The Mercenary Lover (1726) is a novel by Eliza Haywood. Blending
tragedy and comedy, Haywood explores the intersection of ambition,
family, and desire to reveal how women so often fall victim to the whims
of villainous men. The Mercenary Lover is considered a prime example
of the popular genre of amatory fiction, which often used love triangles
to expose the imbalance between male and female desire in a patriarchal
society. Miranda and Althea are young, beautiful, and wealthy.
Regardless of their individual merits, however, they both fall victim to
unbridled desire in the form of the dastardly Clitander. When he chooses
Miranda, she counts herself lucky and prepares for a life of passion and
companionship. Meanwhile, the young man begins fantasizing about what he
could do with her inheritance, and soon hatches a plan to take control
of their family estate. What follows is a tale of betrayal and greed, a
series of tragic events that threatens to divide two sisters forever.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Eliza Haywood's The Mercenary Lover is a classic of
English literature reimagined for modern readers.