The Bumblebroth

Author: Patricia Wynn
Genre: Romance, Regency

3 Stars

The Duchess of Upavon, Mathilda, begins to worry when her fifteen-year-old daughter is paid particular attention to by Lord Westbury, a near neighbor.  Mathilda herself was once wed to a much older man, and knowing what she had to endure, she decided that she would do whatever necessary to see that the match would not take place.  What Mathilda did not know was that Lord Westbury had been put up to it by his mother, who wanted to reclaim some land that is now owned by the duchess.

The young dowager duchess, Mathilda, does not go into society.  She had a bad experience when she was married to her Duke that left her feeling unwelcome and unhappy.  Now comes a neighbor, Lord Westbury, who starts paying attention to her young daughter, and she is naturally upset, since she herself married a much older man.  What she does not know, is that Lord Westbury's mother has put him up to it, figuring if her son can marry the Duchess' daughter, then the land she has craved for so long will finally find its way back into her fold.

The book was pretty decent, but I found it a little unbelievable in the fact that the heroine tries not to get involved with the hero because she is "so much older than him". The age difference turns out to be about six years or so. (I believe he is 30 and she is 36 or 38).  That is not much of an age difference, and I doubt that it would have made any difference then as it does not make much difference now. 

Actually, considering some of the things that go on in Regencies (bedhopping by unmarried women, for one), I can't see where this should be a problem for her, since it wasn't a problem for him.  Although the age difference thing seemed to be silly in my opinion, the rest of the book was pretty good.  Worth a read.

www.amazon.com/Bumblebroth-Five-Star-Romance/dp/0786250852