Lady Mary doesn’t trust her heart. Mary is tired of pining for the unobtainable Blake Gunther, so she recruits her brother’s help to match her with someone more suitable. The handsome Lord Templeton falls right into her hands and is eager to pursue her, only her heart is refusing to comply. Further complicating matters, Blake is treated like family and is there every time Mary turns around. … around.
After a few false rumors, Blake is cut off financially—until he marries. With no money to leave his parent’s estate, his only options are to marry someone in the neighborhood or let his mother drive him mad. As the younger sister to his best friend, Mary is not on his list.
When they’re unexpectedly thrown together to help Mary’s family through a crisis, Blake’s heart beats for someone else for the first time in his life. He wants Mary, but he has to convince her he can be trusted first. He usually charms his way out of everything, but Mary will not be charmed.
Mary only wants to be loved.
more
Mary is not on Blake’s list because “Mary deserved to be loved, and Blake didn’t know the first thing about the subject.”
He learns pretty quickly and learns well, but can he get Mary and their families to believe it?
Mary & Blake have grown up together and Mary has loved him for as long as she can remember. However, Blake loves to flirt and thus gets into trouble with gossip and false rumors. In the meantime, each are pressured to marry. Can she learn to trust him? Can he learn to express his true feelings and clear his name?
My favorite character is Blake. He was trying to clear his name and show that he truly did love Mary. On the flip side, I found Mary to be petulant and spiteful. She repeatedly tested Blake’s feelings to the point that I felt sorry for him and wished he’d find someone who appreciated him more. It was if he was trying to defend himself against everyone, including his own mother.
Romance – PG / kissing
Language – clean
My rating – 3 stars
This is a quick and mostly lighthearted read. Mary Contrary is based on the nursery rhyme and Lady Mary is truly contrary, especially with Blake. He may be deserving of it but I found Mary to sound petulant and whiny much of the time. Thus the contrary nickname. I really couldn’t tell how old she was since much of the time she sounded like she was 13. I didn’t know what to make of Blake. Had this been a full length novel I would have wished for more depth in his growth process but in a story this short there just isn’t time. He does grow into himself over the course of the story.
The story is clean and a quick easy read that might lend itself to a quiet evening when you just want pure entertainment and nothing to interrupt the show.
Sex: some innuendo in rumors (proven false)
Language: no
Violence: no
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book and chose to review it voluntarily.
This was a fun, quick and sweet read. A little bit of a regency rom. com! I liked both Mary & Blake. I though they fit well together. Blakes mother was a bit interesting. I didn’t like her so much since she always had to have her son cast in the worst light. I enjoyed everyone else. I think the story had a nice and natural flow to it. Nothing felt rushed or just thrown together because it’s a novella. The only thing that gave me pause was sometimes I thought the dialogue seemed a little too modern. Overall, a satisfying read with good characters and plot. I would recommend for a nice relaxing read with a bit of humor.
Lady Mary knew who she wanted to marry, she just couldn’t get him to see her as anything more than the sister of his closest friends and his childhood best friend. Blake Gunther almost waits too late to wake up to his real feelings for Lady Mary. This was my first book by Anneka Walker but I am going to look up Book 1, Her Three Suitors, to get Sophia’s story.
Very young leads in this historical.
Mary and Blake feel very young and a bit on the immature side. Mary has a crush on Blake.
He’s just been cut off financially and has only his horse for a twenty mile radius.
He’s been accused of being an adulterer.
Mary is trying to find a new match.
This was a short and sweet read that made me smile! My favorite parts of this story were when the two main characters were taking care of Mary’s nieces. It was so sweet to see them interacting with the children. I thought Blake’s realization at the end was a bit rushed and wished it was a touch longer, but still enjoyed it! Would recommend to anyone who loves clean regency!
There are are few basic qualifications a book or novella needs to meet in order for it to be ‘my type’. This one met them all with flying colors! The plot was engaging, the pacing was great, the author used meaningful conflict to lead to a climax that was then resolved in a satisfying manner, the main characters each had a distinct voice and were believable, the minor characters enriched the story, and the story brought images to my mind that I hadn’t seen before. That’s the nuts and bolts of it (oh, and it’s clean-that’s a MUST), but even more importantly, reading this novella reminded me of the potential life has to bring happiness. When I finished, my heart felt open to joy, laughter, light and possibilities. I needed that! Yes, it made me giggle, and yes, I felt like hugging someone with a giddy smile. I’m a definite fan. Keep them coming! Thank you!
The characters in Lady Mary Contrary were really wonderful. So well-written by Anneka Walker. I loved the dialogue, the frustrations and realizations of the characters, the sweet and clean love story, and the happy ending. I also really enjoyed the obvious love of family that the characters show. Wonderful story. I didn’t want to put it down!
I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own and are expressed voluntarily.
Delightful short story! Despite being concise, the characters are developed well. Motivations are clear, turning points are clean, and the happy ever is as well deserved by the characters as it is sweet!
Lady Mary Contrary is a great little story with a lot to offer!
Mary is contrary indeed – but only to Blake. He doesn’t have a clue to how she feels and has unknowingly caused much heartache and chaos in her heart.
Blake is, of course, handsome – and a flirt, but also kind and so good at heart.
He has to start thinking about marriage, but it doesn’t occur to him that Mary is the love he is looking for – until it’s almost too late.
A few suspenseful situations, another would be suitor, and several tears later, it all works out with a satisfying end.
I love this author’s work. She created some really good characters, a great story line, and sweet clean romance, and wrapped it all up in a nice little novella.
I received an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I highly recommend this book for a light and entertaining read!
This was a cute book! We start out not knowing why Mary is so mad at Blake but then as the story progresses we figure it out and I can understand her anger. I loved how Blake, once he realizes that he loves Mary, shows her how he has changed and that he does love her. I loved seeing the softening of hearts from the characters and thought it was a wonderful romance!
Lady Mary was definitely contrary when it came to her feelings towards Blake Gunther. This novella lives up to that part of the book very well. I found myself frustrated with the back and forth Mary had with her heart, but I know that was the point of her character and I think it did work well with the relationship portrayed between her and Blake. I really enjoyed the two as they worked as a couple watching Mary’s nieces and the good side of Blake it brought out. I am excited for Anton’s story next and was happy to see a bit of Terrance from author Anneka Walker’s first novella Her Three Suitors.
This was such a fun novella! Mary is a fiery woman who knows what she wants; Blake is a charmer who could have anyone but has yet to discover where his heart truly lies. Mary’s nickname of “Mary Contrary” is an apt description as she swings between tears and anger in her attempts to help Blake realize that they could be so much more than just lifelong friends.
This book had me laughing out loud and I hope this isn’t the last time we see these memorable characters. I would love to see a book or novella about Mary’s brother Anton!