Romance title: First Comes Marriage

Chapter One

Everyone within five miles of the village of Throckbridge in Shropshire had been in a spirit of heightened sensibilities for the week or so preceding February 14. Someone—the exact identity of the person was undecided though at least half a dozen laid claim to the distinction—had suggested that an assembly be held at the rooms above the village inn this year in celebration of St. Valentine's Day since it seemed like forever since Christmas, and summer—the occasion of the annual fete and ball at Rundle Park—was way off in the future.

The suggestion having been made—by Mrs. Waddle, the apothecary's wife, or Mr. Moffett, Sir Humphrey Dew's steward, or Miss Aylesford, spinster sister of the vicar, or by one of the other claimants—no one could quite explain why such an entertainment had never been thought of before. But since it had been thought of this year, no one was in any doubt that the Valentine's assembly would become an annual event in the village.

All were agreed that it was an inspired idea, even—or perhaps especially—those children who were not quite old enough to attend this year despite vociferous protests to the adults who made the rules. The youngest attendee was to be Melinda Rotherhyde, fifteen years old and allowed to go only because she was the youngest of the Rotherhyde brood and there could be no question of leaving her at home alone. And also allowed to attend, a few more critical voices added, because the Rotherhydes had always been overindulgent with all their offspring.

The youngest male was to be Stephen Huxtable. He was only seventeen, though there was never really any question of his not attending. Despite his youth, he was a favorite of females of all ages. Melinda in particular had sighed over him since the very moment three years before when she had been forced to renounce him as a frequent playmate because her mama had deemed their romping together no longer fitting considering their advancing ages and differing genders.

On the day of the assembly there was intermittent rain throughout the daylight hours, though nothing worse than that despite the dire prediction of six feet of snow that elderly Mr. Fuller had prophesied with much squinting and head nodding after church the previous Sunday. The assembly rooms above the inn had been dusted and swept, the wall sconces fitted with new candles, fires laid in the large hearths that faced each other across the room, and the pianoforte tested to see that it was still in tune—though no one had thought to wonder what would happen if it were not since the tuner lived twenty miles distant. Mr. Rigg brought his violin, tuned it, and played it for a while to limber up his fingers and get the feel of the room and its acoustics. Women brought food in quantities sufficient to stuff the five thousand so full that they would be prostrate for a week—or so Mr. Rigg declared as he sampled a jam tart and a few slices of cheese before having his hand slapped only half playfully by his daughter-in-law.

Throughout the village women and girls crimped and curled all day long and changed their minds half a dozen times about the gowns they would wear before inevitably settling upon their original choice. Almost all the unmarried women below the age of thirty—and a number of those of more advanced years—dreamed of St. Valentine and the possibi See more like this in our Romance ebooks section

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Title of Romance ebook: First Comes Marriage
ISBN: 9780440338192
parent-ISBN: 9780440244226
Romance ebooks Publisher: Dell Publishing
Published: 02-2009
Released online for download: 02-23-2009
Author of eBook: Balogh, Mary

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First Comes Marriage

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Title: First Comes Marriage
Avg. Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Number Of Comments:
1 Rating(s)
4 Review(s)


	First comes marriage 01/29/2010
Reviewer: A viewer from BARRANCO - LIMA, NA PE
Mary Balogh is one of the best writers of Regency romances, with deep charaterizations and historical accuracy. This is definitely a wonderful book, which is an excellent read for anyone that loves great stories full of romance.
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1 of 2 people found the following eBook review helpful:
	2 05/31/2009
Reviewer: Danielle Thomas from Atlanta, GA US
The protagonists of this story are a real surprise. They have a unexpected and plain love that builds slowly and beautifully. I would recommend the first part of this trilogy to anyone. It also seems that the secondary character Constatine deserves his own story.
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2 of 5 people found the following eBook review helpful:
	2 04/26/2009
Reviewer: A viewer from Gregory, TX US
This is the story of Vanesssa Dew and Viscount Elliot Lyngate and how they overcome their own personal struggles to make their marriage work. I must mention that in the beginning of the book...(and a bit throughout), I was reminded of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice. Balogh has Vanessa as the plain second sister who is now a widow. Her older sister Meg...is beautiful (and in love with a man that went to war and has yet to contact her) and her younger sister Katherine is a little silly. There's also a younger brother, Stephen. Anyway, the Viscount and his friend come into Vanessa's small town to find Stephen and inform him that he is going to inherit a title. Their first night there, they must attend an assembly and wouldn't you know that the Viscount is a little uppity (just like Darcy from P&P). The Viscount is forced to dance with Vanessa and although he finds her unappealing...he later admits she has beautiful eyes (another reminder of P&P). Vanessa and the Viscount constantly clash. The viscount finally decides that he needs to marry and decides to offer for Meg. He's not in love with her...but he needs to marry one of the sisters and she's the oldest and the prettiest. Well Vanessa knows that Meg does not want to marry but will for the sake of her siblings so Vanessa decides to propose marriage to the Viscount. And this is where the story really begins. I felt that Vanessa was a great character and had deep relatable emotions. Elliot Lyngate was a bit cold but somewhat likable. As a reader, you knew he was a good guy throughout the book, even while he struggled with his own issues of "betrayel" from his father. I liked this book...but it lacked originality and I've read other Balogh books that I enjoyed more...thus the four instead of 5 stars.
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2 of 4 people found the following eBook review helpful:
	2 03/16/2009
Reviewer: A viewer from Atlanta, GA US
Although this was not one of my favorite Mary Balogh novels, I still very much enjoyed the unconventional heroines that she has perfected in her novels. Vanessa is not beautiful and not pretty and has no curves. She is insecure about her looks but is absolutely determined to be happy so she finds something to laugh about or to smile about and takes pleasure in the smallest joys of life. The Viscount was not likeable, but he came to love his wife so he is forgiven for his imperfections.
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