Audiobook Review: The Reckless Bride by Stephanie Laurens

The Reckless Bride
Author: Stephanie Laurens
Narrator: Simon Prebble
Series: The Black Cobra Quartet (Book 4)
Publication: HarperAudio (October 26, 2010)
Length: 14 hours and 54 minutes

Description: The fourth book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Laurens’s sensational Black Cobra Quartet, The Reckless Bride is a brilliant mix of intrigue, danger, and historical romance from one of the very best in the business. A breathtaking adventure set in England’s Regency Era, The Reckless Bride continues the acclaimed romance novelist’s extraordinary chronicle of love and duty, as brave ex-officers of the Crown band together to destroy the traitorous fiend known as The Black Cobra.

My Thoughts: This book is the conclusion of the Black Cobra Quartet. Rafe Carstairs is the one who has the original of the letter that will bring the Black Cobra to justice. He and his companion have decided to travel overland from India to England in the hopes of outwitting the Black Cobra's minions.

In Buda, the come upon Lady Congreve who has been beset by criminals. They rescue her and she invites them to travel with her party as guide and guard as they travel rivers to get back to England. In her party is her grand-niece Miss Loretta Michelmarsh. He takes one look at the beauty and wonders just what he has gotten himself into. 

Meanwhile, Loretta has been dragooned to travel with her aunt after turning down her eighth proposal of marriage. Loretta has been hiding herself behind a meek and mild personality and therefore attracting men who are drawn to that sort of woman. But the men bore her silly. She has a hidden identity of a correspondent for a newspaper and is using her trip to send back vignettes of European travel. She is dismayed and surprised by her attraction to Rafe. 

As they travel along the river and sightsee at the various stops, they are beset by criminals. Rafe immediately assumes that these are hirelings of the Black Cobra despite the fact that they are not Indian and are not wearing the distinctive black headgear of the gang. 

As they travel, Rafe and Loretta become closer despite each's determination to stay away from the other. The fires burn hot and love scenes ensue. I will have to say that I found the lengthy love scenes just a little bit boring and wanted a return to the action of the story. 

They do eventually arrive in England and find their way to the rendezvous point. This time they are really in danger from the Black Cobra's minions. I enjoyed the scenes where the Black Cobra was exposed and captured. I also liked the updates on the other couples from the earlier three books. 

I bought this one December 26, 2025. You can buy your copy here.