While I think I'll enjoy a film adaptation better, this was a fun period romance for fans who can't get enough of books that remind them of Jane Austen. At times, I felt like they did more telling that showing, which could get annoying, but overall, it was a light, fun summer read.

Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain seems to be targeting the crowd of regency romance readers who enjoy Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer – which is exactly my taste, but I found something was lacking in this book. It was my first book by Suzanne Allain and it was fairly short, I read it in two days, it was a very easy and fun read but there was not much substance to the story or much character development.

The story is the classic rich man is looking for the perfect wife trope, along comes a poor but beautiful girl who puts him in his place. Jeremy Malcolm is very wealthy and is trying to sift through the fortune hunters and the meddling mama’s of the ton and find the perfect woman who checks off every characteristic on his list. He is slowly starting to lose hope in his search, which was unavoidable – I mean no one could really live up to his list.

Meanwhile, Selina Dalton has been in touch with her friend Julia who was burned by Jeremy in the past and decides to use her friend to enact some revenge. Selina eagerly accepts Julia’s invitation to London, but once she learns about her friend’s scheme she is less enthused – especially when she realizes how handsome Jeremy is.
I think you can predict how the story will end from my brief description above.

I am usually a sucker for these types of stories and while this book was fun and easy to read, it just lacked some development. There just was not much real depth to any of the characters, and I did not find myself really invested in any of their lives.

I was also not really a fan of the way Allain wrote the conversations; it did not seem to be very reflective of the time period. This would normally bother me a lot, but I have not read a lot of historical romances in a while and so the conversations just seemed like all of the other contemporary books that I have been reading. It wasn’t until I would remind myself of the time period that I was like “wait a minute…why are they talking like this?”

Overall, I would say this book is just fine. It is a quick and light read but nothing special and nothing you will likely stick out in your memory for any reason.

I have to be honest, if a book was originally self published, I always wonder why. There are always exceptions to this, but unfortunately, this book wasn’t one of them. Lack of setting, lack of tru historical details to add richness, unlikeable characters and slow character development,

Mr. Malcolm's List is a sweet historical romance reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. While I'm not sure there are many novels today that can compare to Ms. Austen's archetype, Mr. Malcolm's List is enjoyable enough, though I wasn't completely drawn into the story nor the relationship between our two leads.

Like Pride and Prejudice, there's a lot of pride on the part of Malcolm, though his first slight is not necessarily toward Selina, our heroine. Rather Selina's awful friend, Julia. After Julia is slighted by Malcolm, she decides to have her revenge by orchestrating a scenario where Malcolm falls in love with Selina, only to have Selina slight Malcolm. It's a bit petty but these things are known to happen even today.

So, gentle reader, Mr. Malcolm has a list of requirements his future wife must possess. And Julia, not meeting these requirements, decides to reinvent Selina so she fits the mold. Though Malcolm and Selina meet prior to their introduction and have immediate chemistry.

The story progresses as Malcolm and Selina fall more in love with one another, while Julia continues to thwart their courtship and embarrass Malcolm. Moverover, Malcolm's list of unattainable qualities only hurts

Unfortunately, Malcom is not a likable character throughout much of the book, though by the end, I was able to forgive him. Selina is sweet and smart with backbone, which I appreciate. Julia is awful. - almost too awful, which takes away some of my reading enjoyment.

In the end, Malcolm realizes the error of his ways and he and Selina are able to attain their Happily Ever After. It's a beach read, so to speak, though I'm not entranced like I am reading Austen or Georgette Heyer.

Suzanne Allain has given us a delightful take on Jane Austen.

Mr. Malcolm is in search of a wife, but not just any girl shoved at him by a matchmaking mama. He has a very specific list of requirements.

Selina is a parson's daughter, staying with a school friend during London's season. When her friend finds out about the list, and her own failure to live up to his requirements, she hatches a plot to make Selina the instrument of her revenge. She is pressured into meeting every one of Mr. Malcolm's demands, and must then spurn him when he settles on her as the perfect wife.

This is a fun, light read, perfect for summer.

“Jeremy Malcolm’s Requirements for a Wife” 

Amiable and even-tempered
Handsome of countenance and figure
Candid, truthful, and guileless
Converses in a sensible fashion
Educates herself by extensive reading
A forgiving nature
Charitable and altruistic
Graceful and well-mannered
Possesses musical or artistic talent
Has genteel relations from good society.

Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain was a quick and cute classic regency romance that can easily be read in one go. It was witty, hilarious, and contained a cast of upbeat, brooding, and feisty characters that all graced the page with subtle pride and prejudice undertones. I loved it!

Let’s first talk about the romance as this is a romance novel and it is key to the story. His list makes his options very limited and he isn’t getting any younger. He’s picky and arrogant and so self-absorbed that he never even thinks that maybe he isn’t someone’s type until Selina came along and exposed that nerve.

“He was struck suddenly with the thought that she might not like him. It was a novel idea, so accustomed was he to females of all kinds fawning over him. For the first time it occurred to him that even if she passed all the items on his list, she may not accept his suit.”

Mr. Malcolm and Selina had an amazing chemistry between them. Every time he said something typically arrogant and within his character’s reputation, it lit a fire in Selina when she didn’t agree. He ignites something in her that makes her want to stand up and speak her mind, which isn’t commonly appreciated coming from the fairer sex, but he likes it. He likes her for everything that she is. Selina comes to him at the request of her friend, Julia, but in the end it is he who pursues her, seeing her as the perfect match. It was romantic despite his sometimes broody manner because what’s a regency romance without an arrogant gentleman like him?

“She was looking exceptionally beautiful that afternoon in her russet-colored carriage dress, which just matched her hair. Her beauty shocked him each time he saw her, although she was not the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. It was more than just her outward appearance he found so appealing, although he had to admit he found it very appealing indeed. But he was attracted also by her traits of character: her vitality, her humour, her intelligence, her kindness. She was everything he desired in a woman. He wondered suddenly what it was that she desired in a man.” 

His character development throughout the plot was quick and logical. He’s falling for her and now he doubts his worthiness and qualities for her. That’s a shocking and quite refreshing opinion from his type of character. They usually keep their cocky arrogance till the end, but not him and that’s all because of this leading lady, Selina.

This list concept reminds me of the Friends episode where Ross makes a list about Rachel and they fight about it, which is a modern example to compare to, but the battle is the same. The idea of making a list of traits or qualities in a partner won’t give you your perfect match because people aren’t built like that. Selina (just like Rachel) constantly calls Jeremy Malcolm out on his list and how baffling it is to live a life pursing something so unobtainable and he doesn’t see it until he almost loses her because of it. This comparison is a perfect example of what this story explores and the ending wraps it up perfectly just like the episode. It was a heartwarming realisation from the male lead and it was only possible because the leading lady pointed it out which I loved. It shows a strong, female presence in a time where that was non-existent.

“Selina wondered if she would have felt differently about Mr. Malcolm if she had not known about the list. She had to admit to herself that she would. If one was being measured like a pair of shoes, it would not have been so disconcerting. After all, Selina was matching him to a set of criteria, although not as overtly. She, too, had qualifications she desired her future husband to meet. That was not arrogant; it was practical. And so far Mr. Malcolm had exceeded all of Selina’s requirements but one: she required humility in a husband.” 

The only thing that made me disappointed was the abrupt change of scenes. They would be talking and then all of sudden the scene would change as well as the characters and it would all be shifted around making some scenes summarised rather than shown through the writing. That was a huge letdown for me because in romances I live for those moments, they serve as extra tidbits into what made the two characters fall in love and it’s upsetting when they aren’t included.

Allain’s writing took a classic setting and turned it into a modern piece of writing breaking the status quo of many regency romances and that made this book shine. I’ve recently discovered the beauty of romance novels, but the writing when it comes to regency novels have so many words I’m unfamiliar with that it makes it much harder to read and understand the stories and even to some extend the characters. The writing is beautiful, but I don’t absorb what they mean which is dangerous territory for a book reviewer. I love the stories featuring lords, dukes, rakes...you name it, but that writing style makes it a heavy and usually daunting task to wade through but Mr. Malcolm’s List wasn’t one of those and I’m so glad for it! This modern writing won’t be for everyone because that regency writing has its own beauty, but I loved that this book was different. I appreciated the change and this is why this book deserves an 8 out of 10. This features a feisty heroine, an insufferable and arrogant gentleman, and a plot supported by hilarious moments and colourful supporting characters.

1.5 stars

It took me a long time to get to the halfway point, after which I had to give up, so the half star is an acknowledgement that maybe it improved. But life is too short for cardboard characters in a vaguely, very Hollywoodish "Regency-lite" setting. There is no real period sense here, which would be okay if the story were fun, but there is no wit or style.

One star for the idea, which was a fun one, but the execution just got flatter and flatter as the main characters were forced into contact, without anything really to say to one another.

The rich, Honourable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm, may be the second son of an earl, but he is currently looking for a wife. He's tired of having every debutante thrown into his face. Jeremy has come up with a list of attributes that he feels his future wife has to possess. When Julia Thistlewaite is hurt and embarrassed because she did not meet Mr. Malcolm's criteria she hatches a plan to get back at him. Julia invites her old schoolmate, Selina Dalton, to London for a visit. If Selina could capture Malcolm's attention, then act like he doesn't possess all the criteria on Selina's list, Jeremy would see what it feels like. The problem is is that Selina realizes that Jeremy isn't like Julia claims and she just may be falling in love with him. Just when it looks like Selina and Jeremy are going to become betrothed, all hell breaks loose and their worlds come crashing down on them. It will take some interference from their well meaning families for these two to find their happy ending, but they eventually do.

I enjoyed the premise of this story. At times I really enjoyed reading this book but then other times it seemed as if the story was jumping all over the place. It also seemed at times to be more of a contemporary story instead of an historical one. Overall I didn't hate this book, I just didn't love it.

When I saw this one on Netgalley, I thought it was eye catching and sounded interesting so I downloaded it. Then I got the pitch for it a couple of weeks later and suddenly I moved it up on my review timeline.

I had already planned to review this one in July but wasn’t planning on reading it until a little closer to the release day, but then all the news started breaking about the upcoming film and I moved this baby right on up!

This upcoming film is going to feature Constance Wu and Sam Heughan along with a number of other diverse cast members and will be releasing in the spring of 2021. Needless to say I was chomping at the bit for this one!

Summary
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements–deserves his comeuppance.

The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. He’s determined to elude the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications on his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he’s beginning to despair of finding this paragon. And then Selina Dalton arrives in town…

Selina, a vicar’s daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia invites her to London. Until she learns it’s part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia’s scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who seems very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia’s description.

But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind…Mr. Malcolm’s List. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
This is one of those books where I hope the movie is better. The story sounded like it was going to be really strong and a more modernized period piece for a younger audience and by younger I don’t mean teens but the mid 20’s to 30’s demographic. Something new, fresh, and sexy. I was so excited for this one but as I started reading a lot of things just didn’t work for me.

I think what it all boiled down to was the length of the book. This could have been a great novel but it comes in at around 250 pages which was not enough to develop the kind of smart and sexy story that this could have been. For example, I was very confused by Julia’s motives for luring Mr Malcolm into a trick of sorts, with her friend Selina. It seemed flimsy and the plot to lure Malcolm came across as grandiose compared to the ‘slight’ Julia felt like she received. Now that said, had there been more of a build up to Julia and Malcolm’s opera outing and a clear slight then I think this could have really worked as a catalyst to the larger story.

As the book went on there were many examples of plot points that could have been great or characters that could have been more relatable and realistic if they had been given more time to evolve or to flush out. The story just came across weak and underdeveloped which was so sad because given a little more time and length to the book I think this one could have been so great. But it really needed more beefing up in the plot and conflicts needed more time to resolve and be impactful in the story rather than being resolved in pages.

While the book might not have worked for me, I have high hopes for the film. I am excited to see something new and diverse with some big names like Constance Wu and Sam Heughan. Constance Wu does comedy role so well and I think this could be a film that she could shine in. I will definitely be watching this film when it comes out and I will be sure to review it as well and circle back on this review and see how it compared, so be watching for that. But for now, I wasn’t sure that this book worked for me and that just makes me so sad because I had really high hopes for this one.

I struggled to get into this one and ended up DNF'ing about 1/3 of the way through. I couldn't connect with the characters, and the plot just didn't drag me in like I expected it to based on the synopsis. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, so this one just might not have been for me.

The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm, second son of the Earl of Kilbourne, is handsome and wealthy and the greatest catch of the Season. But he is determined to not be caught. He has a list of requirements in the lady on whom he will confer the honor of being his wife: amiable & even-tempered; handsome of countenance & figure; candid, truthful & guileless; converses in a sensible fashion; educated herself by extensive reading; a forgiving nature; charitable & altruistic; graceful & well-mannered; posses musical or artistic talent; has genteel relations from good society.

In the words of Lizzy Bennet to Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, “I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, such taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united.

Dear Readers, you can see where this is going. The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm is set to have his backside handed to him.

Full of good humor and period details, Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain is a thoroughly enjoyable story of how a smart, bright young woman brings this arrogant, pompous darling of the ton to his proverbial knees, and in so doing, confers upon him the honor of becoming her husband.

Full Review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-mr-malcolms-list-by-suzanne-allain/

DNF p. 35

This started off on a promising note. It had a light tone, reminiscent of Regency romance, and I was intrigued by the titular Mr. Malcolm, who is entirely buttoned up. While Selina is a serviceable heroine, her friend (or rather, frenemy) Julia, who has engineered a ridiculous revenge plot against Malcom, is way too Over The Top. There’s no way I’ll be able to enjoy the rest based on how annoyed I am with Julia. And with Selina, for that matter, who seems entirely unable to make up her own mind about each character. I can say why this got optioned for film, though, and think it’ll make for a better story on screen.

CW: racism, Orientalist art

Mr. Malcolm’s List was originally published in 2009, but is now being rereleased after the author (who is also a screenwriter) got a film deal. I had no idea about any of this going in, but I kept seeing old reviews and finally decided to do my research and figure out what was going on.

Meh. That’s how I felt while reading. Just meh. I wasn’t engaged and I didn’t really care a whole lot about any of the main protagonists. Or secondary characters for that matter. The storytelling is kind of basic and surface level, lots of telling and not showing. Not a whole lot of character development or deep, engrossing emotional feelings between the hero and heroine. I wasn’t particularly excited by the dialogue or setting either. So just meh for me.

I started reading, then moved to skimming, then jumped to the end to see how it ended.

Final grade- D

I think historical romance is becoming one my favourite genre to read. I found Mr. Malcolm’s List to be a fun and light and not to be taken seriously it was a great summer read. The historical aspect is not all that accurate, but the book is so fun and cute you do not really care. Overall if you are looking for a cute sometimes swoon worthy “historical” read Mr. Malcolm’s List will sure hit the spot.

I absolutely love this book! It's fresh, witty, and everything I want in a fun Regency romance. I highly recommend for any Regency-era romance lovers.

There isn't much more to say than... go read this book!

enjoyable read, interesting story, very well written. covered for Frolic with a blurb and link to the short film which by the way, I can't wait to see!

Mr. Malcolm's List is the perfect lighthearted romance to spend an afternoon with. Funny and quickly paced, it will leave the reader smiling.

2 Stars
Sometimes, everything can seem like it would work when reading a blurb. Unfortunately, it can happen that the book you hoped to read did not appear. The idea was there, it was the execution that did not.

The good news for the author is that I understand the story was solid to Netflix...so maybe in their retelling everything falls into place.

2.5 stars

Sigh, the blurb of Mr Malcolm's List drew me in and I was really looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, the execution of the story let it down for me.

In fact, if it wasn't for our lovely leading lady Selina, I probably would have DNF'd this one, but her spunky, witty personality kept me reading to the end.

The second half of the story was better though.

Mr Malcolm had glimpses of a better man shine through at times, but most of the time he was an arrogant, stubborn unlikable hero.

And don't get me started on Selina's so called friend Julia. I hated her at the start, loathed her in the middle, and she was a bit better by the end.

This does have a bit of a Pride and Prejudice/Darcy and Elizabeth vibe - but without the great vibe or likability most of the time.

I just didn't feel that there was enough research of the period for it to feel right for me. I mean, all good I am not one that has to have everything spot on and I do like some creative licence, I just didn't feel that there was enough conviction from the author for the period she was writing into - but this could just be my feelings.

I know it sounds like I didn't like this book at all, however there were parts and some characters that I did like, just overall it was a bit meh.

Don't let me dissuade you from reading and enjoying Mr Malcolm's List, as I am sure many will love it.

I saw the Refinery29 trailer for this book with Gemma Chan and HAD to read this book! Maybe I went in with expectations too high but this book did not meet my standard for a good regency romance. I was a little disappointed because the characters in the trailer were so good but in the book, they were not... realistic. Like what were Julia’s motivations? And no one in the era used first names!!!!!! I feel bad leaving a bad review but I really do hope they make it into a movie with a more thought-out plot!