The Marriage Season by Jane DunnMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Three and a half stars.
Mrs Sybella Lovatt and her younger sister Lucie live a pleasant pastoral life in their family manor in Wiltshire with Sybella's young son James, her husband was killed in the Napoleonic Wars before even finding out she was pregnant.
Now it's Lucie's turn for a London season to find a husband, she may be charming and beautiful but without a fortune she may struggle to find a match.
Staying in town with her godmother, Lucie attracts the attention of two young bucks, the byronic Lord Freddie Lynwood and the angelic looking Lord Valentine Ravenel. For her part, Bella also seems to have caught the interest of Freddie guardian Mr Anthony Brabazon and the charming but dangerous Lord Rockliffe. Having believed she would never love again this trip to London could change her mind.
I feel kind of mean writing this review because I did really enjoy the book. It was reminiscent of historical romances of a gentler era (eg nothing happens before marriage, language and behaviour appear historically accurate etc), my only gripe was that Lord Brabazon was too keen on reprimanding Bella as if he were her father. But then when I sat down to write this review I downgraded my rating from 4 stars to 3.5 stars because it didn't really engage my emotions in the same way as, say, a Georgette Heyer novel would. In fact, the romance was largely muted on all sides and there were no lines that got me right in the feels, it was pleasant but no more.
However, since it is rare to find an historical romance these days which isn't full of anachronisms and inaccuracies I am happy to read more by Jane Dunn.
Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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