Lord Braybrook's Penniless Bride

TEST

My history professor was fond of the word reductive. While it is reductive to say that the French Revolution was caused by the revolt of the Third Estate, it is equally reductive to summarize the plot of this book as “Julian, Viscount Braybrook, hires Christiana Daventry as governess-companion and they fall in love and marry despite differences in birth.” When you get right down to it though, that’s what Lord Braybrook’s Penniless Bride is. However, for two-thirds of it, I was convinced it was something more.

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Here are the details: The Viscount Braybrook’s sister is in love with a Mr. Daventry. Suspicious of his character, Julian investigates Daventry’s situation and finds a sister, Christiana, living in poverty. Because both disapprove of the attachment, Braybrook decides to kill several birds with a very big stone by hiring Christy as companion to his invalid step-mother, governess to his step-siblings, and marital deterrent to his sister.

There is a nice thread of reality anchoring the events and characters. Julian’s employment offer and Christy’s manner of acceptance make sense. Julian’s sister acts exactly like a 17-year-old should – no more, no less. Ms. Rolls’ dialogue is indicative of a Regency-set historical, not a transplanted Bridget Jones. And the big issue in the novel – illegitimacy – is treated with eyes wide open and without any glorification. Christy and her brother are the bastard children of the Duke of Alcaston, a situation that informs their actions and decisions. And while there are no outright villains, there are distasteful people who act distastefully, but not over-the-top.

And Christy and Julian are nice, sensible characters. I’m still not sure why Braybrook has to be a super-mega, ultra-rake instead of sexually normal, but otherwise he’s a kind man who loves his family but doesn’t always know how to deal with people. Like Christy. If I didn’t like her so much I’d call her Crusty because, man, she sure doesn’t mince words even though I think she has reason to be guarded and sharp-tongued. One doesn’t need great tragedies to affect one’s character – the little things will do it right enough, and Christy has enough little things going on that I sympathized with her heart and soul. And the attraction between them is believable and heart-warming.

So now you’re probably thinking, but that’s a B+! Or even a DIK!! Well, that’s what I was thinking too until Christy and Julian are compromised and they marry. At that moment, everything disappears except our two lovebirds. Sibling subplot – finito. Mean guys – poof. I mean, I can understand the concept of wrapping up storylines, but this was downright lopsided. And then Christy does some things that could be called selfless and generous but that I’d prefer to label self-righteous and dumbo-extreme. And if she’s not exemplifying those qualities, she’s losing her mind and wits to the amorous talents extraordinaire of her husband. She pleads! She siiighs. She speaks…with…ellipses. She turns, in short, into someone who is not Christy.

I would far prefer a novel to get better rather than the reverse, and this one is unfortunately stricken with unevenness. But overall Lord Braybrook’s Penniless Bride is an enjoyable novel. My reading experience with Elizabeth Rolls has been getting better and better.

Reviewed by Enya Young

Grade: B-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date: 03/11/09

Publication Date: 2009

Review Tags: governess

Recent Comments …

  1. excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.

I live in Seattle, Washington and work as a legal assistant. I remember learning to read (comic strips) at a young age and nowadays try to read about 5-6 books a week. I love to travel, especially to Europe, and enjoy exploring smaller towns off the tourist track though London is my favorite city in the world.

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