I've struggled with Ella Quinn's books before and, though I wanted to give her another shot, this was no exception. From the get-go, the story is hard to follow. Even if you had read prior novels and knew the characters, it feels as though you have to remember every single detail and character in order to understand what is going on.

The number of different names, often with little to no relevance to the scene, in the first few chapters was absurd. It can be nice when you reveal details and backstory over time when those details and backstory actually matter.

While historical romances are typically fast, easy reads with recognizable tropes to draw you in, nothing about this story made me want to read further.

Pros:
Pretty cover

Cons:
Everything after the pretty cover

The writing style is light and easy to follow and was surprisingly fast-paced for a book that’s a bit on the longer side. However I definitely think it’s necessary to have read the other books in the series which I did not realize. Not only is it a series, it’s EIGHTH in a series, so a lot of the background characters were lost on me. I plan on going back to read the first books and then eventually probably revising my thoughts in this. 3 stars for the solid writing, clearly weaving in a family dynamic and the central story that, despite me being lost, was still pretty sweet.

This was a sweet romance but I just wanted more from it. I found it to be a bit confusing because I didn’t read previous books in this series and there were so many characters.

I am posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

I've been a fan of this series of books since day one. Characters from previous books pop up and into stories so your given a peek at how their HEA's worked out. Lots of children running around. That said The Marriage List is a delightful look into finding out what you thought you wanted was not what you thought it would be. John thinks he's going to marry a simpering quiet lady who'd leave him alone. What he finds, Eleanor, is the exact opposite of his list of requirements & he decides very quickly that she's the one & he's all for a love match. Eleanor & 2 of her sisters are making their society come outs together and have come up with a list of requirements a gentleman must meet before even considering a drive through the park. These ladies are confident, intelligent, determined, and all around lovely ladies. How it all works out is a lovely tale with a sweet ending. This extended family and friends leaves us with a few more characters in need of an HEA and there's always the next generation too.

#EllaQuinn #TheMarriage List #TheWorthingtons #ZebraBooks #netgalley #KensingtonBooks.Com

Cute and easy to read story. I enjoy Ella Quinn's novels, and I am always looking forward to a new release..

3.5 stars

I have read and enjoyed all 7.5 books in the series ahead of this one. Unfortunately, this was my least favorite. I recommend the series, but don't start with this book. If you have read the previous ones like I did, go ahead. There are a lot of past characters who show up. Don't get me wrong. There was nothing wrong with this one. It just was slower and less exciting. Maybe because the Christmas novella before this was my favorite of the series? It almost seemed like 7.5 should have been full length, and this could have been a novella.

Both Lady Eleanor Carpenter and John, the Marquis of Montagu, were likable leads. She was a bright and good girl who followed the rules and trusted her family. He was an honorable gentleman who was open to new ideas. The courtship was very traditional. There were a lot of ballroom scenes. There is definitely a time and place for this kind of story.

Nothing wrong, just not as fast a read as some. I will definitely continue the series.

This one was a big nope. I was hooked by the gorgeous cover but as soon as I started reading I knew it wasn't for me based on the writing and lack of investment/understanding in what was going on. I don't know if it was because I was starting from book 8 (I haven't read the earlier books) or if it was just the story or a combination of both things. Normally I have no issues with historical romance if I haven't read all the books so I don't know.

Ultimately not for me :(

The Marriage List has a cute premise-- three sisters coming out at the same time with a checklist for the perfect husband. The List, however, was mentioned perhaps three times near the beginning of the book and was not really a plot device. The rest of the book felt like walking into the middle of a family reunion where everyone spent the whole event talking about past times and people with no context for the visitor. There seem to be a lot of Worthingtons, and they all seem more interesting than the protagonists of this novel. The story itself was flat with no chemistry or spark. Like the List, the "bad guy" of the piece was mentioned three times and added nothing to the narrative. This book might be enjoyed by fans of the family, but as a standalone it falls flat.

An enjoyable story and romance in the new Worthingtons series. Lady Eleanor and John, the Marquis of Montagu are engaging characters and take an interesting view of love through the marriage list. Both have different opinions on what they want out of marriage but love is definitely not only defined by a list. All ends in a wonderful happily ever after.

Eleanor and John in The Marriage List both learn that who we think we want is often very different than what their souls need. As the two search for spouses who fit their lists of requirements, they come to realize that the other may not suit their lists per se, but they’re each what the other needs in their hearts. An engaging, smart romance.

“You are going to be the death of me.”

This regency romance book was great !!!
This is the eight book in the Worthingtons series for regency romance in which we read through their struggles in finding a match for each brother and sister of the family!!!
It’s very much like Bridgerton and I loved that !!
In this one especially the friends to lovers trope was really good and the spice was not a lot but definitely immaculate.
I had real fun getting through the book.
It was an easy read, one you can finish in a day and it’s not mandatory to read the previous book to understand the plot of this one.
Even though, I have this say, I’d love to read the others to meet those people that, in this one, we’re just side characters but important for the plot nonetheless !!!
I’m very grateful I had the chance to read this one and I can’t wait for it to be out!!!

“Lord, how he wanted her. He wanted her in his bed and across the breakfast table from him in the morning, and on beside him as they journeyed through life together”

Not having read the other books in her series, this book just confused me from the beginning. I had no idea what the plot was. This certainly is. It a stand alone story.

DNF

Thank you tot the publisher for he ARC.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Kensington Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Delightful Regency Era romance that’s perfect for fans of the genre.

John, the Marquis of Montagu wanted to find a wife this season but he didn’t want one who had the same characteristics as his twin sister.

This was Lady Eleanor Carpenter’s first season, she had very strong ideas about charities and politics and wanted someone who would love her for herself and be a partner to her in life. Eleanor and her sisters decided to make a list of what they would like in a husband.

Eleanor wanted more substance in a husband and although she was really attracted to John, he didn’t seem to have any. John was playing a game as per his friends the Earl of St Albans advice in order to get the quiet docile wife he was looking for he had to appear harmless and dull!

Getting to know Eleanor better, he knew that he had to change his opinion on what he wanted for a wife in order to ask Eleanor to marry him. She was everything he wanted and yes like his twin sister but he realised that he had fallen in love with her and she with him.

A lovely well written story, I did enjoy Eleanor and John’s journey but I did think at times that she was a bit too much in the way she approached what she wanted in a man and I did think it was quite a slow read. Having said that, I did enjoy the story which was full of fun, romance and some added steam.

I voluntarily read and reviewed and ARC copy and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lady Eleanor is an opinionated do-gooder whose works have made her an enemy. She’s also compiled a list of requirements for a husband. The Marquis of Montagu thinks that the perfect wife for him will be docile and compliant even though he’s attracted to Eleanor.

Unlike most regency romance series, I found this one hard to get into since I haven’t read the others. There was a slew of side characters and their children and dogs mentioned right off the bat, even before the hero was introduced. I’d suggest reading others in the series first.

This was a dull read with little conflict or chemistry between the love interests. I felt like we drifted from one tedious conversation to another. I couldn’t get into it and the mining subplot villain was a caricature that added nothing.

This was quite a bland read and not one that I enjoyed much at all. I think I've also been spoilt for choice this year, as we've had some pretty phenomenal historical romances. I had to put this down and come back to it a few times, to push through to end.

Thank you to the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5-4 stars

This book was cute, but it, at times, felt like I entered midway through the conversation. Maybe that’s on me for not reading more of the Worthingtons series. However, for the start of a new series it was a bit jarring.

Now on the positive side - this was a super cute story. Two people who thought they knew exactly what they wanted and neither knew what they needed. I’d read this again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my opinion!

Good ol fashioned love story. Need this kind of love and commitment in today's relationships. I enjoyed the read. Thanks

The Marriage List is about Lady Eleanor and John who’s a Marquis, her and her sisters write a list of all the qualities they want in a husband, while John wants someone opposite of his opinionated sister. Eleanor however is a bright young woman making her debut and she is very caring, helping out poor families in need. And of course they fall for each other! I thought the dialogue was great and the story flowed nicely. This book seems like a spin-off of another series of Ella Quinn’s- I didn’t read the other series which explains all the couples in the large family, but it was very easy to catch on. A definite read!

I have not read any of the other stories in Ms. Quinn's series about the Worthington family. I would not recommend this book to others who have not read the previous books. There were so many references to the other romances and how they progressed, and it felt like the reader was already expected to know how and why a secondary character was behaving in a certain way or providing certain advice.

The hero and heroine were both fine characters, meaning that neither had any glaring flaws. But neither did either seem like they actually inspired passion in the other. Their conversations read a bit stilted, and it is somewhat unclear why the heroine keeps going back to the hero when she has to be convinced he is indeed intelligent. The conflict between the heroine's sister and the hero's friend was mentioned again and again, to the point where I just didn't really care anymore. The mining element did not really fit the rest of the story. The villain popped in and out in a somewhat random manner, there was never really any fear or suspense and that conflict ends almost anti-climactically.

I just couldn't get into this story, thought I did finish the book (I almost never DNF, it makes me anxious). I wouldn't avoid Ms. Quinn in the future, but I don't think I would seek her out, either. 2 stars.

Finally in the ARC I received (thank you to NetGalley and the publisher) in exchange for my honest review, there were a couple of chapters out of order, when they all first go to Almack's. Definitely a bit jarring, though I expect it will be fixed by the final release.