First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh

First Comes Marriage (Huxtable Quintet, #1) (Huxtables)

by Mary Balogh

Against the scandal and seduction of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces an extraordinary family—the fiery, sensual Huxtables. Vanessa is the second daughter, proud and daring, a young widow who has her own reason for pursuing the most eligible bachelor in London. One that has nothing to do with love. Or does it?

The arrival of Elliott Wallace, the irresistibly eligible Viscount Lyngate, has thrown the country village of Throckbridge into a tizzy. Desperate to rescue her eldest sister from a loveless union, Vanessa Huxtable Dew offers herself instead. In need of a wife, Elliott takes the audacious widow up on her unconventional proposal while he pursues an urgent mission of his own. But a strange thing happens on the way to the wedding night. Two strangers with absolutely nothing in common can’t keep their hands off each other. Now, as intrigue swirls around a past secret—one with a stunning connection to the Huxtables—Elliott and Vanessa are uncovering the glorious pleasures of the marriage bed…and discovering that when it comes to wedded bliss, love can’t be far behind.

Reviewed by Amanda on

2 of 5 stars

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I probably should have thrown First Comes Marriage back to the library gods by page 48, but I was bored and sick and didn't feel like doing anything else. For that purpose, it works. I guess.

If it had only been the clunky language and lackluster story telling, I might have been able to enjoy the book. The story wasn't quite believable (even in a fictional historical romance sense), but I could have muddled through it if it hadn't been for one overriding fact.

Vanessa is continually described as plain, not lovely, not beautiful, not pleasing, etc. Except maybe when she smiled and was animated. Even Elliot commonly remarked to himself that he had no idea why he was sexually attracted to Vanessa because there was nothing remarkable about her. Because of course she had brown hair and had small breasts and wasn't as pretty as her sisters.

Really? Why must this be a THING in romance?

Elliot tells Vanessa she's pretty even as he questions it himself and then when she expresses disbelief, he says he's not lying. Even after finishing the book, I'm still not quite sure what he saw in her. Most of his thoughts regarding her were negative and not flattering for the majority of the book.

I didn't particularly like Elliot. Vanessa was tolerable. I skimmed some parts because the narrative went on and on and I rolled my eyes, groaned, and skipped ahead. Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I'm not inclined to continue reading anything more by Mary Balogh.

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  • Started reading
  • 25 February, 2014: Finished reading
  • 25 February, 2014: Reviewed