The Marriage Season by Jane Dunn
Genre: Regency Romance, Historical fiction
Read: 21st January 2023
Published: 26th January 2023
★★★ 3 stars
DESCRIPTION:
‘It’s not a fair world I’m afraid. Beauty or fortune carries the day. You have the beauty and I the fortune, so there’s every chance we’ll succeed’
In Regency England, marriage is everything. For young widow Sybella Lovatt, the time has come to find a suitable husband for her sister and ward Lucie. Male suitors are scarce near their Wiltshire estate, so the sisters resolve to head to London in time for The Season to begin.
Once ensconced at the Mayfair home of Lady Godley, Lucie’s godmother, the whirl of balls, parties and promenades can begin. But the job of finding a husband is fraught with rules and tradition. Jostling for attention are the two lords – the charming and irresistible Freddie Lynwood and the preternaturally handsome Valentine Ravenell, their enigmatic neighbour from Shotten Hall, Mr Brabazon, and the dangerous libertine Lord Rockliffe, with whom the brooding Brabazon is locked in deadly rivalry.
Against the backdrop of glamorous Regency England, Sybella must settle Lucie’s future, protect her own reputation, and resist the disreputable rakes determined to seduce the beautiful widow. As the Season ends, will the sisters have found the rarest of things – a suitable marriage with a love story to match?
MY THOUGHTS:
I do so love a Regency Romance (despite romance not being my usual genre) and THE MARRIAGE SEASON was a delightfully easy read that is likened to that of Georgette Heyer (whose name I know but have not actually read). This is the first I have read by this author and I chose it simply for it's era. It did take quite a while before things got interesting with a somewhat slow build that almost made me give up and move on. I do hate slow starts as much as I hate long chapters...which this book also had.
Sybella (Bella) Lovatt is a young widow, having lost her husband in the Pensinsula war against Napoleon after two months of marriage, and now the time has come for her to find a suitable husband for her younger sister and charge Lucie Carey. Suitors are scarce around their Wiltshire estate and so the sisters plan on converging on London for the season, taking up residence with Lucie's godmother Lady Godley for the duration.
Prior to the London season, Lucie happens upon a young man laying unconscious in the road under a fall tree branch. She sets her horse agallop back to their Manor to bring help which soon arrives in the form of their stablehand George. They transport the still unconscious young man back to their estate and await the doctor who diagnoses a broken leg and with George's help sets it. But as he is unable to move he is to remain at the manor for the time being. When he awakes, he introduces himself as Lord Lynwood...or Freddie, as their butler Beamish informs them. Freddie, it seems, is the ward of their neighbour Mr Brabazon who is intent on finding him a young bride.
OK, so it's a little predictable but it is a satirical romp with witty young men and disparaging rakes set between the sprawling Wiltshire countryside and busyness of Mayfair and the London Season. In a whirl of balls and parties, Bella must find the most appropriate husband for Lucie...but can she do so without opening her own heart for more heartbreak?
A delightful romp, it has to be said, but not the best I have read. As I outlined at the beginning, it was a slow build before it got interesting and the chapters were long...both of which are reflected in my rating. But there is plenty of scandal and drama and lot of descriptive scenes.
Likened to that of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, I'm sure THE MARRIAGE SEASON will appeal to those fans. However, as much as I enjoy Jane Austen's tales on screen I do find her writing a little difficult to wade through...perhaps that is the difficulty I had here also? Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the story...it was too slow to start and some things I found a little drawn out. Too much description maybe? I'm not sure. I can't quite put my finger on it. I just know that although I did enjoy the the story, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as other Regency Romances.
Overall, a fairly decent read with satirical wit and a few dashing as well as disparaging characters for the women of the story to fall in love with. Perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen.
I would like to thank #JaneDunn, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheMarriageSeason in exchange for an honest review.
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