THE WIFE TRAP

Author: Tracy Anne Warren ISBN: 034548309X 5/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: BALLANTINE IVY
Time Period: Regency Ireland, 1817

Your presence is requested at a wedding deception. After orchestrating a scandalous high-society ruse, Lady Jeannette Brantford is banished from her family’s estate in England and sent to live with boring elderly cousins in the Irish countryside. But Jeannette’s exile is surprisingly eventful. En route to her dreaded destination, she encounters Darragh O’Brien, a devilishly handsome architect who transforms Jeannette’s punishment into a delicious whirlwind of wits, words, and undeniable passion. Although no less than a duke could satisfy a lady of her status, Jeannette is unable to extinguish the burning desire she has for Darragh’s smoldering looks and sizzling kisses. Little does she know, her dashing Irishman is no commoner. He’s the eleventh Earl of Mulholland–and he’s thoroughly enjoying the irresistible game of hard-to-get. But before he reveals his true identity, a little temptation and trickery are in order to teach his fair lady a lesson or two about love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Unfortunately, I didn't find THE WIFE TRAP as enjoyable a read as I did its predecessor, THE HUSBAND TRAP, mainly because it was hard for me to like the main character, Jeannette, the vapid and selfish twin of Violet who was featured in THE HUSBAND TRAP. I had hoped that by the end of the story Jeannette would have redeemed herself and proven to be a more likeable, mature character, but I found little to convince me of that. She still seemed to be spoiled and rather immature. Not liking the main character of a story does rather put a damper on things.

Darragh, for all his sexy Scots ways and charming dialogue, is a likeable character, but I couldn't understand why on earth the man kept his social standing such a secret from everyone. Not even his reasoning for not telling Jeannette didn't hold water with me (have her love me for myself, and not my title, type of thing). How on earth a man with that much smarts and drive could want someone as shallow and unlikable as Jeannette—well, it had to be a hormonal thing, I guess, because the two just never quite connected for me.

Some of my disappoint does come from my own expectations, I think. Reading the preview of this book in THE HUSBAND TRAP I had looked forward to a bit more adventure, and yes, a bit more comeuppance for Jeannette. I really did wonder how Ms. Warren would take such an unlikable character and redeem her into someone we could all cheer for by the end, but unfortunately, in my eyes, that just didn't happen. Let's hope that Christopher and Elizabeth's story that's next in THE WEDDING TRAP, is much more compelling and entertaining than this one was.

Nancy Davis