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HaBO: Hero Paralyzed During the Napoleonic Wars

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This HaBO request is from TreeSF, who is searching for a historical romance:

It should be very easy, but the 3 glasses of white Burgundy could be clouding my memory.

I’m looking for a book where the heroine marries the hero who is paralyzed by shrapnel in the Napoleonic Wars. He has a sister named Sally, who tries to make sure that he is treated well and makes the heroine bring said war hero to her home to live out his final days in comfort.

There’s a best friend and a possible triangle involving another duke/noble that she wants to have an affair with, but can’t because she’s not married. I want to say Emma Lange (why isn’t she writing books any more?) but I can’t find it in any of her book lists.

I know Mary Balogh’s Survivors’ Club series has characters that have fought in the Napoleonic Wars, but I haven’t read them and can’t speak to their contents.

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  1. Emdee says:

    It sounds similar to The Bargain by Mary Jo Putney

  2. Alea says:

    I agree — Putney’s The Bargain came immediately to mind.

  3. Lisa says:

    Kate Pearce’s Loving Michael?

  4. Julia aka mizzelle says:

    The Escape is the Balogh’s Survivor’s Club book with a paralyzed hero but none of the other details match.

  5. JennyOH says:

    I don’t think this is precisely what you’re looking for, but I just read one that I think was discussed here on SBTB (cannot for the life of me remember the title though) where the hero was not dying, but Napoleonic War wounds had caused his arm to be paralyzed and sort of wither away. He had a hard time believing the heroine, or anyone, could see him as a valuable, “whole” man. I think they first came together in a sort of matchmaking/brushing up to society’s standards (both for him) kind of arrangement. I’m a fan of heroes who are not perfect and perfectly handsome (by society’s standards) so if anyone can figure out what this is, it might appeal to the OP and others.

  6. JennyOH says:

    Wanted to add: the author had a note about how the hero’s condition would have been treatable today. Pretty sure he had had a bad shoulder dislocation that was improperly set.

  7. KellyM says:

    I also think it is The Bargain by Putney.

    To keep her fortune, a beautiful heiress impulsively weds a penniless officer dying of wounds received at Waterloo. But when the blasted man hasn’t the grace to die, she suddenly finds herself with a healthy, vibrant husband who wants to renegotiate the terms of their bargain — and ultimately possess the heart of his bewildered bride…

    Hero also has a sister named Sally.

  8. Cordy (not stuck in spam filter sub-type) says:

    @JennyOH, the book you’re thinking of is IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE by Theresa Romain. It’s great! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412444-it-takes-two-to-tangle

  9. andrea2 says:

    I agree with others that it is by Mary Jo Putney, so it could be the earlier version “Would Be Widow”, a Signet Regency Romance published in July 1988 (224 pages) or the later rewritten version “The Bargain” which was published in 1999 (487 pages.)

    I’ve read both versions and enjoyed both.

    These books are part of a set of related book, I loved all of the series.

  10. Susan Reader says:

    This is Putney’s The Would-Be Widow (rewritten as The Bargain).

    She wants to have an affair with the duke, but he doesn’t sleep with unmarried women. When she hears about the fatally-wounded hero, he seems like the answer to her dilemma, so she marries him, expecting he will soon be dead. The hero wants his sister to be taken care of, and the sister really doesn’t like or trust the heroine.

    Then the hero starts to get better, and Complications Ensue.

  11. Susan says:

    Another vote for The Bargain, a book I really enjoyed. As andrea2 noted, this book is linked to several others so you can find out what the real deal with the duke was, among other things. Hmmm, maybe time for a Putney reread-a-thon. . .

  12. TreeSF says:

    YES! The Would-Be Widow or The Bargain by Putney! Thank you all! Don’t know why I thought Emma Lange but no matter. I’m going to read the book again and then the others in this series. And just coming from Putney’s website I saw that The Bargain has been reissued (but I think I’d want the original since it’s the one that I read and loved). Another satisfied HABO!

  13. Olivia says:

    @Cordy & JennyOH
    First thing I thought of, was “The Charmer” by Celeste Bradley. But that does have the whole spy element, so maybe not.

  14. Karin says:

    The third corner of the triangle from “The Bargain” gets his HEA in another MJ Putney book, iirc. Can’t remember the name of it, but it’s part of her “Fallen Angels” series which is totally excellent.

  15. Andrea2 says:

    As Karin says, the third corner of the triangle does get his own book, well actually two versions of a book (Controversial Countess/Petals in the Storm).

    The related books in the Would-be-widow series include:
    “Would be Widow” (signet, July 88)
    “The Bargain” (rewrite of “Would be Widow”, July 88)
    “The Controversial Countess” (signet regency Jan 89)
    “Rogue and the Runaway” (signet, July 90)

    “The Controversial Countess” was later revised into “Petals in the Storm” (Dec 93) which is part of the Fallen Angel series as Karin said.

    “The Rogue and the Runaway” was later revised into “Angel Rogue” (also part of the Fallen Angel series).

    And if that’s not enough links and rewrites for you, Mary Jo Putney also wrote a long signet regency called the “Rake and The Reformer” which was revised and reissued as “The Rake”. These last two books are part of the Davenport series and also have loose links to the Fallen Angels series.

    “The Rake” and “The Rake and the Reformer” are both wonderful books, I like them even more than The Bargain.

  16. andrea2 says:

    By happy circumstance, “The Rake” by Mary Jo Putney is a daily kindle deal on Amazon today, available for $1.99. It’s also on sale as a NOOK book at Barnes and Noble for $1.99. As I said above, I loved this book.

  17. J says:

    The Bargain is a favorite! And Sally has a great secondary story in the book.

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