I was sent a copy of The Bride Stone by Sally Gardner to read and review by NetGalley. This is a very readable historical novel written by the author of The Weather Woman, which I loved. There is a great cast of characters as expected, with plenty of twists within the story. I did find it a little predictable in places and it has to be said it is a very romantic tale. That said, I did enjoy it and read it in just a few days. I would probably class it as an historical beach read – if there is such a genre!

Thank you to the publisher Head of Zeus for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

In 1796 Duval Harlington has been freshly released from La Force prison in France and is on his way home. Thoughts of his home estate kept him going through his worse days. Duval learns his hated father has died and he has two days and seven hours to get married or he will lose the estate. Duval is prepared to walk when he stumbles on a wife sale and is horrified by what he sees. Then he lays eyes on Edmée and makes an extravagant bid for her but all is not as it seems as his new wife is keeping dangerous secrets from him. Edmée’s secrets have the power to threaten all he holds dear.

Oh my god I loved this book, it kept me firmly gripped, I would describe it as a love story but also a suspense thriller. I loved Edmée, what a horrible life she had lived prior to meeting Duval. Such a brave, courageous and well written character, I loved reading as her and Duval fell in love. I loved Duval as well, as he was perfect for Edmée, the two of them were just what the other needed. I loved that this book was set amongst the backdrop of the French Revolution, I also loved all the support characters too and the world building. The mystery kept me going right until the end, I didn’t see any of the twists coming and I loved the ending. Overall I would highly recommend this book, 5+stars from me.

Historical fiction at its finest. This felt so emotionally charged between the couple despite them marrying at a moment's notice and not really knowing each other- and thats without the scandal that soon ensues.

This moved at a pace to keep me hooked and entertained throughout. Characters I loved to hate, some I was rooting for, and things I wanted, no needed answers to.

Great time period, and superb characterisation. Glorious.

The Bride Stone has a gripping opening. Duval Harrington arrives back in England after three years in a French jail to find that his father has died and he must marry within 3 days or lose his inheritance. He is sure that he has no chance of marrying anyone within that time but then discovers a Wife Sale. He does manage to purchase a wife for the princely sum of 10 guineas but his problems still aren’t over.
I was gripped by the opening to this novel as Duval goes from hope to despair and back to hope again. I found myself really invested in the marriage between him and Edmee and the growing romance between them. I really wanted them to succeed despite all of the opposition to them. I also loved the setting at the end of the French revolution when French emigres were often seen as suspicious and the historical detail is excellent.
The book fell down for me on the secondary characters who nearly all felt very 2D and didn’t have a lot of depth. The only two who came alive for me were the Bow Street Runner who is called in to investigate the mystery and Mrs Dent who goes out to rescue women and children from the type of situation that Edmee found herself in. The inheritance grabbing cousin, Carson in particular feels a bit like a pantomime villain although to be fair, Duval himself notes that his cousin seems to have come out of a bad play.
Despite this, it was still a very readable story which I found hard to put down. I don’t think it’s quite as good as the author’s previous book The Weather Woman but a good read nonetheless.
My thinks as always to Net Galley and the publishers Head of Zeus, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It has been a very long time since I have been as gripped with a book as I was with this. I read it in two sittings - pausing only to cook and eat some food - and it kept me turning the pages all the way to the end.

A mix of romance and mystery, it follows the story of Duval, an Englishman who has survived the horrors of the French Revolution only to find he needs to marry within the next few days or lose his inheritance. Edmée, a Frenchwoman in England who has survived her brutal husband but is in desperate need of safety is for 'sale' in a wife market - a true thing that used to happen in England. It seems to be the solution to both their problems but it isn't long before both of their secrets threaten them.

The two main characters are a delight. Duval and Edmée are both characters you want to root for, although I could have shaken Duval more than once when he so callously left her and didn't write. I had really hoped their love would bloom over letters, but it is something more dramatic that brings him back and lets their love story really bloom. Edmée has been through so much, and the more you learn about her past, the worst it gets. She had a truly terrible hand in life and yet raises above it with bravery.

The minor characters are a little one dimensional - they are either utter rotter's who get what they deserve, or good characters who help save the day. Aunt Harriet was the only other character that really went through an arc - starting off distrusting Edmée to the point of telling the staff to make sure she hadn't stolen anything from any room she passed through - to being her strongest champion outside of her husband, and being the rock that both needed. She was fantastic.

There is a happy ending thankfully, and they deserved it.

I will be searching out other books by this author, just for how entertaining this was.

The idea is sound, but the execution is deeply flawed and considering the reviews so far of 'The Bride Stone' have been almost resoundingly glowing, I am about to dump a big bucket of water over its head. So - shall we?

I will admit, I enjoyed the first 40-50% of this book. Where I started to get irritated was when the author clearly ran out of steam and decided to incorporate a kidnapping plot so deeply unmotivated and so clumsily, exhaustingly executed that I wanted to throw my Kindle in the Thames.

My principal issue with this novel was the writing style. It is cold, passive and deeply detached from the story it's attempting to tell. The author avoids the most intriguing dramatic moments in favour of short chapters that barely scratch the surface of a moment. I am told, repeatedly, that Duval falls in love with Edmee, but I am not shown. The romance is given time or breathing room to grow and veers wildly into 'insta-love' territory, which seems at odds with the genre of the book in itself. There is absolutely no chemistry between these Duval and Edmee and so I did not care at all how the book concluded and whether either of them survived. Supporting characters are either largely one dimensional (Lady Harriet, Joseph Quinn) or pantomime characters (Arabella, Carson), behaving with such unnecessary and child-like cruelty that they just come off as silly rather than scary. Personally, I felt the cast of characters were too large and many of them formed into one indistinguishable blob after a while.

The plot jumps into a kidnapping mystery in the second half - one I think may have been more successful if we'd known from the beginning that it was going to happen and we jumped back and forth between the romance and the mystery throughout - but loses any sense of momentum by dragging on wildly for chapters and chapters with very little development. The entire novel is skimming the iceberg of its story, giving us the tiniest slivers of plot, character, and theme, but never deigning to advance beyond the bare minimum. I just felt so cut off from the book as I was reading it. There was no emotion, no depth, nothing drawing me in. Almost like half the chapters were missing and therefore, I was missing half the book itself.

This is the third book I’ve read recently that approaches its story with such a detached air, it’s a wonder a person actually wrote it at all. Falling into the trend of ‘I want this to be adapted into a movie / TV series, therefore I’m not going to actually dig deeply into things, just present the information so the screenwriter can do that work for me later.’

It isn't particularly romantic, it isn't particularly dramatic - it isn't particularly anything at all. I'm mainly annoyed that I wasted my time continuing to read it.

The Bride Stone transported me to the 18th century - with all the gritty realism of the time- from the French Revolution to the sale of women for marriage.

On his release from a French prison, Duval Harlington discovers his father has died and left him his country estate of Muchmore - however there's a catch - Duval only has a few hours remaining to secure a bride in order to retain the estate. A chance meeting with the mysterious Edmée seems too good to be true... Once Duval realises he knows nothing about his new bride, apart from some notes he discovers in her secret journal, will the risk of a rushed marriage be worth it?

First of all, kudos to the cover designer - the book looks absolutely stunning & intriguing 😍

'The Bride Stone' is a tale set in eighteenth-century England, told with a light touch and a dash of romance (though the story occasionally goes to some bleak places). I think it would appeal to fans of Frances Quinn and Mary Hoffman.

My favourite snippet was the character Edmée's dream about the French Revolution, which was spine-tingling/spine-chilling: "A woman in a red bonnet of liberty sells petticoats. They hang around her, billowing like ghostly flags. These undergarments have outlived the ladies who once wore them. Cottons, silks and the finest linen - all have found equality here. None too clean, the sad flags flutter in the breeze..."

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Refreshingly original and compulsive reading - loved it!
Loved every second of this book, it's certainly not what I was expecting, but even better.
Original and clever plot, twists and turns, unique and likeable characters. I was gripped from the first page. Even though I guessed where the story was going early on, I loved all the reveals and the way it progressed. I loved the speedier pace of the story, the questions are answered, and the mystery keeps you guessing. I can't say enough good things about this book. Highly recommended!

Duval Harlington has been released from a French Prison, his father is dead and he must return home to claim his inheritance. So far so simple but the his pesky father has put a clause in his will that means Duval must be married or his inheritance is forfeit he must also prove within the year that he is in’s love with his bride. Due to being stuck in prison the deadline is almost up with no bridal prospects in sight, Duval’s valet hears of a bride auction in a village they are passing through and wrangles his boss in Jeeves like style to save his bacon. Duval purchases a French wife who has secrets that could unravel the whole escapade. This was novel of two halves for me, the first half was an enjoyable straight forward marriage of convience plot that boomed along in find style but it seemed to unravel through the second half the plot wasn’t as tight and the characters were slightly sketchy and wishy washy. I’m a Sally Gardener fan and found myself slightly disappointed it just seemed a bit rushed and thinner than what we usually get from her. Even saying that it is still an enjoyable read and the bride auctions (which were still going up to the 1930s!!!!) were an interesting hook and one I’ve not read before.

Although I found parts of this book tedious, namely the scenes in London, overall I really enjoyed this book, and, especially towards the last quarter of it, I found I couldn’t put it down. There are 2 slowly revealed mysteries, as well as the overall romance which keeps the reader with plenty to enjoy. I say a slight trigger warning for some people as there is discussion of domestic violence and rape, but there weren’t expletives or sex scenes, so it would be a good read for anyone 12+. I’d definitely recommend this book.

This is the second book I have read by Sally Gardner, so I was looking forward to it. I wasn't disappointed. This story is set in the late 1700s, during the French Revolution, a period of great change. It is a mixture of historical fiction, mystery, and romance, and it balances the three very well. it kept my interest throughout and although it deals with some difficult topics, including abuse, rape and miscarriage, it is done well and these topics don't overwhelm the story.

Duval Harlington returns from being imprisoned in Paris to discover that his father has died, and he will only inherit the estate if he is married within seven days of his arrival home. He is on the verge of giving up hope when he stops in a town holding a Bride Sale. He returns to his home, Muchmore House, to marry Edmee, a French emigre widow. This is the beginning of a scandal and controversy that may ruin both their lives and disclose things they would rather keep in the past. I liked the characters in the book; they were well written, and I was intrigued to discover their stories.

I really enjoyed reading The Bride Stone, it kept my interest and I loved the intrigue. The story has a slight Bridgerton feel to it, but it was a more gritty tale. I would recommend picking this one up and finding a quiet corner to enjoy it. #netgalley

The Bride Stone was a page-turning historical novel, solidly researched, and full of twists and turns and well-rounded characters. Lord Duval has survived the French Revolution by the skin of his teeth, but when his father dies he risks being disinherited if he doesn't marry immediately. Duval pitches up in a town with a wife sale going on, and without giving it much thought he 'buys' himself a young woman. What both of them don't realize is that this single act will have ramifications a long way down the line. This was an interesting storyline, not something I had seen tackled before, and I found it very readable. The emotional stakes were high, and I wanted to know what happened to all the characters, good and bad.

When I started reading this book, I was a little worried that it might be a Mills and Boon type story. Fortunately, there was a lot more to this, including secrets, the impact of the French Revolution, greedy relatives, domestic abuse, and finding your way in life. Lots of action and some truly memorable awful people made for entertaining reading. The two main characters were easy to like and hope for good things for them. The ending, where the obnoxious Beales get their comeuppance is delightful. I hope to read more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed Sally Gardner’s ‘The Weather Woman’ with its combination of memorable characters and Regency details. It was both charming and beguiling. Sadly, with the exception of the beautiful cover, in comparison ‘The Bride Stone’ disappoints.

Set in 1796, towards the end of the French Revolution, Duval Harlington returns to England from captivity in a French prison. No sooner does he learn that his father has died than he also understands that to inherit the family seat of Muchmore, he must marry immediately or lose his inheritance. An impossible instruction, it seems. However, just in time, he discovers a wife sale (not the first time this device has been used in fiction) and pays for his bride, Edmée, herself recently escaped from France.

From then on, it’s a struggle for the unusual couple as they are pitted against society’s expectations – and each other’s. An intriguing plot with plenty of opportunities for character development and historical detail. So why does this not hold a candle to Gardner’s previous novel?

In short, whilst a number of the characters are two dimensional, it’s the author’s writing style that grates with me in ‘The Bride Stone’. Whilst I am sure that others will decide that I am being pedantic, I found myself becoming increasingly exasperated. For example, there’s a good deal of description about clothing which feels unnecessarily detailed. Duval is described as wearing ‘a frock coat in a steel grey, an elegant waistcoat of golden yellow embroidered with flowers, and breeches made of black velvet that went down to black silk stockings and shoes.’ A bit too Bridgerton for me! We also read that one character is ‘…certain he’d caught a glimpse of Veldt and a woman, but of that he couldn’t be sure.’ That’s plain irritating! Perhaps the novel just needs a more effective edit.

My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Originally published on the 22nd May edition of The Bookish Drop newsletter

I rarely delve into the world of historical novels, mainly because I don't want to confront just how little I actually know of the pre-21st-century world. Still, my reservations about The Bride Stone by Sally Gardner evaporated before I’d even finished the first chapter.

In 1796, amid the French Revolution, The Bride Stone follows Duval Harlington, fresh out of prison and back in London, to discover his despicable father has passed away. Rather than settle into life as the new Lord of the Muchmore estate, Duval is forced to find a wife within hours thanks to a small stipulation in his late father's will: he must be married or lose everything. After a dystopian meet-cute at a wife sale, Duval finds an eligible spouse in widow Edmée and honours his father's demands from beyond the grave. But marrying in haste is only the beginning of Duval's troubles.

The Bride Stone gives Vanity Fair and Bridgerton vibes but with a wonderfully gothic twist. I raced through the book within a day and wondered how I'd not read any of Gardner's work sooner. Although I'm new to the genre, I suspect this delicious historical romance will be one of the books of the summer.

You will have to wait until July 31st to get your hands on a copy of The Bride Stone, but you can read Gardner’s prior work The Weather Woman now.

A scandalous love story starting off with a marriage of convienience, draped in mystery and set during the french revolution. This is my best way of describing this novel. I giggled, I was sad, I pitied and I celebrated with the characters. I loved every moment and it was my favorite read of the month. I absolutely loved Duval and Edmée's relationship
4.4 star read for me.

The Bride Stone by Sally Gardner is set in 1796 and tells the story of Duval Harlington, recently freed from a French prison, who must marry to claim his late father’s estate, Muchmore House. At a market, he unexpectedly bids for a young widow, Edmée Hyde, in a wife sale. Their marriage, born of necessity, soon reveals dark secrets that put their lives in danger.

This book is a thoroughly entertaining and fast-paced read, full of twists that kept me guessing throughout. It also carries the air of a mystery thriller, which added an extra layer of excitement. The characters are vividly drawn — I particularly enjoyed the dashing Duval and the enigmatic Edmée, whose chemistry had me rooting for them all the way.

Overall, it was a gripping and enjoyable story that balanced romance, suspense, and historical detail with skill.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Sally Gardner is a fantastic writer who I've admired for years. This is her second adult novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When Duval is released from prison he finds that his father has died and that he must marry within two days to fulfil the conditions of his will in order inherit his estate. In desperation Duval acquires a wife through a wife sale who is bruised and clearly abused and so the story begins to unfold. It is historical fiction but part mystery part love story. It is so perfectly plotted, with a brilliant cast of secondary characters, and the writing is so well crafted.

Wow I loved this one. We follow Duval Harlington, recently freed from a French prison. The year is 1796, our guy was prisoner during the revolution, he goes back in London and is informed that his father had died and left his inheritance with the condition that Duval must marry or everything goes to some unknown cousin. And Duval has only two days and seven hours to find a wife, marry her, and keep his estate. Here comes Edmée Hyde, the wife Duval buys on the wife market.

In this book we have romance, mentioned miscarriage, domestic violence, rape, kidnapping, mystery, secrets, and many interesting facts of the time period. I ate it up. The pace was fast, the writing suited the time period in the book which just grabs and brings the reader back in time to enjoy the writing even more. I’d say the book feels like a romance novel in the first half where we get to know our characters and their growing romance. Then we have the second half where new characters are introduced and it’s more of a mystery novel where the secrets are revealed and we learn who Edmée is and her past.

It is my first book from Sally Gardner, and I loved it! Despite the heavy topic in the book, I’d say it’s not hard heavy read. In fact, it feels light and enjoyable. I believe the way it’s written, the characters are the heart of the book too!

Thank you, NetGalley and Head of Zeus for sharing this ARC with me!