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Stapleton-Downes #1
The Ideal Wife
When Abigail Gardiner knocks at the door of Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, the last thing she expects is a marriage proposal. Desperate, she had come to this charismatic stranger’s home to plead for her future. Instead, she shocks them both by saying yes. Her impulsive decision will have consequences neither she nor her new husband can foresee. For Miles has his own reasons for marrying her. And Abigail is harboring a secret of her own. As distrust gives way to desire . . . as, together, they give in to the pleasures of the marriage bed, a devastating scandal threatens their future. Now these two wary hearts will risk ruin and disgrace for a love that has changed them both forever—the kind all seek, but few ever find.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1991
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1818 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,337 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
December 5, 2014
Bleh. Mary Balogh had this format she used for a time in her earlier books where the heroine was keeping a secret from the hero and this is the driving point for most of the plot. I can tolerate it once in a while but after more than two books it gets annoying. For example I can deal with it in her book "Heartless" because I loved the hero in that one. This book features this plot device and it is ANNOYING. It starts off with a meet cute premise…the hero, the Earl of Severn, needs a wife to avoid being set up by his mother so he vows to marry the first plain manageable female who crosses his path who he can set up in his country estate and ignore. Enter an impoverished relative looking for a work reference so she can obtain respectable employment – Abigail Gardiner. She just happens to be PLAIN (and we are reminded of this constantly…what is it with Balogh and plain heroines?????) and seems meek and the sort who can be tucked away in the country. So he proposes marriage. She isn’t stupid and recognizes it is much nicer to be a Countess than a governess so she accepts. Except she isn’t as meek and manageable as she first seemed. And she’s got a secret….*enter annoying secret plot device that I hate* Half the story could be avoided if the heroine just opened her PLAIN mouth and confessed all to the hero. Who, of course, when she finally does is like all like…oh is that all? I love you, you are the light of my life *rolls eyes* *chucks book in charity pile*
January 7, 2019
Don't let the 3 stars fool you. This was not a bad read. It's just that in 2019, I'm planning to be a little more discerning in my ratings. I've been known as a high grader before :)
This was a fluffy piece. Light and fun in places. No real substance, and based on a very unbelievable premise (tho one that HRs tend to use): the H marries a complete stranger, an impoverished distant cousin, in 2 days by special license. It is the reason that he marries her that's weird. He just did it to avoid being badgered into a different marriage with a jewel of the ton by his female relatives.
This is not the first time MB has used this plot device. In The Arrangement she did the same thing. The H runs away and marries a stranger because he doesn't have the balls to stand up to the female relatives he loves.
I wonder if this actually happened back in the time period these novels are set. That would be very strange indeed.
Anyway, this is the premise, and after doing this crazy thing, the H then plays the part of a level-headed, indulgent, mature husband, while the h is herself - bubbly, natters on, big-hearted, and honestly not very smart. The explanation is that she thinks with her heart instead of her brain. Which is another way of saying she doesn't do much thinking.
I give it 3 stars because the writing reminds me of Jane Austen novels - in terms of the banter and lightness. There are parts that are believable - like how the couple don't both achieve orgasm in lovemaking until they are actually in love.
Overall, it's something to read while I'm snacking on things and want to multi-task. This is not the sort of novel that commands my entire attention. I can put it down at any time.
This was a fluffy piece. Light and fun in places. No real substance, and based on a very unbelievable premise (tho one that HRs tend to use): the H marries a complete stranger, an impoverished distant cousin, in 2 days by special license. It is the reason that he marries her that's weird. He just did it to avoid being badgered into a different marriage with a jewel of the ton by his female relatives.
This is not the first time MB has used this plot device. In The Arrangement she did the same thing. The H runs away and marries a stranger because he doesn't have the balls to stand up to the female relatives he loves.
I wonder if this actually happened back in the time period these novels are set. That would be very strange indeed.
Anyway, this is the premise, and after doing this crazy thing, the H then plays the part of a level-headed, indulgent, mature husband, while the h is herself - bubbly, natters on, big-hearted, and honestly not very smart. The explanation is that she thinks with her heart instead of her brain. Which is another way of saying she doesn't do much thinking.
I give it 3 stars because the writing reminds me of Jane Austen novels - in terms of the banter and lightness. There are parts that are believable - like how the couple don't both achieve orgasm in lovemaking until they are actually in love.
Overall, it's something to read while I'm snacking on things and want to multi-task. This is not the sort of novel that commands my entire attention. I can put it down at any time.
December 15, 2021
Oh my God. I have never read of a more impulsive heroine in my life. And can she not shut up? I am tired after reading this book. I have got a headache with that much prattle Hahaha She's luck she's funny.
This book was lighthearted and I had many laughs yet I wanted to throttle the heroine quite frequently. The hero was a bit weak when it comes to the woman of his life but okay. It was a nice book anyway. It was specially nice seeing how Mary Balogh grew as a writer.
So if you want to read of a crazy marriage of convenience story, this is for you. And one thing that stood out a lot for me was the fact that their sexual relationship was not great and at times it was downright disappointing, I thought it was super realistic approach instead of being like some books that picture every intimate time as the best of the best.
This book was lighthearted and I had many laughs yet I wanted to throttle the heroine quite frequently. The hero was a bit weak when it comes to the woman of his life but okay. It was a nice book anyway. It was specially nice seeing how Mary Balogh grew as a writer.
So if you want to read of a crazy marriage of convenience story, this is for you. And one thing that stood out a lot for me was the fact that their sexual relationship was not great and at times it was downright disappointing, I thought it was super realistic approach instead of being like some books that picture every intimate time as the best of the best.
September 25, 2017
2.75 *
So disappointing! And with that cracker beginning.
I absolutely adored the h (and the book) for about half the book and then I despised her! And that left me feeling stupidly inconsistent.
The H was okay but typically bland in ways of some MB Hs.
I’m too upset to put the rest in words.
So disappointing! And with that cracker beginning.
I absolutely adored the h (and the book) for about half the book and then I despised her! And that left me feeling stupidly inconsistent.
The H was okay but typically bland in ways of some MB Hs.
I’m too upset to put the rest in words.
September 2, 2024
3'5 Estrellitas. No daba mucho por él al ser uno de los viejillos de Mary Balogh, pero aunque ha tenido algunos altibajos, al final he quedado satisfecha. Es más, es de 1993 y se nota y difiere de algunas de sus anteriores obras. Éste libro me ha recordado en algunos momentos a otros que publicó en los 90 y que me gustaron mucho.
"The Ideal Wife" es el primer libro de la serie Stapleton-Downes. Una serie de siete libros de la regencia, de los cuales y en su momento leí el séptimo y último.
En éste libro se nos presenta a Miles, conde de Severn. Miles es un hombre de su época y de cierta posición, guapo, admirado, con una amante y soltero. Miles sabe que en breve le echarán la soga al cuello y su madre y su hermana están próximas a conseguirlo. Así que una noche, le confiesa a su amigo Gerald, que su ideal de esposa sería alguna tímida, callada y poco atractiva, alguien que sea madre de sus hijos y no le de problemas, dispuesta a exiliarse en su mansión campestre. Y eso es lo que pensaba de Abigail Gardiner el día que se presentó en su puerta, y le pidió matrimonio.
Abby Gardiner es una dama de compañía que está desesperada. Su empleadora la ha echado sin referencias, acusada de seducir a su hijo mayor (cosa que es mentira). Abby es la cabeza de su desestructurada familia, y siendo la mayor, solo desea ver a sus hermanos reunidos y las deudas que dejó su padre pagadas. Así que cuando la echan, se le ocurre acudir al conde de Severn, primo muy lejano de su familia, para que le dé las referencias que necesita para encontrar otro trabajo. Pero Miles ve en ella algo distinto, ve a su ideal de esposa, que es lo que le confesó anoche a su amigo, así que le ofrece matrimonio y Abby acepta.
Realmente toda la historia inicia con buen pie, también el matrimonio, porque ésta es de esas historias tiernas donde lo bonito va surgiendo poco a poco a medida que los protagonistas se van conociendo.
El escollo entre tanta felicidad conyugal vendrá de la mano de los secretos que Abby le oculta a Miles, y de los que no quiere que se entere, porque de saberlos, no se habría casado con ella, y todo tiene que ver con su pasado y su desestructurada familia. El peor de todos, será un fantasma de su pasado, que la chantajeará por lo que ella más quiere.
Sí, éste argumento lo he visto en Mary Balogh otras veces. No es de mis favoritos porque me trae mucho sufrimiento para los protagonistas y no se lo merecen. Pero si lo he disfrutado, es gracias a ese amor que se va viendo capítulo a capítulo. Abby sabe que puede enamorarse de Miles desde el principio, siendo un hombre tan guapo y admirado, pero ella no es bella y trae muchos problemas a sus espaldas, y no entiende por qué la eligió a ella, cuando podría haberse casado con otra joven infinitamente hermosa y con una gran dote.
Es gracias a ese amor que crece poco a poco por lo que he disfrutado del libro, además me ha gustado ver a Abby con sus dotes de casamentera, dispuesta a traernos los siguientes libros de la serie.
Me ha gustado mucho, pero tampoco me ha parecido de los mejores, Mary Balogh por esa época ya escribía libros que era auténticas joyas, y estos de Signet se me hacen algo harlequineros, cortos, sin muchos sobresaltos, muy para principiantes, pero entretenidos, sin llegar a ser joyitas. De todas formas me ha gustado mucho y continuaré leyendo la serie.
"The Ideal Wife" es el primer libro de la serie Stapleton-Downes. Una serie de siete libros de la regencia, de los cuales y en su momento leí el séptimo y último.
En éste libro se nos presenta a Miles, conde de Severn. Miles es un hombre de su época y de cierta posición, guapo, admirado, con una amante y soltero. Miles sabe que en breve le echarán la soga al cuello y su madre y su hermana están próximas a conseguirlo. Así que una noche, le confiesa a su amigo Gerald, que su ideal de esposa sería alguna tímida, callada y poco atractiva, alguien que sea madre de sus hijos y no le de problemas, dispuesta a exiliarse en su mansión campestre. Y eso es lo que pensaba de Abigail Gardiner el día que se presentó en su puerta, y le pidió matrimonio.
Abby Gardiner es una dama de compañía que está desesperada. Su empleadora la ha echado sin referencias, acusada de seducir a su hijo mayor (cosa que es mentira). Abby es la cabeza de su desestructurada familia, y siendo la mayor, solo desea ver a sus hermanos reunidos y las deudas que dejó su padre pagadas. Así que cuando la echan, se le ocurre acudir al conde de Severn, primo muy lejano de su familia, para que le dé las referencias que necesita para encontrar otro trabajo. Pero Miles ve en ella algo distinto, ve a su ideal de esposa, que es lo que le confesó anoche a su amigo, así que le ofrece matrimonio y Abby acepta.
Realmente toda la historia inicia con buen pie, también el matrimonio, porque ésta es de esas historias tiernas donde lo bonito va surgiendo poco a poco a medida que los protagonistas se van conociendo.
El escollo entre tanta felicidad conyugal vendrá de la mano de los secretos que Abby le oculta a Miles, y de los que no quiere que se entere, porque de saberlos, no se habría casado con ella, y todo tiene que ver con su pasado y su desestructurada familia. El peor de todos, será un fantasma de su pasado, que la chantajeará por lo que ella más quiere.
Sí, éste argumento lo he visto en Mary Balogh otras veces. No es de mis favoritos porque me trae mucho sufrimiento para los protagonistas y no se lo merecen. Pero si lo he disfrutado, es gracias a ese amor que se va viendo capítulo a capítulo. Abby sabe que puede enamorarse de Miles desde el principio, siendo un hombre tan guapo y admirado, pero ella no es bella y trae muchos problemas a sus espaldas, y no entiende por qué la eligió a ella, cuando podría haberse casado con otra joven infinitamente hermosa y con una gran dote.
Es gracias a ese amor que crece poco a poco por lo que he disfrutado del libro, además me ha gustado ver a Abby con sus dotes de casamentera, dispuesta a traernos los siguientes libros de la serie.
Me ha gustado mucho, pero tampoco me ha parecido de los mejores, Mary Balogh por esa época ya escribía libros que era auténticas joyas, y estos de Signet se me hacen algo harlequineros, cortos, sin muchos sobresaltos, muy para principiantes, pero entretenidos, sin llegar a ser joyitas. De todas formas me ha gustado mucho y continuaré leyendo la serie.
not-for-me
June 23, 2021Note to self: hero continues to visit his mistress until he is married, literally the night before he is married. He does give her up after marrying, but it’s still too much for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2015
This is so terrible that I am considering not finishing it even though I have endured 80% of the story. It follows a destitute governess Abigail and an earl, Miles. Their big character flaw? They don't make sense. Abigail is a nearly destitute woman but once she has money, she has no problem spending it and not making any savings. Miles, he is marriage shy. So what does he do? He marries.
This was such a frustrating read because Abigail is so over the top annoying. I don't like her because she is loud. I don't like her because she is dumb and she has no scruples spending someone else's money. She accrued a 7500 pounds of debt within a week and it was so galling to read someone like that. She lies compulsively and doesn't even have a respect for her husband to tell him the truth, the source of money. She doesn't think about the damages she makes. In the end, it is all about her. I don't like her, not because she is demanding, I don't like her because she is demanding and dumb, a scary combination. She demands outrageous schemes with no heed to her actions. Her character flaw wasn't really that she was demanding and independent. She just talks a lot about nothing and that is supposedly charming. The only way she could get away with it is a convenient fast love.
Of course, that is engineered by the author. Miles falls in love with her when they get married. I don't know why. The fantastic conversations happen off screen because I don't know what she could possibly say to delight him. The conversations in writing are mediocre at best, nothing to flutter your heart. It was just terrible. They have known each other for a week and Miles just smiles at her supposed quirky nature.
I guess what I dislike the most is that for a character who supposedly supported her family through hard times, she was remarkably dumb. I saw no evidence of her hustling. It is either she is delusional or she transformed into another person.
I could deal with the love fest in the beginning but the bait and switch characters the author did was too much. I dislike both of them immensely because they were poorly written. Miles looks at her way too fondly for a man who is married to a stranger. She is too free with someone's finances. I felt for Miles' friend, who clearly saw she was no good, but has to hold his tongue because he loves her.
I suppose the biggest flaw in this book is Abigail. She was supposed to be charming. I was supposed to fall in love with her. I was supposed to see her mismatched pairings and really dumb schemes to be cute. No. Whatever she is serving Miles, I'm not getting. I'm not in love with her and she can't get away with her schemes. This book is terrible.
This was such a frustrating read because Abigail is so over the top annoying. I don't like her because she is loud. I don't like her because she is dumb and she has no scruples spending someone else's money. She accrued a 7500 pounds of debt within a week and it was so galling to read someone like that. She lies compulsively and doesn't even have a respect for her husband to tell him the truth, the source of money. She doesn't think about the damages she makes. In the end, it is all about her. I don't like her, not because she is demanding, I don't like her because she is demanding and dumb, a scary combination. She demands outrageous schemes with no heed to her actions. Her character flaw wasn't really that she was demanding and independent. She just talks a lot about nothing and that is supposedly charming. The only way she could get away with it is a convenient fast love.
Of course, that is engineered by the author. Miles falls in love with her when they get married. I don't know why. The fantastic conversations happen off screen because I don't know what she could possibly say to delight him. The conversations in writing are mediocre at best, nothing to flutter your heart. It was just terrible. They have known each other for a week and Miles just smiles at her supposed quirky nature.
I guess what I dislike the most is that for a character who supposedly supported her family through hard times, she was remarkably dumb. I saw no evidence of her hustling. It is either she is delusional or she transformed into another person.
I could deal with the love fest in the beginning but the bait and switch characters the author did was too much. I dislike both of them immensely because they were poorly written. Miles looks at her way too fondly for a man who is married to a stranger. She is too free with someone's finances. I felt for Miles' friend, who clearly saw she was no good, but has to hold his tongue because he loves her.
I suppose the biggest flaw in this book is Abigail. She was supposed to be charming. I was supposed to fall in love with her. I was supposed to see her mismatched pairings and really dumb schemes to be cute. No. Whatever she is serving Miles, I'm not getting. I'm not in love with her and she can't get away with her schemes. This book is terrible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2020
This was a light and fun romantic comedy tale with just enough heart to it to keep it an engaging tale. It had plenty of humour but also stood out from the crowd due to the fact that the characters were not your usual HR standard fare. I liked the change. In some ways the tone and feel of this reminded me of Amanda Quick's HR books. Which is a good thing in my eyes.
The plot was crazy but fun. Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, is despairing the fact that his meddling mother and sisters are due in London within a week and are bringing with them the girl they are determined to see him married to. Miles loves his family but has no desire to settle down with a wife. He even claims to his friend that the ideal wife for him would be meek, quiet, plain, and easily forgotten about. His friend laughs off Miles crazy claim but the offhand remark sticks in Miles mind and the very next day, when just such a woman pops up at his door claiming she needs his help, it prompts him to offer her marriage as a solution to both their problems. It all goes wrong for the hapless Miles as it quickly becomes apparent that his "ideal wife" Abigail Gardiner is not at all the quiet, meek, and forgettable girl she seemed when he first met her!
It was a fun tale. Miles was an unusual male lead for a romance tale and I think that benefited the story and Abigail was super easy to like so that made rooting for the romance between the pair to work out an easy task. It was actually a lot of fun to follow how quickly Miles had his life transformed by Abigail's antics after her arrival.
All in all I quite enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the sequel book in the future! I made it through this in just a day or two which is always the sign of an engaging story.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: I think Gabriella Cavallero did a good job with the audio.
The plot was crazy but fun. Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, is despairing the fact that his meddling mother and sisters are due in London within a week and are bringing with them the girl they are determined to see him married to. Miles loves his family but has no desire to settle down with a wife. He even claims to his friend that the ideal wife for him would be meek, quiet, plain, and easily forgotten about. His friend laughs off Miles crazy claim but the offhand remark sticks in Miles mind and the very next day, when just such a woman pops up at his door claiming she needs his help, it prompts him to offer her marriage as a solution to both their problems. It all goes wrong for the hapless Miles as it quickly becomes apparent that his "ideal wife" Abigail Gardiner is not at all the quiet, meek, and forgettable girl she seemed when he first met her!
It was a fun tale. Miles was an unusual male lead for a romance tale and I think that benefited the story and Abigail was super easy to like so that made rooting for the romance between the pair to work out an easy task. It was actually a lot of fun to follow how quickly Miles had his life transformed by Abigail's antics after her arrival.
All in all I quite enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the sequel book in the future! I made it through this in just a day or two which is always the sign of an engaging story.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: I think Gabriella Cavallero did a good job with the audio.
August 24, 2017
It's hard to be overly critical with a category romance. After all, given the word limitations and page restrictions, it's not fair to expect the same depth, intrigue, and character development as a full story. Yet surprisingly, quite a few authors actually do it, and do it well. Which is why the genre is so well loved. Mary Balogh built a career on it and became one of the most respected leaders in category romances. But, for some reason this book didn't quite deliver the punch I've come to expect from her. The premise was interesting. The story flowed smoothly. The characters were not cardboard cut out figures, and there was enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages. But, the story missed the mark.
My biggest issue was the heroine. Abigail, annoyed me. Most of her bumbling ways and thoughtless attitudes would be considered appalling even by today's standards. The thought that the "ton" adored her and found her amusing, was unrealistic. I did not like her endless lies to a hero, who deserved much better. Balogh overplayed her hand to the point I lost all respect for the heroine, and did not feel her worthy of one of the best heroes written in a category romance. Miles was just delicious. He saved the story with his kindness, charity, and willingness to put himself out there regardless of personal cost to his character and reputation. I just wished he had gotten a better partner.
My biggest issue was the heroine. Abigail, annoyed me. Most of her bumbling ways and thoughtless attitudes would be considered appalling even by today's standards. The thought that the "ton" adored her and found her amusing, was unrealistic. I did not like her endless lies to a hero, who deserved much better. Balogh overplayed her hand to the point I lost all respect for the heroine, and did not feel her worthy of one of the best heroes written in a category romance. Miles was just delicious. He saved the story with his kindness, charity, and willingness to put himself out there regardless of personal cost to his character and reputation. I just wished he had gotten a better partner.
August 24, 2017
I would call it fate. Others would say it was a disaster-in-the-making. Either way Miles Ripley, the Earl of Savern, was expected to marry. He was thirty years old and an only son; his mother and sisters were expected to visit any day and he just knew they had someone in mind. But the young lady wasn't whom Miles wanted as a wife.
So, when Miss Abigail Gardiner unexpectedly showed up at his residence there was, naturally, a bit of confusion. Abigail was expecting a much older gentleman; she believed Miles was the Earl's secretary. She was in dire straits and needed a reference. Without it, she would be living on the street.
The young woman was plain in looks and, at that moment, mild in spirit; Miles was looking at his ideal wife. After identifying himself and inquiring as to why she was visiting him, he did the unthinkable: he proposed marriage. At first shocked, Abby accepted his offer thinking he can't be serious, can he?
I am the first person to admit I have a hard time reading about insta-love and insta-sex. Mrs. Balogh infused those ideas into a plot that dealt with hardship among the working class. THE IDEAL WIFE covered roughly three weeks with various misunderstandings that caused some expected bumps in the road.
It turned out that Abby was both naive and feisty. She also avoided telling the truth when Miles approached her, after their hasty marriage, with honest questions. I read the romance because Miles was such a sweetheart. He deserved happiness.
After all, it was fate......
So, when Miss Abigail Gardiner unexpectedly showed up at his residence there was, naturally, a bit of confusion. Abigail was expecting a much older gentleman; she believed Miles was the Earl's secretary. She was in dire straits and needed a reference. Without it, she would be living on the street.
The young woman was plain in looks and, at that moment, mild in spirit; Miles was looking at his ideal wife. After identifying himself and inquiring as to why she was visiting him, he did the unthinkable: he proposed marriage. At first shocked, Abby accepted his offer thinking he can't be serious, can he?
I am the first person to admit I have a hard time reading about insta-love and insta-sex. Mrs. Balogh infused those ideas into a plot that dealt with hardship among the working class. THE IDEAL WIFE covered roughly three weeks with various misunderstandings that caused some expected bumps in the road.
It turned out that Abby was both naive and feisty. She also avoided telling the truth when Miles approached her, after their hasty marriage, with honest questions. I read the romance because Miles was such a sweetheart. He deserved happiness.
After all, it was fate......
September 24, 2014
Abigail needs a letter of recommendation, and applies to her distant, distant, basically-on-another-continent-distant cousin, Miles. Who happens to be a hot Earl. So, he asks her to marry him because REASONS. (Mainly that she's plain and demure and WHY THE HELL NOT RIGHT.) Except feelings get in the way!!! OH NO.
1. MOC BOOKS WHY DO I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. This wasn't even that good because basically 10 minutes after saying "I do", Abigail is like "SO I AM ACTUALLY A SASSY, PRETTY CHATTERBOX!!! SRY!!!", which. I was looking forward to the gradual discovery of more; that careful realization that the person they thought they had married was merely a mask for something better, something deeper, something true and I didn't get that at all! He's 150% A-OK with her being the antithesis of what he wanted in a wife because, idk, sex or something?
1.5 Of courSE SHE'S PRETTY HOW COULD SHE BE OTHERWISE OLDKJKGJFSDLKJ
2. I was really disappointed by the heroine's immaturity. She just keeps...hoarding these various secrets and while yes, they were kind of Serious, they're also... things that should be shared with a married partner??? I JUST DON'T KNOW? TRUST? HOW DOES THAT? FUNCTION?
3. Meh.
1. MOC BOOKS WHY DO I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. This wasn't even that good because basically 10 minutes after saying "I do", Abigail is like "SO I AM ACTUALLY A SASSY, PRETTY CHATTERBOX!!! SRY!!!", which. I was looking forward to the gradual discovery of more; that careful realization that the person they thought they had married was merely a mask for something better, something deeper, something true and I didn't get that at all! He's 150% A-OK with her being the antithesis of what he wanted in a wife because, idk, sex or something?
1.5 Of courSE SHE'S PRETTY HOW COULD SHE BE OTHERWISE OLDKJKGJFSDLKJ
2. I was really disappointed by the heroine's immaturity. She just keeps...hoarding these various secrets and while yes, they were kind of Serious, they're also... things that should be shared with a married partner??? I JUST DON'T KNOW? TRUST? HOW DOES THAT? FUNCTION?
3. Meh.
August 28, 2016
I don't think I've ever done this before: dnf a book because I'm afraid to continue. Or anxious? The thing is, I like both main characters a lot and they're happy. They're obviously in love and they're married and they like each other and it's only a bit over half-way through the book. In order to continue, that has to change. They need to become unhappy. And all the things Abby is keeping from her husband need to blow up in her face. And that means he'll feel betrayed or at least disappointed. And I just can't. Because the payoff is to get them back to where they are now, only without the hidden bombs. Which Abby could probably diffuse if she'd just talk to her husband, but no, she's being a coward.
So yeah, three stars because it was in solid four star territory, but I can't bring myself to go on...
So yeah, three stars because it was in solid four star territory, but I can't bring myself to go on...
June 29, 2023
There’s nothing like starting a book and discovering, halfway into the first chapter, that it has all of your favorite tropes. Every time I think to myself “Hmm, maybe Mary Balogh isn’t my favorite historical romance author…?” I get hit with an absolutely delightful novel that gives me the happiest of Happy Feels. I should’ve learned better by now.
All this to say: The Ideal Wife is splendid and amazing and astoundingly honest. I enjoyed it tremendously, and it might have to be my favorite Balogh novel (of the 13 I’ve read so far).
The book opens with Miles, the Earl of Severn, complaining about all the women in his life running the show and bossing him around. He’s had quite enough of that, thank you! He tells his friend that his “ideal wife” would be plain, quiet, and submissive; and he says that if met such a woman, he’d marry her straight away. It’s all sort of a joke, of course, but it’s very evident Miles is not interested in any kind of “managing” women in his life anymore. Which is very understandable.
Anyway, Miles arrives home and is informed he has a poor distant relation named Abigail Gardiner waiting for him. He meets Miss Gardiner, and realizes right away she’s the spitting image of his “ideal wife!” So he does what anyone would do in the situation, he proposes on the spot. Abigail, not being a stupid woman, realizes she’d be insane to pass up on a chance to become a countess, and boom: Miles and Abigail get married two days later.
Except we have one teensy problem: Abigail is not actually Miles’ “ideal wife.” Not even close. She talks nonstop, isn’t the least bit shy, is impetuous, silly, has a zany sense of humor, and has a lot of opinions. Oh, and she’s not nearly as plain-looking as Miles originally though. Oh dear.
The good news is: Miles fucking loves Abigail even though she’s not what he signed up for! Like, he’s nuts about her. Absolutely besotted. At some point he realizes that he’s accidentally married a woman who’s the exact opposite of what he thought he wanted, but he’s not bothered at all. Instead, he has boatloads of fun with his new countess and everything seems to be going swimmingly, right off the bat.
I can tell you now, this is not how I expected The Ideal Wife to go. If a romance author were writing this book today, there would be a lot of conflict and angst over Abigail’s personality not meeting Miles’ expectations. He’d feel deceived, they’d have a fight, they’d prepare to separate, then there would be groveling and a sweeping declaration of love at the end. That’s the standard plot. But Mary Balogh has always been a different sort of author, even way back in 1991. This is why she’s manages to be a bestseller for over 30 years.
The reason I loved this book was that it dealt forthrightly and honestly with any issues as they arose. For instance, Miles and Abigail don’t have great sex on their wedding night. And they don’t have splendid sex the next night, either. Or the next. They’re two strangers, Regency-era wives weren’t expected to enjoy sex, and there’s always a learning curve with a new partner no matter what century it is. Our couple gets the hang of it eventually, of course. But do you know how rare it is to read a scene where the main characters have mediocre sex? That was so truthful and refreshing and I just...ahhhh!
I also love Abigail and how Balogh handled her throughout the novel. For one thing, nobody ever shames her for being a somewhat silly chatterbox who tells outrageous jokes. That’s just who Abigail is, and everyone takes her as they find her. Even Miles. And while, yes, Miles thought he wanted a particular kind of woman for a wife, he immediately admits that what he thought he wanted never would have worked out for him, and instead he allows himself to be charmed by his slightly more unconventional bride.
But then you might ask: so where is the conflict in this book???
And, alas, I would have to tell you that the conflict in The Ideal Wife comes from Abigail having a Big Secret that she must hide from Miles at all costs, and which looms over the entire novel like a big stormcloud. Yeah, I know. It’s not my favorite trope, either. Especially since Miles obviously doesn’t give a fig about Abigail’s Shameful Past at all. He loves her! He thinks she’s great the way she is, problems and all. Silly Abigail.
I understand that Balogh needed to have some kind of obstacle that had to be overcome before her couple could get their Happily Ever After. I don’t even think, in this instance, the Big Secret trope was out of place. Miles marries Abigail practically the second he meets her, and it would only follow that she has some issues that she’d need to explain to him that she’d be worried he might not like. I just think the secret was dragged out too long in this book, until the reader becomes almost frustrated with Abigail and begins to dislike her (slightly).
But, overall? The Ideal Wife is splendid! It’s lighthearted but also realistic, and I think that’s something that’s difficult to find in Regency romances. Most novels in this genre are either dark and realistic or fluffy and somewhat lacking in substance. Here, Balogh bridges the gap between the two extremes and greats a feel-good love story that still has a ring of truth to it. I loved this.
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All this to say: The Ideal Wife is splendid and amazing and astoundingly honest. I enjoyed it tremendously, and it might have to be my favorite Balogh novel (of the 13 I’ve read so far).
The book opens with Miles, the Earl of Severn, complaining about all the women in his life running the show and bossing him around. He’s had quite enough of that, thank you! He tells his friend that his “ideal wife” would be plain, quiet, and submissive; and he says that if met such a woman, he’d marry her straight away. It’s all sort of a joke, of course, but it’s very evident Miles is not interested in any kind of “managing” women in his life anymore. Which is very understandable.
Anyway, Miles arrives home and is informed he has a poor distant relation named Abigail Gardiner waiting for him. He meets Miss Gardiner, and realizes right away she’s the spitting image of his “ideal wife!” So he does what anyone would do in the situation, he proposes on the spot. Abigail, not being a stupid woman, realizes she’d be insane to pass up on a chance to become a countess, and boom: Miles and Abigail get married two days later.
Except we have one teensy problem: Abigail is not actually Miles’ “ideal wife.” Not even close. She talks nonstop, isn’t the least bit shy, is impetuous, silly, has a zany sense of humor, and has a lot of opinions. Oh, and she’s not nearly as plain-looking as Miles originally though. Oh dear.
The good news is: Miles fucking loves Abigail even though she’s not what he signed up for! Like, he’s nuts about her. Absolutely besotted. At some point he realizes that he’s accidentally married a woman who’s the exact opposite of what he thought he wanted, but he’s not bothered at all. Instead, he has boatloads of fun with his new countess and everything seems to be going swimmingly, right off the bat.
I can tell you now, this is not how I expected The Ideal Wife to go. If a romance author were writing this book today, there would be a lot of conflict and angst over Abigail’s personality not meeting Miles’ expectations. He’d feel deceived, they’d have a fight, they’d prepare to separate, then there would be groveling and a sweeping declaration of love at the end. That’s the standard plot. But Mary Balogh has always been a different sort of author, even way back in 1991. This is why she’s manages to be a bestseller for over 30 years.
The reason I loved this book was that it dealt forthrightly and honestly with any issues as they arose. For instance, Miles and Abigail don’t have great sex on their wedding night. And they don’t have splendid sex the next night, either. Or the next. They’re two strangers, Regency-era wives weren’t expected to enjoy sex, and there’s always a learning curve with a new partner no matter what century it is. Our couple gets the hang of it eventually, of course. But do you know how rare it is to read a scene where the main characters have mediocre sex? That was so truthful and refreshing and I just...ahhhh!
I also love Abigail and how Balogh handled her throughout the novel. For one thing, nobody ever shames her for being a somewhat silly chatterbox who tells outrageous jokes. That’s just who Abigail is, and everyone takes her as they find her. Even Miles. And while, yes, Miles thought he wanted a particular kind of woman for a wife, he immediately admits that what he thought he wanted never would have worked out for him, and instead he allows himself to be charmed by his slightly more unconventional bride.
But then you might ask: so where is the conflict in this book???
And, alas, I would have to tell you that the conflict in The Ideal Wife comes from Abigail having a Big Secret that she must hide from Miles at all costs, and which looms over the entire novel like a big stormcloud. Yeah, I know. It’s not my favorite trope, either. Especially since Miles obviously doesn’t give a fig about Abigail’s Shameful Past at all. He loves her! He thinks she’s great the way she is, problems and all. Silly Abigail.
I understand that Balogh needed to have some kind of obstacle that had to be overcome before her couple could get their Happily Ever After. I don’t even think, in this instance, the Big Secret trope was out of place. Miles marries Abigail practically the second he meets her, and it would only follow that she has some issues that she’d need to explain to him that she’d be worried he might not like. I just think the secret was dragged out too long in this book, until the reader becomes almost frustrated with Abigail and begins to dislike her (slightly).
But, overall? The Ideal Wife is splendid! It’s lighthearted but also realistic, and I think that’s something that’s difficult to find in Regency romances. Most novels in this genre are either dark and realistic or fluffy and somewhat lacking in substance. Here, Balogh bridges the gap between the two extremes and greats a feel-good love story that still has a ring of truth to it. I loved this.
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July 2, 2012
Nothing groundbreaking here. Pretty generic, standard issue, decent, handsome-as-sin beta-ish hero. Even with that not-so-enthralling description, though, the heroine did not deserve him. She was ridiculously impulsive to a reckless, immature degree, and she and her TSTL moments vastly detracted from my enjoyment of this otherwise decent-ish book. Seriously, she was just annoying.
I couldn't really see how they were well-suited to one another specifically. Miles just seemed very easy to please, to be honest, and with his handsomeness, wealth, and kindness, it would've been hard for Abby not to like him. This was well-written, but it didn't really deliver a romance that I enjoyed reading, largely due to the heroine's antics.
I couldn't really see how they were well-suited to one another specifically. Miles just seemed very easy to please, to be honest, and with his handsomeness, wealth, and kindness, it would've been hard for Abby not to like him. This was well-written, but it didn't really deliver a romance that I enjoyed reading, largely due to the heroine's antics.
dnf
July 27, 2022Dnf-ing at about 40% not enough drama.
September 17, 2019
This is one of Balogh's earlier books, and hoo boy does it show.
The plot is fairly straightforward-- the Earl of Severn marries the first plain woman he meets (Abigail Gardiner), just because he wants to avoid his matchmaking mama's fixation on marrying him off to a vain but beautiful debutante.
He meets Abigail (Abby) when she visits him to ask for help in getting a new position as a lady's companion. He decides to offer her marriage instead.
Of course, since that's the first 10 percent of the book, the book needs more. And it gets it in the usual "heroine has a big secret" device. The majority of this book is Abby managing this 'secret' by herself, leaving Miles (the Earl of Severn) in the dark. Balogh has done better "secret" plots-- see "Heartless."
Anyway, I didn't like this book mostly because I found Abby annoying and Miles bland.
Balogh loves making "plain girl" heroines extra "jolly" and "fun." So Abby does a bunch of stupid things (not including "secret"-related stupidity) and Miles just laughs it off. She is overly blunt (which I enjoyed) and overly bleeding-heart-ish (which I found annoying).
Miles meanwhile is very handsome (we are told this repeatedly) and very rich (ditto) and finds Abby very charming. I'm not clear why. Yes, she's direct with him, and manages his mother well, but she seemed generally quite irritating, and I'm just the reader. What's her allure? It's unclear to me.
Anyway, Miles seemed sort of bland to me, albeit a fundamentally good person. He defends his wife against all comers (mother and sisters included) and advises her sensibly. He's also a considerate lover, which was nice to read.
That said, Balogh uses these motifs in many of her other books, and does so much better in other ones. So therefore if...
-You like the marriage of convenience plot with a spirited heroine, but want a BETTER heroine, try Temporary Wife.
-You want a slightly better version of jolly/plain girl marries hot, rich, blue-blood, see "First Comes Marriage."
-You want a well-executed "OMG there's a big secret I’m hiding from my husband!" try Heartless.
-You want hot duke/earl/whatever and equally attractive woman who has a BIG SECRET, then try Indiscreet.
-You want smart/stoic heroine, with a big secret/family drama and the hero is mostly good but a bit of a jackass.. try Only a Promise.
- You want a heroine and hero who BOTH have secrets, and the hero is avoiding marrying his mother’s preferred bride, and the lead couple have some pretty combustible chemistry, Only Enchanting. In fact, this is the best one! Read this book.
-
Yep, I've read WAY too much Balogh.
The plot is fairly straightforward-- the Earl of Severn marries the first plain woman he meets (Abigail Gardiner), just because he wants to avoid his matchmaking mama's fixation on marrying him off to a vain but beautiful debutante.
He meets Abigail (Abby) when she visits him to ask for help in getting a new position as a lady's companion. He decides to offer her marriage instead.
Of course, since that's the first 10 percent of the book, the book needs more. And it gets it in the usual "heroine has a big secret" device. The majority of this book is Abby managing this 'secret' by herself, leaving Miles (the Earl of Severn) in the dark. Balogh has done better "secret" plots-- see "Heartless."
Anyway, I didn't like this book mostly because I found Abby annoying and Miles bland.
Balogh loves making "plain girl" heroines extra "jolly" and "fun." So Abby does a bunch of stupid things (not including "secret"-related stupidity) and Miles just laughs it off. She is overly blunt (which I enjoyed) and overly bleeding-heart-ish (which I found annoying).
Miles meanwhile is very handsome (we are told this repeatedly) and very rich (ditto) and finds Abby very charming. I'm not clear why. Yes, she's direct with him, and manages his mother well, but she seemed generally quite irritating, and I'm just the reader. What's her allure? It's unclear to me.
Anyway, Miles seemed sort of bland to me, albeit a fundamentally good person. He defends his wife against all comers (mother and sisters included) and advises her sensibly. He's also a considerate lover, which was nice to read.
That said, Balogh uses these motifs in many of her other books, and does so much better in other ones. So therefore if...
-You like the marriage of convenience plot with a spirited heroine, but want a BETTER heroine, try Temporary Wife.
-You want a slightly better version of jolly/plain girl marries hot, rich, blue-blood, see "First Comes Marriage."
-You want a well-executed "OMG there's a big secret I’m hiding from my husband!" try Heartless.
-You want hot duke/earl/whatever and equally attractive woman who has a BIG SECRET, then try Indiscreet.
-You want smart/stoic heroine, with a big secret/family drama and the hero is mostly good but a bit of a jackass.. try Only a Promise.
- You want a heroine and hero who BOTH have secrets, and the hero is avoiding marrying his mother’s preferred bride, and the lead couple have some pretty combustible chemistry, Only Enchanting. In fact, this is the best one! Read this book.
-
Yep, I've read WAY too much Balogh.
April 10, 2018
Not what I'd expected, going on the other Baloghs I'd read; checking the copyright, this one was written much earlier.
The title is ironic, but frankly the hero really is pretty much the ideal husband -- sends off his mistress the night before the wedding, even though he barely knows the woman he's marrying; adores his bride, even though she's nothing like what he thought he was looking for; and the rest would be spoilers, but he's pretty much perfect.
I didn't find the heroine as irritating in terms of chattiness as some did, but I wanted to give her a good thump for the lying. I didn't mind the initial "being on her best behavior" stuff, which gave hero the wrong impression, because part of that was just the heroine being overwhelmed, but then she started actively manipulating and lying to him after they were married and he'd shown himself to be a good guy, which did not please me. OTOH, the book covers such a short period of time, it's a bit more forgivable, because although the hero's near perfect, the heroine hasn't had enough time to be sure of that.
So a flawed book, but, for me at least, those flaws didn't ruin it.
The title is ironic, but frankly the hero really is pretty much the ideal husband -- sends off his mistress the night before the wedding, even though he barely knows the woman he's marrying; adores his bride, even though she's nothing like what he thought he was looking for; and the rest would be spoilers, but he's pretty much perfect.
I didn't find the heroine as irritating in terms of chattiness as some did, but I wanted to give her a good thump for the lying. I didn't mind the initial "being on her best behavior" stuff, which gave hero the wrong impression, because part of that was just the heroine being overwhelmed, but then she started actively manipulating and lying to him after they were married and he'd shown himself to be a good guy, which did not please me. OTOH, the book covers such a short period of time, it's a bit more forgivable, because although the hero's near perfect, the heroine hasn't had enough time to be sure of that.
So a flawed book, but, for me at least, those flaws didn't ruin it.
January 2, 2016
Completely predictable and very farfetched... but that's ok. I wanted something easy-peasy.
October 28, 2019
A nice, charming Regency romance. It were a perfect, solid 3 stars. It was balanced. Not like with books when for some part I want to give 1-2 stars, for the other 4-5, and I end up with average at 3.
To be completely truthful, I should add that sometimes Abigail's struggles, whether she should be honest with Miles, annoyed me a little. But there was the gem of this novel: Gerald, that made up for all small shortcomings.
Summarizing with Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew's words: there's much to like but not much to love.
To be completely truthful, I should add that sometimes Abigail's struggles, whether she should be honest with Miles, annoyed me a little. But there was the gem of this novel: Gerald, that made up for all small shortcomings.
Summarizing with Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew's words: there's much to like but not much to love.
January 16, 2023
DNF @ 37%
The hero’s rationale for proposing marriage to someone he’d just met was ludicrous, but I wanted to see where MB would go with this. I didn’t like Miles at first but he was actually easygoing and wonderful. Abby was too impulsive and immature, and it became a chore to keep reading about her antics.
The hero’s rationale for proposing marriage to someone he’d just met was ludicrous, but I wanted to see where MB would go with this. I didn’t like Miles at first but he was actually easygoing and wonderful. Abby was too impulsive and immature, and it became a chore to keep reading about her antics.
May 22, 2009
Mary Balogh is one of my favorites but the Ideal Wife might not have been the best choice to republish with a new cover. The details were all "too much". The plot was too much, Abigail was too much and bordered on annoying, Miles was too much, too good. I would recommend reading Mary's newer more polished and crisp work. The Slightly and Simply series. Because I liked those so much I was buying what was on the shelves, I found the Secret Pearl to be a disappointment as well. I think that I'll try her new Huxtable series and leave her older works on the shelves.
June 8, 2021
This book was actually pretty light emotionally for a Mary Balogh book. It was an easy and fast read. I enjoyed it.
July 7, 2019
The Ideal Wife was actually pretty good, but it was also massively frustrating, which is why the rating ended up so low for me on this one. There's a lot that I love about this book, but there was slightly more that annoyed me.
What I Liked
- Abigail agreeing to marry Miles for the money and safety of his position. She lets him think what he wants about her so she can be a Countess. I really loved the honesty of this; she was in danger of ending up without recourse, so she took the offer.
- Miles is so much more of a sweetheart than you would think off the premise of him wanting a boring, complacent wife. He actually just liked the idea of not being managed, but when he marries a managing wife turns out he's happy with that too.
- Honestly, Miles is super duper sweet. I liked how quickly he fell in love with Abby and how in touch he was with his emotions.
- Also, Miles basically does not have a temper. Even if he gets upset, he thinks things through until he's calm and then works to improve the situation. He's such a prince.
What I Didn't Like
- The way this book unfolded reminded me very strongly of another Mary Balogh book I read not too long ago. I'm pretty sure it was A Promise of Spring. It's never pleasant to have serious deja vu reading a book, even if it's not the book's fault.
- Abigail keeps so many stupid secrets for no reason, and it also just really doesn't feel like her personality to do so. She's a chatterbox, and she's loving and trusting, so I just don't see her keeping all of these secrets from Miles. Though things play out well because Miles is great, I hate these sorts of plots because they just stress me out.
- It's also kind of weird that the book ended without truly resolving the stepmom subplot.
My feelings are mixed on this one, and I sit between a two and three star. I think the characters are fantastic, but I don't tend to enjoy romances where the characters are lying about things the whole time.
What I Liked
- Abigail agreeing to marry Miles for the money and safety of his position. She lets him think what he wants about her so she can be a Countess. I really loved the honesty of this; she was in danger of ending up without recourse, so she took the offer.
- Miles is so much more of a sweetheart than you would think off the premise of him wanting a boring, complacent wife. He actually just liked the idea of not being managed, but when he marries a managing wife turns out he's happy with that too.
- Honestly, Miles is super duper sweet. I liked how quickly he fell in love with Abby and how in touch he was with his emotions.
- Also, Miles basically does not have a temper. Even if he gets upset, he thinks things through until he's calm and then works to improve the situation. He's such a prince.
What I Didn't Like
- The way this book unfolded reminded me very strongly of another Mary Balogh book I read not too long ago. I'm pretty sure it was A Promise of Spring. It's never pleasant to have serious deja vu reading a book, even if it's not the book's fault.
- Abigail keeps so many stupid secrets for no reason, and it also just really doesn't feel like her personality to do so. She's a chatterbox, and she's loving and trusting, so I just don't see her keeping all of these secrets from Miles. Though things play out well because Miles is great, I hate these sorts of plots because they just stress me out.
- It's also kind of weird that the book ended without truly resolving the stepmom subplot.
My feelings are mixed on this one, and I sit between a two and three star. I think the characters are fantastic, but I don't tend to enjoy romances where the characters are lying about things the whole time.
January 20, 2022
Picture, Pretty Woman, minus the prostitution. It was improbable and unrealistic, and while that normally wouldn't bother me, it got a little too Cinderella for my taste. I'm sure there was drama eventually, but I got bored.
March 29, 2018
Really dumb misunderstanding and pointless secrets.
May 5, 2025
Not my fav but had good moments. Maybe 3.5?
The beginning reminded me of “The Temporary Wife” so much that I wondered if I’d already read it.
Heroine alternated between charming and extremely silly/frustrating. Hero was maybe a little too agreeable and understanding.
I haaaaaate blackmail/Big Mysterious Secret plots.
The beginning reminded me of “The Temporary Wife” so much that I wondered if I’d already read it.
Heroine alternated between charming and extremely silly/frustrating. Hero was maybe a little too agreeable and understanding.
I haaaaaate blackmail/Big Mysterious Secret plots.
December 7, 2015
Oh dear, oh dear. First of all, I really like Mary Balogh's writing. She has a lovely style and her stories (well, the three I've read, anyway) have a humanity and warmth that I really appreciate. I'm glad she's such a prolific author, since it gives me a lot to look forward to reading in the future.
That said, this book was a bit of a disappointment. It started out strong, with one of my favorite historical romance tropes, a marriage of convenience that blossoms into love, but as the story progressed there was no there there. The obstacles between the husband, a socially prominent and very wealthy earl, and his bride, a down-on-her-luck lady's companion whom he marries in order to avoid wedding the snooty debutante earmarked for him, are almost nonexistent.
Yes, she has secrets regarding her less-than-savory family history, but as each one of these secrets is revealed, the husband is completely unperturbed and accepting. He has swiftly fallen in love with his bride (like, within a week), thinks she's kind and lovely and adorable, and doesn't really care that she has all these messes in her background. Or that she's a jabbermouth, even though he thought when he proposed that she was shy and demure. Or that she's always interfering in other people's lives in order to match-make and help them, even though he thought he would hate to marry a woman who poked around in other people's business. The guy is, frankly, too good to be true. Rich, swooningly handsome, almost instantly smitten, and completely supportive and kind.
And then there is the heroine, who drove me up the wall! She was a good soul and meant well, but her chatterbox tendencies and inability to think before speaking and acting got old quickly. And for a long stretch of the book she was lying and hiding things from her husband, when just a simple conversation with him would've straightened everything out.
This felt almost like an early draft of a book that could've had much more depth of characterization and a more interesting plot. The bones were there for something good, but the flesh was never added to the bones. I'd give this 2.5 stars, I think. It's a pleasant enough way to pass a few hours, but it might not leave you completely satisfied.
For a truly excellent marriage of convenience story by Mary Balogh, one with complex characters, genuine and compelling conflict, and a lot of emotional resonance, read Slightly Married instead. It's much superior to The Ideal Wife and one of my favorite HRs.
That said, this book was a bit of a disappointment. It started out strong, with one of my favorite historical romance tropes, a marriage of convenience that blossoms into love, but as the story progressed there was no there there. The obstacles between the husband, a socially prominent and very wealthy earl, and his bride, a down-on-her-luck lady's companion whom he marries in order to avoid wedding the snooty debutante earmarked for him, are almost nonexistent.
Yes, she has secrets regarding her less-than-savory family history, but as each one of these secrets is revealed, the husband is completely unperturbed and accepting. He has swiftly fallen in love with his bride (like, within a week), thinks she's kind and lovely and adorable, and doesn't really care that she has all these messes in her background. Or that she's a jabbermouth, even though he thought when he proposed that she was shy and demure. Or that she's always interfering in other people's lives in order to match-make and help them, even though he thought he would hate to marry a woman who poked around in other people's business. The guy is, frankly, too good to be true. Rich, swooningly handsome, almost instantly smitten, and completely supportive and kind.
And then there is the heroine, who drove me up the wall! She was a good soul and meant well, but her chatterbox tendencies and inability to think before speaking and acting got old quickly. And for a long stretch of the book she was lying and hiding things from her husband, when just a simple conversation with him would've straightened everything out.
This felt almost like an early draft of a book that could've had much more depth of characterization and a more interesting plot. The bones were there for something good, but the flesh was never added to the bones. I'd give this 2.5 stars, I think. It's a pleasant enough way to pass a few hours, but it might not leave you completely satisfied.
For a truly excellent marriage of convenience story by Mary Balogh, one with complex characters, genuine and compelling conflict, and a lot of emotional resonance, read Slightly Married instead. It's much superior to The Ideal Wife and one of my favorite HRs.
November 1, 2015
Sweet Lord! The whole three stars go to Miles. Hadn't he existed, this book would have driven me crazy. I even thought about rating it with 2 stars but Miles didn't deserve it.
The ideal wife is an old-school romance (a.k.a. Traditional regency) which takes place in London. Our main characters meet when the heroine (that would be Abby) finds herself with no job and decides to take advantage of a really, really, really distant family connection with the hero (that would be Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn). But instead of getting a recommendation letter, she finds herself married to him and turned into a Countess.
This book was delicate and beautiful, thanks to the sensitive Miles (and, of course, Ms. Balogh extraordinary prose). At first I thought that Abby would be a breath of fresh air that could perfectly match this hero, but I slowly became bored at her dullness. How can someone make the same mistake over and over again?
So, in the end, I missed the lively and funny pages from the first half of the book because the second half was full of misunderstanding. Miles' common sense and love towards Abby were the two things that fixed this mess. I loved him! His tender heart, his patience and the way he accepted the fact that he was in love with his wife really touched me.
Mary Balogh has the skill to create love stories that are both realistic and powerful. She may fail at drawing some characters, but there's no doubt she has the ability to put up some beautiful stories that can at first seem very unlikely to happen.
The ideal wife is an old-school romance (a.k.a. Traditional regency) which takes place in London. Our main characters meet when the heroine (that would be Abby) finds herself with no job and decides to take advantage of a really, really, really distant family connection with the hero (that would be Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn). But instead of getting a recommendation letter, she finds herself married to him and turned into a Countess.
This book was delicate and beautiful, thanks to the sensitive Miles (and, of course, Ms. Balogh extraordinary prose). At first I thought that Abby would be a breath of fresh air that could perfectly match this hero, but I slowly became bored at her dullness. How can someone make the same mistake over and over again?
So, in the end, I missed the lively and funny pages from the first half of the book because the second half was full of misunderstanding. Miles' common sense and love towards Abby were the two things that fixed this mess. I loved him! His tender heart, his patience and the way he accepted the fact that he was in love with his wife really touched me.
Mary Balogh has the skill to create love stories that are both realistic and powerful. She may fail at drawing some characters, but there's no doubt she has the ability to put up some beautiful stories that can at first seem very unlikely to happen.
January 21, 2010
I'm good with the contrived marriage of convenience plotlines as a general rule, so long as the characters are likable and have conflict and are emotionally believable. But this books goes a little too far, our hero, who could marry anyone, because he's perfect, rich, handsome, and powerful. Proposes to a total stranger first time he meets her, I no checking her background, no finding out if she's a complete psyco. I might be able to buy it under severe pressure, but his only pressure is his mother wanting him to marry someone else. Couldn't really buy it, when taking a vacation could work just as well, or perhaps some sweet ugly neighbor girl he knew all his life. I don't know, I couldn't swallow it and I can swallow a lot.
The heronine, I can understand her motivation, no place to go, no prospects, of course you'd pretend to be the passive twit he thinks he wants until the marriage is final. Of course you'd be grateful and try to be a good wife after. But once you're good with that bit, and you get the good! sex scene out of the way, there's no conflict. And to further undermine the need for some conflict, Our hero is delighted with his not passive, not twit, not plain wife. Everyone is happy, So why is there still 2/3 of a book left! Balogh has this no conflict problem a lot, I think she likes her characters too much to hurt them. But no pain, no drama, and no drama is boring.
The heronine, I can understand her motivation, no place to go, no prospects, of course you'd pretend to be the passive twit he thinks he wants until the marriage is final. Of course you'd be grateful and try to be a good wife after. But once you're good with that bit, and you get the good! sex scene out of the way, there's no conflict. And to further undermine the need for some conflict, Our hero is delighted with his not passive, not twit, not plain wife. Everyone is happy, So why is there still 2/3 of a book left! Balogh has this no conflict problem a lot, I think she likes her characters too much to hurt them. But no pain, no drama, and no drama is boring.
November 1, 2012
After reading The Secret Mistress by Mary Balogh, I was anxious to read more of her books. I had high hopes for The Ideal Wife because the description sounded so intriguing. I was not however as pulled in to the story as I was hoping. It seems as though the characters in this book were not as interesting to me as I would like. The storyline was good but I thought there was just too much emphasis on the "scandals" that seemed to already hold no actual weight with the the male character, Miles. Abby was a bit of a hard character for me, although she was lovable for her kind heart, her bantering actually did drive me a little insane. I think my favorite character in the entire book was Gerald, Miles best friend. Also at the beginning it is made clear that the mother and sisters of Gerald were a force to be reckoned with but then in the plot they were not as big of a threat as you would expect. For me the book was okay but not great, however I do not give up so easily and look forward to reading more from Mary Balogh.
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