Wednesday, August 2

Book Review: Merely the Groom by Rebecca Hagan Lee

Author: Rebecca Hagan Lee
Title: Merely the Groom (Free Fellows League #2)
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 319
Published: April 2004
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Colin McElreath, Viscount Grantham, has sold his soul to the devil—a devil of an irate English father. For cash. Colin is about to become a very wealthy man—a very wealthy married man.

The powerful Baron Davies urgently requires a respectable husband for Gillian, his disgraced daughter, and he sees Colin as the perfect candidate. When Colin balks, Davies isn't above using his daughter's large dowry as an incentive—or applying a bit of blackmail. He threatens to expose the undercover work the Free Fellows do for the government, and as a charter member of the Free Fellow League, Colin has sworn to protect the League at all cost. Also someone has been masquerading as Colin, which indirectly landed Gillian in her predicament, so Colin is faced with no choice.

He doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry at the irony. After a lifetime of avoiding society misses, he is about to marry one.

Miss Gillian Davies is about to become a blushing bride.

And Colin McElreath is merely the groom ...



I read the first one a bit ago and I loved it. I was intrigued to read Colin's story. I also love the whole concept of a group of guys who not only made a vow to avoid marriage as long as possible and to focus on the good of England. I still get why guys hate the concept of marriage, but men are silly. 

Colin has to pretty much make his own way and take care of his family due to his father's gambling issues. Gillian was seduced by a cad and then abandoned. Through some crazy scenarios, they end up being married. 

The beginning was good. The middle was good and then the ending died out. The climactic part near the end was so underplayed I barely even caught it. All this build up and then it died. So upsetting. It really had a chance to be really good, but yeah...it died. 

I did love the romance between Colin and Gillian. Sure they married first to save each other's reputation due to that jerk, but they did have a small lusting for each other. They became good friends and then love happened. It worked very well for the two characters. 

Colin and his family need to abandon his dad. I can't stand how they just allow him to just gamble away the fortune and not say or do anything. Especially the mom...like what? C'mon people. 

Overall, I enjoyed the journey of the two characters and their love story. It was okay. The climactic part at the end was a big meh. I am curious to read the other stories. I'll give this a 3. 
















2 comments:

Blodeuedd said...

Oh I do not know

Carole Rae said...

B, the first book is good.