Rating: 
Summary: Romance by Numbers
Review: Like many of the other reviewers, I am a fan of entertaining historical romance in general and Suzanne Enoch in particular. Several of her earlier Avon romances - most notably BY LOVE UNDONE, as well as two of my other favorites, REFORMING A RAKE and TAMING RAFE - compare very well with the bestselling books by her close buddy Julia Quinn. So I was quick to snap up a copy of her newest book, THE RAKE, first in her new series, "Lessons in Love."After reading the book in record time, I was disappointed. From the title on through the plot and characterization, the book came across to me as formulaic, a story written simply for the sake of hooking up a pair of names mentioned in passing in a previous novel. The setup is just a little too precious, a plot device with little at risk since the ending is a foregone conclusion anyway. Of course, we all know the ending of a Regency Romance in advance - but there has to be enough of that niggling doubt, the feeling of the perils of Pauline, that seems absent. Worst of all - and there's a school of readers who disagree with me - was the play on Chapter 13, which committed the unforgivable disgrace of giving up on the reader's connection to the hero and heroine for the sake of a cheap laugh. At the core of romance is the respect we have for the characters and the author's respect for us. The cover may seem hackneyed, even embarassing to read on the train - but what's between the covers makes us feel real emotion. The Chapter 13 gimmick was unnecessary and seemed to suggest that even the author was giving up. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, see - it's just a romance novel. Along with Robert Parker's new Spenser Novel "Widow's Walk," Suzanne Enoch's latest let me down as a loyal fan. My first reaction was that these favorite authors of mine were mailing it in, relying more on formula and staying in the comfort zone. Have you ever bought a recent CD by an artist you simply loved to death in an earlier incarnation (Sting, Elton John, Billy Joel, other pop types leap to mind), listen to it once or a few times, then bury it somewhere and forget you have it? I have, and it always depresses me. It's really a shame to lay this at Suzanne's feet, and I fully intend to keep reading her future books. She ordinarily has a wonderful touch with persona and situation that make a reader smile often and care about what happens to the characters. But if you'd like an introduction to her best stuff then go back to the Bancroft men to see how she began developing such a devoted fan base.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect Romance
Review: Like most of you, I'm hooked on romance novels. I probably average 2 a week with some mystery, etc. thrown in for variety. This is one of the best I've read. When I finished it, I told my husband this is what all romance novels should be like. It has humor, strong writing, and good, likeable characters.
Rating:
Summary: One of Her BEST!!!!
Review: Oh..the tangled web that Georgiana and Dare weave..sensuous and bringing us closer--so close that we can feel the flame! I am a reformed Enoch reader. Frankly, I met her in New York and she is a wonderful person, although I was not a fan. No more! I LOVE this book and have recommended it to all of my friends. And I am now a huge Suzanne Enoch fan!
Rating:
Summary: One of Her BEST!!!!
Review: Oh..the tangled web that Georgiana and Dare weave..sensuous and bringing us closer--so close that we can feel the flame! I am a reformed Enoch reader. Frankly, I met her in New York and she is a wonderful person, although I was not a fan. No more! I LOVE this book and have recommended it to all of my friends. And I am now a huge Suzanne Enoch fan!
Rating:
Summary: Bah!
Review: Okay, if this is your first Suzanne Enoch book, it's sure to please. As I have read some of her other books, I know that this is not her best or even close. At eighteen years old, Georgiana Halley was seduced by the notorious Viscount Dare and left heartbroken when she realizes that Dare seduced her for a wager. Six years later she decides to get even with him by making him care for her and then leaving him brokenhearted. So, she and her two best friends concoct a scheme to teach Dare a "Lesson." The lesson works brilliantly, but Georgiana realizes that Dare is not the same person he was six years earlier...P>"The Rake" is at best a pleasant summer read. The characters are likable, but the plot was a bit on the ridiculous side. The whole idea of the lesson was juvenile and unbelievable. Georgiana is 24 years old, but acts like a teenager most times. I have to admit, though, there were a couple of good sex scenes, but not enough chemistry. I mean, after six years of verbal battle between the two, all of a sudden they have to have each other. SE's dialogue is at times witty and humorous, but "The Rake" is a quickly forgotten book. Her earlier book, "Reforming a Rake," is much better. If you like books like Patricia Cabot's "Kiss the Bride," this book is your cup of tea. But, if you prefer your romance novels to be meatier, try Loretta Chase's "Lords of Scoundrels" (historical) or Linda Howard's "After the Night" (contemporary.)
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing story relies on annoying plot devices
Review: Several years ago, Lady Georgiana Halley had been smitten with the handsome rake, Viscount Dare. In fact, he had charmed her to the point she lost her virginity to him. But what she found out afterward was humiliating. Lord Dare had made a wager with some gentlemen that he could bed Georgiana. She has never forgiven him for treating her in such a cold and calculating manner. Now he's seriously courting another young miss, and Georgiana hatches a plan to give Dare his comeuppance, and insure he proposes to the young lady. She manages to get herself invited to stay with him and his family, all the while using every feminine wile she possesses to make Dare fall in love with her. Then she plans to discard him just as he did her. The only hitch is, she didn't count on the intensity of her feelings for him, and he's never gotten her out of his system.
This was my first book to read by this author, and apparently this wasn't a good choice for me to begin with. It started out being cute and funny with the antagonistic relationship between Dare and Georgiana, but the story deteriorated as I read on. It became juvenile in nature, and just too corny to be believable. Plus, I really dislike the big misunderstanding and revenge plot devices. Unfortunately, this book contained both. In fact, I quit reading it and just skimmed through the rest. The main characters were one-dimensional and lacked real emotional depth. I've read some of the other reviews that say this author has much better work out there, so I will probably try another by her. But I don't recommend reading this, especially if you've not read Ms. Enoch before.
Rating: 
Summary: Trodden-over-sore feet ....
Review: Six years have passed since the notorious Viscount Dare charmed Lady Georgiana Halley to give him a ..... kiss (?) ... in a bid to win a wager; Georgiana is utterly devastated and makes it her main mission in life to 1) belittle Dare as much as possible, and 2) save other innocent ladies from this "rake". Amid many broken fans and trodden-over-sore feet, Dare and Georgiana sort their relationship out .... definitely worth a read ... lots of laughter, spunk, and unusual antics and situations. I have read a number of other "SE" novels, and was at first disappointed in this novel: believe me after reading "reforming a rake" and "London's Perfect Scoundrel", which are both excellent novels, this book had a huge reputation to live up to .... hence my initial disappointment; however, after re-reading the book it came across heaps better and is definitely a most enjoyable read .... one I will read again and again. If you like a book with a bit of spunk and sass' .. then I can recommend this book for a satisfying read! Hope you enjoy the book as much as I have, Kristina
Rating:
Summary: Not one of her best.
Review: Suzanne Enoch is a great romance author but this book was not one of her best works of literature. She seemed to rush the story and at times I thought the story line was too unbelievable. The last chapters of the book were just downright weird. If you like Suzanne Enoch I would suggest you skip this one and read some of her other works.
Rating:
Summary: Revenge, Steamy, and Funny
Review: There are some books that I remember months down the line and this is one of them. In essence, it is a book about the heroine trying to teach the hero a "lesson", but getting caught in a web of love in the process. Its one of the few novels where the hero and heroine are in on a secret that the reader is not privileged to know. A "kiss" that causes so much suffering for both? Hmmm... Anyway, it is important to know that humor is used well in the book. I also did stay up quite late reading the book. I have to say that "London's Perfect Scoundrel" (second book of the trilogy) just doesn't meet up to my expectations after reading "The Rake."
Rating:
Summary: Not As Great As Her Other Books
Review: This was not as good as some of her other books and I was somewhat disappointed by the results. Dare seemed to have so much more potential in her other story and I looked forward to reading his "happy ending". Well, there is a happy ending but I feel that it was a result of a formula that the author followed instead of her creative talent. For those of you that have not read any stories by this author it will be a pleasant read but for those of you that are familiar with this author and what she is capable of will be a little disappointed in the end result of this story. This story is not a waste of time just not as great as it could have been.
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