It Takes Two to Tangle by Theresa Romain

Title: It Takes Two to Tangle

Series: The Matchmaker Trilogy

Author: Theresa Romain

ISBN: 978-1-4022-8399-4

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Formats: E-book, mass-market $6.99

Release Date: September 2013

How I Read It: Mass-Market Arc from publisher

Rating: 4 Crowns

WOOING THE WRONG WOMAN…

Henry Middlebrook is back from fighting Napoleon, ready to re-enter London society where he left it. Wounded and battle weary, he decides that the right wife is all he needs. Selecting the most desirable lady in the ton, Henry turns to her best friend and companion to help him with his suit…

IS A TERRIBLE MISTAKE…

Young and beautiful, war widow Frances Whittier is no stranger to social intrigue. She finds Henry Middlebrook courageous and manly, unlike the foppish aristocrats she is used to, and is inspired to exercise her considerable wit on his behalf. But she may be too clever for her own good, and Frances discovers that she has set in motion a complicated train of events that’s only going to break her own heart…

My Thoughts:

I am a bit on the fence about this novel. There were things in it that I absolutely loved and things I found annoyed me, yet I found this novel to be a very entertaining read.

Henry Middlebrook has returned from the Napoleonic war crippled. The injury that rendered his right arm useless is trying enough on its own but because he’s a painter it pushes the limits. Deciding that the best way to acclimate to life at home again is to marry, he sets his sights on the beauty of the ton.

The war has made Frances Whittier so she know something about the loss that it afflicts on people making her the perfect ally for Henry in his suit to win the hand of her companion. However, there is more between the two of them than just a conspiratorial comradery.

While I loved the witty banter between Henry and Frances, I felt that Frances could, at times, be a bit annoying and occasionally that hindered the connection between the characters. For me, Henry made the book.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad little read and I look forward to reading the next installment.

Reviewed by Angela Simmons