Review: Wedding the Widow (The Widows' Club #2) by Jenna Jaxon

Print Length: 337 pages

Publisher: Lyrical Press (July 31, 2018)

From Goodreads.com: Widowed by the Battle of Waterloo, the ladies of Lyttlefield Park are reentering London society, where they’ll learn how to live—and love—again . . .

Of all the widows of Lyttlefield Park, Elizabeth Easton seems least likely to remarry. Though many gentlemen would love to get to know the charming Mrs. Easton better, she is devoted to the memory of her late husband. Which is why she’s so shocked to be overtaken by passion during a harvest festival, succumbing to an unforgettable interlude with the handsome Lord Brack . . .

After enduring years of war, Jemmy, Lord Brack, plans to defer matrimony in favor of carefree pleasure. But who could resist a lifetime with Elizabeth Easton, a woman as marvelously sensual as she is sweet? Yet despite their mutual desire, she refuses to consider his proposal. With scandal looming, and their families bitterly opposed to the match, Jemmy must find a way to convince Elizabeth to risk her wary heart on him—and turn one infamous night into forever . . . 

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My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Let me begin by saying that although book number one introduces the characters (especially the widows), and this book references some of the happenings from the prior novel, you do not need to have read it in order for this one to make sense. 

In fact, I rather enjoyed the first novel more than this one, and that is a shame considering how much I usually enjoy this author and her stories. 

However, this story was such a mess that it was at times hard to get through. The sheer amount of obstacles thrown at this couple was ludicrous, and frankly downright boring at times. We get it, his father holds a grudge for reasons I cannot explain without giving away spoilers. However, the lengths he goes to (kidnapping, forced imprisonment, arranged marriages, blackmail) seemed a bit too extreme ESPECIALLY when he finally gives his blessing for the smallest and stupidest condition ever. 

Don't get me wrong, parts of this story were good. And others seemed like words on the page to increase the overall word count. I also had trouble fathoming how Elizabeth could spend such a great deal of time away from her six year old twins when they were all she had left of her late husband. These were her children, and she had no qualms leaving them for days or weeks at a time. Instead of the ridiculousness of having their nuptials denied and thwarted so many times, I would have instead rather have read about how Jemmy won the affections of her children (especially Colin who was so against his mother re-marrying in the first place).

I do think this story may still appeal to fans of historical romances, and I would read more from this author. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                                 Wedding the Widow is available from Amazon.com