The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

Genre: Regency/Mystery

Publication Date: 1946

One Word Review: Good

Synopsis: In The Reluctant Widow, Elinor Rochdale, a young woman of good birth but straitened circumstances, sets out to accept a position as a governess and ends up plunged into a tangle of foreign intrigue instead. Elinor's adventure begins when she inadvertently mistakes the carriage waiting at the coach stop for one sent by her prospective employer, Mrs. Macclesfield. She finds herself carried to the estate of one Ned Carlyon, who Elinor mistakes for Mr. Macclesfield. Carlyon, meanwhile, believes Elinor to be the young woman he hired to marry his dying cousin, Eustace Cheviot, in order to avoid inheriting Cheviot's estate himself. Somehow, Elinor is talked into marrying Eustace on his deathbed and thus becomes a widow almost as soon as the ring is on her finger. What starts out as a simple business arrangement soon becomes much more complicated as housebreakers, uninvited guests, a shocking murder, missing government papers, and a dog named Bouncer all contribute to this lively, frequently hilarious tale of mistaken identities, foreign espionage, and unexpected love set during the Napoleonic Wars.
--GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I was excited when I started reading this and realized it had a little mystery thrown into the mix. Although I enjoyed the story at times it was a little slow and I admit to skimming over some rather long passages here and there. I was a little let down in the ending, kind of anti-climatic and things were tied together a little too quickly. I enjoyed Lord Carlyon and Elinor’s banter throughout, I liked that she was falling in love with him while at the same time hating him. The love story took a back seat to the mystery and other characters and I wish it would have been developed a little more. It was still an enjoyable a read and I am curious to see what her true mystery novels are like.

Click here for Jessica's review.

Bookworm Rating: 3