It is a well-known fact that a single man without a penny to his name must be in want of a rich wife...
Title: The Bachelors
Author: E.S. Carter
Release Date: October 23, 2017
Blurb
It is a well-known fact that a single man without a penny to his name must be in want of a rich wife.
Darcy, Bingham and Wick Austen are about to lose the family business.
Without a miracle or a substantial cash investment, Austen's - the bookstore chain that was established by their great-great grandfather - will go into receivership.
A chance encounter at a charity ball with the attractive, single and filthy-rich Bennet sisters has Wick Austen convincing his brothers that the way to save their livelihoods rests at the Bennet's red-soled-shoe clad feet.
But these three women are far more than your average, simpering, society-loving heiresses.
Darcy isn't so sure about his youngest brother's plan, especially when the smart, feisty and ridiculously sexy Eliza Bennet shoots down his advances in a ball of flames, and accuses him of being a proud and egotistical jerk.
Meanwhile, Bingham meets the sweet and approachable Jane, and insta-love ensues, and Wick gets used up and spat out by the youngest and most flighty sister, Lydia.
Will the Austen bachelors secure a wife and save the family name or will they become the Bennet sister's latest conquests?
*Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The Bachelors is a contemporary twist with added naughtiness*
My Review
"for all the other people"
Here's what you'll read on Goodreads: What are your favorite tropes? Marriage for Hire? Enemies to Lovers? Insta-Love? How about your H/h? Need a Billionaire? A pauper in need of saving the family 'farm'? The wallflower that is forever overlooked? Now take your trope, add your characters, mix in some cheeky British humor, and maybe have the author flip all the expectations on their heads and cook it up for a serving of --
The Bachelors!
Yes, it's the story that takes our most favorite tropes and with tongue in cheek spins a delightful contemporary journey for the reader to find your other half. As the saying goes, everybody needs somebody. Each one of the main characters have found their 'perfect' somebody - whether they care to admit it or not. But it goes without saying that secondary characters can make or break a fantastic read. Ms Carter offers up some of the best with family and friends joining the frey of who gets the mark in the win column. Besides the comedic elements, you've got the perfect romance with 'fade to black' that you'll find you can recommend to the most prudish of friends - but still feel that sizzle.
“When Hell freezes over.” Darcy grinned, leaning closer to Eliza than
ever before and replied, “I’m not afraid of a little frostbite.”
Worried because 3rd person isn't your thing? Eli Carter nails the writing and intertwining of each characters story that keeps you engaged that you don't realize you've reached The End . Concerned with another 'British' book? If you can watch Notting Hill, you'll clutch your eReader to prevent it from slipping with all the giggling that will ensue.
And for this reader, it ended on the perfect note. Brilliant and satisfying conclusion --- for now. This is definitely one to show up on my eReader when I want to just have fun with the story for re-read over and over again.
So, wait...you know I'm a huge Austen fan. Yet, not one peep. In all seriousness, you do not need to nor be a fan of the classic to enjoy this fun and wicked ride. She delivers Austen in modern language and situations to make this great classic approachable.
My Review
"for Austenites"
Are you like me? You pick up an advertised 'retelling' of the classic tale you so dearly love. You slowly crack open the spine, hopeful, you'll find what you are looking for. Because lets be honest - all of us Austenites believe nothing can ever replicate 'Jane.'
I've picked up quite a few stories inspired by...and found them close. They mirror the premise of prideful ignorance and prejudicial judgment. But there is where the inspiration ends. However, Ms Carter offers something truly amazing to the Austen fan. She uses Austen as a muse to bring the Benetts to life in modern times. She gives each of them a different and yet similar life, and keeps the subtle, well-loved British humor intact. More so, she gives the avid Austenite enough 'Easter eggs' in reference to the classic that will make you giggle with annoying delight to anyone within earshot as you read.
"When Wick raised his brows in question, his father clarified,
“Rendered your mother speechless. I’ve tried to do as much for years and never
succeeded.”
You find those precious characters so beloved represented in a fresh, new look but keeps the charm of the story. The characters under Ms Carter's tutelage are made accessible to the modern reader. They are given situations and reactions expected. Think back to the beloved words, the misunderstandings and judgments, and here The Bachelors brings the same feel of surprise to reactions as you would anticipate when set in the age of technology.
“Like what?” she all but breathed, her body closer than ever to
his, their mouths once more almost touching.
“Like I was tasting a thousand of our lives on my lips.”
With lines like above, a reader feels Jane Austen is respectfully reborn between the pages. And yet...
Yes, Ms Carter, your words have bewitched this reader body and soul.
It is not a retelling. This story is its own. But truly inspired to become something delightful. For those book friends who don't understand your love of the classic or find it to 'tasking' or 'daunting', will find this tale bewitching and entertaining.
Just as you find yourself re-reading the classic tale, this book will fast become a story to pull off the shelf when you want smart humorous romance to fill the hours. The Bachelors has earned a spot in my 'personal favorite' shelf with many more stars than the lowly 5 that Goodreads allows.
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Excerpt
“I’ll take a Dirty Martini,” the man to her back said, the smile in his voice evident with every word.
Lydia remained silent and focused on her task, spotting a corkscrew in a small tray of implements just below the counter.
“Isn’t it rude to ignore a paying guest?” he continued, his tone still humorous.
Lydia rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see her and punched the tip of the corkscrew into the cork. As she twisted, he continued to talk to her back.
“Careful,” he warned. “You’re going to force it into the bottle, and the trick is to get it out, or you’ll spoil the wine.”
Her hand paused mid-twist, and she turned to face the man once more. She stared at him for a beat, until his face began to look uncomfortable under her gaze and she watched him fight the need to squirm under her scrutiny.
“What are you looking at?” he queried, attempting to mask his discomfort under bravado, but Lydia knew men. She knew how to entrap them, seduce them or even scare them away.
Passing her gaze from his waist to the top of his head and back to his eyes, she stated flatly, “Your father’s incorrect use of a condom.”
The man’s gaze widened briefly before sharpening, and Lydia awaited his response, enjoying this game more than she’d thought she would.
“Are you trying to insult me?”
“I would love to—” she continued, twisting hard against the corkscrew and watched him gloat when the cork slid deeper into the neck of the bottle before plopping into the liquid below. Unperturbed she finished, “—But I fear I would not do as well as nature already has.”
Author Bio
ES Carter lives in Cardiff, South Wales. The home of castles, dragons and folklore.
Her family joke that she was born with a book in her hand, and the urge to write stories soon followed.
At eleven, she won her school's literary prize. At ages fourteen to sixteen - her poetry phase after falling in love with Dylan Thomas and e.e. cummings - she had a few poems published, but life, love and family overtook her dreams, and she was in her thirties when she began the scary journey of self-publishing.
Her debut and internationally best-selling series, 'Love by Numbers', are a set of interconnected stand alone romances, all with varying themes of love. From second-chance to romantic comedy and M/M romance. These stories do not need to be read in order, in fact, she is often guilty of advising readers to start at the last book and work their way back through.
Contemporary romance is not the only genre she writes, her second series, 'The Red Order', is as dark and twisted as you can get, but there is beauty there too if you can open your eyes and look.
With many more stories bursting to be set free, she hopes you stay along for the ride.
She loves to connect with readers, so please feel free to friend/follow her on Facebook, IG and Twitter or join her reader's group, E's Elite
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