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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Victoria is an appealing heroine, initially rather gauche in society principally due to the fact that her father persistently ran her down; but she blossoms after her marriage and shows herself to be practical and more than capable of holding her own in society.
David is, sadly, fairly insensitive to her for much of the book, although his requirements in a wife were limited to someone to be his hostess, run his house and bear his children; and he does admit at the end that he'd been blinded by his own selfishness to the extend that he hadn't considered Victoria as a person at the outset.
Although much of the drama in the book hinges on the scandals that haunt both families (and to be honest, while unpleasant, I'm not sure that either secret would have been cause for social ostracism), and I'm not a fan of too much mis-communication in my HRs, I did like the fact that Victoria was fairly forthright about challenging David when he did something to upset her (as when his former mistress called at their house!), and that, having realised the need to own up to her family secret, she didn't drag it out or beat about the bush when it came to it.
Oh, and I liked the idea of their communicating via Victoria's diary when they were children. I'm certainly someone for whom writing can be quite theraputic, so that was something I can sympathise with.
There are two other books in this series, featuring Victoria's two sisters, who we meet briefly here, and I'll be looking for those on the strength of this one.
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy
The story started very promising and raised my expectations very high. Two unlikely people find themselves sharing a journal and use it as means to penpal. Each one of them have their own secret.
Next thing is strange, in need of support FMC tries to reach Tom, who is supposed to be a cook's son, but how can he help her with supporting her and her mother (the house already belongs to someone else, so there's no way to return it). Then she finds out that Tom is actually David the viscount himself.
She feels betrayed, but the situation is above her when he proposes marriage. She can't refuse, it's the ideal way out and also a sacrifice.
David needs a wife, he proposed twice and was refused, mainly due to his father's reputation (who knows what it was). He also acts kinda weird. Some of his thoughts are just... nah. I just feel like the way he handles situations is not for me.
Despite the trust issues Victoria does a flip and trie to become a better wife or whatever. Outside her music and needlework she does not have a personality. She also wants to mend father / son relationship, though now she's part of the house that is frowned upon due to reputation.
I don't know why, although the plot tries to move things fast by fast-forwarding them a lot, but right after the pen pal part everything became less and less interesting. They meet, decide to marry and marry. Then comes the part where they want to take things slow. During the day they have their own things to do and during the night they try to connect.
And I didn't care for any of that, it was just not engaging enough, it felt bland. And I'm kinda sorry.
The book is good but slow beginning but overall better written than some other books out there regarding this era. At the end, I enjoyed it.
The handsome, deceiving lord was not the man Victoria believed him to be...
Victoria must wed...and immediately!
To rescue her family from financial ruin, lovely Victoria Shelby has no choice but to marry. Her options for a bridegroom are limited...until she remembers the shy servant boy next door. Then she discovers that her childhood friend is actually Viscount Thurlow—ruthless businessman, future earl, and a man whose family is shrouded in scandal!
After two rejected marriage proposals, David Thurlow needs a wife who will give him an heir, someone who will not only overlook his past but also be above reproach. Victoria is the ideal candidate—quiet, unassuming, and in desperate need of funds. But even as she strives to be the perfect wife, her calm demeanor masks a shocking secret...one that is overshadowed by David's slow, heated lessons in the art of seduction that threaten to transform a "convenient" marriage into a torrid and passionate affair.