"Superb Regency-era Romance"

Humorous and romantic, Ms. Metzger's latest Regency-era romance features strong-willed heroine, Alissa Henning, widowed wife of a duke's disinherited younger son. Alissa cares for her two young sons, her teenaged sister, Amy, and William, the young son of her absent neighbor, Robert Rothmore, Earl of Rockford after Rockford's estate manager ran off with the earl's spinster sister. In a bold move, Rockford, after visiting his abandoned estate, proposes marriage to Alissa if she will continue to look after his son William and his heir Hugo, in exchange for his providing for herself, Amy, and her two fatherless boys.

What begins as a marriage of convenience turns into much more when Alissa and her brood travel to London shortly after Robert abandons her for London on their wedding night. With the tumult caused by four young boys and their puppies, Rockford is forced to change his solitary lifestyle, as he admits Alissa and their combined brood into his life and his heart. A subplot involving a lecherous old nobleman questing after Alissa's sister Amy strengthens Robert's feelings for his newfound family in this enthralling stand-out historical romance.

Reviewed by Sheri Melnick
Posted April 19, 2004

Summary

Award-winning author Barbara Metzger delivers a heartful of bliss with this witty tale of an inconvenient bride who must convince her groom that love is more important than convenience...

When Robert Rothmore, Earl of Rockford, receives word that his son has been taken by a neighboring widow, he hastily vows to enforce the kidnapping laws. But he quickly discovers that Alissa Henning is no criminal. Instead she is simply delightful—exactly the kind of woman who'd make the perfect mother for his sons. Marriage would be an ideal arrangement for both of them, wouldn't it?

At first, Alissa swore she'd spend the rest of her life scraping pennies together rather than wed the insufferable earl and become a glorified governess. Still, she couldn't very well let her own children starve—and there was no doubt that Rockford would give them all a good life. So she reluctantly accepts his offer...but there's more to a good life that what's in one's pockets. And Alissa intends to find out what's in her new husband's heart...