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Wellingfords #2
The Proper Wife
A thrifty, industrious, wholesome bride is what he needed. Certainly not an exotic aristocrat like Clarissa Beaumont, who set trends and dazzled suitors with equal passion.
A more unsuitable wife St. John Sandiford found impossible to imagine! Why then couldn't he get Clarissa out of his mind -- or his heart?
Though Sinjin Sandiford was rightly called "hero," he could sometimes fall short of "gentleman," Lady Beaumont fumed. Why, the cad had refused her help in making an advantageous match -- yet still he managed to stir the most unseemly feelings within her....
A more unsuitable wife St. John Sandiford found impossible to imagine! Why then couldn't he get Clarissa out of his mind -- or his heart?
Though Sinjin Sandiford was rightly called "hero," he could sometimes fall short of "gentleman," Lady Beaumont fumed. Why, the cad had refused her help in making an advantageous match -- yet still he managed to stir the most unseemly feelings within her....
294 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 2, 2001
9 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Julia Justiss
222 books316 followersJulia Justiss grew up breathing the scent of sea air near the colonial town of Annapolis, Maryland, a fact responsible for two of her life-long passions: sailors and history! By age twelve she was a junior tour guide for Historic Annapolis, conducting visitors on walking tours through the city that was a hotbed of revolutionary fervor. (Annapolis hosted its own tea party, dispensing with the cargo aboard the "Peggy Stewart," and was briefly capital of the United States.) She also took tourists through Annapolis's other big attraction, the United States Naval Academy. After so many years of observing future naval officers at P-rade and chapel, it seemed almost inevitable that she eventually married one.
But long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, she read about them, transporting herself to such favorite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. From plotting adventures for her first favorite heroine Nancy Drew she went on to write poetry in high school and college, then worked as a business journalist doing speeches, sales promotion material and newsletter articles. After her marriage to a naval lieutenant took her overseas, she wrote the newsletter for the American Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Before leaving Tunis, she fulfilled her first goal: completing a Regency novel.
Children intervened, and not until her husband left the Navy to return to his Texas homeland did she sit down to pen a second novel. The reply to her fan mail letter to a Regency author led her to Romance Writers of America. From the very first meeting, she knew she'd found a home among fellow writers--doubtless the largest group of people outside a mental institution who talk back to the voices in their heads.
Her second goal was achieved the day before her birthday in May, 1998 when Margaret Marbury of Harlequin Historicals offered to buy that second book, the Golden-Heart-Award winning novel that became THE WEDDING GAMBLE. Since then, she has gone on to write fourteen novels, three novellas and an on-line serial, along the way winning or finalling for historical awards from The Golden Quill, the National Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times, and All About Romance’s Favorite Book of the Year.
Julia now inhabits an English Georgian-style house she and her husband built in the East Texas countryside where, if she closes her eyes and ignores the summer thermometer, she can almost imagine she inhabits the landscape of "Pride and Prejudice." In between travelling to visit her three children (a naval officer son stationed in Washington, DC, a textiles and design major daughter who cheers for University of Texas at Austin, and a mechanical engineering major son also at UT Austin) keeping up with her science teacher husband and juggling a part-time day job as a high school French teacher, she pursues her first and dearest love--crafting stories.
To relax, she enjoys watching movies, reading (historical fiction, mystery, suspense) and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers.
But long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, she read about them, transporting herself to such favorite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. From plotting adventures for her first favorite heroine Nancy Drew she went on to write poetry in high school and college, then worked as a business journalist doing speeches, sales promotion material and newsletter articles. After her marriage to a naval lieutenant took her overseas, she wrote the newsletter for the American Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Before leaving Tunis, she fulfilled her first goal: completing a Regency novel.
Children intervened, and not until her husband left the Navy to return to his Texas homeland did she sit down to pen a second novel. The reply to her fan mail letter to a Regency author led her to Romance Writers of America. From the very first meeting, she knew she'd found a home among fellow writers--doubtless the largest group of people outside a mental institution who talk back to the voices in their heads.
Her second goal was achieved the day before her birthday in May, 1998 when Margaret Marbury of Harlequin Historicals offered to buy that second book, the Golden-Heart-Award winning novel that became THE WEDDING GAMBLE. Since then, she has gone on to write fourteen novels, three novellas and an on-line serial, along the way winning or finalling for historical awards from The Golden Quill, the National Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times, and All About Romance’s Favorite Book of the Year.
Julia now inhabits an English Georgian-style house she and her husband built in the East Texas countryside where, if she closes her eyes and ignores the summer thermometer, she can almost imagine she inhabits the landscape of "Pride and Prejudice." In between travelling to visit her three children (a naval officer son stationed in Washington, DC, a textiles and design major daughter who cheers for University of Texas at Austin, and a mechanical engineering major son also at UT Austin) keeping up with her science teacher husband and juggling a part-time day job as a high school French teacher, she pursues her first and dearest love--crafting stories.
To relax, she enjoys watching movies, reading (historical fiction, mystery, suspense) and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 16, 2017
Leído en Noviembre 2009
Me encantó
Me encantó
April 28, 2024
2 stars
Skipped a lot especially the first half, the last ten percent was the most interesting. Way too many people in the story and barely any romance. Not for me.
Skipped a lot especially the first half, the last ten percent was the most interesting. Way too many people in the story and barely any romance. Not for me.
August 31, 2018
Two, two, two Unlikable Characters.
We continue our Wellingford family series glom with Clarissa and Sinjin, aka Colonel Lord St. John Sandiford. In the previous book in this series these two characters were both pretty unlikable, so when I found out that they had their own book I thought, well, that’s interesting. Sure, sure Sinjin ended up saving our heroine from her TSTL moment at the end of The Wedding Gamble, but he made some pretty dishonorable suggestions concerning the woman he supposedly loved, so The Proper Wife comes with some built-in hills to climb. In The Wedding Bargain, these two were very unlikable. Clarissa was painted as a temperamental, spoiled, fit-throwing brat and Sinjin was shown to have dishonorable intentions. They were both in need of redemption. Did Ms. Justiss succeed? Not completely, but she could have.
When the story begins, these two immediately butt heads. Sinjin is looking for a proper wife, a calm wife, a woman who is not an aristocrat – some one quiet. Clarissa is none of these. Clarissa is quick to enter into numerous frays and scandals. She is a pretty heedless person, charges into things without giving much thought for the consequences. She is self-absorbed. She is everything that Sinjin abhors. I loved the beginning of this story when these two first encounter each other. Their banter and antagonism was a thing to behold. I had a lot of fun watching these two clash. I had a smile on my face through the beginning of the book. I wish it had gone on a bit longer.
If the author had been able to keep the momentum between Sinjin and Clarissa going this would have been an excellent book. However, there were moments when our character did things which didn’t make sense, and I am becoming more and more fond of my characters' actions making sense. I find myself making notes as I read, asking “does this make sense?” Furthermore, what was a promising start to some pretty fun characters was soon replaced by that old Romanceland separation doodah. It’s hard to build a relationship if the couple aren’t together. Author’s - don’t separate your characters. How are characters supposed to banter if they are not together?
I was pleased to see the previous characters of Sarah and Nicholas make an appearance in this book. It allowed for some much needed loose end tying. There was also enough time given in the book for Sarah, Nicholas and Sinjin to forgive past mistakes and become friends. I was also pleased that Sinjin didn’t moan and groan over his lost love Sarah – at least not too long. When he falls for Clarissa, he really puts up a good fight. I just wish more time had been spent on the couple being together. They were just so much fun when they were together.
I liked this story better than The Wedding Bargain, but it still didn’t quite make it up to standards established in A Most Unconventional Match. I think if the author had given more together time to the couple, I would have found the book very delightful. As it is, it was pleasant but nothing earth-shattering.
We continue our Wellingford family series glom with Clarissa and Sinjin, aka Colonel Lord St. John Sandiford. In the previous book in this series these two characters were both pretty unlikable, so when I found out that they had their own book I thought, well, that’s interesting. Sure, sure Sinjin ended up saving our heroine from her TSTL moment at the end of The Wedding Gamble, but he made some pretty dishonorable suggestions concerning the woman he supposedly loved, so The Proper Wife comes with some built-in hills to climb. In The Wedding Bargain, these two were very unlikable. Clarissa was painted as a temperamental, spoiled, fit-throwing brat and Sinjin was shown to have dishonorable intentions. They were both in need of redemption. Did Ms. Justiss succeed? Not completely, but she could have.
When the story begins, these two immediately butt heads. Sinjin is looking for a proper wife, a calm wife, a woman who is not an aristocrat – some one quiet. Clarissa is none of these. Clarissa is quick to enter into numerous frays and scandals. She is a pretty heedless person, charges into things without giving much thought for the consequences. She is self-absorbed. She is everything that Sinjin abhors. I loved the beginning of this story when these two first encounter each other. Their banter and antagonism was a thing to behold. I had a lot of fun watching these two clash. I had a smile on my face through the beginning of the book. I wish it had gone on a bit longer.
If the author had been able to keep the momentum between Sinjin and Clarissa going this would have been an excellent book. However, there were moments when our character did things which didn’t make sense, and I am becoming more and more fond of my characters' actions making sense. I find myself making notes as I read, asking “does this make sense?” Furthermore, what was a promising start to some pretty fun characters was soon replaced by that old Romanceland separation doodah. It’s hard to build a relationship if the couple aren’t together. Author’s - don’t separate your characters. How are characters supposed to banter if they are not together?
I was pleased to see the previous characters of Sarah and Nicholas make an appearance in this book. It allowed for some much needed loose end tying. There was also enough time given in the book for Sarah, Nicholas and Sinjin to forgive past mistakes and become friends. I was also pleased that Sinjin didn’t moan and groan over his lost love Sarah – at least not too long. When he falls for Clarissa, he really puts up a good fight. I just wish more time had been spent on the couple being together. They were just so much fun when they were together.
I liked this story better than The Wedding Bargain, but it still didn’t quite make it up to standards established in A Most Unconventional Match. I think if the author had given more together time to the couple, I would have found the book very delightful. As it is, it was pleasant but nothing earth-shattering.
February 16, 2014
It was my mistake when I started reading THE PROPER WIFE but I soon caught on that I was missing something. It was THE WEDDING GAMBLE, the first book in this series. The characters in TWG were referred to often in TPW and I felt out of the loop on several occasions.
This is the story of Lady Clarissa Beaumont and St. John 'Sinjin' Sandiford, two very different people. A flighty but well-intentioned young woman with a very plump pocket. A viscount without any money returning from the War with Napoleon. And both friends/former love interests of the Englemeres found in the first book.
Sinjin needed quite a bit of capital to save his estate from going under. He had told himself it was time he married a malleable lady with monies that needed his title. And poor Clarissa fell for him even though their first impressions were touchy and curt.
I had a real hard time following Sandiford. He came across as unlikeable for the bulk of the story only redeeming himself toward the very end. Except for his looks, I found it hard to understand why Clarissa had feelings for him. Especially when he was looking at others concerning marriage. The one character that interested me was Hal so I will try A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH, the third book in the Wellingfords series, and see if things get better.
This is the story of Lady Clarissa Beaumont and St. John 'Sinjin' Sandiford, two very different people. A flighty but well-intentioned young woman with a very plump pocket. A viscount without any money returning from the War with Napoleon. And both friends/former love interests of the Englemeres found in the first book.
Sinjin needed quite a bit of capital to save his estate from going under. He had told himself it was time he married a malleable lady with monies that needed his title. And poor Clarissa fell for him even though their first impressions were touchy and curt.
I had a real hard time following Sandiford. He came across as unlikeable for the bulk of the story only redeeming himself toward the very end. Except for his looks, I found it hard to understand why Clarissa had feelings for him. Especially when he was looking at others concerning marriage. The one character that interested me was Hal so I will try A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH, the third book in the Wellingfords series, and see if things get better.
December 5, 2017
Quando passa la voglia di dormire, di mangiare e si perde interesse per qualunque altra cosa nella vita, significa che state leggendo un buon libro. Magari non è perfetto e nemmeno superlativo, ma è quello che serve. Abbiamo un visconte del Decimo Ussari senza una lira che torna in patria con onore e gloria. Per sollevare le finanze e uscire dalla disastrosa situazione economica in cui versa, cerca di sposarsi con una ricca e tranquilla ragazza borghese. Nel frattempo, però, si “scontra” (è proprio il caso di dirlo) con un’irruente e ricca aristocratica con la quale ha un’attrazione-repulsione degna di un magnete tirato da due titani. Nessun colpo di fulmine, ma una situazione sentimentale che si trasforma a poco a poco per entrambi cambierà tutto. Fino al punto in cui le nozze fra i due saranno inevitabili, ma – e questo è il bello – sorprendentemente lei risponde di no. E da qui gli sviluppi non li posso spiegare, ma il finale sarà sorprendente e trattato con vera maestria.
December 11, 2023
Segundo volume da pentalogia Wellingfords.
Não é exatamente uma história de redenção, embora narrativa foque em Clarissa Beaumont e St. John Sandiford, ambos já mencionados em Apostando no Amor.
Diferentemente do primeiro livro, esse busca redimir personagens que já haviam se mostrado menos que simpáticos. A autora consegue modificá-los o suficiente para garantir um bom desenvolvimento sem perder característica básicas.
Infelizmente, a Nova Cultural não teve tempo de completar a série.
Não é exatamente uma história de redenção, embora narrativa foque em Clarissa Beaumont e St. John Sandiford, ambos já mencionados em Apostando no Amor.
Diferentemente do primeiro livro, esse busca redimir personagens que já haviam se mostrado menos que simpáticos. A autora consegue modificá-los o suficiente para garantir um bom desenvolvimento sem perder característica básicas.
Infelizmente, a Nova Cultural não teve tempo de completar a série.
August 16, 2023
Ok 💅🏻 The protagonists being both really independent and stubborn really made this book. However, I didn't like how towards the end he seems to suggest that he will change her? Uhm, I THINK NOT, sir.
I'd be curious to read the other in the series now, not gonna lie.
I'd be curious to read the other in the series now, not gonna lie.
December 23, 2023
Couldn’t stand the spoiled b*tch of a heroine.
August 21, 2012
I'd forgotten I'd read this while I was on holiday - which I suppose is an indication of what I thought of it.
The hero has come back from war to discover he's broke and must marry an heiress. He is determined to seek a wife from among the "merchant class", while being persistently attracted to Clarissa Beaumont, a rather fast young woman, who is a friend of a friend and beautiful and rich, to boot.
They're attracted to each other of course, but she thinks he's too interfering and disapproving, and he's stuck on the idea of finding himself a wife who knows how to behave appropriately - and basically live according to his instructions.
It's not an especially original plot - and while I don't find that to be a problem, I did find the lack of sympathetic characters to be problematic. Sinjin is physically attractive of course, but he's a bit of an idiot, and Clarissa is similarly headstrong.
It passed the time, but I don't think I'll be returning to this one.
The hero has come back from war to discover he's broke and must marry an heiress. He is determined to seek a wife from among the "merchant class", while being persistently attracted to Clarissa Beaumont, a rather fast young woman, who is a friend of a friend and beautiful and rich, to boot.
They're attracted to each other of course, but she thinks he's too interfering and disapproving, and he's stuck on the idea of finding himself a wife who knows how to behave appropriately - and basically live according to his instructions.
It's not an especially original plot - and while I don't find that to be a problem, I did find the lack of sympathetic characters to be problematic. Sinjin is physically attractive of course, but he's a bit of an idiot, and Clarissa is similarly headstrong.
It passed the time, but I don't think I'll be returning to this one.
October 20, 2015
Having found a new author I am enjoying catching up on the earlier books she has written. Filling a world with her characters and seeing them come forward for their own moment at center stage, yet still having all of them as part of the entire story.
September 6, 2011
I am normally a big Julia Justiss fan. I adore her using familiar characters such as Nicholas Stanhope and Hal Waterman (who is my favorite of her characters).
October 18, 2014
I have just fallen in love with this series. I cannot wait to start book 3!!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews