THE WEDDING DUEL
Karen L King
Zebra
Mass Market pb
Aug. 02
ISBN 0821774131
Long Regency
Forced by his father to marry against his wishes, Keene Davies finds himself
to be wed to a notorious hoyden, whom he believes to be carrying another man's
child. He does not believe her explanation of her fainting and vomiting to be a
concussion from a fall. Therefore, he refuses to bed her until after the child
is born. Part of his reason for this belief might lie with the fact that
his friend, George, is shackled with a wife who has a child already by another
friend, Victor. For her part, Sophie believes that her husband is the
father of the woman in question, Amelia's, daughter, and still in love with her.
Sophie is very countrified, and hardly ready for London society, but she
follows the three men when they go there and tries to shop and go places that
will make her more suitable, only to make a mess of it all. She repeatedly
places herself in positions just shy of compromising with unsuitable gentlemen,
cuts the hair off that Keene loves, and buys inappropriate clothes. After George
casts Amelia from his home, she is given the job of taking Sophie to hand to
make ready for society.
Though Keene appears to hate Sophie, he is in fact very vulnerable to her
charms, and so both he and Sophie are in for a bit of a surprise when her
seduction scheme finally works. It not only leads to passion, but to revelations
that set more than one mind at ease. Now if George, Amelia, and Victor can just
work their problems out, all will be well.
Though sometimes a bit hard to follow on the who wants to be with who,
this debut book never fails to be delightful. Reminiscent of Shakespeare's
brighter comedies or a screwball film from Cary Grant, in fact, Keene presents
as a bit like Cary, this one sparkles. I suppose then, if Keene is Cary Grant,
we could cast Kate Hepburn for her wit and personality as the independent
Sophie, though they would look nothing alike. Humor and prolonged sensual
tension, a good supporting cast, and excellent main couple all combine to bring
us a fitting introduction to an up and coming author to watch. Her star deserves
to shine.
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