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A Worthy Wife
Love With A Perfect Stranger
Aurora Halle McPhee, a girl of humble (some might say unconventional) background, cannot believe her luck when she is betrothed to the dashing, well-bred Harland Podell. Aurora soon learns, however, that the match is too good to be true when the nuptials are interrupted--by the brother of the groom's wife!
Kenyon Warriner, Earl of Windham, is determined to foil that bigamous bounder Podell, before he disgraces another innocent female as he did Kenyon's own sister. The earl will save Miss McPhee's honor.
Even if he must wed her himself...
Aurora Halle McPhee, a girl of humble (some might say unconventional) background, cannot believe her luck when she is betrothed to the dashing, well-bred Harland Podell. Aurora soon learns, however, that the match is too good to be true when the nuptials are interrupted--by the brother of the groom's wife!
Kenyon Warriner, Earl of Windham, is determined to foil that bigamous bounder Podell, before he disgraces another innocent female as he did Kenyon's own sister. The earl will save Miss McPhee's honor.
Even if he must wed her himself...
214 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
44 people are currently reading
348 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Metzger
103 books200 followersBarbara Metzger is the author of over three dozen books and a dozen novellas. She has also been an editor, a proof-reader, a greeting card verse-writer, and an artist. When not painting, writing romances or reading them, she volunteers at the local library, gardens and goes beach-combing and yard-saling.
Her novels, mostly set in Regency-era England, have won numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA, the National Reader's Choice Award, and the Madcap award for humor in romance writing. In addition, Barbara has won two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine.
Source: http://www.barbarametzger.com/about_b...
Her novels, mostly set in Regency-era England, have won numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA, the National Reader's Choice Award, and the Madcap award for humor in romance writing. In addition, Barbara has won two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Magazine.
Source: http://www.barbarametzger.com/about_b...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
July 18, 2023
I really enjoyed this book and give it a 4* I have heard of Metzger but haven't read any of her books and I don't know if she is still writing as this book was published in 2000. What a fun book that is a great way to spend an afternoon reading. There is nothing profound about it just some laughs and a bit of high jinks. This is probably a love it or leave it style book. A LOT of characters to keep track of and a bit of mystery are the only weak points.
June 22, 2015
Enjoyed this one! Witty, light, and sexy, with several small chuckles along the way. "The answer must lie in Bath, or tell the truth in Bath."
The suspense was a no-brainer. Figured the villain early. Maybe I was supposed to.
This one reminded me of an old favorite by this same author, Lady Sparrow. In Lady Sparrow, the wife tracks down her dead husband's illegitimate git. However, in this book, the wife tracks down the illegitimate -- and abandoned or heartsick -- wives of a bigamist she almost married.
In both books you have a warm-hearted heroine who adopts cast off maids and clerks and wounded vets, plus a menagerie of discarded animals -- monkey (now which other book had a monkey?), a dog, puppies, an abused horse, a cat, etc. Her husband goes a little nuts, watching his world spin out of control (but so sweet how it all falls into bliss). Classic Metzger! Lots of fun, and quite heartwarming.
Loved the secondary characters, especially Ned Needles and young Andrew.
Sexy ending! "God, I love it when you purr like that." (and the next line is your standard 1-2 punch)
Too much time spent separated from one another.
August 20, 2012
Reading this book left me feeling breathless at times – it was like watching a french farce and a screwball comedy at the same time!
Aurora McPhee is about to marry Harland Podell when the wedding is interrupted and the groom exposed as a bigamist (several times over). The Earl of Windham (whose sister had been Podell’s last “wife”) misinterprets her comment about “needing” a husband and, thinking she’s pregnant, offers to marry her himself. I admit, this first chapter or so had me rolling my eyes and thinking that perhaps this might be a book by Metzger that fell short of her normally high standards.
I’m happy to say that my fears were groundless. The description of the wedding is hilarious –
- And the rest of the book rattles along at a fair pace as Aurora adopts various waifs and strays, charms a grande-dame of the ton, effects a reconciliation between Windham and his son, nurses Windham through the mumps and generally turns his life upside-down – for the better, of course!
The dialogue sparkles, Aurora and Windham are charming and the secondary characters, like Ned, the pick-pocket-turned-groom are all well fleshed out.
I’d definitely recommend The Worthy Wife to anyone who likes a well-written, funny and charming HR.
Aurora McPhee is about to marry Harland Podell when the wedding is interrupted and the groom exposed as a bigamist (several times over). The Earl of Windham (whose sister had been Podell’s last “wife”) misinterprets her comment about “needing” a husband and, thinking she’s pregnant, offers to marry her himself. I admit, this first chapter or so had me rolling my eyes and thinking that perhaps this might be a book by Metzger that fell short of her normally high standards.
I’m happy to say that my fears were groundless. The description of the wedding is hilarious –
The bride was haggard in crumpled satin. The groom was heroically handsome in his buckskin breeches. Windham’s auburn hair was freshly combed and he had found time to get his boots shined. Still, he smelled of horse, which somehow made Aurora feel better. The earl was a mere man, not a visiting deity.
Instead of her wedding bouquet, which had been trampled in the earlier debacle and kept too long out of water at any rate, Aurora clasped a paper sack of peppermint drops. Lord Windham had returned with it, along with the special license, to settle her stomach, he’d said. Aurora clasped that small kindness to her heart, for courage.
While the vicar wended his slow way through the wedding service once more, Windham patted her hand and whispered, “I promise not to beat you, you know. My first wife died of the typhus. I was not in the same country at the time.”
- And the rest of the book rattles along at a fair pace as Aurora adopts various waifs and strays, charms a grande-dame of the ton, effects a reconciliation between Windham and his son, nurses Windham through the mumps and generally turns his life upside-down – for the better, of course!
The dialogue sparkles, Aurora and Windham are charming and the secondary characters, like Ned, the pick-pocket-turned-groom are all well fleshed out.
I’d definitely recommend The Worthy Wife to anyone who likes a well-written, funny and charming HR.
May 28, 2022
A fun read! The tone is pretty similar to Wedded Bliss.
November 26, 2022
Lovely, sweet with a touch of humour. I loved Aurora and her managing ways.
September 23, 2020
Excellent! It had the humor and heart of most of her books. I couldn't put it down! Aurora was adorable.
The only complaint I have is that the married couple don't consummate the marriage till the end ( a pet peeve of mine) . But the story was so entertaining that I overlooked this flaw.
The only complaint I have is that the married couple don't consummate the marriage till the end ( a pet peeve of mine) . But the story was so entertaining that I overlooked this flaw.
June 29, 2017
5 Stars
Oh my , What a delightful read. I cant wait to read more of Barbara Metzger.
Oh my , What a delightful read. I cant wait to read more of Barbara Metzger.
June 28, 2020
Sketchy beginning initially threw me off but instead of going bodice ripper, it veers toward absurd. I actually really liked the heroine and the fast pace. But I lost track of the side characters (and the outlaws, cits, and scheming relatives suddenly crowding the second half) so most of it felt out of Nowhere to be resolved Somehow by Something. I also couldn't stand the hero whose over-the-top-angst is rivaled only by his lustful attitude for his wife. (Literally, those are the only two personality traits he seems to possess.)
Memorable but I prefer the other books I've read by Barbara Metzger.
Memorable but I prefer the other books I've read by Barbara Metzger.
March 8, 2014
A wild ride of a book! Be prepared for a fast moving mystery plot, a fun romantic couple, an enormous cast of oddball secondary characters, many subplots, and lots of laughs. This is a true screwball comedy. Favorite line: "Holy herpetologist!"
August 10, 2023
This was a different read experience. So out of the ordinary. I am just sad that it was not a romance per se. He falls in love and all, but there's no romance romance, you know? It is a nice story, lots of life lessons, but I wish we had more after the last chapter.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
September 30, 2013
This is a snowballing of hilarious circumstances that had me crowing and crying with laughter.
Sort of I Love Lucy-ish heroine, with a heart of gold, who enters into a marriage of convenience and collects misfits, including a man who is not an embezzler to be her husband's man of business, a highwayman she shoots by mistake, a monkey with poor impulse control (why in God's name did she say, 'Oh, what a nice monkey!"), a menagerie of in-laws she deals with brilliantly. Ms. Metzger keeps so many balls in the air, I became a bit breathless reading. The relationship between the hero and heroine takes a backseat to the general mayhem, but there was certainly enough to know they were well-suited if unlikely at the outset. A fun drawing room farce with a romance, too.
Given how prolific the author is, I look forward to reading more and more. Caz recommended this as one of her favorites of Metzger's and I can see why. Really, it's rollicking! And that is very hard to pull off.
Sort of I Love Lucy-ish heroine, with a heart of gold, who enters into a marriage of convenience and collects misfits, including a man who is not an embezzler to be her husband's man of business, a highwayman she shoots by mistake, a monkey with poor impulse control (why in God's name did she say, 'Oh, what a nice monkey!"), a menagerie of in-laws she deals with brilliantly. Ms. Metzger keeps so many balls in the air, I became a bit breathless reading. The relationship between the hero and heroine takes a backseat to the general mayhem, but there was certainly enough to know they were well-suited if unlikely at the outset. A fun drawing room farce with a romance, too.
Given how prolific the author is, I look forward to reading more and more. Caz recommended this as one of her favorites of Metzger's and I can see why. Really, it's rollicking! And that is very hard to pull off.
November 14, 2013
Miss Aurora Halle McPhee is a Bath miss of no importance. She's thrilled that the dashing, handsome Lieutenant Harland Podell has chosen to marry her. All Aurora's dreams seem to be coming soon but then the marriage is interrupted by someone who knows a secret about the groom. Kenyon Warriner, the Earl of Windham has just cause to prevent the wedding. Lieut. Podell is already married to Kenyon's sister! It seems Podell is a scoundrel who has left a trail of wives and broken hearts and taken fortunes. Kenyon assumes Aurora has been compromised and steps in to marry her himself. On their wedding night, he discovers just what he's gotten himself into. Aurora is an innocent young maiden with no interest in being married to him, so it seems. Aurora is nervous around the extremely attractive Earl. Can she ever live up to his expectations of her? The newlyweds settle in London to unravel the mystery of Aurora's birth and the reasons why Podell wished to marry her. Lady Anstruther-Jones is the source of gossip for the East India Company and her gossip comes with the most unusual of gifts. When Kenyon has to leave to rescue his brother from a French prison, he sends Aurora to his estate to deal with his moody sister and eccentric aunt. It's not easy for Aurora to take charge but she manages to do so amid a difficult situation. She makes some changes that result in a growing entourage of unusual companions. She can't wait for her husband to return home so they can pick up their married life right where they left off on their wedding night.
In my opinion, this is not one of Ms. Metzger's best stories. I really liked the animals and the crazy secondary characters. They provided a lot of laugh out loud moments. The mystery plot hooked me and I couldn't put the book down until I discovered the truth. I pretty much guessed along the right lines but it was still a surprise. The marriage of convenience plot did not interest me at all. They're all the same! I kept groaning because Aurora and Kenyon didn't share their real feelings or talk to each other. I also didn't like the main characters. Aurora is so young and innocent in the beginning of the story that I couldn't stand her, but as the story goes on, she grows up a lot and I found myself cheering for her and really liking her. That caused a problem because I did not like Kenyon. He's lusty and has a hot temper. I can not forgive him for seducing his innocent bride on their wedding night. He went too far, in my opinion. Then he refused to trust her or believe in her. In my opinion, Aurora deserved better. This story is more sensual than her earlier novels and the animals don't play a starring role but are more in the background to cause havoc and complicate the plot more. If you like marriage of convenience plots and Georgette Heyer's comedies, then you might like this one too. For me, it wasn't good enough.
In my opinion, this is not one of Ms. Metzger's best stories. I really liked the animals and the crazy secondary characters. They provided a lot of laugh out loud moments. The mystery plot hooked me and I couldn't put the book down until I discovered the truth. I pretty much guessed along the right lines but it was still a surprise. The marriage of convenience plot did not interest me at all. They're all the same! I kept groaning because Aurora and Kenyon didn't share their real feelings or talk to each other. I also didn't like the main characters. Aurora is so young and innocent in the beginning of the story that I couldn't stand her, but as the story goes on, she grows up a lot and I found myself cheering for her and really liking her. That caused a problem because I did not like Kenyon. He's lusty and has a hot temper. I can not forgive him for seducing his innocent bride on their wedding night. He went too far, in my opinion. Then he refused to trust her or believe in her. In my opinion, Aurora deserved better. This story is more sensual than her earlier novels and the animals don't play a starring role but are more in the background to cause havoc and complicate the plot more. If you like marriage of convenience plots and Georgette Heyer's comedies, then you might like this one too. For me, it wasn't good enough.
February 27, 2014
Not the book for me. I wanted to like this one, it had promise, but I stopped early on when it got a little too steamy and I worried the rest of the book would only get worse. I liked out heroine Aurora. She's naive, but endearing and has a good heart. I wanted to like Kenyon and maybe I would have if I had continued reading. But, I didn't like how he handled certain things.
The plot reminded me of Georgette Heyers Arabella (if I remember right) and I'd recommend reading that one instead.
Content
Romance: Not clean. Wedding night is fairly steamy, although does stop early on and not overly descriptive. Innuendo and I'm not sure after the first few chapters.
The plot reminded me of Georgette Heyers Arabella (if I remember right) and I'd recommend reading that one instead.
Content
Romance: Not clean. Wedding night is fairly steamy, although does stop early on and not overly descriptive. Innuendo and I'm not sure after the first few chapters.
February 11, 2013
Have you ever thought to yourself, "Wow, I love The Grand Sophy and Sylvester and The Little Princess, but I wish I could roll them all together and make them more frenetic"?
This is the book for you.
Also, there is a statistically significant number of fainting incidents. I sort of wanted to give everyone some juice and tell them not to donate blood so often. But it was repeated so often that it just got funny. Once I accepted that this book was not at all taking itself seriously, I stopped trying to parse it soberly, and could roll with the serial bigamist, the highwayman, the salamander-embroidered lingerie, the book of kama sutra, the monkey, and the abduction.
And in amongst all the froth, there are some genuinely fabulous moments and discussions about consent and deciding what you're going to do after something catastrophic happens. And also advocating for people who need glasses to wear them. But look at this passage about consent!
"She slapped his hand away, knowing where that could lead. “But you are too much the gentleman to take a woman against her will. And it would be against my will, my lord, even if you told my body otherwise.”
Take that, terrible werewolf book! Arousal is not consent.
Read if: You are in the mood for frothy and ridiculous and over-the-top.
Skip if: You are looking for Catherine-and-Heathcliffe levels of angst and drama.
Also read:
The Grand Sophy (warning for antisemitism)
Sylvester
A Little Princess
This is the book for you.
Also, there is a statistically significant number of fainting incidents. I sort of wanted to give everyone some juice and tell them not to donate blood so often. But it was repeated so often that it just got funny. Once I accepted that this book was not at all taking itself seriously, I stopped trying to parse it soberly, and could roll with the serial bigamist, the highwayman, the salamander-embroidered lingerie, the book of kama sutra, the monkey, and the abduction.
And in amongst all the froth, there are some genuinely fabulous moments and discussions about consent and deciding what you're going to do after something catastrophic happens. And also advocating for people who need glasses to wear them. But look at this passage about consent!
"She slapped his hand away, knowing where that could lead. “But you are too much the gentleman to take a woman against her will. And it would be against my will, my lord, even if you told my body otherwise.”
Take that, terrible werewolf book! Arousal is not consent.
Read if: You are in the mood for frothy and ridiculous and over-the-top.
Skip if: You are looking for Catherine-and-Heathcliffe levels of angst and drama.
Also read:
The Grand Sophy (warning for antisemitism)
Sylvester
A Little Princess
Read
July 10, 2016DNF about 35%
Kenyon is a creeper! I don't even care about the mystery, because both MCs are so lame.
Kenyon is a creeper! I don't even care about the mystery, because both MCs are so lame.
December 29, 2014
A classic Metzger.
It was fast paced, full of (mis)adventures and laugh-out-loud funny!
It was fast paced, full of (mis)adventures and laugh-out-loud funny!
Read
February 2, 2026Absolute delight of a farce. It's Heyersque in some ways: fluff-for-brains heroine and dorky honorable hero are besotted with each other but don't believe the other is; the ensemble around them is hilarious as they all engage in their own screwball plots and hijinks; I had to look up new-to-me vocabulary. The prose is witty ("He prayed the good Lord’s rod and His staff to comfort him, for his own sure as Hades did not.") and the hijinks are peak silly, and I had a great time.
July 14, 2025
This was an unexpectedly funny and cute read, off to more Barbara books
March 14, 2024
So far I have enjoyed this author. Unfortunately, not this time.
The premise of the story started off we,l enough. The Hero interrupts a wedding since the groom is a bigamist (falsely married the Hero’s own sister) and instead takes pity on the heroine and marries her himself.
It goes on from here but sadly dissolves into a confusing mess of eccentric characters, mysteries about the heroines real identity… its all meant to be mad cap and amusing but I was just exasperated!
Of course everything conspires to keep the main couple from consummating their attraction to each other, so its another level of frustration, not only for them but the reader. I kept thinking when would this end! 😩
I was sick and tired of all the different villains, the bungling rescues and the endless injuries suffered by the Hero! 🤦🏻♀️
Despite my skim reading it still took me several days to finish, and only because I do not like DNF’s so yes, as a testament to my constant distraction, it was up there.
As an engrossing read? 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
The premise of the story started off we,l enough. The Hero interrupts a wedding since the groom is a bigamist (falsely married the Hero’s own sister) and instead takes pity on the heroine and marries her himself.
It goes on from here but sadly dissolves into a confusing mess of eccentric characters, mysteries about the heroines real identity… its all meant to be mad cap and amusing but I was just exasperated!
Of course everything conspires to keep the main couple from consummating their attraction to each other, so its another level of frustration, not only for them but the reader. I kept thinking when would this end! 😩
I was sick and tired of all the different villains, the bungling rescues and the endless injuries suffered by the Hero! 🤦🏻♀️
Despite my skim reading it still took me several days to finish, and only because I do not like DNF’s so yes, as a testament to my constant distraction, it was up there.
As an engrossing read? 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
April 29, 2023
LOVE B. Metzger -BUT- this ain’t her best… still? Pretty sure she ain’t capable o’ duds!!!
A light 4-stars
My Full Review →
A light 4-stars
My Full Review →
September 13, 2013
*Book source ~ Many thanks to Untreed Reads for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Aurora McPhee is about to marry the dashing and handsome Harland Podell when a stranger bursts through the church doors and declares Harland a bigamist, already married to his sister and another woman. The stranger, Kenyon Warriner, Earl of Windham, believing Aurora to be compromised decides to marry her himself. Thus begins an amusing course of events that turn sinister as Kenyon and Aurora discover she may have a sizeable inheritance she knew nothing about. Will they ever figure out who is behind the events and more important, will they ever get to settle into a proper marriage?
Ah, I know when I pick up a Barbara Metzger book I’m going to get an afternoon of entertainment with an unusual and amusing love story. The deliciously unconventional characters are so much fun to follow as they live their lives between the pages.
Aurora is a plucky intelligent girl raised in what is considered a rather unusual household for the times. Her aunt and uncle are basically environmentalists, but everyone else thinks they’re a bit loony. Kenyon is a take charge kind of guy whose life runs like clockwork. That is until he marries Aurora who creates chaos wherever she goes. There are many giggles and laugh out loud moments as Aurora and Kenyon try to make a life together even when everything conspires against them. All-in-all a delightful way to spend a few hours.
Aurora McPhee is about to marry the dashing and handsome Harland Podell when a stranger bursts through the church doors and declares Harland a bigamist, already married to his sister and another woman. The stranger, Kenyon Warriner, Earl of Windham, believing Aurora to be compromised decides to marry her himself. Thus begins an amusing course of events that turn sinister as Kenyon and Aurora discover she may have a sizeable inheritance she knew nothing about. Will they ever figure out who is behind the events and more important, will they ever get to settle into a proper marriage?
Ah, I know when I pick up a Barbara Metzger book I’m going to get an afternoon of entertainment with an unusual and amusing love story. The deliciously unconventional characters are so much fun to follow as they live their lives between the pages.
Aurora is a plucky intelligent girl raised in what is considered a rather unusual household for the times. Her aunt and uncle are basically environmentalists, but everyone else thinks they’re a bit loony. Kenyon is a take charge kind of guy whose life runs like clockwork. That is until he marries Aurora who creates chaos wherever she goes. There are many giggles and laugh out loud moments as Aurora and Kenyon try to make a life together even when everything conspires against them. All-in-all a delightful way to spend a few hours.
March 25, 2011
I felt that this book was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. I can relate well to Aurora in the way she reacts to her situations. The author is very good at playing with the words and phrases to create a fun symmetry in her writing. The side characters, though fun and often whimsical, are not overly deep. Much like a Shakespearean play, they are what they are and often get what they deserve.
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April 9, 2013
This book was so much fun - very melodramatic. I love books set in this time period. I really enjoy stories where someone can come along and turn a person's life upside down. For all these reasons I really enjoyed this book. Thanks for the recommendation and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, funny read with adventure.
April 3, 2016
Una fantastica commedia romantica, divertente dall'inizio alla fine. Mi sarebbe piaciuta una descrizione più esplicita della loro prima notte insieme, nonché qualche altra scena tra i protagonisti (eroe ed eroina sono separati per circa metà del libro, e poi costantemente tenuti lontani da inghippi vari), ma a parte questo è stata una lettura praticamente ineccepibile.
June 25, 2021
This story is a Georgette Heyer rom-com crossed with a classic screwball comedy - not always successfully. There are good characters, some amusing situations and lots of unexpected twists. It would have been improved with a little more time given to the relationship of the lead characters, but otherwise a fun read.
April 23, 2022
This was classic Metzger. By the end of the story, I was half in love with our two protagonists too. She does an excellent job of painting a scene and throwing in comedic disruptions and her romance is quite sweet as well.
January 30, 2013
I thought this would be just an historical romance, but it was also a comedy. It was very witty an well written. I loved the characters and laughed the whole time.
December 26, 2025
A laugh out loud story. Loved Aurora. Loved Kenyon. Loved the whole cast of quirky characters. For me, a 5 star read all the way.
December 30, 2020
A very very fun and funny book!! I loved the way the main characters interacted and how indefatigable the heroine is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews