Customer Reviews

Something About Emmaline

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There is never a dull moment in this fast-paced tale about a rather conventional nobleman who is thrown headfirst into life - and love - by the adorable fraud posing as his wife. Alex Denford, Baron Sedgewick, is a wealthy man but has a reputation for leading a rather dull and economical life. The only provocative thing Alex has ever done is to pretend for the past five years that he has a wife, when in fact he does not. Alex is able to pull off the ruse by pretending that his wife, Emmaline, is sickly and must live in seclusion. One fateful day, Alex returns from an extended trip to discover that Emmaline has suddenly materialized and is ensconced in his London townhouse. His professed "wife" is gorgeous, effervescent and the picture of health, and she has taken his world by storm. She has redecorated his dull and stuffy house into an inviting home, has made best friends with the neighbors, and is loved by all his servants. Emmaline privately admits to Alex that she is a fake, but she will not tell him who hired her, and pleads with him to let her stay as his wife for another two weeks. Although his first thought is to evict her, Alex realizes that Emmaline's sudden disappearance will raise too many questions now that she has so publicly been seen about town. Besides, he is undeniably attracted to her and more than a little curious. So he agrees to two more weeks, knowing full well that his life will never be the same.

This is my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Emmaline is a lively and fun heroine, but one that definitely retains her femininity. Alex is very endearing as the reluctant "husband" who soon can't do without his wife. In fact, his and Emmaline's growing enthusiasm for each other is the best part of the story, although the servants' intrigues and machinations run a close second. This story is a delight to read.

I just finished reading this book. It is the first that I have read of Ms. Boyle's novels, and I must say I loved it. Alex creating a bride only to his surprise she comes to life and turns his world upside down.

I won't reveal much since Amazon gives you a description of the book. There may be some out there who think this book is dull because it is not based how life was in those times, but people it is fiction and they are written for our enjoyment.

I recommend this book to everyone who loves romance. Since this book was great I am on Amazons website looking for more of Ms. Boyle's novels. Until then, happy reading.

Ms. Boyle's latest was a fun story but if the reader has not read the previous book "It Takes A Hero" they may come away slightly confused. Is this a reason to overlook this read? Good heaven's NO! This was a fun read with a very different storyline that works. Really.

Alexander Denford is Baron of Sedgwick and his family...alright really his grandmere has been after him to marry. Well, he comes by his lack or rather desire to marry naturally. All the former Baron's have put off that nasty task until the very last minute. One night when at his wits end and a few brandies to boot he and his best friend come up with the brilliant idea to...create a wife. Enter Emmaline. Emmaline is perfect. She is not into society, lets her husband live life as he will and keeps her spending down. She also faithfully writes Grandmere. Did I mention she is a figment of Alex's imagination? Or at least she was until he receives bills and the tabloids become alive with the doings of Lady S. What's a man to do when his fake bride becomes all too real? Go to London and confront the lady of course. Alex has no idea what he's in for but the reality of Emmaline is NOT it! She is everything opposite of what he dreamed her up to be. She is sassy, strong, and capable. She's also a mystery. Now faced with a real wife he must make things right. Can there be a happy ending for these two people?

Emmaline and Alex are fun protaganist. This story may not be the usual boy meets girl story but Ms. Boyle has made it entertaining. Perhaps because this is a fun storyline to draw the reader in. When you combine the extended family, the fictional family, and servants that want to matchmake you know your in for a real treat. Ms. Boyle is a fun and talented author and one that I highly recommend.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

I LOVED Something About Emmaline! I could not put this book down. Yes, the story is a little far-fetched, but so what. It was so much fun and I was thoroughly entertained.

I love the way Ms. Boyle writes. I normally skim through the boring parts of books, but there truly weren't any. As a matter of fact, I re-read parts that I especially enjoyed (and there were many of them!)

If you want to lose yourself in a fun, laugh-out-loud romp, with lots of twists and turns, then this is the book for you.

It's hard to figure where to begin. The premise sounds like great fun--and it might have been except for the unfortunate casting.

Our hero starts out as a regular person of ordinary intelligence, personality, and common sense. He is not one of those heroes of great depth and hidden sterling qualities, but he seems normal enough. He doesn't have much sense in choosing friends and wasn't particularly gifted in some of his relatives but, up to the time the story starts, he manages.

Emmaline is drop-dead gorgeous. She is also a liar, a cheat, a crook, a blackmailer--absolutely charming. The hero uses up the apparently limited supply of common sense he'd been allotted by being indignant at the position she has put him in. It's hard to feel sorry for him. People who look for trouble and find it, are not victims but we have to make certain allowances for plot vehicles in romantic fiction.

He then proceeds to fall madly in love with her and the reader is supposed to think that this is rational or believable? Emmaline is the one with a mentally-ill mother (so if you're prone to think that a difficult life excuses any behavior or that she is genetically challenged she's, more or less, covered) but he's supposed to reasonably sane. What is his excuse?

By the end of the book (if you make it that far) there are "unexpected" (and equally ridiculous) resolutions to everyone's problems. Except Alex, of course, who is in for a lifetime of grief (and will be poor before long) and doesn't seem to realize it.

I think this book works even if you don't know it's a prequel. I didn't and I thought it was great. Definitely a different sort of plot and heroine. The story held me to the end and I fell in love with Alex..just like Emmaline.

When I read the description of this story, I was so anticipating reading it because it sounded like a really cute, funny romance. But something just didn't work. I've never not finished a book before, and I tried not to with this one by skimming ahead, but eventually, I gave up. The romance just had no chemistry, and I'm not sure how it missed, but it did. It was kind of corny, bland and cliche. I have never read this author before, but I was disappointed because the story line was cute. I was reminded of an old movie "Housesitter" with Goldie Hawn. I wouldn't recommend this book. Maybe it's meant for a younger reader.

What's a man to do when he is hounded by his family to marry? Well, he could invent a wife and that is exactly what Alexander Denford does. He creates Emmaline to keep his family at bay. Imagine his surprise when said wife materializes in London. She is ensconced in his home tallying up bills and even corresponding with his family. Alex is perplexed on so many levels. Who is this woman? How does she know about his imaginary wife? Most importantly, how is he going to get her out of London without revealing that he has never had a wife?

Even though these questions should make a completely engrossing romance novel, I never really embraced these characters. Emmaline was your typical, "I am not a stuffy simpering aristocrat." I had a hard time warming up to her. Was she a grifter, a prostitute, a milk maid? What drove her to impersonate a nobleman's wife? Alexander was your typical overly stuffy, stiff upper lip nobleman. He was at loose ends and was no match for the heroine, she deserved someone stronger. The mystery of Emmaline was what drove this story much more than the romance. I sped through the book trying to discover the heroine's identity and just how she knew about fictitious Emmaline. Her relationship with the hero was on the backburner. In fact, this makes a better mystery than romance. I give it 2 ½ stars.

I had been reading pretty bad romances...finally I hit gold. this was actually good! In this book I see how much her writing had progressed. I think we can expect good things from this author in the future. The characters are blanced and I was very happy the leading lady wasn't so virginal that gets annoying! I can't wait to read her next book about Alex's devilish friend Jack!

the first thing you need to know is that this is a prequel. Suddenly, Temple is a single fellow who eventually becomes a new friend to Sedgwick (Temple's story is Stealing the Bride, 2003). That can make things pretty confusing when reading this. Something About Emmaline takes place two years after the opening chapter of the previously mentioned book. Other characters from earlier published, but chronologically later books also appear or are referred to. So don't let that throw you when reading this book.

Alexander Sedgwick is a delightful hero, whose dull, orderly life is completely thrown into chaos by the presence of his imaginary wife, Emmaline. And he thought being single was tough! The living, breathing, and highly desirable Emmaline is nothing like Alex's imagined bride -- which, as it turns out, makes her absolutely perfect. She's strong, brash, capable, and likeable. But who is she, really? And there are several insurmountable obstacles to a happily ever after, including greedy, conniving relatives, non-existent relatives, relatives back from the dead, less-than-scrupulous relatives, matchmaking servants, and friends and acquaintances of all stripes. This book is well populated with a variety of characters, but somehow doesn't seem overpopulated.

Granted there are more than one almost too-much-to-be-believed element, but since they all work together to make the happily ever after possible, they're forgivable. When all the important parties meet head to head, it's an identity free-for-all. And there are many wonderfully amusing scenes as well as some very fine romance.

Keep in mind that this is a prequel, and I think you'll enjoy it very much, even with the sometimes outlandish resolutions. You see, Alex and Emmaline are so good for each other, that you, too, dear reader, will go to any lengths to see them together.