The Ideal Bride

by Nonnie St. George and Jennifer Hartmann

Book Overview

Marriage is a serious matter according to wealthy businessman Gabriel Carr, not to be influenced by anything so frivolous as emotion. Drawing up a list of the traits he requires in a bride is the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821775901
• ISBN13: 9780821775905
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Fabulous!

I never read the short Regency romances because they are usually too prim for me, but my aunt told me that this book was different. This author really knows how to make me laugh. Her characters are so fun and vivid I am surprised she is not writing the long Regency romances (the kind I LOVE!)I just ordered her next book and if it is anything like this delight, I will be smiling all night long.

A great new talent has arrived!

I used to read every Regency that came out; however, the rapidly decreasing quality of new books in this genre has made me more selective in recent years. My favorites have always been the lighthearted romps such as those penned by Barbara Metzger. Nonnie St. George exhibits the same type of comedic talent here. Frankly, I was so engrossed in laughing my way through the book that I didn't even notice the little errors in historical accuracy that normally disrupt my reading pleasure.Normally I wouldn't think much of a hero who is so obviously aware of his good-looking appearance that he expects women to fall all over him and takes offense if they don't. Nor do his frequent references to the heroine's flat chest and her other inadequacies make him a likable character. In the beginning, his friend the Duke seems a much a better potential hero.But even at his first meeting with "Saint Nola," the earl's daughter who has dedicted herself to helping the war widows, Gabriel undergoes a curious sort of transformation that everyone sees except him (and perhaps Nola herself). Even as he emphatically denies that she could ever be a candidate for the "ideal bride" he seeks, he finds himself thinking about her constantly. . . and enjoying her company far too well.Is it because she is the first woman who shown no interest in attracting him? Or because she proves herself to be a highly capable woman and one who is sincerely committed to helping the needy? Or is it because his mother, his best friend, her brother and two aunts, the servants, his tenants and business partners--and the entire ton, it turns out--are conspiring to throw them together for a walk down the aisle.Even after he finally admits to himself that he loves Nola and wants to marry her, he tries to find a way to "save face." The whole world knows about his requirements for his "ideal bride." If he marries Nola, who is practically the antithesis, he would be a laughingstock among the ton. So he devises a way to "compromise" Nola into marriage. No one would ridicule him for doing the honorable thing, after all.When that fails, and his mother begins rounding up potential husbands for Nola, Gabriel's next move is to propose to Nola and ask her to keep it quiet for a month or so until the ton becomes obsessed by some other scandal. But Nola refuses his offer, even after he confesses his love for her (which should have come BEFORE the proposal of marriage). Even after he finally agrees to lease her the warehouse she wants for her war widows bazaar.Nola, you see, already loves him--she did notice his handsome appearance after all--but she is well aware that she has been practically pushed into his arms by all the well-meaning matchmakers, and she knows that she lacks the qualifications for the "ideal bride" he was seeking. Marrying her would just make them both unhappy.It becomes a matter of Gabriel having to choose between his pride and a life with the woman he loves, and realizes that there is really

Carr's conjugal crisis

Humour is a welcome novelty in Romance fiction. The genre often endures bad press in mainstream media for various reasons - "thin" plots, "shallow" characters, even the romance element is labelled "stilted". These or other faults are paraded by elitist critics. Rarely encountered, humour has the capacity to sweep away many blemishes, real or perceived. Romance novels almost universally conclude with happy endings. Getting to that point, however, often means slogging through a miasma of dreary events, sombre people or dire prospects. Even worse is the imposition of some deep philosophical issue the reader must unravel.Nonnie St George has broken with some of this tradition with her first book, The Ideal Bride. Setting the scene in Regency London gives her room to apply solid research into people, events and language. St George handles these elements well in both plot and characterisation. England is enjoying burgeoning prosperity. The Continental Wars against Napoleon are over, but issues remain - the widows of casualties for one. Who cares about them? Why would they be important in a story of romance?Gabriel Carr aims to be married. He's a successful property owner and investor. As a man of business, planning is essential in his quest. He's drawn up a list of what constitutes the perfect wife. His mother, disdainful of such a "practical" approach, chides him mercilessly. There's a compulsion underlying his wife-hunting method, of course. He must marry before he's thirty or lose an inheritance. He's dogged, determined, independent. The combination inevitably results in a certain hubris. According to classic pattern, such arrogance, even in a mild-mannered man, must lead to an undoing.Boy meets girl, naturally. Rather, man meets woman, since both protagonists are adults. The woman is of the aristocracy - what the British refer to as the ton. In this era, upcoming businessmen are suspicious of the ton. They are often dissolute, and in many cases, they need money. Nola Grenvale seems little different. But "Saint Nola" is different, in an even worse way. Promoting the cause of the Napoleonic War widows, she's set on helping them obtain independent income. She needs a location for the widows to market their wares. Charity and business are rarely close acquaintances, let alone nuptial partners. Nor is marriage a major concern for Nola. Her aim is an intrusion on Gabriel's life and he's prompt in showing his resentment. Nola isn't a candidate for marriage, anyway. Along with her other priorities, Nola isn't in the running in her own mind. Nola's tall, a redhead in a blonde and brunette world and is spare in the bosom - "she looked exactly like a Pall Mall gas lamppost".They are a difficult pair to reconcile. Nola is nobody's fool. She's outspoken, assertive, and determined to fulfill her own ambitions. More provision for hubris. Mixing two such recipes results only in a spicy stew. St George builds her story solidl

Delightful

Gabriel Carr has rejected the label of "Gentleman" and fled into the soothing routine of Business. When it comes time to choose a wife he figures he can handle it just as he would any other business transaction, make a list, review the candidates, choose a life partner. Enter Lady Nola Grenvale. Lady Nola needs one of Gabriel's buildings to create a bazaar for war widows to sell their handicrafts, She has no interest in being his wife. How could she ever mary a man with a list?These two characters (and the mess of "matchmakers" surrounding them) could very easily have been stereotypical. St. George escapes this very neatly. Nola is not a do good heroine you want to smack. Gabriel...well, sometimes you want to smack him, but he is never stubborn beyond reason merely to advance the plot. The secondary cast never escapes the realm of secondary, overwhelming the plot. This little gem is laugh out loud funny. I was chortling the whole way through. What a wonderful first read from an author. I'm looking forward eagerly to her next!

Can't wait to read another book by Nonnie St. George

This was a wonderfully fun read! Like Georgette Heyer, Ms. St. George brings her characters to life with a deft touch of humor to enliven the proceedings. The hero, Gabriel, is a man who doesn't know what's best for him so of course, everyone else has to help him find his Ideal Bride. Lady Nola is just the woman for him - if she doesn't drive him insane first! The cast of supporting characters, especially Gabriel's mom, will remind you of everyone who tried to run your life for you. A great first book and I can't wait to read more.