What do you think?
Rate this book
Contrary Lovers
She had always expected to marry for love!
Davida and Lyall were shocked to discover their fathers had years ago engaged them in a secret marriage contract.
Davida had no desire to wed rich, high-handed Lord Lyall, while he claimed the idea of matrimony repelled him. But family debts compelled her to threaten to enforce the contract . . . unless Lyall found a husband for her widowed mother.
With her mother's and her sister Cassie's engagements, and with a proposal for herself from Hugh, Davida should have been happy and carefree. Yet the boring Hugh offered an uninviting future. Then she heard Lyall had eloped with Cassie, and Davida wondered why she felt more than mere sisterly concern.
Davida and Lyall were shocked to discover their fathers had years ago engaged them in a secret marriage contract.
Davida had no desire to wed rich, high-handed Lord Lyall, while he claimed the idea of matrimony repelled him. But family debts compelled her to threaten to enforce the contract . . . unless Lyall found a husband for her widowed mother.
With her mother's and her sister Cassie's engagements, and with a proposal for herself from Hugh, Davida should have been happy and carefree. Yet the boring Hugh offered an uninviting future. Then she heard Lyall had eloped with Cassie, and Davida wondered why she felt more than mere sisterly concern.
- GenresTraditional Regency
220 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1988
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 22, 2026
2.5
Aww, this could have easily been a 4 stars. It has all the elements. Great family interaction and interference, siblings relationships and good humor and fun. Too bad for a romance it was lacking romance. Just too bad…
It wasn’t all bad, in fact, the author has perfect creative writing and the storytelling was chef’s kiss. It was smooth. The characters were oh, so smooth! A fun crowd of characters, thus the main characters sort of fell off the radar? You kind of forget about them. They didn’t come off like the main show but background stuff. They don’t make large impressions or become the scene. He wasn’t imposing and she was like a prop. They hardly associate with one another when together in a party, perhaps, it’s because the hero hadn’t desire the heroine just then and vise versa but clearly, they don’t have chemistry. No tension, no emotions whatsoever. Also, I can’t really connect or relate to neither party. It’s like one reads about them but one barely knows them. A lack of intimacy of the soul and mind?
However, the fun parts was seeing how the table turn for the parties involved. How one play against or team up with another. It was the best!
Aww, this could have easily been a 4 stars. It has all the elements. Great family interaction and interference, siblings relationships and good humor and fun. Too bad for a romance it was lacking romance. Just too bad…
It wasn’t all bad, in fact, the author has perfect creative writing and the storytelling was chef’s kiss. It was smooth. The characters were oh, so smooth! A fun crowd of characters, thus the main characters sort of fell off the radar? You kind of forget about them. They didn’t come off like the main show but background stuff. They don’t make large impressions or become the scene. He wasn’t imposing and she was like a prop. They hardly associate with one another when together in a party, perhaps, it’s because the hero hadn’t desire the heroine just then and vise versa but clearly, they don’t have chemistry. No tension, no emotions whatsoever. Also, I can’t really connect or relate to neither party. It’s like one reads about them but one barely knows them. A lack of intimacy of the soul and mind?
However, the fun parts was seeing how the table turn for the parties involved. How one play against or team up with another. It was the best!
January 29, 2023
The book started well. I was thinking I'd dislike Davida for the way she forced Lyall's hand, but the author did a good job with her motivations. Davida asks him to help her find a husband for her scatterbrained and gaming addicted mother and, in return, the marriage contract their fathers concocted would be nullified. What follows is a series of misunderstandings before multiple couples can be together.
I liked Davida and Lyall at first, but they ended up becoming too annoying. I love a good banter between H and h, but there needs to be a counter balance. Some amusement, understanding, some kinder words to show they like each other. With these two, it was mostly just plain arguing, especially on Davida's side. The only "romantic" indication was jealousy. Then you add the mother and sister who were both completely immature, and I had a hard time finishing it. Had there been at least some resemblance of affection between the main characters, this could have been three stars. As it is, I think this might be my last book by Ms. Peters. Her writing is fine, but I don't think her stories suit my tastes.
I liked Davida and Lyall at first, but they ended up becoming too annoying. I love a good banter between H and h, but there needs to be a counter balance. Some amusement, understanding, some kinder words to show they like each other. With these two, it was mostly just plain arguing, especially on Davida's side. The only "romantic" indication was jealousy. Then you add the mother and sister who were both completely immature, and I had a hard time finishing it. Had there been at least some resemblance of affection between the main characters, this could have been three stars. As it is, I think this might be my last book by Ms. Peters. Her writing is fine, but I don't think her stories suit my tastes.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews