The Husband Hunters by Barbara Cartland

The Husband Hunters Reviews

• 
  Crystal

  Does this book deserve 4 stars? I guess it depends on your criteria. If your criteria is "picked this up at 6pm and finished it by 10pm, enjoying it the whole time", then yes, I think 4 is fair. I'm not saying Barbara Cartland was a brilliant writer--I didn't think that even back in high school when I read these obsessively. But I enjoy the glimpses of history and culture of the time in her writing, and the moments of sweetness in the romances. Andrina is kinda silly in this. Her naivete and impulsiveness drive the story, and that can be frustrating. On the other hand, for a sheltered girl in a time without the internet, one who has practically raised her sisters and cared for her father, and therefore feels mature and responsible and wise, I don't think this behavior is that unrealistic. She reads a bit like a teenager. Which I guess makes the older hero a little creepy, but whatever. He's pretty likable, actually, and almost funny at times. Their relationship builds to something surprisingly tender by the last few scenes, and I was actually surprised, as an adult rereading the book, at the depth BC did go into with the characters' personal issues and motivations. Relative depth, for her writing style, anyway.
  I will say though, that, although it's been awhile since I read Georgette Heyer's Frederica, this plot feels AWFULLY familiar. BC has said that Heyer was an influence for her, and here it shows a little too much, probably. On the other hand, Frederica was fun, and this book, although a slighter copy, was also a pleasant read.
  My other concern might be that Cheryl, as described, sounds almost mentally disabled or ill. I realize there wasn't a big pressure on women of the time to be intelligent, but as she was described it almost seemed inappropriate to have her married off. Then I think about characters in Austen and Heyer who were simple, pleasant women who depended on their husbands for everything, and I realize maybe it's not so creepy and far-fetched after all.
  So, if you need a few hours of distraction, and enjoy Regency romances with a fairly historically accurate feel, you just might enjoy this book too. I know that I did. And now I kind of want more books by the author. I guess it's like Pringles....
• 
  MissKitty

  3.5 stars. Barbara Cartland basically re-tells “Frederica” by Georgette Heyer.
  
  However, this is not a bad book. I liked the character of the heroine. She is only 20, but since she is the eldest, she’s a bit bossy, and she tries hard to find a better life for them all by marrying off her beautiful younger sisters to wealthy titles gentlemen. It’s amusing since she is essentially a scheming gold-digger, but with good intentions. Also she is young and inexperienced so she comes off as a bit silly. I liked how she was so focused and single minded in her endeavour, only for her sisters themselves to foil her plans.
  
  The Hero seems like just a side character, he goes along with her plan since she is so insistent and, I suspect, that he feared for her wellbeing since she was so impetuous.
  
  Of course at the end of the book we find out he fell in love with her at first sight, so of course he would have gone along with whatever scheme she cooked up.
  
  Cute book and I liked the characters.
• 
  Lydia Lloyd

  I read The Husband Hunters as an experiment in Barbara Cartland—I see these books all the time in used bookstores and despite being an avid historical romance reader I had never read one. I was drawn in here by the straightforward title and the set up is similarly uncomplicated. The heroine, Andrina, and her two younger sisters, Cheryl and Sharon, have been orphaned and have little money, although they come from a genteel family with distant aristocratic roots; Andrina decides that she and her sisters will go to London and throw themselves on the kindness of her absentee godfather, the Duke of Broxbourne, in order to enter London society and find husbands. Andrina imagines this mission as being expressly for her younger sisters, who she classifies as more beautiful than herself (although Andrina acknowledges that she is pretty, too—it is just that she sees her sisters as extraordinarily gorgeous whereas she possess [allegedly] only a normal level of beauty). Of course, Andrina ends up falling in love with the Duke (who, in fact, is not the same Duke as her godfather, but his young and handsome son) and they find their HEA.
  
  So, what did I think of Barbara Cartland? Well, it probably doesn't surprise you that I found a lot not to like here. (Additionally, this book was published in 1976; I knew better than to expect any spice and I was correct in that assumption. And I fully admit that if you added sex scenes to this plot, I’d be 50% more interested). In addition to fatphobic elements and discussion of a necklace made in India as “barbaric-looking,” the dynamic between the hero and heroine is, in many ways, very typical of an old school historical at its least reflective—hero and heroine meet, he kisses her without her consent, she thinks he is arrogant and entitled, he calls her an idiot a thousand times, she realizes she loves him, they get married, the end.
  
  The characterization of Andrina’s sisters is one of the most bonkers elements of this novel. The way the narrator describes Cheryl, the blond beauty, verges on misogynistic; Andrina talks about how sensitive Cheryl is and how much she loves her, but then Cartland will also have her think things such as the following: “[Cheryl] looked so lovely that it was hard for people, once they had met her, to realise she made little contribution to the conversation, or that nothing she said, if she did speak, was worth remembering.” Poor Cheryl! She is described as dumb, incompetent, weak, shallow, and too sensitive for the world. After Cheryl becomes engaged to the man she has loved since childhood, the narrator writes (again, from Andrina’s point of view): “Yet, looking at [Cheryl] now, her fear and unhappiness swept away as if by magic, it was impossible not to know that it was Hugo she loved, if she was capable of loving anyone very deeply” (emphasis mine)(133). Why are we treating Cheryl this way?!?! Are we really questioning her ability to love deeply? What did she ever do to suggest she is incapable of deep love?? It just seems unnecessary.
  
  Meanwhile, the youngest sister, Sharon, is vaguely Orientalized throughout the novel—seemingly to contrast her with the “English rose” beauty and vacant appeal of Cheryl. The narrator talks about how Sharon resembles a long-lost “Spanish” ancestor and how she appears “exotic” after she has primped for a ball—on her wedding day, Cartland describes Sharon as looking like a “Persian Princess.” She also falls in love with and marries a Russian diplomat/nobleman, furthering confirming her "foreign" persona within the narrative. Ultimately, the sisters are rife with this kind of lazy and at times offensive characterization.
  
  The main couple doesn't fair much better, however. Cartland doesn’t rely on the same easy shorthands for them…but they don’t jump off the page either. Neither Andrina or the Duke of Broxbourne have very distinctive or deeply rendered qualities. Lastly, hero and heroine spend almost no time together throughout the novel to an extent that would never fly for contemporary readers—these two barely get to know each other.
  
  That said, I have to admit that I found this problematic, formulaic old school historical rather absorbing, despite all of these issues. Much like Cheryl’s fiancé, I was drawn in by the pairing of an insipid core and a pretty exterior. I knew Barbara Cartland had to have something going on that allowed her to publish so many novels so successfully and, indeed, this aspect of my reading experience confirmed this suspicion. I debated with myself about what made this novel so readable despite all the defects above. Ultimately, for me, I decided that it came down to pacing. The Husband Hunters had many defects, but it never dragged—it never lingered on much of anything, for that matter. (There were, for instance, a lot of real historical figures on page, such as the Duke of Wellington and the famous Regency hostesses of Almack’s, but, rather than dwell on those moments, Cartland almost seems to be using these historical figures to reduce having to explain and introduce tertiary characters). But that fast pace keeps you reading and wondering what will happen next—I’d suggest reading Cartland if you are a historical romance writer who wants to work on quickening your pace. This novel is screenplay-like in its lack of characterlogical interiority—and honestly, with these characters, I was fine with that. The novel has the energy and pace of a 1930s screwball comedy. It very much reminded me of an old film such as My Girl Friday and I didn’t hate it.
  
  The ending, however, was interesting and sort of broke from this pattern (is it a Cartland signature? I’ll probably never know). For the entire novel, the Duke of Broxbourne does kind things for Andrina and her sisters, but he is quite personally brusque with Andrina. Besides that one non-consensual kiss at the beginning, he pretty much leaves her alone, only popping up occasionally to give her something that she needs while admonishing her for being foolish. In terms of repressed alpha heroes, he isn’t even that mean---he is just sort of absent and cold. Then, at the end, when she confesses her love for him, he reveals that he wanted to marry her all along, but he seemed to want to let her scheme with her sisters to play out first (and maybe win her love?? that part is unclear). Then, this guy pretty much reveals himself to be a big old cinnamon roll! With no prodding or major dramatics, he says to Andrina after they have married: “I am frightened, Andrina! You have said you love me. But if I frighten you or shock you, you may hate me again, and that I could not bear!” (Also, everything this guy says is followed by an exclamation point, it is crazy—and when she talks to him, these weird ellipses pop up, so she is often saying things like “I….love….you…too….much…to…marry….you.” It is punctuation as personality and it is crude but sort of effective?) Then, he cries on her! Because he is afraid of losing her love! And that’s pretty much the end of the novel—she reassures him and then it ends with a fade-to-black sex scene. I kind of liked this part? It was only the last ten pages. This book had no hero’s perspective and it made me realize that it would have been a lot better with his POV—instead we just have a lot of Andrina’s mean inner monologue about poor beautiful vacant Cheryl.
  
  In the end, will I read another Barbara Cartland? Almost certainly not. But am I glad that I now know what these books contain when I see them in used bookstores? Definitely.
• 
  Abhilasha

  Loved it! A bit predictable in the end, but i think that is what i love about Barbara Cartland. Can't wait to read more of her work.
• 
  Karen-Leigh

  After the death of her parents, young Andrina Maldon has selflessly borne the responsibility not only for the running a household impoverished by her father’s profligacy but also for the future happiness of her two sisters.
  Strikingly beautiful as they are, there is no hope of their finding a suitable suitor without someone to introduce them to the Social world.
  So she travels unchaperoned to London to seek the assistance of the Duke of Broxbourne, her father’s friend and the Godfather she has never met.
  On the stagecoach journey Andrina has a frightening encounter with a gentleman at a Posting inn – and on arrival at Broxbourne House she is appalled to find that this man is none other than the Duke of Broxbourne himself.
  At first unwilling to help her, the Duke grudgingly agrees to her requests and although grateful, Andrina despises this arrogant and insensitive man – until, little by little, his true nature is revealed and a very different emotion begins to stir in her heart.
  
  Andrina's two lovely sisters—orphaned, penniless, buried in the country—would never find suitable husbands unless they went to London and imposed on Andrina's godfather, the Duke of Broxbourne, to introduce the girls to society. Her sister's beauty would accomplish the rest. The only snag: Andrina had been so busy arranging her sisters' futures, she failed to notice she was madly in love.
• 
  Nadia

  Heroine is typical TSTL, even worse she is thinking that she is very clever when it is obviously otherwise. It's actually a little bit disappointing that hero fell in love with her and offered her hand in marriage :)
  Hero is behaving badly and pretending to be a scoundrel when actually he is pretty good and decent. But girls are always attracted to boys who behave badly :)
• 
  Tserten Tenzin

  Liked it
• 
  Anu Viikki

  Ihan mukavaa luettavaa.
• 
  Blog_Océane

  Barbara Cartland est une auteure que j'affectionne car elle propose toujours des romances cucul la praline mais c'est réconfortant, c'est parfait pour s'évader quelques heures. J'aime beaucoup la plume de l'auteure car elle est simple mais efficace pour un roman assez court.
  De plus, j'ai trouvé l'intrigue assez intéressante avec une héroïne qui doit marier toutes ses sœurs afin de les protéger de la misère et avoir une meilleure situation. Cela rappelle bien la position de la femme et de son importance à devoir se marier. Puis, nous avons également l'importance de la femme sous le joug d'un homme comme le sont les soeurs Gunning avec le duc. Ce dernier refl��te parfaitement les attentes de son rang et de sa position. Je trouve alors cette intrigue intéressante mais le même défaut à chaque fois : une fin précipitée.
  Enfin, j'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages notamment le duc et Andrina. Cette dernière, je l'avoue que j'ai eu les montagnes russes avec elle car j'aimais son côté maternel, sa générosité à tout faire pour ses frangines mais je n'ai pas aimé le fait qu'elle forçait ses sœurs à faire un beau mariage comme si l'argent et le titre étaient le plus important et non l'amour. Je pense que vous vous doutez qu'Andrina se remettra en question. Pour le duc, c'est the coup de cœur. Il reste avant tout une énigme vivante et j'ai trouvé dommage qu'on ne l'ait pas plus longtemps car j'aimais sa froideur, son impertinence, son altruiste. Il se donne une image d'homme impénétrable et froid alors qu'il est bon, gentil et parfait. Bref, la relation entre Andrina et le duc sera explosive.
  
  Pour conclure, j'ai passé un super moment, je me suis évadée, j'ai rêvassé avec une romance cucul mais intéressante dans l'idée de base. Les protagonistes sont pertinents.
  
• 
  Aarathi Burki

  This story started on a good note and i really started liking Andriana the heroine but the ending was disappointing. The heroine is left to take charge of her 2 beautiful sisters after the death of her parents and she decides to seek the help of a duke who is her fathers friend to give her sisters a London season.
  What follows is shopping,balls,parties,dances and finally the 2 sisters end up getting married much against what Andrina had hoped for but she gives in as she sees her sisters quite happy with their matches.
  Meanwhile she falls in love with the duke the hero who has not much role in this book,he had a bad childhood where he loses his mother at an young age and his father takes out that frustration on him by always scolding him,not loving him so the hero is sceptical in falling in love.
  Andrina who always has this principle of falling in love and then marrying starts liking the duke and learns about his childhood miseries and decides to become his mistress so that she can give him all her love physically and emotionally. This part of the story I didn’t like as it was against her principles but the good duke marries her before having her and finally confesses his love.
  
  I didn’t like the ending where heroine character completely changed nor could I understand her love for the duke.also I found her sisters very selfish,Andrina did so much for them but as soon as they found their match they just thanked her and left
  All in all a lame book
• 
  Mireya

  More than once I felt like throwing this book against the wall. The main problem is the way the dialogue is written. The overuse of dashes in the dialogues is mindnumbing. I really don't know if it's a style thing from the time in which the book was written or what, exactly. Either way, beware of the dash!
• 
  Natalija Nedeljkovic

  Knjiga je vrlo slatka i topla. Iako vrlo predvidljiva, ideja je vrlo simpatična. Sve vreme dok sam je čitala, pred očima mi se stvarala slika Džejn Ostinine “Gordost i predrasude”, koja je čini se bila vrlo uticajna inspiracija. Opisi su simpatični, cela atmosfera vrlo topla i pitka. Ako vam treba nešto što će se zvršiti i pre nego što je počelo, ali da bude nežno i nevino, moja topla preporuka.
• 
  DocNora

  Another one of my dear great grandmama's reads! Loved it. By the way, the Gunning sisters mentioned in this were real debs and there is a wealth of historical detail which is delightful not to mention the irresistible Francis Marshall covers!
• 
  Eyla

  The book was ok to listen to when I get ready in the morning and on my drive to and home from work. The ending was predictable early on in the story.
• 
  Milica Samardzic

  Stivo za plazu, brzo se cita, ali bez neke velike vrijednosti, vrlo predvidljiva prica.
• 
  Andjela Randjelovic

  Simpatična knjižica za prekračivanje vremena i razonodu. Na kraju ima divnu pouku da bogatstvo💰 i titule👑 ne donose sreću, već to čini samo prava i istinska ljubav🤗❤️. Moram priznati da sam se u mnogim situacijama poistovetila sa Andrinom😅.
• 
  Trine

  I can't believe I used to devour BC's books. Well, it was back in my teenage days, so I guess I didn't have that much to compare them with, but still. It is trivial litterature at its most basic. And the Danish translation wasn't that good either.