[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Mr. Jeremy Malcolm is the hottest bachelor of the 1818 London season. He has no title, but he’s inherited funds and a country house. He’s feeling the pressure from debutantes – and their mothers – constantly. One dance or conversation – or a trip to the opera – can convince a young woman that he’s interested. But Mr. Malcolm knows what he’s looking for. When it comes to a woman he’ll spend the rest of his life with, he’s determined to be as careful about the choice as he would be about choosing a prize horse or a business investment. There are certain qualities that are non-negotiable. Mr. Malcolm has a list!
When one of those young women gets word of Mr. Malcolm’s list, she is incensed. She invites an old school friend to town under the auspices of helping her meet some eligible men at society events. But in truth, Julia only wants Selina to help her turn the tables on Mr. Malcolm. To string him along until he’s hooked and then dump him for not meeting her own list. Selina has numerous reservations, but she also has no where else to go if she wants to meet the right sort of men. Julia knows this and will not be dissuaded from her plot.
Review
With the exception of Selina, who is a delight, the other main characters in this book are infuriating. I despised the spoiled, bratty Julia from her first appearance. She is arrogant, smug, and manipulative, and I audibly grumbled about her for 2/3 of the book. Mr. Malcolm is no Prince Charming. He’s arrogant as well, and also entitled. Maybe the author was trying to show that the more plain-born Selina has better character than the wealthy, privileged people in the story. Julia’s cousin, who is supposed to be Mr. Malcolm’s friend, was just as awful. While I waited for everything in the story to inevitably fall apart, I grumbled about the lot of them.
The “Hallmark movie moment” – you know, the spot in 90% of these sorts of stories where all the secrets are spilled – was fairly predictable. But I was surprised that Jeremy thought so little of Selina that he immediately wrote her off. Sure, be angry. He was manipulated and lied to. But there was no grace offered and no opportunity for Selina to explain things.
I would have loved for this moment to happen sooner in the story so that when Selina gets riled by Jeremy’s dismissal of her, she could really make him feel the pain of his decisions. I wanted him to “suffer” his losses a little more. And sadly, Julia has no consequences whatsoever for her part in things. She becomes a somewhat better person, magically, because of love. This was not satisfying. These two pieces would have improved my mood considerably.
Despite all of that irritation and emotional upheaval, I could not put this down! I had to see if Selina would triumph over these yahoos around her. And to see if they could ever be worthy of her friendship and her love. I read this compulsively, from start to finish. And even with all of my grumbling, I enjoyed the overall story. Jeremy’s mom alone was worth sticking with the book through the aggravating parts; she’s a hoot!