The Marriage Ring
Author: Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: February 23, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061771927
Retail Price: $7.99
368 pages

The woman who will one day wear Richard Lynsted’s ring will be genteel, dainty, and well-bred.

This eliminates Grace MacEachin on all three counts. A hellion of the first order, the alluring, infuriating woman would be nothing more than a passing temptation to an upstanding gentleman like Richard—if it weren’t for the fact that she’s trying to blackmail his father!

Or, as Grace sees it, trying to get justice—and maybe just the slightest hint of revenge on the family that tore her life asunder when she was just a girl. And as for Lynsted, well, the stuffy, humorless man wouldn’t suffer for time spent in company more exciting than that of his company ledgers. Only when Richard gets Grace alone, she discovers he may know a thing or two about excitement after all . . .

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The Marriage Ring is a touching story about love and trust between two people very much alone in the world. This book takes an overworked, stoic man and pits him against an independent, experienced woman— and let me tell you… the sparks are going to fly!

The Marriage Ring is an interesting tale of discovery, matching two very unlikely characters in a battle of stubborn wills. But this battle turns to a love that neither expects and a story that leaves the reader with a pleasant smile on their face. It is an odd romantic story, no less sweet, but a strange progression to love and perhaps a little rushed. You do feel the characters getting to know each other better – something I liked about this book.  I often read books where you don’t get a sense of growth between the leading characters and their love then seems too forced. Cathy does not let us down with her loving tale.

Richard, our hero, is a rare breed; a celibate man with a hidden sensual side, a mix of naivety and daring. He is intelligent and hardworking but possesses an air of innocence about him that I have never seen before in a romance novel. I had a hard time warming up to him… just my personal taste as I like the strong, dominant male types in my stories.

He is a good match for our bold, independent heroine Grace. She is full of fire and spunk and takes nonsense from no one. But a troubled past and a lot of heartache has left her unable to trust, just the ticket when she is traveling in a carriage with a straight-laced man who keeps telling himself he wants nothing to do with her… but we all know what he is really thinking…

The love scenes in this book are tame but loving, great for those who don’t like the graphic descriptions found in some other books. 

Overall, this story was a mild tale that missed the mark on my excitement scale. If a book is “light on the love” it needs to be strong in plot to hold a reader’s interest. That being said, I would still recommend Cathy Maxwell as an author.  I have read at least half of her books and thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Rating: 7 (Good)

Heat Level: 2 (Mild)

Buy Links: Book Depository ~ $6.49 | Barnes & Noble (ebook) ~ $5.59

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