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An American Heiress in London #1
When the Marquess Met His Match
What happens when a carefree, disreputable, stone-broke bachelor is forced to find a wife in a hurry? He hires a matchmaker, of course. What happens when the matchmaker doesn’t want to help him? Well, that’s when the fun begins…
Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge, loves his life just as it is: dissolute, scandalous, and deuced good fun. His father, the Duke of Landsdowne is not amused, and when he cuts off Nicholas’ trust fund, the fun-loving marquess is forced to find an alternate source of income—in other words, he has to marry an heiress.
Every new-money American heiress knows Lady Belinda Featherstone is the key to social acceptance. Once a new-money nobody herself, Belinda discovered first-hand how heartbreaking the game of love and matrimony could be after a reprobate British earl married her for her money. Now a respectable widow, Belinda has become England’s most successful matchmaker, guiding young American heiresses through the hazards of the London season and helping them to find husbands worthy of them. To her mind, the Marquess of Trubridge is nothing but a fortune-hunting scoundrel and she has no intention of allowing him to charm his way into any American girl’s heart, including her own.
Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge, loves his life just as it is: dissolute, scandalous, and deuced good fun. His father, the Duke of Landsdowne is not amused, and when he cuts off Nicholas’ trust fund, the fun-loving marquess is forced to find an alternate source of income—in other words, he has to marry an heiress.
Every new-money American heiress knows Lady Belinda Featherstone is the key to social acceptance. Once a new-money nobody herself, Belinda discovered first-hand how heartbreaking the game of love and matrimony could be after a reprobate British earl married her for her money. Now a respectable widow, Belinda has become England’s most successful matchmaker, guiding young American heiresses through the hazards of the London season and helping them to find husbands worthy of them. To her mind, the Marquess of Trubridge is nothing but a fortune-hunting scoundrel and she has no intention of allowing him to charm his way into any American girl’s heart, including her own.
362 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 29, 2013
199 people are currently reading
2497 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lee Guhrke
41 books1,813 followersFrom the publication of her very first historical romance, Laura Lee Guhrke has received numerous honors and critical acclaim for her novels and her writing style. She has been honored with the most prestigious award of romance fiction, the Romance Writers of America Rita Award, and she has received additional awards from Romantic Times and All About Romance. Romantic Times has proclaimed her, “One of the most natural voices in historical romance to be found today”. Her books routinely hit the USA Today Bestseller List, and Guilty Pleasures has been honored with the Romantic Times Award for Best European Historical Romance of 2004. Among her publishing credits are twelve historical romances, including her latest, And Then He Kissed Her, now available from Avon Books.
Laura is currently hard at work on her thirteenth historical romance for Avon Books. She has also written articles for various publications, including the Romance Writers Report, The British Weekly , and the Irish-American Press.
Laura is currently hard at work on her thirteenth historical romance for Avon Books. She has also written articles for various publications, including the Romance Writers Report, The British Weekly , and the Irish-American Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews
November 20, 2015
3.5 stars
When the Marquess Met His Match is the first story in Laura Lee Guhrke's An American Heiress in London series. It's fun, romantic, steamy, and a unique spin on historical romance's often told tales of the London marriage-mart.
Description...
What happens when a carefree, disreputable, stone-broke bachelor is forced to find a wife in a hurry? He hires a matchmaker, of course. What happens when the matchmaker doesn’t want to help him? Well, that’s when the fun begins…My thoughts...
Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge, loves his life just as it is: dissolute, scandalous, and deuced good fun. His father, the Duke of Landsdowne is not amused, and when he cuts off Nicholas’ trust fund, the fun-loving marquess is forced to find an alternate source of income—in other words, he has to marry an heiress.
Every new-money American heiress knows Lady Belinda Featherstone is the key to social acceptance. Once a new-money nobody herself, Belinda discovered first-hand how heartbreaking the game of love and matrimony could be after a reprobate British earl married her for her money. Now a respectable widow, Belinda has become England’s most successful matchmaker, guiding young American heiresses through the hazards of the London season and helping them to find husbands worthy of them. To her mind, the Marquess of Trubridge is nothing but a fortune-hunting scoundrel and she has no intention of allowing him to charm his way into any American girl’s heart, including her own.
I'm going to keep this review short: The Historical Romance genre is saturated with stories of the ton, seasons, debuts, dowries, and the quest to marry well, and this story is more of the same...but completely different! Despite some slow spots, not only did I enjoy the idea of the story, I enjoyed the way it was told. Ms. Guhrke has created a wonderful world and has given us characters to connect with and cheer for. When the Marquess Met His Match sets the stage for what I'm sure will be an entertaining series!
An eARC of this story was provided by Avon Books via Edelweiss, and in return I'm giving them an honest review.
August 4, 2019
..
This is the introduction to the series American Heiress in London. It definitely reflected unique spin in regards to the hook-up of the H/H. Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge finds himself in a pickle when his father dictates he must marry a woman of society that meets with his approval IF he wants to continue to be supplied with an income from the family and inherit when his father dies. Nicholas had always declared he would never marry and carry on the family name because of his father's constant manipulations. Cut off from any funds and broke, Nicholas finds himself visiting a reputable matchmaker in hopes she can help him fulfill his father's requirements.
In the first of a dazzling new series, the USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke introduces London's most renowned matchmaker—and a scoundrel intent on seducing his way to the altar.
She's the matchmaker . . .
Lady Belinda Featherstone's job is to guide American heiresses to matrimony, and away from men like Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge. But the charming, disreputable marquess needs a wealthy bride, and he hires Belinda to help him find one. Her task seems easy: find that scoundrel the sort of wife he so richly deserves. But Nicholas's hot, searing kiss soon proves her task will be anything but easy.
Since Nicholas is a notorious rake, Lady Belinda finds strong opposition to him based on her personal experience, being the widow of a rake. This leads to her adamantly opposed to setting him up with a debutante for him to consider for marriage. So instead, she sets him up with girls that she is quite sure he will not be able to tolerate. Nicholas discerns her manipulation and confronts her about it.
He's the perfect match . . .
Nicholas plans to wed a rich, pretty young darling to restore his fortune, and he's happy to pay a marriage broker to help him. But one taste of Belinda's lips and Nicholas's sensible scheme to marry for money goes awry, and he yearns to show his beautiful matchmaker he's the perfect match . . . for her.
This was not an instant-love scenario, but a long slow burn. The H/H each had their own individual issues to overcome. They were more than reluctant to depend on one another for a great deal of the story, but each one conceded to an amicable arrangement in the end. The book is able to stand o
Those that prefer a clean read should SKIP this series. It definitely does not fit in that category. Be warned so that you don't deduct points on your reviews. The authors do dedicate their time and effort to research their topics and surroundings, then pour their imagination into their works. I just wish the author's promotions would work together with Amazon and/or Goodreds to provide notification of a category that clarifies sexually explicit content, to better inform the entire reading audience.
It did have many redeemable qualities as well. It is able to stand on its own and will entertain most readers satisfactorily.
Hopefully, some of the characters will cross over to the books in the remainder of the series.
..
This is the introduction to the series American Heiress in London. It definitely reflected unique spin in regards to the hook-up of the H/H. Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge finds himself in a pickle when his father dictates he must marry a woman of society that meets with his approval IF he wants to continue to be supplied with an income from the family and inherit when his father dies. Nicholas had always declared he would never marry and carry on the family name because of his father's constant manipulations. Cut off from any funds and broke, Nicholas finds himself visiting a reputable matchmaker in hopes she can help him fulfill his father's requirements.
In the first of a dazzling new series, the USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke introduces London's most renowned matchmaker—and a scoundrel intent on seducing his way to the altar.
She's the matchmaker . . .
Lady Belinda Featherstone's job is to guide American heiresses to matrimony, and away from men like Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge. But the charming, disreputable marquess needs a wealthy bride, and he hires Belinda to help him find one. Her task seems easy: find that scoundrel the sort of wife he so richly deserves. But Nicholas's hot, searing kiss soon proves her task will be anything but easy.
Since Nicholas is a notorious rake, Lady Belinda finds strong opposition to him based on her personal experience, being the widow of a rake. This leads to her adamantly opposed to setting him up with a debutante for him to consider for marriage. So instead, she sets him up with girls that she is quite sure he will not be able to tolerate. Nicholas discerns her manipulation and confronts her about it.
He's the perfect match . . .
Nicholas plans to wed a rich, pretty young darling to restore his fortune, and he's happy to pay a marriage broker to help him. But one taste of Belinda's lips and Nicholas's sensible scheme to marry for money goes awry, and he yearns to show his beautiful matchmaker he's the perfect match . . . for her.
This was not an instant-love scenario, but a long slow burn. The H/H each had their own individual issues to overcome. They were more than reluctant to depend on one another for a great deal of the story, but each one conceded to an amicable arrangement in the end. The book is able to stand o
Those that prefer a clean read should SKIP this series. It definitely does not fit in that category. Be warned so that you don't deduct points on your reviews. The authors do dedicate their time and effort to research their topics and surroundings, then pour their imagination into their works. I just wish the author's promotions would work together with Amazon and/or Goodreds to provide notification of a category that clarifies sexually explicit content, to better inform the entire reading audience.
It did have many redeemable qualities as well. It is able to stand on its own and will entertain most readers satisfactorily.
Hopefully, some of the characters will cross over to the books in the remainder of the series.
..
July 25, 2017
Había olvidado lo placentero que es leer a Laura Lee Guhrke. A pesar de que esta historia en particular es bastante corta y sencilla, me ha tenido con una sonrisa bobalicona durante casi toda su lectura. Personajes adorables, sobre todo Nick, con esa encantadora utilización de humor y sarcasmo para ocultar su vulnerabilidad.
Probablemente si la autora nos hubiera regalado un Epílogo, habría subido mi valoración a 4 estrellas. Creo que era necesario porque, aunque no es de los libros en que todo se resuelve a la rápida, hay varios aspectos que no quedan suficientemente atados. Ojalá en los siguientes libros de la serie sepamos más de Nicholas y Belinda.
Probablemente si la autora nos hubiera regalado un Epílogo, habría subido mi valoración a 4 estrellas. Creo que era necesario porque, aunque no es de los libros en que todo se resuelve a la rápida, hay varios aspectos que no quedan suficientemente atados. Ojalá en los siguientes libros de la serie sepamos más de Nicholas y Belinda.
November 28, 2018
No fue el mejor libro que he leído de la autora pero estuvo decente.
Algo que tiene Laura Lee Guhrke es que sus libros no tan buenos igual se te van como agua entre los dedos o sea de voladita. Y eso es algo muy meritorio de Laura por eso se ha convertido en una de mis autoras favoritas de histórica.
Lo que no me gusto de este libro fue la protagonista, no logró cautivarme todo debido al comportamiento y actitud del comienzo.
Nick no estuvo tan mal, la verdad es si me gustó, es como sus típicos protagonistas que me cautivan aunque tampoco está a la altura de mi top top.
Algo que tiene Laura Lee Guhrke es que sus libros no tan buenos igual se te van como agua entre los dedos o sea de voladita. Y eso es algo muy meritorio de Laura por eso se ha convertido en una de mis autoras favoritas de histórica.
Lo que no me gusto de este libro fue la protagonista, no logró cautivarme todo debido al comportamiento y actitud del comienzo.
Nick no estuvo tan mal, la verdad es si me gustó, es como sus típicos protagonistas que me cautivan aunque tampoco está a la altura de mi top top.
December 25, 2024
oh this had me giggling and kicking my feet in the air (she’s running her own matchmaking empire and he falls first) i was in desperate need of a good romance and this delivered!!!
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November 13, 2015
Indudablemente Laura Lee Guhrke es capaz de entretenerme con una historia como esta que es todo un topizaco. El usual libertino de quien es más la mala fama que el mal comportamiento y la viuda estirada y llena de prejuicios.
Durante toda la novela llevan una relación de tira y afloja que a mí me gusta. Y sobre todo lo que más me ha gustado es ese tono picaruelo de los comentarios de él. Ella no ha terminado de caerme del todo bien.
El problema es que intentan que confundamos deseo con amor, como en otras tantas novelas. Y de pronto, se dan cuenta ambos de lo enamorados que están y no, eso no termina de convencerme
Pese a todo, la recomiendo pues es muy del estilo de esta autora. Una historia sencilla, bien escrita, con una ambientación cuidada que se lee en un plish plash.
Pero no resulta un historia memorable
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com.es/201...
Durante toda la novela llevan una relación de tira y afloja que a mí me gusta. Y sobre todo lo que más me ha gustado es ese tono picaruelo de los comentarios de él. Ella no ha terminado de caerme del todo bien.
El problema es que intentan que confundamos deseo con amor, como en otras tantas novelas. Y de pronto, se dan cuenta ambos de lo enamorados que están y no, eso no termina de convencerme
Pese a todo, la recomiendo pues es muy del estilo de esta autora. Una historia sencilla, bien escrita, con una ambientación cuidada que se lee en un plish plash.
Pero no resulta un historia memorable
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com.es/201...
September 8, 2017
3.5
Creo que me ha gustado más que la última vez. Quizás porque la romántica que he leído últimamente me ha dejado bastante indiferente
sí, está llena de tópicos, pero es de muy grata lectura.
Me gustan estos personajes que chocan continuamente!!
Quizás el problema es que al final hay demasiada condensación de pasión
Creo que me ha gustado más que la última vez. Quizás porque la romántica que he leído últimamente me ha dejado bastante indiferente
sí, está llena de tópicos, pero es de muy grata lectura.
Me gustan estos personajes que chocan continuamente!!
Quizás el problema es que al final hay demasiada condensación de pasión
October 28, 2016
This is a beautifully crafted love story from the talented pen of Laura Lee Guhrke. I particularly like Ms Guhrke’s books because they are set either in the late Victorian or early Edwardian eras. I love the Regency period but sometimes it’s just refreshing to read a book set in an era of social and economic change.
The late Victoria era saw the erosion of the wealth of many of the great country estates. American heiresses, who were shunned by New York high society because their family’s wealth came from trade, were highly sought after by impoverished members of the British aristocracy. The heiresses provided the much needed cash to restore their crumbling estates in return for a title and social status, but not always happiness as Lady Belinda Featherstone, the heroine of this book, discovers. At seventeen, after a whirlwind courtship, she marries the dashing Earl of Featherstone, only to discover the man she had fallen madly in love with was nothing but a fortune hunter who had never loved her.
Only after the wedding had she learned of her new husband’s four mortgaged estates, two mistresses, and three hundred thousand pounds of debt.
During the five years since her husband’s premature death, she has carved out a successful place for herself in British society and gained a reputation for being the finest marriage broker in England. She is determined to ensure that no young lady will make the same mistake she did.
At the age of twenty one, Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge finally escaped the influence of his domineering, tyranical father by going to Paris. His reputation already in tatters, he spent his time living up to that reputation by drinking, gambling and consorting with women of low moral character. Things change drastically when his father cuts off monies from his trust fund. He will restore them as soon as Nicholas marries someone whom his father approves off. Nicholas has no intention of succumbing to his father’s demands but needs to find a wealthy wife. His only option is to seek Lady Featherston’s help in finding a suitable wife.
“I shall make sure that any young lady you are considering knows just what sort of man you are, of your scandalous past, the dishonorable reasons for your courtship, the mercenary quality of your intentions, and just what a horrible husband you would make.
I could relate to Belinda’s initial feelings towards Nicholas and her refusal to help him. From her perspective, he is a carbon copy of her late husband…a rake and self-confessed fortune hunter who is bound to break the heart of any impressionable young wife, just as her heart had been broken. But I liked how, as she comes to know him better, she is willing to admit that her harsh judgement of Nicholas was wrong.
I loved how the romance developed… their initial witty, sarcastic banter, the simmering sexual tension, their undeniable passion for each other and the deliciously sensual love scenes.
One of the best scenes is where Belinda makes Nicholas realise that he has never truly broken free of his father’s control…he has never been master of his own life. It is a life-altering moment for Nicholas because he realises that to earn Belinda’s love, he must first earn her respect. It’s the impetus he needs to turn his life around.
And now, as he thought of being something more than a lily of the field, he felt hope stirring inside him, something he hadn’t had since he was a boy. He wanted to find a purpose for his life.
Nicholas’s father, the Duke of Lansdowne was truly odious and I loved the scene where Nicholas confronted him, only to discover that Belinda had already been there before him. I couldn’t agree more with Belinda when she says….
“What an odious man. I had no idea. Really, if he’d been my father, I think I’d have had to shoot him.”
The exchanges between Nicholas and his friend Denys were funny, especially the scene in which Nicholas asks him for a loan.
I was really intrigued by the situation between the Duke and Duchess of Margrave, whose marriage Belinda considers to be her “most colossal failure”. Luckily, their story is next in the series.
My Verdict: Overall, a delightful start to a romantic, entertaining and witty new series.
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS
An American Heiress in London series (click on the book covers for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
The late Victoria era saw the erosion of the wealth of many of the great country estates. American heiresses, who were shunned by New York high society because their family’s wealth came from trade, were highly sought after by impoverished members of the British aristocracy. The heiresses provided the much needed cash to restore their crumbling estates in return for a title and social status, but not always happiness as Lady Belinda Featherstone, the heroine of this book, discovers. At seventeen, after a whirlwind courtship, she marries the dashing Earl of Featherstone, only to discover the man she had fallen madly in love with was nothing but a fortune hunter who had never loved her.
Only after the wedding had she learned of her new husband’s four mortgaged estates, two mistresses, and three hundred thousand pounds of debt.
During the five years since her husband’s premature death, she has carved out a successful place for herself in British society and gained a reputation for being the finest marriage broker in England. She is determined to ensure that no young lady will make the same mistake she did.
At the age of twenty one, Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge finally escaped the influence of his domineering, tyranical father by going to Paris. His reputation already in tatters, he spent his time living up to that reputation by drinking, gambling and consorting with women of low moral character. Things change drastically when his father cuts off monies from his trust fund. He will restore them as soon as Nicholas marries someone whom his father approves off. Nicholas has no intention of succumbing to his father’s demands but needs to find a wealthy wife. His only option is to seek Lady Featherston’s help in finding a suitable wife.
“I shall make sure that any young lady you are considering knows just what sort of man you are, of your scandalous past, the dishonorable reasons for your courtship, the mercenary quality of your intentions, and just what a horrible husband you would make.
I could relate to Belinda’s initial feelings towards Nicholas and her refusal to help him. From her perspective, he is a carbon copy of her late husband…a rake and self-confessed fortune hunter who is bound to break the heart of any impressionable young wife, just as her heart had been broken. But I liked how, as she comes to know him better, she is willing to admit that her harsh judgement of Nicholas was wrong.
I loved how the romance developed… their initial witty, sarcastic banter, the simmering sexual tension, their undeniable passion for each other and the deliciously sensual love scenes.
One of the best scenes is where Belinda makes Nicholas realise that he has never truly broken free of his father’s control…he has never been master of his own life. It is a life-altering moment for Nicholas because he realises that to earn Belinda’s love, he must first earn her respect. It’s the impetus he needs to turn his life around.
And now, as he thought of being something more than a lily of the field, he felt hope stirring inside him, something he hadn’t had since he was a boy. He wanted to find a purpose for his life.
Nicholas’s father, the Duke of Lansdowne was truly odious and I loved the scene where Nicholas confronted him, only to discover that Belinda had already been there before him. I couldn’t agree more with Belinda when she says….
“What an odious man. I had no idea. Really, if he’d been my father, I think I’d have had to shoot him.”
The exchanges between Nicholas and his friend Denys were funny, especially the scene in which Nicholas asks him for a loan.
I was really intrigued by the situation between the Duke and Duchess of Margrave, whose marriage Belinda considers to be her “most colossal failure”. Luckily, their story is next in the series.
My Verdict: Overall, a delightful start to a romantic, entertaining and witty new series.
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS
An American Heiress in London series (click on the book covers for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
March 10, 2022
I hadn't plan to start with the first book in the series, but it became available from my library, and I am glad it was. The first part had light banter and was enjoyable, but it was the second half that I really enjoyed. The couple went from dislike to love at a rather rapid pace. But then it is a hr so all things are possible. I rate it 3.5* and rounded up.
October 30, 2013
4 Stars...A Hero Strong Enough to Be Her Man
Acceptance amongst the Knickerbocker New York ‘aristocracy’ wasn’t attainable for a New Money girl from Cleveland, Ohio. Miss Belinda Hamilton found love instead…or so she thought. She was swept off her feet by the Seventh Earl of Featherstone, settled in England, and fleeced of all her money to pay her husband’s debt. The widowed Countess of Featherstone learned a hard lesson. As a sought after matchmaker, she earns her living while protecting naïve American heiresses from meeting the same fate she did.
Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge, is just the type of scoundrel she despises. He is a friend of Belinda’s squandering brother-in-law. She has heard about their exploits. Nicholas, with his dashing good looks and charming ways, is just the type of man who would win a young girl’s heart to later shatter it into a million pieces.
Belinda’s interference in his desperate pursuit for a wealthy wife leads to skirmishes between the two. Eventually, there’s only one option left to Belinda, which is to become Nicholas’s matchmaker. She doesn’t count on learning there is more to him than meets the eye. Nor does she expect him to unintentionally offer glimpses of the vulnerable man he hides. Nicholas makes her feel alive for the first time in many years, but can he prove to Belinda that he is the man she wants and needs?
This may seem like a story about an archetypical wastrel son in need of an heiress, but it’s not! Nicholas’s squandering ways are motivated by factors explained early in the story. Belinda and Nicholas reveal their wounds to the reader and to each other through their fears and actions. That they are perceptive characters is a rewarding characteristic; time is not wasted in the storytelling waiting for them to have revelations. In a way, Nicholas is the poor little rich boy rebelling against his father and Belinda is the lonely widow nursing a broken and bitter heart, but there is more to their characters to keep the reader engaged.
When the Marquess Met His Match brings two vulnerable characters together and they ignite! Laura Lee Guhrke pares them down and puts them into impressive motion for the readers to enjoy. The hero and heroine have chemistry, wit, charm, and pride. The romance, dialogue, setting, and storytelling are what you would expect from a seasoned historical romance writer. Overcoming Fears. Earning Respect. Giving One’s Love. The characters have to work for it! When the Marquess Met His Match shows when love encourages one to be a better person. It is the first book (and a winner!) in the American Heiress in London series.
ARC courtesy of HarperCollins via Edelweiss
Acceptance amongst the Knickerbocker New York ‘aristocracy’ wasn’t attainable for a New Money girl from Cleveland, Ohio. Miss Belinda Hamilton found love instead…or so she thought. She was swept off her feet by the Seventh Earl of Featherstone, settled in England, and fleeced of all her money to pay her husband’s debt. The widowed Countess of Featherstone learned a hard lesson. As a sought after matchmaker, she earns her living while protecting naïve American heiresses from meeting the same fate she did.
Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge, is just the type of scoundrel she despises. He is a friend of Belinda’s squandering brother-in-law. She has heard about their exploits. Nicholas, with his dashing good looks and charming ways, is just the type of man who would win a young girl’s heart to later shatter it into a million pieces.
Belinda’s interference in his desperate pursuit for a wealthy wife leads to skirmishes between the two. Eventually, there’s only one option left to Belinda, which is to become Nicholas’s matchmaker. She doesn’t count on learning there is more to him than meets the eye. Nor does she expect him to unintentionally offer glimpses of the vulnerable man he hides. Nicholas makes her feel alive for the first time in many years, but can he prove to Belinda that he is the man she wants and needs?
This may seem like a story about an archetypical wastrel son in need of an heiress, but it’s not! Nicholas’s squandering ways are motivated by factors explained early in the story. Belinda and Nicholas reveal their wounds to the reader and to each other through their fears and actions. That they are perceptive characters is a rewarding characteristic; time is not wasted in the storytelling waiting for them to have revelations. In a way, Nicholas is the poor little rich boy rebelling against his father and Belinda is the lonely widow nursing a broken and bitter heart, but there is more to their characters to keep the reader engaged.
When the Marquess Met His Match brings two vulnerable characters together and they ignite! Laura Lee Guhrke pares them down and puts them into impressive motion for the readers to enjoy. The hero and heroine have chemistry, wit, charm, and pride. The romance, dialogue, setting, and storytelling are what you would expect from a seasoned historical romance writer. Overcoming Fears. Earning Respect. Giving One’s Love. The characters have to work for it! When the Marquess Met His Match shows when love encourages one to be a better person. It is the first book (and a winner!) in the American Heiress in London series.
ARC courtesy of HarperCollins via Edelweiss
June 14, 2016
I'm a relative newcomer to Laura Lee Guhrke's work, so perhaps more dedicated fans may be willing to extend Guhrke more leniency, but I did not enjoy WHEN THE MARQUESS MET HIS MATCH at all. It's not that the book is poorly written-it's definitely not-but I found the heroine, Belinda Featherstone, to be judgmental, mean, petty, and holier-than-thou all in the first four or five chapters. While she explains the way she is by the end of the book, it didn't make for a pleasant person to read about, especially when the person to whom her hate is directed hasn't really done anything so egregious to warrant such poor treatment.
I think the first half of the book is supposed to be funny, and the things Belinda does to foil Nicholas is supposed to be amusing; however, I just found her to be mean. Because she's so evil to Nicholas in the first half of the book, I found it hard to believe that she lets herself fall in love with him in the second half. I can't at all see why Nicholas is interested in her at all, past visions of lust. For me, these two never clicked, and because of it, the book didn't really work for me. But I would likely still check out the rest of Guhrke's new American Heiress series in the hopes that Belinda doesn't feature too prominently in it.
I think the first half of the book is supposed to be funny, and the things Belinda does to foil Nicholas is supposed to be amusing; however, I just found her to be mean. Because she's so evil to Nicholas in the first half of the book, I found it hard to believe that she lets herself fall in love with him in the second half. I can't at all see why Nicholas is interested in her at all, past visions of lust. For me, these two never clicked, and because of it, the book didn't really work for me. But I would likely still check out the rest of Guhrke's new American Heiress series in the hopes that Belinda doesn't feature too prominently in it.
November 8, 2017
Genial! Me han encantado los diálogos entre los protagonistas. Vaya par!! Una historia de amor muy bonita. La única pega: no hay epílogo y lo he echado en falta. Ha sido un final demasiado precipitado.
January 4, 2025
Ha sido un libro que me ha gustado, y aunque hay partes un poco lentas, he disfrutado de la lectura. Seguiré con la saga.
May 3, 2016
En realidad 3'5 estrellas, pero me siento generosa con la Guhrke y le he dado las cuatro. Más que nada, porque cualquier libro sosete de la Guhrke es mejor que muchas autoras mediocres que se publican por ahí.
Tal como dice la sinopsis, y tras leer críticas y opiniones, estoy de acuerdo en todo en que éste libro de innovador no tiene nada, al revés, es un topicazo tras otro. Ella una viuda americana, que se casó joven e inocente con un noble británico y arruinado, que sólo la quiso por su dinero. Su experiencia en ésta índole la ha vuelto cínica y desconfiada (con razón), de los granujas y libertinos. Ahora se dedica a ser la casamentera de moda en Londres de todas las jovencitas americanas.
¿Y cuál es el quid? El protagonista, ése GRAN PROTAGONISTA. Nicholas tiene todo lo que tienen los mejores héroes de la Guhrke, a pesar de tener su punto canalla, tiene un gran corazón. Sus circunstancias lo convirtieron en un rebelde, y en el granuja que cree Belinda que es. Todo el libro ha sido un constante tira y afloja entre ellos, además de las pullas tan divertidas que se lanzaban. Lo mejor, ése punto picaresco con que terminaba siempre Nicholas.
Lo cierto es que es una novela muy entretenida, e ideal para leerse en un fin de semana. Y si eres fan de la Guhrke, puedes leerlo sin problemas. Por lo menos a mí me ha parecido mejor que su anterior serie, la de las "Plantadas en el Altar".
Tal como dice la sinopsis, y tras leer críticas y opiniones, estoy de acuerdo en todo en que éste libro de innovador no tiene nada, al revés, es un topicazo tras otro. Ella una viuda americana, que se casó joven e inocente con un noble británico y arruinado, que sólo la quiso por su dinero. Su experiencia en ésta índole la ha vuelto cínica y desconfiada (con razón), de los granujas y libertinos. Ahora se dedica a ser la casamentera de moda en Londres de todas las jovencitas americanas.
¿Y cuál es el quid? El protagonista, ése GRAN PROTAGONISTA. Nicholas tiene todo lo que tienen los mejores héroes de la Guhrke, a pesar de tener su punto canalla, tiene un gran corazón. Sus circunstancias lo convirtieron en un rebelde, y en el granuja que cree Belinda que es. Todo el libro ha sido un constante tira y afloja entre ellos, además de las pullas tan divertidas que se lanzaban. Lo mejor, ése punto picaresco con que terminaba siempre Nicholas.
Lo cierto es que es una novela muy entretenida, e ideal para leerse en un fin de semana. Y si eres fan de la Guhrke, puedes leerlo sin problemas. Por lo menos a mí me ha parecido mejor que su anterior serie, la de las "Plantadas en el Altar".
December 7, 2020
It started out fun but then I lost interest in the last 30%.
May 21, 2019
3.5 stars
October 18, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
When The Marquess Met His Match is a story that begins the An American Heiresses in London series. Now I have not read this series in order, but that is alright, but I was really eager to finish this series up and read Nick and Belinda's story. I will admit that this is probably not my favorite book of the series, though I really did enjoy it quite a bit just not as much as some of the other books in the series.
The story sets off when our hero goes in search of the infamous matchmaker, Belinda, to find him a match. His father has cut off his funds completely and he needs to find a rich heiress in a hurry. But when he arrives and asks for Belinda's help, she brutally turns him away. Through a series of events, they come to an agreement, that Belinda will find him a wife if he will stay away from one of her other "customers", a young woman that is close to finding a match herself until she meets Nick. Belinda doesn't care very much for Nick, she has heard everything she can hear about his "rakish" reputation, and has no inclination to actually help out a fortune hunter. But as Belinda starts to work more with Nick, she begins to see that he isn't the man that she assumed he was. She starts to see the real man....a man that has honor and integrity and has had to bear some horrible abuse from his father, a man worthy of her love.
I will say that there was many part of this book that I really enjoyed. I love the quick witted bantering that forms between Nick and Belinda. I loved the supporting characters that really add some laughter and spice to the story. We have our villain (Nick's father) who tries everything in his power to bring Nick down. Then we have the tender filled romance that slowly develops between Nick and Belinda. But there was one downer, our heroine. I really had a difficult time liking her, especially in the beginning. She gets pretty self righteous and judgemental on Nick. And yes I guess you could say he is a fortune hunter technically. But its not like he was going to use the money he gained from a good respectable marriage to go gambling or keep up his "rakish" ways. In fact, we see how responsible he feels for the tenants and innocent people that are depending on him. So I really had a hard time seeing how much Belinda is always putting him down and never believing in him until the end. Now this is where we see our hero go out of his comfort zone, and work on something that is fulfilling for him. Where he goes from just being a member of the Ton....to actually working his way to achieving something that could benefit many....all on his own merits and not because he marries a young lady or gets back in the good graces of his father. We see how deamening the father is toward his own son and it was pretty appalling to see here. My heart just broke for our hero, who has had to deal with such a horrible father who has taken pretty much everything he has cared about away from him out of spite. We do see how strong our hero actually is because of this though.
The romance that builds between them is slow going though. Of course they do have some solid chemistry and sparks and boy the way they like to verbally become entangled is a sight to see. But the actual development of their romance was slow going. It was really until the later half of the story that we see their romance really take a solid turn in the right direction.
[foogallery id="44744"]
When The Marquess Met His Match is a story that begins the An American Heiresses in London series. Now I have not read this series in order, but that is alright, but I was really eager to finish this series up and read Nick and Belinda's story. I will admit that this is probably not my favorite book of the series, though I really did enjoy it quite a bit just not as much as some of the other books in the series.
The story sets off when our hero goes in search of the infamous matchmaker, Belinda, to find him a match. His father has cut off his funds completely and he needs to find a rich heiress in a hurry. But when he arrives and asks for Belinda's help, she brutally turns him away. Through a series of events, they come to an agreement, that Belinda will find him a wife if he will stay away from one of her other "customers", a young woman that is close to finding a match herself until she meets Nick. Belinda doesn't care very much for Nick, she has heard everything she can hear about his "rakish" reputation, and has no inclination to actually help out a fortune hunter. But as Belinda starts to work more with Nick, she begins to see that he isn't the man that she assumed he was. She starts to see the real man....a man that has honor and integrity and has had to bear some horrible abuse from his father, a man worthy of her love.
I will say that there was many part of this book that I really enjoyed. I love the quick witted bantering that forms between Nick and Belinda. I loved the supporting characters that really add some laughter and spice to the story. We have our villain (Nick's father) who tries everything in his power to bring Nick down. Then we have the tender filled romance that slowly develops between Nick and Belinda. But there was one downer, our heroine. I really had a difficult time liking her, especially in the beginning. She gets pretty self righteous and judgemental on Nick. And yes I guess you could say he is a fortune hunter technically. But its not like he was going to use the money he gained from a good respectable marriage to go gambling or keep up his "rakish" ways. In fact, we see how responsible he feels for the tenants and innocent people that are depending on him. So I really had a hard time seeing how much Belinda is always putting him down and never believing in him until the end. Now this is where we see our hero go out of his comfort zone, and work on something that is fulfilling for him. Where he goes from just being a member of the Ton....to actually working his way to achieving something that could benefit many....all on his own merits and not because he marries a young lady or gets back in the good graces of his father. We see how deamening the father is toward his own son and it was pretty appalling to see here. My heart just broke for our hero, who has had to deal with such a horrible father who has taken pretty much everything he has cared about away from him out of spite. We do see how strong our hero actually is because of this though.
The romance that builds between them is slow going though. Of course they do have some solid chemistry and sparks and boy the way they like to verbally become entangled is a sight to see. But the actual development of their romance was slow going. It was really until the later half of the story that we see their romance really take a solid turn in the right direction.
[foogallery id="44744"]
December 18, 2017
Pero que bien escribe esta señora.
No sé si tópico, típico o yo que sé. Pero lo he pasado la mar de bien. He disfrutado de ese tira y afloja de los personajes. ¡Que diálogos!. Belinda es una mujer con muchos prejuicios (normal, teniendo en cuenta por lo que ha pasado) y que le cuesta creer en el amor. Sin embargo, y ahí está la contradicción de ella, es que le queda esa pequeña chispa de romántica. Y ahí está Nícolas para aprovecharse y conquistarla.
¿Qué decir de Nícolas? Pues que se come el libro y todo lo que se ponga por delante. Que frases más demoledoras. Que amor de hombre. Que puntito de cañalla y pícaro que tiene que hace que tus enaguas, y otras cosas, hagan explosionen.
Ha sido una lectura divertida, amena, apasionada, tierna.
Voy a por el siguiente.
No sé si tópico, típico o yo que sé. Pero lo he pasado la mar de bien. He disfrutado de ese tira y afloja de los personajes. ¡Que diálogos!. Belinda es una mujer con muchos prejuicios (normal, teniendo en cuenta por lo que ha pasado) y que le cuesta creer en el amor. Sin embargo, y ahí está la contradicción de ella, es que le queda esa pequeña chispa de romántica. Y ahí está Nícolas para aprovecharse y conquistarla.
¿Qué decir de Nícolas? Pues que se come el libro y todo lo que se ponga por delante. Que frases más demoledoras. Que amor de hombre. Que puntito de cañalla y pícaro que tiene que hace que tus enaguas, y otras cosas, hagan explosionen.
Ha sido una lectura divertida, amena, apasionada, tierna.
Voy a por el siguiente.
April 2, 2014
Mini review: My first Laura Lee Guhrke book. Initially, I did not like the heroine for her rather high-handed morals, but I grew to like her. Not a bad read. I will be watching out for her later books.
June 12, 2019
4,5 Estrellas
"En busca de una dama" es una novela romántica histórica ambientada en Londres en el siglo XIX y narrada en tercera persona. Aunque se trata del primer libro de una serie se puede leer de forma independiente ya que es autoconclusivo.
Estamos ante una novela muy entretenida y muy fácil de leer. Es cierto que no aporta ningún elemento novedoso pero a pesar de ello he disfrutado mucho de la lectura, y creo que ha sido precisamente porque he encontrado el tipo de historia que esperaba de un libro de la autora.
Las discusiones entre ellos son muy divertidas. Ella es muy seria y él es un hombre muy divertido. Nicholas está decidido a encontrar esposa y ella a impedirlo, y eso produce situaciones muy entretenidas.
Me he leído el libro en un par de días y ayuda mucho la prosa ágil y sencilla de la autora. La verdad es que no me había dado cuenta de lo que echaba de menos los libros de Laura, una autora de la que he leído casi todos los libros que ha publicado y he disfrutado de todos. Algunas de sus obras son mejores que otras pero suele ser una apuesta segura. Tenía pendiente su serie de herederas americanas y espero ponerme pronto con los tres que me faltan por leer.
"En busca de una dama" es una novela romántica histórica ambientada en Londres en el siglo XIX y narrada en tercera persona. Aunque se trata del primer libro de una serie se puede leer de forma independiente ya que es autoconclusivo.
Estamos ante una novela muy entretenida y muy fácil de leer. Es cierto que no aporta ningún elemento novedoso pero a pesar de ello he disfrutado mucho de la lectura, y creo que ha sido precisamente porque he encontrado el tipo de historia que esperaba de un libro de la autora.
Las discusiones entre ellos son muy divertidas. Ella es muy seria y él es un hombre muy divertido. Nicholas está decidido a encontrar esposa y ella a impedirlo, y eso produce situaciones muy entretenidas.
Me he leído el libro en un par de días y ayuda mucho la prosa ágil y sencilla de la autora. La verdad es que no me había dado cuenta de lo que echaba de menos los libros de Laura, una autora de la que he leído casi todos los libros que ha publicado y he disfrutado de todos. Algunas de sus obras son mejores que otras pero suele ser una apuesta segura. Tenía pendiente su serie de herederas americanas y espero ponerme pronto con los tres que me faltan por leer.
February 5, 2019
#RetoRita3 #RitaLaura
Lo cierto es que son 3,5 estrellas. He pasado un rato buenísimo. Es una novela, que sin tener una trama complicada, ni grandes giros argumentales me ha hecho pasar un rato buenísimo. Los tira y afloja entre Belinda y Nick me han sacado una sonrisa, la verdad.
Es una de esas novelas con las que paso un rato agradable y disfruto. Me da igual que tenga clichés (siempre he dicho que bien llevados no me molestan para nada), que sea previsible, todo eso que para muchas son pegas, pues para mí, no lo son. Que me haga pasar un buen rato es, para mi, lo importante
Lo cierto es que son 3,5 estrellas. He pasado un rato buenísimo. Es una novela, que sin tener una trama complicada, ni grandes giros argumentales me ha hecho pasar un rato buenísimo. Los tira y afloja entre Belinda y Nick me han sacado una sonrisa, la verdad.
Es una de esas novelas con las que paso un rato agradable y disfruto. Me da igual que tenga clichés (siempre he dicho que bien llevados no me molestan para nada), que sea previsible, todo eso que para muchas son pegas, pues para mí, no lo son. Que me haga pasar un buen rato es, para mi, lo importante
March 10, 2016
Es el tipico de Laura, con historia de fondo que la hace interesante aunque no esta a la altura de otros buenos libros de antes... Me ha gustado la transicion del personaje masculino y saber el porque se comporta asi ( aunque es previsible totalmente)... un libro para pasar una tarde pero poco mas...
July 7, 2020
She's a match maker.
He needs a rich wife in order to get from under i
His father grip.
But the match maker maybe just the one for him even if she's not rich.
The match maker determined to give Nichols a bad rep in getting the wife he wants. But then she her self starts to fall for all the charm all the other ladies fall for.
Intriguing story of love, laughter and so much fun.
He needs a rich wife in order to get from under i
His father grip.
But the match maker maybe just the one for him even if she's not rich.
The match maker determined to give Nichols a bad rep in getting the wife he wants. But then she her self starts to fall for all the charm all the other ladies fall for.
Intriguing story of love, laughter and so much fun.
October 24, 2016
“I fear that you encourage women simply by looking at them.”
“I shall take that as a compliment.”
She gave him a wry look as she began to put on her gloves. “I must have said it wrong.”
Lady Belinda Featherstone’s late husband taught her very well that rakes cannot be reformed, and as England’s most successful matchmaker she ensures that no young lady will suffer heartbreak like she did at the hands of fortune hunting scoundrels. And when the rakish Marquess of Trubridge asks her for help in finding him a suitable wife, all she sees is another fortune hunter and she refuses to help him. And when he sets his eyes on the daughter of a close friend, she’s determined to stop him by any means necessary, even find him a more suitable wife. What she does not need is to fall for his charm, his wicked kisses. Because as the saying goes: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. And Belinda is no fool, never again will she fall for a rake.
Nicholas Stirling has lived the last ten years going out of his way to annoy and aggravate his bastard of a father. But when his father decides to cut off his trust fund until he marries a woman of his choice, Nicholas sees his only escape under his father’s thumb being to marry a rich, and hopefully pretty woman. And hiring the best matchmaker in London can only make things easier.
“If you won’t allow me to conduct my customary interview, how can I determine what sort of women appeals to you?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he answered in his careless, offhand way. “Look in a mirror perhaps?”
But Belinda is nothing like he expected, and convincing her to look beyond his reputation is proving impossible, just like keeping his lips and hands off her does. But he needs to marry for money, and wanting Belinda won’t help him out of his predicament. But how can he marry anyone else, when every moment with Belinda convinces him they are meant for each other?
“I don’t know much about you, Belinda Featherstone,” he murmured, “but I do know one thing. I know that underneath that prim, cool exterior of yours, you are hotter than hellfire.”
I loved both Belinda and Nicholas. They seem so different, her being so proper and him so wicked and carefree, but underneath both carry hurts from past loves that disillusioned them. And it was a lot of fun seeing them clash wills, with Belinda seeing only Nicholas’ reputation and both of them unable to keep their control around each other.
Bad enough that he wanted her so much he ached like a randy seventeen-year-old. But the fact that he was here because he needed to find a wife made it all that much worse, for contemplating marriage to any woman when he wanted one he couldn’t marry, wanted her beyond all reason, seemed more than he could bear.
I loved how infatuated Nicholas was right from the start, and I loved seeing Belinda realise that Nicholas was nothing like her husband. The romance was totally swoon-worthy and the sexy times intense and hot.
I really like this author’s writing, and this was just what I needed: an HR with a stubborn heroine, a wicked hero determined to change her mind, some wonderful banter, and excellent romance. A must read for all fans of historical romance.
October 28, 2013
When the Marquess Met His Match-- clever title for a clever, engaging romance from one of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed how American heiress Lady Belinda Featherstone came about her matchmaking in an effort to protect other young heiresses from falling into the same marriage trap she did...thinking she married for love instead of her fortune. When the newly cut-off-from-his-trust-fund Nicholas Stirling, Marquess of Trubridge, arrives at her doorstep she refuses to help him as he is exactly the type of man she keeps away from her clients and they declare war on each other. Belinda pulls out some fun twists and Trubridge finds himself unable to stop thinking about her. Together they go on a journey of self discovery, self worth, forgiveness, trust and passion. A truly delightful romance and I am very eager for the next story in the series! 4 stars
Review copy provided by Avon via edelweiss.
Review copy provided by Avon via edelweiss.
April 26, 2016
Le premier tome de cette série de romances m'a beaucoup plu. Si l'intrigue, dans sa construction, reste très classique, l'idée sur laquelle repose le roman ouvre une porte sur des situations souvent drôles. J'ai aimé cette idée tout comme j'ai aimé les personnages qui ont des personnalités qui ont su me charmer et qui ont ce petit caractère qui laisse la part belle à de savoureux dialogues. La fin un peu rapide et un changement chez Nicholas, dans l'attrait qu'il porte à Belinda, un peu moins subtile que le reste, m'ont très légèrement gêné, mais bien évidemment, ça n'a pas modifié mon avis au final. Une romance historique que je recommande chaudement.
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2016/...
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2016/...
May 20, 2020
Me gusta mucho cómo escribe la autora y aunque he disfrutado de la historia, creo que se debe más a su estupenda forma de narrar y sus buenas descripciones que por el hecho de que haya logrado empatizar con los protagonistas. Él me resultó bastante antipático y aunque ella me pareció un personaje femenino muy interesante, en el fondo no logró despertar un cariño especial en mí. Puedo pensar en algunas otras historias de la autora que me gustaron mucho más, y planeo releerlas en su momento e ir por alguna otra porque de verdad me encanta su estilo.
March 9, 2021
3 Stars because this was really nice and fun and good.
I immediately read this on the heels of finishing Guilty Pleasures and oddly did not find this nearly as deep, well developed, or introspective as that book which I will admit probably affected the rating I am giving. Still, I am a general fan of Laura Lee Guhrke, and she definitely did not disappoint me here. She wrote a fun matchmaker-come-lover story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The MCs, particularly the hero, were well characterized and likable. My only gripe was that it felt a little drawn out since the relationship dynamic wasn’t really based on anything I, personally, felt real. The love aspect didn’t 100% make sense to me, as it went from... vehement dislike, to hawT boners, to annoyance, then BOOM—lurrrvvveeee. And only then were they actually having conversations of any real substance—about the trust issues Nicholas has and the crippling shyness Belinda had to overcome. I dunno. I just didn’t track the lurrvvee story’s progression.
I know this is one if Guhrke’s more beloved books and I 100% see why. I’d definitely recommend it, but for me it just didn’t stun me nor did I connect with it the way I have with her other books.
I immediately read this on the heels of finishing Guilty Pleasures and oddly did not find this nearly as deep, well developed, or introspective as that book which I will admit probably affected the rating I am giving. Still, I am a general fan of Laura Lee Guhrke, and she definitely did not disappoint me here. She wrote a fun matchmaker-come-lover story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The MCs, particularly the hero, were well characterized and likable. My only gripe was that it felt a little drawn out since the relationship dynamic wasn’t really based on anything I, personally, felt real. The love aspect didn’t 100% make sense to me, as it went from... vehement dislike, to hawT boners, to annoyance, then BOOM—lurrrvvveeee. And only then were they actually having conversations of any real substance—about the trust issues Nicholas has and the crippling shyness Belinda had to overcome. I dunno. I just didn’t track the lurrvvee story’s progression.
I know this is one if Guhrke’s more beloved books and I 100% see why. I’d definitely recommend it, but for me it just didn’t stun me nor did I connect with it the way I have with her other books.
December 7, 2013
This review was originally published at All About Romance
I've read many historical romances featuring either a social climber or a fortune hunter. Usually these characters are paired with their opposite; the social climber falls in love with someone from the nobility, the fortune hunter pursues someone of wealth. In Laura Lee Guhrke’s When the Marquess Met His Match, the lovers are a social climber and a fortune hunter.
The social climber is Lady Belinda Featherstone. Belinda, years ago, married an Earl with whom she was madly in love. He was not and made it clear he married her for her piles of American money. When he died, five years ago — he had a heart attack while in bed with his current mistress — he’d spent every last cent of her dowry. Since then Belinda has made a career for herself as the premier matchmaker for the ton. She's very good at her job and is passionate other young women not experience the heartbreak her ruinous marriage brought her. That, however, is all she allows herself to be passionate about.
Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge, is in desperate need of funds. His control freak of the father, the cold and arrogant Duke of Landsdowne, has cut off his allowance and will only reinstate his income if Nicholas marries a woman of his father’s choosing. Nicholas and his father loathe each other. The former has spent his entire adult life acting in ways he knows will infuriate the latter. Now thirty and accustomed to years of independence, Nicholas has no intention of doing his father’s bidding. If Nicholas is going to marry — which is the only way he can see to maintain his lifestyle — he'll marry on his own terms.
Thus, he seeks out Belinda and asks her to find him a wife. She initially refuses to help him. She sees him as a feckless rake who will do nothing but break the heart of any young woman he weds. Nicholas maneuvers her into helping him despite her low opinion. For his part, from the moment he steps into her parlor, he is drawn to her. She’d be the perfect wife for him: A woman he wants to bed whose nationality and class would infuriate his father, if only she were wealthy.
I enjoyed When the Marquess Met His Match. Ms. Guhrke writes her opposites attract tale well and believably. Nicholas isn’t the contemptible character Belinda believes him to be but he is careless and easily irresponsible. For him to become a man worthy of his own and Belinda’s respect he must reshape his life into one with purpose. Belinda too must change. She must become vulnerable and able to risk love. Ms. Guhrke lets both of them evolve at a pace and in a way that seems viable.
The romance between Nicholas and Belinda is less convincing. They suffer from insta–lust and move too quickly into passionate kisses and waves of unfulfilled desire. This sexual focus is more believable for Nicholas who has had many a lover. It works less well for Belinda who has only ever made love with her husband, an experience she found uninspiring. However, Ms. Guhrke writes such witty banter and such sultry love scenes that this flaw is easy to ignore.
This is a book focused on its two protagonists. There are few secondary characters of note — only the Duke of Landsdowne and Belinda’s unconventionally married friend, the Duchess of Margrave, stand out. The novel is at its best in its first and last thirds; the middle third seems unnecessarily long.
Though When the Marquess Met His Match won’t replace Guilty Pleasures as my favorite of Ms. Guhrke’s works, it is an engaging addition to her canon.
I've read many historical romances featuring either a social climber or a fortune hunter. Usually these characters are paired with their opposite; the social climber falls in love with someone from the nobility, the fortune hunter pursues someone of wealth. In Laura Lee Guhrke’s When the Marquess Met His Match, the lovers are a social climber and a fortune hunter.
The social climber is Lady Belinda Featherstone. Belinda, years ago, married an Earl with whom she was madly in love. He was not and made it clear he married her for her piles of American money. When he died, five years ago — he had a heart attack while in bed with his current mistress — he’d spent every last cent of her dowry. Since then Belinda has made a career for herself as the premier matchmaker for the ton. She's very good at her job and is passionate other young women not experience the heartbreak her ruinous marriage brought her. That, however, is all she allows herself to be passionate about.
Nicholas, Marquess of Trubridge, is in desperate need of funds. His control freak of the father, the cold and arrogant Duke of Landsdowne, has cut off his allowance and will only reinstate his income if Nicholas marries a woman of his father’s choosing. Nicholas and his father loathe each other. The former has spent his entire adult life acting in ways he knows will infuriate the latter. Now thirty and accustomed to years of independence, Nicholas has no intention of doing his father’s bidding. If Nicholas is going to marry — which is the only way he can see to maintain his lifestyle — he'll marry on his own terms.
Thus, he seeks out Belinda and asks her to find him a wife. She initially refuses to help him. She sees him as a feckless rake who will do nothing but break the heart of any young woman he weds. Nicholas maneuvers her into helping him despite her low opinion. For his part, from the moment he steps into her parlor, he is drawn to her. She’d be the perfect wife for him: A woman he wants to bed whose nationality and class would infuriate his father, if only she were wealthy.
I enjoyed When the Marquess Met His Match. Ms. Guhrke writes her opposites attract tale well and believably. Nicholas isn’t the contemptible character Belinda believes him to be but he is careless and easily irresponsible. For him to become a man worthy of his own and Belinda’s respect he must reshape his life into one with purpose. Belinda too must change. She must become vulnerable and able to risk love. Ms. Guhrke lets both of them evolve at a pace and in a way that seems viable.
The romance between Nicholas and Belinda is less convincing. They suffer from insta–lust and move too quickly into passionate kisses and waves of unfulfilled desire. This sexual focus is more believable for Nicholas who has had many a lover. It works less well for Belinda who has only ever made love with her husband, an experience she found uninspiring. However, Ms. Guhrke writes such witty banter and such sultry love scenes that this flaw is easy to ignore.
This is a book focused on its two protagonists. There are few secondary characters of note — only the Duke of Landsdowne and Belinda’s unconventionally married friend, the Duchess of Margrave, stand out. The novel is at its best in its first and last thirds; the middle third seems unnecessarily long.
Though When the Marquess Met His Match won’t replace Guilty Pleasures as my favorite of Ms. Guhrke’s works, it is an engaging addition to her canon.
March 1, 2014
This was deeply disappointing; especially so because Laura Lee Guhrke is one of my top 5 favorite romance authors.
It didn't get off to a good start: heroine Belinda is a flat-out stuck-up bitch, and it's super hard to sympathize with her. This is a case where one of those back-story prologues would have added so much to the story. If we could have experienced her pain when she realized her husband did not love her, and when he died in bed with another woman, and a little more info on his circle of friends and how she sees them as complicit ... it would make her so much more relateable.
And it doesn't get much better. Belinda (who is an American, formerly married to a British nobleguy, now widowed and working as a matchmaker) spends the first half of the book despising Nick (who is a marquess, or a count, or a something, at any rate, he's the son of a duke, and he considers hiring Belinda to find him a wife), while he pretty much thinks she's hot. Then suddenly she has a change of heart, and for the second half of the book Belinda thinks Nick is hot, while he also thinks she's hot. There is zero momentum to this plot, zero tension, zero anything-of-interest. Nothing needs to be resolved, or anticipated, or anything. Two people like each other, end of story. I didn't even really care about either one of them.
And then at then end, it gets even worse, when Ms Guhrke pulls out all my least-favorite scenarios:
* hero makes heroine stand naked before him while he admires her and she feels extremely uncomfortable
* hero makes heroine tell him what she wants in bed, even though she is extremely uncomfortable with this
* hero and heroine have sex outdoors, even though she is extremely uncomfortable with this
* hero plays with heroine's breasts as if they were made of Play-Doh, "shaping" them and molding them and kneading them - wtf? get your meatpaws off my boobs!
At least he didn't have to teach her how to kiss.
And, finally: it took me a looooong time to finish this book, because I kept falling asleep while reading it. You know, I was going to give it 2 stars, because I do like Ms Guhrke's writing, but after thinking about what a hard time I had wading through it, I've settled on 1 star.
It didn't get off to a good start: heroine Belinda is a flat-out stuck-up bitch, and it's super hard to sympathize with her. This is a case where one of those back-story prologues would have added so much to the story. If we could have experienced her pain when she realized her husband did not love her, and when he died in bed with another woman, and a little more info on his circle of friends and how she sees them as complicit ... it would make her so much more relateable.
And it doesn't get much better. Belinda (who is an American, formerly married to a British nobleguy, now widowed and working as a matchmaker) spends the first half of the book despising Nick (who is a marquess, or a count, or a something, at any rate, he's the son of a duke, and he considers hiring Belinda to find him a wife), while he pretty much thinks she's hot. Then suddenly she has a change of heart, and for the second half of the book Belinda thinks Nick is hot, while he also thinks she's hot. There is zero momentum to this plot, zero tension, zero anything-of-interest. Nothing needs to be resolved, or anticipated, or anything. Two people like each other, end of story. I didn't even really care about either one of them.
And then at then end, it gets even worse, when Ms Guhrke pulls out all my least-favorite scenarios:
* hero makes heroine stand naked before him while he admires her and she feels extremely uncomfortable
* hero makes heroine tell him what she wants in bed, even though she is extremely uncomfortable with this
* hero and heroine have sex outdoors, even though she is extremely uncomfortable with this
* hero plays with heroine's breasts as if they were made of Play-Doh, "shaping" them and molding them and kneading them - wtf? get your meatpaws off my boobs!
At least he didn't have to teach her how to kiss.
And, finally: it took me a looooong time to finish this book, because I kept falling asleep while reading it. You know, I was going to give it 2 stars, because I do like Ms Guhrke's writing, but after thinking about what a hard time I had wading through it, I've settled on 1 star.
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