Book Review: Not Quite A Wife- Mary Jo Putney

Title:  Not Quite A Wife

Author: Mary Jo Putney 

Publisher/Year: Zebra/ 2014

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance

Format: ePub

The Juicy Stuff:

Marry in haste, repent at leisure. James, Lord Kirkland, owns a shipping fleet, half a London gaming house, and is a ruthlessly effective spymaster. He is seldom self-indulgent. . .except when it comes to the gentle, indomitable beauty who was once his wife.

Laurel Herbert gave James her heart as an innocent young girl--until she saw him perform an act of shocking violence before her very eyes. That night she left her husband, and he let her go without a word of protest.

Now, ten years later, a chance encounter turns passionate, with consequences that cannot be ignored. But as they try to rebuild what was broken, they must face common enemies and a very uncommon love. . ..

How It Made Me Feel:

The start of the book was a bit slow and forced for me, but after a few chapters, it felt like it picked up a bit.  At first, I was a bit turned off to Laurel's character.  She seemed so stiff and it was hard for me to get a feel for her character, but she loosened up and became more realistic as the book went on.  I enjoyed James' character and I enjoyed learning more about him as the story went on.  It was an interesting twist with the Methodist background and the Zion House, but I really liked how the author tied everything together.

What I Thought Didn't Work:

I wasn't too sure how I felt about Laurel's brother, Daniel throughout the story, and now that I've finished the book, I'm definitely not a fan.  Though some of his brotherly characteristics shown through, I did not like how uptight he seemed.

Rating

Why It Got That Rating:

I greatly enjoyed the history, romance, and character development that occurred through the book and was happy I read it. It was a fast and easy read that was as entertaining as it was romantic.

Who Would I Recommend To:

I would recommend to an audience of 18 or above, as it is a  romance novel, up to your discretion, but also to someone who enjoys Regency Romance.

Last Impressions/Remarks:

I enjoyed reading this book and it has made me think about reading the rest of the books in the series