An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

I’ve really enjoyed Kristi’s books in the past so I couldn’t wait to read this one. Plus, look at that cover. Gorgeous!

Let’s begin with the summary:

Life for Lady Adelaide Bell was easier if she hid in her older sister's shadow--which worked until her sister got married. Even with the pressure of her socially ambitious mother, the last thing she expected was a marriage of convenience to save her previously spotless reputation.

Lord Trent Hawthorne couldn't be happier that he is not the duke in the family. He's free to manage his small estate and take his time discovering the life he wants to lead, which includes grand plans of wooing and falling in love with the woman of his choice. When he finds himself honor bound to marry a woman he doesn't know, his dream of a marriage like his parents' seems lost forever.

Already starting their marriage on shaky ground, can Adelaide and Trent's relationship survive the pressures of London society?

And now, my review:

I loved the premise of this book, of a husband romancing his wife. I felt sympathetic toward the hero in this story and could understand why he longed for a marriage like his parents’. I also loved the setting and genre of this Regency romance. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t find the heroine relatable. I felt like we were kept at a distance from her. I couldn’t sympathize with her. She didn’t come across as warm, but instead rather robotic. We didn’t get to learn what she wanted, her history, or her motivations. Without these, she didn’t feel “real.”

The pacing lagged a few times, and there were some believability issues that seemed to cause or result from plot holes.

I did like how the hero acted nobly toward his wife. The author also brought up a sensitive issue that I was surprised to see addressed. You’ll have to read to find out what. 

On the upside, there was a bit of humor, and I did keep reading to see how the author worked out the central conflict.