Books › A Companion in Joy
A Companion in Joy
First published 1980 · 251 pages
A sparkling battle of wits where a marriage of convenience slowly gives way to unexpected, hard-won affection.
What it feels like
Reading this classic traditional Regency feels like stepping into a brightly lit drawing room where every polite exchange crackles with hidden meaning. The narrative moves at a brisk, engaging clip, driven by the sharp, spirited banter of two people trapped in a marriage of convenience. At first, the mood is steeped in defensive pride and icy resentment, but as the pages turn, that frost melts into a cozy, simmering romantic tension. The prose is crisp and period-appropriate, relying on the subtle social maneuvering and witty dialogue that define the best old-school Regencies. It is a delightful, comforting read for anyone who loves watching a cynical rake and a fiercely proud heroine slowly dismantle each other's defenses to find genuine partnership.
- Mood
- sparkling
- cozy
- romantic tension
- Tone
- wry
- spirited
- romantic
- playful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- marriage of convenience · battle of wits · taming the rake · pride and vulnerability
- The writing
- Crisp and dialogue-driven, featuring the formal yet witty cadence characteristic of classic traditional Regencies.
- The arc
- Moves from defensive resentment and icy exchanges to a gradual, reluctant thawing that blossoms into genuine affection.
- Who it's for
- Readers who delight in old-school, drawing-room Regency romances where sharp banter masks simmering attraction.
Content notes
- infidelity (emotional/past)
- financial coercion
About the book
Given the choice of wedlock or a debtor's cell, the dashing Nicholas, Viscount Torvil, agreed to marry a woman he had never met. Of course, he would continue his scandalous affaire with the flame-haired Cecile, Lady Montaigne. Hadn't Katherine Harmon, bartered bride-to-be, overheard his plans for future infidelities before they were even wed? She would make him rue the day he bought his bride...and the night he tried to melt her with kisses. She was determined to do anything - but fall in love with the rake she had wed!
Description from Open Library.
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