Susanna Fraser
A Marriage of Inconvenience
Carina Press, April 11, 2011 $5.99
Left orphaned and penniless as a young child, Lucy Jones learned to curb her temper, her passions, and even her sense of humor to placate the wealthy relatives who took her in. She became the perfect poor relation—meek, quiet, and self-effacing. She clings to her self-control because she can control nothing else.
James Wright-Gordon also lost his parents at a young age. But he became a wealthy viscount at fifteen and stepped into full control of his fortune and his birthright as a parliamentary power broker at twenty-one. At twenty-four, he is serenely confident in his ability to control everything in the world that matters to him. At a house party in the summer of 1809, James quickly discerns Lucy’s carefully hidden spirit and wit and does his best to draw them out. After being caught in a compromising situation, they are obliged to marry. But can two people whose need for control has always been absolute learn to put love first?
There aren’t many blond romance heroes. Of course, blond is a rare hair color—1-2% worldwide—but in the U.S. and England, where the majority of contemporary, suspense, and historical romances novels are set, the range is much higher (15-20% depending on your source).
Novelists often talk about the importance of “showing, not telling” in their writing, which means something like, as Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) put it: “Don't tell us that the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” But this isn’t just advice for general writing: it’s important when developing characters, too. Within the text itself, “showing, not telling” matters, because sometimes we cannot rely on outward appearances to tell what a person is like or how he feels. Romance as a genre is sometimes criticized for “purple prose” and flowery declarations of love, but in fact, one of its great strengths is its focus on the deep significance of action.
