I’ve resisted writing the review of Jo Beverly’s Merely a Marriage, because I knew it would be an emotional experience. Ms. Beverly is the first romance author that I ever identified with as a fan. She was the author I would name if someone asked me who were my favorites, and it is heartbreaking for me to accept that Merely a Marriage is the last book by one of the most iconic and beloved authors of the romance genre. She will be dearly missed, and she has left an outstanding legacy.

Lady Ariana Boxstall has no desire to marry, but she does want her brother, Norris Boxstall, to find a wife and settle down as soon as possible. She fears that if does not marry and produce a heir, she could lose her entailed home if an unsavory relative were to inherit. But Norris isn’t interested in marriage either, and he issues a challenge to Ariana in order to get her to stop pressuring him. If she is married by the end of the year, he will wed before the end of January.

Ariana reluctantly agrees to re-enter the marriage mart, but there are no eligible gentleman in the area. She must return to London, where she had previously suffered cruelties during her debut season. She is tall for a woman of the period and was ridiculed in the press as a giant, and the experience was painful and humiliating. Luckily, she has an ally now in the Dowager Countess of Cawle, who has agreed to help her re-launch onto society to find a suitable husband.

One man who Ariana doesn’t consider suitable is Titus Delacorte, Earl of Kynaston. She had fallen him for him during her season, but her dreams were crushed when she overheard him call her “longshanks.” While she hopes to never see Titus again, she discovers she will not be able to avoid him, because he is living in the same house. Titus's aunt is the dowager and he’s staying with her. There is no way to avoid the man who broke her heart, but, perhaps, there is an explanation for his previous behavior and more to this man than she ever imagined.

Ms. Beverly’s writing is entertaining as she slowly develops the love story and brings Ariana and Titus together. Their romance is perfectly paced and truly delightful, and Merely a Marriage is a testament to her remarkable talent. She will be sorely missed, but her romances will live on for generations of readers. -Keeper Shelf Book Blog

ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.

Jo Beverley has been one of my favorite romance authors for years, and it’s sad to think that this novel will be the last new one published after her death in 2016. Merely a Marriage definitely can't be counted among her best books, and I have to wonder if her illness interfered with her work. It does reflect Beverley's favorite kind of plot, though, with two fundamentally good people overcoming the barriers between them to find love.

As a posthumous work, it seems fitting that the story revolves around a death, specifically the death of Princess Charlotte during childbirth. Lady Ariana is jolted by her sudden demise and becomes obsessed with her younger brother Norris getting married to ensure that he has an heir in case anything happens to him. Norris says that he will if she does first, and Ariana takes up the challenge. The problem is that Ariana is quite tall, which makes her an uncomfortable match for most men, or at least she believes so after an awkward season in London as a very young woman. Nevertheless, she travels to London, determined to find a man to marry. While there, she encounters the Earl of Kynaston, one of the men who made her earlier visit an unhappy one. Ariana has never been able to forget him, though, and she finds herself becoming fascinated with him again. Meanwhile, Kynaston has suffered a loss and is resolved to hold all women at arm’s length. However, that resolve is weakened as circumstances continue to throw them together . . .

The romance between Ariana and Kynaston revolves more around the growth of their feelings than passion. It’s not until the end of the book that the two of them do more than exchange kisses, and even that final encounter takes place mostly off the page. Readers looking for passionate love scenes will be disappointed, because the story is all about the emotional journey of the characters as they move from unwilling attraction to understanding and love.

A few things about the story kept it from being a great read for me. For one thing, Ariana’s obsessive push to get her brother married seems a bit overdone for a young woman who otherwise appears sensible; after all, there are no guarantees that Norris getting married will stave off tragedy. Also, Ariana makes a lot of judgements about Kynaston based on limited information. At one point, she thinks he might be a drunk, and then she believes he’s lost all his money. Why she just doesn’t try to learn more about him rather than imagining things didn’t make sense to me (although Beverley tries to excuse her lack of curiosity by saying that Ariana has never been interested in gossip). This is one of those romances where a few frank conversations could have cleared up misunderstandings, and I’m not sure it was necessary to hold off the revelation of Kynaston’s past until so late in the novel, given the other obstacles between them. It's especially detrimental to the story because it leads Beverley to include fewer chapters from Kynaston's viewpoint, which makes it harder for the reader to connect with him and his feelings

Still, I did appreciate this final glimpse into Beverley’s world. If you are a fan of her Regency historicals, then even with its flaws the book is a must-read, since it will be the last new romance by this iconic author. Luckily, her deep backlist gifts us with many novels that stand up to re-reading.

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Jo Beverly and it certainly won't be my last. Historical romance normally isn't my first genre pick, but I like to dabble in it every once in a while. There are some liberties taken with the time period, but it can be easily overlooked. Ariana needs tells her brother she will marry so as to keep her family fortune away from her uncle. Her focus comes onto a man who broke her heart eight years earlier, Titus.

The plot was kind of all over the place, but other than that it's an enjoyable read I think many historical romance readers will love. Pacing was a bit slow but I liked the main characters, they were the best part.

***ARC Provided by Berkley Publishing Group***

Ariana and Kynaston had, I think, the potential to be a lot more interesting than they ultimately were, which is a shame as I had high hopes for this title, especially as this is the last book by Jo Beverly.

There was a lot going on here, with scandals in papers, running off to elope, brothers who don't want to marry, trips to London, and attempts to marry off a woman who is nearing (if not already) at an age where she would be considered a spinster.

Unfortunately, there was so much going on around Ariana and Kynaston that you sort of lost the story of them, and this is what the book is supposed to be about, their story. I didn't like their initial meeting in this book, and I thought that the attraction felt forced at first, which was a little hard to get past.

I did like the writing, and the stories that were told, but more as a woman's fiction story and less as a romance of the 2 characters. I would have been interested to hear some of the other stories in a later book, although with the death of the author sadly this isn't an option. There was just too much going on in this story for me to be able to feel fully invested.

The writing, as I mentioned, was wonderful and charming, and so perfect for a historical novel. It felt like it really was set in the 1800's while maintaining the ability to read it without having to look up each word on the page.

There was a lot about this book that was charming, and there were parts of it that didn't work the best. But, for fans of this author, reading her final book is definitely worth it. I do recommend this title.

This is Ms. Beverly's last book and as such carries much sentimental value to a fan who's enjoyed her stories for a great many years. Ariana wants her brother Norris to marry but falls prey to a bet with him that brings her to London after many years away to seek a husband.

Her sojourn in London brings her into the fringes of the world inhabited by the Rogues and we get to visit with a few. Most importantly, the first person she meets is the Earl Of Kynaston who was the prime cause of her fleeing from London eight years ago and possibly the reason for her spinster state. Unfortunately the handsome young man she remembers has changed into a grief stricken drunk. Given that they're temporarily sharing the same roof she's thrown into close proximity with him with a scandal soon brewing.

As Ariana meets and discards suitors the Earl hovers in the background enticing her in much the same way his sister attracts her determined to stay a bachelor brother Norris. When scandalous cartoons find their way to the Ton, Ariana is confronted with the choice to cut and run or marry the Earl or hold her head high and ignore the gossip. The story makes for an interesting read as the two protagonists fence with each other.

As it turns out the Earl has some sad history that haunts him and keeps him from making choices for their mutual happiness. Can Ariana wear him down to her way of thinking? Read this historical romp to find out how it all turns out.

Stevie‘s review of Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley
Historical Romance published by Berkley 30 May 17

I only discovered Jo Beverley relatively recently, in fact not long before her untimely death, and while I have a lot of previous books to discover, I decided to read her final book to be published before backtracking and starting at the very beginning. Although not directly linked to the Rogues series, this novel is set in the same world, and takes place in the aftermath of Princess Charlotte’s death, as with the previous Beverley-penned Regency I read. So, a relatively familiar setting for my second full-length read from the author, and I was hoping to be as entranced by it as I was by my past experiences of her work.

The set-up held a lot of promise; many of the aristocracy are feeling their mortality more keenly than usual, and the ladies of the Boxtall household, Lady Ariana and her mother the Dowager Countess of Langton, are concerned that the current Earl shows no sign of marrying and producing an heir. If he should die young – as happened with the princess and also with the heir to a neighbouring estate – then his heir presumptive will have no qualms about selling off all the non-entailed properties, leaving Arianna and her mother homeless. Worse still, this interloper is certain to dispose of the vast library and antiquities collection that Ariana’s father built up and to which she is particularly attached. So Ariana issues a challenge to her brother; to ensure that he finds a wife, she offers to take a husband, even though she has been hoping to remain a spinster following her previous bad experiences of love and the Ton.

And so the three set off to London, where Ariana encounters once again the Earl of Kynaston: a man who made fun of her on her previous Season, but who now seems to be heading for ruin and dissipation. Of course, there are reasons for Kynaston’s drunkenness and depression, although it’s a good while before Ariana discovers what they are. In the meantime, she finds herself much in his company – she and her mother are staying with his aunt – especially after he accompanies her to a meeting of like-minded intellectuals and antiquarians.

Scandal is never far away, of course, and Ariana soon finds herself the subject of the gossips and the cartoonists and requires Kynaston’s help to save her dignity and reputation. Ultimately, much to my disappointment, this book fell rather flat, with little of the sense of fun I was hoping for from the blurb. I’ll be charitable and assume this was a result of not enough time available for the author to complete her masterpiece, and shall still look forward to exploring her back catalogue when I get the chance.

Grade: C

Recognizing that her home and family is in danger of falling to her drunken wastrel of an uncle if her brother doesn't marry and produce an heir, Lady Ariana Boxstall is determined to push Norris to get married. As a 23 year old, Norris is more interested in horses than marriage so he proposes that Arianna marry first. If she can marry in the next few weeks, he'll follow suit. Ariana hates Town but heads there to hunt a husband and accidentally ends up embroiled in scandal with the Earl of Kynaston. She thinks he's a drunk who's squandered all his money, but when he tries to help end the scandal, she sees a new side to the mysterious earl.

Merely a Marriage was a very up and down book for me. I enjoyed the fast-paced writing and Ariana's light humor, and was certainly interested enough to read the whole book. But at the same time the characters were shallow, often annoying, and didn't really seem to grow or develop as the book went on. The book is set just after the death of Princess Charlotte and Charlotte is a ghost that is meant to effect each of the characters in different ways. It has Ariana pushing Norris to marry and ensure the security of the family home and his mother and sister. It haunts Kynaston, reminding him of the death of his wife under similar circumstances and acts to further cement his idea of never marrying again. You would expect it would have Ariana thinking about the dangers of marriage, but apparently that never crosses her mind- she is surprised when Knyaston brings it up.

Unlike many historical romances, Ariana also never brings up the argument of how marriage would not limit Norris, but would greatly change her own life. Beyond living in a new place (which does come up) she would legally be under her husband's rule, her money would be his, and marrying the wrong man would have serious consequences. She blithely assumes she'll just pick one of her previous suitors, get married, and move on. The problem is that she's a very tall woman and refuses to marry a man shorter than her. In her mind, based on a disastrous season when she was 17, she's a freak because of her height. As a debutante she was made fun of, and many times she's still that awkward, unsure girl, while other times she's confident in herself and her intelligence. Ariana also flips back and forth on Knyaston. 8 years ago she was infatuated with him because of his looks but overheard him with friends joking about many debutants, herself included. Now she's determined to dislike the man and never works to discover anything of who he's become or what he's been through in the intervening years. The first time she sees him he's drunk in his aunt's library, and she decides that he's not only a rake but a drunkard who is financially ruined, treats his little sister terribly, and ignores everything outside of the bottle. The reader can tell she's a bit prejudice but frustratingly only sees him through Ariana's eyes and so only learns things as she does. I would have preferred the narrative to go back and forth between their points of view, but we rarely see anything from Knyaston's viewpoint. The few times we do, the scenes are short, simple, and don't help drive the narrative or the characters.

It's impossible to tell when Ariana falls for Knyaston or if she's always loved him and never admitted it (I think even Ariana couldn't answer that), but it's also hard to see why she loves him. She seems to decide that she can change the man she thinks he is and save him from himself without bothering to learn anything about him. There's no chemistry between them, although there are several entertaining scenes as they try and debunk rumors of a scandalous tryst. The end solution, when everyone who's anyone explores Mr. Peake's antiquities collections, is a novel and enjoyable solution to the tricky problem of Society's fickle opinion.

Overall an enjoyable enough book for a quick read, but don't expect a complex plot or engaging characters out of Merely a Marriage.

Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley is not merely a book: It is the final book by a beloved, iconic author of the genre. I’m happy to say that this swan song is a fitting closure to an illustrious career.

In the custom of so many historical romance novel heroines, Lady Ariana Boxstall doesn’t want to marry. However, her reluctance to enter into that institution has not prevented her from attempting to bully her brother into doing so. After Princess Charlotte’s death in childbirth, it became clear to Ariana that death can come for anyone at any time. Determined not to lose her entailed home to an unworthy relative because her brother dies before he can beget an heir, she harangues him about the importance of legitimate progeny.

Her nagging falls on deaf ears because Norris Boxstall does not, of course, have any desire to marry either. We wouldn’t have a book if he did. After a bit of back and forth between the siblings he issues an ultimatum: If Ariana can get herself wed by the end of the year, he will happily – well, not happily but at least willingly – wed before the end of January.

Initially Ariana feels only irritation about the demand but after a dinner at which she can think of nothing but the danger that Norris’ death will bring to her own circumstances, she accepts the challenge. Unfortunately, all the eligible men in her vicinity are either completely unacceptable or have gotten themselves engaged or married in recent weeks. She will be forced to go to London, a city that was once the scene of great humiliation for her. From cartoons which showed her as a giantess among midgets, to cruel jests from dance partners, Ariana’s height had made her a freak among the tiny, delicate beauties of the ton. She has no desire to return to relive the embarrassing experience but she has no choice.

Ariana is not a freak of course, but the sort of tall, willowy beauty that is now worshipped by those of us in the Western Hemisphere. Her mother and the Dowager Countess of Cawle (the woman they’ve turned to for help in re-launching Ariana) are well aware of this and know that the combination of her beauty, title and wealth will make her a much desired prize on the marriage mart. The dowager, a ruling force in London society, provides Ariana with a list of suitable prospective husbands, men whose suitability is not just determined by wealth and breeding but height. Unfortunately, one of the men on that list is someone Ariana considers most unsuitable.

Titus Delacorte, Earl of Kynaston, had once been Ariana’s dream man; handsome, titled, wealthy, charming and – most importantly – tall, Titus was everything she could have wished for in a husband. She’d fallen hard for him during her début season, but he dashed all her dreams when she overheard him call her ‘longshanks’ after they had danced together. She avoided him after that and hopes to continue doing so on this visit to London.

Fate is not so kind. When Ariana descends the stairs at the dowager’s house on her first morning in the city, whom should she find passed out on a parlor couch but Titus. It turns out he is the countess’ beloved nephew and will be staying with his aunt for the foreseeable future.

If you’ve read historical romance before you know exactly where this book is going and even the route it will take to get there. What makes the journey one worth going on is the author’s delightfully easy-to-read style and the way she imbues the predictable elements of the tale with a comforting familiarity that makes it feel like you are eating a favorite version of a much loved dessert. There isn’t a whole lot of action or adventure in the story but for many readers of Regency romance the real pleasure to be found in these stories is in reveling in the manners and mores of the era, and the author delivers those in spades. From musical evenings and literature readings to balls and the viewing of Egyptian antiquities, the novel is a feast of the finer folk at play.

The characters are rather stock-in-trade, too, but in the best of ways. As mentioned, Lady Ariana is the sort who cherishes her freedom and is dead set against marriage. Her height is given as the main reason for her fear of the married state –she is convinced no man could truly want her – and I’ll admit hearing her essentially dismiss anyone who was short eventually got a bit tiring. That’s a minor quibble though. In the typical style of romance heroines she is smart, opinionated and chafes at the unfair restrictions placed upon women during this era. This is a beloved character type so I think many will see this as a positive in the novel.

Titus is protective of his lady love, even when they aren’t a couple; level headed, handsome and blah, blah, blah you know the gist of it. From the beginning the book hints at some dark reason for his seemingly debauched behavior when we first meet him and naturally, once it is revealed, everything is made right and all is explained.

As a couple, Titus and Ariana are clearly well-matched. He appreciates her wit and independence; she admires his noble character, good looks and common decency in treating women like people and not lap dogs. There is a nice amount of zing between them and it is easy to imagine them living happily ever after.

Merely a Marriage is a well written love story about two people finding each other at that just right moment in life. Fans of the author will find plenty to enjoy about this novel and new readers will finish it interested in picking up her back list. It is a great sorrow that the author is no longer with us and so will not be adding new works to her fabulous lexicon but we can rejoice that her backlist is very long and includes many novels worth multiple re-reads. Rest in peace, Jo, you are missed.

Jo Beverley was one of my all-time favorite historical romance authors. I wept when I heard she had passed last May. I have read many of her books, and I also have quite a few in audio. I never tire of the wonderful Georgian world she created in her Malloran series, along with the Regency world in her Company of Rogues series.

Merely a Marriage paints the picture of her Regency world. While this book may not have had her final touches on it, I still enjoyed it. All the sexual tension she was a master at, is in this book. The pacing is wonderful, the characters vivid and the plot is well-thought out with a great many twists and turns.

Arianna is a troubled heroine with very poor self-esteem. As a young girl, she received her fair share of unkind, and at times, brutal comments for something she had no control over. While I did struggle with her thought processes, I still liked her character and was glad she got her happy ending.

Kynaston is also a troubled character. I would have liked to spend more time in his POV to better understand his anguish, but I could still feel his pain. I sensed his struggle because he is attracted to Arianna from the beginning. I will say, I would have liked his secret brought to Arianna’s attention sooner since so many people knew his story. That would have added more to the story.

If you love Jo Beverley’s writing, then you will still want to read her last book, even though it is not her finest. She will be greatly missed by all who enjoyed her books. Happy reading!

Merely a Marriage by Jo BeverleySo bummed that this is the last new Jo Beverly we'll ever get. This book starts off strong with the introduction of the VERY tall Lady Ariana Boxstall. She is terrified that her brother will die before he gets an heir and that will leave she and her mother at the mercy of Ariana's drunkard uncle. She had a rather disastrous season eight years ago and has decided not to marry. Her brother says that if Ariana can get married by Christmas, he will marry in January. Ariana swallows her nerves and heads to London. She is staying at the house of Lady Cawle who has agreed to help her get started. Also at Lady Cawle's house? Her godson who unknowingly contributed to Ariana's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad season. Too bad he's a drunkard. And seems to be interested Ariana's dowry because he lost his own fortune. Or so Ariana surmises.
And this is where the story starts to crumble. All of a sudden we get all these extra characters in addition to a story that becomes a little less focused. Ariana is trying to consider other men, but she's in love with Kynaston. Or is she? And then they're in a scandal. But it's okay. Or is it? And what the heck is the Big Drama in Kynaston's background? And how hard is it to read that name?
Not one of my faves, for sure, but the beginning of this book shows the very best of Beverly, in creating characters and a sense of space. I will miss her stories.

Three stars
This book comes out May 30

With a heavy heart, I am sad to say this novel did not work for me. I could not get into the characters and found the friction between the heroine and hero to be very contrived. We will miss you Jo!

Today marks a special event in literary history: Jo Beverley's last book, Merely a Marriage, is being released to the public.

Anyone who has read Jo Beverley's books knows that it is a singular pleasure. She masterfully merged meticulous detail, lovely characters, and compelling plots. Her heroines inspired, her heroes were manly and believable, bodices never ripped, and in the process, the reader felt transported to another age and time where manners ruled and life, even for the privileged, was far from simple. Along the way, lessons in history were intricately woven into stories making characters of the Regency and medieval periods come alive.

Merely a Marriage is simply one of Jo's best. In it we are thrust into a time shortly after Princess Charlotte died in childbirth and the consequent effect her death had, not only on the royal line, but on the every day life of the subjects who loved her.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ZYfiUVjYQ&w=560&h=315]

I cried while reading this book, not only because of the characters who came to feel like friends, but because it is the last of its kind -- another jewel in the crown of a much lauded and much loved author. Thank goodness she left behind forty books through which we may remember her.

I had the extreme honor of video tapping Jo Beverley shortly before she died. She was her consummate self -- forthright, passionate, interesting -- everything an interviewer 236616could hope for. She explained her philosophy of writing, how she did her research, revealed her favorite historical period, and her most ardent pet peeves. Throughout it all, her dry wit kept me entirely enthralled.


Jo Beverley gifted me with her friendship, her books, and this interview. Now, this gift, I pass on to all of you.

I present, for the last time, our Jo Beverley.

Lady Ariana Boxstall is frightened. She's afraid that if her somewhat reckless brother doesn't marry and produce an heir soon, that he'll end up dead and she and her mother will be left in the hands of a cruel cousin. Ariana Boxstall may or may not be overreacting. Death is on everyone's minds and she wants to make sure her family is secure.

She strikes a deal with her brother that he will marry soon, but she has to marry first....and she's not really the debutante anymore. Her first season was a disaster, and she's not looking forward to going on a new husband hunt. As a taller than average woman, she does not fit into the ton's status quo.

I enjoyed Lady Ariana a lot. She was intelligent and curious, but also afraid to make waves with it by being too open. She was insecure and confident at the same time. She was a real person, with numerous faults balance by lovely personality attributes and a true caring about those close to her. This is balanced out by the Earl of Kynaston, who is not exactly what he appears at first (of course).

Their rocky "friendship" was an entertaining development that will keep you wondering when they'll both get their heads of the sand and realize they're perfect for each other. There's a good scandal (of course - but who doesn't love a good scandal) and suddenly things start to fall into place.

Merely A Marriage was a fun and quick read with some engaging side characters that just might need their own story if they don't have one already.

**I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book**

Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley is a Regency/Historical novel. At the start, we meet Lady Ariana Boxstall , who is concerned about the future of her family, especially after the childbirth death of Princess Charlotte. Ariana fears that she would lose her beloved Boxstall residence to her drunken uncle, if her brother dies. She then sets a plan in motion for her brother Norris to marry, but the one condition is she must marry first.

Ariana and her mother travel to London to stay at the home of a family friend, and look for the perfect husband for her. The Earl of Kynaston, is also staying at the house of his aunt, and Ariana remembers him from 8 years before at her coming out ball, where he embarrassed her. Needless to say, of all the eligible men, Kynaston is now crossed off the list. We get to spend time with Ariana, as she attends various balls/events to meet the eligible bachelors, but she also must spend time with Kynaston, since he also attends. At first, they both are sarcastic to each other, and keep their distance when possible; but it seems they keep getting pushed together, since a lady is never supposed to be without an escort. Ariana also does not like that Kynaston drinks too much, and looks very unhappy, which she will later learn why.

What follows is a slow build romance, with Ariana in the forefront for most of the story. She is determined to find someone to marry, to force her brother to then get married. Things change slightly when Norris meets Kynaston’s young sister, and surprisingly falls in love. At the same time, Ariana fights off her growing attraction to Kynaston. As we got closer to the last 1/3 of the book, the romance between Ariana & Kynaston began to heat up, which also improved the story line a lot. During this time, we got to learn all about Kynaston’s tragic past which still haunted him, and Ariana’s help to open his heart again.

I liked the characters in this story, for the most they were interesting and fun. However, I did think much of the early part of the book was slow reading, which does improve later on. If you enjoy historical romances, Merely a Marriage is a nice read by Jo Beverly.

Merely a Marriage by Jo Beverley is not merely a book: It is the final book by a beloved, iconic author of the genre. I’m happy to say that this swan song is a fitting closure to an illustrious career.

In the custom of so many historical romance novel heroines, Lady Ariana Boxstall doesn’t want to marry. However, her reluctance to enter into that institution has not prevented her from attempting to bully her brother into doing so. After Princess Charlotte’s death in childbirth, it became clear to Ariana that death can come for anyone at any time. Determined not to lose her entailed home to an unworthy relative because her brother dies before he can beget an heir, she harangues him about the importance of legitimate progeny.

Her nagging falls on deaf ears because Norris Boxstall does not, of course, have any desire to marry either. We wouldn’t have a book if he did. After a bit of back and forth between the siblings he issues an ultimatum: If Ariana can get herself wed by the end of the year, he will happily – well, not happily but at least willingly - wed before the end of January.

Initially Ariana feels only irritation about the demand but after a dinner at which she can think of nothing but the danger that Norris’ death will bring to her own circumstances, she accepts the challenge. Unfortunately, all the eligible men in her vicinity are either completely unacceptable or have gotten themselves engaged or married in recent weeks. She will be forced to go to London, a city that was once the scene of great humiliation for her. From cartoons which showed her as a giantess among midgets, to cruel jests from dance partners, Ariana’s height had made her a freak among the tiny, delicate beauties of the ton. She has no desire to return to relive the embarrassing experience but she has no choice.

Ariana is not a freak of course, but the sort of tall, willowy beauty that is now worshipped by those of us in the Western Hemisphere. Her mother and the Dowager Countess of Cawle (the woman they’ve turned to for help in re-launching Ariana) are well aware of this and know that the combination of her beauty, title and wealth will make her a much desired prize on the marriage mart. The dowager, a ruling force in London society, provides Ariana with a list of suitable prospective husbands, men whose suitability is not just determined by wealth and breeding but height. Unfortunately, one of the men on that list is someone Ariana considers most unsuitable.

Titus Delacorte, Earl of Kynaston, had once been Ariana’s dream man; handsome, titled, wealthy, charming and - most importantly - tall, Titus was everything she could have wished for in a husband. She’d fallen hard for him during her début season, but he dashed all her dreams when she overheard him call her ‘longshanks’ after they had danced together. She avoided him after that and hopes to continue doing so on this visit to London.

Fate is not so kind. When Ariana descends the stairs at the dowager’s house on her first morning in the city, whom should she find passed out on a parlor couch but Titus. It turns out he is the countess’ beloved nephew and will be staying with his aunt for the foreseeable future.

If you’ve read historical romance before you know exactly where this book is going and even the route it will take to get there. What makes the journey one worth going on is the author’s delightfully easy-to-read style and the way she imbues the predictable elements of the tale with a comforting familiarity that makes it feel like you are eating a favorite version of a much loved dessert. There isn’t a whole lot of action or adventure in the story but for many readers of Regency romance the real pleasure to be found in these stories is in reveling in the manners and mores of the era, and the author delivers those in spades. From musical evenings and literature readings to balls and the viewing of Egyptian antiquities, the novel is a feast of the finer folk at play.

The characters are rather stock-in-trade, too, but in the best of ways. As mentioned, Lady Ariana is the sort who cherishes her freedom and is dead set against marriage. Her height is given as the main reason for her fear of the married state –she is convinced no man could truly want her – and I’ll admit hearing her essentially dismiss anyone who was short eventually got a bit tiring. That’s a minor quibble though. In the typical style of romance heroines she is smart, opinionated and chafes at the unfair restrictions placed upon women during this era. This is a beloved character type so I think many will see this as a positive in the novel.

Titus is protective of his lady love, even when they aren’t a couple; level headed, handsome and blah, blah, blah you know the gist of it. From the beginning the book hints at some dark reason for his seemingly debauched behavior when we first meet him and naturally, once it is revealed, everything is made right and all is explained.

As a couple, Titus and Ariana are clearly well-matched. He appreciates her wit and independence; she admires his noble character, good looks and common decency in treating women like people and not lap dogs. There is a nice amount of zing between them and it is easy to imagine them living happily ever after.

Merely a Marriage is a well written love story about two people finding each other at that just right moment in life. Fans of the author will find plenty to enjoy about this novel and new readers will finish it interested in picking up her back list. It is a great sorrow that the author is no longer with us and so will not be adding new works to her fabulous lexicon but we can rejoice that her backlist is very long and includes many novels worth multiple re-reads. Rest in peace, Jo, you are missed.

After reading and enjoying The Viscount Needs a Wife by Beverley, I was a bit underwhelmed by Merely a Marriage. The characters in Merely a Marriage were likable enough (as with The Viscount Needs a Wife), but I found the premise rather predictable and the storytelling lacking. I hesitate to be overcritical or harsh because I have read that this is the author's final work. If you have not yet read Ms. Beverley's work, I highly recommend starting with another title.

This one was not, sadly, even in Beverley's top ten best books. The plot felt really forced (and highly contrived/unbelievable at times), the characters were frustratingly flat and unlikeable, and the pacing was uneven.

2 stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

This story was a fun read. The characters were easy to fall in love with and root for. I love how the author used the societal expectations of the era to push the main characters together all the while giving them the opportunity to show their depth of character, in what would have been devastating circumstances. I love how the author adds humor throughout the story by showcasing some of the more shallow, narrow-minded aspects of Victorian English society such as how quickly and easily “life” altering scandals could be created and believed (no matter how outlandish the scandal) with no proof to back up the accusations.

The only thing I didn’t really like about this book was the way the author rushed through the ending. The last chapter felt like I was reading the Cliff’s Note version of the book while yes it got the point across I feel it was somewhat of a letdown after how well the rest of the book had been laid out.

All in all I would read this book again, But with the ending as it is I don’t think I would buy it to add to my collection.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

I read this book a while ago, but waited to post this review until closer to the publication date.

I’ve read a few of Jo Beverley’s Regency Romances and enjoyed them, so I was startled to see this latest novel, Merely a Marriage, described as her last. I googled her and was sorry to learn that she died in May 2016.

Jo Beverley’s historical romances have always stood out for me because she doesn’t just set them in the Regency period for the manners of the time. (The manners are important, of course; all the rules of courting and social behavior make these books fun escapism.) She also truly seems to know the time period and inserts more historical context into the storylines than is typical. The history isn’t the focus. It’s never heavy-handed and the books are clearly genre romance. But the historical tidbits are an added bonus.

Merely a Marriage takes place immediately following the death of Princess Charlotte in childbirth. England is plunged into mourning. Social events are muted. Dresses must be in mourning colors. And the twenty-five-year-old Lady Ariana Boxstall is in a panic. Her father is two years dead and her brother, a couple of years younger than she, has no intention of marrying and filling the nursery with potential heirs. This could be a problem if her brother, Norris, should suffer an untimely death. Their uncle would inherit, and he’s a gambler and a nasty drunkard.

Norris is too young and healthy to be concerned, which irritates Ariana. So, he challenges her: if she’s wed by the end of the year, he’ll marry right after her. Since she retired from society after a disastrous coming out at seventeen, he feels safe. But Ariana is not one to shy from a challenge.

Ariana is beautiful, willful, and intelligent. However, she has a fatal flaw. She’s much too tall. Since she would never settle for a man shorter than herself, her options are limited in the countryside. She has to go back to London to find a wider field of choices. Her mother is happy to take her, and they will stay with an elderly relative who knows all the right people. Unfortunately, she knows some of the wrong people too: her nephew, the Earl of Kynaston, is one of the young men whose mockery made Ariana’s debut so painful. She might have endured it better if she wasn’t so smitten with him at the time. She’s older and wiser now, but still not prepared to share a roof with him. He’s as gorgeous (and tall) as ever, but he’s also still nasty, and he drinks to excess.

Of course, first (and second) impressions can be wrong.

As Lady Ariana shuffles through the men who survive the first weed-out round (tallness), she discovers that she’s even pickier than she thought. Height is the main thing, but not everything. Thrown together frequently with Kynaston, she finds he has more and more attributes on her checklist. Still, she resents him so much and is so certain he’s not interested in her, that she invents sins to assign to him, fabricating a tale of dissipation, rakish behavior, impoverishment, neglect of his estates and family, all to talk herself out of the attraction she still feels.

Kynaston has his own reasons for keeping Ariana at arm’s length despite his attraction to her. The reader will be convinced that he’s actually a noble character long before Ariana admits it. Ariana’s willful blindness to all the clues gets a bit irritating after awhile. She prefers to invent reasons for his behavior and stick to her own version of his life despite all evidence to the contrary. However, once she is told Kynaston’s history, she does an abrupt about face. Now she sees clearly that he is the perfect man—the only man—for her.

Ariana’s matter-of-fact approach to life makes her an interesting protagonist. And Kynaston is fine as the alpha male of her dreams. But her single-minded pursuit of him, including various plans to compromise herself so that he will have no choice but to marry her, get a bit unnerving. She tackles problems with an end-justifies-the-means attitude where the end is always to get what she wants. Since she’s certain that she knows what’s right for everyone, she sees no problem with forcing the issues. And, while she is naturally right that she and Kynaston are meant for each other (it’s a romance, after all), I found her character rather off-putting. Nevertheless, she is surrounded by charming supporting characters and I had fun reading this.