Customer Reviews

A Worthy Wife (Signet Regency Romance)

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

 

 

The Regency genre these days ranges from the old-fashioned, traditional romps to fantasy (time-travel), and tales featuring dark and brooding heroes. Metzger is in the traditional camp, with a difference: her stories are hilariously funny. Think Marian Chesney at her old-time, very best, but with lots more going on and characters who have some depth, and you begin to get an idea of what a Metzger Regency is like. Charming Aurora Halle is a delightful Regency heroine; she soon has Kenyon Warriner, the Earl of Windham, wrapped around her dainty little finger. He will do anything for the pretty girl he married so impulsively to save her (mistakenly, as it turns out) from ruin and scandal. She was about to be married to a trigamist (is there such a word?)---anyway, he had at least 3 wedded wives---one of whom is Kenyon's impossible sister, Brianne. Brianne has become a drama queen, playing out the story of her ruin from behind closed doors, shunning society and thoroughly annoying her family. How an encounter with a masked highwayman during an aborted robbery brings her out of her bout of the dismals is delicious to read. As is the love story between yet another pair, Kenyon's wounded soldier brother and the emotionally-wounded Nialla, another of the trigamist's victims. (Keep an eye on Nialla's evil cat, too...) And I haven't even gotten started yet on neurotic Aunt Ellenette and her alter-ego pug dog, the oft-quoted Frederick. Then there's the monkey, gift of an eccentric aristocratic lady who has the goods on everyone in the beau monde.... The cast of characters, animal and human, will have you laughing out loud. Oh, that last line, you wonder? Here it is:

"....that's not me purring."

Barbara Metzger, how DO you come up with these zany plots? (Also recommended: A Loyal Companion, and The Primrose Path---all good prescriptions for fun and laughter.)

Barbara Metzger has hit a real gem with this one. From the hilarious first chapter, where practically everyone faints i knew that this was going to be a winner. It was a wonderful diversion from the usually melodramatic and serious romances that dominate the shelves. I was laughing the whole time at the situations that Aurora was constantly getting herself into.

I agree with one of the other reviewers that the seperation between Aurora and Kenyon was long and drawn out. It did give time to rectify certain situations but equally took time away from the romance and left the reader hanging for an extended period of time.

All in all a wonderfully hilarious book and definately recommended for a good laugh.

Aurora McPhee is being married to the dashing Harland Podell when Kenyon Warriner, the Earl of Windham, brings the ceremony to a halt with his declaration that Mr. Podell is a bigamist. When it appears that Aurora desperately needs a husband, Kenyon heroically offers to marry her himself. When he discovers later on that she is not only NOT pregnant, but a virgin, he feels betrayed. Nevertheless, he is relieved when he learns that an annulment is not possible. However, before he can court his wife and win her heart, he has to go to France to bring his wounded brother home. In the meantime, Aurora takes on the job of refurbishing the family home--not to mention the rest of the family--with the help of some down-and-out characters rescued from the slums of London. Lo and behold, Aurora turns out to be just the sort of helpmeet Kenyon needs--if he could only get her alone long enough to consummate the marriage!

This book is full of ridiculous situations and crazy humor so characteristic of Ms. Metzger's novels. For that reason alone it is worth reading. I could wish, however, for a bit more romance between the main characters. The sexual tension is so long drawn out that it becomes frustrating for the reader as well as the main characters! Is it really necessary for Kenyon to be away so long?

Barbara Metzger is without a doubt one of the top 5 Regency authors writing today. I make a point of keeping an eye out for her latest. This one slipped by me, however, and as it turned out, I probably could have skipped it. It has a surface resemblance to her other work - lots of eccentric characters and humorous unintended consequences - but throughout I had the distinct feeling that she was rushing through this one to meet a deadline, doing a 'paint by numbers' job. I almost didn't bother to finish it! Though always funny, her characters usually have a reasonable depth to them, the emotions are real for all the fun, and there is a plot to keep you interested. Here the plot fizzles after a few chapters, the groom seems primarily fixated on bedding his bride, rather than on any emotional connection between them, and even the humor (a Metzger trademark) falls flat a good deal of the time. I very much hope this was an aberration - certainly I can recommend every other Metzger I've read, highly. Just give this one a pass unless you're desperate. Three stars, because even mediocre Metzger is better than a lot of what's written!

[The first reviewer gave an excellent overview, so I won't add anything to his/her summary.]

This book seems to have everything going for it: humor, very likeable and consistant characters, a growing and touching romance. Unfortunately, it really doesn't have a plot. The plot given on the back of the book is resolved in the first 50 pages of the book and the rest of the book is left to resolve the growing romance between Aurora and Kenyon (and the other couples that predictably get together). However, I had the impression that next 170 pages were really driven by Kenyon trying ineffectively to bed his wife, not to develop a romance. Though the Metzger comedy rises above this plot deficiency, it leaves an unfulfilled ending when the book is done. For a truely great Metzger Romance, go back to "Lady Whilton's Wedding" and "A Loyal Companion."

Since everyone else has given a plot resume of this book, I can only say that this is a delicious read, guaranteed to entertain and help you shake off the sullens in the very best Metzger fashion. Bright, fast-paced and fun, it's a thoroughly enjoyable regency and not to be missed.