Audiobook Review- The Mesalliance by Stella Riley

Title: The Mesalliance

Genre: Historical Romance/Georgian

Author: Stella Riley

Narrator: Alex Wyndham

Publisher: Stella Riley for Audible, March 2016

Pages: 310 Kindle/ 9 hours 59 min. audiobook

Source: Free for review from the author

Rating: 5

Sexy Rating: 5

Description from Amazon.com:

Reluctantly, the Duke of Rockliffe is in the market for a wife. His requirements are simple; a lady who will occupy her position with well-bred grace and chaperone his sister, Nell – but who will not bore him to distraction. Whilst accompanying Nell to what he speedily comes to regard as the house-party from hell, he meets Adeline Kendrick – acid-tongued and by no means beautiful, yet somehow alluring. Worse still, her relatives are quite deplorable – from Cousin Diana, a spoiled and ill-natured beauty, to manipulative and sadistic Uncle Richard. As a prospective bride, therefore, Adeline is out of the question. Until, that is, a bizarre turn of events cause the Duke to do the unthinkable and make what the Polite World will call a mésalliance.

**

Stella Riley has made me a huge fan of Georgian Historical romance.  I “read” this book on digital audio with the seductive, baritone voice of Alex Wyndham narrating the story of our favorite duke from THE PARFIT KNIGHT, Tracy Winstanton, The Duke of Rockliffe.  This starts as a marriage of convenience, convenient for Adeline since it helps her escape from the home of relatives who take advantage of her and convenient for Tracy since he needs a wife and he is drawn to Adeline.

This is a recent release of this wonderful book on digital audio.  Alex Wyndham does not just read the words of Ms Riley, he performs this story.  He gives each character their unique voice until the listener is seduced into the story as if it was a movie playing before the eyes and ears.

Stella Riley is the author behind the lusciously romantic and sublimely sensual love story.  Adeline falls in love with her husband but there are secrets she is keeping. Secrets that she believes will threaten her marriage.  Tracy is trying to give his new wife time to get to know him, but he becomes frustrated with her inability to trust him.  Adeline is on the road to ruining her marriage with her secrets.

This reader loved Rockliffe in THE PARFIT KNIGHT and since he is the familiar one to me I naturally took his side in the rift between him and Adeline.  Adeline and her subterfuge was at times annoying but I longed for her to confess all to her loyal, loving husband before it was too late.  Rockliffe’s sister Nell also had her own romance although she nearly destroyed her own chances at happiness.  There are Adeline’s infuriating, evil relatives, cousin Diane and an Uncle, whose interference causes even more disruption. There are surprises and the secrets revealed, some that nearly destroy our hero and heroine.

I highly recommend this enthralling audiobook.