The Ideal Bride

By: Stephanie Laurens

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Laurens has created some of romance's most unforgettable novels. Now she has created her most provocative love story - and amazing hero - to date. This is the audiobook that dares to ask the question: Who is this man's ideal bride?

Michael Anstruther-Wetherby is a rising member of parliament - a man destined for power. Aristocratic, elegant, and effortlessly charming, he is just arrogant enough to capture the interest of the ladies of the ton. With his connections to the wealthy and influential Cynster family - his sister is married to Devil Cynster, the duke of St. Ives - his future appears assured.

Except that Michael lacks the single most important element of success: a wife.

Political pressure sends him searching for his ideal bride, a gently bred, malleable young lady, preferably one with a political background. Michael discovers such a paragon but finds a formidable obstacle in his path - the young lady's beautiful, strong-minded aunt - Caroline Sutcliffe.

One of London's foremost diplomatic hostesses, Caro has style and status but, having lived through an unhappy political marriage, wants nothing of the sort for her niece, who has already lost her heart to another.

So Caro and the younger woman hatch a plot - Caro will demonstrate why an inexperienced young lady is not the bride for Michael. She succeeds in convincing him what he really needs is a lady of experience by his side.

The perfect candidate is right under his nose - Caro herself. Then it is Michael's turn to be persuasive, a task that requires every ounce of his seductive charm as he tempts and tantalizes Caro, seeking to convince her that becoming his bride will bring her all her heart desires...and more.

But then a series of mysterious, and dangerous, accidents befall Caro - an assailant has stepped in with his own idea for Caro's future - one that could involve murder. Before Caro can become Michael's ideal bride, they must race to uncover the unknown's identity before all hope of what they long for, and wish for, is destroyed.

©2004 Savdek Management Proprietary Ltd. (P)2018 Recorded Books

Another good one!

Loved Michael and Caro’s story. Great development of the characters. I liked that it wasn’t as painful for Michael to express his love and desire for Caro as it had been for the Cynster men. One of the better stories in this series.

Sex sex sex

Is it possible that you can read too much sex? Yes. I had to forward through it all. The first was okay, but wow. It went on and on and on each time. Trying to fill chapters? Too much of a good thing.

too many too long sex scenes

thank heaven for the skip forward button. as soon as they started rogering I rushed on. otherwise a good story, fair narration.

Yup, too much sex!

Well….I guess you can ruin a good story with too much sex, at least that’s what happened in “The Ideal Bride.” The storyline and characters’ foibles and eventual growth made for an entertaining read and the narrator was very good and that made for an enjoyable listen. Caro had reservations about having sex with Michael. She lacked sexual experience and confidence. Her husband showed no interest or desire in having sex with her and their marriage was never consummated. Michael desires her as a sexual, life, and hostess (diplomatic hostess) partner. He believes that Cara is perfect for all those roles and begins to pursue her. Caro, although initially reluctant to become intimate with Michael, looses her resistance and begins have experimental (for her) sex every three pages ( or so). Geez, that’s a lot of sex. After 40 years of marriage I’m trying to remember if while single or in the early marriage years I ever had sex 3 times a night for weeks and weeks …probably not. The story length is not necessary and would have benefited from cutting it in half. More time could have been spent on plot, conflicts, and creating tension if the majority of the sex scenes were eliminated - the storyline would not have suffered from less sexual activity. I recommend the audible version of the book due to the narration for those who want a story short on plot but long (no pun intended) on sex.