1st read: August 2021
2nd read: March 2023

I love this book. I don't know why I only gave it four stars last time.

My original review said that I didn't like the end of the book, and that the characters frustrated me. But I better understood the main conflict this time and understood why Oswald and Fenella acted the way that they did. Both characters have some problems, but I loved them together at the end.

I will say that the story is a bit slow in the middle, but not for very long.

This book does a great job setting up for two of the later books in the series, "An Ill-Made Match" and "Wed by Proxy". Plus, Roland was a twit in "Her Baseborn Bridegroom", but was much more likable in this book, which is great considering that he's the hero in "An Ill-Made Match".

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Original review:
I loved most of His Forsaken Bride, but the end didn't work for me. I'm very excited to read the next book though, and the books from the Brides of Karadok series. Alice Coldbreath is becoming one of my favorite authors.

I liked Oswald in Her Baseborn Bridegroom and for most of this book. He made some mistakes with the heroine and hoped that he would make them right by the end. Then the main conflict happened and he just doubled down on his bad qualities. The resolution wasn't good enough to make up for it.

Fenella is a great person, but she's sometimes a bit of a doormat. She has had problems with men not treating her very well and now she seems to think that she deserves it. She works hard to do well in her new life and make her husband proud, but she doesn't always succeed.

I really liked the friendships in this book. Fenella makes some friends with women at court and Oswald improves his relationship with his brothers. The non-romantic relationships add a lot to both characters. ( )

Started out strangely, without the lovely tension of the prior book in the series. However, soon got up to speed. Love the Vawdrey family and their friends and acquaintances. ( )

There were a couple not as great parts, but on the whole I was pleased. ( )

Fenella is served with divorce papers, and her only hope to save her home is her ex-fiance, Oswald Vawdrey. She doesn't think he's inclined to help her, but she's surprised. Not only does he have different intentions, Fen discovers that the divorce doesn't matter all that much.
I admit I was a little confused at first. These books take place in a medieval fantasy world, and some of the marriage paperwork involved confused me, but ultimately I very much enjoyed the book. Fen and Oswald are a perfect couple. Oswald is the ultimate spymaster, full of secrets, so he doesn't always allow his feelings to show. Fen struggles, wanting to prove herself to both Oswald and her ex-husband. It's another great book from Ms. Coldbreath. ( )

This is peppered with modern dialog, but not so much that it bothered me. I loved both protagonist and really enjoyed their journey! I only wish I had read this immediately after the first book, as there's a fair bit of world-building and description, and it does build a bit on the story from the first in the series (though it can be read as a stand-alone). On to the next! ( )