Has anyone taken their debut with less enthusiasm than Sabrina? Fortunately, the most sought-after lady in London has decided to offer her support to Sabrina to help her face the high society.
Gallant Scotsman Duncan MacTavish, sole heir to an English marquess, is forced to assume his grandfather’s title, as well as marry Sabrina’s friend, who is a striking beauty but with a sharp tongue. His unwanted commitment will allow him to get closer to Sabrina, with whom he hits it off immediately…
Sabrina is a young country girl who makes her debut in society. There is a rumor going around about her that makes it difficult for her to get married, besides, she is not overwhelmingly beautiful, but rather normal. All of this she has very much assumed, which is why she is an unpretentious young woman who unconsciously takes advantage of other qualities such as her ingenuity, sympathy, accessibility, etc. And these are the characteristics that Duncan sees when he meets her and that makes them befriend her.
Duncan is a Scotsman who lives in the highlands with his paternal grandfather, but also has an English grandfather who makes him the most important heir of that season. He has also arranged a marriage for her with Ophelia (“friend” of Sabrina), a young woman of overwhelming beauty but very malamalamalisima.
As soon as Duncan meets Ophelia, he rejects the engagement and therefore has to start looking for a wife again. For this, a country party is organized and more or less here the show begins.
A show that the author has not been able to take advantage of since few things happen at that country party. And this is what I have not finished liking about the book, it is another one about the regency with a party in the field, young marriageable women and arranged marriages. Another thing I see is the friendship that arises between them in just one conversation (I think those things did not happen at that time) and of course the issue of male-female friendship. In addition, at the moment she is already kissing her, that is to say that it seems to me that everything is very fast and not very credible.
The previous denouement is absurd (to eat it separately) and is shoehorned in. But the outcome is fine (it’s the only thing that occurred to me).
Even so, the book has other benefits that come mainly from the author’s hand, it is entertaining, with witty and sparkling dialogues.
The protagonists are ironic, funny, without malice. There is a very bad one, Ophelia, who becomes hateful since she is obtuse and fatuous, and that she is the one who creates the rumors for all those who do not like or get in the way. Grandparents are also fun and carry an important part of the book.
An originality is that the book is narrated in the first person from the point of view of all the protagonists of the book, the main ones (Sabrina and Duncan) and the secondary ones (grandparents, friends, etc.) and we can know the thoughts of all the characters without boring at any time.
Sabrina is a young orphan, raised by her two spinster aunts in the countryside. Some somewhat sinister rumors surrounding her family along with the fact that she is not very physically graceful, does not exactly make her one of the most desired of the season. That is why she does not take her presentation in society very seriously.
Thanks to Ophelia, the daughter of a family friend of her aunts, she is invited to parties. But she still does not manage to attract attention. Especially if Ophelia is the most beautiful and desired girl, but also the most evil. She and Sabrina have nothing in common. She is cheerful and funny, with the gift of making anyone laugh in the worst circumstances.
Duncan Mc… A Scotsman from the highlands, is forced to go with his paternal grandfather to London, to marry Ophelia, an arranged marriage for years. He is not convinced, but it is his duty and he is willing to do it, but on the condition that he can choose. Therefore if his fiancée doesn’t like him, he will cancel the engagement.
This does not take long to happen, since as soon as he meets Ophelia’s viperine tongue, he knows that he does not want to share his life with a woman like that.
In turn, he meets Sabrina, and complicity and friendship arise between them. She will help him on several occasions, and little by little something else emerges. Although Sabrina knows that a union between them and Duncan will not be possible after a misunderstanding, she will have to do the right thing, even if she doesn’t want it.
My opinion about the novel is that it’s not bad, although I’ve certainly read better stories by the author. The novel is simple, one more of a regency, where social norms have more weight than the desires of the protagonists, and where love is discovered without realizing it.
Another thing and I’m going to try not to do spoilers, is that I was shocked that Duncan accepted so easily having to do his duty at a given moment, caught in compromising circumstances, having already talked about canceling an engagement, something that would be a scandal at the time, without caring, and that after this he is involved in another scandal.
And that, however, in something that you must comply with, because your actions have been even more compromised, do not even consider it. I didn’t like this reaction from Duncan.
In short, I would give it a good. Entertaining to have a good time because it reads fast. It’s not among my favourites, though.
