In society’s eyes, he’s got everything, but, in her estimation, he’s lacking the one thing she requires.Reginald Arthur Fitzwilliam, Viscount Westonbury, has never met a lady like Mary Bennet. Most debutants would be happy to have his attention, and who could blame them? He’s titled, wealthy, charming, and handsome — everything one could want for in a husband unless you’re Mary Bennet.From their … Bennet.
From their first meeting when she scolded him for his behaviour and made it perfectly clear that she did not care one jot for his title or fortune, Wes has known that Mary is no standard-order, ton-approved debutant. She is something far better. She is a lady who sees him for himself and not his accouterments.
However, there are two things that Mary Bennet absolutely despises — a flagrant disregard for the rules of propriety and disrespect, and Lord Westonbury, who has treated her sisters ill, embodies both. She would rather he ignored her, but sadly he seems bent on provoking her at every turn. It is, therefore, with trepidation that her father allows her to accompany her sister to town.
When Wes discovers that his mother is hosting Mary and her sister at Matlock House, he sets about the task of persuading Mary that he is not so bad as she thinks, for he would dearly love to court her. However, he will soon discover that even his charm is not going to be enough to sway her. She demands more than pretty words, which will require him to take a serious look at his life of pleasure and weigh it against those demands and his growing love for her. But can he make the necessary changes to prove his devotion, and if he can make them, will they be enough? Or will he always be found wanting in her eyes?
Persuading Miss Mary is the fourth installment in Leenie Brown’s Pride and Prejudice variation series Marrying Elizabeth. If you like enemies to lovers romances, then you’ll enjoy this story about a charming rascal and a prim and proper miss discovering that sometimes love requires more from a person than he or she ever imagined it would.
So, put the kettle on, grab your copy of Persuading Miss Mary, and join Wes and Mary as they argue and struggle along their road to a very sweet happily ever after.
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Rating: clean: hopefully this review contains no spoilers… but I can’t be sure. [4.5-stars rounds to 5] Book 4 in the ‘Marrying Elizabeth’ Series.
This was a story about expectations, redemption, and forgiveness. Expectations: of a girl becoming a woman and what she wanted or expected in marriage and her marriage partner. Some of those expectations were wishful thinking and some were legitimate. At some point, a woman has to put away her girlish thoughts and wishes and accept life as it really is. Redemption: of a man and what he would do for the love of a woman. How one could change their stripes and create a foundation for an abiding love and a strong marriage. Forgiveness: her forgiveness of him and for the loss of girlish dreams and accepting the realities of life.
“Your dignity can be mocked, abused, compromised, toyed with, lowered and even badmouthed, but it can never be taken from you. You have the power today to reset your boundaries, restore your image, start fresh with renewed values and rebuild what has happened to you in the past.” –Shannon L. Alder
Lady Matlock and her eldest son Wes [love this guy] were hilarious with their back and forth banter. She was no fool and always managed to stay one step ahead of him. This was one amazing Lady. You did not mess with her. She had Lydia and Mary staying at Matlock House so they could help with Richard’s recovery. We were introduced to Wes’ long-time friend Lori [Lord Lorcan Langley] with several hilarious interactions between these guys as we discovered that Lori was deathly afraid of Wes’s mother. He will also be featured in the next book in this series.
Lady M decided that she liked Mary and Wes thought Mary was simply another project for his mother who had no daughters to makeover. Several times Wes and his mother exchanged words regarding her matchmaking. It was during this time that Lady M saw the seeds of interest begin to sprout in Wes for Mary and that was her green light to create mischief. Poor Wes had to deal with a beautiful Mary as his mother dressed her provocatively and he wasn’t sure how he felt about others looking at, admiring and wanting to court [his] Mary.
“You use her for your own gratification and care not what happens to her beyond that.” [quote from the book]
Sally’s was a bone of contention carried over from the previous book. Wes and Mary were at each other constantly over his dealings with women. Hiss and spit are the only ways to describe their interactions. She was quick to point out his hypocrisy regarding his propensity to use women. To his way of thinking, he had a ‘business arrangement’ with Clarice at Sally’s House. He paid her handsomely, treated her well and she lacked for nothing. It was business. Nothing else. Mary felt differently about the situation and saw it in a completely different light. Somehow, they would have to meet in the middle.
This threw a bright light on the difference in the upbringing of our two main characters. Mary grew up in a small community where everyone knew the principal families and their characters. Her father was her first example of what a man should and should not be. As imperfect as he was, he was a faithful husband. I disagreed with Mary’s vehemence against Wes and his former life. I felt it was a bit unrealistic. She harshly judged him and held it against him way too long. Society at that time was vastly different for a man raised in the ton compared to a girl raised in the society of a country market town. This nagged at me throughout the story.
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” –C. S. Lewis
Mary was one ball of contradictions. She was confused and her sisterly bond with Lydia become even closer as they discussed Mary’s feelings regarding Lord Westonbury. Mary had been hoping for purity in a mate and knew she wouldn’t have that if she considered Wes.
“Any fool knows men and women think differently at times, but the biggest difference is this. Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget.” –Robert Jordan
Darcy and Richard where telling Wes what it was like loving a woman worthy of being loved. They then dropped the bombshell that the ladies were planning a campaign to find a ‘suitable’ husband for Mary. Wes finally acknowledged that he was actually in love with Mary.
“You are the one who decides who you become, Son. Not some title, not your friends, not even your mother can make that decision for you. Your future is yours alone.” [quote from the book]
Best fatherly advice ever. Lord Matlock had a heart-to-heart conversation with his son. Lord Matlock also liked Mary and hoped his son could win her affections. A thorn in everyone’s side was Mrs. Slater [featured in all the stories] when she opened her mouth and showed her ignorance. She dissed the Misses Bennet, Wes himself and even Richard. It was now on. Wes was not having it and he called her on her social impropriety. Well done. I thoroughly enjoyed that part.
“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” –Corrie Ten Boom
Mary was all over the place with her emotions. Lady Matlock finally managed to get her to admit and acknowledge that she was in fact in love with Wes. Now she just needed to decide what she was going to do about it. Other than the one niggling point… I loved this story and highly recommend it for those who love a good Mary story. I volunteered to read an ARC with no expectations of a review. The views and thoughts expressed are my own.