I read this book after several online friends recommended it to me along with the other two books in this trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt. This is book two in that trilogy and to date the only book I have read by her. I found that it was pretty enjoyable but for me it was easy to put down. I found that I was ok with setting it down to watch TV or surf the net. The book was not a bad book. I was and still am torn as to rating it. I settle with a 3.5 stars.
The good points.....
A very interesting twist on a typical historical romance theme. A rich titled individual who falls in love with a servant. In this case the woman is the titled individual and the man is the lowly land steward. I have never read a book where this has happened and enjoyed it no matter how unlikely the actual events could have happened.
Likable characters. Harry is low born but proud. He is a proud man with no disillusions as to his place in life or society. Many of the secondary characters were also interesting. Georgina's brothers were among those characters that I really wanted to know better but didn't get the chance. Her brothers are the kind of men who really should be the heroes in their own books.
An interesting fairy tale interwoven with the main plot. Georgina tells a tale in pieces throughout the book to Harry that I found myself wanting to hear more about. When George would tell a little bit of the story and stop I really wanted her to get on with it and finish the tale but found that by having her character tell the story in this way Hoyt managed to push her own story along nicely.
What I didn't like....
Georgina. I know it might be a little harsh but I found her character a little annoying. When she talked she almost sounded flighty and self absorbed. Her actions were completely wrong for the time period and what a lady of good breeding should do. I can see an older widow blowing off society's whispers to take whomever she wanted as a lover but a virgin under the age of 30 seemed almost absurd to me.
The mystery. Many times a good historical romance has a bit of a mystery to carry the story along. I generally like this type of plot but for some reason when Harry finds himself being blamed for poisoning some sheep belonging to a neighbor of George's I just couldn't see why everyone believed him guilty. Hoyt did weave the reasons into the story but I just couldn't believe them hook, line and sinker.
Over all I would say this was a book that was ok. A decent way to introduce myself to Hoyt's writing but not one that I could honestly recommend as more then to say one should read it because they read the other books in the trilogy.
No comments:
Post a Comment