'A Contracted Spouse for the Prizefighter' by Alice Coldbreath is a historical romance set in the world of music hall, focusing on the journey of former prizefighter Clem Dabney who aims to invest his winnings into the theatre industry. The story follows the unconventional relationship between Clem and Theodora, where they embark on a marriage of convenience that slowly evolves into a passionate and steamy romance. The writing style is praised for its detailed and lengthy analyses, exploring the complexities of the characters' emotions and relationships in a refreshing working-class setting.

Characters:

Characters are portrayed with depth, showcasing personal ambitions and complexities, particularly highlighting the struggles of the female lead in a patriarchal context.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is detailed and immersive, capturing both characters' perspectives and emotions, particularly in their evolving romance.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a marriage of convenience where the female lead seeks to achieve her ambitions in theater, while her partner has his own reasons, leading to a blend of comedy and romantic tension.

Setting:

The setting is rich in detail, immersing readers in the Victorian theatrical world and its class dynamics.

Pacing:

While the pacing includes slower sections, it effectively builds character depth and maintains engagement through humor and evolving relationships.

Notes:

The main character, Theodora (h), comes from a family of theater performers.

Clem (H) is a former prizefighter who has become a theater owner.

Theodora wants to become a male impersonator, which was unique for women at the time.

The story is set in Victorian England, focusing on working-class characters.

Theodora proposes a marriage of convenience to Clem in exchange for stage time.

Clem initially underestimates Theodora but later falls in love with her.

The book contains a mix of romance, comedy, and some steamy scenes.

The characters develop individually as their relationship grows over time.

The story explores themes of ambition, gender roles, and personal fulfillment.

The secondary characters are well-developed, adding depth to the story.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book includes medium content warnings, particularly surrounding themes of gender identity and societal expectations.

Has Romance?

The book features a high level of romance, with the relationship between the main characters developing significantly throughout the story.

explicit steam level

From The Publisher:

Theodora knows in her heart that she has star quality but sadly, no-one else in her theatrical family feels the same way. When her sister, leaves to get married, Theo is promptly axed from the bill and expected to take a back seat in the family business.

Clem Dabney, aspiring theatre owner and ex-prizefighter has built up his supper and song business as far as he can take it. In order to expand he now needs a theatre. When Theodora appears before him with her outrageous proposition, he sees his chance and devil take the consequences.

Their marriage is purely a business arrangement, so Theo is not worried about Clem's reputation and Clem is not concerned about Theo's distinct lack of feminine charm. Now that's all settled and out of the way, both agree things should be straightforward enough… Why then, is Clem acting the jealous husband when Theo finds herself among a throng of new admirers?

A Contracted Spouse for the Prizefighter is a stand-alone Victorian romance novel of over 150,000 words. Please do not purchase if you are offended by strong language and or sex scenes.

Ratings (6)

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Reader Stats (12):

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Want To Read (3)
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A Contracted Spouse for the Prizefighter

Alice Coldbreath

Book 3 in the series:Victorian Prizefighters