Still attacking my TBR pile… I have 22 books left in the basket next to my bed. (I’m not counting the 400 in my bookcases – I have to start somewhere!)
Miss Winthorpe’s Elopement by Christine Merrill
(2010, Regency)
Grade: 3
To escape her brother, Penelope decides to head for Scotland and find a husband along the way. She stumbles upon Adam Felkirk, the Duke of Bellston and marries him when he is too drunk to object. Although the marriage solves Adam’s financial problems, it’s more difficult for him to accept Penelope as his wife – and for her to adjust to her new life as a duchess.
The setup for this book was incredibly silly and illogical. I was expecting that based on the reviews. But once the setup was over (by page 40), the book improved and became a better-than-average marriage of convenience story. It was predictable, but all of the standard plot points were done well. I can overlook a few cliches since I love a good marriage of convenience story. But unfortunately, the book descended into misunderstandings and petty jealousies in the last part of the book, and never recovered. Even the ending was unsatisfying. Too bad, because there were some good parts to this book, if only the author had stuck with what was working.
I appreciate that Harlequin Historicals is still publishing traditional Regencies, but I wish that they were better… somehow they just don’t hold up to the old Signets. (Or maybe I just have a rosy view of the old days…)
Karen Wheless
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