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The Ideal Wife
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Plot Summary of The Ideal Wife
"Miles Ripley, Earl of Severn, refuses to marry his mother's choice for a bride, and so resolves he will marry the next woman he sees. His ideal wife will be plain, dull and ordinary so that he can get an heir and leave his wife at his country estate. Abigail Gardiner calls on Miles after she has lost her job. As a distant relative, she hopes he can find her a new position. The position he offers her is as his wife.

Abby does not understand why the handsome earl would want to marry her but she accepts. Abby, however, does not turn out to be plain, dull or ordinary but turns Miles life upside down. She makes him laugh and he does everything he can to make Abby happy. But then Abby learns of Miles original marriage plans and fears he will never love her, especially when he ever learns about her illegitimate birth. Miles does not know why Abby starts to withdraw from him but uses patience and love to try to get her to trust him."

L. Watson, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Ideal Wife
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Regency era
Marriage/Married Yes
Marriage subplot: - marriage of convenience spurring real love
Inner struggle subplot Yes
Struggle with... - feels s/he's not worthy

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - somewhat promiscuious
How romantic is this person? - as romantic as a root canal
Sex has good effect on him Yes
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Female Character
Age/status: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - nanny
How sexual is this person? - naive virgin
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
City? Yes
City: - London
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
What % of story is romance related? - 90%
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much sexing? - 3-4 sex acts
Most similar books to The Ideal Wife
The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh
The Ideal Husband by Shari Anton
The Perfect Stranger by Anne Gracie
A Seductive Offer by Kathryn Smith
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn


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Mary Balogh Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
L. Watson  

SCHOLARS:
Angel Manners  Ashareh  Sandra Calhoune  lipp78  plnorth  maggie roberts  Stephanie B.  Susan  


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