Note: This review is for the Tessa Dare novella only. His Bride for the Taking

You guys don’t think I’d ever pass up a Tessa Dare novella, do you?

This story begins with a wedding, sort of. Mary has been left at the altar and Sebastian is there to rescue her. He’s always been there to rescue her. He’s her younger brother’s best friend, and spent a lot of time with them when they were younger. When her brother was killed in the war, Sebastian couldn’t rescue Henry, so his protective instincts intensified.

Sebastian’s form of rescuing her is to marry her himself so her reputation wouldn’t suffer as much as if she stayed a jilted spinster. It doesn’t take much to convince her, although Mary does argue against the idea at first. He isn’t above forcing her hand a bit, and she seems relieved to not have to deal with the groom not showing up.

This chance to rescue her isn’t entirely selfless, though. Sebastian has been in love with his best friend’s older sister since he met her as a lad. But he’s always known that you don’t touch your best friend’s sister. Once they’re married, he starts to think that maybe marrying a woman who was supposed to marry someone else that day wasn’t the best idea. She might tell him that she never loved the fiance, however he thinks maybe she’s still conflicted about the whirlwind jilting/wedding.

They ride all night to a small cottage he owns and there’s a scene, the best scene in any book ever. Guys. They have to assemble a bed, a Swedish bed, with no directions, and it goes about like any couple who has ever gone to Ikea and tried to assemble a piece of furniture would think. Tessa Dare, I see what you did there. 🙂

This story could have easily veered into the old He doesn’t love me, he’s just honorable/She doesn’t love me, she’s just out of choices territory, but I’m so glad it didn’t. There’s no Big Misunderstanding, but there is a big twist I didn’t see coming. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed. I wanted more! I hope we see these characters in future books, because it’s a fun and happy story, with enjoyable characters who you just love. With her trademark wit and light hand, Tessa Dare tells a delightful tale.

***ARC courtesy of the author