The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah Eden

 All of his friends in the Dread Penny Society think Dr. Barnibus Milligan is a confirmed bachelor.  They are all surprised, therefore, when he introduces them to Gemma, who has been his wife for three years. They married under unusual circumstances, and lived together for several months before Gemma realized what was love on her side, was only friendship and duty on his.  She left but made him promise he would call for her if ever his feelings toward her changed. When Barnibus does call for Gemma, it is not because of his feelings for her, but because she has inside information about grave robbers that will help them in a puzzling case reguarding the Dread Penny Society's arch enemy, the Mastif. After she returne, however, he remembers how pleasant life was when they were living together.  Gemma joins Barnibus' efforts to help the less fortunate, and begins to hope that Barnibus' friendship for her is beginning to become love. Just as their relationship starts to bloom threats from the sinister underside of London threaten to pull them apart forever.

Here is another in the very popular Dread Penny Society series.  As with all the the series, the main story, the romance between Gemma and Barnibus can stand alone, but there are many elements of the book that continue the overreaching plot of the series.  We discover important things about the Mastiff and his gang, and more about the Dread Penny Society.  I liked the relationship between Barnibus and Gemma, and the fact that Barnibus loves her despite that fact that she is from a bad family. The one thing that drove me crazy about the story is Ms Eden really never explains why Barnibus had to marry her and how that all happened. I kept expecting a flash back or a conversation that would explain what happened and how getting married saved Gemma, but it never came.  The series clearly isn't over, so maybe she will work it into a later book. (368 p. 2022)