REVIEW OF HOW TO MANAGE A MARQUESS by Sally MacKenzie

Nate has postponed marrying and starting a family because he promised his dying mother he would always look after Marcus. You see, Marcus is cursed, like every Duke of Hart before him. If Marcus marries, he will die before his first child is born.

Nate isn’t cursed by a witch, like Marcus is. Nate’s curse is that he is falling in love and refuses to acknowledge it because of his commitment to protect Marcus.

However, in the village of Loves Bridge, forces are at work that will force both Nate and Marcus to confront marriage in unexpected ways, despite gossips, curses, unwilling spinsters, and even a magical cat.

Sally MacKenzie’s novel is delightfully literate, light, and likeable, with characters who intrique us, situations that amuse us, and repartee that entertains us. Fans of period English romances will find all the desired elements present and masterfully combined in this book.

A special treat, in the volume that I read, was the additional novella, In The Spinster’s Bed, recounting the mysterious history of the Spinster House at Loves Bridge. The story makes use of the same setting and era as in How to Manage a Marquess. Both stories are equally charming and well crafted, but the novella is arguably even more humorous than the novel.

This reviewer has no personal nor professional relationship with the author or publisher of the book. A free digital copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an objective review.