What do you think?
Rate this book
Wanted: A Husband
This serious, yet witty and hilarious, romantic comedy by Samuel Hopkins Adams is a must read/listen! From the very beginning it intrigues you with the troubles and feminine woes of young Miss Darcy Cole. Being a dowdy, unkempt fledgling lady, she finds herself in a mirthful fix after telling a whopper to her room-mates in order to save face from her severely lacking personal life. Resentful and jealous of most all other women, and contemplating suicide, she turns to actress Gloria Greene for guidance on how to become more attractive. Miss Cole had no idea what she was getting herself in to! Was it even possible to make herself over? How on Earth would she get through the lie of being engaged to a “titled” man, no less! She had never even met Sir Montrose Veyze, let alone be engaged to him! And then there is the charming Jack Remsen, who seems to be in a pickle himself. Darcy knows he would never fall for someone like her; in fact, no man even looks at her! But perhaps he might be coerced into unwittingly helping her out of her predicament.
A true Ugly Duckling tale, Darcy experiences all the emotions that most ALL women have felt at one time or another throughout life. As quoted by the Proof Listener for this work, the narrator does a superb job of “capturing the spirit of the book!” Drawing the listener in and allowing the audience to live and feel the experience along with the characters. A highly entertaining and riveting book! (summary by reader)
A true Ugly Duckling tale, Darcy experiences all the emotions that most ALL women have felt at one time or another throughout life. As quoted by the Proof Listener for this work, the narrator does a superb job of “capturing the spirit of the book!” Drawing the listener in and allowing the audience to live and feel the experience along with the characters. A highly entertaining and riveting book! (summary by reader)
- GenresFiction
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1917
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Hopkins Adams
148 books7 followersFrom the book jacket of "Sunrise to Sunset", (c) 1950
At seventy-nine Samuel Hopkins Adams attributes his longevity, vigor and vim to neither smoking nor drinking, except when he feels like it. This is typical of the intelligent attitude toward the vagaries of life that has maintained him through the years in which he has authored more than forty books, written countless magazine articles and, as a crusading reporter, almost single-handedly accounted for the passage of the Federal Food and Drug laws which pave protected millions of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Adams' amazing knowledge of the history of upper New York State is the result of his lifelong interest in the region in which he was born. His home is Wide Waters, on the shore of Owasco, "loveliest of the Finger Lakes." From Wide Waters he still makes forways into the surrounding countryside, attending antique-auction sales "for the purpose of sneering at the prevalent junk," which he says he wouldn't put in his open hearth Franklin stove for fear of insulting it.
A graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, class of 1891, Mr. Adams introduced football to the campus, played tackle on its first team, and won the Intercollegiate Tennis Championship. For these contributions to scholarship, his college conferred on him the degree of L.H.D. in 1926.
Adams also wrote under the pseudonym Warner Fabian.
At seventy-nine Samuel Hopkins Adams attributes his longevity, vigor and vim to neither smoking nor drinking, except when he feels like it. This is typical of the intelligent attitude toward the vagaries of life that has maintained him through the years in which he has authored more than forty books, written countless magazine articles and, as a crusading reporter, almost single-handedly accounted for the passage of the Federal Food and Drug laws which pave protected millions of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Adams' amazing knowledge of the history of upper New York State is the result of his lifelong interest in the region in which he was born. His home is Wide Waters, on the shore of Owasco, "loveliest of the Finger Lakes." From Wide Waters he still makes forways into the surrounding countryside, attending antique-auction sales "for the purpose of sneering at the prevalent junk," which he says he wouldn't put in his open hearth Franklin stove for fear of insulting it.
A graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, class of 1891, Mr. Adams introduced football to the campus, played tackle on its first team, and won the Intercollegiate Tennis Championship. For these contributions to scholarship, his college conferred on him the degree of L.H.D. in 1926.
Adams also wrote under the pseudonym Warner Fabian.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 1, 2017
I always enjoy browsing the books at Good reads and I find many great reads this way and finding this gem of a book. I had never heard of Samuel Hopkins Adams, but many of us know his work via Hollywood, "It Happened One Night" and "Harvey Girls". This was published in 1917 and I classify this as a light romantic with humor which has elements of Cinderella which the fairy godmother is an actress and Pygmalion which has the same actress plus a prize fighter coach turn a frumpy young lady into a charming confident one. I especially enjoyed the part when Darcy starts to workout in the gym with the trainer, being an avid exerciser this was too priceless and quite interesting learning about some exercise habits 100 years ago. I was so happy with this author I added some more of his stories to my list and found another author, Charlotte M. Brake. In this Cinderella story, work is required for change not anything with a wave of the wand.
January 26, 2025
This book is pretty good, a bit simplistic but it speaks to the OCD exercise person in me. I recommend you avoid the LibriVox version. You'd be better off having my 11 year old grandson read it to you.
July 19, 2023
This was so charming. It was both of its time, and timeless. Can a girl who's jealous of her roommates --both engaged -- pick herself up, become more interesting (to herself, but also others), and find a good husband? Darcy's accomplice in this maneuver is Gloria, an actress and wise person who prescribes a regimen of physical training which leads to an attitude adjustment, and increased self-confidence. At the same time, Gloria helps manufacture a fiancee, one who's in England, so no possibility of the roommate ever meeting him in New York.
Everything comes to a head when Darcy's escape to a mountain camp is identical to her roommates' honeymoon plans. An acquaintance-cum-friend pretends to be the missing fiance, but troubles ensue, from Darcy falling for the friend, the erstwhile fiancee getting press for getting knighted, and the friend falling for Darcy. In the end, of course, it all works out, but what a romp to get there!
Everything comes to a head when Darcy's escape to a mountain camp is identical to her roommates' honeymoon plans. An acquaintance-cum-friend pretends to be the missing fiance, but troubles ensue, from Darcy falling for the friend, the erstwhile fiancee getting press for getting knighted, and the friend falling for Darcy. In the end, of course, it all works out, but what a romp to get there!
January 1, 2018
What a quietly funny book about transformation. I have to use the hackneyed phrase "they don't write books like this anymore" and they should! Of course, since I exercise 28 days out of 30 I did like that it was a story of transformation through exercise and determination. It also showed women working for a living in positive ways, one an actress and the other a wallpaper designer.
It's fascinating that the author was a muckraking journalist who helped start the FDA and could write such pleasant, romantic novels.
I started Little Miss Grouch already and sat quietly laughing at the first scene. I think an enjoyable journey across the ocean is afoot.
It's fascinating that the author was a muckraking journalist who helped start the FDA and could write such pleasant, romantic novels.
I started Little Miss Grouch already and sat quietly laughing at the first scene. I think an enjoyable journey across the ocean is afoot.
August 14, 2018
It's interesting to hear of diet & exercise at a time before it was so ubiquitous, and perhaps when it wasn't socially acceptable for a female to exercise so much. Fortunately, though, it wasn't just the protagonist's extra pounds that caused her to be undesirable (and did I hear that right - was it really only 30 pounds?), but her attitude and frumpiness and lack of self-confidence was a major part of the transformation that needed to take place.
The title is also misleading, in my opinion. The story is more about her gaining her self-confidence and "a life" rather than trying to snag a husband, although her imaginary fiance played a large role in the plot.
The title is also misleading, in my opinion. The story is more about her gaining her self-confidence and "a life" rather than trying to snag a husband, although her imaginary fiance played a large role in the plot.
July 25, 2025
This was hilarious. An old-fashioned romantic comedy. The main character, Darcy, is a lazy, sullen girl who likes to complain. She gets to the point where she complains enough and admits to needing help from one of her friends. This friend makes her commit to a rigorous re-do of her life and self. Darcy is sent to a trainer who is instrumental in changing her from lazy and sluggish to strong and energetic despite her complaints "you're trying to kill me!" And then there is the romance which has its own funny twists.
October 17, 2022
Absolutely lovely little story of how to find a husband :-D
We have a chubby little girl with really bad self-confidence, bad clothes, bad posture, and a bad attitude, and then there's an ugly duckling story. She gets help from a friend and ends up finding a husband. With a little "but I thought you..." mixed in.
It's funny and nice.
We have a chubby little girl with really bad self-confidence, bad clothes, bad posture, and a bad attitude, and then there's an ugly duckling story. She gets help from a friend and ends up finding a husband. With a little "but I thought you..." mixed in.
It's funny and nice.
May 8, 2019
Cheesy in a good way. Probably the cheesiest classic romance I’ve ever read. I laughed so much and enjoyed the whole book from beginning to end.
September 14, 2020
Adams does romantic comedy well, and I enjoyed this light read.
August 16, 2021
Often hilarious story of a young woman's development highlighting the importance of perseverance and grit.
November 17, 2023
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOtL...
May 15, 2016
3.5 stars
This is a funny little romp, written just before the US entered WW1 (1917). There is some mention of "War Correspondents" etc, but no real sense that there's an epic war going on on the other side of the globe, which is funny in itself.
The main character is Darcy Cole, who is fading into the background and feeling very dull and boring because her two roommates are happily engaged, yet no one has ever looked twice at her. She goes to her friend Gloria to see if she can find some better way to live her life, and Gloria (often dragging her and once resorting to a friendly form of blackmail) helps her succeed. The transformation fills the first half of the book and the surprising way of obtaining a husband the second.
The narrator stole a bit of my fun in the beginning, as everything Darcy said was a plaintive whine. Halfway through it began to improve, and the narrator warmed to her story, giving some fun sound effects also. The only remaining thing that bothered me was the mispronounced words that occasionally cropped up. Three stars to the narrator.
This is a funny little romp, written just before the US entered WW1 (1917). There is some mention of "War Correspondents" etc, but no real sense that there's an epic war going on on the other side of the globe, which is funny in itself.
The main character is Darcy Cole, who is fading into the background and feeling very dull and boring because her two roommates are happily engaged, yet no one has ever looked twice at her. She goes to her friend Gloria to see if she can find some better way to live her life, and Gloria (often dragging her and once resorting to a friendly form of blackmail) helps her succeed. The transformation fills the first half of the book and the surprising way of obtaining a husband the second.
The narrator stole a bit of my fun in the beginning, as everything Darcy said was a plaintive whine. Halfway through it began to improve, and the narrator warmed to her story, giving some fun sound effects also. The only remaining thing that bothered me was the mispronounced words that occasionally cropped up. Three stars to the narrator.
February 24, 2009
A frumpy young woman gets help from a more glamorous, older friend to make herself over. She falls in love with a male friend of her benefactress, but she assumes he is a paramour of her friend's and suffers in silence. Meanwhile, she staves off other suitors with a lie about a faraway fiancee, using a photo of a real English lord. When she learns that this Englishman and she have mutual friends, she has to convince someone to pretend to be the English fiancee, keep everyone from meeting at the same time, while winning the heart of the man she loves.
It's not as funny as it sounds.
I have since learned that this was made into a movie in 1919 starring Billie Burke. The movie review on answers.com says it is based on a "dusty, forgotten novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams," but the earliest publication date I can find for the book is 1920.
It's not as funny as it sounds.
I have since learned that this was made into a movie in 1919 starring Billie Burke. The movie review on answers.com says it is based on a "dusty, forgotten novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams," but the earliest publication date I can find for the book is 1920.
January 16, 2026
I wonder how many times I have listened to this book?!
This time, it was my husband's choice. We listened while we made applesauce and canned it. And, although it is mostly just a light and comedic romance, it helped me think out my own makeover... right now I am struggling to implement an exercise program to reclaim my hips/mobility.
This time, it was my husband's choice. We listened while we made applesauce and canned it. And, although it is mostly just a light and comedic romance, it helped me think out my own makeover... right now I am struggling to implement an exercise program to reclaim my hips/mobility.
January 17, 2014
I read the book in a day. It was a easy, enjoyable, funny little story. There are little literature gems throughout the text as well.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews