The Bride Finder - Susan Carroll

Anatole St Leger has to marry soon. According to his family history for him to be happy his bride must be chosen by the Bride Finder.

Madeline Breton falls in love with the portrait the Bride Finder shows her and accepts the marriage of convenience.

Chosen by the Bride Finder, a man blessed with amazing insight, Madeline Breton has come to Cornwall to meet her new husband, Anatole St. Leger---a man whose midnight eyes conceal strange, paranormal powers. As Madeline embarks on an odyssey both otherworldly and undeniably real, she and her mysterious husband fall hopelessly in love---until she sees a haunting vision of murder and a terrifying enemy emerges to threaten both their lives.

At first Madeline is not at all what Anatole wants. But having faith in the Bride Finder he starts to accept her even if he doesn't tell gher about his strange family history and his special powers. Unaware of how important some of the traditions are Madelien and Anatole seem to find it difficult to trust and love each other.

I think Carroll bigger virtue was to make us care about Anatole. And to suffer with him when he finds himself ready to love Madeline and sees how she denies what he believes it's true - the true love between the St. Leger and their brides. As in his youth he believes himself to be unloved and unwanted. And it's painful to see how he plans to give some daisies to his wife only to find out his cousin has given her a dozen roses.

What I really enjoyed was the tension between those two. Provoked by how Anatole wanted to give her his heart but was afraid of being rejected due to his powers and how Madeline was a bit too rational (too rational for the period I mean) but finally was forced to confront something irrational.

Finally, I really think the mystery solved in the last chapters was not needed. I was more interested in the couple's feelings than the outside plot.

Grade: B+ and looking forward to another one.