The first in a trilogy about the Shelley triplets. Thomasina falls in love with her sister’s fiancé, Jasper. I found Thomasina a bit too nice and understanding of Jasper’s fear of love. Both Thomasina’s father and Jasper’s mother are portrayed as cold mean individuals. I thought the story dragged on towards the end with Jasper and Thomasina declaring their love for each other over and over and over. The tension over the missing sister could have been greater to lead up to the next book in the series. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Just the right amount of passion and a great start to a series. The Shelley sisters are triplets, identical in feature but very different in character. Julian has agreed to marry, Anne, though he's started to realise that he can easily pick out Thomasina and he'd have rather been affianced to her. The father chose Anne because she was fiesty and less aimable to his plans. Thomasina agrees to pretend to be Anne at the engagement ball and when Anne disapears, it gets complicated. I liked both the hero and the heroine and towards the end of the book it becomes obvious that even the villain isn't quite what he seems. I'm certainly intrigued enough to want to read Anne's story. I think you will like this novel so I have no hesitation in recommending it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the first book in a new sister's called, "The Shelley Sisters." Ther girls are triplets. Identical in looks, they're considered an oddity. They're father is a wealthy merchant looking to tie his name to the aristocracy and offering a large dowry in exchange for his daughters hand.
In comes the Earl of Harcourt, Jasper. He is a second son, a good man, who inherited a mess. He needs to marry an Heiress. He doesn't care which Shelley sister, he let's the father choose. He chooses Anne.
Anne is not happy about that arrangements and as the wedding is approaching decides to flee. She asks her sister Thomasina to fill in for her at the ball, while she flees with a secret gentleman she has been meeting with.
Thomasina has been in love with Jasper since the day they met. So to be Anne for one night is exciting, until it is discovered Anne has fled.
Jasper realizes its Thomasina right away. He doesn't know why but he has always been able to tell her apart from the others. There is a connection there. When it is discovered Anne had run off, Jasper insists that Thomasina take her place in the wedding.
This is the beginning of watching their relationship grow and deepen. Mixed in with this is the mystery of what has happened to Anne.
This leads to much drama and adventure.
Book 2 is going to be about Anne and looks to take place simultaneously as this story. There is a cliff hanger at the end of the story you expect will be continued thru all 3 books.
I loved this story. I loved the characters. Thomasina was gentle, kind,, forgiving and loving. Jasper was a very hurt torn up young man who desperately needs someone like Thomasina.
I dont like cliffhangers that will continue thru the series.
4.5 stars rounded up.

A Reluctant Bride by Jess Michaels is the first book in the series titled The Shelly Sisters.
The Shelly sisters are triplets in a time when even twins were rare. The three sisters look a great deal alike and are often mistaken for each other. The problem according to their father is that they are useless except for how they help his image and social standing. He wanted a boy and ended up with them.

Jasper needs to refill his families monies and Anne is the first daughter offered up. Jasper however is intrigued when he realizes that Thomasina is masquerading as his bride instead of Anne. Jasper and Thomasina after all the surprises end up marrying. Jasper presents as a stern, serious, uncompromising man, but Thomasina sees more. She is terrified for her sister, Anne and wants Jasper to help her find her sister.

Jasper and Thomasina were such a fun couple. I enjoyed how they slowly built their relationship. I liked how Thomasina could see into Jasper and I liked how Jasper could recognize Thomasina when no one else can. I am curious to see how the rest of the series works out and want to read more about the triplets. A Reluctant Bride by Jess Michaels was a good read!

4.5 stars. A Reluctant Bride by Jess Michaels is the first novel in a trilogy about the Shelley triplets. Jasper Kincaid makes a deal with the Shelley triplets’ father to marry one of the girls. He is supposed to marry the oldest girl, Anne. But when Anne elopes with a scoundrel less than a week before their wedding, he marries Thomasina instead.

Thomasina has been enamored of Jasper ever since she found out he was marrying Anne. When Anne asks her to stand in for her during her and Jasper’s engagement ball, she reluctantly agrees. Thomasina is surprised when Anne has run away, and she gets what she wants – Jasper as her husband.

Not a perfect start to a relationship or marriage. But Jasper knows there is something different about Thomasina; in fact, she is the only one of the triplets he can recognize. He knows which one of the three she is instantly. Jasper doesn’t want a love-match marriage and believes he has convinced Thomasina of the same, but they can’t deny the passion that flares between them.

This is a lovely story, Jasper and Thomasina are a perfect match. She is exactly what he needs to pull himself out of his cold shell. She needs his strength and protectiveness and his willingness to let her be her own person. There are a number of passionate scenes that move the story along nicely and cement their relationship. Readers will be interested to read more about Anne and the other sister Juliana.

This was such a brilliant story and I enjoyed reading every page!! The Shelley Sisters are triplets who are identical....Anne, Juliana and Thomasina. This first book in the series is Thomasina's story and how she finds herself married to Jasper Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt.

I loved both their characters. Thomasina is such a caring soul and Jasper is a tortured man who tries to be completely unlike his father and older half brother! It is up to Thomasina to get through the walls he's erected around his heart and I love how she does it, with patience, love and believing in him. Add to that a villain (or is he?) who is searching for a treasure, a sister who is missing and a father who only sees his daughters as a commodity to be used to better his circumstances. A very well written story with lots of heat, passion, intrigue, danger, etc.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Jess Michaels has a stunning new series and it’s about to leave you speechless.

Love love love this book and the characters therein .
The sisters are wonderful, triplets born to a rich but unfeeling father.
One betrothed but then runs from her responsibilities, leaving another to take on her abandoned marriage promise to a prominent Earl.

A great idea and wonderful writing lead the way to a book that keeps you hooked throughout.

Excellent stuff

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

When the Jasper Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt, offered to marry one of the infamous Shelley triplets, he was doing it for the dowry to refill his depleted coffers, not for anything so silly as love. But when he realizes it is Thomasina Shelley masquerading as his fiancée at their final engagement ball, not his true intended, a desire for her that he has been ignoring sparks.
Thomasina’s feelings for Jasper have never been appropriate and she doubted the prudence of pretending to be his even for just one night. Once she’s caught, everything escalates so quickly. Suddenly she’s going to marry this stern, fascinating man who is not particularly pleased at her perfidy.
I loved this first book in this new series featuring the Shelley triplets.
Will all three girls find love in the end or will there be disaster too?
Once I started reading I couldn't put this book down.
I gave this book 4.75 of 5.0 stars. I would've given it a solid 5 if not for the cliffhanger in the epilogue.
I received a complimentary ARC from the Author/publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily

I cannot recall a time when Jess Michael’s has disappointed me and with this new series I think the streak will continue.
I was hesitant with a series involving identical triplets but Michaels made it work with the hero Jasper Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt, knowing the woman he wanted like the back of his hand. While he was fearful of love, Thomasina Shelley’s calm demeanor and devotion, were clearly the key to melt his supposed cold heart.
As this story runs somewhat concurrently with the next in the series, the only thing missing was an epilogue that felt the story was so concluded but I’m sure I will get that in Anne’s story.

What drama will follow when the youngest of triplets switches her place with her affianced sister at her betrothal party ...

What a delightful read this first in a series is, I do think it is even the first full length novel I have read by Mrs Jess Michaels.
I love her novellas, and this story does not disappoint.
Here we are I traduces to three identical siblings, when I liked Juliana and Thomasina, I must say I do not really care about Anne, too selfish for my taste but maybe the next book in this series will correct my misconception.
So here we have Thomasina, the youngest and more quiet of the Shelley triplet, the one who was instantly drawn to the Earl of Hartcourt, alas he is betrothed to her sister Anne. So never will she hope to let her feelings free, but when circumstances put her position in jeopardy, she realizes she is quite happy to take her sister’s place at the altar.
Even if it is because of a deception she is now gaining her sister’s betrothed. While she never expected this outcome when she agreed to help her sister, as it was at first just a little deceit, so she thought.
Jasper did not care at first which of the siblings he would be marrying, he just needed the dowry. Then, how unsettling it became, as the more time passed, the more he had nothing to do with his actual fiancée when he wanted to spend more time with her shy sister. Unexpectedly, she is the one he can always tell apart. Still, when she becomes the one walking the aisle, he hold back, happy to give in his lust for her but unable to share more.
Thomasina has spent her life making do with the whispers about the oddities she and her sisters are, and her aloof of a father using them as spawns for his own gain. She is one to always trying to please, at first to win her cold father’s love because it is in her second nature, she feeds in obliging the others.
And for her new husband, she will do anything, hoping to win even if it is only a tiny bit of his heart, she wears her soul in her eyes, longing to see his reflect in his own.
Jasper lived with his father and bother’s excesses most of his adult’s life as a sword of Damocles waiting to strike. And it did strike, he just never anticipated he would be the one left to clean the mess and bear the title.
And while he could have resented Thomasina for her part in Anne’s deception as she was a participant even if not aware of the whole scheme. He is filled with relief as he has won the one of the sisters he is more and more looking for.
Yet he decides to put boundaries to their relationship, warning Thomasina to not hope for more than he can give her. But when they promised to never again lie to one another, he began to hold informations, to protect her he says to himself.
It is a lovely read that follow the journey of their rising feelings, from their epiphany to the sewing of the bonds that will link them or tear them apart if they are not cautious of how they deal with their sentiments and the trust they have put in one another.
5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the author and preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

If anyone other than Jess Michaels had written this book, it would have been a complete flop for me. I do not love a lot of the main themes in this story. That being said, I actually really enjoyed this book. Mostly due to the artistry in JM's story telling. It is marvelous. As a matter of setting the stage for a new series, this book does a phenomenal job. Identical triplets always embroiled in some sort of scandal? Sign me up!

I like Thomasina, but it's kind of hard to not want to shake her and shout STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. USE YOUR BRAIN! She is a perfectly lovely character, just also a bit of a door mat. Honestly, she is my least favorite of the triplets already, and I don't know much about the other two. Jasper is.. fine. He sort of makes me want to slap him. First of all, he didn't even bother with which triplet he was to wed in the beginning. He apparently never even met any of them before the engagement contract was worked out. That's pretty lame. Especially considering he apparently has a pretty clear preference once he meets them. It doesn't seem like he actually bothered to try to get to know his actual fiance at all until it was Thomasina to whom he was engaged. That's also pretty lame, in my opinion.

The discussions around consent are expertly done, and the sex is some Jess Michaels level hot. Of Course. The communication in general is well done. I enjoyed the story while I was reading it. The most interesting part, for me, was the villain. He has motives. I want to know more.

The story in general is good, and I recommend it, if for no other reason than to be ready for the series to follow. That being said, it wasn't one of my top favorite Jess Michaels.

Since his father and his half-brother before him were both wastrels and libertines of the worst order, Jasper Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt, must marry a wealthy bride to restore his fortunes. He offers for one of the well-dowered Shelley triplets and their father decides it will be Anne that Jasper marries. Until Jasper immediately recognizes that it is actually Thomasina Shelley pretending to be his fiance at their engagement ball. Desire that they've both been ignoring fires between them and when they realize that Anne has eloped with another, Thomasina and Jasper both have the opportunity for a meaningful marriage, if he'll allow it.

Thomasina has been fighting inappropriate feelings for Jasper since she first met him, but her worry for her runaway sister's safety shadows most of her other feelings. When Jasper learns that Anne's continued absence may have quite a bit to do with his own brother's past misdeeds, he keeps that fact from Thomasina, not wanting to add to her worries. With danger closing in on them and their relationship taking two steps forward and one back, their future is far from assured.

I was unsure about this one with the hero being engaged to someone else, but it totally worked and wasn't a problem at all. I liked Thomasina as a heroine; she had a brain and responded sensibly to situations rather than becoming shrewish. I wound up loving Jasper as a hero. He was so broody, with so much pain and vulnerability under his layers and I loved seeing Thomasina peel them back. There was plenty of steam, a little suspense, and enough loose ends to make me really want to continue with the next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.75 stars rounded to 4

A Reluctant Bride is the first from the new series The Shelley Sisters by Jess Michaels. The Shelley sisters are identical triplets.

Jasper Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt, offered to marry one of the infamous Shelley triplets so he can use the dowry to refill his depleted coffers caused by his late wild and unmanageable father and brother. Thomasina, in an effort to help her sister come to terms with what she feels is an unfit match, agrees to take her place at the final betrothal ball for Jasper and her sister Anne. Plus, if she can have at least one night on the arm of the man she fancies beyond words, even if she's pretending to be someone else. Jasper could never really tell one triplet from the next, but somehow he could always spot Thomasina. When he realizes it is Thomasina masquerading as his fiancée at their final ball, a desire for her that he has been ignoring sparks to life. And when it becomes clear his true betrothed has run away with another, an opportunity arises for a marriage between him and the woman he can't help but notice.

This is a romance with a mystery plotline throughout. The second book looks to be a retake of this story with an alternate Shelley sister (Anne) as the protagonist and a few concurrent touches from one plotline to another. I really like it when a series does this, I enjoy 'hearing' the same story from another's perspective.

I felt like some of the story dragged at times and maybe moved a little slowly but this sometimes can't be helped when mysteries are afoot. The story was cute and sweet. Any squickyness related to marrying your sister's fiance like an interchangeable doll was cleared up pretty quickly. I enjoyed the idea of continuous consent being introduced.

I am looking forward to continuing the series with Anne's story.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

The Shelley triplets are going to give the book world some entertainment!
******
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Kindle Unlimited: Unknown
******
This is book one in the series, and in this book we meet all 3 of the Shelley triplets. Anne, the wild and free sister, Julianna, the sister that always has to fix things, and Thomasina, the quiet shy sister everyone overlooks. Everyone but Jasper that is.

Anne is engaged to Jasper, a marriage of convenience; the father wants to push Anne on to a suitor and Jasper needs to replenish his coffers after the mess his brother made. Thomasina had felt a connection and curiosity for Jasper the first time they met. But, since he was betrothed to Anne,, Thomasina only watched him from afar. However, when Anne asks Thomasina to go to her engagement ball as Anne, everything changes. Anne takes off with a love interest and leaves the family to clean up the mess. That is where the story gets good.

No one can tell the triplets apart, except Jasper that is...he can pick Thomasina out instantly, but does he want anything more than a full coffer and warm bed? You will need to read the book to find out. I enjoy Jess Michaels books and I can't wait to read about Anne and Julianna, and hopefully more on Thomasina and Jasper! Do I recommend! A resounding YES!!! Will I continue to read the series? Yes, I will read anything that Jess Michaels writes!!! Grab this book ASAP!!!

Series: The Shelley Sisters
Publication Date: 1/7/2020
Number of Pages: 280

OMGoodness – what a delightful book for this author to write as her return to full-length novels. The characters are delightful, the story is well-written and well-plotted, and the villain is mysterious (is he truly a villain?)

Nobody can tell the triplets apart, at least in looks. Anne is the wild one, the ‘free spirit’ who acts first and thinks later. Juliana is the calm, even-keeled, responsible ‘fixer’, who runs the household. Thomasina is the pleaser, the one who brings peace and comfort to others – even at the cost of her own. As far as their father is concerned, they are a commodity to be bartered in marriage as he chooses and they are totally interchangeable in his eyes. (You won’t like him.) He has negotiated a marriage contract for one of his daughters – and the groom doesn’t care which one – so, Anne is chosen because she is the most troublesome of the three and it will get her off his hands.

Jasper Percival Stephen Kincaid, the Earl of Harcourt, is left to clean up the mess left behind by his father and his half-brother. He was never meant to be the Earl and both his cold, mean, hateful father and his errant half-brother made that abundantly clear to him. Yet, here he is, with a title he didn’t want, trying to clean up a mess he didn’t make by bartering himself and his title for a bride with a large dowry. He’ll marry one of the Shelley triplets and he doesn’t care which one – he’s never even met them. He has no intention of loving whichever one it is – he has spent his entire life building walls around himself and he has absolutely no intention of lowering those barriers for anyone. He will make that very, very, very plain to his new bride.

The three Shelley ladies, along with their father, have been staying at Jasper’s estate in the Lake District in preparation for Anne’s wedding to Jasper. Thomasina has found herself attracted to the Earl and she knows it is wrong and fights it as best she can. Yet, when Anne begs Thomasina to switch places with her and attend the final engagement ball in her place, Thomasina agrees – simply because Anne doesn’t care for Jasper and convinces Thomasina that she just needs the quiet time to come to grips with the marriage. When Thomasina returns to her rooms after she leaves the ball, she goes to check on Anne – and finds a note from Anne. Anne says that she’s found the love of her life and has run away to Gretna Green with him.

Jasper is incensed and insists that one of the other sisters fulfill Anne’s role. That will save scandal and still fill his coffers. However, it turns out he’s not quite so indifferent to the sisters as he’d thought and insists that Thomasina will be the one to replace Anne.

Jasper quickly learns that there is more to Anne’s disappearance than there first appeared to be. It seems his deceased half-brother may have set some things in motion that were now coming back to bite him and to harm the Shelley family. As Jasper and Thomasina grow closer, his fears for Anne – and then Thomasina grow as well. He tries to keep that knowledge from Thomasina – but isn’t able to do so. Can they salvage their relationship in the face of Jaspers' lack of sharing and untruths? Can they find what the villain wants and save Anne? Will Jasper finally realize that he loves Thomasina? You’ll just have to read the story to find the answer.

I definitely recommend this as a lovely read. I had hoped that there would be a trip to London and Jasper’s mother would realize what her coldness had cost her and that maybe there would be some softening in her. However, that didn’t happen and since the book has ended, I assume it will never happen. There is still a chance that the triplet’s father will finally have some sort of epiphany since there are two more books to go.

I can hardly wait for the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jess Michaels consistently falls in my "awesome authors I wish would write full length books more often" authors category, so I was super psyched to see this, especially when it's a series debut. About triplets! And a weird mystery! Triple yay! (Pun intended.)

✔s: chemistry, sense of humor, characters ((view spoiler)), the romantic plot (for the most part), a really promising overarching series starter, a really promising overarching mystery.

“±s: This suffered a little from "series starter" and "overall series mystery" syndrome. I love a good long-running mystery, but sometimes the books alone won't work by themselves plot-wise as a self-contained mystery as well as a series mystery, and this happened here to a certain extent, especially given the shorter length. I suspect reading all three books together will be great (especially if they're about the length of this one, and easily read together), but each book together, especially if you come in the middle of the series, might not stand by itself so well.

✘s: suffered on the self-contained mystery front, and sometimes, it was a little too much tell instead of show.

tl;dr: a good, solid series opener, and I'm really looking forward to book #2. Yay Jess Michaels! (Please keep writing full length books.)


Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the free ARC, with no incentive or coercion on your parts.

Another enjoyable book by the reliably entertaining Jess Michaels. A romance/mystery story with an ending that leaves the reader keen to see the next in the series.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

A slow burn at first but built up to a sweet romantic end. 3.5 rounded up

This certainly had my attention throughout. The Shelley sisters are identical triplets, which earns them some notoriety among the ton, but they are very different in character. Thomasina is the dependable and biddable one. Jasper is a 2nd son, following his wild and spendthrift father and older brother to the title and trying to be decent earl. How lucky they get a chance to be together when Anne disappears.
I do not want to put in any spoilers here, but there are some issues, for example of information withheld not only from the reader, but the characters as well. I suspect that the author found it necessary to withhold that information as it will be used as a thread through the series. Also, Thomasina does something that brought on an eyeroll, ignoring warnings of danger although she should know better.
I read an advance copy I received via NetGalley; the thoughts expressed are my own.

I devoured this book in one evening, an absolute delight. This was my first book by this author and I have already put two of her other series on request at my library. The book drops you right into the action, and never slows down, but Michaels presents such well developed characters and settings that you feel right at home in the world of the Shelley Triplets. Our heroine is brave in her own ways, fiercely devoted to her identical sisters and whip-smart. Our hero enjoys a classic brooding countenance, but like all good romantic leads, has a caring soul and soft spot for the leading lady. The action starts on page one and continues to the very end, with the promise of even more to come. I look forward to the following books in this series and can’t wait to see what the daring Shelley Triplets get up to next!