Customer Reviews

Bluestocking Bride (Zebra Historical Romance)

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Setting - England 1811 --- While Catherine Hartland has yet to meet a man who is going to appreciate her for herself, her educated mind and sharp intellect, she is well aware that walks this earth are the self-inflated ego ridden nobles who she knows very well would not be interested in her. Richard, the Marquis of Rutherton, is no exception even if he is unbelievably handsome with a bold sensual gaze that Catherine is not immune to even though she is determined to not succumb to.

Richard, was astounded to discover that this unlikely chit, so unlike the Cyprians he's been so used to would beguile him so. And that he, who was the prize of the matrimony mart, would have to work so hard for her to accept his suit. While winning what he considered was his prize, keeping her in love with him, as she discovered and misinterpreted his past foibles would be even harder as she tried to teach the arrogant man, a real lesson - in how to love!

While this is a reprint, from an earlier time when regency novels did not have the sexual details down to the last drop of sweat, I found it to still have enough sensuality built in hold my interest. In fact, I was relatively amazed at the almost seduction, that was somewhat graphic when the two protagonists encountered each other upon their first meeting, owing to the fact that Catherine did not admit to being a lady of quality. As a fan of Thornton's I see that even in her earlier works, such as this, she still gives the reader wonderful character development and page turning anticipation. Bottom line, if you are looking for explicit sexual description you will not find it here, but pick this up if you are looking for a good solid storyline, and a very pleasant and entertaining read set in the lively regency era. --- Marilyn...

Richard Fotherville, Marquis of Rutherston is now 30 years of age and promised his mother he would give up his wild ways and settle down. First, though, he must tend to his new estate, Branley Park,inherited from an uncle. There he encounters Catherine Harland in his library, absorbed in a book and mistaking her for a servant insults her and orders her off. Catherine plays dumb and mocks Rutherston which results in his bestowing an extremely passionate kiss upon Catherine. Before the kiss progresses into anything more, they are interrupted by Rutherston's cousin and Catherine's old friend Charles Norton. Charles reveals Catherine's true identity as the intelligent niece of their old Oxford don who resides on a neighboring estate. Rutherston is shocked by Catherine's further hoydenish and bluestocking behavior. He believes the Greek heroine Andromanche is the ideal woman because she is meek and passive. His future bride must submit to him in all things. Of course he can not ignore his physical attraction to Catherine and follows her to London where she is enjoying her first Season. Catherine is convinced Rutherston doesn't meet her ideal but she also can not hide her physical attraction to him, so she marries him! Then the plot turns to the obvious misunderstandings of young married couples of that time. Meanwhile, Catherine's sister and Rutherston's cousin have fallen in love and without the money to support a her, Charles's hopes seem lost. Finally, the book reaches it's predictable conclusion with a number of cliched plot points and graphic love scenes. Needless to say, I could not stand this novel. Catherine seemed like a promising heroine at first but she gave in too easily and allowed self-doubts to nearly ruin her marriage. There were way too many plots in this book and none of them played out realistically or uniquely. Catherine and Richard spend much of their early weeks of marriage in bed and there is little description of anything else. Skip this novel if you like well-written, plot-driven, realistic stories.

I usually love Elizabeth Thorton's books, but I could not get past the first half of "Bluestocking Bride". Stiff, formulaic characters with not much to like. Don't waste your time or money on this reprint, I wish I had not.

This book contains reprints of older works - written in a time (80's) when it was "politically correct" to have situations happen in a relationship that would now make us cringe. I found this work too offensive to finish.