I just received the first review for The Marriage Act. This is what Publisher’s Weekly has to say:

Everett (An Heir of Uncertainty) ignites sparks between wedded strangers in this tender Regency romance. Caroline, Lady Welford, has just been reunited with her husband, John, Lord Welford, after he served five years in diplomatic service. She believes that her father is dying, and John agrees to travel with her to her father’s home in Kegworth, where they will pretend to have a perfect marriage. But John still hasn’t forgiven Caro for trying to run off with a militia officer on their wedding night. Throughout their lengthy journey and subsequent stay in Kegworth, they begin to not only work through their misunderstandings but learn to forgive and trust. But Caro’s cousin Sophia’s flirtations with John threaten to destroy their newfound truce. Caro is an especially strong and determined heroine, whose ability to persevere despite her husband’s desertion of her makes her a very admirable character. Intense and ever-present romantic tension propel the novel to its emotional conclusion.

So, yay! Waiting for the first review(s) to come in for a book can be scary, and The Marriage Act is a bit edgier than my previous four romances, so I’ve been holding my breath.

I find it interesting that PW singled out the heroine as admirable. The book features a married couple who are at war with each other, and, so far, readers tend to come down strongly on either the hero’s side or the heroine’s–but it’s running 50/50 as to which of the two characters is more sympathetic.