Books › Reluctant Wife
Reluctant Wife
First published 1987 · 190 pages
A deliciously angsty vintage romance where a marriage of convenience becomes a battleground of hidden longing and cynical defenses.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a time capsule of pure, unadulterated 1980s angst. The pacing is brisk and dialogue-heavy, pulling you immediately into a tense, emotionally turbulent atmosphere where every interaction is loaded with unspoken feelings. It thrives on the delicious friction of a marriage of convenience, contrasting the heroine's quiet, vulnerable yearning with the hero's brooding cynicism. The prose is earnest and melodramatic, perfectly suited to the high-stakes emotional warfare that defines classic category romance. It is a deeply satisfying read for anyone who loves the trope of a hardened, cynical man slowly being undone by a woman who harbors a secret, steadfast devotion, culminating in a dramatic and hard-won emotional surrender.
- Mood
- yearning
- tense
- emotionally turbulent
- Tone
- earnest
- angsty
- melodramatic
- intense
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- marriage of convenience · hidden longing · thawing a cynic · vulnerability and grief
- The writing
- Emotionally heightened and dialogue-driven, carrying the distinct, dramatic flair of 1980s category romance.
- The arc
- Moves from isolated vulnerability and secret pining to a turbulent clash of wills that finally shatters the hero's cynical defenses.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave the intense, unapologetic angst of vintage Mills & Boon marriages of convenience.
Content notes
- grief
- death of a grandparent
- house fire
- dated gender dynamics
About the book
"We made a bargain," Adam reminded her
Roz knew that Adam had married her without loving her. He needed a poised and beautiful hostess--but her need was even greater. A fire had killed her beloved grandfather and destroyed her home, leaving her alone and vulnerable.
As an adolescent she had woven fantasies about Adam Milroy, never expecting her dreams would come true, but she dared not let him know her feelings.
His first disastrous marriage had left him cynical about women, and the role she was expected to play did not include loving him.
Description from Open Library.
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