The Reluctant Bride

A gripping saga of love, longing and manipulation . . .
Kent, 1822. Fearing for his life, Thomas Marsh fled Castle Bay and found work as a mill hand, deep in the countryside. Here he comes across the unconventional Isabel Cavendish and is captivated by her beauty and wildness. But Isabel's father has ambitions for his daughter, and she is soon sent away to Ramsgate to learn how to be a lady.
Struggling to understand society's obsession with dresses and balls, Isabel chafes against the restrictions of her new life. Until she meets Daniel Coates. While in town for one night only, the pair discover a strong mutual attraction, but when circumstances force the couple apart, Isabel is left heartbroken.
Before she can reunite with Daniel, a horrified Isabel is taken to London by her father to be married to a much older widower.
Can she find a way to escape the marriage of convenience her father wishes to force her into? What will become of this reluctant bride?
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SAGA
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Lynne Francis grew up in Yorkshire but studied, lived and worked in London for many years. She draws inspiration for her novels from a fascination with family history, landscapes and the countryside.
Her first saga series, the Mill Valley Girls, was set in west Yorkshire but a move to east Kent, and the discovery of previously unknown family links to the area, gave her the idea for a Georgian-era trilogy. Lynne's exploration of her new surroundings provided the historical background for the novels, as well as allowing her to indulge another key interest: checking out the local teashops and judging the cake.
When she's not at her desk, writing, Lynne can be found in the garden, walking through the countryside or beside the sea.