Harlequin Romance #1985, Wife Made to Measure

by Ruth Clemence

Genres: Harlequin Romance, Marriage Of Convenience

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[boogenhagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

h is bullied into marrying the H by him and his mother who run a modeling agency. She is an orphan and kinda lets them run her life, mainly cause they go out their way to put her down and demoralize her.

She finally wises up after numerous H acts of cheating with OW, lies and intense patronization and wisely decides to ditch his rear. Then his bovine, snot snarfing nematode parasite pustule of an interfering mother comes back and forces her to stay.

This was a major disappointment cause the H was a using, cheatin' pig and she should have kicked him to the curb and gotten a new life.

[Naksed · Rating 1 out of 5]

That tried and true formula for winning over your wife: spend all your time with glam OW, while you treat your plain Jane wife as your dogsbody. Condescending mother in law steps in at the moment heroine may have had a chance to grow a spine and leave the jerk. My take on it? Heroine is the family approved meek mouse who will keep the home fires burning and be the perfect cover for husband's many many affairs.

[StMargarets · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story suffers from male superiority syndrome - not only does the hero have it, but the heroine believes in it, too. It's too bad, since the hero obviously loves the heroine, but the language he uses and the tactics he displays to break through her shy reserve just come off as condescending and patriarchal.

So language - he calls the heroine "kitten" or "sweet puss." Back in the day this might have been delightful, but in 2016 - no.

Tactics. Let's make the insecure secretary (now your bride) whom you've known since childhood jealous with lots of meeting with super models! That will bring her around.

How about never telling her you love her? Or cutting off conversations when they start to get interesting? That will work.

And finally, bring mom home for the US to finally get this married couple straightened out! Thank goodness that one worked.

There's also a sub-plot with the heroine's brother who needs gambling money, which puts the heroine in a bad spot. And there is a couple from a previous book who is having their baby christened and that takes up a chapter.

It's not a terrible book - but it's terribly dated in the hero's attitude and language. Still, the clothes and make up descriptions were a lot of fun. And the hero was sincere - in that Austin Powers - hey baby - overconfident way.

[Margo · Rating 1 out of 5]

When so much is wrong with a book, one can only write a healing revisionist epilogue.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another MOC with misunderstandings that could have been cleared up with a few minutes of honest conversation. The hero keeps a secret from the heroine that makes it look like he is involved with OW. This is another book were the heroine feels ashamed when she finds out what the secret is when in reality a husband should never keep that kind of secret from his wife.

[Lori Nemitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read between January & June 1985.

Original notes on book from 1985: Good Harlequin.