
Susan G. (
liliroze) wrote on 11/21/2009...
This is definitely my favorite Julia Quinn, and may be my favorite book in this genre, period. Quinn introduces the book as the "marriage of convenience story" she's always wanted to write, and it shows. The story is smart, funny and has tremendously good dialogue throughout. Both main characters, the male and the female, are strong and well-developed, and the supporting story is solid. At times laugh-out-loud funny.
Don't miss this one. The action begins on page one, sentence one, and doesn't stop from there. Told mostly from Charles' perspective, he has to find a wife or lose his fortune. Eleanor is a woman who is caught under the thumb of her emotionally-absent minister father who is about to marry a shrew of a stepmother -- not to mention the fact that she is a spinster of 23. Charles and "Ellie" accidently meet on page 1, and circumstances cause him to recognize right away that she would make a smart, practical wife -- given that he is tired of the fortune-hunting airheads of London society. Charles proposes immediately, since his 30th birthday is only 2 weeks away, and he must take a wife by then or become a pauper. The proposal is all practicality, given that he is very open and honest in his intentions. and realizes marriage would be good for Ellie too, giving her the freedom she desires from her family.
Charles later comments that although he chose his wife quickly, he chose well, and that is true throughout the story. Two very believable, well-suited characters with just enough tension and annoyance between them to keep things interesting. I think it is quite obvious that Julia Quinn truly enjoyed writing this story. It seems effortless. Don't miss it.

Dawn T. (
dterlec) - WI wrote on 4/4/2007...
Good book. Easy read.
When Charles Wycombe, the dashing and incorrigible Earl of Billington, toppled out of a tree and landed at Ellie's feet, neither suspected that such an inauspicious meeting would lead to marriage. But Charles must find a bride before his thirtieth birthday or he'll lose his fortune. And Ellie needs a husband or her father's odious fiancée will choose one for her. And so they agree to wed, even though their match appears to have been made somewhere hotter than heaven ...
Ellie never dreamed she'd marry a stranger, especially one with such a devastating combination of rakish charm and debonair wit. She tries to keep him at arm's length, at least until she discovers the man beneath the handsome surface. But Charles can be quite persuasive -- even tender -- when he puts his mind to it, and Ellie finds herself slipping under his seductive spell. And as one kiss leads to another, this unlikely pair discovers that their marriage is not so inconvenient after all ... and just might lead to love.

Karen T. (
Kaytea) wrote on 12/12/2006...
Could a scandalous earl who needs a bride in name only be that answer to a lady's most fervent plea?
Julia Quinn is one of mmy favorites and this book is one of her best clever dialogue, funny tho the plot isn't that involved
All of Julia Quinn's books are funny and witty. I love them all.
Humorous tale of two very different people in need of the same thing - marriage. The hero and heroine meet when he falls out of a tree at her feet and their relationship slides downhill from there. Some danger brings them closer and eventually a happy ending is reached.

Debra M. (
dreamer) wrote on 12/13/2005...
When Charles Wycombe, the dashing and incorrigible Earl of Billington, toppled out of a tree and landed at Ellie's feet, neither suspected that such an inauspicious meeting would lead to marriage. But Charles must find a bride before his thirtieth birthday or he'll lose his fortune and Ellie needs a husband or her father's odious financee will choose one for her. And so they agree to wed, even though their match appears to have made somewhere hotter than heaven. Ellie never dreamed she'd marry a stranger, especially one with such a devastating combination of rakish charm and debonair wit. She tries to keep him at arm's length at least until she discovers the man beneath the handsome surface.