The Marriage Act by Alyssa Everett

Historical Romance

From Goodreads:

London, 1821

When John, Viscount Welford, proposed to Caroline Fleetwood, the only daughter of the Bishop of Essex, he thought he knew exactly what he was getting—a lovely, innocent bride.

Five years later, he knows better. The woman who ran to another man on their wedding night—after they'd consummated the marriage—is hardly innocent. Years spent apart while John served as a diplomatic attaché have allowed them to save face in society, but all good pretenses must come to an end. When Caroline receives word that her father is dying, she begs John to accompany her on one last journey to see him.

But there's an added problem—Caroline never told her father that her marriage to John was a farce. As they play-act for others, Caroline is delighted to find she never really knew her husband at all. But can she be the kind of wife he needs—and does she want to be?

I have been a fan of Alyssa Everett since her first book.  I like the fact that she writes books that have an unusual twist.  The Marriage Act has that and more.

There is a marriage that ended almost before it began.  Caroline Fleetwood and John, Viscount Welford, have been apart for 5 years.  Now they have to pretend to be happy.  Both Caroline and John are very well developed characters.  As the story progresses we see why each reacted as they have and how those reactions have shaped  how they have arrived at the 5 year separation.  Thinks have to change and there are some very good secondary characters that play a part in that change.

The story line does follow a familiar pattern for a romance but the small twists and turns kept my attention and added to my enjoyment of the story.  I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.  Pick this one up for a enjoyable read during this very hot summer.

Carina Press published The Marriage Act by Alyssa Everett in 2015.

I received an ARC of The Marriage Act from Netgalley in return for an honest review.