Review: 1914 version of the movie "The Proposal"
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 12, 2013
One of the most amazing things about this book is that it was written in 1914, yet resonates as a modern-feeling, romantic story somewhat along the lines of Sandra Bullock's 2009 comedyThe Proposal.  It doesn't feel dated.  Perhaps you can find the odd, quaint expression here and there or a few old-fashioned limitations on the male-female relationship, but the heroine of this story is a very sassy, smart, independent-minded female.Monica Trant is a well-bred woman now living in reduced circumstances.  She and her brother, who has moved to South Africa, are now the only two members of her family and she is forced to support herself as a working girl in 1900s London, pre-WWI.  Her boss treats all the "secretaries" impersonally and dictatorially and seems deficient in personality and human kindness.  As a matter of fact, the girls don't even think of him as a man, but more along the lines of an automaton.So you can imagine Monica's surprise when Mr. Waters asks her to become his "pretend" fiancee for one year.  He doesn't give his reasons but the 500 pounds he offers is difficult to refuse, especially when she finds out that her (worthless) brother in South Africa is having financial problems and has asked her to help him out.So she agrees and the story is off and running.  It's mostly written in first person POV and Monica's voice is sassy and funny, her inner dialogue at times a bit snarky but always amusing.  The characters' interactions and dialogue are a hoot and the story moves along entertainingly.  Monica is not fond at all of her boss, Mr. William Waters, at the beginning of the story and Waters is totally disinterested in Monica except as she suits his purposes because of his need for a fake fiancee.Well, you do know what will happen.  It is a romance.  But the getting to the HEA is a lot of fun.  This is worth the read for the romance reader and it's also a little slice of life in 1914 London for some historical interest.  I was charmed by how modern this old romance seemed.  (Berta Ruck, BTW, was born in 1878 and wrote 80 or so novels, mostly romances.  This one is, I believe, her first but it is very polished for a debut work.)