Charlotte Lamb has a writing voice like no other. What I would give to have an inkling of her talent. I love her books regardless of the heat level; her writing speaks for itself. When I find one of her books on the shelf I snap it up. She is one author that I sorely miss.
I do have preferences over her treatment of male characters, though, and in her books heroes run the gamut from super alpha male to quiet and reserved. In An Excellent Wife? , James is a hard shell, grouchy business man who doesn't like interuptions in his well ordered life. He plans to marry a woman who is of the same likes as himself, someone who will look good on his arm, and live in the house his family has lived in for generations.
James' mother left when he was very young, and he remembers his father telling him that he would never see her again. This has shaped him into a man suspicious of women, and his manner is so harsh, women in his office literally turn and run when they see him coming.
Patience tries to call James several times to try and arrange a meeting between James and his mother, but he refuses to speak to her. When his secretary is out of the office, Patience arrives in his office and confronts him personally about not seeing his mother. This really sets the stage in my mind that this relationship couldn't believably work when he has security forcefully remove her from the building.
With plenty of nagging and stalking, Patience gradually gets James to come around, and despite the mood set forward at the beginning of the story, the book ends in a satisfactory way. Even so, I had a hard time reading An Excellent Wife?, but not because of James' abrasiveness. Patience didn't click with me at all as a suitable heroine. I understand her wanting to help James' mother see her son, but her feisty, do-gooder nature sort of overwhelms the book. I can't imagine this strong willed woman being content to marry a business man and live in a house full of rambunctious children. That mouthy, yet giving nature is just a bit too over the top for my taste. A few character flaws would have served to bring her down to a common level that I could've grasped as more believable. I feel that because of the clashing personalities, this book may irritate some readers.
While not my favorite Charlotte Lamb book, it has its merits. It's interesting to see the change in James' attitude toward his mother. A very nice example of believable character growth. It's not easy to bury one's past, and Ms. Lamb handled this transition expertly.
2 out of 5
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