My thanks to Linore Rose Burkard for sending me an ARC of her latest release, Miss Wetherham’s Wedding. As you know, I am more inclined to read historical mysteries, but my bread and butter is romantic historical mysteries, so I enjoy the occasional bit of romance as well. I think Miss Wetherham’s Wedding is set in the Regency period, with high style among the beau monde. However, Miss Wethersham, widowed with no income from a defunct mine, may not be moving among the beau monde any longer unless she can clear her debts and find some income.
Nicholas Dellacourt may be the solution to Miss Wethersham’s financial woes, as he offers her a sizable sum to assist him in recapturing a woman he was jilted by. Miss Wethersham believes that he loves Sophia, but really he just wants to get back at her and her fiance’s family for wronging him at every turn. Miss Wethersham is charged with trying to draw Sophia’s fiance’s attention away from Sophia and onto herself – if she could marry an earl, even one she’s not very attracted to, she would never have financial problems again.
All in all, if you’re looking for a clean romance, this is your book. Its plot was pretty solid (better than Miss Tavistock’s Mistake); there was a lot of role-switching and conflicting opinions between characters which kept things interesting. This book has a really predictable ending and you can totally see through the plot but, let’s be honest, you don’t read a romance because you want an unpredictable read! You read a romance novel for the same reason you watch a Hallmark movie: you want a comforting, familiar storyline with a happy ending. Miss Wethersham’s Wedding is certainly that.
I have a couple of faults with this read but, let me remind you, I really like mysteries. First, I could have done with more historical details. There were some carriages, servants, gowns, and signs that let you know you’re reading a historical book, but when characters are exchanging pleasantries or dinner conversation I think that it would have been helpful to input some relevant details. For example “Did you attend the Regent’s parade the other day?” or “What did you think of X from the Congress of Vienna?” I think some relevant padding would have made it a more authentic historical novel.
Second, I realize that personal feelings were not very spoken about, historically – there was a lot of innuendo – but both Miss Wethersham and Mr. Dellacourt could have articulated themselves much better throughout the novel. I didn’t agree with many of Miss Wethersham’s decisions, and it wasn’t until the end of the book that she started making what I would consider rational decisions. I had the same issue with Miss Tavistock; upper-class women were not very worldly, and weren’t really taught to think very much, but I still feel like both could have been given a little more rationality and sensibility as characters. As we see Dellacourt progress throughout the book, I expected him to choose the most obvious and easy solution, but he seemed to not even consider it.
All things considered, if you’re looking for a comforting, predictable romance, choose this one. You will not be disappointed. Everyone needs a comfort book like a comfort food once in a while, and this will certainly do it for you.