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Married to a Perfect Stranger
Mary Fleming and John Bexley are the "white sheep' of their large families, written off as hapless, boring—and thus suitable for each other. But they're no sooner married than John is sent off on a two-year diplomatic mission.
Upon his return, John and Mary find that everything they thought they knew about each other is wrong. They've changed radically during the long separation. They have to start all over. It's surprising, irritating—and somehow very exciting...
Upon his return, John and Mary find that everything they thought they knew about each other is wrong. They've changed radically during the long separation. They have to start all over. It's surprising, irritating—and somehow very exciting...
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2015
190 people are currently reading
950 people want to read
About the author
Jane Ashford
51 books399 followersJane Ashford has written historical and contemporary romances. Her books have been published in England, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Denmark, Russia, and Latvia, Croatia and Slovenia as well as the U.S. She was nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. Her latest book, Lost Time, is romantic suspense with a touch of magic.
Her website is https://www.janeashford.com/ and her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/JaneAshfordW... If you'd like to subscribe to Jane's monthly newsletter go to www.eepurl.com/cd-O7r and sign up.
Her website is https://www.janeashford.com/ and her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/JaneAshfordW... If you'd like to subscribe to Jane's monthly newsletter go to www.eepurl.com/cd-O7r and sign up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
May 5, 2019
I always enjoy a marriage-of-convenience story, and Married to a Perfect Stranger delivers exactly that. John and Mary (and really, couldn’t the author have come up with at least one different name) are viewed by their respective families as pattern-cards of propriety. As such, they seem to make a perfect match, and so, after a short courtship in Bath, they marry.
Soon afterward, John, who works for the Foreign Office, is sent away on a diplomatic mission to China, and the book opens nearly two years later as he returns. Just before reaching England, John’s ship hits a rock, and as the ship is sinking, John goes below to rescue his boss, Lord Amherst, while his feckless colleague, the Honorable Edmund Fordyce refuses to help. Fordyce’s middle name might as well be Villain.
But the event of the past two years have changed both John and Mary. John, considered the least talented of four sons, found a new sense of purpose and confidence on his mission. He looks forward to setting up household in London with his shy, biddable wife, a woman who John could teach to become a fine diplomat’s wife.
Mary, however, has spent their time apart caring for her somewhat addled great aunt Lavinia, a thankless task foisted upon her by her bullying mother. In learning to run Lavinia’s household and deal with her ancient group of servants, Mary has gained new self-assurance. She also has come to realize that her frequent sketching is more than just a hobby. She was what we now might call a "visual thinker” (and appears to suffer from a reading disorder), and to truly understand a situation she needed to draw the people involved. Drawing was key to her understanding and to her ability to communicate with others in words.
John and Mary's reunion gets off to a bumpy start. "What has happened to you,” he blurts out to his wife, now a managing female with an air of command. When Mary stands up to him, John is quickly back on his horse and headed for London. Three weeks later, Mary arrives at their house in London, hoping for the best, but John is distant, rather haughty, and secretive about his work. He is a complete arse and impossible to like. Mary, on the other hand, is quite sympathetic and eager to please.
These two have a lot to learn – about life, marriage, and one another, and the book tells a lovely story of two people sincerely committed to making their marriage work. After several confrontations, they reach an agreement to start afresh, and it helps that there is physical attraction between them.
John and Mary become a team and must stand up to the scorn and resistance of their own families and John's office colleagues in order to make a life for themselves.
If the book had concentrated on that, I would have liked it better, but the author adds an espionage plot that I did not find quite convincing. The story of John and Mary's relationship – which gradually grows into mutual support, attraction, respect, and love – was very satisfying.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book.
Soon afterward, John, who works for the Foreign Office, is sent away on a diplomatic mission to China, and the book opens nearly two years later as he returns. Just before reaching England, John’s ship hits a rock, and as the ship is sinking, John goes below to rescue his boss, Lord Amherst, while his feckless colleague, the Honorable Edmund Fordyce refuses to help. Fordyce’s middle name might as well be Villain.
But the event of the past two years have changed both John and Mary. John, considered the least talented of four sons, found a new sense of purpose and confidence on his mission. He looks forward to setting up household in London with his shy, biddable wife, a woman who John could teach to become a fine diplomat’s wife.
Mary, however, has spent their time apart caring for her somewhat addled great aunt Lavinia, a thankless task foisted upon her by her bullying mother. In learning to run Lavinia’s household and deal with her ancient group of servants, Mary has gained new self-assurance. She also has come to realize that her frequent sketching is more than just a hobby. She was what we now might call a "visual thinker” (and appears to suffer from a reading disorder), and to truly understand a situation she needed to draw the people involved. Drawing was key to her understanding and to her ability to communicate with others in words.
John and Mary's reunion gets off to a bumpy start. "What has happened to you,” he blurts out to his wife, now a managing female with an air of command. When Mary stands up to him, John is quickly back on his horse and headed for London. Three weeks later, Mary arrives at their house in London, hoping for the best, but John is distant, rather haughty, and secretive about his work. He is a complete arse and impossible to like. Mary, on the other hand, is quite sympathetic and eager to please.
These two have a lot to learn – about life, marriage, and one another, and the book tells a lovely story of two people sincerely committed to making their marriage work. After several confrontations, they reach an agreement to start afresh, and it helps that there is physical attraction between them.
John and Mary become a team and must stand up to the scorn and resistance of their own families and John's office colleagues in order to make a life for themselves.
If the book had concentrated on that, I would have liked it better, but the author adds an espionage plot that I did not find quite convincing. The story of John and Mary's relationship – which gradually grows into mutual support, attraction, respect, and love – was very satisfying.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book.
March 3, 2015
Happy Release Day!!!
This was great fun! It was sweet...and charming...even though I wanted to shake both Mary and John a time or two.
They had been married for a very short time. Their families were grateful they were together, as none of them wanted to deal with the boredom, and what the considered to be dullness, of either of them. Their first weeks of marriage were rather dry...neither of them had a huge love for the other, and both of them were just moving along as their parents wanted them to.
When John gets the opportunity to travel abroad, he jumps at the chance. His time away changes him. He grows from a boy into a man, a man who is going to take his own future and shape it the way he wants.
Mary, on the other hand, has been shuttled off to an aging relative. She wasn't sure what she wanted with her life, but taking over for the aunt wasn't in her cards. But if they were to keep themselves fed and warm, she needed to handle things. And, to her surprise, she was quite good at it.
Now, John is back...and he's sure he'll be able to handle the door mouse of a wife he left behind. He is shocked and appalled that she is NOT who he thought she was. She's got a backbone! And Mary, for her part, is intrigued by the man who has returned to her. When he starts issuing orders, after she's been doing the ordering for years, she takes a firm stand.
This is the story of how they come to work together, come to find love, and come to a sweet understanding.
I read the last page and found myself smiling. And thinking back on it for days afterward. This was great! I will certainly be looking for more from this author.
*Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebook ~ Casablanca, for the opportunity to read this book.
This was great fun! It was sweet...and charming...even though I wanted to shake both Mary and John a time or two.
They had been married for a very short time. Their families were grateful they were together, as none of them wanted to deal with the boredom, and what the considered to be dullness, of either of them. Their first weeks of marriage were rather dry...neither of them had a huge love for the other, and both of them were just moving along as their parents wanted them to.
When John gets the opportunity to travel abroad, he jumps at the chance. His time away changes him. He grows from a boy into a man, a man who is going to take his own future and shape it the way he wants.
Mary, on the other hand, has been shuttled off to an aging relative. She wasn't sure what she wanted with her life, but taking over for the aunt wasn't in her cards. But if they were to keep themselves fed and warm, she needed to handle things. And, to her surprise, she was quite good at it.
Now, John is back...and he's sure he'll be able to handle the door mouse of a wife he left behind. He is shocked and appalled that she is NOT who he thought she was. She's got a backbone! And Mary, for her part, is intrigued by the man who has returned to her. When he starts issuing orders, after she's been doing the ordering for years, she takes a firm stand.
This is the story of how they come to work together, come to find love, and come to a sweet understanding.
I read the last page and found myself smiling. And thinking back on it for days afterward. This was great! I will certainly be looking for more from this author.
*Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebook ~ Casablanca, for the opportunity to read this book.
March 4, 2015
3.5 Stars. I both really liked and really disliked this book, for two distinct reasons. The first being Mary. I loved her, I thought she was great. She’s good and kind, but she isn’t a doormat. All she wants is to help John, to run her household as best as she can, and to draw occasionally. She manages to do all of these things, despite the selfish behaviour of her husband, the disrespect of her servants and the way no one will take her artistic talents seriously. Until she meets Eleanor, the kindly old lady who lives across the square. Even though Mary is treated pretty unfairly throughout this book, she never complains, she doesn’t sulk, she just presses on, trying to do her best despite the fact that she’s lonely and overlooked.
As you might be able to guess from all of that, the thing I really didn’t like was John. What a selfish man. Not because he left for two years – it wasn’t the best thing for a newly married man to do, but their marriage was hardly a love-match and he was trying to advance in the Foreign Office. No, it’s the way he behaves towards Mary throughout. At first he’s rude and insulting, not to mention patronising, some of which can be explained away because of the shock of them meeting up again, but he doesn’t improve.
Whenever anything goes wrong it’s all about him. His house, his job, his comfort, his reputation. Even when he’s trying to be nice to young Arthur it’s still all about him – the way he didn’t get to have adventures as a child, so Arthur must have them, even though all Arthur really wants is to talk about steam engines. However, John’s not interested in those, so he doesn’t pay him any attention.
Perhaps there’s a glimmer of hope in the way John defends Mary whenever anyone else is rude to her – even if he fails to see his own behaviour being reflected back at him. However, when he falls for Mary it’s still all about him - how she believes in him and supports him. It’s never anything to do with her. He simply doesn’t care about her as a person, only the parts that effect him.
There’s also a meandering plot about John’s life at the Foreign Office, both how he’s trying to ferret out information to help him advance and some run-ins with a thoroughly unpleasant little snob. Even when added to the horrible way John’s brothers treat him, I still didn’t care about John. I wanted someone to whack him on the head and leave Mary free to marry again. I’m sure Eleanor could have found her a much more suitable second husband.
In all it’s a nice enough read, steady-going with some interesting historical facts about diplomatic relations with China (or lack thereof), working as a civil servant and living in London outside of the higher echelons of the ton. There are more than a few Americanisms scattered throughout (we don’t have fall!), but on the whole this is a nicely handled historical novel. Personally, I wasn’t fond of the romance, but if you want to read a realistic type of marriage between two overlooked people, then this definitely does the job.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
As you might be able to guess from all of that, the thing I really didn’t like was John. What a selfish man. Not because he left for two years – it wasn’t the best thing for a newly married man to do, but their marriage was hardly a love-match and he was trying to advance in the Foreign Office. No, it’s the way he behaves towards Mary throughout. At first he’s rude and insulting, not to mention patronising, some of which can be explained away because of the shock of them meeting up again, but he doesn’t improve.
Whenever anything goes wrong it’s all about him. His house, his job, his comfort, his reputation. Even when he’s trying to be nice to young Arthur it’s still all about him – the way he didn’t get to have adventures as a child, so Arthur must have them, even though all Arthur really wants is to talk about steam engines. However, John’s not interested in those, so he doesn’t pay him any attention.
Perhaps there’s a glimmer of hope in the way John defends Mary whenever anyone else is rude to her – even if he fails to see his own behaviour being reflected back at him. However, when he falls for Mary it’s still all about him - how she believes in him and supports him. It’s never anything to do with her. He simply doesn’t care about her as a person, only the parts that effect him.
There’s also a meandering plot about John’s life at the Foreign Office, both how he’s trying to ferret out information to help him advance and some run-ins with a thoroughly unpleasant little snob. Even when added to the horrible way John’s brothers treat him, I still didn’t care about John. I wanted someone to whack him on the head and leave Mary free to marry again. I’m sure Eleanor could have found her a much more suitable second husband.
In all it’s a nice enough read, steady-going with some interesting historical facts about diplomatic relations with China (or lack thereof), working as a civil servant and living in London outside of the higher echelons of the ton. There are more than a few Americanisms scattered throughout (we don’t have fall!), but on the whole this is a nicely handled historical novel. Personally, I wasn’t fond of the romance, but if you want to read a realistic type of marriage between two overlooked people, then this definitely does the job.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
September 13, 2016
I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars rounded up.
Married to a Perfect Stranger is the rather sweet and enjoyable story of a young couple who are separated just a month after their marriage, because the husband - who works at the Foreign Office – is sent to China as part of a diplomatic delegation. When John Bexley returns to England almost two years later, the couple quickly realises that their spouse has become a different person in the intervening years; and that if they are to make any kind of life together, they will have to work at getting to know and understand the virtual stranger to whom they are married.
I love stories like this, where the characters fall in love after the wedding and have to actually work at a relationship. There’s a sense of realism that goes hand-in-hand with that aspect of the story as the reader is shown that not everything in the garden-of-romance is rosy all the time. Although John and Mary are married when the story begins, we learn that they more or less drifted into marriage because their respective families viewed them as misfits and wanted to get them off their hands. As a result, they didn’t know each other very well when John left – and now he’s back, any memories or preconceptions that remain are quickly shown to be useless when it comes to piecing together the essense of the other person as they are now.
When, a month after her marriage, John leaves for China, Mary is packed off to stay with her Great-Aunt Lavinia. While not far from Mary’s family home, they rarely visit, so have no idea that Lavinia is unwell (she is suffering from what we would recognise today as dementia), and it’s down to Mary to take over the reins of the household. She has always been rather timid and shy, but there is no-one else she can turn to; and she is surprised to find that not only does she enjoy managing the household, she’s very good at it.
John has also made some discoveries about himself during his absence, and is returning to England a much more dynamic personality than when he left; he is determined to make a success of his chosen career and to advance through its ranks.
One of the things Ms Ashford does very well in the early stages of the book is to show the chaos that Mary has to deal with on a daily basis, which immediately communicates to the reader that she’s both clever and efficient, and has become the lynchpin in her aunt’s household. John arrives when the house is in uproar and is dismayed to discover that his previously timid wife has turned into a “managing female” – and he makes that dismay clear in no uncertain terms. Mary can’t believe that the taller, broader, still handsome but utterly infuriating man who did nothing but scowl at her, insult her and then order her to return to London – is the easy-going young man she’d married. But she refuses to be cowed and besides, has to arrange care for her aunt before she goes anywhere.
John comes off as an arrogant arse during his first encounter with Mary; it’s all about him and what he wants and he looks set to become one of those domineering husbands who expects his wife to be a doormat. Fortunately, once Mary joins him in London, he’s calmed down and his initial panic at the thought of having the “wrong” kind of wife to help advance his career has dissipated. That’s not to say that there aren’t still difficulties ahead for them – they do continue to clash and become frustrated with each other as the story goes on, but by this time, they have both accepted that they have to work at their marriage and are prepared to do so.
Both principals are well-rounded characters, who clearly have some emotional baggage to deal with in addition to navigating carefully through the uncharted waters of their marriage. John is the third of four boys and the butt of the endless childhood jokes at his expense recounted by his two older siblings. It’s obvious that his family never expected him to amount to much and he has been overshadowed by the forceful cleverness of his brothers. They believe him to be unremarkable, dull and without ambition; they are dismissive of his job and think he’s destined to stay in a junior post for the rest of his life.
Mary has always been the perfect quiet, biddable daughter. Her overbearing mother thinks she’s a bit of a dreamer and doesn’t really understand her; but Mary is a very talented artist who likes to draw and paint portraits, and has the rare gift of being able to infuse her work with a true sense of the personality of her subject, sometimes revealing things about them they would rather keep hidden. It’s a talent that lands her in hot water at one point in the story which serves to highlight the importance placed on reputation and societal standing, and the way in which women’s opinions and abilities were so often completely disregarded at this time.
Ms Ashford does a very good job of showing how John and Mary support each other and gradually get to know and fall in love with the people they are now. Their relationship is well developed as they agree to start afresh, become friends and eventually lovers, and earn each other’s trust.
There’s an interesting and informative sub-plot running through the story about John’s attempt to put together a network of informants who can help him to obtain information about the situation in the Orient. This injects a bit of suspense into the story and the author has clearly done her homework – but it didn’t quite ring true for me and felt a little rushed at the end. I also noticed a bit of head-hopping going on which, while it didn’t happen too often, did mean I had to back-track occasionally, just to make sure I knew whose PoV I was supposed to be in.
With those reservations in mind, I’d certainly recommend Married to a Perfect Stranger to anyone in the mood for a gently moving, character-driven historical romance.
Married to a Perfect Stranger is the rather sweet and enjoyable story of a young couple who are separated just a month after their marriage, because the husband - who works at the Foreign Office – is sent to China as part of a diplomatic delegation. When John Bexley returns to England almost two years later, the couple quickly realises that their spouse has become a different person in the intervening years; and that if they are to make any kind of life together, they will have to work at getting to know and understand the virtual stranger to whom they are married.
I love stories like this, where the characters fall in love after the wedding and have to actually work at a relationship. There’s a sense of realism that goes hand-in-hand with that aspect of the story as the reader is shown that not everything in the garden-of-romance is rosy all the time. Although John and Mary are married when the story begins, we learn that they more or less drifted into marriage because their respective families viewed them as misfits and wanted to get them off their hands. As a result, they didn’t know each other very well when John left – and now he’s back, any memories or preconceptions that remain are quickly shown to be useless when it comes to piecing together the essense of the other person as they are now.
When, a month after her marriage, John leaves for China, Mary is packed off to stay with her Great-Aunt Lavinia. While not far from Mary’s family home, they rarely visit, so have no idea that Lavinia is unwell (she is suffering from what we would recognise today as dementia), and it’s down to Mary to take over the reins of the household. She has always been rather timid and shy, but there is no-one else she can turn to; and she is surprised to find that not only does she enjoy managing the household, she’s very good at it.
John has also made some discoveries about himself during his absence, and is returning to England a much more dynamic personality than when he left; he is determined to make a success of his chosen career and to advance through its ranks.
One of the things Ms Ashford does very well in the early stages of the book is to show the chaos that Mary has to deal with on a daily basis, which immediately communicates to the reader that she’s both clever and efficient, and has become the lynchpin in her aunt’s household. John arrives when the house is in uproar and is dismayed to discover that his previously timid wife has turned into a “managing female” – and he makes that dismay clear in no uncertain terms. Mary can’t believe that the taller, broader, still handsome but utterly infuriating man who did nothing but scowl at her, insult her and then order her to return to London – is the easy-going young man she’d married. But she refuses to be cowed and besides, has to arrange care for her aunt before she goes anywhere.
John comes off as an arrogant arse during his first encounter with Mary; it’s all about him and what he wants and he looks set to become one of those domineering husbands who expects his wife to be a doormat. Fortunately, once Mary joins him in London, he’s calmed down and his initial panic at the thought of having the “wrong” kind of wife to help advance his career has dissipated. That’s not to say that there aren’t still difficulties ahead for them – they do continue to clash and become frustrated with each other as the story goes on, but by this time, they have both accepted that they have to work at their marriage and are prepared to do so.
Both principals are well-rounded characters, who clearly have some emotional baggage to deal with in addition to navigating carefully through the uncharted waters of their marriage. John is the third of four boys and the butt of the endless childhood jokes at his expense recounted by his two older siblings. It’s obvious that his family never expected him to amount to much and he has been overshadowed by the forceful cleverness of his brothers. They believe him to be unremarkable, dull and without ambition; they are dismissive of his job and think he’s destined to stay in a junior post for the rest of his life.
Mary has always been the perfect quiet, biddable daughter. Her overbearing mother thinks she’s a bit of a dreamer and doesn’t really understand her; but Mary is a very talented artist who likes to draw and paint portraits, and has the rare gift of being able to infuse her work with a true sense of the personality of her subject, sometimes revealing things about them they would rather keep hidden. It’s a talent that lands her in hot water at one point in the story which serves to highlight the importance placed on reputation and societal standing, and the way in which women’s opinions and abilities were so often completely disregarded at this time.
Ms Ashford does a very good job of showing how John and Mary support each other and gradually get to know and fall in love with the people they are now. Their relationship is well developed as they agree to start afresh, become friends and eventually lovers, and earn each other’s trust.
There’s an interesting and informative sub-plot running through the story about John’s attempt to put together a network of informants who can help him to obtain information about the situation in the Orient. This injects a bit of suspense into the story and the author has clearly done her homework – but it didn’t quite ring true for me and felt a little rushed at the end. I also noticed a bit of head-hopping going on which, while it didn’t happen too often, did mean I had to back-track occasionally, just to make sure I knew whose PoV I was supposed to be in.
With those reservations in mind, I’d certainly recommend Married to a Perfect Stranger to anyone in the mood for a gently moving, character-driven historical romance.
dnf
July 30, 2020DNF. It's early in the book and I've already encountered elements which annoy me and which will probably only continue to predominate in the story, further increasing my annoyance, namely Mary's magical drawing power and John's 0-60 furious reaction at discovering that Mary's morphed into a "managing" woman in his absence, so much so that he acts like a juvenile and not the mature rational man that he has been shown to be from the beginning. At the beginning of the story, I realize the author lays the groundwork to demonstrate that John has gained confidence from his experience abroad and in doing so has developed a sense of wanting to take a stronger hand in charting his own course, which explains why he is no longer content to just go along with events as they happen. However I'm not convinced, given his underlying temperament as described initially, that he would have reacted in such a childish over-the-top way to the changes in Mary's personality. Yes, I believe he could have negative feelings and believable concerns about the changes in Mary, and I can buy that the underlying rationale for his reaction is because of his experiences with his mother, but I don't buy the over=the-top quality of the reaction. Generally, I feel like character development is being sacrificed and used as a shortcut to further plot development. Furthermore there is nothing I find particularly compelling about the author's writing style or voice that would cause me to be willing to overlook the characterization issues and continue on with this story.
February 14, 2015
Having been wed just a short time before going on a two-year diplomatic mission, John Bexley is prepared to come home to the biddable, soft-spoken wife he left behind. What he comes home to is nothing that he has imagined.
In the two years that her husband has been gone, Mary Fleming has had to make a life for herself without him. This includes becoming the "master" of the house. Without her husband around, Mary has taken charge of her life and is no longer the woman that John married.
Can these two strangers reconcile what the other has become and make their marriage work?
It's nice to read a story about a married couple once in a while for a change of pace. Since the two were not married long before their separation and hardly knew each other before that, we are still able to see how their love grew as they get to know each other again.
I love that Mary has taken charge of her life and is not under the thumb of her parents as she was when she married John. She decided to make the marriage what she wanted it to be, instead of what society deemed as a good marriage. John did the same for himself. He was always the butt of jokes within his family and he wanted to prove that he was more than that.
Overall a very enjoyable read. I'll definitely be picking up more books by Ashford.
Thanks go out to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
In the two years that her husband has been gone, Mary Fleming has had to make a life for herself without him. This includes becoming the "master" of the house. Without her husband around, Mary has taken charge of her life and is no longer the woman that John married.
Can these two strangers reconcile what the other has become and make their marriage work?
It's nice to read a story about a married couple once in a while for a change of pace. Since the two were not married long before their separation and hardly knew each other before that, we are still able to see how their love grew as they get to know each other again.
I love that Mary has taken charge of her life and is not under the thumb of her parents as she was when she married John. She decided to make the marriage what she wanted it to be, instead of what society deemed as a good marriage. John did the same for himself. He was always the butt of jokes within his family and he wanted to prove that he was more than that.
Overall a very enjoyable read. I'll definitely be picking up more books by Ashford.
Thanks go out to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
April 14, 2015
I've given up. This started so well. I was excited by the first 25%. But the connection between the h/h didn't develop well enough for me & the sex was very tell rather than show & brief as well. The story wasn't enough to keep me engaged. The characters and their relationship weren't enough & the sex wasn't enough. There's nothing horribly awful about it. In some ways it's better written than books which have received more stars from me but by 55% I was bored & life is just too short.
November 28, 2015
It took me a little bit to get comfortable with the author's writing style but after that I enjoyed these two. Especially the heroine which yeah is a rarity for me. But she was a pretty dang good one.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
May 1, 2015
This was a really good book - well written, beautifully paced, and with an engaging hero and heroine. I highly recommend it. John and Mary each come from large families, and each is considered the least likely to succeed among their numerous siblings. So their parents marry their least promising children off to each other. However, John and Mary are married just a few short months when he goes off to China on a diplomatic mission for the Foreign Office where he works. While he's gone, Mary's family dumps her on an ailing great aunt. Mary ends up running the great aunt's estate, and starts to develop confidence, and discover her abilities. John returns after two years, also with new confidence and a sense of achievement, and both he and Mary are so changed that they really don't know each other.
At first, the adjustment is difficult, and bumpy. But as they get to know each other they start to like and trust each other. They slowly become each other's staunchest supporter. Their developing relationship is beautifully and believably depicted. Their relationship also helps these two people - so badly undervalued by their families - begin to discover their own worth and talents.
I've read scores of regency romances, and the majority of them are about the upper aristocracy. While John and Mary both come from solid gentry backgrounds, they don't have any connections in the higher levels of the peerage. John especially feels this lack keenly in his desire to advance in the Foreign Office. But I loved that a regency romance took place outside of the ton, and presented challenges for the hero and heroine not found in the usual regency romance. For example, John attracts the enmity of a malicious colleague - the son of an earl - who tries to destroy his career.
Also, the novel deals with an aspect of history not usually found in regency romances. During this period Great Britain was dumping opium on China, very much against the policies of the Chinese government. This created great unrest in China, and hatred for the British. This becomes an important part of the story, but Ms. Ashford seamlessly weaves the history in with the story and romance. Ms. Ashford also used historical figures - such as Lord Castlereigh - very effectively to move the plot along.
But, even with the great use of politics and history, this is front and center a love story, between two ordinary people who really are quite extraordinary.
At first, the adjustment is difficult, and bumpy. But as they get to know each other they start to like and trust each other. They slowly become each other's staunchest supporter. Their developing relationship is beautifully and believably depicted. Their relationship also helps these two people - so badly undervalued by their families - begin to discover their own worth and talents.
I've read scores of regency romances, and the majority of them are about the upper aristocracy. While John and Mary both come from solid gentry backgrounds, they don't have any connections in the higher levels of the peerage. John especially feels this lack keenly in his desire to advance in the Foreign Office. But I loved that a regency romance took place outside of the ton, and presented challenges for the hero and heroine not found in the usual regency romance. For example, John attracts the enmity of a malicious colleague - the son of an earl - who tries to destroy his career.
Also, the novel deals with an aspect of history not usually found in regency romances. During this period Great Britain was dumping opium on China, very much against the policies of the Chinese government. This created great unrest in China, and hatred for the British. This becomes an important part of the story, but Ms. Ashford seamlessly weaves the history in with the story and romance. Ms. Ashford also used historical figures - such as Lord Castlereigh - very effectively to move the plot along.
But, even with the great use of politics and history, this is front and center a love story, between two ordinary people who really are quite extraordinary.
March 3, 2015
Mary Fleming and John Bexley were not the shining stars in either of their families. So it was suggested that the two marry and settle into a comfortable existence. Soon after their marriage, John was called away on a two year long diplomatic mission, leaving his new wife to her own devices.
In their time away from one another, each matured in their own way and once reunited, these changes in each of them confuses the other. John remembers an amiable and quiet wife and is perplexed when he biddable wife is replaced with a vibrant and outspoken Mary. Mary is a bit taken aback by this new and formidable John, but annoyed when he expects her to be the same woman he left behind.
Beginning again is a bit difficult for the pair, whose expectations of one another are rather skewed, but the journey Mary and John take is an exciting one with revelations as well as romance.
Married To A Perfect Stranger by Jane Ashford is the first book I have read by this author. I truly enjoyed the story. John and Mary has become essentially strangers to one another. Quite honestly, they never really knew one another when they began their relationship. I enjoyed the reactions each one had when they found out something new about one another and how they come to terms with the new level of maturity as well as understanding. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Ashford and I do recommend Married To A Perfect Stranger.
January 17, 2015
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in place of an honest review.
I loved the cover of the book. The purple dress is what caught my eye. I didn't understand how someone could be married to a complete stranger. I'm glad that I read the book and found out what it was about. It made me think of my marriage. It is a really hard adjusting to being married no matter how long you've known each other. Some make it and some don't. It's great being able to see that you are never the person that your spouse thinks you are.
I really liked Mary Fleming, she is the kind of woman I would love to be. She used to be what everyone wanted her to be and then when she gets to be by herself she becomes a woman that she has always wanted to be. We know that John Bexley was sent off on a two-year diplomatic mission and when he came back everything had changed. I would hate to have went through two years without my husband but I believe that it really helped their relationship.
I enjoyed reading about Mary and John learning how to figure each other out and working on their relationship. That made it more passionate for them and made the book even more enjoyable. I liked the authors writing style and I can see myself reading more of her books in the future.
I loved the cover of the book. The purple dress is what caught my eye. I didn't understand how someone could be married to a complete stranger. I'm glad that I read the book and found out what it was about. It made me think of my marriage. It is a really hard adjusting to being married no matter how long you've known each other. Some make it and some don't. It's great being able to see that you are never the person that your spouse thinks you are.
I really liked Mary Fleming, she is the kind of woman I would love to be. She used to be what everyone wanted her to be and then when she gets to be by herself she becomes a woman that she has always wanted to be. We know that John Bexley was sent off on a two-year diplomatic mission and when he came back everything had changed. I would hate to have went through two years without my husband but I believe that it really helped their relationship.
I enjoyed reading about Mary and John learning how to figure each other out and working on their relationship. That made it more passionate for them and made the book even more enjoyable. I liked the authors writing style and I can see myself reading more of her books in the future.
July 31, 2017
A little dull, from plot to characters. It was very, meh. I mean it starts out with a shipwreck and just sort of fizzles out from there.
February 27, 2015
4.5 Stars
My Musings
While browsing titles in Net-Galley, I read the book description for Married to a Perfect Stranger and it piqued my curiosity. I accepted an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via Net-Galley for an honest review. I love arranged marriage stories where the couple falls in love after the wedding. This one has the added twist of the couple being separated shortly after the honeymoon without having a chance to get to know each other.
John Bexley is the third son of a gentry family. While not a titled family, they are nonetheless well respected. John is neither brilliant, nor good at sports as his three other brothers are, so he a bit of a miss-fit. This has undermined his confidence until he accepts a position as a clerk for Lord Amhurst. At last he was an opportunity to prove he is not a bungling fool that his family has always thought him to be.
Mary Fleming is one among five daughters and her family does not understand her since she has a problem with the written word and expresses herself through her drawings. Her family arranges a match between her and John Bexley, thinking since both are miss-fits, they should be able to get along well enough.
Mary and John meet at a Bath assembly, and as lambs led to market, they go along with their family’s wishes and soon find themselves wed. While neither feel a strong attachment to the other, they do manage to have an enjoyable honeymoon, if a tad bland.
Shortly after their return from their honeymoon, John is selected to go with Lord Amhurst on a diplomatic mission to China. This is another opportunity for John and he enthusiastically leaves Mary without any hesitation, hoping to further his career.
While John is gone, Mary’s family sends her to live with her great-aunt in Somerset. While it is not far from her family’s home, they rarely visit her. It soon becomes apparent to Mary that her great-aunt is beginning to suffer from dementia, and she has to take over running her aunt’s home. While she has always been timid and shy, she accepts this and finds out she is excellent at managing a household to her surprise, and that she actually enjoys it tremendously. This is Mary’s opportunity to show she is able to excel at something, and she takes full advantage of it.
Two years later, John returns from his mission a changed man, not only in attitude, but appearance as well. Mary wonders where the easy-going man she had married has gone to. John is shocked when he realizes that Mary is not the shy, unassuming girl he left behind, but a ‘managing female’. They both realize they are wed to a stranger with little to no resemblance to who they thought they had married.
After several confrontations, they agree to start afresh. Can they learn to accept each other and all these changes, or will they exist in a loveless marriage, never finding the love they both want more than either of them ever imagined?
I thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted romance of two people thrown together by an arranged marriage. What made this such an enjoyable read for me is the true kindness both characters possess.
Mary shows a much stronger will than her family has ever imagined and even faced with her mother’s disapproval, she continues to draw her amazing water-color portraits of people with uncanny foresight into their souls. She is able to depict her subjects so realistically that at times, the individuals are shocked that she has unearthed their deepest fears and anxiety. Her sketch of Lady Castlereagh causes a bit of a scandal for John.
While John is at first taken aback by the changes in Mary, he does want to find contentment in their marriage. Even though John is somewhat abrupt, his kindness shines through when he takes the young lad that Mary has agreed to help under his wing.
Arthur is a delightful character. His exuberance for life and adventure is enchanting and adds greatly to this wonderful story. Ms. Ashford not only breathes life into her hero and heroine, she also does this with her secondary characters, including the housemaid and the cook, a mother and daughter who constantly bicker over everything.
The only reason I did not give this charming story five gold crowns is because, Ms. Ashford does change point of view from the hero to the heroine from one paragraph to the other, which at times caught me off guard. I will say that it did give me a great deal of insight to see each character’s thoughts instantaneously and her transition is much smoother than I have experienced in the past. I normally find POV switches like this extremely irritating.
If you are looking for a book with excellent pacing, an intriguing plot with just a touch of mystery and a different type of hero and heroine, then you will love this delightful tale as much as I did. I will definitely looking for other books by this talented author. Happy reading!
My Musings
While browsing titles in Net-Galley, I read the book description for Married to a Perfect Stranger and it piqued my curiosity. I accepted an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via Net-Galley for an honest review. I love arranged marriage stories where the couple falls in love after the wedding. This one has the added twist of the couple being separated shortly after the honeymoon without having a chance to get to know each other.
John Bexley is the third son of a gentry family. While not a titled family, they are nonetheless well respected. John is neither brilliant, nor good at sports as his three other brothers are, so he a bit of a miss-fit. This has undermined his confidence until he accepts a position as a clerk for Lord Amhurst. At last he was an opportunity to prove he is not a bungling fool that his family has always thought him to be.
Mary Fleming is one among five daughters and her family does not understand her since she has a problem with the written word and expresses herself through her drawings. Her family arranges a match between her and John Bexley, thinking since both are miss-fits, they should be able to get along well enough.
Mary and John meet at a Bath assembly, and as lambs led to market, they go along with their family’s wishes and soon find themselves wed. While neither feel a strong attachment to the other, they do manage to have an enjoyable honeymoon, if a tad bland.
Shortly after their return from their honeymoon, John is selected to go with Lord Amhurst on a diplomatic mission to China. This is another opportunity for John and he enthusiastically leaves Mary without any hesitation, hoping to further his career.
While John is gone, Mary’s family sends her to live with her great-aunt in Somerset. While it is not far from her family’s home, they rarely visit her. It soon becomes apparent to Mary that her great-aunt is beginning to suffer from dementia, and she has to take over running her aunt’s home. While she has always been timid and shy, she accepts this and finds out she is excellent at managing a household to her surprise, and that she actually enjoys it tremendously. This is Mary’s opportunity to show she is able to excel at something, and she takes full advantage of it.
Two years later, John returns from his mission a changed man, not only in attitude, but appearance as well. Mary wonders where the easy-going man she had married has gone to. John is shocked when he realizes that Mary is not the shy, unassuming girl he left behind, but a ‘managing female’. They both realize they are wed to a stranger with little to no resemblance to who they thought they had married.
After several confrontations, they agree to start afresh. Can they learn to accept each other and all these changes, or will they exist in a loveless marriage, never finding the love they both want more than either of them ever imagined?
I thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted romance of two people thrown together by an arranged marriage. What made this such an enjoyable read for me is the true kindness both characters possess.
Mary shows a much stronger will than her family has ever imagined and even faced with her mother’s disapproval, she continues to draw her amazing water-color portraits of people with uncanny foresight into their souls. She is able to depict her subjects so realistically that at times, the individuals are shocked that she has unearthed their deepest fears and anxiety. Her sketch of Lady Castlereagh causes a bit of a scandal for John.
While John is at first taken aback by the changes in Mary, he does want to find contentment in their marriage. Even though John is somewhat abrupt, his kindness shines through when he takes the young lad that Mary has agreed to help under his wing.
Arthur is a delightful character. His exuberance for life and adventure is enchanting and adds greatly to this wonderful story. Ms. Ashford not only breathes life into her hero and heroine, she also does this with her secondary characters, including the housemaid and the cook, a mother and daughter who constantly bicker over everything.
The only reason I did not give this charming story five gold crowns is because, Ms. Ashford does change point of view from the hero to the heroine from one paragraph to the other, which at times caught me off guard. I will say that it did give me a great deal of insight to see each character’s thoughts instantaneously and her transition is much smoother than I have experienced in the past. I normally find POV switches like this extremely irritating.
If you are looking for a book with excellent pacing, an intriguing plot with just a touch of mystery and a different type of hero and heroine, then you will love this delightful tale as much as I did. I will definitely looking for other books by this talented author. Happy reading!
February 4, 2015
from blog review at A Fair Substitute for Heaven: I was so excited when Sourcebooks sent me the link for this on Netgalley as I love a good Regency romance! I also love the trope of two married people finding love --and getting to know each other---well after the fact.
Showing great research and snappy dialogue, John and Mary's world takes us from the domestic sphere to the Foreign Office and beyond. John's work is such that Mary will always be half-hidden from a part of his life. The ensuing danger and mystique really helped shadow a perfectly-painted tale of 18th Century England.
On her webpage, Ashford credits Georgette Heyer and I can see traces of Heyer in her prose---- (though, reader, we do get a few *ahem* scenes that Heyer never explored ;) ) and the great narrative consciousness weaves seamlessly between John and Mary's perspectives.
Returned from sea, John expects the docile mouse that he married before his departure; whereas Mary, now skilled in being the head of a household, has a mind of her own.
Of course they are attracted to each other and of course they grow closer together--- but there are just the right amount of those misunderstandings---those bread-crumb trails that leave the reader gloriously indignant and yearning to shake the characters to attention.
I was also quite taken with the idea of a makeshift family immediately forged when John encounters Arthur and a stray mutt, as addition to his household.
The exploration of expectations vs. reality is wonderful and rests easily at the edge of Ashford's talented pen. At one point, the narrator refers to the embroidery of tales as "Words like a patchwork quilt" and the seedy scenes taking John far from the societal hubs of the ton and relying on his penchant for eastern languages are well-developed.
"The small Somerset manor house lazed under the June sun, its red brick mellow with age, its bow windows and ruddy chimney pots aglow. Bees hummed in the garden, where summer blooms perfumed the air. Foliage hung heavy in the small park; lawns glowed green."
Try tasting THAT on your tongue! You can never say Romance is bereft of poetical sensibility....
"Nobody likes an encroaching, managing female", he said. "Actually, quite a few people seem to!"
I loved Mary and her resolution. SHE WILL NOT BEND!
Great book, buoyant writing, exceptional characterization
Showing great research and snappy dialogue, John and Mary's world takes us from the domestic sphere to the Foreign Office and beyond. John's work is such that Mary will always be half-hidden from a part of his life. The ensuing danger and mystique really helped shadow a perfectly-painted tale of 18th Century England.
On her webpage, Ashford credits Georgette Heyer and I can see traces of Heyer in her prose---- (though, reader, we do get a few *ahem* scenes that Heyer never explored ;) ) and the great narrative consciousness weaves seamlessly between John and Mary's perspectives.
Returned from sea, John expects the docile mouse that he married before his departure; whereas Mary, now skilled in being the head of a household, has a mind of her own.
Of course they are attracted to each other and of course they grow closer together--- but there are just the right amount of those misunderstandings---those bread-crumb trails that leave the reader gloriously indignant and yearning to shake the characters to attention.
I was also quite taken with the idea of a makeshift family immediately forged when John encounters Arthur and a stray mutt, as addition to his household.
The exploration of expectations vs. reality is wonderful and rests easily at the edge of Ashford's talented pen. At one point, the narrator refers to the embroidery of tales as "Words like a patchwork quilt" and the seedy scenes taking John far from the societal hubs of the ton and relying on his penchant for eastern languages are well-developed.
"The small Somerset manor house lazed under the June sun, its red brick mellow with age, its bow windows and ruddy chimney pots aglow. Bees hummed in the garden, where summer blooms perfumed the air. Foliage hung heavy in the small park; lawns glowed green."
Try tasting THAT on your tongue! You can never say Romance is bereft of poetical sensibility....
"Nobody likes an encroaching, managing female", he said. "Actually, quite a few people seem to!"
I loved Mary and her resolution. SHE WILL NOT BEND!
Great book, buoyant writing, exceptional characterization
March 13, 2015
Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
I am going to start this review with a simple statement. I really liked this book. It showed fabulous character growth and was just wonderful! Jane Ashford doesn't write easy, she writes complicated, clever characters that force you to fall for them. To cheer for them and to sigh when they get it right.
Quiet and obliging, Mary Fleming and John Bexley marry because it's what their family says is best for them. They are sweet individuals whose families are sure they know what is best. But before they can even begin their marriage, John is sent to China on a two-year diplomatic mission and Mary is sent to live with an aunt who is slowly fading with dimentia. Both of them are out of their comfort zones and yet manage to grow..
Now John is back and he wants his quiet unassuming wife, even if she really isn't what he needs as a diplomatic wife. What he gets is a woman who has run a household and had to handle one interesting crisis after another. Poor John, he doesn't understand that if he changed why wouldn't Mary?
And Mary, she remembers this soft boy and has been given this determined man. Her desire to please is at war with her need to be appreciated for who she is not who he thinks he is..
What Ms. Ashford did was a delight. John at times was a bit of an over bearing jerk but as things developed we see this man who just wants so much. Has such huge dreams and sometimes forgets that he doesn't run everything.. And Mary, her dreams they explode! She has to fight to find herself and accept that if John can not love her she can't make him..
The best part? The families, we don't see much of Mary's but they are cut from the same cloth as John's. Arrogant, obnoxious know it alls.. sure that they can run John's life better than he can and that obviously they made a mistake when matching him with Mary. Only John has developed a spine and I loved him when he stood his ground! Absolutely adored him!
This marriage might have been started by their families but Ms. Jane Ashford makes sure we all know that quiet doesn't mean meek.. and willing to please doesn't mean doormat!
Wonderfully done
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Married to a Perfect Stranger, provided by netgalley.
I am going to start this review with a simple statement. I really liked this book. It showed fabulous character growth and was just wonderful! Jane Ashford doesn't write easy, she writes complicated, clever characters that force you to fall for them. To cheer for them and to sigh when they get it right.
Quiet and obliging, Mary Fleming and John Bexley marry because it's what their family says is best for them. They are sweet individuals whose families are sure they know what is best. But before they can even begin their marriage, John is sent to China on a two-year diplomatic mission and Mary is sent to live with an aunt who is slowly fading with dimentia. Both of them are out of their comfort zones and yet manage to grow..
Now John is back and he wants his quiet unassuming wife, even if she really isn't what he needs as a diplomatic wife. What he gets is a woman who has run a household and had to handle one interesting crisis after another. Poor John, he doesn't understand that if he changed why wouldn't Mary?
And Mary, she remembers this soft boy and has been given this determined man. Her desire to please is at war with her need to be appreciated for who she is not who he thinks he is..
What Ms. Ashford did was a delight. John at times was a bit of an over bearing jerk but as things developed we see this man who just wants so much. Has such huge dreams and sometimes forgets that he doesn't run everything.. And Mary, her dreams they explode! She has to fight to find herself and accept that if John can not love her she can't make him..
The best part? The families, we don't see much of Mary's but they are cut from the same cloth as John's. Arrogant, obnoxious know it alls.. sure that they can run John's life better than he can and that obviously they made a mistake when matching him with Mary. Only John has developed a spine and I loved him when he stood his ground! Absolutely adored him!
This marriage might have been started by their families but Ms. Jane Ashford makes sure we all know that quiet doesn't mean meek.. and willing to please doesn't mean doormat!
Wonderfully done
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Married to a Perfect Stranger, provided by netgalley.
March 3, 2015
Newlyweds John Bexley and Mary Fleming barely have time to say their “I-Dos” before John must leave on a 2-year diplomatic mission that simply cannot be passed up. Fast forward to the end of that mission and neither John nor Mary are the same person the other married. Two years without your spouse changes a lot about a person. John and Mary are about to learn how to live with someone they no longer recognize.
This was a different kind of love story. Often, a romance novel is about the characters falling in love and eventually getting married. In MARRIED TO A PROPER STRANGER, the characters are already married. But what is so easy to forget in fiction is that falling in love is only a tiny part of the battle. Fighting to STAY in love is the real battle. It’s what a marriage is all about – finding all the little ways to love your spouse despite their faults, adapting to each other’s changing idiosyncrasies, and learning all the ins-and-outs of another human being. And THAT is the focus of MARRIED TO A PROPER STRANGER.
In John’s absence, Mary is given the freedom and opportunity to shed the strictures placed on unmarried women. She speaks her mind and stands up for what she wants and needs from John upon his return. I liked seeing this other, stronger side of Mary. As for John, in the beginning he was a bit of a domineering jerk, but this goes along with the theme of recognizing the rules and false demands of society and eschewing those demands in order to become your own person. As the novel progresses, John and Mary both come to recognize the inner strength and loyalty they feel towards one another. Together, they are able to transcend their family’s and society’s expectations of them and become a true force to be reckoned with.
Touching, with a healthy dose of realism and lessons on love vs. marriage. Pick this up for a pleasant spin on the traditional romance novel story.
Originally posted at PlotTwistReviews[dot]com
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This was a different kind of love story. Often, a romance novel is about the characters falling in love and eventually getting married. In MARRIED TO A PROPER STRANGER, the characters are already married. But what is so easy to forget in fiction is that falling in love is only a tiny part of the battle. Fighting to STAY in love is the real battle. It’s what a marriage is all about – finding all the little ways to love your spouse despite their faults, adapting to each other’s changing idiosyncrasies, and learning all the ins-and-outs of another human being. And THAT is the focus of MARRIED TO A PROPER STRANGER.
In John’s absence, Mary is given the freedom and opportunity to shed the strictures placed on unmarried women. She speaks her mind and stands up for what she wants and needs from John upon his return. I liked seeing this other, stronger side of Mary. As for John, in the beginning he was a bit of a domineering jerk, but this goes along with the theme of recognizing the rules and false demands of society and eschewing those demands in order to become your own person. As the novel progresses, John and Mary both come to recognize the inner strength and loyalty they feel towards one another. Together, they are able to transcend their family’s and society’s expectations of them and become a true force to be reckoned with.
Touching, with a healthy dose of realism and lessons on love vs. marriage. Pick this up for a pleasant spin on the traditional romance novel story.
Originally posted at PlotTwistReviews[dot]com
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 3, 2015
John and Mary Bexler were only married for a month before he was sent off for two years with a diplomatic group to China. Not having much time to really get to know one another, John’s return has really put a strain on their relationship.
Mary spent the time that John was gone as a companion to her Aunt Lavinia trying to help her but sadly watching as she slowly descended into dementia. During this time, Mary has grown by learning to run her aunt’s home and become a mature and somewhat independent woman. She has also had time to indulge her passion for drawing. She has a special talent for being able to look at a person and see deep into them and then transform their “real” face to paper. Mary’s ability to draw faces becomes both a good and bad thing in the story. To give out more information would be a spoiler.
John has matured as well and has worked hard to establish himself in the diplomatic scene. He chose this route in life after being constantly put down by his two older brothers as they thought he needed to just work for them. Because of this, he still does not have a lot of self-confidence. He is also afraid that Mary may not fit into his diplomatic circles and is now questioning his marriage. He sees how she has matured and has developed a take-charge way about her from her responsibilities caring for her aunt. John sees this as somewhat threatening to him.
John begins making nightly forays into seedy areas of London trying to search for information. (This actual reasoning isn’t made very clear in the story.) When Mary discovers this, she is upset and worried and John retaliates by arguing with her.
Mary is a strong character, but John comes across as a man who is still smarting from his brothers’ treatment of him and has yet to form a backbone and self-confidence.
The story is one that I’m sure many couples today face after a long absence from one another, i.e., after military deployments. It surely must take awhile for each other to settle back into their relationship.
Mary spent the time that John was gone as a companion to her Aunt Lavinia trying to help her but sadly watching as she slowly descended into dementia. During this time, Mary has grown by learning to run her aunt’s home and become a mature and somewhat independent woman. She has also had time to indulge her passion for drawing. She has a special talent for being able to look at a person and see deep into them and then transform their “real” face to paper. Mary’s ability to draw faces becomes both a good and bad thing in the story. To give out more information would be a spoiler.
John has matured as well and has worked hard to establish himself in the diplomatic scene. He chose this route in life after being constantly put down by his two older brothers as they thought he needed to just work for them. Because of this, he still does not have a lot of self-confidence. He is also afraid that Mary may not fit into his diplomatic circles and is now questioning his marriage. He sees how she has matured and has developed a take-charge way about her from her responsibilities caring for her aunt. John sees this as somewhat threatening to him.
John begins making nightly forays into seedy areas of London trying to search for information. (This actual reasoning isn’t made very clear in the story.) When Mary discovers this, she is upset and worried and John retaliates by arguing with her.
Mary is a strong character, but John comes across as a man who is still smarting from his brothers’ treatment of him and has yet to form a backbone and self-confidence.
The story is one that I’m sure many couples today face after a long absence from one another, i.e., after military deployments. It surely must take awhile for each other to settle back into their relationship.
March 10, 2015
I had a really hard time falling into this romance. The primary reason? I thought the hero was an arrogant jerk for the first three quarters of the book. I wanted to like him. I think maybe I was supposed to like him. But it wasn’t happening. The way he treated his heroine was second only to the derision in which he clearly felt for her. This is a guy who left his new bride for almost two years, barely giving a thought to what her life would be like without him. THEN he comes home high on his own achievements, only to berate her for her personal growth. And as the story goes on, he bounces back and forth between neglect and disdain. I wanted to set him on fire.
John isn’t all bad. He’s been kind of overlooked and accommodating his entire life. His trip to China really has done wonders for his self-esteem and fortitude. He wants to help his country and he is doing just that with his job in Foreign Affairs. Unfortunately, he doesn’t recognize that Mary’s new strengths do not diminish him.
Mary’s gotten pretty good at managing a household. Apparently, though, her true gift lies in being able to draw people in such a way that the portraits reveal elements of their true nature. It’s a gift that has been mocked and ignored her whole life. I know I was supposed to feel bad about that for her, but I couldn’t help but think it was kind of lame as a plot device. (And let’s be clear, that’s exactly what it was.) Mommy didn’t care about her super art and neither does John. But you can be sure that it’s going to make a big difference before the end of the book!
The villain was weak. The plot was uninteresting. The characters did not inspire my emotions and the romance… well, you already know how I felt about that. This one just wasn’t for me.
Rating: C-/D+
*ARC Provided by publisher
John isn’t all bad. He’s been kind of overlooked and accommodating his entire life. His trip to China really has done wonders for his self-esteem and fortitude. He wants to help his country and he is doing just that with his job in Foreign Affairs. Unfortunately, he doesn’t recognize that Mary’s new strengths do not diminish him.
Mary’s gotten pretty good at managing a household. Apparently, though, her true gift lies in being able to draw people in such a way that the portraits reveal elements of their true nature. It’s a gift that has been mocked and ignored her whole life. I know I was supposed to feel bad about that for her, but I couldn’t help but think it was kind of lame as a plot device. (And let’s be clear, that’s exactly what it was.) Mommy didn’t care about her super art and neither does John. But you can be sure that it’s going to make a big difference before the end of the book!
The villain was weak. The plot was uninteresting. The characters did not inspire my emotions and the romance… well, you already know how I felt about that. This one just wasn’t for me.
Rating: C-/D+
*ARC Provided by publisher
March 6, 2015
A very different twist for a romance as our couple is already married. Mostly an arranged marriage, they are separated after just a couple months as John is sent to China. A lot can happen in 18 months apart, and the next time they see each other, they realize they may have changed more than they realized.
They go through many stumbling blocks as they try to start over and get to know each other once again. It was a fascinating way to develop their relationship. Since they were married and lived together, it set up so many interesting ways and things to learn about. Throw in some fun servants, a young boy looking for "adventure", and a couple pranksters for friends - and there was a lot of good stuff going on.
John is trying to advance his position in the Foreign Office - but he keeps meeting hurdles along the way. Some he sails across and others he falls flat on his face. Mary is determined to help him and show that she is a supportive wife and valuable woman in his life. It was really great.
I think what might have lost the fifth star was the final prank - I understand its point in the story, but the whole scene was just a bit too much compared to the way the rest of the story was written. It was quite funny, it just didn't really fit.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
They go through many stumbling blocks as they try to start over and get to know each other once again. It was a fascinating way to develop their relationship. Since they were married and lived together, it set up so many interesting ways and things to learn about. Throw in some fun servants, a young boy looking for "adventure", and a couple pranksters for friends - and there was a lot of good stuff going on.
John is trying to advance his position in the Foreign Office - but he keeps meeting hurdles along the way. Some he sails across and others he falls flat on his face. Mary is determined to help him and show that she is a supportive wife and valuable woman in his life. It was really great.
I think what might have lost the fifth star was the final prank - I understand its point in the story, but the whole scene was just a bit too much compared to the way the rest of the story was written. It was quite funny, it just didn't really fit.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
March 4, 2015
Back after 2 years abroad to China for work, John is forced to pick up a life back at the foreign office. A life that contains vindictive co-workers catering to their own agenda, elusive Chinese in London, and a wife he left behind after a few short months of marriage.
Both of them have changed, but neither are conviced it's for the better. They'll have to get to know each other all over again in hopes of falling in love.
I found the novel interesting. Coming from a diplomatic family, I never really considered what being married to a person in the foreign office during the 1800s was like. A mission would have taken years, instead of the days that it does now, which means that marriages could have become very strained after. I really like how Ashford had the characters relearn everything about each other. Also, the co-workers were brilliant, and from what I know about foreign services, quite accurate... though I'm not sure anyone would be conned into bringing their own chair to work.
Finally, Mary's ability to draw was a new and great twist to a talent that we see so often in HRs. I love how it takes over and that she's able to see more about the world from it.
Both of them have changed, but neither are conviced it's for the better. They'll have to get to know each other all over again in hopes of falling in love.
I found the novel interesting. Coming from a diplomatic family, I never really considered what being married to a person in the foreign office during the 1800s was like. A mission would have taken years, instead of the days that it does now, which means that marriages could have become very strained after. I really like how Ashford had the characters relearn everything about each other. Also, the co-workers were brilliant, and from what I know about foreign services, quite accurate... though I'm not sure anyone would be conned into bringing their own chair to work.
Finally, Mary's ability to draw was a new and great twist to a talent that we see so often in HRs. I love how it takes over and that she's able to see more about the world from it.
April 6, 2015
"3.5 out of 5 stars, at the urging of their Mothers’ two years ago, John and Mary married each other than John left for a two-year voyage to China for his job at the Foreign Office. Once John returns to England they find that their two years apart has changed them both and as they slowly come to terms with the new changes, they try to figure out how to work as a married couple once and for all. However, are all their personal changes for the better? In addition, with John trying to get advancements at work will they be able to help each other out or will their help turn into more personal blunders?
This is an intensely sweet novel about two supposedly similar individuals, who changed while they were apart, trying to make their marriage work as they navigate the difficulties of English society. I really liked how Mary was able to handle all the changes in her life without ending up being walked on by John or anyone else."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2015/04/made-grade-married-to-perfect-stranger.html
This is an intensely sweet novel about two supposedly similar individuals, who changed while they were apart, trying to make their marriage work as they navigate the difficulties of English society. I really liked how Mary was able to handle all the changes in her life without ending up being walked on by John or anyone else."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2015/04/made-grade-married-to-perfect-stranger.html
March 4, 2015
Delightful and different!
This story has a slightly different premise from the norm. Mary Fleming and John Bexley were married for only a month before he set sail for China with the Trade Commission.
Now after a two year separation, John has returned and I really didn't like his attitudes and peremptory treatment of the wife he left behind. Mary has spent the intervening years with an aunt, at the direction of her family.
John is a different person to the one Mary remembers, but then Mary is no longer the shy little thing he left behind. Mary has a gift. She draws people as she sees them, which can be both illuminating and devastating. Her drawings take on a life of their own. Rather more than one of the required womanly arts. As Mary and John relearn who each other truly is, both Mary's gift and John's pursuit of matters of interest to the England collide.
Add a touch of intrigue and a thoroughly nasty coworker and you have a read that quite warms the heart and touches the soul.
A NetGalley ARC
This story has a slightly different premise from the norm. Mary Fleming and John Bexley were married for only a month before he set sail for China with the Trade Commission.
Now after a two year separation, John has returned and I really didn't like his attitudes and peremptory treatment of the wife he left behind. Mary has spent the intervening years with an aunt, at the direction of her family.
John is a different person to the one Mary remembers, but then Mary is no longer the shy little thing he left behind. Mary has a gift. She draws people as she sees them, which can be both illuminating and devastating. Her drawings take on a life of their own. Rather more than one of the required womanly arts. As Mary and John relearn who each other truly is, both Mary's gift and John's pursuit of matters of interest to the England collide.
Add a touch of intrigue and a thoroughly nasty coworker and you have a read that quite warms the heart and touches the soul.
A NetGalley ARC
January 30, 2015
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in place of an honest review.
I really found this book hard to get into. The relationship between John and Mary was forced at best, although it picked up towards the end. Mary and John got married and then didn't see each other again for a few years. As people tend to do, they each changed. When he comes back and does not find his wife as biddable as he thought, challenges ensue. The story was great and while I liked Mary, I had a hard time liking John or understanding what was going on between the two of them. The things that happened (which I won't touch on so as not to give spoilers) where you get to see a different side of John are great, but it felt like a few pages later he was someone you couldn't stand all over again. Sorry, not my favorite read. All that being said, I would still be interested in reading another book by Jane Ashford. I feel like there is much more to love from her.
I really found this book hard to get into. The relationship between John and Mary was forced at best, although it picked up towards the end. Mary and John got married and then didn't see each other again for a few years. As people tend to do, they each changed. When he comes back and does not find his wife as biddable as he thought, challenges ensue. The story was great and while I liked Mary, I had a hard time liking John or understanding what was going on between the two of them. The things that happened (which I won't touch on so as not to give spoilers) where you get to see a different side of John are great, but it felt like a few pages later he was someone you couldn't stand all over again. Sorry, not my favorite read. All that being said, I would still be interested in reading another book by Jane Ashford. I feel like there is much more to love from her.
March 2, 2015
Mary and John's parents have matched them up and go along with the plan to please them. Shortly after they were married John left on a two-year diplomatic mission. While he was gone Mary is shipped off to care for an elderly aunt, where she become a strong independent woman. When John returns he finds a different woman than the one he married, and is not sure he likes the change. But once they get to know each other, they both want a marriage on their terms and not on what their family expects. Mary has a gift of drawing that shows what people try their hardest to hide that plays a big part in the mystery. Delightful characters, dialogue and interesting story. I would pick up another book by this author.
June 6, 2016
From the blurb, this book sounds very interesting. But the execution was not all it could have been. I found myself skimming thru most of the last half.
October 17, 2016
A lovely book! Found a new author.
September 11, 2017
This guy is a dick.
July 19, 2021
I tried and ended skimming. H was such a rude a@$.
August 30, 2017
John and Mary are managed into a marriage by their determined mothers. They are both deemed feckless dreamers by their families and mocked in mildly condescending ways. A few weeks after their marriage, John is sent on a foreign delegation to China, returning after a shipwreck and two years. In that time, both John and Mary have changed dramatically. They are both determined, effective, and competent...and very different from the people they were upon their marriage. They are, in fact, married to perfect strangers.
This is a charming love story with well-developed characters that a reader can like and enjoy. Mary had been shuffled off to her outspoken great aunt's home at a time when Aunt Lavinia was losing herself, and the household turned to Mary as the manager. John became a more focused man with a vision of the kind of information needed to develop a more causal relationship with China. He has the skills to advance in the Foreign Service without the society/aristocratic connections so important to that ambition. He also has an enemy - one member of the delegation abandoned ship during the shipwreck to save his own neck leaving others to their fate. John took charge and anonymously saved the senior officers and the delegation. Presumably guilt and jealously are the underlying reasons Fordyce tries to sabotage John’s career.
John and Mary, at first at odds, learn to respect, trust and love one another. They grow in confidence as their relationship strengthens. Mary’s artistic talent, so demeaned by her family, allows her to illustrate her subjects’ strengths as well as their fears. Her cook and maid, very disgruntled by their new positions, become more understandable. Youngster Arthur Windly and his antics become more clear. Since the Bexleys do not move in ‘ton’ish circles, this Regency is different, but no less enjoyable. Recommended.
Disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Readalikes/Similar Authors:
Elizabeth Aston – Mr. Darcy’s Daughters; romances of Eloisa James; Eva Leigh – Temptations of a Wallflower; Candace Camp – A Dangerous Man; Elizabeth Boyle – Along Came a Duke; Joan Johnston – Captive; Isabella Bradford – When You Wish Upon a Duke; Julie Anne Long – Beauty and the Spy; Mary Balogh; Mary Jo Putney;
Pace: fast
Characters: Well-developed within genre stereotypes; likeable;
Story: character-driven
Language: engaging
Tone: heartwarming; mildly sensuous; upbeat
Frame: 1817; London, Somerset
This is a charming love story with well-developed characters that a reader can like and enjoy. Mary had been shuffled off to her outspoken great aunt's home at a time when Aunt Lavinia was losing herself, and the household turned to Mary as the manager. John became a more focused man with a vision of the kind of information needed to develop a more causal relationship with China. He has the skills to advance in the Foreign Service without the society/aristocratic connections so important to that ambition. He also has an enemy - one member of the delegation abandoned ship during the shipwreck to save his own neck leaving others to their fate. John took charge and anonymously saved the senior officers and the delegation. Presumably guilt and jealously are the underlying reasons Fordyce tries to sabotage John’s career.
John and Mary, at first at odds, learn to respect, trust and love one another. They grow in confidence as their relationship strengthens. Mary’s artistic talent, so demeaned by her family, allows her to illustrate her subjects’ strengths as well as their fears. Her cook and maid, very disgruntled by their new positions, become more understandable. Youngster Arthur Windly and his antics become more clear. Since the Bexleys do not move in ‘ton’ish circles, this Regency is different, but no less enjoyable. Recommended.
Disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Readalikes/Similar Authors:
Elizabeth Aston – Mr. Darcy’s Daughters; romances of Eloisa James; Eva Leigh – Temptations of a Wallflower; Candace Camp – A Dangerous Man; Elizabeth Boyle – Along Came a Duke; Joan Johnston – Captive; Isabella Bradford – When You Wish Upon a Duke; Julie Anne Long – Beauty and the Spy; Mary Balogh; Mary Jo Putney;
Pace: fast
Characters: Well-developed within genre stereotypes; likeable;
Story: character-driven
Language: engaging
Tone: heartwarming; mildly sensuous; upbeat
Frame: 1817; London, Somerset
August 21, 2018
I received this book free from charge through net galley in exchange for an honest and fair review.
I'm happy to say that I quite enjoyed this volume of work by Jane. I'm a big fan of marriage of convenience-turned to love books and this was just what I hoped.
Mary and John were pushed together by their parents, being the youngest siblings with little to offer, and thought to be a great match. Although they got along in the beginning of their relationship, soon after their marriage, John was sent away by his job for a couple of years. Open his return, he and Mary discover they have grown into different people and aren't sure how to behave around one another.
Mary was an interesting character for me. Only because they were parts of her I liked and parts of her disliked. I love how she expressed herself and her perception of others through drawing. I liked that she was supportive of John in everything that he did however there were times where she felt to meddlesome and annoying. I have a hard time understanding a person who would constantly berate their spouse to know what's going on with their job when they know that they deal with sensitive information.
I liked that John was not the stereotypical drop dead gorgeous hero. He was rather average, as was his job, and his strives to be taken seriously and to make a difference allowed him to not fall into the box of cliché regency male lead.
I feel like the plot was pretty original. Some of the issues and themes throughout the book are not necessarily some that we always see in literature set in this time period.
Overall it was a good and easy read!
I'm happy to say that I quite enjoyed this volume of work by Jane. I'm a big fan of marriage of convenience-turned to love books and this was just what I hoped.
Mary and John were pushed together by their parents, being the youngest siblings with little to offer, and thought to be a great match. Although they got along in the beginning of their relationship, soon after their marriage, John was sent away by his job for a couple of years. Open his return, he and Mary discover they have grown into different people and aren't sure how to behave around one another.
Mary was an interesting character for me. Only because they were parts of her I liked and parts of her disliked. I love how she expressed herself and her perception of others through drawing. I liked that she was supportive of John in everything that he did however there were times where she felt to meddlesome and annoying. I have a hard time understanding a person who would constantly berate their spouse to know what's going on with their job when they know that they deal with sensitive information.
I liked that John was not the stereotypical drop dead gorgeous hero. He was rather average, as was his job, and his strives to be taken seriously and to make a difference allowed him to not fall into the box of cliché regency male lead.
I feel like the plot was pretty original. Some of the issues and themes throughout the book are not necessarily some that we always see in literature set in this time period.
Overall it was a good and easy read!
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