John and Mary Bexley have barely been married a month when his job with the foreign office takes him to China. Despite the fact that the mission was not a successful one, John comes home with a very different outlook on life.

Mary was a shy young woman when they married and he isn't sure how they will go along for the rest of their lives. However, he is married and couldn't face a divorce, much less afford one.

Mary has always been bullied by her forceful mother and she resents being sent off to her aunt's house when John leaves for China. She discovers her Aunt Lavinia much changed. The household is in disarray and everyone looks to Mary to take charge. Suddenly, Mary is the decision maker with everyone in the house coming to her for answers.

Mary has become a much more confident woman. With word that John is coming home, Mary must find someone to take care of Aunt Lavinia. Once she convinces her mother of the need, her mother allows her to make the decision.

John and Mary must learn the other all over. With John working hard at his job and making forays into the slums of London to make connections in the Chinese community, Mary is often alone. Gradually, she makes friends with one of her neighbors. That and her art help ease the loneliness.

When one of John's jealous co-workers plays a mean trick on Mary at the Lady Castlereagh's ball, John's career is put in jeopardy, Mary will seek to repair the damage she has done. Meanwhile, a friend of John's at work and the granddaughter of her neighbor set out to rectify the situation in their own way.

It's a pleasure to have Ms. Ashford writing books again. Regency fans can look forward to an author who knows her period. MARRIED TO A PERFECT STRANGER is a little slow starting off since John and Mary seem to lead separate lives but once I got comfortable with the characters, it was much easier to get into the story.

The difficulties that John faced in the workplace reflect how little people change. Every reader who's had a difficult co-worker will sympathize with his situation. Anyone who's found themselves moving to new area will find it easy to root for Mary as she seeks to make a new life for herself.

MARRIED TO A PERFECT STRANGER is a good romance which will strike a chord with every reader and the difficulties they face in life.