The Wrong Mr. Wright (Zebra Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: heroine's behavior halfway through the novel made no sense
Review: As a rule, I usually like Regency novels by Patricia Bray because of the care she takes to develop the both the primary and secondary characters in her novels, the budding romance/relationship between the hero and the heroine, and because she almost never reverts to 21st century language colloquialisms. True, her plots are usually a rather straightforward read, with very few twists in plot-lines. However, her books are also so well written, that this small lack is seldom really felt by the reader. "The Wrong Mr. Wright" falls into the usual mold of a Patricia Bray Regency romance; and it is a well written, engrossing (when it deals with the relationship between Diana and Stephen) and enjoyable read. However, I was surprised to find that Bray had Diana behaving in a manner, in the latter half of the book anyway, that was not at all consistent with her character!

Stephen Wright, Viscount of Endicott, is beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet of life without his troublesome younger half-brother, George, when he receives some rather unwelcome news. It seems that just before George left England, he had found time to seriously compromise a young lady, who has since left London in disgrace. Stephen is appalled. He has spent much of his adulthood pulling George out of scrapes and paying his bills and debts. But this latest stunt beats all. Being an honourable man, Stephen immediately makes for the young lady's home in Kent in order to offer her his hand in marriage. He is quite surprised then when Diana Somerville (the young lady in question) refuses his offer of marriage. Diana has no desire to be married at this point, and certainly not to the brother of the man who had so seriously compromised her reputation. However, both Stephen and her parents convince her to agree to a sham engagement, if only to restore her reputation (and that of her family's), with the stipulation that Diana be allowed to cry off the engagement after a suitable period of time. And so in no time at all, Diana finds herself back in London, this time as the fiance of the Viscount of Endicott. And while she never expected to find herself engaged to so cautious and reserved a gentleman as Stephen Wright, Diana begins to appreciate his many sterling qualities -- his dependability and his honour in particular. And then George returns to London. Will George's return mean trouble for Stephen and Diana? Stephen cannot help but worry about what George's next move will be even as he faces the fact that he has fallen in love with the spirited Diana and would like very much to make their sham betrothal real.

And all in all, "The Wrong Mr. Wright" was a really enjoyable read -- especially when it the novel was dwelling on the developing relationship between Stephen and Diana. Bray does a really good job of allowing us to see that these two are meant for each other, and bringing their 'real' characters to the fore. The thing I didn't get however, was why after having presented Diana as an extremely intelligent and astute young woman, Patricia Bray would make her heroine suddenly susceptible to George's machinations? It is difficult to be more explicit in my criticism without giving too much of the plot away. However, take my word for it, Diana's decision to listen to George would not at all be keeping with her character, esp given what she had previously suffered at his hands earlier in the book. And this incongruity niggled at me so much that it quite distracted me from totally enjoying the novel. Which was a shame, because incongruity aside, this was an enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: I liked it; I liked it not
Review: Interesting storyline but the contact and conversation between the two brothers was more interesting than the romance.

Stephen, Lord Endicott is faced with righting another of his brother's scandals. George Wright (Stephen's half-brother) has ruined an innocent lady, Diana Somerville all on a dare. We find out later the attempted rape is not completed, but I felt that was glossed over. Stephen feels compelled to ask for Diana's hand since George has fled the country. Diana is an interesting character - not really concerned over her lost reputation but living in a fantasy world where she will set out to become a world traveler and adventuress when she reaches her majority.

Diana's family and Lord Endicott come up with a scheme to have a sham engagement. It will restore Diana's reputation (how?)and will be over at the end of the season. Of course in true Regency style both fall in love and begin to wish the betrothal is a reality.

The problem with the story is that I felt no real affection between Stephen and Diana. Oh some of the correct words are spoken but nothing that made my heart swell. Another problem is that Diana meets George (the bad brother) later and experiences none of the outrage or fear I think a normal woman would feel towards the man who attempted to rape her. Also there is no resolution to the trouble created by Stephen's stepmother and half-brother. Diana never really finds out what Stephen's real feelings about them are.

A nice note is that Stephen (though browbeaten to do it) takes Diana on a few adventures, teaching her to drive a rig, talking about taking her on a boat, bringing her to lectures about the Amazon and ascending with her in a hot air balloon. All of these "adventures" lead her to decide risking life and limb was not all that enjoyable after all.

An ok read but other "brother stand-in" Regencies (which is a rather common theme) have been handled better.