A Convenient Pretense

by Elaine Violette

When Emily Grace Hughes, a poetess with an aversion to marriage, proposes a convenient pretense of courtship to Lord Marcus Deming during the London Season, Marcus sees it as a perfect solution to his matchmaking aunt’s interference. While the ruse ends in emotional turmoil and misconceptions, a more devious pretense brews at the Hughes’ estate, threatening all that Emily holds dear. Will Marcus’ unspoken love for Emily drive him to uncover the truth behind both pretenses or will the more malicious deceiver become the victor?

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Elaine writes British and American Historical Romances. Part of the fun of writing Historicals, she says, is doing research into the past and creating characters that live and love in those sometimes glorious and sometimes harrowing times. A veteran English teacher, Elaine holds a BS in English Education from the University of CT and an MS in Educational Leadership from Central CT State University. She presently teaches public speaking part time at a local community college. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and CT Romance Writers (CTRWA). Residing on the Connecticut shoreline with her golfing husband, Drew, she delights in being a wife, mother, and grandmother. Other favorite activities apart from reading and writing are nature walks, kayaking, and baking yummy desserts.

Reviews

[Rachel V.]

This is the first book I have read out of the Blush Collection from Ellora’s Cave. It was very good story and I will read other in the collection also.

Emily has no use for the games played during the London Season and has no desire to secure a husband. After being ordered by her father to go anyway and at least try to get a husband she comes up with a plan to ward any potential suitors away. Marcus is tired of the matchmaking attempts by his aunt and doesn’t want to be saddled with a wife so he agrees to the pretense Emily proposes. Little did they know it might work to well.

This story has romance, but it also has humor and mystery in it. I found the story to be fun as well as funny at times and the mystery was a little predictable for me but still plenty enjoyable. There was a few twists and turns to the story that I did not see coming. As far as the romance goes it is very light on the kissing. I think only once or twice in the story. I would have liked to see just a little more however kissing in it.

The characters and the setting was very detailed and well thought out. I would read other stories by this author also. I enjoy reading Regency Romances.

*I received this book free from the publisher in return for an honest review.*

[Lindsay]

I found this novel pretty entertaining at parts. Recently I've been in the mood for historical romance, and when I came across this in my local library's ebook collection I thought, why not? It took me about a week to read as I had a lot of other things going on, but the book moved slowly enough that I was able to put it down without any gotta-see-what-happens anxiety.

I was a bit put-off at the beginning of the book because of how cliche it began. Nineteenth century female with passion stubbornly refuses to marry against the wishes of her family. Of course I knew that meant the book would end with her, in fact, marrying.

I did like the main characters Emily and Marcus. I thought they each had very distinct personalities that fit together nicely. As is expected in romance novels they take to each other quite quickly and without much substantial reason. As for Emily and Marcus' aunts, they were not very well-rounded characters at all. I had to keep reminding myself which aunt was which because essentially they read like the same person: frolickey, frivolous, and intrusive. I did think they added a lot of fun to the story, though.

There were a couple aspects to the story I didn't think were necessary. The first scene where we "overhear" Eva and Willard discussing the poison, I don't think the word "poison" really needs to be used. As a reader, I already knew well before that that something fishy was going on, I don't need the author to insult my intelligence by "making sure I get it." I highly doubt if two people were going to poison someone that they would openly use the word "poison" in a busy household. That's just careless and unrealistic. I also thought Eva dying during the climax scene was ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. It just made the story less credible. What kind of serious head injury did she inflict on herself that she was both consistently conscious and dead within minutes? Am I the only person that noticed how unaffected everyone was? The doctor just went over and calmly shook his head when he couldn't find a pulse? Seriously? This scene really bugged me. It's like Violette wanted the scene to be a little more climactic so she thought - lets kill someone!

I didn't mind the writing. I found it easy to read and it flowed well. I read an ebook copy though, and I was rather annoyed at the vast amount of typos I had to stumble over throughout the book. I also got annoyed with overuse of the metaphor, "left on the shelf."

I didn't think the book ended as well as it could have. We spend the entire book hearing about Emily and Marcus' disagreements on marriage, but there is no resolution. Obviously at the end they just up and decide to marry. Emily spends so much time worrying that Marcus won't approve of her goals and aspirations, but then at the end of the book the topic is brought up casually like it was nothing.

In the end, it was certainly entertaining and did provide some literary enjoyment over the last week. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, but if you're thinking about reading it I say - go ahead.

[Lindsay Townsend]

There are many intelligent heroines in Regency novels. Emily, the heroine in 'A Convenient Pretense,' is both intelligent, well-read, beautiful and a poet. Her poems reflect her mood and explore her feelings and desires - emotions she has fiercely suppressed due to her mother's dire warnings about the misery of marriage for women. Being sensitive and caring, Emily has observed the impact of marriage on the parents before her mother's death and what she has seen makes her reluctant to give up what little independence she has in order to marry. Yet in Regency England, marriage was seen as the only goal for young women. When Emily is forced to ensure a season in London, how can she avoid the trap of wedlock and return to he beloved home and father?

Marcus, the hero, is also in no hurry to marry, although he is aware that he must have an heir for his Earldom. His parents were unsuited and he vows not to open himself up to the hurt of love.

These two, so similar in their bold, headstrong, stubborn natures and their determination not to fall under any yoke of matrimony, meet and decide to help each other. To keep off other suitors, they will pretend to have feelings for one another.

The complications arise when, as Emily and Marcus begin to spend time with one another and learn to know each other, their pretense becomes real.

Written in a lovely, flowing style, with a warm, compassionate eye, 'A Convenient Pretense' is perfectly paced. We see Marcus and Emily fighting their growing attraction to each other and joining together to thwart an evil injustice. There is romance, excitement, intrigue and mystery deftly threaded through the novel and the ending is wonderfully apt and tender.

[Joy Smith]

Reading novels set in the Victorian age have always frustrated me because back then women were perceived (and treated)by men as chattel. Yet, with A Convenient Pretense I found myself cheering on Emily in her struggles to live her life her way. Elaine Violette presents us with strong characters that go against the grain, as well as an accurate rendition of the strict mores of the era. In it, a feisty heroine who wants to be a poet instead of a wife and a noble earl who sees marriage as a future duty, scheme to avoid the influx of eligible men and women presented to them by pretending to court each other. Laced with original love poems, this beautifully written romance kept me riveted with the cat and mouse play between Emily and the Earl as they fight off admitting they love each other. Emily's father's serious illness coupled with an obnoxious cousin (the only male heir) who moves into her family home with plans to take over their estate adds drama and suspense to the story, making A Convenient Pretense,/i> a page-turning read.