Customer Reviews

Love With the Proper Husband

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Gwendolyn Townsend's fate was sealed at the age of sixteen when an inept solicitor gave her false information about her deceased father's finances. She traveled to America to make her way in the world, finally finding employment as a governess. Gwendolyn was then forced to move from home to home when her male employers made inappropriate advances toward her. Now, at age twenty-one, Gwendolyn has received a summons and ticket home to London from the senior solicitor of her late father's estate, who has spent years trying to locate her. She can't imagine what he wants, but she jumps at the chance to return to her home country. What Gwendolyn learns upon her arrival is nothing less than astonishing, and turns her world upside down...yet again.

Marcus Holcroft, the eighth Earl of Pennington, has recently received the biggest upset in his life. He has just been told that he must get married before his thirtieth birthday in three months -- to a woman he has never met. Apparently before his death, his father and Gwendolyn Townsend's sealed the couple's futures, unbeknownst to either of them. If Marcus doesn't marry Gwendolyn, he will lose his considerable fortune and his estate. Because he is honorable, and responsible for his mother's and tenants' well-being, Marcus sees no way out. When he meets the irrepressible Gwendolyn, Marcus decides that marriage might not be such an abhorrent state as he originally thought.

Victoria Alexander will delight readers with her delectable hero, independent and empathetic heroine, and all manner of characters in between. To explain further would be to reveal too many secrets and ruin the story, but suffice it to say that these are some of Ms. Alexander's most interesting and endearing characters to date.

Fast paced and original, with sparkling, witty dialogue, and both emotional and humorous scenes, LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND kept this reviewer enthralled from beginning to end. Brief cameo appearances by characters of Ms. Alexander's "Effington" series get the ball rolling with their concern about future generations by forming the Ladies' Society for the Betterment of the Future of Britain, which had me chuckling through the very first pages. The society is nothing more than a scheme to marry off their single female and male offspring before they either gather dust upon the shelves as spinsters, or are too old to procreate.

Reading the other books in the series is not imperative to understand what is happening in this one, but I recommend them all as keepers. For more information on Ms. Alexander's novels, visit her website at: [local website]

LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND shines as one of Ms. Alexander's best books to date. I can't wait to read what's next!

A lawyer's foolish mistake leaves Gwendolyn Townsend penniless. Resourceful and determined, she accepts work as governess, but her positions are short lived when employers attempt to force her into their beds. While working in America, Gwen receives a ticket back to London from her lawyer, which she gratefully accepts. It seems that her father's will did leave her modest living, and quite a bit more if she accepts her father's choice of a husband. Her father's wishes were for her to marry the Earl of Pennington. But it is Gwen's new obligation to her three orphaned nieces that seals her decision to marry.

Marcus Hocroft, the Earl of Pennington, has sought a bride for years. But his desire for intelligence in addition to an attractive appearance seems to have made his quest impossible. Then, three months before his thirtieth birthday, Marcus learns of his father's will, dictating that he marry Gwendolyn Townsend if he has not previously chosen a bride by his birthday. He assumes he will have a marriage of convince until he meets Gwen and passion flairs. But passion is not enough when there is trust to be built.

With quixotic flair, author Victoria Alexander pens a must read regency in LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND. Irreverent humor, unexpected levity and sparkling wit all find voice from fresh characterizations and subtly unexpected plotting. Gwen and Marcus, as well as marvelous cast of secondary characters, are filled with the joys and foibles that brings each characterization vividly alive. Matchmaking, fiery independence and necessity combine in this amusing read. Guaranteed to win the reader's heart, LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND comes very highly recommended.

An interesting story, with good characters. Gwen was wonderful, she was lovely and smart (most of the time) and Marcus wasn't bad. I don't know, something was lacking with this hero for me. Didn't quite feel he was 'all that'. His friend Reggie was much more interesting.
I have only recently discovered this author, and I liked HER HIGHNESS, MY WIFE, much better.

1800's Great Brittan

LOVE WITH THE PROPER HUSBAND is a very enjoyable book to the Effington Family series, actually one of the best so far! The characters are well rounded and the storyline is strong and lovable!

I give this one an A+!

Through the manipulation of match making mamma's - in this case Marcus's own momma Helena - it appeared that Marcus had to marry Gwen in order to maintain his fortune. Gwen, had had a difficult life and no reason to trust anyone especially men. At first she was reluctant to wed Marcus even though he seemed quite perfect -looks, background, kind, intelligent what more could she want. She all of a sudden found herself having to care for her 3 nieces so she instantly agreed to the wedding,keeping the secret of her nieces from Marcus. I am always amazed how quickly some of these arranged romances actually become love matches. But this one did and the feelings were very real and the story quite interesting. Marcus wanted a complete marriage with trust and forever, it took a little longer for Gwen to find this with Marcus but when she did it was a complete and happy union for the two of them - and Marcus's mother Helena was quite proud of herself.

Five years ago, teenager Gwendolyn Townsend learns she has nothing to live on so she flees for America to earn a living as a governess. Perhaps it was the grabbing males, but she quickly realizes she stinks at her job. Her deceased father's solicitor Mr. Whiting funds her passage home to inform her she has a small inheritance that she could live on but if she married she would have quite a dowry and that her dead sister left behind three nieces.

Marcus Holcroft is broke unless he marries the daughter of his deceased neighbor rather quickly. He offers a marriage of convenience to Gwendolyn, but she rejects it until she meets her unhappy three nieces. Marriage to Marcus will provide her the cash to care for her needy relatives. As Marcus and Gwendolyn become acquainted after they marry they fall in love, but will this duo recognize how lucky they are?

Though in many ways, this delightful historical romance is a typical marriage of convenience tale, the three nieces provide depth and an extra spin to the plot. The lead couple is an intrepid charming pair, but the behavior of the unholy threesome make for fine entertainment for sub-genre fans whom read Victoria Alexander's latest novel.

Harriet Klausner

I don't think I need to explain the plot of "Love With The Proper Husband," as so many reviewers before me already have. Let me just say, though, this was the very first Victoria Alexander book I ever read and it has made me a huge fan! The chemistry between Gwendolyn and Marcus is palpable from the get-go. These two characters are not only extremely sexy together, but a lot of fun, too. Anytime I finish a novel that has left a bad taste in my mouth, I pick up "Love With The Proper Husband" one more time, have a good laugh, fan myself off & my love for historicals is renewed! This book is a keeper!