ARC Review: The Blighted Bride by Anne Cleeland

 

The Blighted Bride by Anne Cleeland

*review copy thanks to the author*

Synopsis

It was regrettable, that Kanika of Kerala would have experienced such bad luck, despite being a prized bride. First, the Nizam of Bengal had died, leaving her a wealthy widow, and now—now it seemed that the British East India Company was going to interfere with her next marriage, to one of the powerful Hongs of Canton.

The Company was concerned, it seemed, about her motive for these alliances, and the potential effect she might have on their lucrative opium trade.

As for Kanika, she was also concerned—only she was concerned about the British Commander’s effect on her plans. The more she reminded herself that they were impossibly at odds, the more she was drawn to him. It was a shame, that he was fated to be unlucky, too.

7/10

* * *

Anne Cleeland has a skill of creating of a very intriguing backstory for her characters and then only feeding us crumbs of it. I kinda love it and hate it at the same time.

This is a very fast read, folks. I wish it was a thicker book with more details because come on, how many husbands/fiancés this woman had before? And one was a pirate? I was sold just on that one little detail.

Kanika and James have very good chemistry in this read. They seem to show their appreciation for each other in more things that are left unsaid and not done instead of words, which ends up being much more expressive as a declaration.

Hanh, Kanika's partner in crime is an intriguing man as well. Is he getting his own book, I wonder?

Overall, a nice, easy read. Especially, because it's refreshing for a Regency romance fan to read about events happening outside England. My only regret is that I'd have loved to have a meatier book, heavy on details.