The Husband Test: Amazon.ca: Betina Krahn: Books

Product Description

From Booklist

In this historical romance, the aptly named Peril, Lord of Whitmore, arrives at the Brides of Virtue convent, seeking to make one of the nunnery's maidens his wife. But Peril, whose earldom is struggling and whose religious devotion is dubious, isn't guaranteed a wife by the abbess. She instructs ambitious but bumbling novitiate Eloise to be the Husband Judge, deciding whether Peril would be appropriate. When Eloise finds Peril passing her husband test, the two begin a courtship riddled with psychological and practical perils. Particularly problematic is Peril's nefarious steward, Hadric. By the time Lord Peril realizes that Eloise's suspicions about Hadric's treachery are dead-on, the couple has married and returned to his estate. A good, old-fashioned medieval battle ensues, but in the end, it's Eloise who saves the day. Her intelligence, strength, and bravery prove mightier than all the king's swords. Genuinely funny Elizabethan sexual puns, a strong but believable heroine, and an absorbing story of forbidden love make this an enjoyable read. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

“Krahn has a delightful, smart touch.”
— Publishers Weekly

Don’t miss these other dazzling romances by Betina Krahn:

The Last Bachelor
The Perfect Mistress
The Unlikely Angel
The Mermaid
The Soft Touch
Sweet Talking Man

Available wherever Bantam Books are sold
--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
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First Sentence
HEAVEN SAVE ME from that wretched girl! Read the first page

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews

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4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Makes medeival times fun, May 24 2004

By	S. Reader "scibarfan" (Dublin, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Husband Test (Mass Market Paperback)

The Reverend Mother is a sly fox, and she sets up both Peril and Sister Eloise to perfection. Sister Eloise is a delight: bossy, always in trouble, but she means well. It takes her some time to realize that she's really not cut out to be a nun. Peril is a man with too much weight on his shoulders, and he needs someone just like Eloise. And in the process of these two discovering love in the midst of a marriage neither one expected, Peril's (and his village's) past is laid to rest and Eloise's future shines brightly.

Much of the humor comes from Eloise's misadventures and mistakes and from Peril's misfortunes, as well as the way they seem to bring out the worst in each other initially and until they recognize their feelings for love and let go of their fears. Nice secondary characters.

Charming, witty, original. Occasional instances of anachronisms and very minor plot snags, but all in a all a very enjoyable read.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected..., May 24 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Husband Test (Mass Market Paperback)

I seen all the good reviews on this book and so I bought it. I had to drag myself through the first hundred pages and even then I had to force myself to continue. It did get better towards the end. I just didn't feel any connection to either Peril or Eloise. On just about every page Eloise is down on her knees praying and I just couldn't see that as romantic. Basically this is a story of a man down on his luck, needs a bride to make things better for his people, buys a bride from a convent and then at the very end of the story we get some romance. Of course when he brings Eloise home from the convent where she is trying to be a nun, she is still walking around in a habit and praying and blessing everything. This just wasn't my type of book especially if your looking for sizzling scenes which this book has none.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Entertaining!, April 10 2004

By	M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Husband Test (Mass Market Paperback)

Setting - Medieval England -- From the very first paragraph of this novel when the abbess of the Brides of Virtue convent uttered these prophetic words "Heaven help me from that wretched girl!" I just knew that this was going to be a delightful tale. The 'wretched girl' turned out to be Eloise the novitiate whose greatest ambition was to become a nun and 'abbess'. Eloise, whose ambitious attempts at finding a better way for tried and true methods have most often ended up into disasters that have tried the patience of the long suffering abbess.

When Peril, Lord of Whitmore shows up at the gate of the convent in search of a 'virtuous bride' who could rid his home and lands of a curse, the abbess created a new position, that of 'husband judge' and sends Eloise, the 'thorn in her side', the ambitious little novitiate, to assess whether this frustratingly haughty Lord is worthy of one of the highly desirable virtuous young ladies coveted as brides and trained at the convent. Peril, was a warrior and he really didn't want a bride but would do anything to try to save his village and lands from the disasters and curses that continued to rain down on his domain.

Right from the start 'Sister' Eloise and Peril seemed to bring out the worst in each other as the entertaining filled beginning turned into an action adventure once they started for his home. Once there, Eloise was given her greatest test, that of separating her growing 'non-nun like' feelings for the man she was to judge worthy for a bride. For Peril, his greatest test was to dismiss the 'carnal' thoughts he was having for the 'nun' that was to judge his suitability for a virtuous bride. Not only would the sexual attractions between the two protagonists cause problems but more importantly they would have to band together to discover what treachery there was behind the 'curse' at Whitmore.

From the totally entertaining beginning the reader will open their hearts to this thoroughly likeable and darling heroine and the very tender love story that brings a tear to your eye as Peril comes to realize, almost too late that the small 'stirring' in his heart is really love and not 'pain'.. The author knows how to keep the reader interested and certainly caught my attention as from the very first page of this book I found it VERY difficult to put down. For pure joy and entertainment, you can't miss with this one! --- Marilyn Rondeau, Official Reviewer for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, charming story -- more than just a Husband Test!
This was the first one of Betina Krahn's books that I have ever read. I thought the premise was interesting enough to warrant trying out a new author, and I'm very glad I did so... Read more

Published on Oct 19 2002 by J M

4.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely entertaining!
What a terrific introduction to an author I'd never even heard of. I will definitely be checking out other stories by Ms Krahn. Read more

Published on Oct 17 2002