Genre: Historical Romance
POV: 3rd Person (both heroine and hero)
Sensuality: Warm
Violence: N/A
Format: Print
My Grade: A-
First Comes Marriage was the first book by Mary Balogh that I’d read in several years. It was a delightful reintroduction to the joys of her rich prose and attention to historical detail. This is very much a character-driven story with little action. It’s the sort of book I might have tossed aside in the wrong mood, yet I savoured it in the right one. Both the hero and the heroine were wonderful characters and I enjoyed spending 300-plus pages in their company.
Vanessa Dew, neé Huxtable, is a widow residing with her late husband’s family in the small country village of Throckbridge. It is the sort of village in which nothing much ever happens, yet the villagers have a way of ensuring their own entertainment through dances and other festivities.
Although Vanessa mourns her late husband, she is content living with her in-laws and is in close proximity to her own family. The Huxtables live in a small but cosy cottage. Upon their father’s death, the eldest sister, Margaret, took over the responsibility for the household and her younger siblings. Katherine is twenty and unmarried; Stephen is seventeen and studying hard with a view to attending university. In order to make this happen, Margaret is obliged to scrimp and save at every turn. She has put her own dreams of a husband and children on hold until her younger siblings are all established.
The peace and tranquillity of life in Throckbridge is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of Viscount Moreland and his friend. No one knows why such illustrious persons have deigned to visit Throckbridge, but Sir Hedley Dew, Vanessa’s father-in-law, wastes no time in procuring their agreement to attend the Valentine’s Dance.
Elliot shudders at the thought of attending the dance but realises it provides him with the ideal opportunity of observing the Huxtable family. Elliot is the reluctant guardian of the new Earl of Merton. His search for the legal heir to the title led him to Throckbridge and young Stephen Huxtable.
Blissfully unaware of the impending change in their circumstances, the Huxtables and Vanessa are delighted to attend the dance. Everyone is excited by the viscount’s presence, but Vanessa takes an immediate dislike to him. She observes his haughty demeanour and condescension to her beloved father-in-law. When Sir Hedley manoeuvres the viscount into asking Vanessa to dance, neither she nor he are in the least bit pleased.
When the Huxtables learn of the dramatic change in their circumstances, they are both shocked and excited. After an emotional farewell, they leave Throckbridge for Merton Hall. Vanessa decides to accompany them, at least for the time being. Elliot know he needs to introduce them to London society but there is very little time to bring them up to scratch. Added to his woes, is the knowledge that he has to find a suitable matron to ease their way into society.
Elliot needs an heir. He decides one of the Huxtable women will do as well as any other for a wife, and would solve the problem of finding a suitable lady to introduce them to the ton. Initially, he settles on Margaret as she is the eldest of the sisters. When Vanessa realises Elliot means to offer for Margaret, she’s alarmed. She’s aware that Margaret is still holding out hope of a marriage with her childhood love, Crispin Dew. So as to prevent Margaret from accepting Elliot’s proposal out of a sense of obligation, Vanessa proposes to him herself. To both her surprise and his, Elliot agrees to the match.
First Comes Marriage is a marvellous marriage-of-convenience story in which the hero and heroine slowly but surely fall in love. There are no superfluous suspense subplots. Although some of the secondary characters will feature in their own books later in the series, the focus is very much on Elliot and Vanessa’s story.
Elliot is a diligent landlord and is very aware of his obligations. He’s learned to restrain his more adventurous impulses. Vanessa’s sense of fun acts as a perfect foil to his more serious demeanour. She makes him laugh and see the lighter side of life. In turn, Elliot provides Vanessa with the friendship and passion she’s been lacking since her first husband’s death.
Of the three books in the Huxtable series that I’ve read so far, First Comes Marriage is by far the strongest. I loved the slowly developing romance between Elliot and Vanessa. They are characters I grew to care about and that, for me, is the highest compliment a reader can bestow on a book.
{ 3 comments }
I really enjoyed this whole series.
The cover is so lush and feminine! I really think I will like this title. Thank you so much for the review!
@Victoria Janssen: I loved this book, liked the third, but the second wasn’t a success. However, I’m really looking forward to Con’s story. His character has fascinated me from Book One.
@firepages: You’re welcome. I hope you like it!