Single Sundays: Lord Bachelor by Tammy L Bailey

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for Lord Bachelor (from Goodreads):
Edmund Rushwood is a single English lord in possession of a great fortune who is in desperate need of a rich wife.

In accordance with his father’s will, Edmund has until he turns twenty-six to find a wealthy bride or lose his vast inheritance. To retain his selfish lifestyle, he agrees to join an American dating game show to find the woman who can save him. He doesn’t bargain on meeting Abby Forester, an impoverished, spirited American woman who is content to live out her father’s dreams in his vintage record shop.

With covert intervention from an unlikely source, Abby lands on the dating game show as one of Edmund’s potential brides. As their worlds entangle and love begins to bloom, Abby discovers Edmund cannot marry her and retain his wealth at the same time. Will love keep them together, or will greed triumph and tear them apart?

Author: Tammy L Bailey
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: warm
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Date: December 7, 2015
Source & Format: Read It, Review It (New Adult Book Club)–eARC

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

When I read the premise for this book, I was really interested. The TV series the Bachelor is an occasional guilty pleasure of mine and I LOVE the TV show UnREAL which I marathoned just before this book crossed my radar. I had also just finished The Crown from the Selection Series and wanted to see a different take on the Bachelor/ette concept.

The Concept:

I think it is fair to warn potential readers that this novel isn’t primarily focused on their interactions during the TV show. It starts a little before the show and continues for a little after but I think that works in its favour when it comes to romance and character development. Just don’t think you are going to be reading a season of the Bachelor–there’s a bit more to it than that 😉

The Plot:

I thought this plot was a lot of fun! Abby has an interesting life as does Edmund; even if both lives are slightly over the top. It’s a little soap-opera that way but I kind-of expected that going into the novel given the Bachelor premise.

I did like the parallels it drew to Abby’s literature assignment. I thought that was a lot of fun but maybe that was just the inner English student in me coming out 😛

There were a few things that I didn’t feel were entirely necessary that were added; but they really played such a minor role that it wasn’t a huge deal in the end. Probably more of personal preference than anything.

The Characters:

I’ll admit it too me a while to get into Abby and Edmund as characters. Both have the facades they present the world so it really wasn’t until they started to reveal their insecurities and their pasts that I began to really like them.

The cast is everything you expect to see on something like the Bachelor–slightly over the top and eccentric. But I have to say that once you learn more about Abby and Edmund, they become a lot more grounded and I liked that a lot.

The Romance:

Although I expected the story to start right as the TV show does, seeing these two interact before the show was great. It gave their relationship more substance and a better foundation than a two week reality TV show. You really start to root for these two because you see how they work together. Plus, I thought they had great chemistry and the sexual tension was awesome!

My Rating: 3.5/5

It took me longer than I thought to get into it but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s a cute and sweet romance that will put a smile on your face.

Read if You Like: sweet romances, contemporary
Avoid if You: dislike soap-opera-esque stories

• Salt Water Kisses by Krista Lakes (Kisses Series #1)
• His Hired Girlfriend by Alexia Praks (Kiwi Brides Series #1)
• A Marriage to a Billionaire by Jennifer Probst (Marriage to a Billionaire Series #1)

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