Heidi reviewed Bride by Arrangement: The Wedding of the Century / Mismatched Hearts / My Darling Echo on + 31 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Three good reads, my favorite My Darling Echo by Gayle Wilson. There is always something about a not-quite-perfect hero that appeals. If you like these authors, you will enjoy this well written anthology.
jjares reviewed Bride by Arrangement: The Wedding of the Century / Mismatched Hearts / My Darling Echo on + 3410 more book reviews
This is an above average group of stories.
WEDDING OF THE CENTURY (Mary Jo Putney) While at a party in England, the very rich and beautiful Sarah/Sunny Vangelder meets two men. One is Lord Justin, the second son of a dukedom (Duke of Thornborough) and the other is Paul Curzon, an aristocrat with political ambitions. Sunny falls in love with Paul and Justin is devastated.
When Justin's older brother dies suddenly, Justin acquires the role of duke. He immediately starts negotiations with Sunny's mother for a marriage between the families. Sunny is unhappy with the turn of events because Paul has just asked her to marry him. Sunny's mother refuses the 'gold-digger;' before long Sunny realizes that Paul wants her to help his political career -- not because Sunny is loved.
Stunned by Paul's betrayal, Sunny adjusts to the unhappy fact that she will marry Justin. Thus, two strangers must learn how to marry and create a life together.
MISMATCHED HEARTS (Merline Lovelace) Giles Moore, a wealthy baron will marry Chrysanthe, a beautiful woman whose father is in serious financial difficulty due to his disastrous gambling. Giles will absorb the debts when he marries Chrysanthe. Harry warns Giles that he will be bored to tears with the lovely Chrysanthe in a week.
Before Giles can get an announcement of his pending wedding in the newspaper, Isabella Chessington arrives and tells Giles that she and his younger brother are to marry. Harry seems to have forgotten to mention this when he arrived from the Middle East. Giles is surprised by his own interest in and admiration of Isabella.
Isabella takes Chrysanthe's measure and realizes that Giles and Chrysanthe suited each other no better than she and Harry. Isabella looks for a way to rearrange the hearts into matches pairs, not mismatched, as they are now.
MY DARLING ECHO (Gayle Wilson) This is an incredible story about a blind man (Alexander Coltrain) who has a secretary (Mrs. Arabella Simmons) who reads his important mail and newspapers to him daily. He offers Arabella a marriage of convenience. Arabella is a widow of one of Alexander's former schoolmates. He has fallen in love with Arabella but only asks for a marriage of convenience because he is afraid that Arabella could not love a blind man.
This entire story is told with no hint of pity or sentimentality. Alexander has been blind for eight years by the time he hires Arabella (two years ago). Ingalls, Alexander's devoted manservant is an important character; he pushes Alexander to make the offer and encourages Arabella to agree to the marriage.
Merline Lovelace's story was merely OK. Mary Jo Putney's short story was more interesting. But Gayle Wilson's was exceptionally beautiful.
WEDDING OF THE CENTURY (Mary Jo Putney) While at a party in England, the very rich and beautiful Sarah/Sunny Vangelder meets two men. One is Lord Justin, the second son of a dukedom (Duke of Thornborough) and the other is Paul Curzon, an aristocrat with political ambitions. Sunny falls in love with Paul and Justin is devastated.
When Justin's older brother dies suddenly, Justin acquires the role of duke. He immediately starts negotiations with Sunny's mother for a marriage between the families. Sunny is unhappy with the turn of events because Paul has just asked her to marry him. Sunny's mother refuses the 'gold-digger;' before long Sunny realizes that Paul wants her to help his political career -- not because Sunny is loved.
Stunned by Paul's betrayal, Sunny adjusts to the unhappy fact that she will marry Justin. Thus, two strangers must learn how to marry and create a life together.
MISMATCHED HEARTS (Merline Lovelace) Giles Moore, a wealthy baron will marry Chrysanthe, a beautiful woman whose father is in serious financial difficulty due to his disastrous gambling. Giles will absorb the debts when he marries Chrysanthe. Harry warns Giles that he will be bored to tears with the lovely Chrysanthe in a week.
Before Giles can get an announcement of his pending wedding in the newspaper, Isabella Chessington arrives and tells Giles that she and his younger brother are to marry. Harry seems to have forgotten to mention this when he arrived from the Middle East. Giles is surprised by his own interest in and admiration of Isabella.
Isabella takes Chrysanthe's measure and realizes that Giles and Chrysanthe suited each other no better than she and Harry. Isabella looks for a way to rearrange the hearts into matches pairs, not mismatched, as they are now.
MY DARLING ECHO (Gayle Wilson) This is an incredible story about a blind man (Alexander Coltrain) who has a secretary (Mrs. Arabella Simmons) who reads his important mail and newspapers to him daily. He offers Arabella a marriage of convenience. Arabella is a widow of one of Alexander's former schoolmates. He has fallen in love with Arabella but only asks for a marriage of convenience because he is afraid that Arabella could not love a blind man.
This entire story is told with no hint of pity or sentimentality. Alexander has been blind for eight years by the time he hires Arabella (two years ago). Ingalls, Alexander's devoted manservant is an important character; he pushes Alexander to make the offer and encourages Arabella to agree to the marriage.
Merline Lovelace's story was merely OK. Mary Jo Putney's short story was more interesting. But Gayle Wilson's was exceptionally beautiful.
