A Daring Courtship

Rating:
Summary: It gets better after the first couple of chapters
Review: I started this book a couple of times, and couldn't continue because our heroine seemed so proud and unlikable. But I must admit, that as soon as she put her mind to the 'task' of Sir Roger's acceptance into the neighborhood, she became more and more likeable, and the book correspondingly more enjoyable. One thing I really liked vvas Sir Roger's attitude to their seeming physical 'connection.' He emphasized the importance of an emotional connection, and that sometimes the body recognizes things the head is not yet prepared to. This really is an interesting book and a good buy.

Rating:
Summary: a very good story
Review: Once upon a time Miss Madeline Piper would have rather walked on glass than go to Sir Roger Mathieson for help. But a change in her family's financial circumstances has forced the proud beauty to rethink her stance and to ask (gulp) Sir Roger Mathieson to marry her. Does Madeline have what it takes to put her feelings of disdain towards Sir Roger behind her, and put up with being married to Sir Roger for a lifetime?

Sir Roger Matheison (on his part) is stunned beyond anything when the haughty Miss Madeline Piper comes to him and proposes marriage, especially when he knows just how much disdain she has for him because he is a Scotsman. In fact when he had proposed to her, she had thrown a clock at him for his effrontery! But now it would seem that the lady needs his money and is willing to overlook his unfortunate heritage for her family's sake. A proud man, Sir Roger would like nothing better than to tell Madeline to go to the devil, but he cannot deny that he is still in love with Madeline (the first time Sir Roger saw Madeline, he fell in love with her sweet smile), and so he comes up with a plan: hoping to teach Madeline a lesson, Sir Roger decrees that if Madeline wants to marry him that she will have to see to it that the leading families of Chilchester accept him socially (the poor man has been ostracised ever since he set foot in Chilchester). Madeline is appalled but has little choice except to agree to Sir Roger's terms, little realising that the real challenge will lie not with her ingenuity in getting everyone to accept Sir Roger, but in how her new relationship with Sir Roger will cause her to question many of the beliefs she was raised with...

"A Daring Courtship" may not be everyone's cup of tea, esp because the heroine's snobbish behaviour can be a little hard to like and accept. However, you do have to admire the authour for her brilliant and on the mark depiction of said heroine, Madeline Piper. Many of the young ladies (of all classes) of the period would have shared in Madeline's pride and prejudices completely. Valerie King did a first rate job in her portrayal of the proud and reserved young lady. And while it is true that Madeline's change of heart took a while to be achieved, I thought that the manner in which the authour handled things was realistic and probable -- after all a lifetime of prejudices cannot be overcome all at once! The hero, Sir Roger, was a gem; and I couldn't help but admire the man for his patience and forbearance in his dealings with both Madeline and the people fo Chilchester. Another nice detail was how Valerie King brought the narrow townspeople, with all their absurd prejudices and narrow views, to life. Certain plot contrivances, however, may niggle (such as why the older gentlemen of the town seem to have given up all their social powers to their wives, and why it take the heroine's father so long to act); also novel does unfold at a slightly sedate rate -- although it was smooth unwinding without any glaring jolts and starts. But all in all, I'd vote "A Daring Courtship" as a novel worth recommending as an enjoyable 3 1/2 star read.