Diane Perkins, The Improper Wife

The Improper Wife

Diane Perkins

Warner, Nov 2004, $5.99, 384 pp.

ISBN: 0446614378

In 1814, a pregnant woman claims to be the wife of Captain John Grayson. Before he refutes her statement, she gives birth with John serving as the midwife. John sends for his cousin Harry and his wife to take care of the woman and her infant Sean. John tells Harry that he never met the woman and concludes that she is a con artist. He asks Harry to take care of this mess while he returns to war.

Harry and his spouse find the marriage certificate that has John's signature on it. He does the right thing and takes Maggie Smith to live with John's estranged father. Unwelcome at first, Maggie brings sunshine and smiles to Summerton Hall where she is received as John's wife.

Two years later, John returns to find everyone believes Maggie is his wife. He plans to uncover the identity of the impersonator as he now believes she really believed that she once married John Grayson, but why is she perpetrating the fraud once she knew who he was. What he did not anticipate was falling in love with a woman he does not trust and loving someone else's child.

This entertaining Regency romance stars a delightful lead couple and a terrific support cast, especially his family members. The storyline grips the reader because of the curiosity as to whom Maggie married, since from almost the start, ironically, the audience knows, as opposed to the hero's family, that he was not the groom. Though the impersonator becomes obvious, fans will appreciate the tale as John still struggles with guilt for what he caused in Spain and only with his love for Maggie can he find solace.

Harriet Klausner