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Rating: Summary: Escape to Romance--in a remote Scottish castle! Review: Harriet Sainthill is somewhat embarrassed (and gravely disappointed) upon being jilted. However, having no wish to be the talk of the ton, Harriet decides to remove herself from the melee for a while, and decides to try a post as a governess, which will enable her to relocate to Scotland for a while. Yet Harriet does not know that Mr. Wainwright, her new employer, is, in reality, Lord Nathaniel Bennett--who due to his brother's and sister-in-law's untimely deaths--must try to keep their children safe. Will he succeed? Can Harriet resist the reformed rake? Will righteousness prevail over nefariousness? Read the book and find out--and enjoy the sumptuous Scottish setting!
Rating: Summary: Don't be tempted. Review: Harriet Sainthill was apparently jilted by her fiancé (who was scandalous, I guess) in one of the author's previous books. A spinster living with her Viscount brother and his family, Harriet wants a change in her life and decides to become a governess. Yes, you heard me right. A Viscount's daughter wants to become a governess; not because she's homeless or has no money or family, but just so she can be independent or something. (Go ahead and chuck your disbelief out the window now, because things do not get better from here.)Lord Nathaniel Bennett (the author insists he has a title of his own, but he wouldn't, so I won't use it) has recently lost his brother and sister-in-law to illness. His four year old nephew (now a duke) and two young nieces have, through Nathaniel's neglect, fallen into the clutches of an unscrupulous great-uncle. Facing a legal battle for custody that he fears he can't win and fearing for the life of his nephew, Lord Nathaniel decides to kidnap his nieces and nephew from his uncle. Harriet is one of the worst romance heroines I've ever seen; she's just a stupid know-it-all. We're introduced to her as she (having no parental experience herself) interferes with her brother's discipline of his son, then proceeds to lecture her brother on parenting. I'm not even a parent and that bothers me. And then, she has this idea about becoming a governess. I'm not one to harp about historical accuracy, but come on. A daughter of a viscount would never resort to taking employment unless she had no other option. Not to mention that if she's as infamous as the book makes her seem, no one would hire her--Regency governesses had to have impeccable reputations. Nathaniel is a blah hero. I'm told he's a rake, but other than an "other woman" sex scene there's nothing to support it. We know he's less than strong because he didn't take responsibility for his brother's children (as his brother asked on his deathbed), but things get worse when he decides that kidnapping them is the answer. It's hard to say what the best solution to the problem is as we're never given enough information about the brother's will and laws of the time to make a determination, but it seems to me that kidnapping was one of the dumbest courses of action. So, basically, Lord Nathaniel comes off as a weak, dim, poor excuse for a rake. I've covered my problems with the characters, but those aren't even my biggest issues with the book. I'll try to give you an example of what bothered me most: I began reading and, for the first few pages, was intrigued with the style and initial set-up of the story. Then things began to get tedious. The story meanders through repetitive, non-essential detail. After forty pages the protagonists hadn't yet met (a pet peeve of mine); my sister happened to call and we started a discussion of how much we hate it when it takes forever for the hero and heroine to meet. Then I went back to reading and called my sister when I hit page fifty and they still hadn't met; we had a good laugh and I started reading again. I hit page sixty and called her once more, because they still hadn't met! She told me to quit reading. I told her I wanted to review the book and therefore had to read more than sixty pages. I kept reading, and when I hit page seventy (they still hadn't met!) I called her again. Neither of us could remember reading a romance where it took this long for the romance to begin; she told me I was an idiot for continuing to read. I kept going and was relieved when the hero and heroine finally found each other a page later, only to be flabbergasted YET AGAIN when, after the scene where they meet, I'm treated to a repetition of the scene on page eighty, only this time from another point of view. The first hundred pages could be cut down to twenty without a single pertinent detail being removed. Ok, did you notice my last paragraph--how long and filled with useless, meandering detail it was? That's what the book is like: miles of unnecessary rambling. "To Tempt a Rogue" has other problems too. The romance is almost non-existent; Harriet and Nathaniel have no chemistry and seem to "fall in love" just because they're in the same place at the same time. There is a "big misunderstanding" because the heroine, twit that she is, makes assumptions. The heroine tips the evil uncle off to their hide-out --the twit factor again--but the hero takes responsibility for her stupidity (proving he's no genius himself). Our hero's young charges don't act like any children I've ever met. The dialogue is done about as poorly as any I've ever read. The endless droning about carriage trips, Scottish scenery, nightgowns, baby dolls, etc. drove me nuts--especially when many things like the legal situation with the hero's charges and the heroine's past (apparently you have to read a previous book to find out all the details about it) are woefully under explained. I give "To Tempt a Rogue" one star. The pacing is, frankly, boring; the characters are unlikable; the story, despite endless detail, in not cohesive. And, I'm irked by the inattention to accuracy. Avoid this book; it was my first of Ms. Basso's and will be my last (though I have the impression that she's capable of better than this). Also, a bit of research into the use of Regency English titles (particularly, the non-disbursal of them to younger sons) would benefit the author.
Rating: Summary: A Delightful Surprise Review: Harriet Sainthill was apparently jilted by her fiancé (who was scandalous, I guess) in one of the author's previous books. A spinster living with her Viscount brother and his family, Harriet wants a change in her life and decides to become a governess. Yes, you heard me right. A Viscount's daughter wants to become a governess; not because she's homeless or has no money or family, but just so she can be independent or something. (Go ahead and chuck your disbelief out the window now, because things do not get better from here.) Lord Nathaniel Bennett (the author insists he has a title of his own, but he wouldn't, so I won't use it) has recently lost his brother and sister-in-law to illness. His four year old nephew (now a duke) and two young nieces have, through Nathaniel's neglect, fallen into the clutches of an unscrupulous great-uncle. Facing a legal battle for custody that he fears he can't win and fearing for the life of his nephew, Lord Nathaniel decides to kidnap his nieces and nephew from his uncle. Harriet is one of the worst romance heroines I've ever seen; she's just a stupid know-it-all. We're introduced to her as she (having no parental experience herself) interferes with her brother's discipline of his son, then proceeds to lecture her brother on parenting. I'm not even a parent and that bothers me. And then, she has this idea about becoming a governess. I'm not one to harp about historical accuracy, but come on. A daughter of a viscount would never resort to taking employment unless she had no other option. Not to mention that if she's as infamous as the book makes her seem, no one would hire her--Regency governesses had to have impeccable reputations. Nathaniel is a blah hero. I'm told he's a rake, but other than an "other woman" sex scene there's nothing to support it. We know he's less than strong because he didn't take responsibility for his brother's children (as his brother asked on his deathbed), but things get worse when he decides that kidnapping them is the answer. It's hard to say what the best solution to the problem is as we're never given enough information about the brother's will and laws of the time to make a determination, but it seems to me that kidnapping was one of the dumbest courses of action. So, basically, Lord Nathaniel comes off as a weak, dim, poor excuse for a rake. I've covered my problems with the characters, but those aren't even my biggest issues with the book. I'll try to give you an example of what bothered me most: I began reading and, for the first few pages, was intrigued with the style and initial set-up of the story. Then things began to get tedious. The story meanders through repetitive, non-essential detail. After forty pages the protagonists hadn't yet met (a pet peeve of mine); my sister happened to call and we started a discussion of how much we hate it when it takes forever for the hero and heroine to meet. Then I went back to reading and called my sister when I hit page fifty and they still hadn't met; we had a good laugh and I started reading again. I hit page sixty and called her once more, because they still hadn't met! She told me to quit reading. I told her I wanted to review the book and therefore had to read more than sixty pages. I kept reading, and when I hit page seventy (they still hadn't met!) I called her again. Neither of us could remember reading a romance where it took this long for the romance to begin; she told me I was an idiot for continuing to read. I kept going and was relieved when the hero and heroine finally found each other a page later, only to be flabbergasted YET AGAIN when, after the scene where they meet, I'm treated to a repetition of the scene on page eighty, only this time from another point of view. The first hundred pages could be cut down to twenty without a single pertinent detail being removed. Ok, did you notice my last paragraph--how long and filled with useless, meandering detail it was? That's what the book is like: miles of unnecessary rambling. "To Tempt a Rogue" has other problems too. The romance is almost non-existent; Harriet and Nathaniel have no chemistry and seem to "fall in love" just because they're in the same place at the same time. There is a "big misunderstanding" because the heroine, twit that she is, makes assumptions. The heroine tips the evil uncle off to their hide-out --the twit factor again--but the hero takes responsibility for her stupidity (proving he's no genius himself). Our hero's young charges don't act like any children I've ever met. The dialogue is done about as poorly as any I've ever read. The endless droning about carriage trips, Scottish scenery, nightgowns, baby dolls, etc. drove me nuts--especially when many things like the legal situation with the hero's charges and the heroine's past (apparently you have to read a previous book to find out all the details about it) are woefully under explained. I give "To Tempt a Rogue" one star. The pacing is, frankly, boring; the characters are unlikable; the story, despite endless detail, in not cohesive. And, I'm irked by the inattention to accuracy. Avoid this book; it was my first of Ms. Basso's and will be my last (though I have the impression that she's capable of better than this). Also, a bit of research into the use of Regency English titles (particularly, the non-disbursal of them to younger sons) would benefit the author.
Rating: Summary: A Delightful Surprise Review: I am an avid reader of mystery and romance novels and am always looking for something "a little different" when it comes to plot and characters. This was the first book I have read by this author (it was given to me by a friend who is a fan of Ms. Basso's) and I thought it was wonderful! Her descriptions evoked all sorts of images and emotions - I got a vivid sense of the characters, the time, the place. There was an almost gothic feel to most of the book and I found that to be a refreshing change from the usual Regency fare. Unlike one reviewer who mentioned that she does not have any children, I have children (and grandchildren) and I thought the three little ones added a great deal to the story and mood of this book. They were a key element to the plot without taking it over and acted like real kids - they also provided some humor and fun. The romantic tension and sexual chemistry between Harriet and Nathaniel was HOT! I was happy that the author took the time to build a solid relationship and friendship between the two of them before they jumped into bed because I rarely enjoy a story that has the hero and heroine between the sheets in the first chapter. The book started off slowly as the characters were introduced and the mood was set, but the tension built with each chapter and that kept me turning those pages, anxious to see how it all turned out. I rated this book 5 stars because I felt it was terrific and I look forward to reading more books by this talented author.
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