An Infamous Marriage by Susanna Fraser
Publication Date:November 5th 2012
Publisher:Carina Press
An Infamous Marriage is a decent historical romance, one that was incredible in the beginning only to be dragged down by a really slow second half.
Like I said, when I started reading An Infamous Marriage, and throughout the first half of the book, I was quite certain that I had a winner in my hands. I mean, up to the point that Jack gets back home to a wife he doesn't want I was in love with this story. I liked the setting, the characters, everything about this book screamed amazing. Well, you know me, I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience or forced marriage trope and especially if the sparks are flying between the main couple. And as long as Jack and Elizabeth were away from each other you could feel the promise of sparks in the air between them. All the potential was there and Susanna Fraser did an excellent job in building the anticipation of the two of them getting back together. Only when the time of the reunion actually came, the sparks went away, so far away, that you couldn't even see their promise in the air I'm afraid....
You see, when you spent the whole first half of the book hearing Jack being utterly frustrated that he had to go home to a wife he never wanted, that he actually preferred to stay at risk in the battlefield rather than get back to a normal life by her side while at the same time you see a so determined to keep him away and punish him Elizabeth, well, it's only natural that you expect them to bicker a lot, to fight each other and their growing feelings, if for no other reason than their wounded pride (well that applies mostly to Elizabeth).
What we actually get, is a Jack, who as soon as he lays eyes on his wife falls in love with her and an Elizabeth who can't resist him for long. So, you get why I was a little bit disappointed with their reunion... And although I could maybe understand Elizabeth, I just couldn't see exactly why and how Jack was so determined to get her affections other than the fact that Elizabeth was a lot prettier than he remembered her.
Anyway, apart from the lack of sparks between the main couple, the writing style was good enough, the book well researched and in overall An Infamous Marriage was a decent book, that it could easily have been a lot better in my opinion. After all, the potential was all there.
*This title was provided for review via NetGalley
E-Book
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's WebsiteNorthumberland, 1815
At long last, Britain is at peace, and General Jack Armstrong is coming home to the wife he barely knows. Wed for mutual convenience, their union unconsummated, the couple has exchanged only cold, dutiful letters. With no more wars to fight, Jack is ready to attempt a peace treaty of his own.
Elizabeth Armstrong is on the warpath. She never expected fidelity from the husband she knew for only a week, but his scandalous exploits have made her the object of pity for years. Now that he's back, she has no intention of sharing her bed with him—or providing him with an heir—unless he can earn her forgiveness. No matter what feelings he ignites within her…
Jack is not expecting a spirited, confident woman in place of the meek girl he left behind. As his desire intensifies, he wants much more than a marriage in name only. But winning his wife's love may be the greatest battle he's faced yet.
This review was first published in Book Lovers Inc
Like I said, when I started reading An Infamous Marriage, and throughout the first half of the book, I was quite certain that I had a winner in my hands. I mean, up to the point that Jack gets back home to a wife he doesn't want I was in love with this story. I liked the setting, the characters, everything about this book screamed amazing. Well, you know me, I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience or forced marriage trope and especially if the sparks are flying between the main couple. And as long as Jack and Elizabeth were away from each other you could feel the promise of sparks in the air between them. All the potential was there and Susanna Fraser did an excellent job in building the anticipation of the two of them getting back together. Only when the time of the reunion actually came, the sparks went away, so far away, that you couldn't even see their promise in the air I'm afraid....
You see, when you spent the whole first half of the book hearing Jack being utterly frustrated that he had to go home to a wife he never wanted, that he actually preferred to stay at risk in the battlefield rather than get back to a normal life by her side while at the same time you see a so determined to keep him away and punish him Elizabeth, well, it's only natural that you expect them to bicker a lot, to fight each other and their growing feelings, if for no other reason than their wounded pride (well that applies mostly to Elizabeth).
What we actually get, is a Jack, who as soon as he lays eyes on his wife falls in love with her and an Elizabeth who can't resist him for long. So, you get why I was a little bit disappointed with their reunion... And although I could maybe understand Elizabeth, I just couldn't see exactly why and how Jack was so determined to get her affections other than the fact that Elizabeth was a lot prettier than he remembered her.
Anyway, apart from the lack of sparks between the main couple, the writing style was good enough, the book well researched and in overall An Infamous Marriage was a decent book, that it could easily have been a lot better in my opinion. After all, the potential was all there.
*This title was provided for review via NetGalley
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