ARC Review: Mr. Malcolm's List by Suzanne Allain

Mr. Malcolm's List
Author: Suzanne Allain
Publication: Berkley (July 28, 2020)

Description: It is a truth universally acknowledged that an arrogant bachelor insistent on a wife who meets the strictest of requirements--deserves his comeuppance.

The Honourable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm is searching for a wife, but not just any wife. As the target of matchmaking mothers and desperate debutantes, he's determined to avoid the fortune hunters and find a near-perfect woman, one who will meet the qualifications on his well-crafted list. But after years of searching, he's beginning to despair of ever finding this paragon. Until Selina Dalton arrives in town.

Selina, a vicar's daughter of limited means and a stranger to high society, is thrilled when her friend Julia Thistlewaite invites her to London, until she learns it's all part of a plot to exact revenge on Mr. Malcolm. Selina is reluctant to participate in Julia's scheme, especially after meeting the irresistible Mr. Malcolm, who appears to be very different from the arrogant scoundrel of Julia's description.

But when Mr. Malcolm begins judging Selina against his unattainable standards, Selina decides that she has some qualifications of her own. And if he is to meet them he must reveal the real man behind...Mr. Malcolm's List.

My Thoughts: This historical romance was filled with witty dialog and more plots than could be counted. Selina Dalton has been invited to London to stay with her old school friend Julia Thistlewaite who has an ulterior motive.

Julie feels that she was wronged by the Honorable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm who didn't ask her out again after taking her to the opera. She wants Selina to make him fall in love with her so that he can know what it is like to be set aside as not good enough.

You see, Mr. Malcolm has a list of the desirable traits he is looking for in a wife. When Selina meets him, she doesn't see what Julia means. He seems to be a handsome, kind and intelligent man. And Mr. Malcolm seems taken with her too.

But it couldn't be that easy. Julia is still plotting to bring Mr. Malcolm down. Another suitor shows up to give Mr. Malcolm some competition. And both mothers add their "help" to the mix before a "happily ever after" ending is achieved.

The situations were humorous. The characters were all engaging. And even the conniving Julia turned out not to be such a bad person after all.

Favorite Quote:

"You make it sound like a disorder of the bowels or a carriage accident," Selina said.

Malcolm shook his head. "And my mother accuses me of being unromantic. Please remember that I did not introduce intestinal disorders into the midst of a marriage proposal."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.