FIVE GOLDEN SUITORS by Jennifer Ann Coffeen is a sweet novella about not missing the good thing you have right in front of you. I give it four stars, wishing it had been a full-length novel.
In FIVE GOLDEN SUITORS, Lady Penelope Waveland deals with her father's edict that she must choose a husband by midnight on Christmas Eve "or else." He provides her with five names of gentlemen who are suitable matches and all of whom are madly in love with her. She is appalled by most of the names on the list, even more so when she sees the fifth name, that of Thomas, the Marquess of Philmore.
Thomas is a gentlemen with whom she argues constantly, and who hadn't even offered for her. She approaches the list with practicality, giving her suitors her own list of 5 rules, by which she measures and disposes of almost every name, until Lord Philmore suggests that there is more to marriage than her 5 rules.
I enjoyed this novella for the most part. The writing was lively and witty, and didn't suffer from editing issues. However, this novella reminded me of why I do not like novellas in general-–when you reach the pinnacle of the romantic relationship and the "I love you's" are said, there is no substance, no history, and no depth to support the declaration. Thus, the declarations of love are not credible. If this were a full-length novel that included two hundred pages detailing the history of Lady Penelope and Lord Philmore's lives and interactions, I might be convinced, but after sixteen pages, I am incredulous.
By giving FIVE GOLDEN SUITORS four stars, I am engaging in self-deception, imagining it as a slice of the pie, and suggesting that if it were a full-length novel, written in the same vein as this tiny piece, then it would be a fabulous novel that I would highly recommend.
*Review originally written for The Romance Reviews.com at http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=8354.
