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45 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really 3 1/2 stars -- Fascinating premise but falters a bit in the execution, July 8, 2005
It is a challenge to write a historical romance with a serial adulterer as the hero, but Laura Lee Guhrke *almost* pulls it off. The hero of "The Marriage Bed" is Lord John Hammond, a charming, handsome rakish heartbreaker who has been estranged from his wife, Lady Viola Hammond for eight years at the beginning of the story. Six months after their wedding, romantic young Viola had been stunned to learn that John had been keeping a mistress all during their courtship while simultaneously professing his love for Viola. Sickened by his duplicity and realizing that he had only married her for her money, the headstrong Viola had locked John out of her bedroom and refused to listen to his (actually, rather lame) explanations. Fed up with her behavior and accusations, John left her after a month and over the years has had a string of mistresses. Viola, meanwhile, has devoted herself to charity work since divorce is not an option.
When his cousin's death unexpectedly leaves John without a trustworthy heir to his title and property, he approaches Viola with a demand to again live as husband and wife in order to produce a son and heir. Viola is unenthusiastic about the plan since he broke her heart as a young bride and since then has humiliated her for years with his series of mistresses. John proceeds to try to charm and seduce his way back into a reluctant Viola's life.
John is certainly a charmer, but his careless treatment of the women in his life certainly is a less than heroic quality. More fatally for his character (IMO), he lacks any sense of self-awareness--he does not seem to know what a jerk he is. I tend to like flawed heroes and heroines, and I liked John fairly well although he remained a bit too selfish and immature for most of the book for my taste. Viola is a reasonably good heroine--a proud woman trying desperately not to fall for the same lines and act that she had when she first fell in love with her husband.
I thought that the premise had a lot of potential for exploring issues of betrayal and forgiveness within a marriage, and when the book concentrated on these themes I liked it a great deal. ("Do you love me?" "Of course, I adore you." This exchange from their courtship is burned into Viola's mind as a symbol of John's duplicity.) I liked less the scenes of John trying to seduce and sweet-talk his way back into Viola's life as if the past eight years had not happened. I had a lot of trouble believing that she would fall for the same old routine from him, particularly since she knew that his seduction was motivated by a desire for an heir this time and not by rediscovered love.
The story is engaging with the focus fully on the hero and heroine and their attempts to rebuild their failed marriage. I liked this book and admire the author's willingness to take on a very controversial topic.
Recommended to historical romance readers who enjoy character-driven romance with flawed heroes and heroines (with warnings to those for whom adultery is a major turn-off in a romance novel.)
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27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sure, Go Ahead and Make Me Cry., March 27, 2006
Well, I knew this would be an emotional tear jerker before I'd even turned the first page. What is it about characters and stories that go so horribly wrong at some point, and you just know you're in for a rocky, emotional read, but you go ahead and punish yourself anyway? Because, for me at least, it is so worth it when the characters reach a beautiful reconciliation. So, yeah, I'm willing to shed a few tears and mope for the hero and heroine, cry, laugh and cheer them on because that sort of reaction is what makes a book worthy in my opinion. When you feel strongly for the characters, you know you've found a winner.
John Hammond knew he'd be inheriting a viscountcy one day, but the yoke of responsibility was never one he worried about. Why worry when he has a relative to rely on for such boring things as an heir? When the unthinkable happens to his beloved relative, John is again faced with the fact that he must have an heir. Thankfully, he already has a wife...now he just has to convince her to let him back in her good graces after almost nine years of being out of them. Lady Viola has gotten on with her life after her husband trounced her heart in a most unforgivable manner. She no longer needs the unscrupulous man, but when John enters her life once more, demanding she do her wifely duty, her carefully constructed world comes crumbling down around her. What is she to do in the face of the one person whom she thought she could trust with her happiness? John is determined to claim his wife again, but the real question is has he learned anything from his past mistakes?
As wretched as I felt for both the hero and heroine, I just could not stop till I had completely finished their tale. John and Viola are the type of historical romance couple readers will either love or hate. Both have been wounded by the other and simply cannot come to terms with their differences and so they trade hurtful barbs and cutting remarks for years. The reason they worked for me, I confess with no small amount of glee, is that John does have a remarkable revelation about his character, his utter disregard for the feelings of the women in his life. He was a lier, he was a cheater and he broke hearts. In a way, this historical is unique because it tells of the awakening of a typical "rogue" and how he comes to realize how his actions have hurt others, especially his estranged wife. I just love it when a character like his gets what's coming to him. In this case he got an in-the-face dousing of pure and simple reality. It just took the love of an exceptional woman like Viola to help him accomplish it. Did he deserve her? No, not really. But did they deserve a chance at happiness? Absolutely, and that is what this book is all about. I just love it too when I find a new author to read and I am planning to backtrack to her previous titles before this one. Many interesting secondary characters - i.e. Viola's brother Anthony and his wife Daphne, their mutual friend Dylan - all have their own stories prior to this one. (See "His Every Kiss" and "Guilty Pleasures") Despite the heartache this one evoked I give it five stars for being an absolute pleasure to read.
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20 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such wonderful writing, you just need to understand some things, September 26, 2006
Let me preface this by saying: I married young to a man I placed high on a pedestal and he fell flat on his face after one glorious year. I think Laura Lee Guhrke has done an outstanding job of writing the main characters. Remember that when they marry, Violet is all of 16. She doesn't have the maturity to understand men or the physical side of life and her hurt blinds her to everything else. I am shocked at how much readers thought the feelings were so unbelievable. When I read this book, it was like walking into my life (except 200 years ago). I hero worshipped my husband and he failed my expectations miserably. But we worked it out and I love him more now then ever before because I realized that no one is perfect. I don't blame myself and that is not at all what Ms. Guhrke was trying to portray (which another reviewer wrote). She was writing both sides of the story.
Also, clearly some readers do not understand this time period. Men had mistresses. Period. The fact that he had one before and not after his marriage (when they first marry) is a testimate to the fact that he was did feel strongly for Violet and was trying to make their marriage work.
Contrary to other reviews, I think John is absolutely one of the best male historical characters I have ever read. He is so human! I don't want a hero who is the most handsome, sensitive, caring, Perfect man in the world. How boring! How unrealistic! John was a flawed man who has never learned to love and because of this, he lost the adoration of his wife. So many times I read romance novels that describe the male character and I wonder how, if he is so perfect, how can he still be so pure and not swarmed by women (please). This book is about two real flawed characters and their attempt to forgive and start over in order to carry on the family title (make heirs).
Violet was written almost as well as John. She was a stubborn daughter of a Duke who is used to having everything her way. She loved John from nearly the first moment she saw him and is absolutely devestated when he falls from the pedastal she placed him on. Such understanding and insight is given to Violet's character and yet she isn't seen as the perfect wife, either. She has her flaws and her own part in their seperation. Ms. Guhrke is not saying that it is Violet's fault and whoever thinks that is not reading this book thoroughly.
Warning: if you are offended by cheating husbands who try to reform, do not read this book. He has slept with other women and freely admits doing so. I know this can sometimes be offensive to women.
Usually, I am the kind of reader who will stop reading a book if the hero does not give up his mistress after he marries the heroine. I like my rakes reformed :-) but this book is different. This starts 8 years after the marriage has fallen apart and tells the story of how 2 people who made a lot of mistakes try to put it all back together again.
I could re-read the playful bantering as John tries to win back Violet over and over it was so entertaining. For the reviewers who didn't believe he could try to woo her again, what the heck was he supposed to do?! Bringing back the positive memories, the reason they fell in love in the first place is the best thing a man can do. Did you want scenes where he is begging on his knees, crying into her skirt, swearing his undying love forever and ever?! How about a realistic charming man who realizes his mistakes, tries to win back his wife slowly and surely, and makes her happy at the end. I'll take this story anyday over a sweetened love-sick swain professing his un-tested love to some immature young girl. The characters are flawed and I love them the more for it.
Anyone can write a story about perfect characters with a light villian and a happily ever after. It takes talent to make a cheating husband and betrayed wife come together and Laura Lee Guhrke does it beautifully.
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