What do you think?
Rate this book
A Bachelor in Search of a Wife
When Richard Heath’s uncle wills him his fortune—on the condition that he marry within a year—shy, unassuming Richard finds himself beset with eligible women. There’s beautiful, fortune-hunting Sylvia Grainger; plain and practical Mary Powell; and his uncle’s choice of a bride, the exotic Ursuline Chaudières. How can Richard ever decide on a wife when each lady tugs at his heart in a different way? As the deadline for fulfilling the terms of the will approaches, Richard’s hope of marrying is no closer to being fulfilled—until a surprising betrayal leads Richard to a wife more precious than any earthly inheritance.
This edition of the 1892 classic Christian novella includes a biography of the author.
This edition of the 1892 classic Christian novella includes a biography of the author.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1892
10 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Annie S. Swan
146 books6 followersAnnie Shepherd Swan, CBE was a Scottish journalist, novelist and story writer, who wrote mainly under her maiden name, but also as David Lyall and later Mrs Burnett Smith.
As a writer of romantic fiction for women, she published over 200 novels, serials, stories and other fiction between 1878 and her death in 1943. She has been called "one of the most commercially successful popular novelists of the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries". Swan was politically active during the First World War, as a suffragist, a Liberal activist, and a founder-member and vice-president of the Scottish National Party.
As a writer of romantic fiction for women, she published over 200 novels, serials, stories and other fiction between 1878 and her death in 1943. She has been called "one of the most commercially successful popular novelists of the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries". Swan was politically active during the First World War, as a suffragist, a Liberal activist, and a founder-member and vice-president of the Scottish National Party.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 20, 2016
Unfortunately, my expectations for this book haven't been met. The plot which you can read in a description of the book sounds very interesting and promising. Furthermore, I felt that Annie S. Swan has something to tell us. And (based on a few really sweet scenes) she could write nice, enjoyable romance.
But I am disappointed. I think, it should be longer book. Reading it I felt that she spoiled the story. The more I think about it the more I am convinced that the problem is the lenght of the book. When one writes a short story one should do it in a different way than when one writes a full novel. Of course a short story can cover not only days but also weeks, months even years. But it should be done wisely. I can stop to feel that Annie S. Swan invented a good story/plot and characters but she made an error closing it in a short novel. The result is as it is.
But I am disappointed. I think, it should be longer book. Reading it I felt that she spoiled the story. The more I think about it the more I am convinced that the problem is the lenght of the book. When one writes a short story one should do it in a different way than when one writes a full novel. Of course a short story can cover not only days but also weeks, months even years. But it should be done wisely. I can stop to feel that Annie S. Swan invented a good story/plot and characters but she made an error closing it in a short novel. The result is as it is.
August 22, 2021
This is my first time reading Annie S. Swan and decided on this shorter story first which includes a biography of the author at the end, which is interesting and I plan on reading her again. I am a fan of the religious based story and enjoy Pansy and Grace Livingston Hill, so far Annie S. Swan has less of a religious feel but more of a moral element, which the others have also. This story could have been made longer because there is a lot to go on but nonetheless I thoroughly enjoyed and wished I could have read it straight through.
Story in short- Richard Heath might come into an inheritance but must satisfy a strange requirement or forfeit all.
💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠 spoiler alert💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠
Richard Heath is a bachelor working as an accountant he is alone his parent have died and after a letter comes from a law firm telling him about a stipulation that he must marry in 12 months for his uncle was a lonely bachelor. Richard Heath tells his employer about the will and he must quit so he can go in search of a wife. Mary Powell is a music teacher and lives in the same apartment. They are great friends and he tells her about the will, she suggests that he find the mystery of his uncle and see the pretty Ursula that is in the will. I bet in the end Richard finds he loves Mary. After Richard left Mary was quite sad. I wonder if she loves him and hoped he loved her. Richard is headed towards New York and meets an elderly man and his granddaughter Sylvia Grainger. He has told them about his fortune but leaves out the marriage part. Sylvia is beautiful and Mr. Grainger warns him that all his granddaughters are looking for money but Richard is too enamored to really listen. Richard is 28. Sylvia treats Richard coldly after he has not paid 100% attention to her and being a novice with women did not know she was trying to manage him. Richard was trying to talk gain to make plans with Mr. Grainger about returning on the same time but the old man warned him again about his granddaughter. Richard travels to Quebec and hears about how good his uncle, Paul Meyrick was and he did well in the fur business. The love story is that Paul fell in love with Ursuline's mother 24 years ago but she had loved a notary clerk. Paul loved Ursuline more and was disappointed when a servant of his won her heart. Paul had told his lawyer he hoped his nephew marry Ursuline but Richard says he will not break up the lovers but help them. Richard meets Ursuline and she is very pretty and sees that the young American she is in love with is good hearted. Edmond Chauncey is relieved when he hears that Richard does not look to come between him and his love. If it had not been for Edmond the sweetness of Ursuline would have been Richard's choice but thinking of Sylvia, he is not too disappointed. Sylvia writes to tell him of their sailing. Sylvia finds out about Ursuline and is jealous but until she hears that she is engaged. Richard proposes to her and she accepts talking about money manners which is not to Richard's liking. They tell Mr. Grainger about the engagement and he washes his hands off the whole affair. Mr. Grainger sees an old friend, Sir Digby and after that Sylvia forgot Richard. Sylvia gives Richard little time on the ship and talks a lot of Sir Digby. She tells him not to tell of their engagement yet. Richard sadly returns home. Richard comes home and looks forward to seeing his friend Mary but hears that she has moved and no forwarding address. He hears from the school she taught at, that she interfered with a punishment of one of the pupils and no references where given after being dismissed. Lucy Reade, Mary's pupil has no idea where she is. Maybe Mary is a governess for the Graingers. Richard has only one letter from Sylvia and not like a lover at all. He decides he will have it out if they will marry or not, so he sees Mr. Grainger at home and the old gentleman tells about the upcoming marriage of her and his friend, Digby. Mr. Grainger tells his granddaughter will make a good wife and Digby will be controlled by her. She is looking forward to being Lady Digby. I can not understand why he would even want to marry her before finding out she changed her mind. Richard has gone to the wedding but has not seen. He hears two men talking about Miss Powell and one mentions that he would like to marry her. Richard finds out that she has been a governess and had developed brain fever probably from brooding over her dismissal. One of the men is a doctor, who wanted to marry her, that tells Richard he can see her tomorrow and thinking he has lost out to the young man, saying that he is a friend looking for her. Mary in seeing Richard, soon remembers. He tells how he has looked for her and he loves her and wants to marry. They marry and take a trip to Quebec, where he gives Edmond and Ursuline the fur business, they return home where he can be a squire and Lucy lives with them. Cecilia marries the coachman of the Heaths. Both Mary and Richard are generous. Mr. Grainger visits the couple and enjoys himself.
Story in short- Richard Heath might come into an inheritance but must satisfy a strange requirement or forfeit all.
💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠 spoiler alert💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠
Richard Heath is a bachelor working as an accountant he is alone his parent have died and after a letter comes from a law firm telling him about a stipulation that he must marry in 12 months for his uncle was a lonely bachelor. Richard Heath tells his employer about the will and he must quit so he can go in search of a wife. Mary Powell is a music teacher and lives in the same apartment. They are great friends and he tells her about the will, she suggests that he find the mystery of his uncle and see the pretty Ursula that is in the will. I bet in the end Richard finds he loves Mary. After Richard left Mary was quite sad. I wonder if she loves him and hoped he loved her. Richard is headed towards New York and meets an elderly man and his granddaughter Sylvia Grainger. He has told them about his fortune but leaves out the marriage part. Sylvia is beautiful and Mr. Grainger warns him that all his granddaughters are looking for money but Richard is too enamored to really listen. Richard is 28. Sylvia treats Richard coldly after he has not paid 100% attention to her and being a novice with women did not know she was trying to manage him. Richard was trying to talk gain to make plans with Mr. Grainger about returning on the same time but the old man warned him again about his granddaughter. Richard travels to Quebec and hears about how good his uncle, Paul Meyrick was and he did well in the fur business. The love story is that Paul fell in love with Ursuline's mother 24 years ago but she had loved a notary clerk. Paul loved Ursuline more and was disappointed when a servant of his won her heart. Paul had told his lawyer he hoped his nephew marry Ursuline but Richard says he will not break up the lovers but help them. Richard meets Ursuline and she is very pretty and sees that the young American she is in love with is good hearted. Edmond Chauncey is relieved when he hears that Richard does not look to come between him and his love. If it had not been for Edmond the sweetness of Ursuline would have been Richard's choice but thinking of Sylvia, he is not too disappointed. Sylvia writes to tell him of their sailing. Sylvia finds out about Ursuline and is jealous but until she hears that she is engaged. Richard proposes to her and she accepts talking about money manners which is not to Richard's liking. They tell Mr. Grainger about the engagement and he washes his hands off the whole affair. Mr. Grainger sees an old friend, Sir Digby and after that Sylvia forgot Richard. Sylvia gives Richard little time on the ship and talks a lot of Sir Digby. She tells him not to tell of their engagement yet. Richard sadly returns home. Richard comes home and looks forward to seeing his friend Mary but hears that she has moved and no forwarding address. He hears from the school she taught at, that she interfered with a punishment of one of the pupils and no references where given after being dismissed. Lucy Reade, Mary's pupil has no idea where she is. Maybe Mary is a governess for the Graingers. Richard has only one letter from Sylvia and not like a lover at all. He decides he will have it out if they will marry or not, so he sees Mr. Grainger at home and the old gentleman tells about the upcoming marriage of her and his friend, Digby. Mr. Grainger tells his granddaughter will make a good wife and Digby will be controlled by her. She is looking forward to being Lady Digby. I can not understand why he would even want to marry her before finding out she changed her mind. Richard has gone to the wedding but has not seen. He hears two men talking about Miss Powell and one mentions that he would like to marry her. Richard finds out that she has been a governess and had developed brain fever probably from brooding over her dismissal. One of the men is a doctor, who wanted to marry her, that tells Richard he can see her tomorrow and thinking he has lost out to the young man, saying that he is a friend looking for her. Mary in seeing Richard, soon remembers. He tells how he has looked for her and he loves her and wants to marry. They marry and take a trip to Quebec, where he gives Edmond and Ursuline the fur business, they return home where he can be a squire and Lucy lives with them. Cecilia marries the coachman of the Heaths. Both Mary and Richard are generous. Mr. Grainger visits the couple and enjoys himself.
August 12, 2025
Victorian novella, 4 stars
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews