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Love With the Proper Husband [Mass Market Paperback]

Victoria Alexander (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 25, 2003

Distressed over the current widespread disinterest in matrimony among their eminently marriageable offspring, the formidable matriarchs of the ton have taken matters into their own meddling hands with the formation of The Ladies' Society for the Betterment of the Future of Britain. Their first challenge: the Earl of Pennington.

Miss Gwendolyn Townsend has seen her late father's estate go to a distant cousin she can't abide ... leaving her well-educated, able to make a perfect curtsy -- and penniless. So imagine her shock when it's discovered that a match had been arranged between herself and Marcus Holcroft, the Earl of Pennington -- one of the most eligible members of London society. Marcus constantly leaves her breathless and confused ... and though she's hesitant to marry a man she's just met, in the end she has no choice. But she makes some conditions first ...

Marcus cannot believe that the bride who has been foisted upon him is insisting on rules to their wedding ... and bedding! He's a man who has never had to tempt any woman into his arms. But even more surprising is that Gwendolyn is clearly hiding something -- and it shocks him to think that their exquisite kisses -- followed by his lessons in passionate lovemaking -- wouldn't be enough to make his wife tell him her every secret. After all, he's promised to be a proper husband -- isn’t it fair to also expect a proper wife?


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of several post-Regency-era romances, Alexander (Her Highness, My Wife, etc.) once again delivers snappy dialogue and droll situations but fails to lay a solid foundation in her latest. One morning Gwendolyn Townsend receives three surprises: she learns that her father did not leave her penniless upon his death, as she had thought; that she has three orphaned nieces who need her support; and that her father arranged her marriage to his friend's son, Marcus, the Earl of Pennington. Marcus is equally astonished to learn that if he doesn't marry Gwen, he will lose his fortune. What begins as a marriage of convenience soon blooms into a love match, and life seems perfect-except that Gwen, afraid that Marcus thinks girls are useless (as her father did), still hasn't told him about the existence of her nieces. Instead of allowing Gwen to grow by confessing her secret and, later, by trusting her husband when another crisis occurs, Alexander ends her tale with a heroine who chooses the wrong path and seems likely to continue doing so. Ironically, the epigraphs that begin each chapter focus on the foibles of men, but Marcus is indeed a proper husband, demonstrating loyalty, trust and understanding. Gwen, however, falls short as a wife and as the heroine of this middling tale.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and has never looked back. Victoria grew up traveling the country as an Air Force brat and is now settled in Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two teenaged children, and a bearded collie named Sam. She firmly believes housework is a four-letter word, there are no calories in anything eaten standing up, procrastination is an art form, and it's never too soon to panic.


Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Avon (March 25, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060001453
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060001452
  • Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #496,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out.

Since the publication of her first book in 1995, she has written twenty-four full length novels and six novellas. The Perfect Wife--originally published in 1996 and reissued in March 2008--hit #1 on the New York Times list. Sixteen of her books are bestsellers hitting the New York Times, USA Today and/or Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. With books translated into a dozen different languages she has readers around the world and has twice been nominated for Romance's Writers of America prestigious RITA award. In 2009 she was given a Career Achievement Award from RT Bookclub and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. In 2008 she was the keynote speaker for the Romance Writers of American annual conference in San Francisco. Victoria credits much of her writing success to her experiences as a reporter.

Her years as a broadcast journalist were spent in two radically different areas of the country: Nebraska and West Virginia. In West Virginia, she covered both natural and manmade disasters. She was on the scene when a power plant construction accident in a small town left 52 men dead. She once spent the night on a mountain waiting to learn of the fate of coal miners trapped in a mine collapse. Victoria was producing a newscast when her husband (who worked at the same television station) and several other journalists were held hostage by a disturbed Vietnam veteran. In Nebraska, she reported on the farm crisis and watched people lose land that had been in their families for generations. She covered the story that was the basis of the movie BOYS DON'T CRY and once acted as the link between police and a gunman who had barricaded himself in his home. Her investigative work exposed the trucking of New York City garbage to a small town dump in rural Nebraska.

During her journalism career, Victoria covered every president from Ford to Clinton. She knows firsthand what it feels like to be surrounded by rising floodwaters and inside a burning building. She's interviewed movie stars including Kevin Costner, ridden an elephant and flown in a governor's helicopter. She's covered a national political convention and Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Denver as well as small town festivals celebrating everything from walnuts to Glen Miller. Her work was honored by numerous organizations including the Associated Press who called a feature about a firefighter's school "story telling genius". It was the encouragement she needed to turn from news to fiction. She's never looked back.

Victoria is a former president of the Omaha Press Club and in 2009 was named an OPC Face on the Barroom Floor. A caricature portrait of her joined previous faces including presidents, sports figures and politicians in a tradition that began in 1971.

Victoria claims her love of romance and journalism is to due to the influence of her favorite comic book character: Lois Lane, a terrific reporter and a great heroine who pursued Superman with an unwavering determination. And why not? He was extremely well drawn.

Victoria grew up traveling the world as an Air Force brat. Today, she lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband, a son in college and a daughter working in film.

Victoria had two bearded collies, Sam and Louie (named from characters in one of her books). Sam, the best dog in the world for 13 ½ years, passed away in September 2010. Louie has now taken on the position of loyal companion and is doing a fine job even though he doesn't understand that kitchen counter surfing is not allowed!

They live in a house under constant renovation and the accompanying parade of men in tool belts. And never ending chaos. Victoria laughs a great deal--she has to.


 

Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Warm, witty and delightful, August 21, 2003
This review is from: Love With the Proper Husband (Mass Market Paperback)
Love With the Proper Husband is warm, witty and delightful. It is fast-paced, unfailingly entertaining and full of thoroughly lovable characters.

Penniless Miss Gwendolyn Townsend is called back to England from the post she loathes as a governess in America. She is thrilled to find out that she has a small legacy and that she will have a fortune if she does just one thing. Unfortunately, the one thing turns out to be to marry Marcus Holcroft, Earl of Pennington, a man she considers insufferably arrogant. Besides, she has no desire to marry anyone now that she finally has the means to be independent.

Marcus is incredulous to find out soon before he turns thirty that his deceased father left a will saying that, failing to find a different bride earlier, Marcus must marry Gwen before he is thirty or lose his whole fortune. (Something else is afoot, of course, in this situation that the reader knows but the characters don't.) After repeatedly refusing Marcus, Gwen abruptly agrees to marry him-but only because she develops a secret life for which she must have money.

It is hilarious, romantic and just plain fun watching Marcus and Gwen's growing relationship. And it is beautiful how warm and caring their relationship eventually becomes. Marcus' knack for lightening any situation and his easy forgiveness of Gwen's faults is endearing. Their wedding night is a hoot-funny, unexpected yet utterly passionate and romantic.

The other characters are equally lovable and endearing-especially the three nieces and the two Madames are wonderful, as is Marcus' mother. She puts on quite a show for Marcus early in the novel-I wish we could have seen even more of her.

The only weakness I noticed was that the last plot twist concerning the nieces is not really believable. Despite this, Love With the Proper Husband is a genuinely fun and absorbing novel that should not be missed!

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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and Witty, April 7, 2003
By 
M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Love With the Proper Husband (Mass Market Paperback)
The very formidable matriarchs of the ton in 1820 regency England had formed a society to preserve the British nobility etc., which was in fact a group of concerned mama's who wanted their errant sons and heirs to get off their duff's, marry suitable girls and produce the next heirs. Through some very adept maneuvers, the very first casualty was to be Marcus Holcroft, the Earl of Pennington.

Miss Gwendolyn Townsend, having been born female, had, at the demise of her father, lost her home and all she held dear to a distant male cousin. Having been told this news by an overzealous young attorney she had departed immediately to make her way as a governess - a position she was not very good at. Once she had been tracked down and recalled to England by her fathers solicitors, she was apprised of several things, 1) she had been left a modest inheritance, 2) a small but lovely house, and 3) an arranged husband - should she so desire - the husband that is. Marcus had found out that same day that his father had arranged for him to marry his dear old friends daughter, Gwendolyn, and should he not be married by the time he reached the age of 30 - in less than 3 months - he would lose his entire fortune!

This was such an amusing story with some very funny dialog that I virtually flew through the book - it was that hard to put down! The by-play between the two central characters was delightful and the numerous secondary characters was brilliantly done as I especially loved Marcus' friend Reggie and his very droll sense of humor at Marcus' expense. The three orphaned nieces of Gwendolyn were priceless as `out of the mouths of babes' comments went right to the heart of the matter in so many instances. This was a lovely, and very enjoyable book that I can and do heartily recommend.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, Sensual & Delightful!, April 7, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Love With the Proper Husband (Mass Market Paperback)
I loved this book. It was pure fun to read.

I've read hundreds of romances and this book was so nice. It was a real "feel good" story. I hope Victoria Alexander writes many more. It made me happy instead of aggravated like some authors do, yet it was suspenseful and hard to put down. If you like Julia Quinn, you will like this one.

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
No good ever came of a summons from a solicitor. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
old dower house, smug manner, proper husband
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miss Townsend, Lady Pennington, Lord Pennington, Lord Berkley, Madame Freneau, Madame de Chabot, Victoria Alexander, Lord Townsend, Townsend Park, Countess of Pennington, Earl of Pennington, Miss Hilliard, Aunt Gwen, Holcroft Hall, Friendly Islands, Good Lord, Colette de Chabot, Good God, Pennington House, Uncle Marcus, Uncle Reggie, Thank God, Nelena Tennington, Paul Loring
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