MISS MONICA MARRIES

by Kathryn Farland ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 15, 1984

Miss Monica Spellinger is 26, unwed, a Regency orphan living in the country with tough, wise grandma Lady Jocasta--while her large inheritance is being frittered away by slimy Uncle Justin, trustee of the estate till Monica marries. So Lady J., fed up with this situation, imperiously matches Monica up with her godson, rakish Lord Tony Rivers--who needs a wife to help care for his four orphaned nieces. Tony and the girls come down from town for a visit; he makes his unromantic proposal--""I don't love you, I hardly even know you""--to a scornful Monica. But, having lost her heart to the unruly, love-needy nieces, Monica does agree to marry--as long as it's a non-conjugal marriage-of-convenience! So the wedding takes place, marred only slightly by the sudden death of Uncle Justin's trampy wife. (The question of how to deal with the mourning-period for this unlamented relative provides some nice comedy.) And then the newlyweds and the nieces head up to the ton--where brash, 17-year-old Trixie gets naively involved with a fortune-hunting suitor (none other than Uncle Justin!), requiring a chase/rescue. . . while Tony and Monica find themselves mutually inclined toward a marriage of more-than-convenience. Despite some rather effortful, hopelessly anachronistic repartee: a passable, predictable light-Regency debut, with a few fetching supporting-players to distract from the bland central couple.

Pub Date: Nov. 15, 1984

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1984

Categories: FICTION