Roses and Champagne--Discussion Thread

I'm with Betty Debbie here. This book has a lot to recommend it: A snappy title, landed gentry, a deliciously wicked sister, exotic locales and a hero and heroine that have known one another since birth. Still, something bugs me. I just don't think the "known each other for donkey's years, lapped about in wealth and luxury until the day our matching Burberry's embrace" bit serves to make one sympathetic to their plight. They're both fair, free and over twenty-one. Conclusion, all their problems are their own dumb fault. [Betty Debbie]If only they could rescue a drowning puppy...

But let's forget all that and wallow in the fabulous details of which there are many:

• Yet another sapphire engagement ring wreathed in diamonds. Sapphire is a birthstone and a poem about them goes:

A maiden born when autumn leaves
Are rustling in September's breeze,
A sapphire on her brow should bind;
To bring her joy and peace of mind.

This is in no way integral to the story but since Betty Neels brings them up so much...

• No Betty Neels hero ever, (What never? No never!) ever dates the heroine. Occasionally there will be some snatched lunches she is whisked off to, a driving tour of Holland or a three mile hike in the teeth of a gale but Betty Neels seemed incapable of typing the words: Would you like to come to dinner with me with a view towards matrimony? However, in Roses and Champagne we get "courtship" which is as near to dating as such a rank traditionalist would venture.

A wiki article on courtship states: In the U.K , a poll of 3,000 engaged or married couples resulted in an average duration between first meeting and accepted proposal of marriage of 2 years and 11 months, but yet with the women feeling ready to accept at an average of 2 years and 7 months. Regarding duration between proposal and wedding, the UK poll above gave an average of 2 years and 3 months.

For instance, my courtship was 10 months long whereas I was ready to accept closer to 6 months. My engagement to wedding was 2 months and one week. My 12th anniversary is coming up in May. [Betty Debbie] My courtship was one day short of....3 months - and that's if you start counting from the day we met. Just over 2 1/2 months after that...wedding. This June is our 30th anniversary!!(I'm still leaning towards going to England - but I'm not sure the stars are quite aligned.)Here's a lovely quote -"To speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other’s character before marriage, which I think is never advisable."
The Importance of Being Earnest


I have a special license burning a hole in my pocket...

• Our hero's name is Lucius (no, not Malfoy). Lucius. Not Steven or Jacob or Matthew or David. Lucius. In America, Lucius is a pompous overweight kid that likes fried chicken and his mama. I have never personally known anyone who had that name - or at least anyone who would admit to it.
• At one point Katrina tells people (in an outright lie!) that she's not wearing her ring because she has a small burn and it's irritating to her finger. Notwithstanding, my eczema patch is not a euphemism for the eventual break-up of my marriage.
• Shopping: Neels heroes have an unbounded well of patience for sitting on tiny gilt chairs and engaging in the soul-destroying work of watching someone else shop. At this point I would say - "hey hon, why don't you go browse around Radio Shack, like I know you want to..."but that's what I get for being married to an engineer instead of a fabulously wealthy chartered accountant.

Bring me your tired, your loaded masses yearning to find rose-patterned chiffon...

• Kudos to the hero for being really scathing to Horrid Sister Virginia. "Let me guess. You're engaged--James Lovell, of course, I can't think of anyone else who would have you." These are the best bits of the whole enchilada.
  
• Pete Johnson hardly even deserves the name Plot Device as the luckless fellow who happens upon Katrina and finds himself mildly attracted. He's dispatched so quickly and I can't help but feel sorry for our heroine who has had to make do with the most backhanded engagement, preceded by almost no social life. Lucius deserves to have something priceless thrown at his head for the amount he takes Katrina for granted.