"A Civil Contract" by Georgette Heyer
First read: 22.02.2010
So to be fair A Matter of Inconvenience by Astolat is inspired on this and it's what made me decide to read it in the first place but "A Civil Contract" doesn't compare favourably to Heyer's other less-known book, "The Corinthian" or to (I gather she would appreciate the comparison) Jane Austen's P&P or any other regency novels. It goes on interminably about farming and practical matters *SPOILERS* while Adam is an asshole to Jenny, ignoring her more often than not and taking her for granted (she is, since they are married and this is regency) while he pines for Julia, who's a egoistical bitch of the first order and a crybaby (she seriously reminds me of Will's wife from "Glee"). Lydia is delightful (I thought it was all Allison but no way, Lydia kicks ass!) but there's not enough of her to make up for the dullness of her brother and for her sister-in-law's stoicism. *SPOILER* I didn't like the ending, unlike Astolat, I'm not so sure Jenny deserves a grand love if she hasn't got the balls to find one (unless one counts the one she feels for Adam, but since feeling that doesn't make her happy but merely "content" I'm not). I thought Adam would come to his senses and fall for her but he simply fell out of love with Julia (and way too late) and decided he was "content" with Jenny, who he loved in a somewhat desultory manner because he had her already. Not at all what I expected from a romance. If it had skipped the extra plots about agriculture I might dislike it less, though, as it is, it dragged.
2010, 2010: novel in english, book-2010, #novel, *author: female, @read in english, +historical, +romance