This is the blurb on the back cover of Suzanne Allain’s Regency romance, Mr. Malcolm’s List.: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements…deserves his comeuppance.” But, does he? There is a better quote for the book. William Congreve is quoted as writing in his play, “The Mourning Bride”, “Heav’n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn’d, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn’d.” It’s a woman who feels scorned who causes all the problems in Allain’s novel.
The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm is the biggest catch of the season in 1818. He’s a second son, but he inherited a fortune and a large country house. But, he made several mistakes. He took Julia Thistelwaite to the opera. And, he confided to her not-to-bright cousin, Lord Cassidy, that he wasn’t interested in Julia. She didn’t fit the ten items on his list, his requirements for a wife.
Julia is angry, and she has plans to make Malcolm pay. She writes to a friend from finishing school, Selina Dalton, and asks her to visit. For three years, Selina, a vicar’s daughter, had been the companion to a woman who had just recently died. She’s eager to visit London and see Julia, but she had forgotten how selfish and proud Julia is. Julia wants to introduce Selina to Mr. Malcolm, have him fall in love and propose, and then Selina can tell Malcolm he doesn’t meet her requirements for a husband. Selina is opposed to the scheme, but Julia threatens to disinvite her and send her back to the country.
Julia’s plans work beautifully for a short time. Malcolm falls for Selina. Unfortunately, an honest Selina also falls for Mr. Malcolm. That is not part of Julia’s schemes.
While I liked Selina and Malcolm, I detested Julia. I couldn’t even feel any warm feelings for the lying, manipulative brat by the end of the book. To be honest, my sympathies were actually with Malcolm and Selina’s mothers. Those two women were actually the backbone and spirit of the second half of the book. Because there’s a happily-ever-after in books, this happily-ever-after came about because of the two mothers.
There were some funny situations in the book and humorous comments and dialogue between Selma and Malcolm. I’m afraid, though, that rather than rooting for their romance, I found myself hoping for a comeuppance for Julia. I was sorely disappointed in that lack in Mr. Malcolm’s List.
Suzanne Allain’s website is http://suzanneallain.com/
Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain. Jove, 2020. ISBN 9780593197400 (paperback), 245p.
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
Did people back then really make checklists?
I haven’t read a Regency romance since I was required to read Pride and Prejudice in high school, and I’m not going to start any time soon, but this is probably the harshest review I can recall you giving a book.
Oh, no. I’ve given harsher, Glen. It’s just that I couldn’t stand one of the characters.
That can really throw a book off, especially if it is a major character.
I have had to quit reading more than one series because a major character was so obnoxious, and so offensive to me, that I couldn’t stand to read about her. I read the first one only in hope that she would get killed, and when she didn’t, that was it for me. There are too many other things I would rather read.
I loved your phrasing there, Jeff, that you read the first book only in hope that she would get killed. I think a number of people felt that way about Susan Silverman in Robert B. Parker’s Spenser books.
And, you’re right. While I liked the courting couple, I disliked almost every scene that Julia was in. She just rubbed me the wrong way with her schemes and lies.