Customer Reviews

A marriage of Inconvenience

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This Candlelight Regency gem has all the right elements for an interesting and touching story. Sophia takes her sister's place as bride to the Earl of Greshem (Alex) as the rather scatter brained Daphne decides to elope with another man. As the Earl only needs to remain married for one year, Sophia feels she will have some financial independence when the marriage is dissolved - enough to continue her intellectual and literary pursuits. (She is writing a book.)

But there is so much in store for her! The rakish Earl turns out to be different than he is first portrayed. He is caring of his tenants and they move from London to his country estate in an effort to clear up some problems. Sophia continues to write but takes on the duties of visiting tenants and helping them.

Sophia overhears Alex discussing their marriage with a family friend and is a little afraid he has decided to make her fall in love with him and then break her heart (as revenge) when the year is over. She is unsuccessful in remaining distant, yet never lets Alex know she loves him. Sophia loves the country and together they redecorate their home and begin to make a life for themselves. I liked how you see Sophia take care of Alex, fixing his tea just the way he likes and making sure his favorite cakes are served - (ok a little chauvinistic but this is the 1800s!) There are some (mild) intimate scenes not normally found in Regency novels which enhanced the storyline.

But there is trouble in paradise. Daphne returns unmarried yet still untouched and flirts unceasingly with Alex. Other people also arrive to disturb them including Lady Felicia Cavendish (apparently Alex's mistress). She flaunts her attractions under Sophia's nose and says very nasty underhanded things. Sophia fights back by withdrawing from the domestic life even more - though working tirelessly both in the house and on her book. She also writes love poems to her husband but hides them from view. Will he break her heart in the end? Is he the unfaithful rogue he appears to be or the gentle lover she cares for? Who will win his heart in the end?

The secondary characters are all well fleshed. You will enjoy the whole entourage of people that descend on Alex and Sophia --from Sophia's sister to Alex's friend Robert. Felicia is a worthy catty opponent and Sophia does show her claws on occasion too! Wonderful reading - I could not put it down!