Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of From Waif To Gentleman’s Wife (Wellingford’s #5) by Julia Justiss
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 09
Over the years I have remained fiercely loyal to Harlequin Historical in part because of their willingness to publish stories set in locales currently not the flavor of the month. Which means they offer more to readers than just Regency historicals about spies and Dukes. They were literally my lifeline during a time in my reading life when I was so burnt out on All England All The Time that I would read maybe one Regency-set book a year. Now that my crippling burn-out has begun to lift, I’ve been making up for lost time by discovering many Regency writers that other readers have known about for years. This being my first book by Julia Justiss, I wasn’t all that surprised to discover that Harlequin chose to publish a Regency historical that actually felt different. It was like opening up a window on a warm spring day after a very long, dismal winter. You mean Regencies can be about more than Dukes and spies? Wow.
Joanna Merrill is a young widow with few options. Her soldier husband succumbed to a fever he contracted in India, her in-laws have washed their hands of her, her family is abroad, and she’s sunk. So she takes a job as a governess, only to find herself thwarting the advances of her randy employer. When the fine upstanding Lady of the household catches her husband accosting Joanna, she promptly fires Joanna. What with it being all her fault for throwing herself at a married man. Joanna is tossed out on her ear, with very few coins to her name. Desperate, she decides to travel to Blenhem Hill where her brother, Greville, is employed as estate manager.
Sir Edward “Ned” Greaves has purchased Blenhem Hill from his good friend Nicholas Stanhope, Marquess of Englemere. Nicky gave his distant cousin Greville the job of overseeing the estate, only to learn that he was doing a terrible job of it. Firing Greville, he’s at a loss of what to do next. Blenhem is out of the way of his other holdings and he’s loathe to leave his wife and young son. So when Edward, being a bit of an agricultural nut, offers to buy it from him, he accepts. On his way to take up residence though, Edward’s carriage is assaulted by Luddite hooligans. To get to the bottom of the local unrest, Edward decides to pose as Mr. Ned Greaves, the new estate manager hired by Englemere, keeping his own noble lineage a secret. Which is how Joanna Merrill comes to meet him when she literally collapses at his feet after finally arriving at Blenhem. The turmoil of the journey, the shock of her current circumstances, and finding out her brother has been fired is just too much.
What follows is Ned and Joanna coming to an understanding. He’s determined to get Blenhem Hill back on track, which means making repairs, amends and opening a school for the children. In turn, with no other options available, having no idea where her brother is, and loathe to throw herself on the mercy of distant relation Englemere, Joanna accepts the job of being the schoolteacher. Naturally as they spend more time together, Ned and Joanna are drawn to each other. But what will happen when she learns who he really is? And who is behind the unrest among the local farmers and textile workers?
While Justiss employs the common Big Secret trope, there was so much about this story that felt unique and refreshing. Notably, the circumstances that Joanna finds herself in, and how realistically they are portrayed. This is a woman who is smart and resourceful, but at the mercy of people with more power than she has. You bleed for this woman as she arrives at Blenhem, after all the drama and turmoil, only to discover her last hope, her brother, has been fired and nowhere to be found. She has to rely on the kindness of a stranger, and ultimately is drawn to Ned because of his kindness, work ethic, and the fact that she believes they’re in the same social stratosphere.
Ned’s a nice guy, and one can understand his reasons for the deception, but his keeping the truth from Joanna for as long as he does is a bit hard to swallow. Especially after he muses, quite often, how logical, forthright and intelligent she is. He justifies his secrecy by saying it’s to protect her, but ultimately I was left with the impression that he obviously didn’t think her intelligent enough to be able to handle the truth. When it all comes tumbling out at the end, it’s hard not to sympathize with Joanna, and the author handles these final chapters of heartbreak and redemption very well.
Part of the author’s long-running Wellingford series, this book stands alone extremely well. It’s a quick, charming read, very much in the tone of a traditional Regency (well, expect this story has s-e-x in it!). It’s also so refreshingly different from a lot of the other Regency historical currently cramming the shelves that it was hard for me not to be delighted by this tale. I read it in one afternoon, and it was an afternoon well spent.
Grade: B
Summary:
When a destitute governess faints on Sir Edward Greaves’s threshold, chivalry demands that he offer her temporary shelter. However, the desire Ned feels when he catches her in his arms isn’t at all gentlemanly….
With her large, troubled eyes and slender frame, Joanna Merrill calls to something deep inside this guarded man. For one who has purposely shunned the conniving beauties of London society, just how much is Ned risking by having this intriguing woman under his roof…?
Other books in this series:
