The Silk Merchant's Convenient Wife

by Elisabeth Hobbes

A convenient marriage

An inconvenient passion…

His parents’ loveless relationship has left silk merchant Jonathan Harcourt suspicious of marriage. But in order to expand his mill and have an heir, he must marry his neighbour Aurelia Upford. Even more surprising than finding himself with a clever, beautiful society wife is the unexpected passion that flares between them, and the unsettling emotions it leads to. Sharing a bed was part of their arrangement, but can Jonathan risk sharing his heart, too?

Genres: Historical, Romance, Historical Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Historical Fiction, Harlequin

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published August 25, 2020

About the author

Author for Harlequin Historical.
Falling For Her Captor October 2014
A Wager for the Widow July 2015
The Blacksmith's Wife May 2016
The Saxon Outlaw's Revenge December 2016
Redeeming the Rogue Knight August 2017

I grew up in York where I spent most of my teenage years wandering around the city looking for a handsome Roman or Viking to sweep me off my feet. Sadly it never happened but I developed a love of the past and went on to read History and Art History at university before venturing into the world of teaching. These days I hold down jobs as a teacher and mum. I live in Cheshire with my husband, two young children and two cats with ridiculous names.
I love historical fiction and have a fondness for dark haired, bearded heroes. When I'm not writing, I spend a lot of my spare time reading and have become something of a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book!

You can find me on Facebook and Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHob... and Twitter https://twitter.com/ElisabethHobbes

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely, gentle romance; the perfect antidote to worries about the covid-19 pandemic affecting the world right now in 2020.

Jonathan and Aurelia don’t marry for love. He needs land and an heir; she’s not looking for love after a disastrous experience with another man for whom she thought she felt deeply. How their marriage moves from a business contract through friendship and ultimately to love will keep you enthralled. Ms. Hobbes’ excellent writing draws a detailed picture not only of the era, but also of the town of Macclesfield and the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.

It was wonderful immersing myself in the world of 1850/51, allowing myself to forget our current troubles.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy by the author in return for an honest review.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Elisabeth Hobbes work, she is such an accomplished and gifted storyteller, she never fails to enthral the reader with clever words, knowledge and meticulous research – honestly, her medieval’s are in a league of their own – and her fist Victorian is just as rich and vibrant as the others.
I love the setting within the silk industry, Elisabeth doesn’t make that way of life all happy and prosperous, she gives a real and clear picture of life within the industry, the good and bad, I personally found the mention of the dreaded ‘millers lung’ (which is pretty much the same as the miner’s lung for those who don’t know, you breathe in the fibres and over time they destroy the lungs) very touching and gives light into one of the many illnesses that befell those who worked in the industry.
I have to say that I was taken with this book even before reading it, that cover is so striking it actually made me think of one of my all-time favourite drama’s North and South, and from that moment on every single time Johnathon was in a scene I had this image of Richard Armitage’s; Mr Thornton in my head. I was just waiting for ‘that’ kissing scene if there is I’m not going to spoil it for you, you will just have to pop to the shops and pick up a copy, but I will say that this does lead us down a merry path never knowing in which direction you will turn.

Johnathan is such a likeable chap, there is a touch of scandal in his past in the way he and his mother ended up living in Macclesfield, and why a nobleman would be working in a silk factory. I really, really like and respect Jonathan, anyone who follows the blog will know my utter love of a self-made man, and even though our boy isn’t working-class, he has worked damn hard to be where he is. He has pushed and fought for everything he now holds dear he can hold his head high for all he has achieved and that alone made me fall head over heels for this aspiring man. But, he isn’t just all stuffy cravats and starched collars he is a real hottie, sexy, suave, gentle, clever – even though I did get a sense of a bit of a ruthless edge, imaginative, a bit blunt and never minces his words (another reason I like him) and he is very, very passionate – I know what your thinking, get your minds out of the gutter no, he is passionate in that way, but more about his work and making the factory and the business the best it can be. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, he genuinely cares for his workers and for the poor, plus – and this is very important – he has a brilliant wit, it’s rare and hidden away under his cold factory boss exterior, but there are moments when you see that curving of the lips. It’s like I said, he is Mr Thornton…sigh!
Witnessing what happened to his parent’s marriage really impacted how he sees marriage to be, he doesn’t want to end up in the same position, which is one of the reason’s he is so against the idea of marriage. But he knows that he really needs a son and heir to carry on once he’s gone and to have that he needs a wife, which is where our lovely Aurelia (honestly, I would love to know how you actually pronounce her name, I’m hopeless with names)
Aurelia has a bit of a black mark against her, after a scandal which made the family move, she has got this black sheep sort of aura about her, deep down, I think her family do think she is to blame for their misfortune and as such she feels guilty and ashamed. She is a naïve, quiet and unassuming little thing that just needs a little love. She is content that her marriage will be one of convenience and not love, so once she starts seeing her new husband in a completely new, devastatingly tantalising light she is shocked at how much of her wants him, but she won’t love him, she is determined not to spoil anything and stick to the agreement ….yeah, right, there is only so long you can hold back from jumping on gorgeous Jonathan, he is way too tempting.
I adore the little touches of Jonathan’s and Aurelia’s personality’s which really brought them alive, such as Jonathan with his diary, it’s such a simple thing but I loved that little detail, whenever something of import happened he would write in it. It’s such an everyday thing to do, I mean haven’t we all had, or have got a diary?
I did think that the first couple of chapters after Jonathon and his mother flee their home, in the beginning, were a little slow in pace, which was a little surprising at first as I am so used to Elisabeth really hyping up the tension from the start in her previous books, It’s just me I think, I am becoming way too fussy. Once Aurelia and Jonathon married and they started to attempt to wade through the uneven waters of married life, then everything that I personally felt was lacking in the start fell into place. But despite my initial thoughts the gentler approach worked well with Jonathon and Aurelia’s story, they aren’t the kind of couple who need lots of fuss and huge showy scenes, they capture the attention and the imagination all on their own.
I thought their relationship developed beautifully throughout the book, there an instant bubbling of chemistry that takes them both off guard and that soon develops from chaste longing to unrepented love and lust. It’s not boom straight into bed, even when married the first bedroom scenes are quick and straight to the point, but there is a constant spark, an undercurrent of frustration as their feelings grow stronger.
The Silk Merchant’s Convenient Wife is a beautifully written captivating love story, full of gentle passion, richly textured detail and a misty like a longing that envelopes you as you read. The plot takes you on a steady journey, with a few surprises thrown in to keep you guessing. The characters are perfect for each other, they may seem a little chalk and cheese at first but once together you know that they were made for each other.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silk Merchant’s Convenient Wife is a Victorian romance and is mainly set in the industrial town of Macclesfield. Jonathan Harcourt is a successful partner in a silk weaving business; although he vowed not to marry, he is encouraged by his childless partner to take a wife for companionship and to produce an heir.

Aurelia’s family have recently returned to the area and her father has gambling debts which will make it hard to fill marriage dowries for his three daughters; he is pleased when Jonathan approaches him with a proposal about buying some land. A counter-deal includes the hand of one of his daughters as well as the land.

This is a story which begins as a marriage of convenience and ends as so much more. I enjoyed the setting which was different from the many London settings in this genre. There is a lovely inclusion about The Great Exhibition held in 1851, which although only touched upon, was a fascinating addition to this story.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elisabeth Hobbes has moved forward in history for her Victorian romance The Silk Merchants Convenient Wife and for me she has also moved a little bit closer to home! Set in the town of Macclesfield which is well known for its silk brings her characters very near to where I live so I was drawn to the storyline immediately. And thankfully everything else fell into place to make this one of my favourite reads of Elizabeth’s so far. She always manages to deliver a great sense of time and place in her books but this time I felt a particular kinship to her gorgeous but commitment phobic hero and his strong minded and intelligent young wife.

When Jonathon moves with his mother to the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire, it is to escape the toxic marriage that his parents relationship has become. Renting a home from Edward, Jonathon shows his determination to succeed in life immediately and starts working for Edward at the bottom of the ladder. He quickly works his way up to junior partner and develops a father/son relationship with his employer who Jonathon looks up to. When Edward suggest he go back on his vow never to take a wife, as an heir will be needed to keep the business going, Jonathon isn’t keen. A chance meeting with his neighbours daughter quickly becomes a marriage of convenience for them both but sharing a bed to produce that much needed heir leads to a hunger for each other that they hadn’t foreseen…

I adored the chemistry between Jonathon and Aurelia especially is they brought out the best and the worst in each other. Their story isn’t an easy one to read at times as there are unexpected obstacles in the way of their “happy ever ever” but they felt realistically portrayed as they faced their married life together. There was a little twist towards the end that I hadn’t seen coming and added a rather shocking revelation for one of our characters to cope with!

Elisabeth Hobbes always writes so beautifully, bringing whatever period she is writing about to life with a passion for her subject that shows that she has researched her book impeccably. I would probably have liked a little more about the silk industry here but that’s just personal taste as I’ve a big interest in how the town of Macclesfield developed due to the manufacturing of such a much sought after product. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Silk Merchants Convenient Wife and found it an lovely relaxing book to take me away from the stresses of the real world for a few hours.

[Mclaudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book quite a bit... It was an interesting depiction of a marriage of convenience and it was fun to watch the MCs' relationship blossom along with their sexual awakening (both MCs were virgins, which was a welcome departure from the experienced hero, clueless heroine usual pairing.) Then I came to an absolutely uncalled for instance of homophobia from the hero, and it ruined the book for me. As the hero is painted as a considerate, open-minded person in many regards, it also felt out of character, particularly as it was directed as the hero's father figure.

[Rose Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1mG

When Jonathan Harcourt was twelve years old, and about to head off to school, his mother chose to abscond with him, leaving her volatile marriage behind. They moved to a mill town, where Jonathan began working, starting at the bottom. Thirteen years later, his hard work, along with the sponsorship of the mill owner, has led him to become a full partner, on track to take over completely someday. Due to the sorry state of his parents’ marriage, Jonathan determined that he would remain a bachelor, but his mentor, who has no heirs of his own, strongly suggested that Jonathan should not follow his same path. When Jonathan approaches a local baronet about purchasing some land, the financially strapped gentleman suggests that Jonathan court one of his three daughters.

Aurelia “Lia” Upford is the daughter of a baronet, and is currently nursing a broken heart and wounded pride. It turns out the man she was romantically involved with had been engaged to another. Lia meets Jonathan, and decides that if he chooses her to court, a convenient marriage may not be a bad thing. It will allow her to have her own home and children, with no messy emotions involved. When Jonathan finally chooses Lia over her more beautiful sister, she agrees to the marriage.

Jonathan and Lia begin their life together as friends, of a sort. Though they are both aware that they will eventually have to have physical contact to produce that heir, neither has a great deal of experience. They are both surprised by the immediate desire they feel for one another, and soon are sharing passionate encounters, with each determined to feel nothing more. Still, love has a way of creeping in unexpectedly.

THE SILK MERCHANT’S CONVENIENT WIFE is a warm and engaging story of two people who have been wounded by life, though in different ways. They have to overcome their own reluctance to love, as well as other circumstances which add some bumps in their road to a happy future. I liked both of these characters, and enjoyed the gently paced romance, which will appeal to readers who appreciate a character driven story and a marriage of convenience leading to a lasting love.

[Raymond Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scarred by his parents’ arguments, Jonathan Harcourt vows never to marry, but when Sir Robert Upford insists that he will part with the land needed to expand the silk mill Jonathan co-owns only if he weds one of his daughters, he reluctantly agrees. Aurelia Upton is equally reluctant, not at the prospect of marrying below the gentry class, but because she has sworn off men after an unfortunate experience. Nevertheless, both recognize the practical advantages, he proposes, and she accepts. They also share a mutual attraction, but can it develop into love?

There are insights into class attitudes, the treatment of child labor, and the situation of women in the Victorian era, but this romance focuses primarily upon the relationship between Jonathan and Aurelia as they struggle to adjust to each other’s needs during the first year of marriage. The challenges that confront a couple, who know so little about each other and are reluctant to be honest about their true feelings, are intensified when secrets are revealed. Fortunately, both are sensible and fair-minded, and increasingly they have come to care for one another and to build trust. Strongly recommended.
HNR Issue 94 (November 2020)
https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Kelly-Ann Woodford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this book kept me guessing how the story between Jonathon and Aurelia would evolve. From the start I was drawn into Jonathan Harcourts story about how he was all set to go off to school when his mother changed his plans. Aurelia on the other hand just wants to forget the embarrassment that happened in Oxford.
Jonathan a grown man has worked his way up from the bottom in a job working at the mill, mill owner Edward Langdon is surprised at his arrival and agrees to give him a job. They become close friends and when Jonathan wants to expand the mill and it’s capacity to produce the finest silk he has to approach Sir Robert Upton, Aurelia’s father. Jonathan is drawn to Aurelia and she to him but from the start things do not go smoothly for them.
Just as you think Jonathan and Aurelia’s journey is going in one way a curve ball is thrown into the mix and it starts down a different path, I found I was desperate to get further into the book in order to see where things went and I wasn’t disappointed.
You will have to read The Silk Merchants Convenient Wife for yourself and how the story ends, brilliant book by Elisabeth Hobbes

[Giuls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho letto questo romanzo perché cercavo disperatamente qualcosa di corto che contenesse all’interno della trama la parola commercio, altrimenti l’avrei lasciato perdere.
Per cui alla fine devo dire che, nonostante tutto, sono rimasta piacevolmente stupita dal romanzo nel suo complesso.
La storia, infatti, è molto carina e leggera, di quelle che si leggono velocemente. Ma questo anche a causa della brevità del romanzo, che è stata un po’ la pecca del romanzo: nel romanzo, infatti, ci sono moltissimi aspetti che vengono citati qua e là, ma che alla fine non vengono davvero affrontati da protagonisti (a partire dal livello di istruzione di Aurelia, che a leggere la trama dovrebbe essere tema fondante della storia ma che in realtà a malapena viene citato all’interno di una sola conversazione dei due).

Per quel che riguarda i protagonisti, li ho ritenuti la cosa migliore del romanzo, in particolare Amelia che mi è piaciuta molto: l’ho trovata una ragazza intelligente e volenterosa, con un forte senso del dovere e dell’indipendenza, sempre pronta ad aiutare gli altri.

Nel complesso un romanzo che non è niente di speciale, ma che risulta comunque una lettura piacevole da fare.

[Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silk Merchant's Convenient Wife is a beautiful story of Jonathan and Aurelia. They enter a marriage of convenience for their own reasons, both agreeing that love will have nothing to do with it.

The relationship between the two develops subtly and they begin discovering each other and gradually bonding. There is plenty of sexual chemistry between them, but both of them fear that by getting more involved with each other, they'll be going back on their word.

Jonathan and Aurelia were lovely characters and I particularly liked Jonathan's honesty and straightforward nature. There is a great sense of the setting in the story and the glimpses into the silk industry of Macclesfield were particularly interesting. All in all, a lovely read.

[Harlequin Historical]

Categories
Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Victorian Historical Fiction

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: Miscarriage

I'll post a full review soon

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no way I couldn't give this book 5 STARS. Jonathan Harcourt built his life from the ground up with the help of his mentor and partner. Edward taught him everything he knows about the business of producing silk. Jonathan's plans include acquiring more land with water to expand production and establish schooling for the children who work in the mill. In order to acquire the property he must marry one of the property owner's daughters. So begins a marriage of convenience without love. Passion and respect give the possibility of more, but many secrets are the biggest obstacle. I enjoyed following Aurelia and Jonathan on their journey with a glimpse of the Crystal Palace.
Gifted a copy of this book by the author.

[Natalija · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by the author, and while the opening chapters had me hooked, my enthusiasm waned around the midpoint as the story dragged. When the momentum finally picked up around 70%, I was invested enough to push through to the finish, but unfortunately, the payoff didn't quite live up to my expectations – the plot twists were predictable, and even the big reveals about Edward's past didn't surprise me. Despite this, I'm willing to give the author another chance, hoping her other books will offer more depth and emotional resonance.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come! I finished it in one day. Loved it!