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Company of Rogues #16
The Viscount Needs a Wife
The New York Times bestselling author of Too Dangerous for a Lady returns with another roguishly delicious Regency romance...
Since being widowed two years ago, Kitty Cateril has been trapped in her late husband's home, where she is expected to mourn forever. Desperate to escape, Kitty will consider any option—even a hasty marriage to a stranger with no intention of abandoning his bachelor ways.
London life suits Beau Braydon, especially his work keeping Britain safe. So when he inherits the title of Viscount Dauntry, he has no intention of resettling on a rural estate. He can’t resist the opportunity to marry a sensible widow who can manage Beauchamp Abbey for him—until he realizes Kitty is more than he bargained for...
Before Kitty and Dauntry can adjust to each other, a threat to the royal family takes them to London. Soon someone is determined to prevent Dauntry from exposing the villain, and secrets in Kitty's past threaten their growing love...
Since being widowed two years ago, Kitty Cateril has been trapped in her late husband's home, where she is expected to mourn forever. Desperate to escape, Kitty will consider any option—even a hasty marriage to a stranger with no intention of abandoning his bachelor ways.
London life suits Beau Braydon, especially his work keeping Britain safe. So when he inherits the title of Viscount Dauntry, he has no intention of resettling on a rural estate. He can’t resist the opportunity to marry a sensible widow who can manage Beauchamp Abbey for him—until he realizes Kitty is more than he bargained for...
Before Kitty and Dauntry can adjust to each other, a threat to the royal family takes them to London. Soon someone is determined to prevent Dauntry from exposing the villain, and secrets in Kitty's past threaten their growing love...
416 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
176 people are currently reading
1679 people want to read
About the author
Jo Beverley
143 books1,131 followersMary Josephine Dunn was born 22 September 1947 in Lancashire, England, UK. At the age of eleven she went to an all-girls boarding school, Layton Hill Convent, Blackpool. At sixteen, she wrote her first romance, with a medieval setting, completed in installments in an exercise book. From 1966 to 1970, she obtained a degree in English history from Keele University in Staffordshire, where she met her future husband, Ken Beverley. After graduation, they married on June 24, 1971. She quickly attained a position as a youth employment officer until 1976, working first in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, and then in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.
In 1976, her scientist husband was invited to do post-doctoral research at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. When her professional qualifications proved not to be usable in the Canadian labour market, she raised their two sons and started to write her first romances.
Moved to Ottawa, in 1985 she became a founding member of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association, that her “nurturing community” for the next twelve years. The same year, she completed a regency romance, but it was promptly rejected by a number of publishers, and she settled more earnestly to learning the craft. In 1988, it sold to Walker, and was published as "Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed". She regularly appears on bestseller lists including the USA Today overall bestseller list, the New York Times, and and the Publishers Weekly list. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, the National Readers Choice, and a two Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times. She is also a five time winner of the RITA, the top award of the Romance Writers Of America, and a member of their Hall of Fame and Honor Roll.
Jo Beverley passed away on May 23, 2016 after a long battle with cancer.
In 1976, her scientist husband was invited to do post-doctoral research at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. When her professional qualifications proved not to be usable in the Canadian labour market, she raised their two sons and started to write her first romances.
Moved to Ottawa, in 1985 she became a founding member of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association, that her “nurturing community” for the next twelve years. The same year, she completed a regency romance, but it was promptly rejected by a number of publishers, and she settled more earnestly to learning the craft. In 1988, it sold to Walker, and was published as "Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed". She regularly appears on bestseller lists including the USA Today overall bestseller list, the New York Times, and and the Publishers Weekly list. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Golden Leaf, the Award of Excellence, the National Readers Choice, and a two Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times. She is also a five time winner of the RITA, the top award of the Romance Writers Of America, and a member of their Hall of Fame and Honor Roll.
Jo Beverley passed away on May 23, 2016 after a long battle with cancer.
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March 8, 2016Copy received courtesy of NetGalley
Jo Beverley is one of the writers I think of as the heirs to Georgette Heyer. She has internalized Heyer’s distinctive style of Regency language thoroughly, skillfully blending it with modern speech so that it’s immediately accessible to today’s reader unused to actual period style. Take the title, The Viscount Needs a Wife; in period, the word ‘want’ meant ‘need.’ But that would change the meaning for modern readers unaware of that.
Beverley has also modernized the Regency romance in the sense that the bedroom door does not shut when the arranged marriage here between the new Viscount (who prefers to be called Braydon, his last name) and our heroine Kitty takes place. In fact, their sexual compatibility is actually an important part of the plot in the sense of two strangers setting about getting to know one another in the most practical way imaginable.
The new viscount is in want of a sturdy, practical, strong-willed wife to take over the Abbey that he inherited along with the title, which includes the Dowager Viscountess, who hates his guts, and her granddaughter, who uses her seventeen-year-old wiles against the viscount at the orders of her granny.
Braydon also has a secret avocation: he is in essence a part of MI5 100 years before it was invented. And there is a plot against three of the royal princes that must be investigated with delicacy, as post-Waterloo has brought unrest to England.
Meanwhile Kitty Cateril is a widow, constrained by her grieving mother-in-law to in essence bury herself. A letter from her school friend, happily married to the vicar in charge of the parish the viscount now lives in, brings Kitty for a visit to meet a man who needs a wife quickly, one without a lot of relatives and baggage.
The setup is a bit contrived, but Beverley gets so much character development going that the reader is willing to go along for the ride if she enjoys the arranged marriage trope. The story develops at a leisurely pace, taking time to paint the scenery and furnish lovely period details about caps, hats, servants, the bells of London, etc. Beverley knows the period, and the world-building shows it.
The pacing continues to move along leisurely as we learn that not one but two mysteries face our newlyweds. Meanwhile, they are trying to get to know one another, and to respect one another, as well as pursue compatibility in the boudoir.
I guessed the probability of one mystery, and was taken by surprise by the other; I think contemporary readers will be pleased with this couple, and with the story. Some of the personal conflicts resolved very quickly, but I prefer that to melodramatic angst and misunderstanding dragging on for pages, and Braydon was interesting without being an alpha “dukebag”—a character type I avoid.
Jo Beverley is one of the writers I think of as the heirs to Georgette Heyer. She has internalized Heyer’s distinctive style of Regency language thoroughly, skillfully blending it with modern speech so that it’s immediately accessible to today’s reader unused to actual period style. Take the title, The Viscount Needs a Wife; in period, the word ‘want’ meant ‘need.’ But that would change the meaning for modern readers unaware of that.
Beverley has also modernized the Regency romance in the sense that the bedroom door does not shut when the arranged marriage here between the new Viscount (who prefers to be called Braydon, his last name) and our heroine Kitty takes place. In fact, their sexual compatibility is actually an important part of the plot in the sense of two strangers setting about getting to know one another in the most practical way imaginable.
The new viscount is in want of a sturdy, practical, strong-willed wife to take over the Abbey that he inherited along with the title, which includes the Dowager Viscountess, who hates his guts, and her granddaughter, who uses her seventeen-year-old wiles against the viscount at the orders of her granny.
Braydon also has a secret avocation: he is in essence a part of MI5 100 years before it was invented. And there is a plot against three of the royal princes that must be investigated with delicacy, as post-Waterloo has brought unrest to England.
Meanwhile Kitty Cateril is a widow, constrained by her grieving mother-in-law to in essence bury herself. A letter from her school friend, happily married to the vicar in charge of the parish the viscount now lives in, brings Kitty for a visit to meet a man who needs a wife quickly, one without a lot of relatives and baggage.
The setup is a bit contrived, but Beverley gets so much character development going that the reader is willing to go along for the ride if she enjoys the arranged marriage trope. The story develops at a leisurely pace, taking time to paint the scenery and furnish lovely period details about caps, hats, servants, the bells of London, etc. Beverley knows the period, and the world-building shows it.
The pacing continues to move along leisurely as we learn that not one but two mysteries face our newlyweds. Meanwhile, they are trying to get to know one another, and to respect one another, as well as pursue compatibility in the boudoir.
I guessed the probability of one mystery, and was taken by surprise by the other; I think contemporary readers will be pleased with this couple, and with the story. Some of the personal conflicts resolved very quickly, but I prefer that to melodramatic angst and misunderstanding dragging on for pages, and Braydon was interesting without being an alpha “dukebag”—a character type I avoid.
May 28, 2016
A delightful regency romance with an unusual hero and a great heroine. I liked both immensely, but once again, work commitments have kept me from reviewing it for a week. I'll note two things and be content.
First, while the 17th(!) in a series, there's really no intrusion on the story, here. I had no trouble being fully engaged and while there are hints of interesting characters on the fringe, I didn't feel the lack of having their complete stories.
Second, this totally piqued my interest in Jo Beverly. I've avoided her because her series are huge at this point and have gone on for decades. It has been my sad experience that with long-standing romance authors I enjoy their more recent works much more than their earlier ones and that conflicts with my hatred of starting in the middle. But this was so very good that I determined to experiment further. So I already have another under my belt chosen from the middle of a different series and to cut this short, I'm now looking for the beginning. I can't wait to get to know her work better and I truly hope the early works don't suck.
A note about Steamy: Yeah, it's been a while, but I remember there are only a couple explicit sex scenes and that they lent themselves well to the story. So the middle of my steam tolerance and well done.
First, while the 17th(!) in a series, there's really no intrusion on the story, here. I had no trouble being fully engaged and while there are hints of interesting characters on the fringe, I didn't feel the lack of having their complete stories.
Second, this totally piqued my interest in Jo Beverly. I've avoided her because her series are huge at this point and have gone on for decades. It has been my sad experience that with long-standing romance authors I enjoy their more recent works much more than their earlier ones and that conflicts with my hatred of starting in the middle. But this was so very good that I determined to experiment further. So I already have another under my belt chosen from the middle of a different series and to cut this short, I'm now looking for the beginning. I can't wait to get to know her work better and I truly hope the early works don't suck.
A note about Steamy: Yeah, it's been a while, but I remember there are only a couple explicit sex scenes and that they lent themselves well to the story. So the middle of my steam tolerance and well done.
September 18, 2016
I've given this a C+ at AAR, so 3.5 stars.
Although set within her Company of Rogues universe, Jo Beverley’s most recent novels have introduced new characters who are not part of the Rogues’ “inner circle”, even though some of the Rogues have made cameo appearances or been mentioned. This latest story, The Viscount Needs a Wife features a character who appeared in the previous book in the series, Too Dangerous For a Lady, when he appeared as a friend and colleague of the hero and was instrumental in helping to foil a plot to blow up the Palace of Westminster.
Beau Braydon has found himself unexpectedly elevated to a viscountcy he had no idea he was in line for and doesn’t want. Now Viscount Dauntry, he has inherited title, estates, wealth… and an extremely unpleasant dowager and her granddaughter (mother and daughter respectively of the previous incumbent) both of whom are still in residence at Beauchamp Abbey and who are seemingly immovable. A former army officer, Braydon’s intelligence, perfect memory and his ability to move freely about society have made him invaluable in the government’s search for the seditionists and would-be revolutionaries who have sprung up in England following the Napoleonic Wars. His work doesn’t leave Braydon a lot of time to spend trying to placate the two angry and resentful women he has been saddled with, and besides, he’s not someone who enjoys country living. He needs someone to run the Abbey on a day to day basis, and who will also be able to deal with the dowager and Isabella – and decides he needs a wife. Not having the time to embark upon a traditional courtship, Braydon instead mentions his plan to a friend, whose wife suggests her friend, Kitty Cateril, the young widow of an army officer.
Kitty’s husband was seriously wounded before she married him, but she loved him, even though their marriage had become increasingly difficult over the years. Now, however, she is suffocating under the weight of her mother-in-law’s grief; even though Marcus has been dead for two years, she refuses to put off her blacks, made Kitty’s life miserable when she went into half-mourning and basically expects Kitty to live as though she had died along with her husband. So when a letter from her best friend asks Kitty to consider the idea of re-marrying, she can’t help but be energized at the prospect of escaping the dreary life to which her mother-in-law wants to consign her.
Kitty can’t believe she’s considering the idea of marrying a man she has never met, but freedom beckons and she determines to make a good impression. She’s been told that the viscount wants a sensible, reliable wife, one who will manage his estates and his relatives, and live quietly in the country. Kitty is sure she’ll be able to manage his household, but thinks that perhaps her friend hasn’t told Braydon everything. Kitty isn’t exactly the shy, retiring type; she’s naturally vivacious and light-hearted, so when the viscount comes across her unexpectedly, romping across the fields with her dog, she thinks she’s ruined her chance of escape.
But while Kitty and Braydon don’t get off to the best of starts, there’s definitely a strong attraction there, and, as Braydon has pressing business in London and no time to change his mind, the wedding goes ahead as planned.
Two strangers getting married and having to adjust to a life together is a storyline that always appeals to me, and having enjoyed meeting Braydon in the previous book, I was looking forward to reading more about him in this one. As was the case in Too Dangerous for a Lady Ms Beverley’s research is impeccable and she has created an interesting story which makes excellent use of the historical background of the very unsettled political situation in the late Regency period. The gap between rich and poor was enormous, the Regent was expensive, ineffectual and despised, and those in power were still sensible of what had happened in France not so many years earlier and were worried about revolution. Braydon is called in by Lord Sidmouth, the Home Secretary, to assist in the investigation of a recently uncovered plot to assassinate three of the royal princes.
The problem, though, is that while all this is well put-together and makes for an interesting read, the romance and central characters are rather underdeveloped. For one thing, the whole story takes place over a very short time period – Kitty and Braydon have been married for only three or four days by the end of the book, and we’re asked to believe in their respective “I love you”s when just a week earlier, they had no idea the other existed. Ms Beverley does a nice job in showing an affectionate companionship developing between them, and I rather liked Braydon’s willingness to confide in Kitty and that he doesn’t try to shut her out from his work, but it still happens too quickly for it to be believable. The plot-driven nature of the book also doesn’t allow for much character development. Braydon is rather bland overall – he has something akin to a photographic memory, is handsome, charming and clever – but his character lacks depth. Kitty is a sketched out a little more fully; lively, quick witted and determined, she’s more than up to the task of dealing with Braydon’s difficult relatives and the author adds nuance to her character through the little glimpses we get of her previous married life. But ultimately, neither of them is especially memorable which makes it difficult to get a sense of exactly why – apart from desire and expediency – they would fall for each other.
The Viscount Needs a Wife is as well-researched and well-written as one would expect from such an experienced author, but the romance is lacking. In my review of the previous book, I expressed similar reservations, but was able to recommend it because the historical background and story were so interesting. While that is true to an extent here, the storyline isn’t quite so compelling, which makes the deficiencies in the central relationship all the more obvious. If you’re looking for a well-told story in which the romance takes a back seat, then you might enjoy this, but I can’t really recommend it if you’re looking for an emotionally satisfying romance.
Although set within her Company of Rogues universe, Jo Beverley’s most recent novels have introduced new characters who are not part of the Rogues’ “inner circle”, even though some of the Rogues have made cameo appearances or been mentioned. This latest story, The Viscount Needs a Wife features a character who appeared in the previous book in the series, Too Dangerous For a Lady, when he appeared as a friend and colleague of the hero and was instrumental in helping to foil a plot to blow up the Palace of Westminster.
Beau Braydon has found himself unexpectedly elevated to a viscountcy he had no idea he was in line for and doesn’t want. Now Viscount Dauntry, he has inherited title, estates, wealth… and an extremely unpleasant dowager and her granddaughter (mother and daughter respectively of the previous incumbent) both of whom are still in residence at Beauchamp Abbey and who are seemingly immovable. A former army officer, Braydon’s intelligence, perfect memory and his ability to move freely about society have made him invaluable in the government’s search for the seditionists and would-be revolutionaries who have sprung up in England following the Napoleonic Wars. His work doesn’t leave Braydon a lot of time to spend trying to placate the two angry and resentful women he has been saddled with, and besides, he’s not someone who enjoys country living. He needs someone to run the Abbey on a day to day basis, and who will also be able to deal with the dowager and Isabella – and decides he needs a wife. Not having the time to embark upon a traditional courtship, Braydon instead mentions his plan to a friend, whose wife suggests her friend, Kitty Cateril, the young widow of an army officer.
Kitty’s husband was seriously wounded before she married him, but she loved him, even though their marriage had become increasingly difficult over the years. Now, however, she is suffocating under the weight of her mother-in-law’s grief; even though Marcus has been dead for two years, she refuses to put off her blacks, made Kitty’s life miserable when she went into half-mourning and basically expects Kitty to live as though she had died along with her husband. So when a letter from her best friend asks Kitty to consider the idea of re-marrying, she can’t help but be energized at the prospect of escaping the dreary life to which her mother-in-law wants to consign her.
Kitty can’t believe she’s considering the idea of marrying a man she has never met, but freedom beckons and she determines to make a good impression. She’s been told that the viscount wants a sensible, reliable wife, one who will manage his estates and his relatives, and live quietly in the country. Kitty is sure she’ll be able to manage his household, but thinks that perhaps her friend hasn’t told Braydon everything. Kitty isn’t exactly the shy, retiring type; she’s naturally vivacious and light-hearted, so when the viscount comes across her unexpectedly, romping across the fields with her dog, she thinks she’s ruined her chance of escape.
But while Kitty and Braydon don’t get off to the best of starts, there’s definitely a strong attraction there, and, as Braydon has pressing business in London and no time to change his mind, the wedding goes ahead as planned.
Two strangers getting married and having to adjust to a life together is a storyline that always appeals to me, and having enjoyed meeting Braydon in the previous book, I was looking forward to reading more about him in this one. As was the case in Too Dangerous for a Lady Ms Beverley’s research is impeccable and she has created an interesting story which makes excellent use of the historical background of the very unsettled political situation in the late Regency period. The gap between rich and poor was enormous, the Regent was expensive, ineffectual and despised, and those in power were still sensible of what had happened in France not so many years earlier and were worried about revolution. Braydon is called in by Lord Sidmouth, the Home Secretary, to assist in the investigation of a recently uncovered plot to assassinate three of the royal princes.
The problem, though, is that while all this is well put-together and makes for an interesting read, the romance and central characters are rather underdeveloped. For one thing, the whole story takes place over a very short time period – Kitty and Braydon have been married for only three or four days by the end of the book, and we’re asked to believe in their respective “I love you”s when just a week earlier, they had no idea the other existed. Ms Beverley does a nice job in showing an affectionate companionship developing between them, and I rather liked Braydon’s willingness to confide in Kitty and that he doesn’t try to shut her out from his work, but it still happens too quickly for it to be believable. The plot-driven nature of the book also doesn’t allow for much character development. Braydon is rather bland overall – he has something akin to a photographic memory, is handsome, charming and clever – but his character lacks depth. Kitty is a sketched out a little more fully; lively, quick witted and determined, she’s more than up to the task of dealing with Braydon’s difficult relatives and the author adds nuance to her character through the little glimpses we get of her previous married life. But ultimately, neither of them is especially memorable which makes it difficult to get a sense of exactly why – apart from desire and expediency – they would fall for each other.
The Viscount Needs a Wife is as well-researched and well-written as one would expect from such an experienced author, but the romance is lacking. In my review of the previous book, I expressed similar reservations, but was able to recommend it because the historical background and story were so interesting. While that is true to an extent here, the storyline isn’t quite so compelling, which makes the deficiencies in the central relationship all the more obvious. If you’re looking for a well-told story in which the romance takes a back seat, then you might enjoy this, but I can’t really recommend it if you’re looking for an emotionally satisfying romance.
June 16, 2022
Kitty Cateril, desperate widow, accepts a marriage proposal from Plato Braydon, Viscount Dauntry, so that he has an ally to maintain Beauchamp Abbey for him when he's dicking around London. Except—OH NO—she's PRETTY and was POPULAR AMONG THE FRIENDS OF HER DEAD HUSBAND? Luckily when they bone, the manner of her bone-itude is such that Braydon realizes she was popular but not POPULAR if you know what I'm saying.
They bang it out, and end up getting the feels for one another amidst drama about the family, drama about the regency, and drama about said feels.
1. I should check out more Beverley. This was decent, overall: interesting characters who communicated and became partners and actually liked talking to one another??
2. That said: the regency subplot was silly.
3. And the familial subplot was also kind of silly, but far more forgivable since it directly impacts their lives.
4. I don't know: ultimately, it's not a perfect book but it was enjoyable enough that I'm struggling to really pull together one of my patent off-the-handles rants but yet not fantastic enough that I feel like gushing. It was simply okay, and right now? That's okay with me.
They bang it out, and end up getting the feels for one another amidst drama about the family, drama about the regency, and drama about said feels.
1. I should check out more Beverley. This was decent, overall: interesting characters who communicated and became partners and actually liked talking to one another??
2. That said: the regency subplot was silly.
3. And the familial subplot was also kind of silly, but far more forgivable since it directly impacts their lives.
4. I don't know: ultimately, it's not a perfect book but it was enjoyable enough that I'm struggling to really pull together one of my patent off-the-handles rants but yet not fantastic enough that I feel like gushing. It was simply okay, and right now? That's okay with me.
July 5, 2016
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1s20dW6
*Okay, okay. I know. It's Book 17. I know! Do. Not. Panic! It works totally fine as a stand alone. Promise!*
The Viscount Needs a Wife was a hefty book at over 400 pages but I flew through them and was completely wrapped up in the lives of Kitty and Braydon as the two come to an arrangement. She's in need of an escape from her deceased husband's very controlling family and he's in need of a wife to help him handle his newly acquired title as a Viscount and the two quarrelsome women who came along with it--the mother and daughter of the former Viscount. And so two strangers with only a mutual friendship with a local couple become husband and wife days after meeting and set out to conquer their new life together. Difficult women, mysterious disappearances and plots against the Crown included.
I loved these two! Braydon and Kitty are both somewhat hesitant about their new lots in life but I loved their spirit and how how they were together-- when things were going well AND when they clashed. She's fiery and bold and he's rather proper and buttoned up at times but oh they worked. They had delightful banter and it felt genuine. They could rub along well and then suddenly tempers flaring and insecurities sneaking in since they honestly did not know each other at all or how to react to some things. I kind of liked that and seeing the two of them trying to get used to having someone so significant and new in their lives. And oh they did have nice chemistry together which made for some deliciously heated moments. The romance was just lovely.
There was an abundance of intriguing outside issues that pulled me along too.
---Struggles with the former Viscount's crabby and domineering mother who was making everyone's life hell and had me rooting for a good set down on Kitty's part.
---The added mystery of what happened to the former Viscount's wife. She'd disappeared years earlier and the scandalous mystery so intrigued Kitty.
---And then Braydon's time spent trying to help uncover a murderous plot against three of the royal princes.
---Everything blended together wonderfully. I liked all of the outside elements and seeing Kitty and Braydon work together on all of it. It was just fun seeing the two of them out of their elements but finding their stride together.
Now, I did start to think--wow there is no way this will have a satisfying end on all parts--since the book was quickly ending and so many things left to deal with but Beverley pulled it off with style and left me delighted and in some cases a bit surprised with how things turned out.
I could have easily spent another 400 pages with Kitty and Braydon but I loved how things ended for them and have a hope they'll be spotted in one of the future books and we'll get to see how their life together is going. Well done! The Viscount Needs a Wife was thrilling and deliciously romantic. I'm definitely a new fan.
March 30, 2016
Once again the author tackles difficult subjects while offering an engaging romance and a teaser of a problem for the hero and heroine to solve. It was captivating, thought provoking, and sigh-worthy.
This book can standalone easily. For those who have read the older Company of Rogues books there will be familiar faces, but for those who have not, the story won't feel like the reader is missing something. The author added a note at the back that she is most definitely veering into new territory from now on out with the Rogues taking a back seat and new characters and their situations moving to the forefront.
Kitty Cateril has been a widow for two years and has been living with her late husband's family on their country estate. Her mother in law keeps everyone in the deepest mourning and it is slowly stifling young-hearted Kitty. Kitty loved Marcus and grieved when he died, but her marriage had not been easy especially when wounded Marcus was in severe pain or his new helplessness got to him. He was a man, war hero that he was, but not a saint. Now she feels like she has to get away or go mad, but she has no where to go unless she accepts a position as a governess or companion.
A means of escape comes her way in an unorthodox manner. Viscount Dauntry, is in need of a wife. He is clear and precise about his expectations. She will have the running of the Dauntry's country estate and charge over the recalcitrant women folk of the former Viscount's. All this so he can live in town and go on with his life there. Kitty has her reservations, but this is as good an opportunity to escape as any. And maybe it won't be so bad with an absentee husband and a difficult project to manage.
Braydon never wanted the Viscountcy and now he's stuck with it. He has the Fifth Viscount's haughty, stubborn mother and the man's sullen daughter hating that he now controls their future and has stepped into someone else's shoes. Braydon has work still to do for the Crown and he prefers city life, but he has to get the affairs of the estate, the smaller estates, and the family in order because he will not shirk duty even if he doesn't like it. He needs a wife and has no time to shop around town for one because there would be expectations. The friend of the vicar's wife seems ideal as describe- capable, responsible, widowed, no money or prospects, poor current situation that will make her willing to marry quickly... perfect.
And what Braydon gets is a fiery-haired, spontaneous, strong-willed woman who treats any discussion like a battle and, barriers like challenges. But she is also giving and compassionate and full of life. Too bad she won't suit. But...
Braydon, for the first time in his life, whimsically does the unexpected by bringing Kitty home as his bride. What shouldn't be now is and both of them feel the pull and the challenge to change the arrangements to something a bit more than convenient.
This one kept me off balance somewhat. This story is a swirl of elements with a blend of history, mystery, and romance. I don't know if it was purposeful, but there were some sly references to young impressionable ladies reading too many gothic tales. Northanger Abbey anybody?
The story is long, but it only lags a few times and not for long. It takes some time establishing matters and developing the main plot, but there are a few subplots as well.
But, the story isn't merely a romance with some history and mystery tossed in. The themes of this story give it depth and they are true to the time and place of the post Napoleonic War and Regency era. It addresses: people coming back from war broken in more than body, coming back to figuring out how to live in peace after war (No Vet organizations or hospitals or counselors), living with grief and how to properly mourn, how primogeniture of males inheriting titles and wealth can leave mothers, wives, and daughters fearful of their future, divorce and separation during that time, what it's like to marry a practical stranger for a marriage of convenience, the hidden world behind closed doors of spousal abuse, women's role in the marriage, home, and society. So much gets touched on.
But probably the biggest draw are the two main characters- Kitty and Braydon.
Early on, I thought for sure that the heroine and I just were not going to suit. She comes across a certain way and the reader is purposefully led to form these conclusions until the layers of Kitty's past are revealed and suddenly her thought processes, warring nature, and prejudices make some sense. Kitty is an independent, strong-willed woman. This is a strength, but also a weakness for her because her temper and emotions lead her and, with all that indomitable will, she has to be careful to rein it in when a cool head is needed. She formed an early impression of Braydon just as he did with her. Both were mostly wrong, but also right. Braydon tends to gather his facts before he speaks while Kitty makes facts fit her opinions. So when Braydon calmly sets organized plans in motion without consulting her, but on the other hand, also hears her out and heeds her advice and words, it stops her in her tracks just like when Kitty's intuitive and out of the box thinking comes into play, Braydon learns the value of her differences.
The marriage of convenience trope is handled well in this story. I had no trouble believing in the romance because the author doesn't rush it along and she makes sure the difficulties as well as the slow-build attraction are there.
It was an interesting dynamic that Kitty is a widow who tends to want to take charge in the bedroom just as she does in all other aspects of her life. It occurs to her belatedly that Braydon also likes the leader role and might not prefer a wife as fiery and passionate in the bedroom. She worries what impression this is making on Braydon especially since Braydon has encountered several military men who were part of the Kit Kat social club and remember her warmly to him and he finds her more than once in a circle of all men who obviously admire her. But Braydon surprises her again in that he treasures her passion and shows her that he isn't made of ice and marble like she thinks. Watching them get to know each other and appreciate each other is the best part of this story.
There were some family secrets that are nosed out and Braydon has a mission. The family secrets and Kitty's investigation were more interesting than Braydon's. Truthfully, I found the investigation he had to conduct was the least interesting part of the book and I was eager to get back to other things.
And for those who are Rogues fans, there were some appearances, Hal and Blanche, Stephen and Laura, and Charrington. Briefly in a few scenes with no big roles, but fun to spot them.
In summary, I found this a compelling historical romance that had unique elements, engaging characters, and spicy slow-burn romance.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book can standalone easily. For those who have read the older Company of Rogues books there will be familiar faces, but for those who have not, the story won't feel like the reader is missing something. The author added a note at the back that she is most definitely veering into new territory from now on out with the Rogues taking a back seat and new characters and their situations moving to the forefront.
Kitty Cateril has been a widow for two years and has been living with her late husband's family on their country estate. Her mother in law keeps everyone in the deepest mourning and it is slowly stifling young-hearted Kitty. Kitty loved Marcus and grieved when he died, but her marriage had not been easy especially when wounded Marcus was in severe pain or his new helplessness got to him. He was a man, war hero that he was, but not a saint. Now she feels like she has to get away or go mad, but she has no where to go unless she accepts a position as a governess or companion.
A means of escape comes her way in an unorthodox manner. Viscount Dauntry, is in need of a wife. He is clear and precise about his expectations. She will have the running of the Dauntry's country estate and charge over the recalcitrant women folk of the former Viscount's. All this so he can live in town and go on with his life there. Kitty has her reservations, but this is as good an opportunity to escape as any. And maybe it won't be so bad with an absentee husband and a difficult project to manage.
Braydon never wanted the Viscountcy and now he's stuck with it. He has the Fifth Viscount's haughty, stubborn mother and the man's sullen daughter hating that he now controls their future and has stepped into someone else's shoes. Braydon has work still to do for the Crown and he prefers city life, but he has to get the affairs of the estate, the smaller estates, and the family in order because he will not shirk duty even if he doesn't like it. He needs a wife and has no time to shop around town for one because there would be expectations. The friend of the vicar's wife seems ideal as describe- capable, responsible, widowed, no money or prospects, poor current situation that will make her willing to marry quickly... perfect.
And what Braydon gets is a fiery-haired, spontaneous, strong-willed woman who treats any discussion like a battle and, barriers like challenges. But she is also giving and compassionate and full of life. Too bad she won't suit. But...
Braydon, for the first time in his life, whimsically does the unexpected by bringing Kitty home as his bride. What shouldn't be now is and both of them feel the pull and the challenge to change the arrangements to something a bit more than convenient.
This one kept me off balance somewhat. This story is a swirl of elements with a blend of history, mystery, and romance. I don't know if it was purposeful, but there were some sly references to young impressionable ladies reading too many gothic tales. Northanger Abbey anybody?
The story is long, but it only lags a few times and not for long. It takes some time establishing matters and developing the main plot, but there are a few subplots as well.
But, the story isn't merely a romance with some history and mystery tossed in. The themes of this story give it depth and they are true to the time and place of the post Napoleonic War and Regency era. It addresses: people coming back from war broken in more than body, coming back to figuring out how to live in peace after war (No Vet organizations or hospitals or counselors), living with grief and how to properly mourn, how primogeniture of males inheriting titles and wealth can leave mothers, wives, and daughters fearful of their future, divorce and separation during that time, what it's like to marry a practical stranger for a marriage of convenience, the hidden world behind closed doors of spousal abuse, women's role in the marriage, home, and society. So much gets touched on.
But probably the biggest draw are the two main characters- Kitty and Braydon.
Early on, I thought for sure that the heroine and I just were not going to suit. She comes across a certain way and the reader is purposefully led to form these conclusions until the layers of Kitty's past are revealed and suddenly her thought processes, warring nature, and prejudices make some sense. Kitty is an independent, strong-willed woman. This is a strength, but also a weakness for her because her temper and emotions lead her and, with all that indomitable will, she has to be careful to rein it in when a cool head is needed. She formed an early impression of Braydon just as he did with her. Both were mostly wrong, but also right. Braydon tends to gather his facts before he speaks while Kitty makes facts fit her opinions. So when Braydon calmly sets organized plans in motion without consulting her, but on the other hand, also hears her out and heeds her advice and words, it stops her in her tracks just like when Kitty's intuitive and out of the box thinking comes into play, Braydon learns the value of her differences.
The marriage of convenience trope is handled well in this story. I had no trouble believing in the romance because the author doesn't rush it along and she makes sure the difficulties as well as the slow-build attraction are there.
It was an interesting dynamic that Kitty is a widow who tends to want to take charge in the bedroom just as she does in all other aspects of her life. It occurs to her belatedly that Braydon also likes the leader role and might not prefer a wife as fiery and passionate in the bedroom. She worries what impression this is making on Braydon especially since Braydon has encountered several military men who were part of the Kit Kat social club and remember her warmly to him and he finds her more than once in a circle of all men who obviously admire her. But Braydon surprises her again in that he treasures her passion and shows her that he isn't made of ice and marble like she thinks. Watching them get to know each other and appreciate each other is the best part of this story.
There were some family secrets that are nosed out and Braydon has a mission. The family secrets and Kitty's investigation were more interesting than Braydon's. Truthfully, I found the investigation he had to conduct was the least interesting part of the book and I was eager to get back to other things.
And for those who are Rogues fans, there were some appearances, Hal and Blanche, Stephen and Laura, and Charrington. Briefly in a few scenes with no big roles, but fun to spot them.
In summary, I found this a compelling historical romance that had unique elements, engaging characters, and spicy slow-burn romance.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2016
I felt as if this entire book was a gossiping conversation among friends. The dialogue felt so natural, and flowed in such a similar way to a personal chat, that I just slipped right in and felt as if I were there. The way the topics ran, the way it gave you the information you needed to understand the relationship between the characters. It was funny, it was real, it was just so lovely.
The scenes were so well set as well. Never over the top, each included sensory descriptions more than physical ones. The way a couch felt, the way a room smelled. The difference between hard, slippery marble floors and the plush rugs of a bedroom. I would pull myself from the pages surprised to still be in the real world. It was that captivating.
The romance was a pleasure to read all on its own. Kitty is a realist. She knows what to expect going in to what is basically a marriage of convenience. She doesn't get all doe-eyed and hurt at the idea that he doesn't love her. Braydon isn't a cynical ass either. Well, not overly. He has a couple moments of refusing to love, but nothing that involves storming out and raging fights. It's all very adult, and full of mutual respect and enjoying each other’s company.
Their realistic attitude about two adults consenting to a sexual relationship was also really fun to read about in such a well-played historical. Kitty is a widow, so no prudish or frightened virgin. She is a woman, and she appreciates that she has needs. Her husband appreciates this, and their bedtime relationship matures much more quickly than their love. It was the love that was a slow burn, blossoming from a mutual respect, to a friendship, to a real love match.
The history happening around the main story was fascinating. The culture, the intrigue, and the mourning of a princess. The notes in the back about the accuracy and the liberties taken made it all seem so real, and extremely enlightening.
I couldn't read this book quickly enough, and couldn't stop talking about it to everyone around me, as I laughed and sighed out loud. I immediately stalked the author, intent on eventually reading everything else she has ever written. I can't wait to disappear again into one of her lush stories. ~ George, 5 stars
The scenes were so well set as well. Never over the top, each included sensory descriptions more than physical ones. The way a couch felt, the way a room smelled. The difference between hard, slippery marble floors and the plush rugs of a bedroom. I would pull myself from the pages surprised to still be in the real world. It was that captivating.
The romance was a pleasure to read all on its own. Kitty is a realist. She knows what to expect going in to what is basically a marriage of convenience. She doesn't get all doe-eyed and hurt at the idea that he doesn't love her. Braydon isn't a cynical ass either. Well, not overly. He has a couple moments of refusing to love, but nothing that involves storming out and raging fights. It's all very adult, and full of mutual respect and enjoying each other’s company.
Their realistic attitude about two adults consenting to a sexual relationship was also really fun to read about in such a well-played historical. Kitty is a widow, so no prudish or frightened virgin. She is a woman, and she appreciates that she has needs. Her husband appreciates this, and their bedtime relationship matures much more quickly than their love. It was the love that was a slow burn, blossoming from a mutual respect, to a friendship, to a real love match.
The history happening around the main story was fascinating. The culture, the intrigue, and the mourning of a princess. The notes in the back about the accuracy and the liberties taken made it all seem so real, and extremely enlightening.
I couldn't read this book quickly enough, and couldn't stop talking about it to everyone around me, as I laughed and sighed out loud. I immediately stalked the author, intent on eventually reading everything else she has ever written. I can't wait to disappear again into one of her lush stories. ~ George, 5 stars
May 27, 2016
I did not finish this one. I didn't have the heart. Jo Beverley is gone!
I met her once, you know. Back in 1998 I was on my way home from my teaching year in Japan and I had a stopover in Victoria. When I ran into her at a local bookstore I recognized her right away. It was unbelievably gracious of her to sit down and have tea with me at a nearby cafe! While we were eating we started talking about my favorite characters and scenes in TEMPTING FORTUNE, and I started describing all the stuff I imagined could have happened to those same characters in other stories. Jo Beverley looked at me in that tough, English, no B.S. way she had and said, "have you written any of this? Because you should."
When it comes to dealing with fans and aspiring authors, romance novelists are, as a group, almost always very classy people. Jo Beverley was the classiest of them all!
I met her once, you know. Back in 1998 I was on my way home from my teaching year in Japan and I had a stopover in Victoria. When I ran into her at a local bookstore I recognized her right away. It was unbelievably gracious of her to sit down and have tea with me at a nearby cafe! While we were eating we started talking about my favorite characters and scenes in TEMPTING FORTUNE, and I started describing all the stuff I imagined could have happened to those same characters in other stories. Jo Beverley looked at me in that tough, English, no B.S. way she had and said, "have you written any of this? Because you should."
When it comes to dealing with fans and aspiring authors, romance novelists are, as a group, almost always very classy people. Jo Beverley was the classiest of them all!
July 7, 2016
I love that all the story lines wrapped up sensibly and without true malice. Though the tension was certainly present at the start. The main relationship was beautifully portrayed and had such surprising depth that I find it hard to conceive that the timeframe was a little over a week, and I do wish that that had been conveyed as quite a bit longer.
Overall a soothing, sensible and balanced work, with endearing characters, who confront issues before they grow out of proportion and who had actual, interesting and witty, conversations with each other. Lovely incorporation of historical fact as usual.
Overall a soothing, sensible and balanced work, with endearing characters, who confront issues before they grow out of proportion and who had actual, interesting and witty, conversations with each other. Lovely incorporation of historical fact as usual.
February 24, 2016
Full disclosure--the author is a friend and colleague and I'm a fan of hers.
Truly one of the most delightful Regencies I’ve read in a long time! As always, Jo Beverley smoothly lays down historical detail as a carpet for her protagonists to dance across. The history is unobtrusive but a solid foundation for plot and character. She takes a favorite romance meme of the ice king and fiery queen and turns them into more, bringing them to life and love and surrounding them with real people to encourage them. The theme of mourning and mothers fits with the time period of Princess Charlotte’s death in childbirth, and readers will love the very real emotions of the hero and heroine warily doing their duty, and eventually rewarded so wonderfully!
Truly one of the most delightful Regencies I’ve read in a long time! As always, Jo Beverley smoothly lays down historical detail as a carpet for her protagonists to dance across. The history is unobtrusive but a solid foundation for plot and character. She takes a favorite romance meme of the ice king and fiery queen and turns them into more, bringing them to life and love and surrounding them with real people to encourage them. The theme of mourning and mothers fits with the time period of Princess Charlotte’s death in childbirth, and readers will love the very real emotions of the hero and heroine warily doing their duty, and eventually rewarded so wonderfully!
November 24, 2019
Entertaining Regency romance, with a little royal politics and a family mystery thrown into the plot.
February 9, 2017
Good book. Kitty and Braydon are both trapped in lives they don't want. Kitty had been married to a wounded war hero who has since died. His mother has made grieving an art form and, with no place else to go, Kitty is stuck mourning a man long gone. She is desperate to find a way out, even if it means finding a position as a governess. Then a good friend tells her of a man who is in need of a wife to care for his home and family members.
Braydon never expected to inherit a title. He was quite happy with his bachelor life in London, with its parties, beautiful women, and his occasional work for the government. Inheriting the title also means inheriting the previous viscount's domineering mother and spoiled daughter. He has no interest in settling in the country, and asks for help finding a wife who will do it for him.
The initial meeting between Kitty and Braydon doesn't go well. She isn't anything like what he had pictured and he is certain that she would not be up to the challenges ahead. Kitty found him to be rather cold. But both are quite clever, and in their first official encounter have quite the battle of wits to get the other to withdraw from the arrangement. Instead, they discover a growing connection, one that surprises them both. Braydon begins by trying to avoid it, seeing a complication he doesn't want. Kitty is simply wary of risking her heart again.
In spite of their misgivings, they follow through on their plan. I loved seeing them get to know each other. Kitty is strong, independent and quite clever, with a tendency to speak/act on her instincts rather than thinking about them first. She is also vivacious and social, and in her previous marriage had a large group of friends, many of whom were her husband's soldier friends. Her friendships with these men puts a little bit of a strain on her marriage to Braydon, until he can deal with his unexpected jealousy. Braydon is also clever, aided by a nearly photographic memory. His work for the government is important to him, and he refuses to give it up just because his circumstances have changed. I liked his willingness to include Kitty in what was going on, as he discovered that she had a different perspective on events. I found his unwillingness to get involved in his estates a little disconcerting. As the days go on, their attraction and growing friendship begins deepen. Though neither had had any intention of letting their emotions get involved, there didn't seem to be any way to stop it. There was no great disaster or danger that exposed their feelings, just the growing realization that they wanted more.
There were a couple of mysteries running through the book. First was the attempted attack on three of the royal princes that brought Braydon back to London. His assignment is to find out who is behind it. His work on this shows some of the problems that plagued England at the time, such as a poor economy, what to do with returning soldiers, and the growing strife between the classes. What he discovered surprised him and threw a different light on the problem. Also going on was a look into a family secret. The previous viscount's wife had run off, but never been divorced. Kitty wants to know what happened to her. In their search for that information, something else is discovered that will have an unexpected effect on their future. I thoroughly enjoyed how that one worked out.
While there wasn't any real intensity to either mystery, unlike in some previous books in the series, it was still very well done and kept me hooked from first page to last.
Braydon never expected to inherit a title. He was quite happy with his bachelor life in London, with its parties, beautiful women, and his occasional work for the government. Inheriting the title also means inheriting the previous viscount's domineering mother and spoiled daughter. He has no interest in settling in the country, and asks for help finding a wife who will do it for him.
The initial meeting between Kitty and Braydon doesn't go well. She isn't anything like what he had pictured and he is certain that she would not be up to the challenges ahead. Kitty found him to be rather cold. But both are quite clever, and in their first official encounter have quite the battle of wits to get the other to withdraw from the arrangement. Instead, they discover a growing connection, one that surprises them both. Braydon begins by trying to avoid it, seeing a complication he doesn't want. Kitty is simply wary of risking her heart again.
In spite of their misgivings, they follow through on their plan. I loved seeing them get to know each other. Kitty is strong, independent and quite clever, with a tendency to speak/act on her instincts rather than thinking about them first. She is also vivacious and social, and in her previous marriage had a large group of friends, many of whom were her husband's soldier friends. Her friendships with these men puts a little bit of a strain on her marriage to Braydon, until he can deal with his unexpected jealousy. Braydon is also clever, aided by a nearly photographic memory. His work for the government is important to him, and he refuses to give it up just because his circumstances have changed. I liked his willingness to include Kitty in what was going on, as he discovered that she had a different perspective on events. I found his unwillingness to get involved in his estates a little disconcerting. As the days go on, their attraction and growing friendship begins deepen. Though neither had had any intention of letting their emotions get involved, there didn't seem to be any way to stop it. There was no great disaster or danger that exposed their feelings, just the growing realization that they wanted more.
There were a couple of mysteries running through the book. First was the attempted attack on three of the royal princes that brought Braydon back to London. His assignment is to find out who is behind it. His work on this shows some of the problems that plagued England at the time, such as a poor economy, what to do with returning soldiers, and the growing strife between the classes. What he discovered surprised him and threw a different light on the problem. Also going on was a look into a family secret. The previous viscount's wife had run off, but never been divorced. Kitty wants to know what happened to her. In their search for that information, something else is discovered that will have an unexpected effect on their future. I thoroughly enjoyed how that one worked out.
While there wasn't any real intensity to either mystery, unlike in some previous books in the series, it was still very well done and kept me hooked from first page to last.
March 15, 2016
This is the first Jo Beverley title that I have read, but I have heard many positive reviews of her work, so I decided to read The Viscount Needs a Wife. I enjoy historical fiction, and have strong opinions about historical romance. Happily for me, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The writing style was smooth and confident, with no noticeable inconsistencies. The characters were realistic and very likable. There were two separate mysterious story lines which were resolved in a very satisfying manner. The author played a little with historical events, but in a way that I found interesting rather than annoying.
Also, only after reading the author's note did I realize that several characters from previous books made appearances. They appeared in natural ways, not in the manner that I have seen too often in other author's works, where I recognize that they must have been previous characters from their unreasonably instant intimacy with the hero or heroine.
Without spoilers, it is hard to further explain exactly why the book was such a good read. Still, I can safely say that I was very happy with the ending, and really enjoyed this read. Three and a half stars, rounded up to 4 because of the skillful storytelling.
**eARC Netgalley**
The writing style was smooth and confident, with no noticeable inconsistencies. The characters were realistic and very likable. There were two separate mysterious story lines which were resolved in a very satisfying manner. The author played a little with historical events, but in a way that I found interesting rather than annoying.
Also, only after reading the author's note did I realize that several characters from previous books made appearances. They appeared in natural ways, not in the manner that I have seen too often in other author's works, where I recognize that they must have been previous characters from their unreasonably instant intimacy with the hero or heroine.
Without spoilers, it is hard to further explain exactly why the book was such a good read. Still, I can safely say that I was very happy with the ending, and really enjoyed this read. Three and a half stars, rounded up to 4 because of the skillful storytelling.
**eARC Netgalley**
January 22, 2019
3.5 - Voto
.
" Durante la cena Andrew parlò del visconte, dando per scontato l’interesse di Kitty. Dauntry, disse, lontano parente di un duca, era sempre stato molto elegante anche da studente e durante la guerra il suo nome era stato citato in un dispaccio ufficiale. Kitty pensò che il racconto mirasse a renderlo ancora più attraente ai suoi occhi, invece non fece che demoralizzarla ulteriormente: di certo quel signore non desiderava una persona sguaiata per moglie. Andò a letto presto, per evitare altri discorsi su ciò che non avrebbe potuto avere, e passò una notte insonne, tra desideri e paure. Nelle ore più buie trovò un filo di speranza: lord Dauntry aveva una tale urgenza di sposarsi che avrebbe agguantato la prima ragazza disponibile. Forse sarebbe stato indulgente.
“Ma perché tutta questa fretta?” si chiese. “È stata la sua freddezza a respingere le donne che corteggiava?”
Si disse che nemmeno lui le aveva fatto un’impressione positiva, che sotto quel ghiaccio era forse una persona alla mano, che quella freddezza sarebbe stata sopportabile per via delle frequenti assenze. Dopotutto, lei aveva affrontato molto di peggio con Marcus. Niente di tutto questo servì."
.
Kitty comincia a non sopportare più la tristezza che pervade la sua vita a casa della suocera. Dopo la morte del marito, un reduce con gravi ferite che lei ha sposato giovanissima, Kitty si ritrova ora priva di mezzi, nella casa di una donna che pensa che lei debba portare il lutto per tutta la vita. Per questo, quando la sua migliore amica, moglie di un pastore, le fa intravedere la possibilità di un nuovo matrimonio con un Visconte, decide di fare un tentativo per vedere se fra loro ci possa essere possibilità di intesa. Braydon ha ereditato un titolo che non desidera, e con esso la figlia e la madre del precedente Visconte, che gli stanno dando più di un problema. La vecchia signora infatti sta fomentando la nipote, convincendola che un matrimonio fra lei e il nuovo Visconte, ora suo tutore, le permetterebbe di non perdere la sua casa. Peccato che Braydon sia perfettamente cosciente del pericolo ed è contrario all’idea di sposare una diciassettenne viziata. È questo il motivo che lo spinge a cercare una moglie in grado di tenere testa alle due donne e assumersi la direzione della sua proprietà, lasciando lui libero di continuare la sua vita e il suo incarico segreto a Londra. Anche se il loro primo incontro non è dei più riusciti, dopo averle parlato, ed essersi reso conto che Kitty sembra piena di buon senso e in grado di cavarsela in ogni situazione, i due si sposano. Ma ben presto le cose cambieranno.
Pur se dato come il sedicesimo di una lunga serie, i personaggi dei libri precedenti vengono solo accennati, e Braydon stesso ha fatto una piccolissima comparsa nel libro precedente, lasciando così la possibilità di leggersi questo libro come un tranquillo stand-alone. Tutta la vicenda si svolge nell’arco di pochissimi giorni, ma in questo lasso di tempo avremo tantissime situazioni diverse. Vedremo questi due protagonisti approcciarsi al matrimonio in modo molto freddo e privo di sentimentalismi. Si piacciono, pensano di poter vivere insieme il poco tempo in cui saranno nella stessa casa, e hanno delle aspettative tutt’altro che romantiche. Eppure la loro intesa sessuale risulta intrigante, specialmente perché ci troviamo di fronte a una donna molto meno pudica di quanto farebbe pensare il periodo. Inoltre, durante la loro prima notte di nozze scopriremo che è abituata ad avere il comando dell’atto sessuale. Sposata infatti a un uomo che non poteva muoversi, se non con grande fatica ed enorme dolore, Kitty è stata istruita in tal senso dal marito che, pur con tutti i difetti che scopriremo scorrendo le pagine, le ha insegnato a prendersi il suo piacere risultando molto meno egoista di altri coniugi, e sorprendendo notevolmente Braydon.
Non vi è però solo la loro storia, ma anche una perfetta descrizione della vita del tempo e dei suoi costumi. E grazie al lavoro che, scopriremo, Braydon fa per la Corona, avremo la nostra parte di azione. Ci troveremo in un periodo molto travagliato dell’Inghilterra, quello della Reggenza, in special modo nel triste momento della morte della Principessa Charlotte e del dolore che questo ha portato a tutto il paese. Ci sarà anche un tentativo di far saltare in aria alcuni membri della famiglia Reale e un’indagine che, però, si rivelerà davvero deludente e ben poco entusiasmante. Mentre lo è sicuramente di più l’indagine personale che Kitty intraprenderà sulla scomparsa della moglie del precedente Visconte, che porterà incredibili rivelazioni.
Nonostante le tante cose che l’autrice mette in campo, questo non è uno dei suoi libri migliori: soffre di una grande lentezza e i personaggi, sebbene descritti in modo perfetto, risultano abbastanza opachi e poco avvincenti. Ancora più difficile, poi, è credere che un matrimonio fra due perfetti sconosciuti porti all’amore nel breve tempo in cui si svolge l’intera trama. Tuttavia, nelle ultime pagine si susseguiranno una serie di sorprese che cambierà totalmente la vita dei protagonisti. Non un brutto libro, ma niente che ricorderò col passare del tempo, e per me questa è una serie che si sta dilungando troppo negli anni: davvero difficile ricordare i tanti protagonisti che si sono avvicendati e le loro storie.
.
Lucia63 - per RFS
.
" Durante la cena Andrew parlò del visconte, dando per scontato l’interesse di Kitty. Dauntry, disse, lontano parente di un duca, era sempre stato molto elegante anche da studente e durante la guerra il suo nome era stato citato in un dispaccio ufficiale. Kitty pensò che il racconto mirasse a renderlo ancora più attraente ai suoi occhi, invece non fece che demoralizzarla ulteriormente: di certo quel signore non desiderava una persona sguaiata per moglie. Andò a letto presto, per evitare altri discorsi su ciò che non avrebbe potuto avere, e passò una notte insonne, tra desideri e paure. Nelle ore più buie trovò un filo di speranza: lord Dauntry aveva una tale urgenza di sposarsi che avrebbe agguantato la prima ragazza disponibile. Forse sarebbe stato indulgente.
“Ma perché tutta questa fretta?” si chiese. “È stata la sua freddezza a respingere le donne che corteggiava?”
Si disse che nemmeno lui le aveva fatto un’impressione positiva, che sotto quel ghiaccio era forse una persona alla mano, che quella freddezza sarebbe stata sopportabile per via delle frequenti assenze. Dopotutto, lei aveva affrontato molto di peggio con Marcus. Niente di tutto questo servì."
.
Kitty comincia a non sopportare più la tristezza che pervade la sua vita a casa della suocera. Dopo la morte del marito, un reduce con gravi ferite che lei ha sposato giovanissima, Kitty si ritrova ora priva di mezzi, nella casa di una donna che pensa che lei debba portare il lutto per tutta la vita. Per questo, quando la sua migliore amica, moglie di un pastore, le fa intravedere la possibilità di un nuovo matrimonio con un Visconte, decide di fare un tentativo per vedere se fra loro ci possa essere possibilità di intesa. Braydon ha ereditato un titolo che non desidera, e con esso la figlia e la madre del precedente Visconte, che gli stanno dando più di un problema. La vecchia signora infatti sta fomentando la nipote, convincendola che un matrimonio fra lei e il nuovo Visconte, ora suo tutore, le permetterebbe di non perdere la sua casa. Peccato che Braydon sia perfettamente cosciente del pericolo ed è contrario all’idea di sposare una diciassettenne viziata. È questo il motivo che lo spinge a cercare una moglie in grado di tenere testa alle due donne e assumersi la direzione della sua proprietà, lasciando lui libero di continuare la sua vita e il suo incarico segreto a Londra. Anche se il loro primo incontro non è dei più riusciti, dopo averle parlato, ed essersi reso conto che Kitty sembra piena di buon senso e in grado di cavarsela in ogni situazione, i due si sposano. Ma ben presto le cose cambieranno.
Pur se dato come il sedicesimo di una lunga serie, i personaggi dei libri precedenti vengono solo accennati, e Braydon stesso ha fatto una piccolissima comparsa nel libro precedente, lasciando così la possibilità di leggersi questo libro come un tranquillo stand-alone. Tutta la vicenda si svolge nell’arco di pochissimi giorni, ma in questo lasso di tempo avremo tantissime situazioni diverse. Vedremo questi due protagonisti approcciarsi al matrimonio in modo molto freddo e privo di sentimentalismi. Si piacciono, pensano di poter vivere insieme il poco tempo in cui saranno nella stessa casa, e hanno delle aspettative tutt’altro che romantiche. Eppure la loro intesa sessuale risulta intrigante, specialmente perché ci troviamo di fronte a una donna molto meno pudica di quanto farebbe pensare il periodo. Inoltre, durante la loro prima notte di nozze scopriremo che è abituata ad avere il comando dell’atto sessuale. Sposata infatti a un uomo che non poteva muoversi, se non con grande fatica ed enorme dolore, Kitty è stata istruita in tal senso dal marito che, pur con tutti i difetti che scopriremo scorrendo le pagine, le ha insegnato a prendersi il suo piacere risultando molto meno egoista di altri coniugi, e sorprendendo notevolmente Braydon.
Non vi è però solo la loro storia, ma anche una perfetta descrizione della vita del tempo e dei suoi costumi. E grazie al lavoro che, scopriremo, Braydon fa per la Corona, avremo la nostra parte di azione. Ci troveremo in un periodo molto travagliato dell’Inghilterra, quello della Reggenza, in special modo nel triste momento della morte della Principessa Charlotte e del dolore che questo ha portato a tutto il paese. Ci sarà anche un tentativo di far saltare in aria alcuni membri della famiglia Reale e un’indagine che, però, si rivelerà davvero deludente e ben poco entusiasmante. Mentre lo è sicuramente di più l’indagine personale che Kitty intraprenderà sulla scomparsa della moglie del precedente Visconte, che porterà incredibili rivelazioni.
Nonostante le tante cose che l’autrice mette in campo, questo non è uno dei suoi libri migliori: soffre di una grande lentezza e i personaggi, sebbene descritti in modo perfetto, risultano abbastanza opachi e poco avvincenti. Ancora più difficile, poi, è credere che un matrimonio fra due perfetti sconosciuti porti all’amore nel breve tempo in cui si svolge l’intera trama. Tuttavia, nelle ultime pagine si susseguiranno una serie di sorprese che cambierà totalmente la vita dei protagonisti. Non un brutto libro, ma niente che ricorderò col passare del tempo, e per me questa è una serie che si sta dilungando troppo negli anni: davvero difficile ricordare i tanti protagonisti che si sono avvicendati e le loro storie.
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Lucia63 - per RFS
May 31, 2017
3 Stars
The storyline was decent and I did enjoy the strong characters. However, the time span between marriage and love was soooo short. They married and the next day Braydon had to return to London. Kitty went with him. Upon getting ready to return to the Abbey she gives him a 1 week anniversary-of-marriage gift...1 week between their I do's and oozing love. After that point Jo Beverly had us tripping over so much information in the epilogue to achieve a speedy ending. The one wrinkle I felt as I was reading about their time in London was all the shopping she was doing. So much so they talked about needing a second carriage for the turn ride to the Abbey...not to mention all the big items she sent ahead. I just don't know if a newly minted Viscount, who's only been one a very short time, and is still investigating where the expenses are going, would open his purse strings that wide and so quickly after marrying someone he's still getting to know. Yes, he had his own money before hand, but still. Maybe it's just me...
The storyline was decent and I did enjoy the strong characters. However, the time span between marriage and love was soooo short. They married and the next day Braydon had to return to London. Kitty went with him. Upon getting ready to return to the Abbey she gives him a 1 week anniversary-of-marriage gift...1 week between their I do's and oozing love. After that point Jo Beverly had us tripping over so much information in the epilogue to achieve a speedy ending. The one wrinkle I felt as I was reading about their time in London was all the shopping she was doing. So much so they talked about needing a second carriage for the turn ride to the Abbey...not to mention all the big items she sent ahead. I just don't know if a newly minted Viscount, who's only been one a very short time, and is still investigating where the expenses are going, would open his purse strings that wide and so quickly after marrying someone he's still getting to know. Yes, he had his own money before hand, but still. Maybe it's just me...
July 6, 2025
Just so……relaxing
April 25, 2016
This is a standalone regency romance filled with historic lore. The author takes us on a journey through a difficult time in England when the country was in mourning and vulnerable, she weaves a timeless romance with intriguing characters for all to enjoy.
Kitty Cateril has been a widow for several years and is currently living with her in-laws. Her mother-in-law is still mourning her son and expects the same from Kitty, but Kitty is ready to live again. She met her husband after he was injured in the war and although they seemed to have a happy marriage, by the end he was jealous and angry and often took it out on her. Her best friend Ruth has a proposition for her; a neighbor has just become the new Viscount Dauntry and he needs a wife to help manage the large Abby he inherited, which includes the mother and daughter of the deceased Viscount, all who are making his life miserable.
Beau Braydon does not want the life of a country Viscount, he would rather spend his time in London but when he finds out about his long lost cousin, he agrees to the title. However he needs someone in place to live in the country while he goes back to London, and he finds a willing widow with Kitty. There are misunderstandings prior to the marriage but they find they are very compatible. But because of a crisis, they have to travel to London unexpectedly and are surrounded by espionage, mysteries and danger; they must find their way toward the truth while falling in love.
This is a book that sucks you in with the author’s writing skill and her character creations. I have enjoyed many of Ms. Beverly’s books in the past and although there are Rogue sightings, this is a standalone story that brings the regency era to life.
Kitty is suffocating as she lives with her in-laws and is very grateful her friend Ruth gave her an out. And like the prepared person she is, she asks a lot of questions and goes into this marriage with her eyes wide open. We find out slowly how hard her first marriage was toward the end and I like how she wants to make this work, even traveling with him to London when he clearly believes she should stay home. They are very compatible both in bed and out, and enjoy getting to know each other.
Braydon is very stern in the beginning, only wants a wife to keep the Abby running smoothly but is happy with Kitty from the beginning. He knows that he will be returning to London and will rarely travel to the country and is unsure of what to think about Kitty when she wants to go with him. While in London he finds out that she is very well liked by the service men who frequently visited Kitty and her husband’s home, this starts to bother him as he realizes his feelings for her are growing.
At this timeline, London is in mourning because of Princess Charlotte who died in childbirth, and with the added crisis surrounding several princes, the danger is ramped up. Also Kitty is bound and determined to solve a mystery about the previous Viscount and his wife, and what she finds will change their lives forever.
The pace of the story is a bit slower as the author takes her time developing each scene and the romance between these two. For the most part she stays true to the times of post Napoleonic War, where many are coming back broken in both body and mind and the area is in a state of unrest. I love how compassionate Kitty is toward the soldiers, one of the reasons so many like her. I enjoyed the secondary characters the author introduces us to and the additional storylines that round out this book. This is a wonderful historical romance for those that like intrigue set in the regency era.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
Kitty Cateril has been a widow for several years and is currently living with her in-laws. Her mother-in-law is still mourning her son and expects the same from Kitty, but Kitty is ready to live again. She met her husband after he was injured in the war and although they seemed to have a happy marriage, by the end he was jealous and angry and often took it out on her. Her best friend Ruth has a proposition for her; a neighbor has just become the new Viscount Dauntry and he needs a wife to help manage the large Abby he inherited, which includes the mother and daughter of the deceased Viscount, all who are making his life miserable.
Beau Braydon does not want the life of a country Viscount, he would rather spend his time in London but when he finds out about his long lost cousin, he agrees to the title. However he needs someone in place to live in the country while he goes back to London, and he finds a willing widow with Kitty. There are misunderstandings prior to the marriage but they find they are very compatible. But because of a crisis, they have to travel to London unexpectedly and are surrounded by espionage, mysteries and danger; they must find their way toward the truth while falling in love.
This is a book that sucks you in with the author’s writing skill and her character creations. I have enjoyed many of Ms. Beverly’s books in the past and although there are Rogue sightings, this is a standalone story that brings the regency era to life.
Kitty is suffocating as she lives with her in-laws and is very grateful her friend Ruth gave her an out. And like the prepared person she is, she asks a lot of questions and goes into this marriage with her eyes wide open. We find out slowly how hard her first marriage was toward the end and I like how she wants to make this work, even traveling with him to London when he clearly believes she should stay home. They are very compatible both in bed and out, and enjoy getting to know each other.
Braydon is very stern in the beginning, only wants a wife to keep the Abby running smoothly but is happy with Kitty from the beginning. He knows that he will be returning to London and will rarely travel to the country and is unsure of what to think about Kitty when she wants to go with him. While in London he finds out that she is very well liked by the service men who frequently visited Kitty and her husband’s home, this starts to bother him as he realizes his feelings for her are growing.
At this timeline, London is in mourning because of Princess Charlotte who died in childbirth, and with the added crisis surrounding several princes, the danger is ramped up. Also Kitty is bound and determined to solve a mystery about the previous Viscount and his wife, and what she finds will change their lives forever.
The pace of the story is a bit slower as the author takes her time developing each scene and the romance between these two. For the most part she stays true to the times of post Napoleonic War, where many are coming back broken in both body and mind and the area is in a state of unrest. I love how compassionate Kitty is toward the soldiers, one of the reasons so many like her. I enjoyed the secondary characters the author introduces us to and the additional storylines that round out this book. This is a wonderful historical romance for those that like intrigue set in the regency era.
Review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from the publisher for an honest review
April 3, 2016
Whenever I read a historical romance by Jo Beverley, I know I’m going to get a well-written, well-plotted story peopled by likeable characters, and this book is no exception.
The plot in this novel revolves around a marriage of convenience. Kitty Cateril has been trapped in the role of mourning widow by her grieving mother-in-law for almost two years after her ex-soldier husband’s death. She desperately wants a change, and so when an opportunity to marry offers itself, she decides she must grab at the chance. Beau Braydon, the viscount of the book’s title, needs a wife to manage the country estate that goes along with the title he has unexpectedly inherited, since he is firmly committed to a life in London. Acquiring a wife quickly would be preferable, since the former viscount’s remaining family are pressuring him to marry his predecessor’s teenage daughter. In spite of a bit of a rocky start, both Kitty and Braydon decide to move ahead with their marriage. As they get to know each other, each of them realizes that they have been very lucky to find each other, because they have passion and the potential for friendship—and maybe even more.
This is the story of two reasonable people determined to make the best of the situation each of them freely chose. While there are some passionate encounters between the two, there isn’t a lot of grand emotion here. Instead, it’s a quiet story of discovering love unexpectedly.
The story doesn’t have a lot of action, with the focus mostly on the interactions of the two main characters as they work out the details of their relationship and domestic lives. The synopsis mentions a threat to the royal family, but the sleuthing that Braydon does into who’s behind the threat reveals that it isn’t at all what it seems. A secondary mystery revolving around the former viscount’s wife, who ran off with an actor and abandoned the family, also comes to a relatively gentle resolution.
Readers who enjoy romances with a lot of dramatic action and emotion might find this book a bit boring. However, readers who, like me, enjoy marriage of convenience stories where the focus is really on the hero and heroine coming to terms with being married to a relative stranger will appreciate this novel.
An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The plot in this novel revolves around a marriage of convenience. Kitty Cateril has been trapped in the role of mourning widow by her grieving mother-in-law for almost two years after her ex-soldier husband’s death. She desperately wants a change, and so when an opportunity to marry offers itself, she decides she must grab at the chance. Beau Braydon, the viscount of the book’s title, needs a wife to manage the country estate that goes along with the title he has unexpectedly inherited, since he is firmly committed to a life in London. Acquiring a wife quickly would be preferable, since the former viscount’s remaining family are pressuring him to marry his predecessor’s teenage daughter. In spite of a bit of a rocky start, both Kitty and Braydon decide to move ahead with their marriage. As they get to know each other, each of them realizes that they have been very lucky to find each other, because they have passion and the potential for friendship—and maybe even more.
This is the story of two reasonable people determined to make the best of the situation each of them freely chose. While there are some passionate encounters between the two, there isn’t a lot of grand emotion here. Instead, it’s a quiet story of discovering love unexpectedly.
The story doesn’t have a lot of action, with the focus mostly on the interactions of the two main characters as they work out the details of their relationship and domestic lives. The synopsis mentions a threat to the royal family, but the sleuthing that Braydon does into who’s behind the threat reveals that it isn’t at all what it seems. A secondary mystery revolving around the former viscount’s wife, who ran off with an actor and abandoned the family, also comes to a relatively gentle resolution.
Readers who enjoy romances with a lot of dramatic action and emotion might find this book a bit boring. However, readers who, like me, enjoy marriage of convenience stories where the focus is really on the hero and heroine coming to terms with being married to a relative stranger will appreciate this novel.
An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2017
Kitty Cateril's husband died two years ago and since then she has been living with her in-laws in a state of perpetual mourning. When her best friend writes to say that a local nobleman is looking for a wife to manage his country estates, Kitty feels that anything is better than her current life.
has been trapped in her late husband's home, where she is expected to mourn forever. Desperate to escape, Kitty will consider any option—even a hasty marriage to a stranger with no intention of abandoning his bachelor ways.
Viscount Dauntry, formerly Beau Braydon, has only recently inherited the lands and title after the death of the previous Viscount and his son. More accustomed to London life and his role as a government spy, he wants to find a wife to Beauchamp Abbey for him together with the Dowager Lady Dauntry and her granddaughter Isabella who live there.
Despite a bad first impression Kitty and Braydon agree to marry but soon they realise that a cold-blooded agreement doesn't quite work in practice. Then, Braydon is called back to London to investigate an attempt to assassinate three royal princes and suddenly the two of them are investigating more than just a plot against the monarchy.
Loved it. One of my favourite tropes, one of my favourite authors, not a thing to complain about.
has been trapped in her late husband's home, where she is expected to mourn forever. Desperate to escape, Kitty will consider any option—even a hasty marriage to a stranger with no intention of abandoning his bachelor ways.
Viscount Dauntry, formerly Beau Braydon, has only recently inherited the lands and title after the death of the previous Viscount and his son. More accustomed to London life and his role as a government spy, he wants to find a wife to Beauchamp Abbey for him together with the Dowager Lady Dauntry and her granddaughter Isabella who live there.
Despite a bad first impression Kitty and Braydon agree to marry but soon they realise that a cold-blooded agreement doesn't quite work in practice. Then, Braydon is called back to London to investigate an attempt to assassinate three royal princes and suddenly the two of them are investigating more than just a plot against the monarchy.
Loved it. One of my favourite tropes, one of my favourite authors, not a thing to complain about.
April 15, 2016
Reviewed for NetGalley:
I am a sucker for the Marriage of Convenience trope, I love how everyone figures out how they're going to be in the situation, and I especially love it when people communicate and figure it out. So, I enjoyed this book. The main characters did have a somewhat rocky start, but that just added to the tensions between them. I really liked how the problems in this book were solved.
It's been a while since I had read any of the "Company of Rogues" books, so I was a little worried how I would react to the side characters in this, if it would be too complicated. It wasn't, so that's good for reader's new to Jo Beverley.
I am a sucker for the Marriage of Convenience trope, I love how everyone figures out how they're going to be in the situation, and I especially love it when people communicate and figure it out. So, I enjoyed this book. The main characters did have a somewhat rocky start, but that just added to the tensions between them. I really liked how the problems in this book were solved.
It's been a while since I had read any of the "Company of Rogues" books, so I was a little worried how I would react to the side characters in this, if it would be too complicated. It wasn't, so that's good for reader's new to Jo Beverley.
August 3, 2016
I know this is Beverley's last book and it makes me sad. She is/was a master storyteller and was known as a stickler for Regency detail. It came as a bit of a shock that there were a few anachronisms in this book. Her heroine referred to London as having a million people in 1814. Doubt it. I didn't care. The characters were great, the story original and the plot moved along at a nice clip. I don't doubt there was little editing done for such a seasoned author. It happens. Who would dare tell her that there were a few words that didn't quite fit in the time period? Not I. So I read with enjoyment. You will too.
February 10, 2016
I really liked Braydon he could be sweet, “then we will certainly go to the theater.” He came around the table, raised her hand , and kissed it. He didn’t press his lips, but they touched and perhaps lingered. “Please forgive a neglectful husband, Kitty. I hope to do better.” I really enjoyed this book.
July 20, 2017
I hadn't realised Jo Beverley passed away last year. She wrote some good romances.
This was a middling romance, with very slow pacing. The storyline is a little contrived and I was honestly a bit inclined to skim read it by the end.
That said, it has a remarkable character.
Kitty, our heroine, is someone I don't think I've come across in a romance before. Or at least if I've read women like her, I didn't realise what I was looking at.
I think my level of impressed-ness comes from holding her in contrast to the heroine of another book I read recently, The Winter King by C.L.Wilson. That book had a similar story incident - the heroine arrives, newly married, to her new home where she is surrounded by hostile forces.
The difference in approach is categorical. In the Winter King, she is shown to be a martyr. Unfairly excluded, she always keeps her chin up and maintains her sweetness. I think. I can't remember much of it, just that a bunch of other characters took her King husband to task for 'neglecting' her and leaving her to deal with everybody alone.
In The Viscount Needs a Wife, Kitty is ... a leader. She goes in, and her mindframe right from the beginning is assessing the people she meets coolly as to whether she will have to fire them or they can be brought into line.
There's no dithering where she thinks to herself, gosh, why don't they like me? Is there something wrong with me? She's simply cordial to everyone, and gets on with the job. She doesn't get shown to her rooms and then wait to be told what to do - she organises to be appraised of the finances, and goes over the household menus with the cook.
There's a bitter old dowager up in the attic who refuses to speak to her. When they eventually meet, Kitty takes the conversation in hand steering it exactly where she chooses to, suggesting that staying in the house must be too painful given her sad memories of it, and saying she will arrange to see her transported and housed somewhere else.
This doesn't happen, mind. The old baggage gets to stay, but it's on Kitty's terms. Everything is on Kitty's terms.
I liked that. A lot.
It's also interesting that unlike a lot of romances it's only from her pov. Usually it switches to show both characters points of view to reassure us that yes, in spite of her doubts, the hero is just as much infatuated with the heroine as she is with him.
Kitty has her doubts of her husband's affections as well. But she doesn't let that get her off task. This woman doesn't linger in self doubt, she merely makes a mental note and then moves on and gets shit done.
So the storyline I can't say much for. Bugger all happens to be honest. But it couldn't happen to a better person, and I'm glad I read it.
This was a middling romance, with very slow pacing. The storyline is a little contrived and I was honestly a bit inclined to skim read it by the end.
That said, it has a remarkable character.
Kitty, our heroine, is someone I don't think I've come across in a romance before. Or at least if I've read women like her, I didn't realise what I was looking at.
I think my level of impressed-ness comes from holding her in contrast to the heroine of another book I read recently, The Winter King by C.L.Wilson. That book had a similar story incident - the heroine arrives, newly married, to her new home where she is surrounded by hostile forces.
The difference in approach is categorical. In the Winter King, she is shown to be a martyr. Unfairly excluded, she always keeps her chin up and maintains her sweetness. I think. I can't remember much of it, just that a bunch of other characters took her King husband to task for 'neglecting' her and leaving her to deal with everybody alone.
In The Viscount Needs a Wife, Kitty is ... a leader. She goes in, and her mindframe right from the beginning is assessing the people she meets coolly as to whether she will have to fire them or they can be brought into line.
There's no dithering where she thinks to herself, gosh, why don't they like me? Is there something wrong with me? She's simply cordial to everyone, and gets on with the job. She doesn't get shown to her rooms and then wait to be told what to do - she organises to be appraised of the finances, and goes over the household menus with the cook.
There's a bitter old dowager up in the attic who refuses to speak to her. When they eventually meet, Kitty takes the conversation in hand steering it exactly where she chooses to, suggesting that staying in the house must be too painful given her sad memories of it, and saying she will arrange to see her transported and housed somewhere else.
This doesn't happen, mind. The old baggage gets to stay, but it's on Kitty's terms. Everything is on Kitty's terms.
I liked that. A lot.
It's also interesting that unlike a lot of romances it's only from her pov. Usually it switches to show both characters points of view to reassure us that yes, in spite of her doubts, the hero is just as much infatuated with the heroine as she is with him.
Kitty has her doubts of her husband's affections as well. But she doesn't let that get her off task. This woman doesn't linger in self doubt, she merely makes a mental note and then moves on and gets shit done.
So the storyline I can't say much for. Bugger all happens to be honest. But it couldn't happen to a better person, and I'm glad I read it.
March 23, 2017
This standalone Regency historical within Jo Beverley's Rogues world focuses on mourning. An odd focus, some might think, for a romance, but this is where the historical part comes in. Historical romances with large servings of both history and romance are my favorites, and Jo Beverley always delivers on both fronts. Heroine Kitty Cateril (aka Kit Cat) is ready to put off mourning for her late husband, Marcus, a wounded veteran (whose experience was not glossed over one bit; brava Ms. Beverley) and distance herself from her mother-in-law who cannot abide any thought of moving forward with life. All of England mourns the death of Princess Charlotte in childbirth, and the last hope of a direct heir from the current king with her. Sounding bleak already? Ah, but wait.
Kitty receives a letter from a dear friend, with a most intriguing opportunity. An acquaintance of said friend has come into a viscountcy, and needs a sensible woman to manage the mess the previous viscount left behind (including the mystery of a runaway wife.) Marrying such a woman would be more expedient than hiring her, and friend thinks Kitty is the right woman for the job. Kitty isn't so sure, but she meets Braydon, Viscount Dauntry, anyway.
It doesn't go well. He's tall, blond, composed and efficient. His first glimpse of Kitty is a most un-dignified romp with her spaniel, Sillikin, and Kitty is sure he'll retract the offer at their next meeting. She's wrong. They marry, discover, on the wedding night, that they do in fact suit quite well, thank you, but they honeymoon is cut short, due to Braydon's investigation into an attempted murder -or was it?- of three princes at once. To London they go, to investigate both the princely plot and the loose ends the last viscount left.
Braydon may appear an ice king on the surface (and trust me, on him, it works) but beneath that, we see who he truly is, though whether he's going to let Kitty in on that, well, that's another story. Okay, actually, it's this one. I loved that Braydon had insecurities about Kitty's life with her first husband, and the Kit Kat Club, a gathering of her late husband's soldier friends, including one much taken with Kitty herself.
Readers new to the Rogues world, this novel does stand alone, though some series characters do make an appearance in minor roles.
Kitty receives a letter from a dear friend, with a most intriguing opportunity. An acquaintance of said friend has come into a viscountcy, and needs a sensible woman to manage the mess the previous viscount left behind (including the mystery of a runaway wife.) Marrying such a woman would be more expedient than hiring her, and friend thinks Kitty is the right woman for the job. Kitty isn't so sure, but she meets Braydon, Viscount Dauntry, anyway.
It doesn't go well. He's tall, blond, composed and efficient. His first glimpse of Kitty is a most un-dignified romp with her spaniel, Sillikin, and Kitty is sure he'll retract the offer at their next meeting. She's wrong. They marry, discover, on the wedding night, that they do in fact suit quite well, thank you, but they honeymoon is cut short, due to Braydon's investigation into an attempted murder -or was it?- of three princes at once. To London they go, to investigate both the princely plot and the loose ends the last viscount left.
Braydon may appear an ice king on the surface (and trust me, on him, it works) but beneath that, we see who he truly is, though whether he's going to let Kitty in on that, well, that's another story. Okay, actually, it's this one. I loved that Braydon had insecurities about Kitty's life with her first husband, and the Kit Kat Club, a gathering of her late husband's soldier friends, including one much taken with Kitty herself.
Readers new to the Rogues world, this novel does stand alone, though some series characters do make an appearance in minor roles.
January 6, 2023
Sigh. Another novel that began with promise and then nearly killed me with boredom. I loooove a well-done marriage of convenience scenario, which this promised to be….until it just wasn’t - such a letdown 😩 It felt like the book was written by two separate authors: one to pull the reader in with an engaging heroine and her little dog and promises of romance and then as soon as our hero shows up another author emerges to run the reader through unnecessary historical explanations and a beyond boring subplot of royal intrigue that isn’t actually at all intriguing. I begin to think I could make a career of rewriting novels such as this so that the focus stays on the relationship, which was plenty interesting enough on its own but was sadly flattened and neglected. Seriously- such a lovely idea but so poorly executed: stilted conversations between protagonists that went on and on to no purpose, redundant phrasing, lots of tell with little show. Blergh. I skimmed the last 200 pages and honestly wished I hadn’t bothered finishing at all. No more “Rogues” novels for me.
September 1, 2022
I found this recommendation in a list of regency romance books . I did not know the author, but am glad I took a chance. More than a romance, Viscount is very much a period piece, steeped in the politics and mores of the day (1817). The very British custom of finding some (any male will do) relative to take over a title when the line runs out starts out our book, and the new viscount finds himself needing a wife to take over matters at the estate so he can attend to business in London. Enter our heroine, Kitty Cateril, a young widow. Nicely written historical romance with a slow growing relationship between two intelligent, mature people.
September 17, 2017
An honest portrayal of a marriage of convenience standalone romance with two compelling protagonists, engaging narrative, and a strong well plotted storyline. Quite enjoyable as our couple explores their new marriage with open eyes and expectations. My only complaint is I wish the time frame matched the emotional development.
Grade: C+
Grade: C+
June 14, 2016
Previously reviewed on The Good, The Bad, and The Unread:
I picked up this novel, not realising it was linked by chronology and background setting to sixteen of the author’s previous books. However, I’ve enjoyed a couple of short stories of hers and am using shorts as a springboard into reading a wider range of authors, which is what prompted me to give this one a chance in the first place. Plus the blurb intrigued me and gave the impression that I was going to really like the heroine.
Kitty married young, following a whirlwind romance with a wounded war hero. The marriage lasted seven tempestuous years, during which she enjoyed entertaining his former comrades – though always within the bounds of propriety – since her husband was frequently too weak to leave their London home. Two years after her husband’s death, however, Kitty is stuck in his family home in the country with a mother-in-law who refuses to give up mourning her son or to allow Kitty any freedom towards doing the same. The situation becomes yet more dire with the news that Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince of Wales, has died, along with her newborn son, throwing the whole country into a state of mourning.
A letter from a childhood friend offers Kitty a way out. Her friend’s husband is a clergyman, whose parish has a new lord of the manor – an unexpected inheritor of the title and a man much in need of a wife. Given his circumstances, some of which are immediately made known to Kitty – the dreadful mother and daughter of the previous Viscount – and some of which remain mysterious, he’s prepared to marry any reasonably sensible woman who might be suggested to him. And so Kitty sets off to meet her prospective husband, under the guise of a visit to an old and much-missed friend.
Beau Braden is very much the man about town, at the forefront of fashion, and devoted to his secret work for the Home Office – at a time when being a spy was neither glamourous nor entirely respectable. His first, accidental, meeting with Kitty doesn’t go well, but she convinces him that she’s far more sensible than an escapade in pursuit of an escaped dog might make her appear. And so they marry – and start to fall in love.
The story has a whole slew of mysteries running through it, in both the form of political intrigue of national importance and family mysteries relating to the previous Viscount and his estranged wife. Kitty proves herself more than a fearsome match for Beau and manages to make herself invaluable to him, both at his country seat with the resident ladies who resent his every move and in London where it appears she has more connections than he does.
This book stands alone very well and is a highly satisfactory story in its own right. However, I shall at some point go back and read all the earlier stories, because I love the world this author has created for her characters to inhabit.
I picked up this novel, not realising it was linked by chronology and background setting to sixteen of the author’s previous books. However, I’ve enjoyed a couple of short stories of hers and am using shorts as a springboard into reading a wider range of authors, which is what prompted me to give this one a chance in the first place. Plus the blurb intrigued me and gave the impression that I was going to really like the heroine.
Kitty married young, following a whirlwind romance with a wounded war hero. The marriage lasted seven tempestuous years, during which she enjoyed entertaining his former comrades – though always within the bounds of propriety – since her husband was frequently too weak to leave their London home. Two years after her husband’s death, however, Kitty is stuck in his family home in the country with a mother-in-law who refuses to give up mourning her son or to allow Kitty any freedom towards doing the same. The situation becomes yet more dire with the news that Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince of Wales, has died, along with her newborn son, throwing the whole country into a state of mourning.
A letter from a childhood friend offers Kitty a way out. Her friend’s husband is a clergyman, whose parish has a new lord of the manor – an unexpected inheritor of the title and a man much in need of a wife. Given his circumstances, some of which are immediately made known to Kitty – the dreadful mother and daughter of the previous Viscount – and some of which remain mysterious, he’s prepared to marry any reasonably sensible woman who might be suggested to him. And so Kitty sets off to meet her prospective husband, under the guise of a visit to an old and much-missed friend.
Beau Braden is very much the man about town, at the forefront of fashion, and devoted to his secret work for the Home Office – at a time when being a spy was neither glamourous nor entirely respectable. His first, accidental, meeting with Kitty doesn’t go well, but she convinces him that she’s far more sensible than an escapade in pursuit of an escaped dog might make her appear. And so they marry – and start to fall in love.
The story has a whole slew of mysteries running through it, in both the form of political intrigue of national importance and family mysteries relating to the previous Viscount and his estranged wife. Kitty proves herself more than a fearsome match for Beau and manages to make herself invaluable to him, both at his country seat with the resident ladies who resent his every move and in London where it appears she has more connections than he does.
This book stands alone very well and is a highly satisfactory story in its own right. However, I shall at some point go back and read all the earlier stories, because I love the world this author has created for her characters to inhabit.
March 10, 2016
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I often complain when romances are too heavy on adult content and too light on plot. Many women (myself included) love a good, juicy romance—the sidelong glances, the unexpected kisses, the final moment when the couple reveals their feelings. However, a lot of those novels fall short on plot. It seems we must trade love for a story that sparks those synapses and raises our interest. This novel is exactly the opposite. In fact, classifying it as historical romance is an injustice because it diminishes the complex storyline with an often cheesy genre title. Jo Beverley has constructed a tight plot with real history, those details that make any historical novel feel like actual history. It’s a meal of history with a side of romance, and I truly enjoyed it.
Though a bit slow at times, the novel felt like a Jane Austen novel. The characters have that subtle dialogue that requires reading beneath the surface and a quick wit. There is a great deal of “philosophizing” about the dynamics between mothers and sons that definitely translates to theme. The politics gives a great view into the intricacies of nineteenth-century government in Great Britain.
4.5 Stars
I often complain when romances are too heavy on adult content and too light on plot. Many women (myself included) love a good, juicy romance—the sidelong glances, the unexpected kisses, the final moment when the couple reveals their feelings. However, a lot of those novels fall short on plot. It seems we must trade love for a story that sparks those synapses and raises our interest. This novel is exactly the opposite. In fact, classifying it as historical romance is an injustice because it diminishes the complex storyline with an often cheesy genre title. Jo Beverley has constructed a tight plot with real history, those details that make any historical novel feel like actual history. It’s a meal of history with a side of romance, and I truly enjoyed it.
Though a bit slow at times, the novel felt like a Jane Austen novel. The characters have that subtle dialogue that requires reading beneath the surface and a quick wit. There is a great deal of “philosophizing” about the dynamics between mothers and sons that definitely translates to theme. The politics gives a great view into the intricacies of nineteenth-century government in Great Britain.
4.5 Stars
August 22, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kitty Cateril's and Beau Braydon's story of finding peace and love. On a spontaneous whim to get away from her mother-in-law's insufferable mourning, Kitty decides to re-marry...and to the new Viscount Dauntry, who happens to be a friend of her best friend. Braydon needs to marry someone who can handle Beauchamp Abbey...and the infuriating residents within. Things don't go smoothly for the two and but they end up developing feelings for one another...and a healthy dose of jealousy on Braydon's part because of his wife's Kit Kat club. Jo Beverly spins and weaves a wonderful tale of conflict, distrust, love and passion into this novel. This author has earned a very well-deserved spot on my bookshelf and a devoted fan. I recommend this book to all who love a good romance with a hint of sugar and spice!
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