Meet New Books
Book Cover

A Bride for the Prizefighter

Book 1 in the series:Victorian Prizefighters

Save:
Find on Amazon

In "A Bride for the Prizefighter" by Alice Coldbreath, the story follows Mina, a former schoolteacher left destitute after her father's death. She is forced into marriage with Will Nye, an inn owner and prizefighter, by her half brother. Despite initial animosity, Mina and Nye navigate their unconventional relationship in early Victorian England. The book portrays the struggles and growth of the characters against the backdrop of a disreputable inn and seaside setting.

Characters:

The characters include a resilient schoolteacher and a gruff prizefighter, with some secondary characters offering additional depth, though they often lack fuller development.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by detailed prose focusing on daily life and interactions, though it suffers from occasional grammatical errors and an overused punctuation style.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a marriage of convenience between a straight-laced schoolteacher and a surly innkeeper, with an emphasis on the challenges of domestic life rather than romance.

Setting:

The setting is early Victorian Cornwall, centering around a public inn and highlighting the daily management and domestic chores associated with running it.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, with some parts dragging due to mundane details, while the romantic development is often slow and overshadowed by external conflicts in the latter half.
This is a work of fiction and any names, characters, events, or organisations are either a product of my imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or people is purely coincide...

Notes:

The story is set in the Victorian era, specifically in Cornwall.
The heroine is a schoolteacher who becomes destitute after her father's death.
She learns she has a half-brother who arranges her marriage to a pub owner, who is also a prizefighter.
The romance is not the main focus; there's a significant amount of detail on domestic life and chores.
The book teaches historical cleaning tips like using gin for mirrors and vinegar with newspapers for windows.
The story is told exclusively from the heroine's perspective, which leaves the hero's character somewhat unexplored.
The couple's relationship is described as an 'enemies to lovers' trope, but not quite traditional since they start as strangers.
Readers noted the lack of a dual POV, which they felt could have added depth to the hero's character.
There are several references to the social class struggles of the time, especially concerning marriages of convenience.
Critics mentioned the pacing drags at times, particularly in the latter half of the book when external conflicts arise.
The hero's initial behavior is gruff and rude, leading to a complex character development throughout the story.
Some readers appreciated the mundane aspects of the daily life depicted overall as charming and integral to the story.
The book includes elements of humor, with secondary characters providing rich and interesting dynamics.
The steamy scenes are noted to be well written and varied in nature, contributing to the romantic tension.
A notable plot point is the misunderstanding regarding the heroine's past and her initial treatment by the hero.
A subplot involves political intrigue that some readers found overshadowed the romance.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of forced marriage and some rough behavior that may be uncomfortable for some readers.

Has Romance?

The romance is present but does not dominate the narrative, with focus on the characters' adjustment to their new lives.

From The Publisher:

Mina's well-ordered life is thrown into disarray when her father drops a bombshell on his deathbed: She has a brother she never knew of. Not only that, he is on his way to rescue her from the collapse of their school under a mountain of debts.

A wild journey across country later, Mina finds herself thrown at the feet of the brutish William Nye, prize-fighter and owner of a disreputable inn, The Merry Harlot. Respectable Mina is appalled to find herself obliged to wed this surly stranger!

Forced to draw on reserves of inner strength she never knew she possessed, Mina uncovers perilous secrets and bravely carves herself a new life at the side of this man, as she proves herself a more than worthy partner for the prize-fighter.

Contains mature themes.

Ratings (8)

Loved It (4)
Liked It (4)

Reader Stats (17):

Read It (8)
Want To Read (7)
Not Interested (2)
 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.