Books › The Unsuitable Miss Martingale
The Unsuitable Miss Martingale
First published 2001 · 218 pages
A sparkling, traditional Regency romp where a refreshingly blunt heroine turns polite society and a stoic viscount completely upside down.
What it feels like
Reading this traditional Regency romance feels like stepping into a brightly lit ballroom where the most interesting person is the one breaking all the rules. The narrative moves at a brisk, cheerful clip, driven by sparkling dialogue and the delightful friction between a delightfully blunt heroine and a society obsessed with decorum. The prose is crisp and period-appropriate, capturing the rigid manners of the ton while maintaining a lighthearted, witty tone throughout. It is a cozy, spirited read that wraps the reader in a comforting atmosphere of inevitable happily-ever-afters. Fans of classic, sweet historical romances who adore a fish-out-of-water protagonist and the triumph of genuine affection over strict social hierarchy will find this an utterly charming escape.
- Mood
- cheerful
- cozy
- spirited
- romantic
- Tone
- witty
- lighthearted
- charming
- playful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- class expectations · unconventionality · staying true to oneself · societal rebellion
- The writing
- Crisp and traditional, relying heavily on sparkling dialogue and period-appropriate manners to drive the charm.
- The arc
- Moves from playful societal friction and witty banter to a heartwarming, triumphant romantic resolution.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave classic, sweet Regency romances featuring spirited, fish-out-of-water heroines who refuse to conform.
Content notes
- classism
About the book
Possessed of an inquisitive and adventurous spirit, Lili Martingale has proved herself unsuitable for the daily grind of life on a farm. Fortunately, her family believes she'll thrive in London, where she can enter society and marry respectably. However, Lili's intolerance of the conceit of the ton is too evident to be ignored, and her outspoken nature seems to make her unsuitable among the gentry as well.
Viscount Halpern is being groomed as the seventh Marquis of Braybourne, but he has yet to take a wife from the bevy of beautiful girls he encounters every season. Upon meeting Lili, he is taken aback by her brash, no-nonsense demeanor -- and finds it quite appealing. Halpern's parents, however, feel that Lili is too far beneath his station for consideration as a future wife. But true love respects no hierarchy.
Description from Open Library.
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