Customer Reviews

A Man of Affairs (Signet Regency Romance)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
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Anne Barbour never disappoints. Her heroes and heroines are always wonderful, her prose is inspired, and her stories have that something extra, that turn you didn't expect, making them a delight to read.

The Duke of Derwent decides his son, Charles Lindow, Marquess of Belhaven must marry, and commands Seth Lindow, his adopted son, to find a suitable bride.

Seth has spent his life catering to the duke's wishes, but this is one request he finds distasteful to fulfill. Despite his aversion to the idea of anyone marrying the dissolute marquess, he selects Zoe Beckett, the beautiful but spoiled daughter of Baron Beckett. Visiting the family at their country estate, he renews his acquaintance with Eden Beckett, Zoe's older sister.

Eden Beckett's life revolves around her painting, gardening, and trying to prevent her willful sister from ruining her reputation. At twenty-six, she no longer dreams of marriage, well almost never. But Seth's kiss ignites a passion she has never felt before and she struggles to cope with the emotions that have upset her tranquil life.

When they all meet again in London, Eden, unaware of the duke and Seth's plan for Zoe, is appalled by her sister's determination to attract the attention of that degenerate rakehell, the Marquess of Belhaven.

While Seth worries that his lowly ancestry will keep him from being able to make a match with Eden, the duke decides that Eden is a better match for his son. Meanwhile, Eden in trying to keep Zoe out of the clutches of the notorious marquess.

The threads of the story twist and turn farther and farther apart, making a satisfying ending seemingly impossible. However, Anne Barbour, a master at pulling all the threads together, manages to weave not only a delightful ending, but a very clever surprise, too.

A Man Of Affairs is a real regency with real people. Even the secondary characters come to life on the page. The plot is a winner, too, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and a surprise ending that only Anne Barbour could have pulled off. This one goes on the keeper shelf.

The Duke of Derwent has two sons. His heir, Bel, appears to be mentally unbalanced; his adopted son, Seth, is a commoner, but is a deeply loyal, brilliant man of affairs, who has always worked hard to further the Duke's interests. As Bel becomes increasingly out-of-control, the Duke sets Seth on the job of finding a wife for Bel, while this is still possible.

Seth's research on the available women of birth who are greedy- or title-hungry enough to marry his brother comes down to two sisters, Eden and Zoe. Though Seth and Eden have never met, each feels a unique understanding of the other, a recognition, and they become friends during Seth's visit (to check out Zoe) at the family's small country estate.

This story flows beautifully. The relationship that grows between Eden and Seth and the insecurities that threaten their happiness are reasonable. The struggles that Seth has regarding his duty to his cold, adoptive father, and Eden's drive to sell her art to gain independence from her family are well-developed subplots. I recommend this very well-written novel.

Anne Barbour has been one of my favorite Regency authors for several years. Her latest book lives up to the high quality of writing I expect from her. Reading her story, I am completely taken up by the lives of her characters, and taken back to my favorite world: Regency England. A MAN OF AFFAIRS alternately made me smile and brought a tear to my eyes. It's not to be missed by any fan of good writing, sharp characterization, and a wonderful love story. Rosemary Stevens

I'd only read one of Anne Barbour's books before giving this one a try, and on the basis of those two I now want to read more by this writer. Her characters are all well-drawn, with none of them appearing as caricatures or one-dimensional figures.

Eden is a delight, and it was obvious that Seth would fall for her; just as obvious that she would find him attractive but barely be able to believe that he was interested in her. After all, she'd had London seasons without success, and she was used to being regarded as a plain spinster.

I also admire the way Barbour has created a spoilt brat of a younger sister *without* making her a complete monster, as too many other authors do. Zoe, for all her wilfulness, has a good heart, and it's easy to see that Eden looks out for Zoe's interests because she loves her, not to spare the family embarrassment.

Did any other readers notice the very brief mention of characters from a Mary Jo Putney book here? Seth refers in passing to Rebecca Seaton and Kenneth Wilding when discussing painting with Eden; these were the principal characters in Putney's River of Fire, so I was very surprised to see them mentioned here.

Now to look for more Barbour books!