The Husband List by Ella Quinn (TLC Book Tours)

 

Are you a list maker?  I have lists for everything, especially work-related items.  It feels so satisfying to cross something off a list!

Lady Madeline Vivers just wants to have a conventional marriage and life without adventure.  Mr. Harry Stern is ambitious and wants to rise in parliament and does not seem like a good match to Madeline.  Harry is convinced otherwise and thinks Madeline will be the perfect wife to help him to help serve the people of England.  Harry is not titled, which does cause problems for her mother.  The most important thing on Madeline’s list is for her to love her husband for him to love her.  Will Harry be able to meet this requirement or will it be the Duke that her mother is pushing forward?

The Husband List is book number nine in the Worthington series, and the second book in the Worthington Brides series.  I read and enjoyed book number eight (or one), The Marriage List, earlier this year.  I was more used to the characters this time around, but I still think I need to go back to the beginning and read the entire series, so I know what is happening.  There are a lot of supporting characters, and their relationships are not all explained in this novel.  It made it confusing when I just wanted to focus on the main story of Madeline and Harry.

The Husband List is a slow burn romance without a lot of angst to the story. I enjoyed Lady Madeline’s first year as a debutante and her husband list.  I always enjoy balls and social occasions.    The main conflict in this story is Madeline’s mother’s insistent that she married a titled person.  Since I have read The Marriage List, I did like that Eleanor was in this book as well.  Harry and Madeline were both good people and I enjoyed them as characters.  Just like in the first book, there were social issues from the time in this novel and I enjoyed reading about them.

This book was low on the steam level and had mostly closed-door romance. 

Book Source: Review Copy from Kensington Book Group.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the TLC Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Marriage List by Ella Quinn (TLC Book Tour)

 

Are you a list maker?  I definitely am.  I like lists, plans, and schedules.  It should come as no surprise that I found a calling as an engineer.

Lady Eleanor Carpenter is a list maker herself and makes a list for what she is looking for in a husband as she starts her season in Regency England.  When John, the Marquis of Montagu starts to pay pointed attention to her, does he meet the requirements of her list?  Why does he only talk about the weather?  Montagu is looking for someone that is quiet and docile, as he gets to know Eleanor, he realizes he admires her for her opinions.  Will the two be able to find true love?

The Marriage List is a slow burn romance.  I enjoyed the ins and outs of the season and the large family.  I loved all of the children and animals in particular.  This book is part of the Worthington Brides series and is book number eight.  I wish it would have had a chart in the beginning that showed the family tree.  There were a lot of side characters and I’ll admit to getting confused on who was who.   It was distracting.  I think it would be better to read the first books in this series before this book.    I did enjoy Lady Eleanor as a character in particular and that she was such a strong willed woman.

I enjoyed the start of the novel when Lady Eleanor helped out a family in need and explained her interest in helping miners and their families.  I love stories that include miners and mining.  There was also a miner, Dobbins, who was out to get Eleanor for helping out the family in need.  This storyline popped up throughout the novel, but I found myself always wondering why I didn’t hear more about it.  I thought it gave a great start to the book and it was exciting, but I wish it would have been more prominent throughout the story. It did make for an exciting conclusion to the novel.

Favorite Quote:

“It had become clear that if I was to get what I wanted, I must take action instead of hoping it will come to me.”

Review Copy from Kensington Books as part of the TLC Book Tour.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About The Marriage List

Publisher: Zebra (December 27, 2022)

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

For fans of Bridgerton and lovers of sexy, sparkling Regency romance, USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn presents a delightful new trilogy set in the reader-favorite world of Regency England’s beloved extended family, The Worthingtons, returning in this first sparkling tale for fans of Sabrina Jeffries, Eloisa James, and Tessa Dare.

As part of a large, rambunctious family, Lady Eleanor Carpenter has gained some knowledge of what makes a successful marriage. She’s even compiled a list of essential qualifications in a potential husband. John, the Marquis of Montagu, seems of good character (check), with money enough to support a family (check). But what of the many other requirements on her list?

Montagu, meanwhile, believes the key to a comfortable life lies in marrying someone quiet and docile. Yet the one lady who captivates him could hardly be more different to what he envisioned. Lady Eleanor is as opinionated as she is lovely, determined to improve working conditions for coal miners, even at risk to her own safety.

From evenings at Almack’s to carriage rides in Hyde Park, this Season will contain many pleasures—and a few surprises that compel both John and Eleanor to rethink their expectations. For one thing is certain: love will not be defined by any list . . .