A duel. An ultimatum. An arranged marriage.England, 1777Will, Viscount Wingrave, whiles away his time gambling and bedding married women, thwarted in his wish to serve his country by his controlling father.News that his errant son has fought a duel with a jealous husband is the last straw for the Earl of Marstone. He decrees that Will must marry. The earl’s eye lights upon Connie Charters, unpaid … marry. The earl’s eye lights upon Connie Charters, unpaid housekeeper and drudge for a poor but socially ambitious father who cares only for the advantage her marriage could bring him.
Will and Connie meet for the first time at the altar. But Connie wants a husband who will love and respect her, not a womaniser and a gambler.
Their new home, on the wild coast of Devonshire, conceals dangerous secrets that threaten them and the nation. Can Will and Connie overcome the forces against them and forge a happy life together?
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I really enjoyed the story of Will and Connie and how they gradually came to care deeply for each other. The mystery that was solved also made things very interesting.
Entrancing!
This is a turn-of-the-19th-century forced-marriage romance with heart and heat. Two people forced into marriage by their maliciously micro-managing families decide to accept their fate and see if it might not be possible to form a partnership. Both recognize that their position as a married couple has ironically given them some independence from those who forced the match. They follow the old maxim “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander” and agree to deal with each other respectfully, as adults, and intelligent people. In the ongoing war with their families, his knee-jerk rebellious streak is channeled into more effective opposition by her practical and observant strategizing. Her fear of being dismissed as an incompetent female is soon laid to rest as he gains trust in her motives and respect for her sharp mind. And, inevitably, the slow burn romance between them ignites into real love and the HEA they so richly deserve. Wonderful characterization, sparkling and pithy dialogue, a true feel for the historical period, and a gentle hand with the trauma and drama make this a surprisingly hard-to-put-down historical that shouldn’t be missed. My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC, and this is a voluntary, independent and uncompensated review.
Sauce for the Gander by Jayne Davis is an absolutely delightful Regency novel, which takes place in 1777. It is the story of William Charlemagne Stanlake, Viscount Wingrave and Constance Charters, both the products of uncaring fathers and dead mothers. Finally exhausted with Will’s behavior, his father arrives at the home of Bartholomew Charters expressly to arrange a marriage between their two offspring. Not only was the marriage arranged, but also it was schedule for three days hence, without affording the young people even the chance to meet beforehand. His father is blackmailing him with the property in which they live and her father never wants to see her again. What kind of life will this be for the two of them?
Well-written and well-plotted, this charming novel is full of romance, intrigue, some violence, and plenty of angst, all of which is pretty believable. The main characters, as well as those on the periphery, are well-rounded and drawn exceedingly well. The plot is complicated and in depth. The motivations of the characters make sense and even when the despicable characters casing all the problems are revealed, Will and Connie show depth of character by treating them with compassion. What an enjoyable book. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of Sauce for the Gander. All ideas and opinions contained herein are my own.
I really enjoyed this story. The Earl forcing Will to marry, thinking his son was in a marriage of his choosing. Only the bride is not a demure obedient lady as her father suggests. She is a woman who thinks for herself, and marrying Will will get her out of her father’s house. These two together find a way to make the estate work and not be under the Earl’s thumb. The characters are wonderful and colorful. The plot is fantastic and works all the way through this story. Even with all the things going down in Devonshire, these two make the most of their new life, even with a smuggling housekeeper, an informant to the Earl, and smugglers hiding their booty in their cellar. Will’s wish to work for the government just might come true.