Thursday 25 November 2010

#42 - First Comes Marriage ~ Mary Balogh

First Comes Marriage


ISBN:  978-0-440-24422-6

I seem to be getting a few of these read in the wrong order.  This was actually the first in the Huxtable series.  The very young Stephen Huxtable is informed by Elliott Wallace, Viscount Lyngate that he has by twists and turns of fate become the new Earl of Merton.

Viscount Lyngate takes Stephen and his three sisters Miss Huxtable (Margaret), Miss Katherine Huxtable and the widowed Miss Vanessa Dew to to their new home.  Margaret and Katherine and undisputed beauties, but Vanessa is always considered plain.

Viscount Lyngate needs a wife and decides to offer for Margaret, but Vanessa steps in to save her sister and offers herself.

Will they find love, will it all turn out OK in the end?

I have to say, I did not like Elliott at all well until very near the end of the book.  Actually, I found the whole book rather sad, and felt so sorry for Vanessa, not that she would probably want to see it that way.  Angry actually, that people could have undermined her self-esteem so badly.  This is not an all consuming fire and fireworks kind of love though, but a steady burn to a glorious and cozy fire for the long nights.

I had though I would give it a 3 star rating, but thinking it over walking the dog, that really would not be fair.  Is not the mark of a good author to make you feel for their characters, empathise or sympathise, and some how want to correct mistakes made by their fictional counterparts?  Therefore a 4.5 **** read should be more the mark.

Definitely read it, and let me know how you felt.

Happy reading.

Kay xoxo

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