Sixpence Bride
Sixpence Bride by Virginia Farmer is a time travel romance set in the
year 1797.
Jocelyn Tanner would not let being jilted by her fiancé ruin her holiday in England. But that did not mean that she felt comfortable standing up in a mock bride auction in a period costume.
Bought for sixpence she has no time to be insulted by the price before she is married to and whisked away on the horse of the hunk who has paid for her. It takes a little while for the fact that she has travelled back in time to sink in, but she can no more deny that fact than she can deny that she is in the body of another woman, a woman named Nelwina Ham who has just been sold by her husband to the highest bidder.
Garren Warrick, Lord Spenceworth, was under orders from his father – find a wife within one month or marry someone of his father’s choosing. When he came across the bride auction in the poor village he barely thought about paying for the woman on the block…he thought only of spiting his father. But bought her he has and now he finds himself married to a commoner who acts above her station and very strangely indeed.
Never good looking enough for the men in her own time she finds it no surprise to be poorly rated in the previous century either. Her “husband” makes it clear from the outset that he has no interest in her at all.
After depositing her at Spenceworth, his country estate he heads to London and after notifying his father of the marriage his task appears to be complete.
But his father Richard, the Duke of Warrick, is not a man to be taken in like this and immediately confronts his errant son. He then travels to Spenceworth and Jocelyn finds an unlikely ally in her father-in-law who takes an immediate likely to the forthright young woman.
Launched into society by Richard, Jocelyn appears to Gallen as a more suitable match than he imagined, even though he does not recognise her at first.
Soon Gallen and Jocelyn are in love and planning on making their marriage a true one. But there are people in their pasts who are determined to destroy their newfound happiness. The secret of Jocelyn’s background and Gallen’s purchase could bring scandal down upon them both…and there are several people who would gladly bring this about by way of revenge.
Sixpence Bride is a charming novel with touches of humour and a strong storyline. I would like to have seen what became of Nelwina on her journey into the future however. While we are given hints as to her fate by the mysterious Hilda her story remains shrouded in mystery.
But Gallen and Jocelyns’ story is well told and the secondary characters add that extra bit of flavour to the already pleasant novel. I just wish that Ms Farmer had chosen to enlighten us more as to the women sent back to Jocelyn’s body and time. In many novels this is irrelevant but I felt that in this one that little bit of extra information was required. Other than that this is a charming tale of romance.
Although it was a long time coming out I understand that my one quibble has be resolved in the form of Spenceworth Bride - the sequel telling Nelwina's story.
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Also by Virginia Farmer: Spenceworth Bride and A Blast to the Past
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