Stowaway Bride by Adrianne Wood

Stowaway Bride

by Adrianne Wood

Emily Highfill Grant is done with the rules of Boston society. She wants adventure, to see things she has never seen before and that's exactly what she gets when she sneaks onto a train bound for San Francisco and finds herself face-to-face with a handsome, bare-chested stranger, who is also her wealthy grandfather's nemesis. As stowaways go, the breathtaking woman who turns up in Lucien Delatou's private Pullman Palace car is most intriguing. Though she refuses to reveal more than her first name, Emily creates a lot of scintillating commotion on their cross country journey. But when Lucien discovers her true identity, the real trouble begins, and he faces a choice between the trailblazing railroad he invested everything in, and the feisty lover who captured his heart.

Reviewed by Cocktails and Books on

5 of 5 stars

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Stowaway Bride is smart, funny, sweet, and it's a historical romance novel. I didn't think I could find a historical that was true to its period and funny, but this novel is a rare treat that shouldn't be missed.

Annabelle and Emily are sisters that polar opposites. Annabelle is the beauty and Emily is the smart one. Each is comfortable in their established roles. Annabelle is the younger more adventurous one, but Emily surprises her by slipping aboard a train car meant to take her mother west. Never one to miss an adventure Emily also steals aboard the train and both are surprised to learn that the passenger isn't their mother. Lucien Delatour intends to write letters to investors and work out a strategy to make his railroad a success. However, he finds two obviously well-bred young ladies aboard his Pullman car and can't wait to be rid of them. However, a fortuitous injury means they must continue to journey together. Lucien hastily decides to marry Emily, but he still doesn't know that she is the daughter of a man he believes is sabotaging his railroad. They face a load of adventure, a hoard of naysayers, and none of it matters because love triumphs over everything.

This was my favorite historical romance. Emily was a strong, witty, resourceful, and intelligent character. Lucien was smart, sexy, and clumsy...but it all worked out for him. I loved all of the characters and felt they were very well developed. I loved that there wasn't a lot of pretense, and the romance between Emily and Lucien was very straightforward. I was totally vested in their story after the first few pages. I really admired Emily for how she was able to think through situations and turn them in her favor. I liked Lucien, but I think I fell in love with him when he burst in with guns blazing to save the day. The plot was familiar, but it was the depth of the characters that made the storyline take on a life of its own. Don't miss this historical romance treat.

Reviewed by Michelle for Cocktails and Books

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  • 4 January, 2014: Reviewed