Stevie‘s review of Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley
Historical Romance published by Berkley 30 May 17
I only discovered Jo Beverley relatively recently, in fact not long before her untimely death, and while I have a lot of previous books to discover, I decided to read her final book to be published before backtracking and starting at the very beginning. Although not directly linked to the Rogues series, this novel is set in the same world, and takes place in the aftermath of Princess Charlotte’s death, as with the previous Beverley-penned Regency I read. So, a relatively familiar setting for my second full-length read from the author, and I was hoping to be as entranced by it as I was by my past experiences of her work.
The set-up held a lot of promise; many of the aristocracy are feeling their mortality more keenly than usual, and the ladies of the Boxtall household, Lady Ariana and her mother the Dowager Countess of Langton, are concerned that the current Earl shows no sign of marrying and producing an heir. If he should die young – as happened with the princess and also with the heir to a neighbouring estate – then his heir presumptive will have no qualms about selling off all the non-entailed properties, leaving Arianna and her mother homeless. Worse still, this interloper is certain to dispose of the vast library and antiquities collection that Ariana’s father built up and to which she is particularly attached. So Ariana issues a challenge to her brother; to ensure that he finds a wife, she offers to take a husband, even though she has been hoping to remain a spinster following her previous bad experiences of love and the Ton.
And so the three set off to London, where Ariana encounters once again the Earl of Kynaston: a man who made fun of her on her previous Season, but who now seems to be heading for ruin and dissipation. Of course, there are reasons for Kynaston’s drunkenness and depression, although it’s a good while before Ariana discovers what they are. In the meantime, she finds herself much in his company – she and her mother are staying with his aunt – especially after he accompanies her to a meeting of like-minded intellectuals and antiquarians.
Scandal is never far away, of course, and Ariana soon finds herself the subject of the gossips and the cartoonists and requires Kynaston’s help to save her dignity and reputation. Ultimately, much to my disappointment, this book fell rather flat, with little of the sense of fun I was hoping for from the blurb. I’ll be charitable and assume this was a result of not enough time available for the author to complete her masterpiece, and shall still look forward to exploring her back catalogue when I get the chance.
Grade: C
Summary:
As England mourns the death of Princess Charlotte, Lady Ariana Boxstall has another succession in mind. Her brother, Norris, is a strapping young man, but he’s also happily unmarried and childless. Norris agrees to take a wife on one condition: that Ariana take a husband first. Although she realizes she risks a lifetime in a loveless marriage, for the sake of her family, Ariana accepts his challenge.
When the Earl of Kynaston met Ariana eight years ago, he broke her heart. Since then, his own heart has been broken, and he’s sworn off love…until he sees Ariana all grown-up and his resolve is threatened.
Could Ariana’s bargain with Norris actually lead her to happiness? With real love on the line, she must win over the one man who refuses to be had.
Read an excerpt.
