Review: Trapped at the Altar – Jane Feather

The first in an all-new, sizzling historical romance series from New York Times bestselling author Jane Feather.

Torn between a true love and family duty…

Ariadne “Ari” Carfax has never been one to play by the rules; she’s an heiress to the Carfax family, banished from London when Oliver Cromwell seized the throne from King Charles, who has since gained notoriety for pillaging, thieving, and ruling the Carfax Valley with an iron glove. All too soon, Ari finds herself in her family’s legendary vise, forced into a marriage to Ivor Chalfont, Ari’s childhood friend and confidante, against her wishes. 

While the Carfax family has only its own interest at heart—a union between the Catholic Carfaxes and Protestant Chalfonts will guarantee the Carfaxes’ reinstatement at London court, and the rehabilitation of their noble name—Ari cannot bear the thought of being separated from her secret lover/poet, Gabriel. She vows to fight her family—and Ivor—every step of the way, even when forced into the marital ceremony at her own grandfather’s wake, in a treacherous coup de etat that leaves her wed to another, and eternally broken-hearted.

Sending Gabriel to the temporary safety of Lord Monmouth’s outpost at The Hague in Scotland, Ari resigns herself to her new life as Lady Ivor Chalfont—at least until the newlyweds travel to London, and she can escape her new husband and reunite with Gabriel. As the two make their preparations to travel, however, Ari finds herself entertaining entirely uncharacteristic thoughts about her new husband: she finds that she likes him as perhaps more than a friend, after all. Not wanting to be disloyal to Gabriel, but simultaneously more and more attracted to Ivor, Ari can’t help but give into the physical pull between her and her new husband, and the two embark on a tentative, post-marital courtship that just might hold the seeds of love…until, that is, Gabriel spots Ari in London and makes it his mission to get her back. Ari is caught between a lover who might be better left in the past, and a husband who she just might be able to love; who will win Ari’s heart?

Set in 1600s England during the tumultuous Monmouth Rebellion, this is the epic story of what happens when the one thing we think we can trust—our hearts—turns out to be the most duplicitous.

Series:
Release Date: July 22nd 2014
Publisher: Pocket Books
Source: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Sheri
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

2.5 Cocktails

I usually enjoy the friends to lovers trope, this one fell a bit flat. Mostly because I didn’t really like Ari, she just rubbed me the wrong way. I loved the historical parts of this story, it’s obvious that research was done.

I didn’t like how some things were handled, things like Ivor not caring that Ari was not a virgin, was just not believable. There were some things that I saw coming from the beginning and I hated that it felt like I was being clubbed over the head with foreshadowing, I like my twists to be more of a twist and less obvious.

I’ve enjoyed Ms. Feather’s books for years and this one just didn’t have that same feelings and emotions that I’ve come to expect and love from Ms. Feather. This one wasn’t my cup of tea, mostly because I really didn’t like Ari. Ivor was a bit more likeable, even if at times his reactions just didn’t jibe with me.

I think other fans of Jane Feather may find this story enjoyable, it may have just been me, so I feel like they should give it a try and form their own opinions.