Cupids Choice [Paperback]

Guinenvere Holland has always known that she was not her mother's favourite. And indeed Mrs. Holland seems to have reserved all her love and approval for her son (and Guineveve twin), Percival, the new Earl of Holybrooke. And Guineveve has grown used to putting the interests of both her brother and mother before her own, as well as fading into the background until she is needed to perform some task or the other. Now however, the Holland are in town for the Season, and Mrs. Holland has decided to concentrate on seeing that Guin is credibly launched into society, and to seeing that Guin makes a suitable match. The trouble is that Guin's expectations about her future does not match that of her mother's at all: Mrs. Holland, once a much sought after beauty but who (because of her own pettiness) somehow failed to make the advantageous match she so eagerly sought, has decided that Guin will fulfill her own thwarted ambitions; while Guin is not sure if she would like to be married at all. She would like nothing better than to return to the country and to spend her time riding about her brother's newly inherited estate. And then Guin meets the diplomat, Sir Frederick Hawkesworth, who kindly decides to take the shy young lady under his wing and to smooth her way in society. And suddenly London becomes a more magical place for Guin; who comes to the conclusion that she might like to be married, esp to someone as kind and as witty and as handsome as Sir Frederick. But does the kindly Sir Frederick return her regard? Or does he just view her as an object of pity, to be helped and then forgotten? Guin soon comes to the conclusion that she might have to armor her hopeful heart against Sir Frederick's charms, esp since Sir Frederick does not at all fulfill her mother's idea of a suitable parti...

I rather enjoyed "Cupid's Choice." The novel concentrates mostly on showing us how much under her mother's thumb Guin is, and on how retiring and unsure Guin is as a result of this. And because the authour does such an excellent job of arousing our sympathies on Guin's behalf, this novel really works. The authour also does a rather wonderful job of portraying exactly how selfish, unpleasant and pushing Mrs. Holland truly is, and just how little regard she has for her only daughter. The novel also focuses on how, with the help of a few good people, Guin gradually gains self confidence and poise, so that she is finally able to take her life in her own hands and act assertively on her own behalf. As such, Guin's romance with Sir Frederick does get relegated very much into the background. But this was not, in my mind, too great a detraction, as the novel was really about how Guin comes into her own. And anyway, the bits that dealt with Sir Frederick and Guin's romance were rather good and conveyed that tantalizing air of romance that the authour was aiming for.

The novel unfolded smoothly and briskly, though there were a couple of chapters toward in the end where things did bog down a little. Gayle Buck also did a wonderful job of depicting all the characters in this novel -- her portrayal of Mrs. Holland was magnificent. And while I have a suspicion that not too many readers may appreciate our heroine, Guineveve Holland, deeming her too insipid and mousy (the trend lately seems to have been for Regency heroines to be really assertive and feisty), I found Guin to be a rather refreshing change of pace. All in all, a rather fun read.