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Captain Oliver Mayhew has been to war and back, but since he was not born a first son, he must now find a way to support himself. He decides to find himself a wealthy wife, and he knows the perfect way to do that after seeing the advertisement seeking a tutor to young Edward Haverstock.
Sarah has been a widow for seven years, and she does not necessarily miss the company of a man, but her young son Edward does. And, his association with the stable lads is starting to show. In desperation, she decides to hire a tutor. When Captain Oliver Mayhew comes to apply for the job, she’s certain that he just won’t be suitable – he’s too tough, too handsome and too overbearing for her tastes.
Upon meeting Sarah, Oliver isn’t sure he’d want such a plain wife, although her estates meet with his approval. He quickly changes his mind after just one glimpse of her smile, and, with a few well-placed comments, secures the position.
Soon after Oliver takes up his post, Sarah is shot and everyone soon realizes that someone is trying to murder the mistress and her son. As strange events begin to unfold, Sarah and Oliver grow closer and soon, for the sake of necessity, the two begin a faux engagement – one that becomes quite real to them both.
A SUITABLE HUSBAND was a rather dry read. Author Fenella-Jane Miller does do a creditable job of conveying the stuffiness of English mannerisms and the prudishness of the heroine. Both hero and heroine, in addition to the secondary characters, are fairly well written and easy to identify with, but they lack a certain depth of feeling. The plot moves along at a good clip, with only a few stagnant spots, and the setting is written almost perfectly. A SUITABLE HUSBAND was a good book, but it was missing that indefinable quality – that special spark - that makes a good novel a great one.
Reviewed by Janean Nusz
for The Road to Romance
September 1, 2006
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