr. Bainbridge, and Frances fears the wedding may end up being newspaper-worthy for all the wrong reasons.
On the day itself, Frances is relieved to note that Madeline’s father is not among the guests assembled at the church. The reason for his absence, however, turns out to be most unfortunate: Mr. Connor is found murdered in his home. More shocking still, Alonzo is caught at the scene, holding the murder weapon.
Powerful and ruthless, Connor appears to have amassed a wealth of enemies alongside his fortune. Frances and George agree to put their wedding trip on hold to try and clear Alonzo’s name. But there are secrets to sift through, not just in the Bainbridge and Connor families, but also in their own. And with a killer determined to evade discovery at any cost—even if it means taking another life—Frances’s first days as a newlywed will be perilous indeed .
