Barbara Woster’s ‘Fate’s Intervention’ has been classified as a Romantic Comedy/Thriller, and while there are certainly amusing and scary segments to the story, I’m not convinced that this is how it should be categorised.
‘Fate’s Intervention’ is the story of an ailing father’s wish to see his 18-year-old-and-therefore-at- great risk-of-being-branded-an-old-spinster daughter wed before his untimely demise. For her part, Marcelle is tired of the seemingly endless parade of old men her father provides for her to choose from and portrays herself to them as deficient in intellect, or perhaps violent, in an effort to dissuade them all. It works and Marcelle is now comfortable in her spinsterhood.
Enter Matthew Daragh, heir apparent of Daragh Steel, although he has long-since left home to find his own way in the world. Tired of having the daughter of his employer throw herself at him in a desperate bid to catch his hand in holy matrimony, Matthew leaves his employ.
Marcelle, conducting business at the local horse sale, on behalf of her father meets Matthew for the first time, and, although she won’t admit is, falls head over heels in love with him. Putting those feelings aside, she also recognises him for the good horseman and trainer that he is and hires him as a trainer for a stud she wants to establish – without discussing this idea with her father first.
A series of mishaps and dangerous encounters with Matthew’s foppish but devious brother puts Matthew’s life and Marcelle’s virtue in jeopardy.
The story has a many good moments with a lot of romantic shenanigans resulting in a few weddings – not all of them happy ones. The plot twists and turns to a satisfactory conclusion, trotting along at a steady pace and only galloping where tension is called for.
It is an enjoyable and enthralling tale and well-worth the read. There are minor editing issues that another go over by either a proofreader or editor will have picked up, but nothing that draws you out of the story for too long.
I award this book 4.5 stars.
By Phoebe Wilby
