[.ca] The Marriage Bargain (ISBN 0446614386)

Delicate.:
Unquestionably, Diane Perkins' latest romance begins with a unique and dramatic opening that clearly caught this seasoned reader off guard! Yet, Ms. Perkins didn't settle on sensationalism to uncover this romance story. No, following her 'Edgar Allan Poe' opening, Ms. Perkins continued to guide THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN into the realm of gentle love. Spencer Keenan, the Earl of Kellworth and Emma Chambers are married, but married in name only. Emma lives in destitution on the country estate of Kellworth and the earl, upon returning from the Napoleonic wars, lives untroubled in London. He knows his countess is at Kellworth, but what he does NOT know is she lives in poverty. Through a misadventure, they return Spencer Keenan to Kellworth. They return him to face his wife. Reluctantly, he encounters Emma's meager conditions and gripping bitterness. Guiltily, Spencer Keenan accepts the blame. What he fails to accept is why? Why does his wife live in such deprivation? After all, Kellworth is a prosperous property and he is a very wealthy man. THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN is a pleasant read and Ms. Perkins tells her story by using wonderful Regency detail - which beautifies the gentle romance. However, something is missing. A prologue or some expansion chapters seemed necessary to further clarify the heroine's relationship with her mother, the lecherous uncle, and even the initial bond with the hero. Without this background material, I felt I dropped into the story midway. Nevertheless, Diane Perkins (AKA Diane Gaston) is a very gifted writer and I do look forward to more from this author in the future; she remains firmly planted on my 'auto-buy' list. Grade: B MaryGrace Meloche This review is based on an Advanced Reading Copy.