The fifty-second book I read in 2014 was Not Quite a Wife by Mary Jo Putney. It is the sixth book in the Lost Lords series by this author. I finished this book on 6/14/14. I rated this book 4 stars out of a scale of 5. This book was about James Kirkland and his estranged wife, Laurel Herbert. Ten years ago James and Laurel married in a fit of passion. Soon after they married though Laurel saw James kill a man who had broken into their home and the violence scared her away. So she ran back to her home in Bristol (England) and lived there with her brother for the next ten years running an infirmary and a shelter for battered women.

I’m sorry but how undeniably selfish is that. I mean I can understand being upset over something so violent but aren’t you supposed to love this guy? She was so head over heels in love with him but as soon as she sees something in him she doesn’t like she runs away. And its not like James killed some guy who was sitting there drinking tea with him, the guy had broken into the house and was obviously menacing, he was sneaking up on James from behind. I just think that if she really loved him she should’ve at least tried talking to James about it before she shut him out of her life for ten years. Also, she was all affronted because she thought James was going to take the baby away and she was railing at him how unfair that was. But isn’t it also unfair to him to keep James’ child from him for most of their life? Just because he’s a guy doesn’t mean he has no feelings.

Other than that though the book was quite good. A chance encounter ends up with Laurel being pregnant with James’ baby and they try to make another go of it for the baby’s sake. James brings Laurel to London so that she can grow accustomed to this space as well since they both plan to travel between Bristol and London after the baby is born.

The plot of this story was quite intriguing and I found myself interested in the book the whole way through. The only thing I didn’t care for was Laurel’s selfishness and lack of consideration for James’ feelings towards the beginning and end of the story.  I think it was a good addition to the series though.

Link to rest of reviews from the Lost Lords series: https://rebeccabookreview.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/book-series-book-reviews/lost-lords-series/

Link to author website: http://www.maryjoputney.com/

Link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Quite-Wife-Lost-Lords/dp/1420127160/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402781407&sr=8-1&keywords=not+quite+a+wife