Proper Wife (Historical) [Paperback]

Julia Justiss (Author)

Book Description

Series: Historical | Publication Date: July 1, 2001

A Virtuous Virgin--That's What He Needed

A thrifty, industrious, wholesome bride! Certainly not an exotic aristocrat like Clarissa Beaumont, who set trends and dazzled suitors with equal passion. A more unsuitable wife St. John Sandiford found impossible to imagine! Why then couldn't he get Clarissa out of his mind--or his heart?

A Good Set-Down--That's What He Deserved!

Though Sinjin Sandiford was rightly called "hero," he could sometimes fall short of "gentleman," Lady Beaumont fumed. Why, the cad had refused her help in making an advantageous match--yet still he managed to stir the most unseemly feelings within her...!

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A spirited Regency-era romance that far outshines the usual fare, Justiss's newest (following A Scandalous Proposal) spins a clever tale of a colonel who returns from the Battle of Waterloo to find himself in desperate need of a wife. Viscount Sinjin Sandiford doesn't want a frivolous London society beauty, however. He needs a sensible and eminently biddable middle-class bride who is nothing like his spendthrift mother. Although Sinjin is loathe to "barter his body and breeding" to restore his estate's coffers, he knows that marrying for love is an even more ridiculous notion; he was in love once, but Sarah, his childhood sweetheart, married while he was away. Fiery Clare Beaumont, Sarah's friend and the reigning queen of the Marriage Mart, is exactly the kind of woman Sinjin doesn't want. She's headstrong, reckless and if men's club gossip is true wanton. Unfortunately, whenever they meet, and clash, this seemingly mismatched pair can't keep their hands off each other. While Sinjin struggles to come to terms with his conflicting emotions, Clare pursues her own agenda, rescuing servant girls from bawds, matchmaking for a badly wounded war hero and easing her mother's depression. Justiss is a promising new talent, and readers will devour her tantalizing tale with gusto. (July)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (July 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373291671
• ISBN-13: 978-0373291670
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #668,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up near Annapolis, MD, a gem of colonial American architecture which from an early age inspired in me a fascination with history. After majoring in French and History in college, I worked as a business journalist before marrying a naval officer I met (where else?) at a Navy football game. That began a vagabond period of 12 moves in 15 years which included 2 year postings in Tunis, Tunisia and Oslo, Norway. After my husband left the service, we returned to his home in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas where we built a reproduction Georgian house and began raising our three children and assorted dogs. We live there still on 24 beautiful acres of pine forest overlooking a small lake. Along with gardening, reading, and keeping up with children's activities, I teach French at a local high school.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful read, July 8, 2001

By 

Katy Cooper - See all my reviews

This review is from: Proper Wife (Historical) (Paperback)

I discovered Julia Justiss when I read THE OFFICER'S WIFE anthology. From that I went on to read THE WEDDING GAMBLE, the precursor to THE PROPER WIFE. In reading those two books, Julia Justiss became one of my autobuy authors--I love her writing: its clarity, its truth, the way I just sink into the story when I'm reading it.

Because of the things I love about her writing, she reminds me very much of Mary Jo Putney and Jo Beverley. Like them, she creates characters who come alive on the page, as complex and contradictory as real people, and as capable of growth as real people. And, like them, she creates situations that arise from the characters, rather than imposing her plot onto the characters.

In THE PROPER WIFE, both Colonel St. John Sandiford and Clarissa Beaumont have much to learn. Sinjin, as Colonel Sandiford is called, must learn to let go of his preconceptions and his past. Clarissa must learn to curb her recklessness and to let her kindness bloom. One of the things I liked particularly about this book was that neither Sinjin nor Clarissa is perfect, that they have light and dark sides to their personalities, and that they have room to grow over the course of the book.

I stayed up far too late last night reading this book, and only put it down when I realized that, no matter how much I wished otherwise, I wasn't going to be able to finish it. I did finish it, however, as soon as I woke up. The only bad part of that is, now it's finished.... I highly recommend this wonderful book, and I am very much looking forward to anything she might write in the future.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting premise, but fell a bit flat, July 3, 2001

By 

Summer Belle "Word Affectionado" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Proper Wife (Historical) (Paperback)

I really liked the premise of this book. Usually, Regency books are about powerful, wealthy lords and the women who love them. The women are usually youngish and can include destitute young women, wealthy young women, women who have been unjustly "ruined".

The premise of "The Proper Wife" is a bit different. Lord Sinjin Sandiford comes home from the war to find that his estate is broke - thru gambling debts his late father has practically bankrupted the estate. He has good lineage, a title, an excellent reputation - and no money. He must find a wealthy woman to marry. In other words, he's a fortune hunter.

This bothers him drastically but he's convinced it's the only way to save his estate. So he sets his sites on finding a wealthy merchant's daughter.

What he finds is Lady Clarissa Beaumont. Clarissa is a beauty who is currently on her 3rd Season and has yet to find a husband. She's been around London long enough to be a bit jaded - not the usual "young miss" heroine of a Regency.

She meets Sinjin and the sparks fly. They spend more than half the book bickering and yelling at each other before things get resolved.

I only gave this a two star rating because the characters weren't all that likable.

Sinjin hides behind his pride when what he should have been doing is finding out how to save his estate without being reduced to a fortune hunter. He had been advised many times to come home and fix his estates, but he chose to ignore all advice until it was too late.

Clarissa just annoyed me to no end. She rides a stallion, which would have been highly uncommon. (I once read an article by a *real* cowboy who challanged the idea of anyone riding a stallion for leisure - stallions were simply too unpredictable and difficult to manage. Since reading that article, I always find it suspect when any character chooses to ride a stallion.) Clarissa is constantly teasing Sinjin, who has problems laughing at himself. She lets herself get "dared" into doing some really stupid things - you know, because she's so independant! I was like - puh leeze, even my two year old would know better than that!

I did give the book two stars for its decent premise - a book from the point of view of the fortune hunter. I just wish the characters had been more likable and that the story had been better.

My recommendation? Save your money or buy it used.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this, July 3, 2001

By 

T. Beck "nonsb" (ATTALLA, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Proper Wife (Historical) (Paperback)

Ms. Justiss has written another wonderful book. I absolutely loved it. It is a must read for those who have read The Wedding Gamble. It is Sinjin's story and what happens to him. I know I for one had been hoping that Ms. Justiss would give Sinjin his own book. I was also pleasantly surprised that the heroine was Clarissa from TWG. They were perfect for each other.

If you have not read The Wedding Gamble, you will still be able to enjoy this book and will definitely want to get Ms Justiss' backlist. I know since reading TWG that she is an auto buy for me.