Rating: 
Summary: Romance Lite: Just as sweet, but less filling
Review: The beginning of The Marriage Contract promises an interesting premise in a unique Regency setting: In a last ditch effort to save herself from spinsterhood, Anne Burnett is married by proxy to a man she's never met, Aidan Black. A confirmed bachelor, he has chosen to live outside of society in a medieval castle, his hobby of sorts. From there, the story, though told adequately, unfolds predictably. Once the two meet, the heroine transforms the hero's unkempt living quarters into a real home, endears herself to his servants and subordinates, is beautiful and quite plucky. This suggests to our hero, required in romance to oppose losing his heart to a woman, that maybe he could use a wife after all. There is no clearly defined reason why Anne and Aidan, both exceedingly nice, yet two-dimensional people, shouldn't be together. The conflicts that keep the couple from willingly falling into each other's arms amount to little more than this being the author's intention. The Scotts versus English issue of the period fuels the most exciting situations and gives the characters something to do. But overall, the story telling is too simplistic, the writing style too elementary. The Marriage Contract reads as a young adult novel (albeit with one or two lackluster sex scenes) without challenging the more sophisticated literary palate of today's romance audience. Author Cathy Maxwell might do well to apply her solid, but take-no-chances writing ability to a different genre, one that caters to a preteen readership.
Rating: 
Summary: An Enjoyable Read
Review: The story starts with an orphan women being practically sold off to an unsuspecting bride groom in Scotland. The groom Aiden was the laird of a clan in the highlands. The real fun begins when the bride and groom meet accidentally in the wilds of the Scotland. This story is how the two main characters, Anne and Aiden, come to terms with their marriage. If Aiden would only stop trying to get Anne to leave and listen to his own heart. Things would go better for them both. I liked how the clan women had already thought to marry Aiden off so that their own men would follow his example. The political strife intertwined within the story also keeps you guessing. The main idea is it was time for the man to grow up and stop playing little boy games. He needed to learn that there could be many ways to solve a problem. Not always with force. I enjoyed this book and would read more written by Cathy Maxwell.
Rating: 
Summary: An amusing and well-written romance
Review: The Ton considers her two seasons in London as failures because Anne Burnett failed to make a match. Anne set an apparently impossible goal for an orphan like herself: she wanted to marry for love instead of securing her future. Anne is forced to marry by proxy some obscure Scottish lunatic, Mad Earl Tiebauld, Aidan Black, whose sister arranged the marriage. Anne travels to her new home only to receive a very unfriendly welcome by her spouse, who not only rejects her, but he wants her back in London. However, the English transplant ignores the irritable Scot and soon her actions gain the respect and support of his clan. To her chagrin, Anne also captures Aidan's black heart just as she now loves him too, but will he wisely keep her at his side or madly cling to his notion she belongs in England? THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT is an amusing well written Regency romance starring two charming and not so mad (except in love) lead characters. When the story line stays with the main plot the battle of the sexes, it is an absolute delight that will provide fans with a powerfully pleasurable read. However, a political subplot, though cleverly inserted and actually tied back to the prime theme, will feel intrusive because the convincing main tale is so good and so much fun. Cathy Maxwell shows why her historicals are so well received by reviewers and fans with this fabulous Regency novel. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: a nice story, but not stellar
Review: The two protagonists are nicely written adult characters and the author does a good job of justifying the attraction between them. I enjoyed the characters' pasts- it made me quite sympathetic to them. The story line is kind of standard fare, the Scottish/English rebellions. I'm kinda tired of the clever rebel fox story line, and nothing new is contributed by this book. As usual, the English troup commander is painted as a one-dimensional all purpose bad guy. It's a nice story, competently written, lacking in over-the-top melodrama, but conversely, is not particularly memorable.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful hero & heroine
Review: These two characters are wonderful: Aidan is a very interesting man, who really needs a good wife; Anne is ordinary but full of inner strength and ability just waiting to be used. When he first learns of his proxy marriage, Aidan is a jerk because he does not want to marry, but he eventually succumbs to teh capable and warm-hearted woman who is his wife. Anne quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with, and the whole village becomes the stage for a battle of the sexes. This book is more about two people coming to know and love each other, and for that reason, it touches the heart. The villain of the piece is a bit obvious, but other characters surprise you. Sweet and touching, and well worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Ordinary yet Extraordinary Woman
Review: This book was very sweet and I found it took some entertaining and unpredictable turns in dialogue and events. What I found different about this heroine than in many other romance novels is that this heroine appears very ordinary, in terms of money (in fact sub-par), looks (ordinary by sheep society members), and perhaps even presence (she proves that wrong later on). But she manages to make her presence very powerfully felt throughout the novel. In other romance novels, we always read about the heroine being the most beautiful (all eyes turn to her when she enters the room, conversation stops, that sort of thing), or we read about the girl being gawky and awkward as a youngster, but suddenly blossoming into an arresting beauty when she matures(ugly duckling sort of thing). Or perhaps, they'll have a scene where the seemingly ordinary looking woman freshens up and dons a wonderful gown and jewels, displaying a regality that inspires heads to turn. But in this book, she doesn't have to be anything but herself the whole time, and she is still deemed desirable. She doesn't have to be fought over and desired by every man in order to be beautiful. She doesn't have to stop traffic, but you still see her as a beautiful woman. And one can tell that the attraction a man feels for her is through her cunning and grace. The man is pretty nice, too. I like that they get to know each other as they are married. It has a very nice romantic edge to it.
Rating:
Summary: all time fav of Cathy Maxwell
Review: With nothing better to do on a lonely Saturday night, I picked up "The Marriage Contract" that had been calling my name for some time. What a delight and surprise -- I could not put the book down. I had it read in 2 days flat and was left in a whirlwind of giddiness. Very funny with two very strong and independent personalities who learn to live and love one another against the odds. The beginning of the end was a little surprising and unexpected, but well worth the final AHhh of relief for both Anne and Aidan. A must read for anyone who wants to laugh, cry, and just plain out feel giddy with lovely feeling tickling your heart....
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put it Down
Review: With nothing better to do on a lonely Saturday night, I picked up "The Marriage Contract" that had been calling my name for some time. What a delight and surprise -- I could not put the book down. I had it read in 2 days flat and was left in a whirlwind of giddiness. Very funny with two very strong and independent personalities who learn to live and love one another against the odds. The beginning of the end was a little surprising and unexpected, but well worth the final AHhh of relief for both Anne and Aidan. A must read for anyone who wants to laugh, cry, and just plain out feel giddy with lovely feeling tickling your heart....
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