The Bride Price by Anne Mallory

A bunch of self important titled old men, decide to get together and create a 'tournament' of manly skills (with the contestants being third and fourth sons of titled men and bastard sons as well), and the winner gets lots of money, sponsorship to access the highest levels of society, a estate, a newly created viscountcy and a well-born bride Lady Sarah -and, since Lady Sarah is rather shy and no one really thinks of her as a prize, the rest of the prizes are the before mentioned "Bride Price".

Sebastien Deville one of the me who is competing - he's the bastard son of one of the before mentioned self-important titled old men - doesn't much care for most of the prizes except for the property they are offering: it once belonged to his mother's family and is the only home he has ever known.

On the other hand there is Caroline Martin, a poor relation of Lady Sarah, who loves the younger girl and is determined to protect her from a disastrous marriage (just like the one she had). So, even though she was ordered by Sarah's father to facilitate the contest, Caroline secretly sabotages as much as she can.

However, when Caroline meets Sebastien they are drawn together and, well, sparks fly.

Last year I heard a lot about The Bride Price and everyone seemed to love it, and I'm kind of iffy about books everyone likes because sometimes I don't and I feel weird about it, so it usually takes me a while to read the books everyone is talking about - like with the Prince Trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt or The Black Dagger Brotherhood books by J.R. War (both of which I LOVED) or Delicious by Sherry Thomas (which I didn't like) - but I got to say that this book I did like.

Both Caroline and Sebastien have been hurt in their lives, and have made mistakes but by the time the meet they are both mature and act their own age. And Sebastien does the most romantic little things, which I adored.

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