ABOUT THE BOOK
Anne strikes a deal: if she cannot secure a man for herself, she will agree to marry the husband her parents approved. She soon finds herself in the last place she would every choose—that stifling parade of etiquette, the London Season. Anne's plan is in motion. Now all she needs is a man willing to masquerade as her fiancé.
REVIEW
An Engagement of Sorts presents readers with an enjoyable story that manages to blend serious issues with plenty of humor. The two main characters carried the story with their unique characters and interactions. The plot proved to be compelling and thoughtful at the same time.
Anne, the heroine, is a spirited young woman who has been told her whole life that she isn't good enough. Her mother considers her a trial and constantly tells her reign in her emotions. After a lifetime of criticism, Anne has determined never to marry. Her friend, Will, the local vicar, however, has other plans. He wants to marry her and goes to her father and gets permission to marry her without talking to her first. Anne, in desperation, makes a deal with Will. If she can't find a man in London within a month's time, she will return and marry him. Meanwhile, she also has to deal with the offensive attentions of Mr. Smith, an acquaintance of her father's.
Several encounters with a colorful Mr. Thomas Paling add to Anne's stress. His constant flirtations mask his fondness for her and her antics. Desperation leads Anne to confide in the man and his suggestion of a false engagement is her only hope of preventing Mr. Smith from causing further harm to her and her friends and family.
One of my favorite aspects of the story is the humorous interactions between Anne and Thomas. Her spiritedness combined with his delightful sense of humor and flirtatiousness make for a very entertaining combination. And yet the two also come to understand each other through some serious conversations as well. I especially like the fact that Thomas sees Anne as a person worth paying attention to, which Anne herself appreciates as well.
Issues related to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse run throughout the story which unfortunately would have been very common at the time. Anne's helplessness in the face of horrible threats induced a great deal of sympathy in me. The fact that women of the time had little recourse is rather sickening.
Overall, the story is well-told with lighter, entertaining scenes mixed in with the more serious, intense scenes. An emotional story that takes the reader from laughter to anger and back again.
