The Other Guy's Bride by Connie Brockway
Publisher: Montlake Romance (December 22, 2011)
Genre: Historical Romance
Summary (Amazon.com):
Determined to prove her worth as a budding archeologist, Ginesse Braxton vows to solve one of the world's greatest mysteries--to find the location of the lost city of Zerzura. Unfortunately, no man dares take the risk of escorting the resolute young scholar across the open desert. But on her way to Egypt, Ginesse engages in a daring deception: She will switch places with Mildred Whimpelhall, who is traveling to meet her fiancé.

Cynical adventurer Jim Owen will do anything to escape the dark secrets of his troubled past. Betrayed by the woman he loved and scorned by proper society, he agrees to carry out a danger-fraught task: escort Mildred Whimpelhall across a lawless desert to her intended. But Jim is about to learn that "Mildred" isn't exactly what she seems...and the dangers they face together are eclipsed by an even greater peril: falling in love, against all reason, with another guy's bride.


Where to Buy*: Amazon | Kindle | BN.com
More Info: Author's Site | Book Site | Excerpt


My Review:

When mistaken identities, secret lives, and an exotic locale like Egypt are thrown together, the outcome can only be one thing—a rocky roller-coaster ride that provides plenty of entertainment!

Ginesse (Ginny) Braxton has been judged by her name for years. As the only daughter of the infamous Harry and Dizzy Braxton, the world expects her to be much like them—a successful Egyptologist who discovers countless finds. But while Ginny has worked hard all her life to fill those shoes, she's never quite done it. And now she's finally realizing that perhaps this career choice was the wrong one for her. There is no passion for her to find in this job, and Ginny has always dreamed of having love and passion—especially in her personal life...

But Ginny wants to give it one more try, and off she goes to find the ancient city of Zerzura, which has been lost for centuries. She knows that no one would dare to be her guide through the desert—first, because of who her father is, and second because she is a young woman. But she won't give up that easily, and when she sees an opportunity arise that would take her close to her final destination, she takes it. She thought she would be finding Zerzura in the desert; she never expected to find love instead...

Jim Owens, believed to be a rough, no-good scoundrel by many who “know” him, is finally repaying his debt to Colonel Lord Pomfrey by delivering his fiance, Miss Whimpelhall, to the fort he commands in the middle of the desert. His first look at Mildred reveals everything Pomfrey told him about the woman—brassy red hair. But her actions are not that of the quiet lady Pomfrey described her as. She says she is Mildred Whimpelhall, so she must be....right? Jim doesn't give it much thought; his job is simply to take the girl to Pomfrey. Besides, he is not who he pretends to be either, so he can't judge her too harshly.


As the days in “Mildred's” company go by, Jim finds himself wishing that he was someone else. It's not right, wanting another man's bride, but even when she returns his affections, he can't offer for her when he has nothing to call his own...Unless he takes back his old life—and his rightful title. But will Mildred—or she he say Ginny—take him up on his offer?
This was a wonderful historical romance, full of adventure and set in exotic Egypt (one of my favorites!). I found The Other Guy's Bride had just enough twists in it to keep the story alive, but not so much that it left it feeling cluttered. I was surprised a few times, which only added to the over-all adventure.

The romance was very nicely done—both tender at times and very steamy during others. It was everything a fan of this genre could ask for—and more! I loved watching Ginny and Jim come to terms with their feelings for each other. They fought the inevitable for so long, but rather than this being an annoyance, it was actually rather fun to read.

Brockway has a talent for writing humor into her romance—it is subtle for the most part, but still very enjoyable. I laughed during more than a few scenes (usually when Ginny was fighting Jim—she is not a quiet, shy woman by any means, if she has something to say, she speaks her mind!).


^Favorite Quote:

With one arm around her waist, he used his free hand to tip her chin up so he could look directly into her eyes. "I love you," he said, and this time the words did not sound light or incidental. "I love you, Ginesse. Don't you see? You are my Zerzura. You are my undiscovered country, both my heart's destination and journey. Gold and temples, jewels and gems don't hold one bit of your enticement."

4 STARS! A truly magical romance set in Egypt, The Other Guy's Bride was a light, enjoyable read—and one I will no doubt visit again in the future. I'm very curious to find out more about Harry and Dizzy's love story, which has already been told, so I will be adding their book to my list as well. Connie Brockway is a must read author for any historical romance fan, and The Other Guy's Bride is a rare treat, one to be savored again and again!



^Quote is from my ARC copy, and therefore may be slightly different from the final copy. The quote is property of the author, and I do not claim the words in anyway!



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Thanks to Night Owl Reviews, where I received this ARC for free in exchange for reviewing the book. (Free book does not equal biased review, however!) This review is the property of NOR.
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Enjoy!


Until Next Time,

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