A Necessary Husband

Rating:
Summary: A Nice Regency Romance
Review: I have like several of Ms. Mullins stories in the past so I was surprised that this was not going to be a favorite. This was also a nice story but I feel that the ending of the story was a bit rushed and therefore left me feeling like there was something missing. The characters were fun and the story line had plenty of potential I just don't think the author gave it much of a chance. Still in all this was a nice story with a happy ending and it read fast.

Rating:
Summary: A Nice Regency Romance
Review: I have like several of Ms. Mullins stories in the past so I was surprised that this was not going to be a favorite. This was also a nice story but I feel that the ending of the story was a bit rushed and therefore left me feeling like there was something missing. The characters were fun and the story line had plenty of potential I just don't think the author gave it much of a chance. Still in all this was a nice story with a happy ending and it read fast.

Rating:
Summary: A very enjoyable, very fast read!
Review: I sat down to read this book and was finished just over three hours later. During that time I was completely involved with the characters and the story.
This is an engaging tale of an American heir to a dukedom, Garrett Lynch, Marquess of Kelton, unwillingly being forced to acknowledge his title and a poverty stricken widow of respectable birth, Lucinda Devering, who is guiding his sister through a London season. The story flowed very comfortably and kept me interested all the way to it�s happy conclusion.
The passion between the main characters seemed very real and not at all forced. The hero was very intriguing and came with genuine obstacles to a happy ending just falling into place. Our heroine also came with her fair share of problems, including a lecherous relative in sexual pursuit of her.
The book read very smoothly and enjoyably. Wonderful passion between the leads, many engaging secondary characters and believable circumstances that prevent complete happiness until the ending, all contributed to make this a very worthwhile read.
I thoroughly recommend this novel.

Amanda Faulkner

Rating:
Summary: A very enjoyable, very fast read!
Review: I sat down to read this book and was finished just over three hours later. During that time I was completely involved with the characters and the story.
This is an engaging tale of an American heir to a dukedom, Garrett Lynch, Marquess of Kelton, unwillingly being forced to acknowledge his title and a poverty stricken widow of respectable birth, Lucinda Devering, who is guiding his sister through a London season. The story flowed very comfortably and kept me interested all the way to it's happy conclusion.
The passion between the main characters seemed very real and not at all forced. The hero was very intriguing and came with genuine obstacles to a happy ending just falling into place. Our heroine also came with her fair share of problems, including a lecherous relative in sexual pursuit of her.
The book read very smoothly and enjoyably. Wonderful passion between the leads, many engaging secondary characters and believable circumstances that prevent complete happiness until the ending, all contributed to make this a very worthwhile read.
I thoroughly recommend this novel.

Amanda Faulkner

Rating:
Summary: Fun Regency
Review: In 1805 London, a very disappointed General Northcott lectures his daughter Lucinda that she has brought shame to their family name that has been above reproach for over two centuries. He insists she will marry the younger son of an earl instead of the older one whom she loves. Harry Devering not her beloved Malcolm becomes her spouse. For the next decade Lucinda is the paragon of proper behavior, which cannot be said of her husband.

In 1816 Lucinda makes her first social appearance since Harry died in the bed of his mistress over a year ago. Only for her charge Meg would she return to the Ton. However, at Meg's debut, her brother, Sea Captain Garrett Lynch, crashes the gala. Ready to declare the third Anglo-American war, Garrett is side tracked by the beauty and calm of Lucinda. He wants her, but Lucinda will give up love before stepping into any scandal, just ask the odious Malcolm who wants her as his mistress.

Though the story line is somewhat typical of a Regency, Debra Mullins keeps it fresh through the relationships of several of her key characters, especially the lead protagonists. Lucinda's vow to never cause harm to her family name after the way her father looked at her in 1805 battles with her desire to make love with the wild Garrett, whose attitude is damn the torpedoes full speed ahead in his quest. Regency readers will find A NECESSARY HUSBAND a charming read that never steps out of the box.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Fun Regency
Review: In 1805 London, a very disappointed General Northcott lectures his daughter Lucinda that she has brought shame to their family name that has been above reproach for over two centuries. He insists she will marry the younger son of an earl instead of the older one whom she loves. Harry Devering not her beloved Malcolm becomes her spouse. For the next decade Lucinda is the paragon of proper behavior, which cannot be said of her husband.

In 1816 Lucinda makes her first social appearance since Harry died in the bed of his mistress over a year ago. Only for her charge Meg would she return to the Ton. However, at Meg's debut, her brother, Sea Captain Garrett Lynch, crashes the gala. Ready to declare the third Anglo-American war, Garrett is side tracked by the beauty and calm of Lucinda. He wants her, but Lucinda will give up love before stepping into any scandal, just ask the odious Malcolm who wants her as his mistress.

Though the story line is somewhat typical of a Regency, Debra Mullins keeps it fresh through the relationships of several of her key characters, especially the lead protagonists. Lucinda's vow to never cause harm to her family name after the way her father looked at her in 1805 battles with her desire to make love with the wild Garrett, whose attitude is damn the torpedoes full speed ahead in his quest. Regency readers will find A NECESSARY HUSBAND a charming read that never steps out of the box.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Interesting characters & an interesting plot
Review: The cast of characters in this Regency era novel maintains a high level of interest. After a near-scandal forces her into an arranged marriage without love (one that itself ends in scandal), Lucinda strives to always be all that is proper, allowing not a hint of scandal to touch her or her family name...and then along comes brash American Garrett, who doesn't give a fig for the high-in-the-instep, hypocritical values of high English society. Desire erupts immediately between these two, and Lucinda finds it increasingly difficult to maintain her proper actions around Garrett.

Lucinda's motivations are clearly understood by the reader from the very beginning. Garrett, though charming, requires some self-knowledge and change to be truly heroic. He starts off as selfish and bossy. Worse, he simply cannot believe that Lucinda means "No" when she says "No." He fails to comprehend that she could desire him and yet still truly mean her refusal to act on that desire. Finally, however, he gets a clue; he comes to understand her reasons and begins to feel ashamed of himself (not that he ceases to want her or ceases to try to seduce her), but he is more understanding and begins to see himself and others more clearly. As a result, he does change in some significant ways. In fact, he uses the word "love" first. Moreover, he shows some truly heart-softening vulnerability (though he does so rarely and unwillingly). And Garrett really is deliciously naughty.

The tone in this book is rather anti-English, in the "high society is so hypocritical" vein. Although it's a little odd for this sub-genre, it is an interesting point of view. Lucinda herself begins to question all that she's thought was important.

The book kept my attention; it was well-paced and good fun. Three & 1/2 stars (mainly becaue Garrett has such a hard time understanding the word "No").