Nothing to Commend Her

I loved the story and the story line was easy to follow. The author drew us in and allowed us to experienced the many emotions of her characters. The story had intrigue, suspense, betrayal, intelligence, mystery, romance, and the sexual scenes were slight. It was a struggle between two individual, who were ordinary, not the cheerleader and the quarterback but a plain intellect young woman with glasses and a not so handsome disfigured man. Both with insecurities, afraid to believe that some one could actually love them yet they both fell in love with each other's inner person, the one which truly counts, not the outer beauty.

It was a good story.  At the end it turned out a little bit slow paced but still it was worth reading. I will look forward more books from Jo Barrett.

This was a marriage of convenience story, where the ‘plain’ blue stocking and wallflower Agatha, defends then meets scarred nobleman,  badly injured whilst trying and failing to rescue his first wife. Both Agatha and the Earl of Pensby are attracted to each other, Agatha before she even knows who Magnus is. When he proposes, he thinks she can’t bear his scars and thinks he is a monster, but he wants her close by. Agatha thinks he has taken pity on a plain wallflower.

Agatha is a scientist, trying to develop fertilisers to 8mprobe yields for what and corn, as it is such an unladylike hobby she hides Thais from her husband, who soon realises she is up to something, and when he discovers what it is she has been doing, he is happy that she is enjoying herself.

Once they are married though, the misunderstandings and lack of communication go on for far too long, there are just too many angsty torturous musings for my liking, they just needed to communicate with each other. When Agatha is subject to a lot of close calls and accidents, who could be trying to get rid of her. This did end up frustrating me in the end unfortunately, also guests getting in the way of communicating important information to each other was used as a plot device too many times.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own

It's a very strange thing to review an ARC of a book that was published ten years ago, but there's such a timelessness to the writing that it didn't even occur to me that this was an older release. And when I say timeless, I mean it in the best possible way of the nostalgic, wonderfully swoon-worthy romance novels of the sixties and beyond (and before); writers like Jean Plaidy and Georgette Heyer, and all the delightfully lurid books I used to steal from my grandmother as a young teen. It's that kind of writing, and exactly that kind of story.
The pacing was maybe a little quick for me, but if anything it only contributed to the feeling of being swept away by the story in one strange, mad rush of events and character chemistry that had me blushing and turning down my screen brightness.
The 'representation' at the end had me grimacing a bit, and was probably the biggest giveaway that this wasn't a brand-shiny-new release, but overall this was just a seriously good time.

An author should be very careful about book titles which can be twisted by an unhappy reviewer, but I'll refrain from the obvious. I'm not entirely unhappy with this book, but most of it does seem to hinge upon the two main characters not talking to each other while each surmising (incorrectly) what the other is thinking. Though this is a fairly common trope in Regency romances it does seem to prop up most of the book despite a fairly thin attempted-murder plot, which, I'm sorry to say, I guessed the outcome of from the get-go.

Agatha Trumwell is pretty much on the shelf after several failed seasons on the marriage mart until she receives a proposal – in writing – from Magnus, the Earl of Pensby, considered by many to be a 'monster' due to the scars he carries from a dreadful fire that killed his first wife. They barely know each other, and in fact have only spoken once, so it's no surprise when after the wedding they get off on the wrong foot when consummation is not forthcoming. Agnes immerses herself in her scientific experiments (which sound interesting but have no practical outcome in the story) and Magnus gets on with his brooding until someone tries to murder Agnes. There's not a lot of plot, and of course everything is resolved in the end. That's not really a spoiler because that's the way books like this work.

One of my favorite tropes, the wounded hero and this was done well.  Imperfect characters pull the story drawing you in and rooting for them all the way.

A spinster bluestocking, Lady Agatha was truly intelligent and a scientist. At 25 she thinks as herself as on the shelf and the other ladies are always trying to find a gentleman for her to marry..

Lord Magnus has been burned from trying to rescue his wife from a fire and it takes a lot of time to heal internally and externally. When he literally bumps into Agatha and he helps her find her glasses it brings them together.

A little suspense, mystery, betrayal and all that is needed to bring this romance into a heartwarming keeper.

In Nothing to Commend Her, Agatha has everything to commend her.  But, the only one who sees her is Magnus, Earl of Pensby.  The same people who do not see Agatha, think he is too scared to be worth anything.

I loved that Agatha is not the typical heroine, but is a sharply intelligent wallflower, with spectacles.  She sees past the outward person to the inner heart, even defending Magnus at a social event to several unkind, young ladies.  From that point on, Magnus is charmed by Agatha.  He is not your typical hero, either.  I loved how accepting he is of Agatha.

Generally, a lot of inner dialogue of the main characters does not interest me, but Ms. Barrett brings Agatha and Magnus’s hearts together in a charming way.  We get to know them in a way that endears them to the reader as you cheer for this couple and their kind hearts.

As for secondary characters, I loved George and his matchmaking Momma!  Even adding a second bluestocking makes for a better novel.