Customer Reviews

The Weaver Takes a Wife

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sheri Cobb South has said that she originally had an idea of this book being a revised "My Fair Lady" tale, but by the time she had Mr. Brundy sit down to dinner with Lady Helen's family, she loved him too much to change him. I couldn't applaud her choice more! Mr. Brundy, despite his lower-class origins and dreadful clothing, is a real charmer who remains true to himself while gently wooing his lady. Lady Helen's metamorphosis from Ice Princess to loving wife is believable and also allows the reader to come to like her just as much as her husband. I couldn't recommend this book highly enough to any reader of traditional Regency romance.

I read THE WEAVER TAKES A WIFE in just a few hours, mostly because I just couldn't put this delightful, charming book down. There was a neat twist in that the hero was not an aristocrat and the heroine was quite the shrew. However, I came to love them equally and felt that nothing was contrived. The hero of the book, Ethan Brundy, reminds me a lot of Derek Craven of Lisa Kleypas' DREAMING OF YOU. Except, Ethan keeps his charming Cockney accent and is all the more adorable. If you are looking for a "feel-good" book with wonderful characters, this one is for you.

Sheri Cobb South has written a different sort of novel that I suspect the main stream publishers of Regency Romances might not have published. It is very well written, very light hearted, but with a gentle twist, the hero is heroic more for himself than for the rank he holds, the heroine a rather haughty Duke's daughter, forced to marry because of economic necessity. I felt that the author enjoyed writing this book, I know I enjoyed reading it. If you are feeling picky there are a couple of places where it didn't feel 100% accurate but the story flowed so well you simply ignored them. I look forward to reading and reviewing more from this author. The contents of the back page are already listed in the editorial reviews.

I came across this book at my local library. Being a fan of books from the Regency and Victorian era - Jane Austen, Fanny Burney and Elizabeth Gaskell in particular - I loaned this book without any expectations.

"The Weaver Takes a Wife" turned out to be a quick and enjoyable read. The literary world is littered with 'wannabe' regency authors who try too hard and often fall short. Many Jane Austen 'sequels', for instance, are disappointing and don't even come close to living up to the original. However, I found Sherri Cobb South to be a very effective author who has an excellent command of the language and customs of the period she is writing about.

Mr. Ethan Brundy and Lady Helen Radney are interesting and believable characters and I was easily drawn into their world. Their love story is unusual in that instead of the young lady doing everything in her power to attract the man, the tables are turned in that the young lady is repulsed by the man and he must do what he can to win her heart. This man succeeds not because of his good looks, wit or money but because of his innate humility, patience and goodness.

I wish Sherri Cobb South would try her hand at writing Jane Austen sequels! She has such a light, witty and clever style of writing that I have no doubt she would do justice to Ms. Austen's works. "The Weaver Takes a Wife" is an original work and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen-type stories and/or good regency/victorian romances.

I fell for Mr. Brundy on page 39. THE WEAVER TAKES A WIFE occupies a permanent place on my keeper shelf.

Mr. Ethan Brundy, a weaver from Lancashire, feels that "all it takes is 'ard work, perseverence, and a little bit o' luck" to get whatever he wants. Upon attending a play at London's Covent Garden with his friends Lord David Markham and Sir Aubrey Tabor, he catches a glimpse of Lady Helen Radney, daughter of the Duke of Reddington, and decides this is the woman he wants to be his wife. Lord Markham is acquainted with the family and reluctantly introduces Mr. Brundy. Lady Helen and her suitors, Lord Waverly chief among them, are appalled that Lord Markham would bring a man of Trade to mix with the Ton.

Lady Helen, known as the Ice Princess, remains unwed because no man comes up to her standards, though she knows she must marry eventually.

To tell more of the plot would be to rob the reader of the full joy of the whirlwind ride Ms. South takes us on. Mr. Brundy is definitely the star of the novel--he combines practical intelligence, determination, a kind heart and an optimistic outlook that he will allow no one to dampen. Even his accent and mannerisms are delightful:

" 'Lady 'elen.'

'My name is _Helen_, Mr. Brundy,' she said coldly.

'Very well--'elen,' said Mr. Brundy, surprised and gratified at being given permission, and on such short acquaintance, to dispense with the use of her courtesy title. "

I feared that Helen would have no redeeming qualities, but we see a great deal of realistic growth in her from beginning to end--none of that jump from "I hate you" to "I love you." The secondary characters add to the tale, and before I knew it, I had turned the last page. THE WEAVER TAKES A WIFE is both thoughtful and fun-filled. Even at more than twice the price of other publisher's regencies, both long-time regency fans looking for a fresh voice and those who usually don't read regencies because they are too stuffy will be delighted. A magnificent debut for both Sheri Cobb South and Prinny World Press. I look forward to more from both!

Kimberly Borrowdale Under the Covers Book Reviews

This is a little perfect gem. The author has mastered the art of fine Regency romance writing, and though the hero and heroine are both flawed, we believe their happily ever after ending.

He is a decent man for all of his shortcomings in the social sense, and she, whilst behaving foolishly enough to compromise herself, is not the shrew everyone thinks her to be.

(I didn't give this a 5 only because I think she should not have helped her family, and when she did, she should have told hubby the truth and saved everyone a lot of bother).

Though it would have been a lot less dramatic if she had!

Some really clever moments like the opera and dinner table incident and the ball and the conclusion made this book one of the best things I have read for a long time.

Certainly better than what a lot of established romance writers from the big houses are churning out these days. I loved it so much I read it in one sitting. I am very much looking forward to the sequels. Well done!

What a find! I enjoyed this book immensely. Very well written, with an old-fashioned style and strong author voice. Upbeat, entertaining, and a hero like none other -- a very uncommon commoner. One can't help cheering for the unpolished and unpretentious Mr. Brundy, whose tender heart and cheerful acceptance of his lot in life, coupled with intelligence, humor, and quiet confidence in his own intrinsic worth, make him a true hero. Turns "Cinderella" on its head. A very satisfying read.

Cobb South's characters are dynamic, in that they grow and change during the novel, but the first plot device, love at first sight, is unconvincing. Cobb South's grasp of Regency dialect is not as sure as it could be - the conversation seems stilted at times, and Ethan Brundy's cockney accent is conspicuously adaptable to his surroundings, disappearing altogether once or twice. The hero's character, however, provides a welcome change from the usual aloof, rich, bored-of-women type that usually graces the pages of Regency novels. "Weaver" is an enjoyable read, but one which shall take me some time to open again.

Love at first sight is a really old convention of literature; the weaver's instant recognition of his true soul-mate requires only that he convince her to recognize his worth in turn. Mr. Brundy, the weaver of the title, is admirably suited to this delicate task, and succeeds beautifully. A charming book and a real Regency "keeper". Brava, Ms. Cobb!