The Wedding Journey

I was rummaging through a box of books when I found Carla Kelly's The Wedding Journey. I bought it when it first came out, set it aside to read later, and stuck it in a box when I moved. It's taken this long simply to find it again. What a treat! Kelly wrote one of my favorite Regencies--Summer Campaign--and it was lovely to read her writing again. The Wedding Journey earns a 4 out of 5.

The book opens with hero Jesse Randall already in love with the heroine, Elinore (Nell) Mason. Jesse is an army captain and skilled surgeon, while Nell is the impoverished daughter of a military man. Nell's father frequently gambles and has indebted himself to Major Bones. After Nell's mother dies, Major Bones calls in the debt, saying that he'll take the money or he'll take Nell.

The plan is foiled when Jesse marries Nell and raises enough money to pay the debt. Major Bones doesn't take the loss lightly. He arranges to have their small group left behind during the next march. Thus, Nell and Jesse's wedding journey is arduous and daunting.

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm more interested in character-driven than plot-driven stories. Kelly delivers exceptionally well; her protagonists are complex, likeable, and interesting. The story is told primarily from Jesse's point of view, though we get glimpses from Nell's perception. Jesse is a wonderful beta hero: gentle and kind, yet strong and principled.

Major Bones is one bad, bad villain. He's terribly frightening because he is so real--there are people like him out there, and they can do considerable damage when they have positions of authority.

Nell's father was an interesting character. At first, he seems to be shallow and selfish, with few redeeming qualities. As the story progresses, his character gains more depth.

The romance was a little slow to develop, which makes sense given the circumstances. I thought the ending was fitting. Major Bones ends up exactly where he should, as do Jesse and Nell.

Alyssa