Review for Christy Carlyle's "THE BRIDE CHASE"

 

THE BRIDE CHASE
Historical Romance

 

 

AUTHOR:
Christy Carlyle

RELEASE DATE:
September 1, 2026

PUBLISHER:
Oliver Heber Books

ISBN/ ASIN NUMBER :
B0HCWZ2T9L

RATING:
4

AUTHOR LINK:
https://christycarlyle.com/

 

 

Philippa “Pip” Morgan flees to Brighton to avoid an arrange marriage with a man twice her age. She cannot forget the night spent in the garden with her brother’s best friend. Pip plans to travel abroad until she reaches the age of majority. She never expected her brother to send Atlas Ballentine to retrieve her. Can Philippa convince Atlas to let her go? Or will he break her heart for a second time?

Atlas Ballentine, Viscount Stonefield, intends to marry a wealthy heiress. His intentions are disrupted when his friend asks for his help in locating and returning his missing sister. Atlas regrets how he avoided Pip after their romantic encounter in his family’s gardens. When he finds her in Brighton, Atlas realizes how he truly feels for Philippa. Will he return Pip to her brother? Or will Atlas convince her to marry him instead?

I applaud Pip’s initiative to escape an unwanted arranged marriage, especially when her brother ignored her reservations. She is not the type of woman to meekly do as bid. With Atlas, I love how he fought for Pip’s right to choose her spouse instead of siding with his friend. Even Atlas opposed the match. I like how he finally realizes his feelings when Pip threatens to travel abroad.

I am uncertain if THE BRIDE CHASE belongs to any of the author’s series. Christy Carlyle is not new to me. I have only read one other book by her, and that is THE DUKE AND LADY SCANDAL, book one in her PRINCES OF LONDON series.

I do have one small nitpick with the story: the ending. It felt lackluster – Atlas and Pip did not confront her brother, his best friend.  What was the backlash on Pip’s broken engagement? Surely, there is one. Unless it is touched on in another book (if this novella belongs to a series).

With me and novellas, they are not long enough to allow me to connect with the characters fully. I would have enjoyed it better if it was a full-length novel. That is on me, not the author.