Married By Morning

Married By Morning (2010) Lisa Kleypas

Set in England in 1852.

This is the fourth book in the series. And I really enjoyed this one.

Leo Hathaway, Lord Ramsay, spent several self-destructive years after the death of his fiancee. It took him several years to forgive Merripen for saving his life, and it was only being sent to accompany his sister Win to rehabilitate in France that saved him.

Leo, for his part, was trying to make amends for the way he had failed his family. And above all, he was determined to avoid falling in love ever again. Now that he was aware of the fatal depth of feeling he was capable of, he would never give another human being such power over him.

After Leo became Lord Ramsay (and after Leo and Poppy headed to France) the Hathaway family hired Catherine Marks to help his sisters Poppy and Beatrice to properly come out in society. Since the two first met, they argued and bickered and generally disdained each other.

Arguing comes to you as naturally as breathing, doesn’t it?”

“No, it doesn’t,” she said immediately.

I think what made this story so strong is that we’ve had three previous books to learn Leo’s weakness–as well as how much he loves his sisters. And it makes passages like this argument with Catherine’s half-brother (who is married to Poppy) all the more amusing.

“I understand. I even sympathize. I can’t imagine what it would be like to face a man who’s compromised your sister, how difficult it would be to keep from murdering him on the spot. Oh, but wait…” Leo tapped a forefinger thoughtfully on his chin. “I can imagine. Because I went through it two bloody months ago.”

“I’ve fought my way in and out of every gaming hell and tavern in London—” He faked a jab with his left and followed with a swift right hook, making a satisfying impact with Harry’s jaw. “And aside from all that, I live with Merripen, who has a left uppercut like a kick from a mule—”

“Do you ever stop talking?” Harry threw a counterpunch and stepped back before Leo could retaliate.

I especially like the way that bit ended. Harry (justifiably) feels guilt over how he failed to care for his half-sister when he learned about her, which makes him over-react when he feels protective.

I also like that Leo is perfectly aware (having four sisters whom he loves) just what marriage means to a woman of the time.

“Think of it this way,” he said. “Marriage would change hardly anything between us, except that we would end our arguments in a much more satisfying way. And of course I would have extensive legal rights over your body, your property, and all your individual freedoms, but I don’t see what’s so alarming about that.”

It really was appalling, the lack of rights that women of the time had. And I very much appreciate that Leo is the one who points it out all the time.

But best of all, we get Leo’s continued banter with his family.

(A)s the lord of the manor, his duty was to act as host and dance with as many women as possible. “This is the worst thing you’ve ever done to me,” he told Amelia.
“Oh, not at all, I’m sure I’ve done worse things to you.”

Leo considered that, running through a long list of remembered offenses in his mind. “Never mind, you’re right.

I’ll be honest, sibling bickering is almost always one of my favorite things, if it’s done well.

I do not recommend reading this if you haven’t read the previous book, not because you won’t enjoy it, but because having the well-built relationships between the Hathaway siblings from the previous books makes it all the more enjoyable.

I’ll also note that Win and Merripen don’t make too much of an appearance here. Although I like both characters very much, they are the quietest of the group, and I think that made their book more difficult, and I think it also made adding the characters into other books more difficult, since neither is outspoken (unlike the rest of their family).

Regardless, it’s a lovely book and I very much enjoyed it.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Rating: 8.5/10

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