Tag: Ella Quinn

The Husband List by Ella Quinn

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Husband List (The Worthington Brides Book 2)Barbara’s rating: 3.7 of 5 Stars
Series: The Worthingtons #9
Publication Date: 6/27/23
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 365

I love this author’s attention to detail and she is one of the very few authors who actually writes a period-correct story. I also loved the characters in this story and I liked that there wasn’t a lot of angsty navel-gazing going on. This story runs concurrent with the eighth book in the series, and if you haven’t read that one, you might wonder why the dangers to Eleanor aren’t given more page time in this book. The reason, of course, is that Eleanor’s story has already been told. I have read all of the books in this series, but if you haven’t, it is my opinion that you’ll have a hard time keeping all of the supporting characters straight. Those characters appear in this book with little explanation of who they are. However, to me, what is really missing – and probably confusing if you haven’t read the previous books – is how the family came to be a family in the first place – with cousins, and others who come together and become ‘sisters’ or brothers and are referred to as such. For me, I loved catching up with those previous characters and seeing where they currently are in their lives, but I do honestly think it would be a bit confusing for someone who hasn’t read any of the previous books.

Lady Madeline Vivers is participating in her first season and she has a specific list of criteria for finding a husband. Madeline and her sisters have composed that list by observing the traits of their brothers and brothers-in-law. There are many traits and characteristics on that list and none of them are outrageous and several eligible men could meet those criteria. However, the most important thing on the list is love – he must love her and she must love him. Madeline’s mother has an additional requirement though. The man must be a peer and the higher ranking the better. Madeline’s mother has a candidate she is actively promoting, the Duke of Salforth. For Madeline, he meets many of her criteria, but does he love her and could she love him? There certainly aren’t any tingles when he touches her. Now, Mr. Harry Stern – he causes tingles, but he is only a Mr. and not a peer.

Harry Stern is a highly respected and successful lawyer who has spent all of his time in Bristol since finishing school. However, he’s recently been elected as a Member of Parliament for his district and is in London to take up that new role. He knows he’ll need to find a wife to be successful in his MP role, but he isn’t in a hurry – until he meets Madeline Vivers. Harry is intelligent, resourceful, steadfast, patient, caring, and kind, but he is not a peer – nor will he ever be. He is well connected as the grandson and nephew of a duke, but if Madeline requires a peer, it cannot be him. She doesn’t strike him as someone who cares about that, but will her mother have enough influence over her to convince Madeline to choose the duke?

I enjoyed the story but would have appreciated fewer interactions with previous characters and more time with Harry and Madeline. I honestly didn’t get Madeline’s preoccupation with what her mother wanted. Her mother had caused untold amounts of trouble for other members of the family, and Madeline was a strong enough personality to stand up to her mother, so I didn’t get the constant ‘trying’ to make herself care for the duke when she knew she didn’t.

I can recommend this book to you if you have read and enjoyed previous books in the series. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, I’d suggest reading at least a few of the earlier ones to ‘get’ the family dynamic before you try any of these later books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Marriage List by Ella Quinn

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Marriage List (The Worthingtons)The Marriage List by Ella Quinn

Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Worthingtons, #8

Release Date: December 27, 2022

Lady Eleanor Carpenter is returning home from a visit with her elder sister Charlotte when she spies some children on the side of the road. She has her coachman stop and learns that in addition to the children is their mother, who is barely clinging to life. Eleanor immediately takes charge and gets the woman and her children in the carriage and learns that they are victims of what became known as the Cinderloo Uprising. Eleanor is appalled and vows to help, bringing the woman back to Worthington Place and helping her start a new life and unknowingly making an enemy along the way. She wants to do more for the victims of Cinderloo and begins to look into it, wondering if she will be able to accomplish anything while she is in London. Because Eleanor along with her twin sister Lady Alice and their step-sister Lady Madeline Vivers are finally ready to make their come-outs and will be in London for the season. And in preparation for the suitors that they will surely have, the girls make a list of traits that any potential husband must have, and just like that the “Marriage List” was born.

John, the Marquis of Montagu needs a wife and he also has a list of traits his future Marchioness must have, such as being demure, not interested in causes, politics, or charities, who won’t tell him what to do, and will be happy to stay home and read novels – basically the complete opposite of his mother and twin sister. But that was before he saw Eleanor and her sisters riding in the park. He wonders how he can garner an introduction when his mother mentions attending Lady Bellamny’s Young Ladies soiree and that the young lady he saw in the park will most likely be there – he immediately offers to pick his mother up at the end. Later, he is surprised and pleased to learn that the object of his attention is Worthington’s sister-in-law and they are introduced. After meeting Eleanor, John’s list alters and it soon becomes clear that Eleanor is the only woman he wants to wed, but it remains to be seen if John meets all of Eleanor’s requirements… Let the courting commence!

This was a well-written, well-researched story with likable characters, but sadly it was a bit dull and slow-moving. I was excited by the beginning and expected that drama to be central to the story, but it really wasn’t – this was a very slow-burning romance with way too many characters (complete with backstories) that left readers struggling to stay on point with the hero and heroine. If I could make a suggestion to the author, it would be to start each book with a cast of characters with a brief history of who they are and their role and maybe even the title of the book they “starred in”, rather than including it in the story – especially when you are dealing with upwards of twenty additional people – it made this book wordy and drawn out. I also felt like this book had so many missed opportunities, such as; the relationship between John and his sister or the Cinderloo Uprising. In the end, this was a very vanilla story with a lot of characters, a touch of drama, a bit of steam towards the end, hints at romances for the other two sisters, Great Danes, heroes who learn to grovel, and finally a HEA complete with a two-part epilogue. So, while I found it a bit slow-moving and wordy, I am happy I read it and am looking forward to Alice & Madeline’s stories. This is the eighth book in the series, but it felt like the first book in a spin-off series and could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*