The Bride He Never Expected: A Historical Regency Romance Novel (Era of Scandals Book 4)
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“He asked the agency for a governess who was plain, sturdy, and without sentiment. He got Cynthia Browne instead.”
The Duke of Lavenham has a reputation, and none of it is kind. They say he is cold. They say he is impossible. They say his great house on the Yorkshire moors has chased off every governess foolish enough to take the post, three in as many months.
Cynthia Browne has no money, no family, and no other prospects. She also has no intention of running.
What she finds at Lavenham Hall is not the brute the village describes, but a man worn thin by sorrow, and a little girl who has not spoken a word in months. The duke is guarded, exacting, and entirely certain he does not require a governess with opinions. Cynthia has a great many opinions, and an unshakeable habit of telling the truth, even when a wiser woman would hold her tongue.
Slowly, against every rule of propriety and good sense, the cold house begins to warm. The child begins to smile. And the duke begins to look at his unexpected governess as though she might be the one bright thing in a life he had long since given up on.
But Cynthia is beginning to suspect that the gossip surrounding the family has the story entirely wrong, and that someone took great care to keep it that way. If she is right, she can hand the duke back the good name that was stolen from him, and give one small girl the future she deserves. If she is wrong, she will lose the only home her heart has ever wanted.
A governess was never meant to fall in love with a duke.
But then, he was never meant to fall in love with her, either.
A warm, sweeping, completely clean Regency romance, a brooding duke, a fearless heroine, a child to cherish, and a slow burn worth every page.
No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a happily ever after that will leave you smiling long after the final page.
Also, available with Kindle Unlimited.
Customer Reviews
JW
Timeline off
July 19, 2026
R*****a
lovely story
July 17, 2026
M********s
Slow, Steady, and Compelling
July 12, 2026
g*****7
A lovely story.
July 11, 2026
TS
Amazing From Beginning to End
July 10, 2026
e***5
Unexpected Bride!
July 8, 2026
M**B
Highly recommended
July 6, 2026
K*************r
Mystery Twist
July 6, 2026
M*************************n
immaculate story
July 5, 2026
B******l
Just wonderful!
July 4, 2026
K*************r
Story started out interesting but ended up irritating So irritating.
July 4, 2026
D***********T
From Fear and Guilt to Love and Laughter
July 4, 2026
L**********k
The Kitten Came in April
July 3, 2026
J*d
Great read!
July 3, 2026
M************r
enjoyable
July 3, 2026
L*n
Touching
July 1, 2026
E****************y
Wonderful read
July 1, 2026
B*********8
The Perfect Governess for the Duke of Lavenham
June 30, 2026
C****************g
Great Read!
June 29, 2026
K***i
Lovely
June 29, 2026
j*****s
Struggles, a mystery and ultimately happiness
June 29, 2026
B*********e
Grief is not cruelty
June 29, 2026
A***e
Compelling. Magical writing. Must read.
June 29, 2026
M**V
A child/A Duke/A Nightmare/Baking Into Night
June 28, 2026
k***e
Good story
June 28, 2026
B******e
The Bride He Never Expected
June 28, 2026
K****D
Sweet Regency Romance
June 28, 2026
M**********s
I honestly couldn’t put it down!!!!!!
June 28, 2026
S*******************e
Governess with the strength and heart to save them all
June 27, 2026
P*******.
Stoic Duke and Sweet Governess, what’s not to love?
June 27, 2026
R*********e
Definitely one of Martha Barwood’s best books thus far!
June 27, 2026
D*******r
Delightful five-year old star of book
June 27, 2026
K*************r
Healing Broken Hearts
June 27, 2026
D******7
Lovely read
June 26, 2026
S************k
There’s usually something a bit unexpected, it works for the best anyway
June 26, 2026
B*B
A pleasure to read!
June 26, 2026
J******e
A quiet peaceful read but with a possible timeline error.
June 26, 2026
A*C
Alone.
June 26, 2026
M********y
I new outlook I never expected.
June 26, 2026
MJ
Strong governess, weak duke
June 26, 2026
C******c
Almost a gothic novel
June 26, 2026
c**********3
Romance
June 25, 2026
B***Y
Great read
June 25, 2026
f************e
Clean original interesting
June 25, 2026
A****w
Governess intelligence
June 25, 2026
K**y
Different story line
June 25, 2026
B********a
Great novel
June 25, 2026
d*************y
To defeat the evil, and protect the child, the past must be faced
June 25, 2026
