A Comfortable Wife (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a glowing, feel good read. The feeling that these two have for each other is established early on, at least for the reader. Each is very honest with the other - they have been friends forever, after all. Yet somehow neither understands what the other thinks about marriage, specifically their own planned marriage. Philip has a well deserved reputation with women, but even Antonia, eight years removed from his circle, knows how he needs a wife. A fact that Philip himself has only recently discovered, following the example of his friends the Lester’s. Each is no young, green thing, their maturity in temperament, even as they are occasionally adrift in confusion, is obvious. Comic moments are sprinkled throughout the book with Laurens customary light yet deft touch. Sometimes it is the conversations the two have, sometimes a bit of physical comedy, sometimes that Antonia and Philip are talking at cross purposes. There are some very poignant moments too - when Antonia discovers she may not be able to be a comfortable wife, after all, for example.

There are no hidden subplots here - the romance between the two and how they sort out their unconventional conventional marriage is the focus of the story. It deserves to be - both these individuals are admirable in themselves and a true force combined. The passion is there, but it is not a sensual tale – they do not consummate their relationship other until close to the end, so if you’re looking for a spicy tale, this isn’t it. What it is a warm, truly Romantic tale with a capital R.

Antonia Mannering has been shut away in the country taking care of her sick mother for many years; thus, she is in her mid-twenties and still not presented and has not been in Society much at all. Now orphaned, she is visiting her godmother, the Dowager Countess Ruthven - who is stepmother to Antonia's childhood friend Philip, Lord Ruthven (*not* Lord Philip Ruthven, as the cover claims). Years ago, Philip and Antonia used to play together, but will he still remember her when they meet again? Antonia has decided that she would like to marry her old friend, and that she would make him the sort of comfortable wife he needs. In his early 30s now, he is a rake, but he needs to settle down and have an heir for his estate.

Philip, on first seeing Antonia again, is struck by her beauty and remembers how much he enjoyed her company. Reluctantly - for he suspects a plot - he is drawn to spend more and more time with her, and realises that he wants to marry her. (He's fallen in love with her, but - as with many of her other books - Laurens fails to *show* him falling in love, realising he's in love and deciding what to do about it). The proposal comes less than halfway through the book. Result: romantic tension at an end.

Antonia agrees to marry Philip, but only if he will keep their engagement a secret until she's been to London for the Little Season. As she explains, she's been out of Society for so long that she has no idea how to behave. She's worried that she'll be a bad wife to him, that she will somehow disgrace him by not knowing how to behave. Thus we have half a book-full of misunderstandings, mishaps and pointless silliness while Antonia finds her way through the traps of the Polite World. And just as we think the torture is over, yet another pointless misunderstanding occurs.

Laurens would have been better off making this book a novella, lengthening the courtship in the first few chapters and eliminating just about everything after the couple arrives in London - it would have been a far better story that way.

wmr-uk