The Husband List (edition 2013)

Listened to this through Audible.com. Cute little departure for Evanovich as she goes back in time to the Gilded Age where many English lords were looking for American wives with money to shore up the family estate. The story was interesting and the characters were people I wanted to know more about. Hard to imagine the motivations of the people during that time period. So thankful for the women's liberation movement! ( )

I picked up this book solely based on the fact that I am a fan of the Stephanie Plum series (although those have been decreasing in substance). I liked some parts of this book but it felt rushed the entire time and then just ended. The main characters, Caroline and Jack, were likable enough but I wasn't really rooting for them. I honestly kept hoping the villain would end up having redeemable qualities and would actually be competition for Caroline's hand. Also, the mother was DREADFUL and I don't think she nearly got what she deserved at the end. Overall, this felt like a rush job by two authors and I was not too impressed. ( )

This was a fun and engaging story and I absolutely loved Caroline. I would have been delighted to see more done with the mystery behind Bremerton. He was wonderfully creepy and there could have been a lot more said to draw out Caroline's unease and keep the reader on the edge of their seat worrying for her. I adored the little clips written in about Caroline scaring off her suitors and would have enjoyed seeing more of that as well. It was a bit disappointing that with the title being The Husband List, only one person (Bremerton) ever really showed up on it. It would have been fun to see a few more clips of Caroline being rebellious and frightening others off as her mother tried to foist back ups on her. One thing I truly loved about this story though was how Caroline was head strong, determined, and in control of herself without the authors resorting to her putting down other women in the story to elevate Caroline. Even if she didn't agree with her mother's determination to marry her daughters off to rich men, Harriet's pursuit of Jack without knowing anything about him, or Amelia's romanticism, there was never scorn or derision hurled in their direction. It allowed for there to be several strong female characters be present and be strong in their own fashion without it being competitive. It's rare to find a romance novel that isn't only enjoyable but where the interaction between the women of the story is fun and does justice to the characters, and I appreciate that. ( )

Fun book and not the authors' usual style. Caroline is an American heiress in 1894. She is intelligent, determined and outspoken. She is also stuck with a mother who is determined to marry her off to an English title. Caroline had evaded that particular fate the previous summer while in England but now there is an Englishman who has made it plain that he wants Caroline - or at least her money - for his own and he will do anything to get it. Caroline isn't interested; as a matter of fact he gives her the creeps. What she does want is the chance for travel, for adventure and to marry for love. She has been in love with Jack, her brother's best friend, for years. But her mother considers Jack, a first generation Irish-American, to be far beneath what she wants for her daughter. Jack has always thought of Caroline as his friend's little sister until recently when he started to notice her as a woman. He knows that her mother doesn't consider him suitable, but Caroline's feelings about Bremerton echo his own. I loved seeing Caroline use her wits to avoid Bremerton as much as possible. There are quite a few amusing moments when we see how she goes about it. She also makes sure that Jack knows how she feels. I really enjoyed their conversations and seeing how much he appreciates her for who she is. I loved her directness and how she made Jack promise that he would always be honest with her. Jack was another fantastic character. He is rich but has earned his money by his own hard work. He isn't afraid to work and I enjoyed seeing him do what he does so well. I thought all the characters were very well portrayed. Besides Jack and Caroline there is Caroline's mother who I just detested. She was so focused on Bremerton's title that she refused to listen to anyone else's opinions even when told about the rumors about him. Caroline's brother was done pretty well, as were her sisters. I loved Jack's dad and his obvious love for his son. The addition of Flora, a rather scandalous woman from Patrick's past made a great addition to the cast, especially when Caroline became friends with her. The setting showed the lifestyles of the people of the time very well. Bremerton's character was suitably devious and certainly easy to detest. I really enjoyed the ending, especially seeing that Caroline was able to take some of the matter into her own hands. While this book was in no way as good as a Stephanie Laurens or Jo Beverley it was a fun book to read. I'd love to see a book for Caroline's brother Eddie. ( )

Authors Evanovich and Kelly have issued their second jointly authored book, The Husband List. The book takes place in New York City, Newport, RI and at its end, England. Caroline Maxwell, an American heiress, has a mother who wants her to marry a British nobleman, and she will take the first one who offers for Caroline. That turns out to be Lord Bremerton, who is not quite what he seems. Caroline, meanwhile, is exactly what she seems, which is very forthright and outspoken. She also happens to have fallen in love with first-generation Irish American Jack Culhane, the best friend of her brother Eddie. While suitable for a friendship with her brother, Caroline's mother deems him most unsuitable as a potential husband for Caroline. Naturally, a battle ensures between mother and daughter. The book is written in a completely different style from the usual Evanovich novel, possibly due to Kelly's influence and is really an enjoyable read for the first 200 or so pages. After that point, it turned into the typical romance novel, and this reader just wanted it to wrap up. Nonetheless, I smiled periodically until I reached the end because the book has many amusing moments. It also tries really hard to make its readers understand the excesses of the Gilded Age in American when the Vanderbilts and their ilk ruled and servants did not have it nearly so good. Not to be missed by Evanovich fans who like romance. Those who strictly read mysteries may want to pass. ( )