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A Marriage of Convenience: A Regency romance
To avoid a terrible fate, she agrees to a marriage of convenience. But can it turn into a true love match … ?
1815. Having fallen on hard times, doctor’s daughter Grace Ellis serves as a lady’s companion. But on Lady Florence’s death, Grace discovers that she’s been left an unexpected legacy by her former mistress. There’s just one catch. In order to claim her inheritance, Grace must wed Lady Florence’s disreputable nephew, a gruff army brigadier more than three times her age.
She is offered a way out by family friend Dominic LeSayres, who determines to marry Grace himself in order to save her from a grim fate. But just as the proposed marriage of convenience looks set to turn into a true love match, others step in to crush Grace’s happiness ...
1815. Having fallen on hard times, doctor’s daughter Grace Ellis serves as a lady’s companion. But on Lady Florence’s death, Grace discovers that she’s been left an unexpected legacy by her former mistress. There’s just one catch. In order to claim her inheritance, Grace must wed Lady Florence’s disreputable nephew, a gruff army brigadier more than three times her age.
She is offered a way out by family friend Dominic LeSayres, who determines to marry Grace himself in order to save her from a grim fate. But just as the proposed marriage of convenience looks set to turn into a true love match, others step in to crush Grace’s happiness ...
- GenresRomance
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 8, 2018
Another marriage of convenience snafu.
I found this Regency romance bland. I don't know why. It had all the right ingredients but the chemistry just didn't happen. Grace Ellis, companion to Lady Florence, has been left a legacy upon her mistress's death. A legacy tied up with conditions.
Grace's first meetings with Dominique LeSayres just didn't ring true and as far as I'm concerned things went downhill from there. I struggled to finish. The marriage of convenience trope has so much to play with but the playing here just didn't live up to its full potential. It's pricing is definitely a snafu.
A NetGalley ARC
I found this Regency romance bland. I don't know why. It had all the right ingredients but the chemistry just didn't happen. Grace Ellis, companion to Lady Florence, has been left a legacy upon her mistress's death. A legacy tied up with conditions.
Grace's first meetings with Dominique LeSayres just didn't ring true and as far as I'm concerned things went downhill from there. I struggled to finish. The marriage of convenience trope has so much to play with but the playing here just didn't live up to its full potential. It's pricing is definitely a snafu.
A NetGalley ARC
June 3, 2018
I found this an intensely frustrating read. At times it was wonderful; Grace and Dominic’s first interactions were both charming and hilarious, with Grace’s sass endearing herself to both Dominic and the reader. The reasons for the two of them to have a marriage of convenience were both sensible and pressing.
However, there were also several occasions when the plot became horribly muddled. My suspension of belief failed when the reader was asked to believe that Grace, a well-educated doctor’s daughter and a regular churchgoer, wouldn’t know a marriage would not be legal unless either a special license was procured or the banns were called for three weeks prior to the marriage. Even if she somehow forgot in the heat of the moment, she had several days to think on it and realise something wasn’t quite right before Dominic confessed. Instead, she was genuinely shocked, and I was genuinely rolling my eyes.
In addition, once she suspected he might be married, why not just ask him? Or ask his stepmother and sister-in-law? It wasn’t as though she didn’t have the opportunity, or the strength of character. It irritates me when a character suddenly seems to lose all their intelligence to serve a plot point.
As I said, the book had its good points, but for me they were outweighed by the frustrating ones. Two stars.
(and then I looked at the Amazon page to grab a copy of the book cover for the review and almost died… $25.99 for the Kindle edition? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?)
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
However, there were also several occasions when the plot became horribly muddled. My suspension of belief failed when the reader was asked to believe that Grace, a well-educated doctor’s daughter and a regular churchgoer, wouldn’t know a marriage would not be legal unless either a special license was procured or the banns were called for three weeks prior to the marriage. Even if she somehow forgot in the heat of the moment, she had several days to think on it and realise something wasn’t quite right before Dominic confessed. Instead, she was genuinely shocked, and I was genuinely rolling my eyes.
In addition, once she suspected he might be married, why not just ask him? Or ask his stepmother and sister-in-law? It wasn’t as though she didn’t have the opportunity, or the strength of character. It irritates me when a character suddenly seems to lose all their intelligence to serve a plot point.
As I said, the book had its good points, but for me they were outweighed by the frustrating ones. Two stars.
(and then I looked at the Amazon page to grab a copy of the book cover for the review and almost died… $25.99 for the Kindle edition? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?)
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
March 29, 2018
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This was a well written story with the characters having plenty of depth.
I found it an entertaining easy read.
This was a well written story with the characters having plenty of depth.
I found it an entertaining easy read.
April 28, 2018
An incredibly frustrating narrative that one is nevertheless forced to finish, even if just to see this very stupid heroine find her happily ever after. For someone consistently described as intelligent, Grace shows a remarkable lack of common sense. Halfway through the book, she makes a decision of such poor judgement that the reader may wish to take a short, furious break in order to resuspend their disbelief. The dialogue is also curiously flat: no words are uttered with scorn, none drip with contempt; there are no brooding looks, or eyes glinting under half-closed lids. The reader is more or less left to fill in the emotional context. The redeeming factor is the hero, Dominic, who for some reason falls immediately in love with Grace. Compelling in the same way you might eat a whole cake, but hate yourself after the first slice. -- Megan Osmond
1 1/2 stars
This review appeared in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #1.
1 1/2 stars
This review appeared in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #1.
June 1, 2018
Hampshire England - 1815
Lady Florence Digby has just passed away. Her legal representative, James Archibald, has gathered the Lady’s six servants together to tell them of the bequests she has left them. The have all been given a month’s notice to find another job. They have to work the full month before they can leave. If they leave before the month is up, they will forfeit their bequest.
Grace Ellis, age 20, has been Lady Florence’s companion. After the accountant left his job with the Lady, Grace took over management of the books and household. She also treated the Lady’s ailments because she has a great knowledge of herbal remedies as her father had been a respected doctor.
Just before the funeral, Dominic LeSayres arrives. He is a family friend of Lady Florence. He is impressed with how well Grace has managed things in the household while also helping the servants with their duties. Now, he asks her to help him prepare the house for sale.
Dominic shows her the gold and jewelry that Lady Florence had left her with the wish that she use it as a dowry to marry her nephew, Brigadier Maximilian Crouch. If she refuses, the money will go to charity. Grace refuses to marry the repulsive Brigadier. Dominic then offers her a job as an accountant with him as her mathematical skills are good. He is also quite taken with her and wants to keep her near him.
Grace is left to see that the servants get the house packed up and ready for sale as Dominic must take care of business with his brother. While he is gone, Grace finds herself in jeopardy with two servants who think she was given money. They beat her and leave her locked in her room in the empty house. Will anyone find and rescue her?
This story goes back and forth where Grace is safe then she’s not. I had a difficult time liking Grace or Dominic. Too much drama for the plot. I was glad when this book was over.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lady Florence Digby has just passed away. Her legal representative, James Archibald, has gathered the Lady’s six servants together to tell them of the bequests she has left them. The have all been given a month’s notice to find another job. They have to work the full month before they can leave. If they leave before the month is up, they will forfeit their bequest.
Grace Ellis, age 20, has been Lady Florence’s companion. After the accountant left his job with the Lady, Grace took over management of the books and household. She also treated the Lady’s ailments because she has a great knowledge of herbal remedies as her father had been a respected doctor.
Just before the funeral, Dominic LeSayres arrives. He is a family friend of Lady Florence. He is impressed with how well Grace has managed things in the household while also helping the servants with their duties. Now, he asks her to help him prepare the house for sale.
Dominic shows her the gold and jewelry that Lady Florence had left her with the wish that she use it as a dowry to marry her nephew, Brigadier Maximilian Crouch. If she refuses, the money will go to charity. Grace refuses to marry the repulsive Brigadier. Dominic then offers her a job as an accountant with him as her mathematical skills are good. He is also quite taken with her and wants to keep her near him.
Grace is left to see that the servants get the house packed up and ready for sale as Dominic must take care of business with his brother. While he is gone, Grace finds herself in jeopardy with two servants who think she was given money. They beat her and leave her locked in her room in the empty house. Will anyone find and rescue her?
This story goes back and forth where Grace is safe then she’s not. I had a difficult time liking Grace or Dominic. Too much drama for the plot. I was glad when this book was over.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 9, 2023
I found a copy of this book in my local library and the synopsis sounded great, however I have to say I have rarely thought a book was so terrible, and yet felt compelled somehow to finish reading it.
As other reviewers have said, the main characters lack chemistry and their "falling in love" seemed ot happen immediately and for no good reason. For some reason I initially doubted Dominic's good intentions and was waiting half the book expecting him to turn out to be a villain. It's hard to follow the plot and who is going where and why. Everything seems very rushed, the author could have done with taking a bit longer to create more atmosphere in the moments, and to let some things be implied rather than said outright.
Despite being pronounced intelligent numerous times I found it hard to believe that Grace would take so long to ask Dominic whether or not he was indeed married, or to realise that their wedding wasn't legal. I wished that she wouldn't have decided to sleep with him despite believing him to be married and never having broached the subject with him, it made me like her infinitely less.
All in all, a rather frustrating read.
As other reviewers have said, the main characters lack chemistry and their "falling in love" seemed ot happen immediately and for no good reason. For some reason I initially doubted Dominic's good intentions and was waiting half the book expecting him to turn out to be a villain. It's hard to follow the plot and who is going where and why. Everything seems very rushed, the author could have done with taking a bit longer to create more atmosphere in the moments, and to let some things be implied rather than said outright.
Despite being pronounced intelligent numerous times I found it hard to believe that Grace would take so long to ask Dominic whether or not he was indeed married, or to realise that their wedding wasn't legal. I wished that she wouldn't have decided to sleep with him despite believing him to be married and never having broached the subject with him, it made me like her infinitely less.
All in all, a rather frustrating read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2018
The story is well written and entertaining but at times feels long and slow. Characters are interesting but some times boring. Though the main story revolves around the terms of a will there are a few other things going on with secondary as well as main characters. All in all the story is a good one. It has adventure, love at first sight, crazy thieves, soldiers, and several other delightful secrets.
January 30, 2020
I know I have said before that I am not into romance but I found the MP3 recording particularly likeable for the car. The acting was god and do the writing seemed to be although to read the story would be a new experience. Set in 1815.
October 23, 2019
DNF did not like the writing style
May 30, 2018
3.25 Stars
1815. Having fallen on hard times, doctor’s daughter Grace Ellis serves as a lady’s companion for Lady Florence, when Lady Florence dies, Grace discovers that she’s been left an unexpected legacy. There’s just one catch. In order to claim her inheritance, Grace must wed Lady Florence’s disreputable nephew, a gruff army brigadier more than three times her age. She is offered a way out by Dominic LeSayres, who determines to marry Grace himself.
I had mixed feelings about this book. It’s well written the characters are well fleshed & the story is interesting. However it felt like I was treading water at times but I was compelled to finish the book. Some secondary characters were horrid & one in particular didn’t deserve the salvation that was hinted at. I had to suspend belief about Grace’s behaviour at one point, why would she do that! I also didn’t feel any spark between Dominic & Grace, there were no longing looks etc & I think that was the route of my mediocre feelings for the book, I didn’t become involved in the story nor felt any emotions about the characters.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
1815. Having fallen on hard times, doctor’s daughter Grace Ellis serves as a lady’s companion for Lady Florence, when Lady Florence dies, Grace discovers that she’s been left an unexpected legacy. There’s just one catch. In order to claim her inheritance, Grace must wed Lady Florence’s disreputable nephew, a gruff army brigadier more than three times her age. She is offered a way out by Dominic LeSayres, who determines to marry Grace himself.
I had mixed feelings about this book. It’s well written the characters are well fleshed & the story is interesting. However it felt like I was treading water at times but I was compelled to finish the book. Some secondary characters were horrid & one in particular didn’t deserve the salvation that was hinted at. I had to suspend belief about Grace’s behaviour at one point, why would she do that! I also didn’t feel any spark between Dominic & Grace, there were no longing looks etc & I think that was the route of my mediocre feelings for the book, I didn’t become involved in the story nor felt any emotions about the characters.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
March 10, 2018
This book was little on the slower side for me but was written quite well. The characters developed well. I must admit I disliked Jessie and Brian they are just down right mean and dirty. The ending was a little abrupt for my taste and was fairly predictable. I would still recommend this book for a read.
April 22, 2018
A Historical romance with drama,angst,slight humor,romance and passion.
Love Grace and Dominic a great couple.
Enjoyed reading.
Love Grace and Dominic a great couple.
Enjoyed reading.
May 19, 2018
Left with the inheritance of money and a marriage will Grace choose another man?
This was a sweet romance novel. I enjoyed it very much!
This was a sweet romance novel. I enjoyed it very much!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews