The Desperate Viscount by Gayle Buck

There's something about a Regency that's just different from a historical. I always enjoy reading about how the characters fit into their social roles - why have a titled hero or heroine if the title doesn't affect what they do and how they act? However, sometimes I find myself wanting more...

The Desperate Viscount by Gayle Buck
(1993, Regency) 7/9/08
Grade: 3.5

Hotheaded Viscount St. John always thought he would inherit a dukedom, but after his uncle suddenly marries, he is forced to marry for money. Tradesman’s daughter Mary Pepperidge has the requisite dowry, but Sinjin finds himself unaccountably attracted to his quiet bride, although he never thought he’d let himself trust again after a painful childhood.

A well-written and interesting Regency, but it lacked romance, and shyed away from emotional intensity. I was intrigued by the character of Sinjin, who is depicted in great detail, especially in the first part of the book. (The heroine barely appears until the second half.) Sinjin’s pride is deeply hurt by the loss of his prospective title, especially when his fiance drops him and the ton turns him into a joke. But he leans on his friends, who are also described in great detail (a wonderful part of the book). There’s also a lot of interesting details about the ton and the social structures. However, I would have liked to know more about Sinjin’s past, which is only hinted at, as well as more about his relationship with Mary. The heroine isn’t as well drawn as the hero - although she has some spark, she’s mostly a stereotypical good girl - and I was disappointed that the author devoted so much time to Mary’s dealings with her uncouth sister, rather than delving into her marriage. Overall, I felt like the book ended too soon, leaving me feeling unfulfilled, despite the interesting hero.

I don't usually go looking for sequels to most books I read. I usually find them disappointing - the appearance of a familiar character isn't enough to make me like a book that didn't attract me on the first go-round. However, I found the hero's friends so appealing in this book, I had to find out whether the author had written about them, too! Alas, no. Probably because they weren't typical "romance heroes", which is probably why I liked them!