| Title | : | The Marriage List |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0451214994 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780451214997 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 224 |
| Publication | : | First published May 3, 2005 |
The Marriage List Reviews
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This is a first time read by this author and although it had some editing issues, I thought The Marriage List was a very enjoyable read for me.
The two main characters are May, someone who is true to herself and describes herself as stocky and not a head turner. This was refreshing and the other was Radford, a Peninsula War-injured Earl who has not quite come to terms over his war injuries. He struggles day to day with a crushed leg and foot. Bound by a sense of duty, both characters try to do everything to please the members of their families. Radford needs to marry a suitable girl so that he doesn’t displease his mother and May, whatever she can to care for her ailing Aunt Winnie. The two of them are convinced that even though they are attracted to each other, and can never be together because being together would get in the way of their duties. In addition, May suffers for the fact that her mother defied her uncle, the Earl of Redfield and eloped with May's father (a half gypsy of illegitimate birth.) He constantly abuses May, cursing her dirty gypsy blood, and demeaning her very existence at every turn. She is very much looked down on by society for her relations. Propriety is a problem but somehow Radford uncovers that she is not only a Lady but is very eligible for marriage if she is introduced into society by her an unknown family member, the Duke of Newberry.
LIKES: A predictable romance with little twists in terms of the heroine's family backstory. The heroine’s unattractiveness with a downtrodden and mistreated life enables her to become a Cinderella riding into a HEA with her Prince and Princess was very nice. Radford coming face-to-face with his injuries and seeing himself as a “whole man” and not a cripple. I extremely enjoyed the sub-characters in the story-- Lady Iona and Lord Wynter, the best friends of Radford and May. They were the constant matchmakers who saw the building attraction and love between their two friends. I liked the introduction of the horse, Princess and how her bond to May made her fear of horses diminish. Hmmm…the appearance of a budding relationship between Lady Iona and Lord Wynter would make for a good sequel. I think although they were working hard to put their friends together, I think their coming together would be a nice story.
DISLIKES: The ignorant, very rude and despicable uncle, The Earl of Redfield introduced into the mix a bit abruptly. Although seen as ruthless and crude person that treats May like dirt, the aunt very much controlled his every move in some respect. It is not clear to me why the aunt let the so-called courtship of her once “love of her life” some odd 30+ years prior try to marry her niece...a bit unnerving. She knew upfront that the man her brother was forcing her niece to marry was once in love with her, but later found that he was a fortune hunter and was still the same person as he was when she loved him. I guess this was part of the twist, but I think it came a bit too late in the story. In addition, Radford uncovered quite a bit of information about the uncle and the validity of May’s heritage. Couldn’t figure out why he didn’t mention it sooner that she was some relations to the Duke of Newberry. Didn’t care too much for the simple-minded Lady Lillian who only saw Radford for his status and nothing more. She was spiteful and made sure that May watched as Radford courted her.
Totally did not like the fact that May’s parents show up at the end of the story after some odd twenty years of being absent from her life with a not so plausible excuse as to why they abandoned her to the aunt as an orphan. Not to mention when they show up, they have a teenage son in tow who is May’s brother. This entire scene to reunite May with her family seemed a bit artificial and just didn’t make any sense to me and wasn’t necessary as she was already considered orphaned and being raised by her aunt and uncle.
Overall, the entire book was pretty much presenting each character’s excuses as to why they can’t be with one another. Before they can reach their HEA, each must overcome all the difficulties and excuses they have placed on their lives to find true happiness. The secondary conflict revolving around May’s uncle, could have been built up a bit more to make for a more interesting narrative. I don’t think the plot to the story is original, however it manages to unfold into a heart-wrenching and sweet story.
3-Stars -
An average traditional regency.
Started out (very) strong but the overlong ow and om(*cringe*) drama alongwith the H's dogged sticking to social correctness and what'd be appropriate spoil things - and the overlong length doesn't help either.
The 'bad' peeps deserve some comeuppance but are spared.
Personally, I didn't recover after the H refers to the ow thus ...'Wynter, Please look after my sweet confection.' -
This one was fun. May is feisty! Her aunt is ill, which is why they are in Bath taking the waters. May needs to keep the roof over their heads after her uncle has cut off their funds and the rent is past due. He wants to get his sister back under his own roof. He seems to think that if he tightens the purse strings and gets May married, then he can have his sister back. That was odd as he hadn't cared in the past. So, you know things are happening that May isn't aware of.
May and her good friend, Lady Iona, beard the owner of the house in his own parlor. Little do they know that Viscount Radford Evers has just finished making a list of what to look for in a wife. His mother is pushing him to marry. He takes one look at May and decides that SHE is the polar opposite of what he needs, or wants. Lady Iona's sister, Miss Lillian, on the other hand...
Ugh, Lillian. I wanted to smack her a time or three. And May's uncle. And the man he wants to betroth to May. Lots of smacking was needed. Which was fun.
Also fun was Princess. A filly. Loved the scenes with her. And Lord Wynter! Radford's best friend. He and Lady Iona worked really hard in this one to help our MCs find their HEA. They are the focus for book two in the series, Lady Iona's Rebellion. Lord Wynter, Radford's friend (who helped him compile the Marriage List) is our hero in this one. I loved Iona and hope that she finds her HEA, too!
Radford had a bum leg. He kept thinking that he wasn't whole. I liked that May didn't really seem to care about that. She did want him to feel better, and went so far as to massage his foot at one point, to the surprise of both of them.
And she still didn't fit the list that he had made out. Stupid man.
There were a couple of scenes that had me clicking through my kindle at a rapid pace. I was worried about that HEA and just HOW it was going to work out.
I'll be looking for more from this author.
All in all, this was a FIVE BOOKMARK for me.
Princess really pushed that rating that last little bit.
This review, and others, can be seen at my blog:
www.firstpagetothelast.com -
Either I've read so many regency romances or I have lost all objectivity enroute because each one I read seems to get better than the previous one I finished. Such is the case with the Marriage List. It is in the mode of the timeless theme of Cinderella which I never seem to tire of.
Badly injured in the campaign on the European peninsula, our hero, Viscount Evers assembles a list of qualities for a wife along with his close friend Lord Wynters. May Sheffers, a tenant in a cottage that Evers owns comes to seek help, living in straightened circumstances with her beloved but sickly aunt. The initial attraction by these two is electric and obvious but poor May has NONE of the attributes Evers seeks in a wife. She has a questionable heritage with gypsy blood in her lineage; her parents have disappeared into the Brazilian jungle and are declared to be dead by May's scheming uncle who seeks to steal May's inheritance.
Evers is also one of England's most astute horseman and May is initially terrified of the huge beasts, having been a city girl her whole life. However, Evers's prized filly constantly escapes to seek May out and she is the only one who can soothe the horse.
May challenges the prideful Evers to use his cane so he can begin to heal his lameness. Their chance encounters around the city of Bath deepen their obvious attraction to each other. Evers's mother pushes her son to marry the proper daughter of a Duke because she matches every attribute on his marriage list but it is the dark, mysterious and totally improper May that he is irrestibly drawn to.
If you don't totally fall in love with May and Evers, along with their family and friends you don't have the beating heart of a true romantic!
This unforgettable and off-beat romance was right in my wheel house and HIGHLY recommended. -
Spoilers ahead.
I can't stand politically correct, I-am-woman-hear-me-roar, modern females in my historical romances. I get a headache from the eye rolling. This hit on so many of my pet peeves, I would be pained to list them all typing with one finger on my phone. Everyone was so perfect or cliché. The heroine scoffed at being saved by a man and preferred being the grubby relative among her highfalutin family. Poor Cinderella was deserted by mom and pop and left with a beloved aunt and evil uncle. I guessed correctly what happened to her parents (though I was half joking because surely she wouldn't go with something that lame). The prized mare loved only the heroine while the spoiled other woman wanted the H to sell her. The h is supposedly right about everything. When the H followed her layperson suggestions, he underwent miraculous healing in record time. There's tons more but I'm getting a cramp. I can't believe I wasted a book credit on this. But please don't let me stop you from taking a read. I don't think my opinion is in the majority. It was ok between the pet peeves. -
Got 72% in and after the scene in there I was so mad I couldn't finish it. I didn't really care for the Hero anyway, he was so wishy washy. And the heroine was the same for that matter.
So, besides some "heck"s & "dangs, and some innuendos.
The scene - so May (h) goes running from her uncle's house where her uncle is determined to beat submission into her with a horse whip. She runs in front of Radford's (H) horses and gets knocked down and is unconscious. He runs out feels horrible, helps her into his carriage and then apparently one of her breasts has come out of her dress (not sure when this happened) but he "tenderly" moves it back and then keeps his hand on it till his mother grabs his hand and moves it to May's shoulder. Lame! He could have A - adverted his eyes and had his mother or her best friend who were both in the carriage take care of that or B - adverted his eyes, removed his jacket and covered her up. But I guess he's a male so that makes it ok...NOT! Just stupid.
Sorry wouldn't recommend this to anyone. -
This one wasn't for me.
There were things I liked...
1. The hero is quite abrupt and comes across rude when he doesn't really mean to be.
2. He has a damaged leg, I liked the message that you don't have to be 'perfect' to be a true hero.
3. His best friend Lord Wynter!!!
4. It's nicely written.
But there were also things I didn't like...
1. Both the hero and the heroine are idiots for most of the story, he loved her, she loved him... get hitched already!!!
2. I get that the hero wants to please his mum and marry a 'Lady', but couldn't he have found a girl that was a little less unpleasant??? It was like he WANTED to be miserable!!!
3. I didn't really like how everything ended up being settled.
Because I liked Lord Wynter so much I brought the next book. Unfortunatly he didn't have the same character in the 2nd book and I didn't finish it. -
I really enjoyed this book. May is a lively character that is a lot of fun. Radford is a likable counterpart who's pride rivals her own. Their story is so believable that I started getting caught up in the story from the beginning. The side characters of Lord Nathan and Lady Iona really help keep the storyline moving as they strive to help their friends. There are a few nice twists and turns that make for good plot, whether they be good or bad events. I got a little frustrated with a couple of the minor characters, but they are minor so it didn't really take away from the story. Good read.
http://cleanromancereviews.blogspot.com -
A decent little regency--but there are a couple of parents I would like to smack.
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My Musings
I thoroughly this sweet romance. It a traditional recency with plenty of sexual tension. It has a wonderful ending. I enjoyed the narrator a lot. She reads with a great deal of emotion. Happy reading 📚! -
I can feel my braincells dying this might be the last one I read (it’s not the worst of the bunch i read, i simply have had my fill of regency romance for the time being), the rest of my challenge will either be forfeited or i’ll have to find a way to read books on my tbr.
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i had great fun with this regency romance - clever girl meets insufferable bachelor
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Compelled by his mother to marry, Viscount Radford Evers makes a list of his requirements for a wife. The right woman for the job is Ms. Lillian who meets all of the noble requirements, but does not make the heart beat faster or bring the best out in Radford. On the other-hand, May Sheffers meets none of the items on the list, but she gives the Viscount emotions and excitement which is something he hasn't felt in a long time, so what is the man to do?
Of course I'm not going to give the story away, but can say that I really enjoyed this romance novel. The writing was very good, the characters believable and very likeable. The parts with Princess really made me laugh as well as other sections. There was good character development and good lead in for other characters as well that did not distract from the main story, but certainly peaked my interest to want to learn more about them in what I hope are more books from this author.
When I read a novel of any genre, but especially with romance novels when I read them; I hope to be entertained, made to laugh, maybe cry and just be taken away from the stress of work. This book certainly delivered. I give it 5 stars because although it is a quick romance read, I really loved the book. I found myself looking forward to reading more books by this author and getting to know the other characters. Never once did I feel the need to skip forward a few pages - yes, I'm sure we have all felt that need at one time or another. -
Happily surprised at how GREAT it was!!
When I start reading a book by an author I don't know... I set my expectations a little lower than normal. Well, I hit the jack pot with this book! I fell in love with this story right off the bat. I'm happy to have found this author and I can't wait to read another one of her books.
The heroine May is a character you feel deeply for. She's witty, tough, and loving. At times my heart literally hurt for May. She wants to be loved so much you feel her heartbreak. She feels abandoned by her parents and is hated by her Uncle. The only person she can count on in her family is her Aunt and her best friend who is a daughter of a Duke. The hero is a wonderful complex character who is wounded in spirit and body. Half of his body was crushed by a horse and he walks with a heavy limp. He feels less than a man because of this and hates peoples pity. When he and May come together she doesn't pity him and in fact strengths him. But she feels shes unlovable and he is trying to woo the wrong woman to be his wife. Regardless, the two of them find their way together eventually. Of course with a few surprises and bumps along the way. ;) The other characters are great in here as well. They actually add to the story instead of just being fillers. I could go on and on about this great story but I don't need to; go read it yourself. You won't be sorry. HAPPY reading!!
You must check this beautiful story out!
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Historical English romance with a setting in Bath, with Miss May Sheffers who is a mix heritage (half noble with a little gypsy blood) and falls in love with Viscount Radford Evers. Evers was horribly maimed in the last war on the continental and still has to use his cane to walk comfortably, so he considers himself as damaged although he is well born, educated and rich. Evers makes a riculous list of traits for his future bride with the help of his best friend Nathan Wynter.
Miss May Sheffers is best friends with Iona, the daughter to Duke of Newbury and unfortunately Evers decides to court Iona's little sister Lillian as his future Viscountess. Lillian is a spoiled elitist brat which shows up in more then a few events in the story.
There are more then a few mentions of Mary Wollstonecraft's writings, but without quoting or being anything other then to strengthen May's self worth when she is trying to make good decisions for herself. Her uncle and Mr. Tumblestone are the worse kind of people so they are the evil black hats in this story, no real shades of grey in this story, everyone is truly good or bad.
I got taken up in the story and it was a good read. I was worried for the HEA in the last couple chapters.
224 pages and kindle freebie
2 and half stars -
There were quite a few things I enjoyed about this Regency Romance. Viscount Evers, the hero—though handsome and rich as per form—was debilitated due to the war. May Sheffers, the heroine—not a particular beauty and twenty-four years of age!—was energetic, brave, and independent. She was also a HUGE Mary Wollstonecraft fangirl.
A predictable romance, overall, with some interesting little twists in terms of the heroine's family backstory. We have encouraging friends and a horrid uncle. A compelled marriage looms for our heroine and our hero is thinking like an idiot on occasion.
There were some (for me) annoying editing issues that I think should have been caught. Poor word usage on a couple of occasions (hey, I'm a stickler) and a few adjectives were overused. They were prevalent enough that I remember them but not enough to turn me off the story because I really wanted to see what happened to our couple and how the author would achieve the HEA!
Swoon-factor is appropriate to the genre, with the added interest of our heroine not being all "light and winsome" necessarily. I think she describes herself as "stocky". I enjoyed that.
This romance is a quick read recommended for those who want their heroes and heroines to be a bit unconventional but not too much so. :) -
I've read quite a few good Regency romances in my day and this one just doesn't make the grade. First of all there were quite a few spelling and grammar errors. Mistakes like this really take the reader out of the book and it gets annoying after a while.
The actual story had a few problems as well. I thought most of the characters were too stereotypical. There wasn't much time devoted to character development, so even the main characters couldn't make me care about them. Radford seemed too much of a momma's boy and seemed unable to stand up for himself. May seemed as though she was determined to be an independent strong woman, but in fact was pretty much afraid to stand up for herself. It also seemed as though Aunt Winnie was on death's doorstep throughout the book, but always seemed to make people do what she wanted at just the appropriate times.
I think for the most part, the story seemed very disjointed and didn't flow well. I didn't really enjoy reading this book and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. -
No, thanks.
I nealry finished this one.
But somewhere along the way it became just too silly.
It is no real regency romance. At least it doesn't have the feel to it.
I would recommend to do some research before writing a novel set in a different time. Culture changes, you know.
And it might be a small detail, but irked me nonetheless: in Regency/Victorian/Bel epoque what ever times, it would have been considered highly improper for a gentleman to touch a young and unmarried lady's face in public. A time when you had to leave a door open and be in plain sight if you talked to a person of the other gender.
In this novel the hero constantly touches not only the heroine but also his supposed to be affianced.
The feel was more a contemporary. And not an especially good one.
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I really enjoyed this book, as I read it in one day. The characters were full of life and brought to life. The passion, heartache, confusion, longing were well written and had you rooting for May the entire book. The ending was predictable I thought, but near the end was worried... an even better ending was written!!!
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I couldn't give this book any higher rating than two stars. It was incredibly tedious to read. The main character is tragic, continuously being looked down on and put in her place as a mere paid companion to her aunt. Her uncle is the villain in the story, always berating her, always talking down to her and determined to rule her life by marrying her off to a man of his choosing. She never, ever truly stands up for herself, she's a sad character who lets everyone walk all over her. And, typical of stories like this, the reader never gets any satisfaction of seeing the villains in the story get their just desserts. Everyone who treated her poorly gets away with it, and most especially the uncle who's a greedy person and wants nothing but to get his hands on the money that is rightfully hers. Even when all is put to right in the end, the reader never gets the satisfaction of any kind of Justice.
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By no means a great novel, this was a fun read
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I enjoyed this book.
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This book was a little ridiculous. I can't believe I stuck with it the whole way through.
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Another sweet Regency romance that has been on my Kindle for awhile, and another that I enjoyed. I would now like to read the author’s book that follows May’s friend Iona’s story.
