THE TEMPORARY WIFE - MARY BALOGH

The Pernicious Proposal

Miss Charity Duncan had no illusions when she said yes to the marriage proposal of Lord Anthony Earheart. This arrogant aristocrat made it painfully clear what he wanted of her. Would Charity agree to be the wife he needed to enrage the father he hated? Of course. Would Charity then depart from his life in return for the money she and her family desperately needed? Of course. Was Earheart as heartless as he was handsome and as remorseless as he was rich? Of course.

It was only when Charity entered into this mockery of a marriage that she discovered that things were not as simple as they seemed. For when the libertine lord took her in his arms, it was not only her marriage contract that threatened to be broken--but her heart as well...

Where do I begin?! Why is it so hard to write a review about a great book? I know I won’t be able to make it justice, but I shall try nonetheless… Because this is one of my favorite books ever, one of those Desert Isle Keepers, like our friends from *all about romance* use to say…

This is, first of all, a story about 2 people falling in love in a marriage of convenience. Yeah, not so original, but me thinks this is one of the best attempts on making work a relationship of two people who have just met and have to share their lives. The hero, Anthony Earheart, Marques of Staunton, heir to a dukedom, a young man who 8 years ago chose to leave his home and family because he couldn’t live any longer in his father’s house, makes an advertisement in the papers that he looks for a governess. His real reason for it is to choose a very insipid, plain and boring wife from the list of “to be governesses” in order to spite his father who, finally, has summoned him home. He is the typical arrogant, cold, cynical *don’t believe in love*romance hero. The heroine, Charity Duncan, comes from a large, impoverished family, she chooses to work in order to help her brother to pay for the family’s needs. She is also very used to managing her brothers and sisters lives, to speak her own mind and also to care for the people around her. So, as destiny would have it (or just the author :)), she applies to the hero’s ad for a governess, is chosen because of her *brown mouse* appearance and accepts to be his temporary wife for a few weeks, in exchange for financial security. Together they go to the hero’s home, where he can flaunt, in front of his father, his lower born wife.

And now the magic begins…

We enter the world of a very unhappy family, caught at a very difficult moment and we meet His grace, the duke of Willingsby, the most cold, arrogant, toplofty duke from Balogh’s ever-growing list, and by far, the most interesting character of this book. Maybe because he remains almost an enigma throughout the book, maybe because he first appeared as the villain who caused the hero’s pain, or just that the human nature will always have more shades of gray instead of the simple black and white of good or bad characters, the Duke impressed me a lot.

The hero is another interesting character, after 8 years he returns home and has to deal with serious problems, some of them caused by youth folly, some by immaturity, some by miscommunication, and all that is added to the fact that he falls in love with his heroine, a process that is quite visible throughout… Another interesting thing about the hero is the fact that, although 28 and quite independent from his family, he still has a lot to grow up, especially emotionally and in terms of accepting his family ties and his heritage.

And now the heroine… I usually don’t like main female characters, they are either too stupid for their own good, or too sassy, or they try to appear independent, or are portrayed as wounded souls, etc., etc. But in this case, Charity is a charming person, very level-headed, decided, correct, taking everything that happens at it’s face-value, but most of all, she is a very nice character, who’s impossible not to love.

No matter how much or how little I say about this book, I will never make it justice… This book just has to be read, especially if you like good family stories, great characters, a wonderful love story and why not, drama and hurt made well until the end.

Grade 5 / 5

Lovers and Ladies - Jo Beverley

Now for the first time in a single volume: two long unavailable yet beloved romance classics from a New York Times bestselling favorite.

In these two delectable novels, someone craves to be married and loses sight of the joys of true love-until their heart is opened unexpectedly...

The Fortune Hunter-A stunning beauty rejects the charming suitor who isn't wealthy enough to save her impoverished family. But she can't so easily dismiss the memory of their sweet shared kiss.

Deirdre and Don Juan-The dashing Earl of Everdon is most eager to marry someone-anyone-who will bear him an heir. But when he meets a quiet, well-bred lady who fits the bill, he must resort to an amorous dance of deception to gain her acceptance to his proposal.

Although I have read a lot of trad regencies lately and I have read quite a few of Beverley's novels in the past this is the first time I read her traditional regencies. They are part of a series and due to publishers rights these two that were reprinted now are the last two in the series. Although I am very curious about the secondary couples, that are presumable main characters in previous books, I found that these could be read as standalone so all is well.

The first story was about a young beauty that is decided to marry for money and save her family from poverty. She attracts the attention of a young man that she thinks is not rich enough for her and departs for London to catch a husband. Predictably the young man is in fact very rich and the old banker who is pursuing her ends up falling in love with another. I thought that first proposal scene where Amy gets mad with Harry was a bit too violent and really all his friends had no reason to try and bring them together as they didn't know her all that well. Since this is a light and funny regency Amy eventually accepts Harry's love and all ends well.

Grade: 3.5/5


The second story was more interesting I thought. The Earl of Everdon, known as Don Juan, decides to marry. And nothing better than settling on his mother's mouse of a friend. He is sure she will be grateful for the attention and after the marriage will leave him alone to pursue his interests. Unfortunately Deirdre was just trying to go through her season without a proposal so she could go back home and finally marry the man she wants and that her parents don't want. She was so sure she would get away with it she made a deal with her parents, if she doesn't get a proposal she can marry her heart's desire but if she does she has to accept it. You can see how she feels Don Juan just ruined her life. Of course since she is not interested Everdon's interest is picked and he decides to seduce her and convince her that the man she thinks she loves really just wants a housekeeper. It was funny to follow his attempts at seduction and Deirdre trying to resist him. In the end he does realize that he has fallen in love with her but he still has to convince her of that.

Grade: 4/5

The False Fiancée - Emma Lange

Command Performance
What the Duke of Clarendon demanded was insufferable, unthinkable, impossible: Miss Catherine Spenser should go to London with him and pretend to be his fiancée.

True, the duke did think Catherine to be an actress named Nancy Wright, and everyone knew that actresses would do anything for the sum of money he offered.

And true, Catherine was down to her last farthing and desperate not to return to her guardian, the odious Baron Rudolph Spenser, who was eager to auction her off to the vulgarly wealthy Mr. Hugo Overstreet.

But how could Catherine possibly trust this notorious womanizing duke to keep to his end of the bargain of love in public only? And even more troubling, how could she trust herself?

Emma Lange is a hit and miss author me, some titles I really enjoyed and others less so. The False Fiancée falls somewhere in the middle, it was a nice story to spend an afternoon with but it ends up being too predictable to reach keeper status.

The Duke of Clarendon needs someone to pose as his fiancée, he finds the perfect candidate in Catherine who he believes to be a low born actress with low morals. Catherine is in fact a young gentlewoman; she has run away from home when her guardian decided to marry her to an old man and is trying to live as an actress in an honest and respectable way.

She needs Money and so agrees to Clarendon scheme for a fee. She plays the part beautifully of course and even finds herself very remorseful for having to lie to his aunt. At the same time she starts to feel an attraction towards the duke. However he believes her to be” just an actress”. Someone that in his estimation cannot have a desire to earn her life honestly or have strict moral rules. In fact Clarendon wouldn’t be adverse to make her his mistress.

There could have been some emotional angst as the image they both have of the other is constantly challenged by their behavior. This happens more with Clarendon towards Catherine because she keeps surprising him by not behaving as a mere mercenary actress would and Catherine because when Clarendon feels he is softening towards her he is usually rude. However Lange never goes beneath the surface and so the misunderstandings and hurt feelings end up just being predictable and sometimes boring.

Catherine’s real identity ends up being discovered when her guardian finds her in Clarendon’s home and believing them to be lovers demands that he marries her. I couldn’t wait for that final explanation between them so that everything could be cleared up.

Grade: 3.5/5